Home Again: Starting Over: The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series, Book 4

Chicken Scratch #1 – This is my first book by this author and I was greatly surprised at how well written, well thought out and laced with humor and intrigue; this little gem is packed. The area is near and dear to my heart since I was born in the area. The people, while not as easily identifiable as in a Jeff Abbott novel, are locals I know. The Texas speak is just as if Ms. Willis and I were at the Creamery (TAMU) sharing milk shakes and local gossip. The kinks and knots in the plot made it hard to put down the book, even to get a tea refill. You can’t help but like the characters and root for them. The story, filled with life stories, is actually pretty substantial, not fluff, and Ms. W is an entertaining storyteller. 5*

When The Stars Fall #2 – This book is better than Chicken Scratch (#1), which is a good book, too. A lot of suspense, along with developing romances amongst several characters, keeps the reader immersed in this substantial story. Like the first book, the baddie is easily figured out, but the story is well worth reading. There are too many of the well rounded, well developed characters to shout out separately, but they’re all interesting, funny, sincere and just plain folk. The Big House becomes a prominent character and helps the family with a huge change to their lives, maybe. Not a cliffhanger, but there’s a tease about the future of Big and Madison. 5*

Stipulations and Complications #3 – This is a heavy, suspense filled book full of dark secrets and mysteries with the past and the present colliding and the darkness is felt by all involved. Yet, there’s plenty of good and love along with the humor. This intriguing, substantial read is hard to put down with its interesting storylines and well thought out characters. This book is on the level with DeMille, Follette, Grisham and Ludlum. 5*

Home Again: Starting Over #4 – Amen Sister to that comment about Texans and wannabes! This series must be read in order; they keep getting better and better. I love the fact that what happens in the earlier books are just slightly mentioned, instead of being retold. All the characters keep growing and their past and secrets coming to light as the books go on. Multiple storylines in this book and the twists and surprises just keep the reader glued to the pages. I’ve chain read the first four books and don’t have the next two available to me. But I’m diving into book seven, the newly released The Lilac Code. 5*

The Lilac Code #7 – Trouble even finds them outside of Texas! I missed the two books before this one, but it was still an interesting read. I was disappointed with the ending – the gun in her hand was forgotten. But the pages were full of intrigue and suspense, and the characters were intense. Again, there were multiple stories occurring, along with the main story. Current events were featured, which isn’t surprising with all that’s happened in Texas and other U.S. locations in the past year alone. While not a cliffhanger, there’s definitely more books in the future. I chain read five books in three days and never once was bored with this series. 5*

Home Again: Starting Over is the fourth book in The Sisters Texas Series, and it continues the overall story starring Madison (Maddy) Reynolds in her hometown of Juliet, Texas, sister city to Naomi, Texas, which is right across the railroad tracks. You won’t be disappointed if you decide to grab the first three books in the series before diving into book 4. These books could technically stand alone, but you will definitely want to get acquainted with all the characters and their backstories and the unique history of these sister cities. The author has definitely put a lot of thought and work into building this little Texas world, rife with budding romances, rivalries, new beginnings, ongoing feuds, an old mansion full of secrets, and a bit of murder and mayhem to keep things interesting.

In this fourth book, Home Again: Starting Over, destructive fires are on the agenda, but that isn’t all that is heating up and causing confusion in these two cities. Oh no, some sweet romances are shifting into high gear, and it’s about time, too. The main characters are fully developed and enjoyable, with a lot of hilarity coming from Maddy’s Granny Bert, a lot of shouting matches between a few minor characters, and a whole lot of family dynamics between Maddy and her twins, Bethani and Blake.

Despite the title, Book 4 does not focus too much on the reality show “Home Again: Starting Over” that dominates Book 3; however, the reconstruction crew is still hard at work turning the century-old Big House into a livable oasis for Maddy and her teenage twins, and the cameras are still rolling for the show’s weekly episodes. But if you pay attention, the book’s title is quite appropriate in terms of other aspects of the overall story.

Becki Willis certainly knows how to make the reader feel right at home in The Sisters and shows brilliant talent for creating such a unique setting and populating it with so many quirky characters. The descriptions of the food at Genesis (Genny) Baker’s restaurant will have you wishing you could pop in and settle into a booth with an apple turnover or maybe a plate of her signature Gennydoodle cookies and a large glass of sweet tea. Pure Texas bliss, right there! Especially if Cutter Montgomery happens to be there too, with all his Texas charm.

But back to the cozy mystery at hand. While not as fast-paced and intricate as the first three books, Home Again: Starting Over has no shortage of mysterious happenings for Maddy to investigate and unravel as she continues her self-employment at In a Pinch Professional Services. Now she is trying to figure out the connection between several fires and some shady insurance deals, and she is investigating the baffling and truly undignified death of poor Gloria Jeffers. As the fires continue, tempers flare, and the overall mystery refuses to unravel, Maddy, Granny Bert, and Genny land in some dangerous situations.

While the murder mystery blazes on, the blossoming romantic relationships are stealing the show. Maddy and Brash are finally becoming bold enough to hold hands in public, and Genny and Cutter are still hemming and hawing around, which makes their relationship slow yet oh so sweet. But it is a third relationship that springs up later in the book that will steal your breath and your heart. I sure hope there will be more to come with this prickly romance because it is quite enchanting.

Becki Willis shows her expertise in creating characters that you actually want to meet and hang out with at a fish fry along a Texas river, gazing at the stars and toasting the future.