When a woman is shot in a cannabis patch, Arly Hanks must restore order to her Ozarks community, in this sharp-witted mystery by an Agatha Award–winning author. When small-town police chief Arly Hanks returns to Maggody, Arkansas, after vacation, she finds the population has risen to a booming 802. Among the newbies: Madame Celeste, the psychic who’s holding locals in thrall with her predictions … with her predictions of doom; a handsome new high school guidance counselor; and a gaggle of mantra-chanting hippies who have turned the old general store into the source for cosmic harmony. Unfortunately, life in Maggody is anything but harmonious.
Robin Buchanon—a member of Maggody’s most abundant family—has been murdered. The moonshiner, prostitute, and mother of four foul-mouthed little bad seeds was found shot to death in a booby-trapped marijuana field. Assuming the weed harvesters are sending a message to trespassers, Arly decides to hold vigil and set her own trap. But when another, seemingly unrelated, murder catches Arly off-guard, even Madame Celeste can’t predict where this case is headed.
An Agatha Award finalist, Mischief in Maggody is just the kind of “bawdy, cheerful entertainment” that has brought countless fans to Joan Hess’s quirky, long-running Maggody series (Kirkus Reviews).
Mischief in Maggody is the 2nd book in the Arly Hanks Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
more
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Maggody, Arkansas is growing, all the way up to a total of 802 now, and Arly Hanks as the chief of police is in charge of keeping the peace and everyone safe and it isn’t easy. Right now she has a murder on her hands and four difficult children and 1 infant to place. Before long another murder takes place and Arly truly has her hands full.
____
After reading the first book in this series I knew to expect the explicit language and scenes so that shock factor was gone. That made it easier to just get into the story.
The colorful characters we met in Malice in Maggody are back and are joined by a few new quirky characters. I still feel they are all still very basic and have plenty of room for development. There was a young man that clearly stole the story. Hammet Buchanon has a mouth on him, swearing and no filter, he definitely will tell you what he thinks. His antics will have you in stitches.
The mystery was an easy solve for me but the story was still very entertaining and a nice light escape. So much so I read the 3rd book in the series soon after finishing this one and I will post my review soon.
I found myself laughing out loud when I read this book.
Light and enjoyable; starts out condescending but generally turns things around. The characters are not complex but they do evolve, which helps.
One of the few books I couldn’t finish. Boring, poorly written.
Living in the area this series is based on, it was a hoot to read. Even acquainted with some of the contributors.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this whole series.
I enjoyed it. The characters and the town are not so much charicateurs as fond exaggerations of those who may populate an isolated southern hamlet or any where with the sheriff as the straight person. The mystery is real and the villains not obvious.
Love this series. A laugh from start to finish. There needs to be a follow-up to the last one.
It may be just me, but Joan Hess’s Maggody series I find delightful. They are my favorite relaxing beach read. I recommend them for anyone with an off-beat sense of humor.
The second novel in Joan Hess’s comical mystery series, MISCHIEF IN MAGGODY is primarily but not exclusively concerned with the disappearance and eventual murder of Robin Buchanon, one of many of the Buchanon clan inhabitants of Maggody, Arkansas, population 755: “There are hundreds of them sprinkled across Stump County, worse than hogweed. Incest and inbreeding are their favorite hobbies…They aren’t strong on intelligence; the most they can aspire to is animal cunning. An anthropologist from Farber College once tried to sort out the genealogy, although nobody ever figured out why anybody’d want to do that. Rumor has it she tried to kill herself at the county line, and ranted in the ambulance about third cousins twice removed and fathers who were also uncles and half-brothers. Her family hushed it up with some story about a diesel truck, but everybody in Maggody knew better.”
Ariel “Arly” Hanks, who was raised here but eventually married, moved to Manhattan, ultimately divorced, and moved back to Maggody where she has become Chief of Police, has quite a number of problems to contend with, not the least of which in her current case, is the well-being of loose-morals moonshiner Robin Buchanon’s five children, one of whom is an infant.
Arly and/or the reader will also encounter—via first- and third-person viewpoints—in no particular order—Madame Celeste, a psychic who may or may not be phony; Celeste’s brother, obliging Mason Dickerson; Brother Verber, preacher at the Voice of the Almighty Lord Assembly Hall; school counselor David Allen Wainwright; Arly’s mother Ruby Bee and Ruby’s friend Estelle Oppers; the consummately inept Kevin Buchanon and his lady love, Dahlia O’Neill; student Carol Alice Plummer and her “best friend in the whole world,” Heather Riley; and the new hippie owners of the Emporium: Nate, Rainbow, Zachery and Poppy, the latter being very pregnant. Extremely memorable is Maggody’s mayoral wife and devout Christian known throughout as “Mrs. Jim Bob,” and occasionally as Mizzoner,her husband Mayor Jim Bob being off in a conference in Hot Springs.
A modern take on the screwball comedy mystery that Craig Rice might have loved—albeit with some implied sexuality and blatant raw street language—the novel is one I can recommend to non-squeamish readers of entertaining whodunits.
© 2019 Barry Ergang
Absolutely love every book by Joan Hess and this one lived up to my expectations! If you know the Buchanans, you will laugh til you cry. If you haven’t met them and have no idea who Arly Hanks is, stop what you are doing and start reading now!
Horrible written
Arly Hanks is a wonderful protagonist. Smart, funny, doing her penance back in Maggody, surrounded by crazy townspeople. And her mother.
Absolutely fun. Joan Hess’ Maggody series has a cast of characters that are off-the-wall funny. Small town Maggody certainly has its share of wackiness, murder and mystery. A fun read.
Maggody is a very special place. Great mystery series with interesting characters.
I love the Maggoty series. One loose end.
My favorite series
I love everything about Maggody. The characters keep you interested and reDing!
Joan Hess is always a great read. She has created a whole world in Maggody that is so real you’re just sure you know the characters. Her books are extremely smart and well written. The plots are interesting and fun. Any reader of one of her books just can’t lose.
Lot’s of fun reading!!