A prank war erupts in Lake Sackett, Georgia and coroner Frankie McCready has to turn to the gorgeous but surly new sheriff for help in Molly Harper’s newest Southern Eclectic novella, perfect for fans of Kristan Higgins and Amy E. Reichert. The McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop has crickets running rampant in the store and hot sauce in the Snack Shack’s ketchup bottles. But as the … bottles. But as the county coroner, Frankie has enough on her plate without worrying about the increasingly mean pranks being played at her family’s business. And the arrival of Sheriff Eric Linden, both devastatingly attractive and painfully taciturn, is enough to push her over the edge.
Linden, who didn’t seem to get the memo about men in uniform and Southern charm, is condescending and cold, revealing absolutely nothing about his past as an Atlanta police officer, while also making Frankie’s job as coroner as difficult as possible. And with the town’s Fourth of July celebration coming up, it’s essential for McCready’s to be cricket-free and in good working order. Strangling the sheriff will make her job even harder. Can Frankie hold off the threats to preserve her own sanity?
With her trademark “clever humor, snark, silliness, and endearing protagonists” (Booklist), Molly Harper invites fans to return to the family they first met in Sweet Tea and Sympathy. Y’all sit down and stay a while, won’t you?
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Loved these books!
I LOVED this entire series.
Good story, but it really should have been the opening chapters of Ain’t She a Peach?, which I read first. This chronicles the way that Frankie and Eric met and their initial interactions. It also includes the beginnings of the prank war that continues into that book. Even so, it was a fun read.
Frankie likes to cut loose now and then but prefers to do so away from her overprotective family. On her latest trip to Atlanta, she hooked up with Eric and had a mind-blowing night with him. But Frankie avoided any awkward morning after moments by sneaking out while Eric was still asleep. Imagine their shock a short time later when Eric showed up as the interim sheriff in Lake Sackett.
Because Frankie is also the county coroner, she and Eric have frequent encounters that only get more awkward. Frankie wonders what happened to the fun-loving guy she slept with, because Sheriff Eric is cold to her, dismissive of her as coroner, and determined to see foul play in every death. It was fun to see these two dance around each other, especially when it came to Frankie ‘splaining the difference between small town and city life. At the same time, Eric thinks that Frankie doesn’t take her job seriously enough. It all comes to a head when an accidental death on the lake brings their two philosophies into conflict. I had to laugh at the way Frankie got her point across. It was satisfying to see that both of them learned something from the experience, giving hope for a better working relationship in the future. Of course, underneath all the antagonism their attraction still bubbles away, waiting for its chance to burst forth.
Another part of the book deals with the rash of pranks and vandalism against the funeral home. Frankie is pretty sure she knows exactly who is behind them, but she has no proof. It’s clear to the reader also, especially during Frankie’s encounters with him, and I would have cheerfully pushed him off the dock first chance I had. I liked how Frankie tried talking to his parents, but they were of the type who think their child can do no wrong. Their conversation did not go well, and the story ended with Frankie saying, “Game on.”
Overall, it’s a good introduction to the next book, but if I had read it first, I would have been very frustrated by the unfinished feel to it. Knowing now that it is a prequel helps a little, but incorporating it into Ain’t She a Peach? would have been more satisfying.
I loved when Frankie would talk to herself, “no, I will not pray for chiggers to gnaw on a man’s junk until it falls off. That is beneath my dignity as a lady. Also, I’m pretty sure that’s how you end up in the special ‘ironic punishment’section of hell.” This was just a small taste of Frankie and Eric or at least I’m hoping it is, because they are perfect for each other. I can’t wait for more.
What do you do when a one night stand from a vacation, turns up as the new sheriff in your small town hometown? This is what happens to Frankie McCready in Peachy Flippin’ Keen by Molly Harper.
Frankie’s family owns a lot of businesses that are connected to each other. Businesses that shouldn’t necessarily have any connection to each other. Frankie is the town coroner. The funeral home that she works in is connected to a bait shop and a small eatery. She has been the town coroner for a small amount of time, but she does a good job.
The McCready businesses have been experiencing small pranks lately, and being that it is the busy season, they are having customer issues. Frankie is determined to find the culprit. She is sure that she knows who it is, but she wants to investigate before she calls the person out.
Sherriff Eric Linden shows up and sort of offsets Frankie. It is funny when they both realize who each other are. The animosity that comes from their connected past is great. Eric is very put off because Frankie snuck away after a one night stand. But can you blame the girl for not being clingy?
I liked the book. I wish that there was more to it though. I do understand that this was just sort of an addition from two previous books and to sort of give a prequel to Frankie’s full-length novel. I would be interested in reading the full length novel. I want to see what happens between Frankie and Eric. And I am also interested in seeing what happens with the prankster.
Four stars
**Review by Nikki, Late Night Reviewer for Up All Night w/ Books**