On Georgia’s picturesque Peach Cove Island, a killer is serving up a two-for-one special . . . After their mama’s passing, Marygene Brown returned to Peach Cove Island to help her sister Jena Lynn run the family diner, renowned for its homemade peach desserts. But Mama is never too far away—her sassy spirit haunts the island, and more specifically Marygene. Lately Mama has been warning her that … been warning her that the dead will seek her out to solve their murders, an idea Marygene is far from peachy keen on.
But that prophecy appears to be coming true when she goes skinny-dipping off the island and swims right into a woman’s charred corpse floating in the waves. And when Marygene and her brother Sam come upon a second burned body in a wine cellar at an event they’re catering, it appears they have a double homicide on their hands. It soon turns out the victims have more in common than their charred remains, and Marygene will need to double down to find a killer who has no aversion to playing with fire. Good thing Mama has her back . . .
Includes Seven Recipes from Marygene’s Kitchen!
more
Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse by Kate Young is the 2nd A Marygene Brown Mystery. It can be read as a standalone because the needed background information is provided. We return to Peach Cove Island, Georgia where deceased souls who have been murdered are drawn to Marygene Brown. Marygene gets a help with the cases from her mama, Clara who is in limbo (she should have done more good deeds while alive). Marygene co-owns The Peach Diner with her sister, Jena Lynn. Marygene is a wonderful baker whose pastries are in demand by the island’s residents and tourists. Marygene is having relationship troubles with beau, Deputy Alex Myers. Alex was seen doing something that landed him in hot water with Marygene. Alex wanted his cake and to eat it too (if you get my drift). Deputy Javier Reyes is new to the force and sparks fly between him and our protagonist. It looks like Alex has competition. I wish less time had been devoted to Marygene’s love life. It was a little much for me. Marygene deserves a good guy who is understanding, kind, and loyal. There are a variety of colorful characters whose antics had me laughing. Betsy, an employee and friend, is a hoot. The food descriptions will have your mouth watering. Thankfully, there are recipes at the end of the book. I like the author’s conversational writing style which made Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse was easy to read. The story moved along quickly. The mystery was an enjoyable one to solve. It was complex (love that) with a variety of clues, several suspects and misdirection. I had a good time assembling the clues and arriving at a solution. There is a dramatic reveal where I got to see if my deductions were correct. There was plenty of action in this story that helped move this story along quickly toward the end. The paranormal element is fun and enhances the series. Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse is a capricious cozy mystery with a disdainful deputy, unabashed bathing beauty, a chill cellar, pretty pastries, a defensive dad, and crispy corpses.
Southern Sass and Crispy Corpse is the second book in the Marygene Brown Mystery series. I absolutely loved book one and this one did not disappoint!!! So in love!!!
Marygene was hoping to just run her diner and move on from her past but soon learns that she can’t hide from mysterious deaths that keep happening in her life! With help from her mothers ghost she is on the hunt to solve them! This book is action packed with a bit of romance mystery and that southern style I love by one of my new favorite authors! I am in love with this and highly recommended it!
Southern Sass And A Crispy Corpse
Marygene Brown Mysteries, Book #2
Kate Young
5 Stars
Synopsis:
On Georgia’s picturesque Peach Cove Island, a killer is serving up a two-for-one special . . .
After their mama’s passing, Marygene Brown returned to Peach Cove Island to help her sister Jena Lynn run the family diner, renowned for its homemade peach desserts. But Mama is never too far away–her sassy spirit haunts the island, and more specifically Marygene. Lately Mama has been warning her that the dead will seek her out to solve their murders, an idea Marygene is far from peachy keen on.
But that prophecy appears to be coming true when she goes skinny-dipping off the island and swims right into a woman’s charred corpse floating in the waves. And when Marygene and her brother Sam come upon a second burned body in a wine cellar at an event they’re catering, it appears they have a double homicide on their hands. It soon turns out the victims have more in common than their charred remains, and Marygene will need to double down to find a killer who has no aversion to playing with fire. Good thing Mama has her back . . .
Includes Seven Recipes from Marygene’s Kitchen! (Amazon)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. I thought that Marygene, her sister, Jena Lynn and her friend, Betsy, made a great team. They were not afraid to pursue the truth, even if it put them in harm’s way. And her Mama, who happens to be a ghost, Does whatever she can to help her daughter. I really enjoyed that there was a ghost in this book, I enjoy a great ghost story.
The writing style flows smoothly and it defines the characters very clearly through their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The southern charm just oozes from the pages and I would live to go and visit Marygene and her family and friends on Peach Cove Island.
The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. This mystery was a little more complex and not easily solved.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written cozy mystery. I am looking forward to the next book in this series, I want to see what trouble Marygene gets into.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
This is the first book I have ready by this author and wow! What a story she weaves with interesting characters and backstories and the mystery itself? One I did not expect.
This is the 2nd in the series and if you have followed my reviews for any length of time, you know I prefer to read a series in order. For some reason, I decided to go ahead and read this book and while there was a little bit about Marygene’s past I did not know about, the author did a good job of giving some detail so I didn’t feel totally in the dark. I still think that it would be best to start with the first book in this series to have a better understanding of the characters, but the mystery is unique to this book.
Marygene has some baggage, and that might be an understatement. She has a complicated past and she is leery of trusting anyone outside of her immediate family. On top of that, she sees her mother’s ghost who prods her into investigating the crimes. Her mother is limited as to what she can tell Marygene about the incidents but she does help save a few people indirectly. There is a fleeting relationship with Alex, a deputy that works for her dad, but a potentially innocent incident has Marygene thinking that perhaps they don’t need to be together. Enter newer deputy, Javier Reyes. I believe he is in the first book, but he and Marygene seem to come to an understanding in this book. Could he be a potential love interest? Only time will tell.
The mystery of the “crispy corpses” was interesting because I don’t believe any other cozy I have read had this as the crime. It left an interesting picture in my mind. On top of that, Marygene discovers the first body while skinny dipping. She is a brave soul to bare it all and then to end up finding the first body. Yup, there is more than one to find. And the ties to the past regarding these bodies added a nice twist. When the full truth was revealed you could have knocked me over with a feather. While I suspected one person involved with the crime, the full story was not one that even crossed my mind. Many people were shocked by the revelations.
Overall we enjoyed this cozy and I plan to go back and read the first book to gain a better understanding of Marygene and her family. We give this book 4 paws up.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
First off I must say what a great way to start a book! Marygene is doing her daily swim in the ocean from a secluded beach. Little did she know that she was about to run into a dead body as she did so. Add in her lack of swimming attire and it will make you giggle. As if that was not bad enough but she stumbles across a second body that was killed in the same way. What follows is an excellent mystery full of surprising twists, wonderful characters, and a mystery with all sorts of layers. Makes for a fun read as it all plays out. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Who knew a little skinny dipping would land Marygene smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation and earn her a lecture from her deceased mother too. Of course, she never imagined she would swim into a charred corpse and then find another burned body in the basement at an event she was catering. Looks like a double homicide but Marygene soon learns it is so much more and people she loves may have the answers she needs to solve the case.
This is just the second book and I am already so invested in these characters. After what Marygene has been through I the best for her but she faces several trials and tribulations. One that had tears rolling down my face. The emotions invoked shows the high attention to detail the author puts into her character development. I love that the Peach Diner is a true family business with now Marygene joining her brother Sam and sister Jena Lynn. The family is close and Sheriff Eddie Carter now revealed as Marygene’s biological father that adds another great limb to the family tree. Of course, her mother’s spirit dropping in unexpectedly adds even more charm.
Ms. Young does a stellar job of blending real-life happenings with a complicated murder mystery while keeping the mystery the main focus. There turn out to be a good number of suspects and twist upon twist to keep readers on our toes. Definitely not an easy mystery to solve. I was kept guessing right up to the exciting reveal.
Peach Cove Island is full of Southern charm and a place I would love to visit. The author’s descriptive style brings the island alive.
Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse is not your typical cozy mystery is it so much more. A great mystery with such strong characters. The perfect amounts of humor, drama, conflict, and romance take this story to another level. I loved this story. Oh, there are recipes too!! Look for this book on my Best Reads of 2020 List.
Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse is book two in the Marygene Brown mystery series. This was the first for me but I was able to get caught up quickly.
Marygene starts her morning taking an early morning skinny dip when she bumps into a charred body not knowing what it would turn into. Another charred body, a mystery from the past and a possible new romance.
There are plenty of twists and turns that have you guessing until the end in this easy to read cozy. I loved the setting and felt like I was actually on Peach Cove Island. I enjoyed the main characters and found them relatable. I loved the connection between Marygene and her friend, Betsy. There is humor, family, a ghost, and friendship. The only problem, you will want to go to the diner for a meal. At least there are recipes included.
I was given an ARC be NetGalley and Kensington Books for an honest review.
“Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse“ by Kate Young is the 2nd instalment in the “A Marygene Brown Mystery” series. I was excited to visit Peace Cove Island, Georgia again and the Peach Diner. I love the island setting and Marygene and her diner family. The story is filled with quirky characters, and the addition of Aunt Vi was a hoot. I like the little bit of island lore and spirit aspect that is in this series.
I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in one sitting. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Marygene did.
I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 3 to come out!
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
The second book in the Marygene Brown Mystery series was just as enjoyable of a read as the first book in the series. Set in the south, Georgia, this book is full of wonderful characters that have wit, charm, and humor. Marygene has had a rough road, coming home after being in an abusive marriage and is making her way with the help of her family and friends. Unfortunately, her deceased mother, who comes to her as a ghost, is also the reason she is stumbling over dead bodies. This time around, it’s two bodies that are part of a cold-case, over 20 years old. In addition to the dead bodies, there is a new deputy in town that may or may not be a potential new interest for Marygene. I liked the character of Javier. He has been a relationship where he has been betrayed so he understands Marygene’s trust issues. In this book, a friendship between the seems to be taking hold.
I really liked the mystery in this book. It kept me engaged and guessing until the very end. The discovery of two dead bodies opens up a missing person case that is over 20 years old. This gives the author plenty of suspects to choose from – this time it’s the older generation in town who hold all of the secrets surrounding the death of two young women. What I liked is that as the clues were unraveled and the layers peeled away it led to more secrets and lies that have to be unraveled. There were plenty of tense moments when Marygene found herself in trouble because of her ability. In the end, I didn’t guess the identity of the killer and was surprised by the outcome.
I really enjoy this series and I am looking forward to many more books to come from the author. I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley
Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse is the second installment in the series, ‘A Marygene Brown Mystery’ and it was such a fun read. We get to visit Mary Gene and all the sassy southerners of Peach Cove. Marygene finds a crispy body while she is swimming and uncovers a mystery of the island that nobody wanted revealed. Her father would rather she leave it alone and let the Sheriff’s office handle it, but because Marygene has the gift of seeing her mama’s spirit, she isn’t allowed to forget and must uncover the mystery of who could be a murderer on the island. Many secrets are uncovered and Marygene could be in danger before the mystery is solved. Such a great story. So many questions until the very end, I was stumped by who the actual murderer was and enjoyed the lead up to the finale. Can’t wait for the next one, highly recommend.
Kate Young takes the reader back to Peach Cove Island with Marygene Brown. Throughout this story and series, Marygene seems to be finding herself in the middle of mysterious deaths occurring around the island. Marygene embarks on her own investigation throughout the story to come to the body of the deaths, while also assisting her sister in running their family diner. Kate Young takes the reader on an adventure throughout the pages of her story as we work to solve the mystery with Marygene. I enjoyed reconnecting with characters from the first book. I could not put this book down!
Once I opened Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse on my kindle, I knew I would have to read it all in one sitting.
Kate Young fills the pages with laugh out loud moments, family drama, and a great murder investigation.
This is the second book in this series, but it can be read as a stand alone.
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
This is the second book in the Marygene Brown series and it is just as good, if not better than the first! Is it just me, or does Marygene Brown sound like Julia Sugarbaker from Designing Women in your head too? Just me? Seriously?
A huge fan of cozy mysteries with everything judged by the Jessica Fletcher criteria solely of my own, Marygene and her ghostly Mama are a great team of sleuths. Perhaps, this series is a bit more Ghost Whisperer than Murder She Wrote, but with a bit more humor to keep those pages turning. Marygene just wants to run her restaurant, but she has a way of being at the wrong place at the wrong time when bodies start showing up. So, once again, the amateur sleuth will have to figure out who dun-it in her small town!
As if the novel wasn’t enough, Ms. Young knows how to tempt us further by including amazing recipes at the end! YUM.
The second book in the “A Marygene Brown Mystery” culinary paranormal series by Kate Young, Southen sass, and a Crispt Corpse, is a great read. Published by Kensington Books, this book and series will have you hungry for more, and dessert!
Marygene has inherited more than a little bit of psychic power. She is seeing and talking to the ghost of her mother and isn’t sure she likes it. She misses her mother, but talking to her is starting to make things awkward. People see her talking to herself, and they wonder if she has lost her mind. Finding one body after another isn’t helping. In this delicious culinary paranormal series, Marygene is the lead character, but readers will find themselves enjoying the other cast member just as much. Aunt Vi is a free spirit who may not be what people think she is. Marygenes BF, Yvonne, is the best friend a girl could have, but she has her problems to deal with. Other characters are equally exciting and believable.
I love a good culinary cozy, but when you add in the paranormal aspect, it gets my attention and keeps it. Kate Young is a writer who knows her characters and her subject matter. She writes with a real sense of what people think and feels under challenging circumstances. She also understands how food, dessert, in particular, can comfort people even in the worst of times. The southern setting of Georgia is a perfect fit for a series that has all the earmarks of having been written by an old fashioned southern girl.
The murder is unusual, as the victims were killed over twenty years ago, and their bodies happen to be found by Marygene. But her mama warned her that the dead would seek her out. Marygene hopes that the dead don’t do it all the time. The suspects are older people who have a lot of secrets, and this is what makes this culinary paranormal book so inviting. After all, everyone has secrets that we carry with us throughout our lives, and not all of them are good. Marygene has to uncover the secrets of those involved with the killing, including those of her father.
In the end, Marygene solves the crimes, confronts the killer and saves herself, her sister, and everyone else. Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse is a genuinely enjoyable read that keeps readers guessing and turning the page. This is a culinary paranormal mystery that readers will want to gobble up with recipes in the back that will help them end their day with a beautiful meal idea. I am happy to recommend this book and series and look forward to the continuing adventures of Marygene.
Marygene returned to Peach Cove to help her sister after the death of their mother. Her mother has been warning her that the dead will come to her for help. While skinny dipping off the island she finds the charred dead body of a woman. Then she and her brother find a second body in a wine cellar. Now she must find the killer before more people end up dead
Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse by Kate Young is fabulous. It’s filled with humor, family dynamics, and this wonderfully plotted mystery.
Will Marygene and Betsy figure out the decades-old murder before the murderer finds them snooping?
Marygene Brown
Marygene is our sleuth, the daughter of the sheriff, and she co-owns the local diner. She has a few things going on. Oh, and she talks to her dead mother’s ghost. Marygene’s mother is an island spirit meaning she is stuck here until she can prove herself worthy of crossing over. Which really means the Marygene must help the souls of those wronged. So, let’s add occasional murder to her list.
Marygene is a survivor, and she has a truly amazing support system. I love this character and the way she gets herself out of these things.
Betsy
Betsy is Marygene’s friend and fellow sleuth. They are partners in these capers. Betsy always has Marygene’s back no matter what. She is there riding shotgun, packing a pistol to protect them, drinking, bringing food when needed. Betsy brings the comedy to all the situations that they find themselves in. Oh, and she is so loyal to all her friends and family, except Alex.
The Mystery
The installment finds us with Marygene’s house remodeled, she is, and Jena Lynn are doing great things at the diner, but Marygene and Alex are off. So, enter a new deputy from New York, and he’s hot.
Anyway, Marygene finds a body that looks charred in the ocean when she is swimming. Then she finds another one that has also been burned in the wine cellar of Yvonne’s house during a showcase. Let’s just say that her dad, the sheriff isn’t happy. Yet, Marygene is compelled to figure out what happened.
I thought I had it figured out, but I so fell for one of the red herrings and assumed things that they didn’t find. I was close, though. Ya, I know only in horseshoes.
Five Stars
I love this series and devoured this book. Therefore, Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse by Kate Young is getting five stars. If I could give it more, I would. I can’t wait for the next installment. Oh, there are these recipes in the back. I am so making those peach muffins.
Oh, and I highly recommend this book to all mystery lovers. You won’t be disappointed.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse by Kate Young.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove.
Until the next time,
~Jen
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
SOUTHERN SASS AND A CRISPY CORPSE by Kate Young
The Second Marygene Brown Mystery
An early morning swim turns into a nightmare for Marygene Brown when a badly burned corpse bumps into her. Trying to put the incident out of her mind she’s excited to cater a party to promote her friend’s new business. But when she and her brother decide to store the champagne in the basement, they find another badly burned corpse. It seems Marygene’s mama was right, the dead are drawn to her. In addition to crispy corpses, Marygene has to deal with her tempestuous relationship with Alex while keeping Peach Tree Island satiated with her baked goods. Will Marygene be able to help the dead? Or will she get burned?
What a great book! I loved the first Marygene Brown Mystery and this one even tops it. The fun and quirky characters balance out the scenes of heartfelt emotions. New characters enter the scene, including one I’d love to punch, or maybe trip and have fall into a puddle of mud…and chip her front teeth. There’s angst and tragedy, maturing, or not, and an ultimate coming together. The penultimate scene was jaw droppingly shocking while also being an unbelievable adrenaline rush.
The most important aspect of the book are the various parental relationships, which are key here. The other thing to remember is that relationships and problems continue even after death. I loved learning more about the Island Spirits and discovering that more people can see and interact with them.
SOUTHERN SASS AND A CRISPY CORPSE is a fun mystery filled with both Southern charm and Southern sass. High drama, tangible emotions, slapstick comedy, and a complex mystery shrouded in secrets provide a perfect page-turning read.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
I absolutely love Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse! It took me a few chapters to get how the characters were related, but once I did, I adored them all! Poor Marygene. She came back to the island after her mama died only to be haunted by her mama, and have the dead seek her out. That can’t be enjoyable, right? Right! Marygene can’t stand it, but she doesn’t have much choice. The dead want her help. The only dead that she can talk to though is Mama, and Mama’s not allowed to tell her whodunit even if she knows. So, it’s up to Marygene to get justice for them.
In Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse, Marygene just happens to be out swimming (skinny-dipping, gasp!) very early one morning when the first crispy corpse finds her. Of course, she’s in shock and mortified, but she gathers her wits about her and gets to work solving this very old mystery.
The setting in this series is another one that makes me jealous! As in the Seaside Cafe Mystery series, this series is set in a town by the ocean! Why oh why was I born in the mid-west? I love the diner, and you will too. You’ll be drooling as you read about all of the delicious food they serve there. Thankfully, you can find the recipes in the book. I’d rather have them cook for me though!
Like I said earlier, I adore the all of the characters…even the rotten ones because they are extremely well-written. I might not adore their actions, but I love how they jump off of the page at you.
Of all the side characters, Aunt Vi is my favorite with her quirkiness. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks! Oh, to be Aunt Vi! My second favorite is Betsy who has no filter. She’ll crack you up.
What really surprised me was that I was actually crying during two particular scenes. I don’t think I’ve EVER cried while reading a cozy mystery book, but a scene with Marygene and Eddie (her biological dad with whom she’s got a complicated relationship) had me bawling!
I love that things aren’t easily solved in Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse. And I’m not just talking about the mystery. Relationships are hard, and past traumas are hard. Life can be hard, and Kate Young doesn’t shy away from that fact. It makes the book more real when the characters’ lives aren’t all sunshine and roses.
I highly recommend Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse! Though I didn’t read the first, I’m sure I’d recommend that one too (and I’m gonna go read it!). Be prepared for all the feels!
Marygene has recently moved back to Peach Cove, Georgia following her nasty divorce. Living in the family home and working in the family diner has been good for her, but the ghost of her recently deceased mother has not. Finding out that the island spirits will be bothering her from now on was not something she liked, especially after finding a burned corpse in the water in the early morning hours while skinny dipping.
This sets off the whole story and Marygene and her mother’s ghost set out to not only solve that murder, but the one that soon follows.
This story took me awhile to read. I’d figured out the killer early on, and the book took me a week to finish because of that. I’d have to leave it for awhile and come back later. I didn’t connect with the characters unfortunately and that also took away from the story for me. I did give the book four stars based on the writing.
Marygene recently returned to Peach Cove Island, Georgia after divorcing an abusive husband, and is now running their family diner with her sister. Marygene’s mama is gone…kind of. Mama’s spirit is haunting Marygene, and claims that because of their connection the dead will seek Marygene out to solve their murders. Much to Marygene’s chagrin this appears to be true. While skinnydipping on an isolated beach, Marygene swims into a charred corpse. Later, she finds a second burned corpse in a wine cellar.
This fast-paced amateur sleuth mystery was well-written, and Marygene is a strong character. Although some serious topics were addressed, they were balanced by humor and an abundance of quirky characters. Romantic interests are an important subplot in this book but they did not, in my opinion, overwhelm the main mystery. I loved that Marygene really considered what she wanted from a relationship and what she deserved.
Recipes are included. This is the second in the series but I had no problem beginning with this book.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.