Product Description
Police Chief Arly Hanks finds her small town, Maggody, has some new inhabitants when she returns from vacation. Soon, Robin Buchanon, local prostitute and moonshiner, disappears, and Arly finds her bloody body at the edge of a marijuana field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Could have been better...
While the story flows well in this mystery, why have so much filthy language and so many detailed sexual scenarios? If the author is trying for authenticity in dialogue, this is fiction and seeing the "F-word" and other "curse words" every other page is jarring and unnecessary, and not representative of most people. It doesn't further the story and offers readers an uncomfortable place to be in throughout the book. Some of the characters are interesting, but continually reading about "sleazy" people feels like work instead of pleasure. I have read one other Maggody book, but if this had been my first I wouldn't have read another. And many of these fictional Southern characters really make Southerners look bad, resembling the often-used negative stereotypical portrayals that those who don't live in the South like to perpetuate. This book excels at that. A good writer, but some maturity would help the work.

Long on humor, short on surprises
This is not your typical murder mystery. Although the victim, a moonshine making, ginseng picking, illegitimate baby producing mountain woman dies around chapter three, no one will realize that she is dead until about halfway through the book. The first half is taking up with the humorous goings on of the wacky inhabitants of Magoody who seem to include at least one example of every unflattering hillbilly stereotype in existence. When the mountain women goes a missing, her five wild children are dragged into town for their own good. The mystery is as much about who their fathers might be as who is responsible for the booby-trapped dope field that took their ma's life. In the end, or rather long before the end most readers will have figured out the answers to both of these questions. Fortunately, the mystery plays back seat to her large cast of crazed characters. If the authors raunchy sense of humor hits your funny bone you will be turning the pages faster and faster trying to find out what nutty thing will happen next.

Joan Hess has done it again!
Mystery and humor in one package.Great stuff.I hope she keeps writting about Maggody. -Sharice Lee-Author: "The Survivor's Guide."-

The Maggody books are thoroughly enjoyable!
I found the Maggody mysteries in a wonderful case of serendipity and now Ican't get enough.They have me turning pages as fast as I can to find outwhat hilarious development is next.One of the few writers that make melaugh out loud, and frequently.Joan Hess has created characters that youwould never admit to knowing, but secretly wish you had met.They are atthe same time outrageous and very real.

Dionne Warwick in Maggody?
When a psychic and some hippies move to Maggody Arly once again finds her hands full.With their beloved Boone Creek under peril the locals decide to take matters into their own hands. Everyone and no one is a suspect when Arly takes the case.The people of Maggody must be getting nervous cause ever since Arly came back to town, murder seems to have become the towns most popularhobby ... Read more

Product Description
To the quirky and colorful residents of Maggody, Arkansas, population 755, "going online" is something one does at the DMV. So when the high school's new computer lab gains access to the Internet, the town is plunged into virtual chaos. Students are caught sneaking peeks at pornographic Web sites, and compromising photos of prominent Maggody citizens are being flashed across the display monitors. But when the body of a promiscuous young woman is found in an abandoned shack, a web of suspicion ensnares the community. Now, as cyber crime strikes Maggody, police chief Arly Hanks has to use all her low-tech resourcefulness to pull the plug on a murderer.Amazon.com Review
Arly Hanks, Maggody's mother-ridden police chief, is a technophobe who cringes at the sight of a mouse, especially when it's connected to a computer. But when Maggody goes online, the Net brings murder, pornography, and maybe Satan to town. Or so the God-fearing folks who live, pray, and mind everyone else's business in Maggody believe.

Gwynnie Packwood, a 17-year-old unwed mother, sees the new computer lab at the elementary school as her ticket out of town, and so does Justin Bailey, the instructor who assures the townspeople he can bring the wired world to Maggody without letting the devil in. Justin and Chapel, his dissatisfied wife, aren't the only newcomers in Maggody; there are also Lazarus and Seth, whose connection with Gwynnie just might have led to her murder. But even without the strangers, Maggody has more than its share of home-grown oddballs, especially the Buchanons, who count among their numbers the mayor of Maggody, his long-suffering wife, pigs of the two- and four-footed variety, and assorted moonshiners and feral boys. The Buchanons drive Arly nearly as crazy as Ruby Bee, proprietor of the Flamingo Motel and the Ruby Bee Bar and Grill (and Arly's mother). And while she may have infinite resources, home-spun wisdom, and irrepressible curiosity and she may see whatever Arly misses and rarely misses a chance to point it out to her aggravated daughter, she's also too much of a lady to tell the police chief when pornographic pictures of Maggody's leading citizens flit across her computer monitor. By the time Arly finds out, they're under suspicion for Gwynnie's murder too, and Satan's stalking the trailer park. Hess's cozies are full of local color and colorful locals; the mystery is merely the container for this Southern-fried ramble through lovingly described and defiantly redneck country. --Jane Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

if you like hee haw...
This book is overly wordy, and plays the hillbilly joke over and over and over and ...After you read most of the book, you finally get to the murder, and then read the next 100 pages discovering you knew exactly who did it.Not much of a mystery.And not very exciting.

Part of the Maggody series. But start with the first one.
MURDER@MAGGODY.COM is my first Arly Hanks book, but it looks like this one's about the 11th in the series that must have begun with MISERY LOVES MAGGODY. This appears to be a really popular series, and comes highly recommended by friends, but do NOT start with this one. Oh, sure, it has great local characters and a lot of humor, but I kept thinking I was missing out on something. The jokes seemed to be "in" jokes. I couldn't get the full understanding, as they say. I'm betting that if I went back and read the first one and then read this over I'd get more out of it. This book has a truly colorful story and takes quite a few twists and turns, but I won't read another one in this series unless it's the first one.

MAGGODY GOES ONLINE WITH MURDER!
This is my first visit to the fictional community of Maggody, Arkansas. ....

Things move slow in Maggody, AK (population 755) and when the 21st Century gets ready to move in via a computer lab for the local high school the entire multitude of assorted and sundry Buchanons, as well as all the other good citizens, are in a royal dither. (Which I think is another way of saying an Ozarkian farce.) It seems as if everyone is worried about all the additional evils the internet will unleash - SEX, SIN, SPAM and SATAN hisself! But since the since the computers are already sitting in a storage shed behind the school, and the school is planning special cyber classes for all the adults in town it looks like Maggody will indeed be going online.

But like I said, things move slow in Maggody. (It does takes a while to catch up with all the coming and goings of the myriad Buchanons - how does Hess keep them all straight? By the way, Myriad Buchanon would probably be a good addition to the cast of characters in a future book.) So you're half way through the book before the first body shows up! (Population now 754) About the same time all hell breaks loose - people start receiving evil apparitions with their email, Ruby Bee and Estelle end up in the mud under a Pot O' Gold trailer and maybe Satan is indeed possessing the populace.To top it all off, chief of police Arly Hanks is having as hard a time getting a decent meal as she is find out what's going on.

In Maggody, I've discovered that the fun isn't in finding out "who done it" as much as it is finding out who's doing what and why among the wild and wacky cast of characters. So I'll admit it, while I hated vacationing there years ago, I'm hooked on the books! I just bought two more Maggodies and this one gets my ...!

...

Small town "comic" murder
Having read favorable reviews, I recently picked up Joan Hess' 2000 mystery .... In the recent, fairly substantial genre of "comic" mysteries, Hess places her story in the truly hillbilly Arkansas town of Maggody, and follows her heroine, Police Chief Arly Hanks, as she bumbles insightfully to a "brutal" murder's solution.I don't read many mysteries, but I suppose this book is fairly good as such novels go.Hess has a finely tuned ear for comedy, and presents her characters with both affection and irony.The murder plot itself kept me guessing - although I confess I am not one of these readers who tries to "predict" the outcome as I go - until the final pages.I have no disagreement with the favorable reviews, but am equally grateful I pulled this book off the $ 4 remainder table, rather than paid full price.A worthwhile entertainment.

Always good for a visit
The requisite murder and its investigation are given short shrift in Arly Hanks' latest case. Still, the citizens of Maggody are good for a chuckle as their town is hit with yet another blast of culture shock. This time it's the Internet. Each of the quirky characters approaches the subject in his or her own inimitable style. Imagine Brother Verber's righteous joy at a new means of seeking out sin and depravity! Or Ruby Bee's response when told she's "performed an illegal operation." Such are the pleasures of this book. ... Read more

Product Description
A part from small-town feuds and church scandal, things have been so quiet in the little Arkansas town of Maggody that even police chief Arly Hanks has found time for a vacation. But she returns to find trouble brewing and tongues wagging at fever pitch. The local old-folks' home has been sold to a mysterious outsider, and overnight the place has been transformed into the Stonebridge Foundation, an exclusive rehabilitation center complete with a stone-faced guard who doesn't speak a word of English and an even nastier dog. Soon there are rumors flying of mental patients roaming the countryside at night, and every character in town is keeping a gun close at hand, just in case. Everyone is dying to know what goes on behind those inhospitable gates, with the exception of Arly, who has enough rural business to keep her satisfied.

When the beautiful young receptionist found drowned in the garden pool is identified as a local girl from nearby Farberville, it's clear the case may not only involve the suspicious characters who've recently moved to town, but also some of the citizens of Maggody, who may have a secret or two to hide themselves. There's the doctor who can't resist a dose of his own medicine and a roster of patients that reads like a who's who of tabloid headlines, as well as the local pastor who gets his spiritual inspiration with a little help from the sacramental wine, and the mayor's wife who makes it her business to know everything about everyone. Soon Arly finds herself on the trail of a killer and discovers she may be the only innocent person left in town. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Snoops on the loose
The Maggody snoops are on the loose again. I can just picture Mizzoner in the tree. I love this series.

Best Maggody yet
Maybe Hess is learning on the job or maybe I'm just beginning to understand her artistry.There is a crude cartoonish quality about her characters, but this serves its purpose because it keeps them all vividly separate.There are over twenty characters in this complex narrative but every one has a different voice and speaks in a different way and is given a certain depth.Hess seldom reorts to phonetic spelling of dialect, but when she does it is unobtrusive and authentic. Brother Verber comes across initially as a foolish hypocritical clown, but his struggles with alcohol and fleshly desires have a certain pathos.When he speaks of staying up all night with a young man threatening suicide, and being grateful for the reward of a good breakfast we realize how Mrs Jim Bob can perceive good in the man.
Maybe I'm getting high falutin' and patronizing.Hess is funny and tells a good story.I just enjoy the Maggody books.Why should I need an excuse?

Maggody is a small town populated by inbred idiots and one Manhattan divorcee
And that's the punch line.It's the punch line for the entire Maggody series.Yawn.

That said, Joan Hess is a wonderful writer and I eagerly await the next in her Claire Malloy series.But Maggody is tired.

Malapractice Makes for Fun
The best thing about the Maggody series by Joan Hess is the sarcasm (in thoughts and deeds) of Police Chief Arly Hanks, and her relations with the "regulars".She and the Mayor are always at odds, the Reverend is always dipping into the sacramental wine, and Mrs. Bob is attempting to live above her station.

This particular one has the "Old Peoples' Home" being razed, and a secluded ultra-private rehab taking its place.Some of Maggody's residents are turned loose on the unsuspecting population, and everyone is trying to get into the rehab facility to snoop.

When a murder does get committed (as it must, in Maggody), Arly is finally beginning to strike back, at the County Sheriff for his lazy ineptitude, and the mayor, and her own mother.Suspicions are raised, fingers pointed nearly everywhere, and as usual, it is an interval before the reader can begin to spot what is really happening.

Arly's private life enters into this book, first as a brief glance into her vacation, and then some significant occurences, including how her current guy is actually dependable.I hope this doesn't destroy Arly's acerbic wit, sarcasm and charm, as that was always the most diverting part of the Maggody books.

This book is not the best of the series, but nowhere near the bottom either.If you live in a small town, not just a small town in northern Arkansas, you will enjoy the read.

I love Maggody
Interesting new twists for our heroine in this one.A must read for fans of Maggody.All the usual from that most amusing place. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

A series losing steam
When Joan Hess began writing the Maggody series, I found them hysterically funny. I hadn't read one in years when I recently picked up this book. The jokes seem stale, and the characters more two-dimensional than I used to find them. The stock characters are all there, they haven't changed a bit. Maybe, for me, that's the problem.

Too many characters
This is the second book i have "listened" to and they are getting more and more painful. I like the main town characters but with every story she throws in 50 more people to add to the mystery..if i were reading these books i would never make it pass chapter 2. Oh and everyone is rambling these conversations never seem to lead anywhere not as background information, motive or even to a point. UGGG

Life in Maggody Continues
I have enjoyed the light-hearted books about Arly Hanks, small-town sheriff.
This one seems to plod a bit, but it is still fun reading about the residents of this small Arkansas town.
It offers a few hours of light, fun reading!

wonderful summer read
Perfect! These characters are so rich with detail and quirks you feel you can go Maggody visit your friends and family. The story is so funny I read almost half the book at one sitting. I am looking forward to continuing with this series

Slow to get started.
This book wasn't difficult to get into, but the action took a long time to get going. The first crime doesn't occur until halfway through the book. And the true hints about whodunit don't happen until the book is nearly finished, so you can't really spend the whole book trying to piece it together. It just happens all at once in the last pages. Arly puts up with way too much and most of the characters are more caricatures. This was my first foray into the Maggody series and it was slightly disappointing, but not an unpleasant read. ... Read more

Product Description
When a Hollywood production company comes to Maggody, Arkansas, to shoot a film, everyone is starstruck, even Chief of Police Arly Hanks--who soon has her hands full investigating a series of arson fires. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Arly Strikes Again
As always Police Chief Arly Hanks finds herself in a jam. With her mom and mom's friend their is always something hilarious happening. Joan Hess has a real knack for keeping one entertained.

Pleasant Diversion
Generally I read pretty heavy murder mysteries (James Patterson, John Sandford, etc.). But now and then I like to take a break from novels that are of course fiction, but are close enough to reality to make you uneasy. The Maggody books are murder mysteries but they are also little gems of cartoon like comedy set in a one stop light town on a not so busy highway. This was my fourth Maggody book and it had all the zany regulars back along with a set of newcomers who supply the book with both victims and suspects. If you're looking for an easy read and a pleasant diversion try this Maggody or any of the three that came before.

Hot times in the town this week.
My favorite Maggody story yet, what with hot X-rated action and sexual tension all over town, it seems maggody is ready to have its own soap opera.A movie company from Hollywood (well close to Hollywood anyway) comes to our little town to make a modern version of "Romeo and Juliet" complete with sex,sex and more sex, much to the confused delight of Brother Verber.A sexy Hollywood starlet, a Hunky Hollywood stud and a complete cast of potential victims makes this a wonderful read. ... Read more

Product Description
When Claire Malloy's best friend Luanne Bradshaw goes down with a badly sprained ankle, someone must fill in her shoes as Thurberfest Beauty Pageant coordinator and usher a bevy of aspiring beauty queens through the two-day event. Enter Claire Malloy to the rescue. But this is one job Claire would gladly be fired from. Now, already fending off a hostile theatre-owner, an overly-aggressive personal trainer, an incontinent show-dog, a fifteen-year-old daughter with more growing pains than she can count, and a talent contest in need of some talent, Claire must face one more problem-someone is trying to kill the reigning Miss Thurberfest.When a ghastly murder scene signals the culprit's success, Claire's investigative instincts take over, but when she digs too close to the truth, the race is on to discover the killer's identity before Claire herself is crowned the next victim...AUTHORBIO: JOAN HESS is a winner of the American Mystery Award and the author of twelve previous Claire Malloy books, including A Diet to Die For, A Conventional Corpse, and Strangled Prose, as well as the Maggody mystery series. A member of Sisters in Crime and a former president of the American Crime Writers League, she lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Really cute book
A good read, not too much mental stimulation, but enough that it was interesting and I could finish it.

A recipe for a perfect murder mystery
A recipe for a perfect murder mystery.Joan Hess is amazing once again!!!!!!!If your looking for a mystery that will drag you to the next page start reading!The book has a cliffhanger at the end of every page.

If you like a good mystery that suprises you and has a great plot,READONNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love Joan Hess
This was the first Joan Hess book that I read. I picked it up by chance at the library. I am now totally hooked on her books. I love the Maggody series as well as this one. This book is entertaining and funny. It introduces some charecters that are important to the series down the road. It also was extremely funny. This particular book in the series allows you to really begin to identify with her charecter. Though not her best book,( I liked A Conventional Corpse best) still a strong book by a great author.

A really riotous book!
Fans of Joan Hess won't be disappointed with this one.The fun starts when Claire Malloy gets conned into directing the Miss Thurberfest pageant and the reigning beauty queen, Cyndi, turns up dead? Whodunnit?? There areplenty of suspects...the slick and slimy senator Stevenson...Arnie, thedrunken chauffeur..or possibly Eunice,Cyndi's "trainer" (She wasonce Miss Cherry Tomato)Claire solves the mystery with just a little help(or is it hindrance?) from boyfriend Peter Rosen and

daughter Caron...anenjoyable book!

Joan Hess captured a new and devoted reader.
Joan Hess captured a new and devoted reader with her mystery, A Really Cute Corpse. Using Claire Malloy, an appealing female investigator who is both wise and witty, Hess side-steps blood and violence and focuses oncharacter developement and humor--attractive components to female readersof any age.

A consumate Dorothy Gilman fan (author of the Mrs. Pollifaxseries and other delightful books) I now search the H authors on each tripto the library--hoping to find a new Joan Hess book on the shelf.

Hesshas not created a leading character as lady-like as Mrs. Marple, nor astotally charming as Emily Pollifax, but certainly her women are emotionallystrong, mentally awesome, and career-wise down-to-earth, as women of the90's must be. ... Read more

Product Description
Called upon to assist her best friend, amateur sleuth Claire Malloy learns that Luanne's new boyfriend, whom Luanne wants to marry, is suspected of having killed his first two wives and Luanne wants Claire to clear his name. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Keeps you guessing until the end.
This is the second book I have read by Joan Hess, nowI want to read themall. I was constantly changing my mind as to who I thought committed themurders. It is light, fast, fun reading. Great book to take to the beach. ... Read more

Product Description
Agatha Award-winning author Joan Hess, the prolific creator of the Claire Malloy and Maggody mysteries, is beloved for her clever sleuths, quirky characters, and her ingenious plotting. We invite you to enjoy this delightful Claire Malloy mystery, and to discover why Sharyn McCrumb calls Joan Hess "the patron saint of comic mystery."

At Farberville High, it's reading, writing...and murder.

Who knows what evil lurks in the halls of Farbervilles' high school-or what blackmail is hidden in Miss Demeanor's Falcon Crier advice column? Certainly not bookstore owner and amateur sleuth Claire Malloy-until her daughter Caron persuades her to substitute for disgraced column editor and journalism teacher Emily Parchester. Surely Miss Parchester cannot be guilty of embezzlement. But the petty charges graduate to murder when Principal Weiss gets his last licks from Miss Parchester's peach compote. Miss Parchester herself, last seen at a local sanitarium, is suddenly missing. And now it's up to Claire to find someone who's been schooled in the fine art of murder...
... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Entertaining
Didn't have to work too hard to finish this book, it was a good read, an interesting little book, and not difficult to follow at all. Well written, I must say, and I did enjoy it.

An Alright Book
Dear Miss Demeanor is the third book in the Claire Malloy series written by Joan Hess. This book is about a bookstore owner and amateur detective, Claire Malloy, who finds herself in the thick of it when she agrees to go undercover to investigate a possible case of fraud. It is also about a principle and janitor that are poisoned with greediness. I recommend this book to people that like crime, mystery, comedy, and people that like to read short novels. Dear Miss Demeanor contains some things that make it bad and some that make it good.
This novel contains certain things that made it really good to read and some that made it bad. One thing in particularly that made it really bad was that the end was confusing. The ending was confusing since it did not really seem like it solve anything about the crime. Maybe it is because she is planning on continuing this story on another book, which will probably make this book more easily to understand. Another thing that made this book confusing is the picture in the cover. When you see the cover you do not expect the book to be dealing about a crime and fraud because the picture shows a hand holding a pizza, on top of a pizza box, with a bunch of books and papers on the back.
An example that made this book good is the plot which is base on a high school journalist teacher being accused of stealing money. Another thing that made this book really interesting is that a principle was dead by the end of the book. This made the book interesting because I'm the type of person that enjoys a bit of violence in books. The novel had some funny things in the book like Claire's relationship with the CID boss, Peter Rosen, who seems to be "gook looking", but really bad at the whole investigating business. One last thing that made this novel really interesting is that cover really attracts you because of the quote that says "Hess's books are funny, acerbic, touching, and terrific", which of course would make you want to read a book.
In conclusion this book should be read by people with interest in crime, mystery and comedy. Even though this book has some things that make it bad keep in mind that it also has things that make it good. This was a book that I would not have read because it did not have some of the things that I was expecting by the looks of the cover. I was expecting something like adventure or anything but crime and mystery. I guess it is true that you should not judge a book by its cover.

Just cute little stories
I got started on Joan Hess booksfrom her Arly Hanks Maggody series (fantastic books).These are not as good but still quite entertaining little stories.The books are never more then 225 pages and are easy reading.The dialogue between Claire and her daughter is worthy enough to be a SNL skit.These books will not make you think but they will make you laugh.

The Book That Got Me Hooked
I picked this book up at a school book sale amidst piles of paperbacks that had been donated for their fundraiser.The witty writing, light but intelligent style, and intriguing mystery combine to make a great, fast read.

Hess' humor is so enjoyable, and I love the fact that Claire Malloy is a bookstore owner and that the series has nothing to do with cooking.Hess is definitely a unique voice in the mystery world.

Witty sleuthing in small-town US
Book Depot owner Claire Malloy, the recreational sleuth of Faberville, is urged by her daughter Caron to investigate the dismissal of an elderly spinster journalism-teacher at Faberville High: Miss Parchester, the daughter of a former judge of the Supreme Court, was accused of embezzling petty cash from the journalism-fund of Faberville High.

Suddenly the ghastly prinicipal of Fabervile High as well as the nasty janitor/custodian are poisoned and naturally old Miss Parchester seems to be the culprit. However, several of the teaching staff seem to have a motif to quieten the principal and/or the janitor.

Substituting in teaching Claire does her bit of sleuthing in order to solve the crimes.

As I have mentioned before, this book is not a thriller. Claire Malloy is a witty person, however, and has to cope with raising a teenage daughter mostly always speaking in capital letters and therefore is nearly incessantly involed in "adolescent melodrama" (p. 3). Yet another funny tidbit is Claire's relationship to local CID-boss Peter Rosen who seems to be a hunk, but a bit clumsy when it comes to investigating.

Result: The right book, if you want to spend an afternoon chuckling in front of the fireplace or in the garden. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

FORGET THE AEROBICS AND PASS THE CHOCOLATE!
This fun mystery opens with Caron, Claire Malloy's teenaged terror, being selected Miss Thunder Thighs by the Farberville Highschool sophomore football team Naturally,she immediately decides that it is time for her and her best friend Inez to go on a crash diet. So, beingCaron and Inez, the duo proceeds to run the gauntlet of every known bizarre fad diet know to man, woman and kook.And they all manage to end up with a pizza chaser.

While the dieting is running its course, Claire's downstairs neighbor volunteers her to become a weight loss mentor to Maribeth, the somewhat overweigh heiress of the Thurber-Farber fortune. This is all very well and good, except Claire just happens to be dedicated to salvation through chocolate and also to avoiding aerobic exercise at all costs.

Before long, Claire is in the middle of some very strange and highly humorous goings on including murder. Joan Hess is at her best spearing fitness centers, fad diets and instant weight loss elixirs. You know from the beginning how everything will turn out in the end,(with Claire solving the mystery despite her boy friend, Peter Rosen) but all the twists and turns and kooky characters are half the fun of a Hess mystery. Without a doubt she is one of the best writers of comic mystery fiction today!

Another winning effort from Hess
Joan Hess once again takes us on a funny yet exciting adventure through the town of Farberville. A new weight loss center opens up in town and appears to be doing wonders for it's clients. Claire Malloy gets sucked into provide rides and moral support to a friend of a friend who is a client.Naturally Claire's natural curiosity causes her to sense that there's a lotmore going on at the weight loss center than is being advertised. Herdigging into the facts leads to much excitement as well as danger to herown welfare. Suspenseful and witty all the way through with the usualcharacters such as melodratic daughter Caron and boyfriend/police detectivePeter Rosen well rounding out the cast of characters. ... Read more

Product Description
A true story, a sad but unique story that challenges fiction.A tragedy that contains a little bit of almost everything.

If you like cowboy and Westen stories, you will like this one ... even though, in this one, the cowboy loses and the bad guys win.

If you are interested in military-like action, you will like the way the various forces cooperated and worked together, set up a command post, and even had a "staging area," where new, fresh troops met before going out to "the front" to replace the men out there hinding behind trees, woodpiles, in the woods, and in the weeds.

If guns hold your interest, this story is for you.You will learn that it is possible for one police officer, shooting at a desperado, to hit one of his fellow officers in the hand.And how it is possible for a sharpshooter, an expert with the rifle, armed with a scope-equipped rifle, lying prone, and with his gun barrel steadied by a bipod to miss his target a dozen times at 200 yards.

The story contains the testimony and depositions of many of the various peace officers involved.No effort was made to clean up their English and grammar, as this would have indicated literacy.Few seemed to agree with any of the others.Each seemed to have his own exclusive story.Maybe Dale "Wild Horse" Tauke died on the bare ground of his corral.Then again, maybe he died in an area of tall weeds.A number of officers claimed to be the first to reach the victim (an hour or more after he was shot.)Two of the officers don't even agree on which gave the order to shoot to kill.

If you are interested in an individual's rights you may question three deputies ordering a man to lay down his guns at a time when he has committed no crime, is on his own property, has ordered the officers off his property, and no warrant has been sought or issued.

If you are a court trial buff, the book contains a lot of lawyer talk.All of which may frighten you a bit ... or even sicken you a little.And make you think twice before you ever challenge the establishment in a court of law.

The book takes a dim view of the news media.The reporters who went out to Dale's Flying T Ranch to see the 24-hour standoff seemed to be there just for an outing and fresh air, and just waited around for the press conferences of the Dubuque County Sheriff and the County Attorney.

There are also many Letters to the Editor, and published pieces by seveal journalists who were very unhappy with the sad fiasco.The book even contains a few rhyming poems. ... Read more

Product Description
THE WORLD'S MOST DEVIOUS MINDS DELIVER KILLER MYSTERIES.

ED McBAIN spins a tale of Prohibition, gangsters and love on the run

MARCIA MULLER unravels the startling secrets of a bag lady's past

SARA PARETSKY sets up her popular heroine V. I. Warshawski to be a fall guy

ANNE PERRY stages a prison break and a double cross during the French Revolution

NANCY PICKARD pits a female shamus with a pistol in her DD cup against a rapist

RUTH RENDELL shows how clothes can make, or break, a woman

REGINALD HILL issues invitations to an exclusive club, confidentiality guaranteed.The only entrance requirement: having committed the perfect crime...

DONALD E. WESTLAKE sends a burglar disguised as Santa Claus laughing all the way to the bank--but the joke is on him...

EDWARD D. HOCH plants the seeds of murder when a woman grows marijuana in her New York apartment...

SARAH SHANKMAN makes jury duty more than a struggling TV writer's civic responsibility.It might be the answer to her prayers...

Psychological thrillers...baffling who-dun-its...chilling suspense--this superb collection by today's leading mystery writers delves deep into dark hearts and twisted minds for some of the best crime stories ever.If you love mysteries, it would be a crime to miss it. ... Read more

Product Description

"Delectable and continually surprising" (The New York Times Boos Review), Joan Hess's one-of-a-kind mystery series digs up murder and mayhem in the sleepy little town of Maggody, Arkansas.

When beleaguered chief of police Arly Hanks hears that her mother, Ruby Bee, and best friend, Estelle Oppers, are headed for Memphis on an Elvis Pilgrimage, she thinks she may be getting a long-overdue break. But before she can say "Thank you, thank you very much," the trip is completely stalled by a variety of deadly doings.

Estelle calls home to report that Ruby Bee has collapsed and is in the local hospital. And even before Arly's seen the delta dawn, one of the other clients on the tour takes a fatal plunge from the hotel balcony -- which adjoins the room of a prominent Maggody citizen, who's now doing the Jailhouse Rock in the local pen. What's more, Estelle's all shook up that the tour van is being followed by ominous thugs. For Arly, it's now or never, because if her suspicious mind doesn't figure out what to do quickly, residents of Maggody may be returned to sender -- in a hearse.Amazon.com Review
Just when it seems that the denizens of Maggody, Arkansas, and their chiefof police, Arly Hanks, have seen everything, author Joan Hess manages to finda way to embroil them in yet another hilarious adventure. This time around,Ruby Bee, Estelle, and their big hair have embarked on a cut-rate packagetour to Graceland to pay homage to the King. Before the end of the tour,one of the other pilgrims is found dead outside her hotel room, Ruby Bee isin the hospital, and Mayor Jim Bob Buchanon has been arrested for murder.Arly drives through the night to bring order out of chaos and make sure allthe citizens of Maggody return home safely--with or without their dignityintact. As usual, there are more laughs than at a log-rollingfestival--Brother Verber's hymn listing sins from A to Z (to the tune ofGilligan's Island) is particularly choice.

Joan Hess has made quite a reputation for herself and garnered severalawards (including Agatha and Anthony nominations) with this series set in awide spot in the road in northwest Arkansas. Misery Loves Maggody isthe 11th and continues the saga of the dull-witted Buchanons, the Voiceof the Almighty Lord Assembly Hall, and Arly herself. Typically, themurders and Arly's (occasionally muddled) course to their solution arereally the icing on the cake of these rich parodies of SouthernLiving. Although Hess's wit is a bit sharper when her cast of characterssticks closer to home, as they do in Martians in Maggody orMiracles in Maggody,an Elvis sighting or two fits right in with the general wackiness andlovable mayhem. --K.A. Crouch ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Mysterys love Maggody
The combination of a mystery along with Joan Hess's humorous descriptions of Maggody Arkansas, make for delightful reading.

Maggody Meets Elvis
The Joan Hess Maggody books, set in and around the fictional town of Maggody, Arkansas, are all delightful if you are looking for light, entertaining fiction.In this book, the murder takes place away from Maggody while some of the most enjoyable Maggadonians are on an Elvis tour.Maggody Chief of Police Arly Hanks winds up at the crime scene and finds herself up to her wry smile in mystery.If you can't laugh at the weird way Americans view our world, avoid this book.If you have a good sense of humor and don't mind that some of the humor is directed at your own values, read it and enjoy it. If you have not read any of the Maggody books, you might find the books more enjoyable if you started with the first book in the series and worked your way forward.

Misery Loves Maggody
Despite the fact that this book had some "formula" style plot lines (very similiar plot to Maggody in Manhatten") I loved the Elvis references (and "sightings!") and the strange, strange, world ofthe Buchannons. It was a good quick read and I enjoyed it, although it wasprobably not the strongest book in the series.

Joan is getting political
A very enjoyable book well written, excellent story development. I am glad I bought and read it! However - more crude than usual - I will not be so quick to pass it on to my daughter or recommend it to friends. Hess givesus a paragraph or two on her personal feelings on some social issues aswell.Not too strong, just noticable and not there in earlier works. I dohope Hess goes back to the light humor with out the soap box that made herstories so enjoyable!

not her best but still worth reading
A friend found an autographed copy of this book and gave it to me for a housewarming gift.I waited until I was moved in and dug into the first page.I live 15 miles south of Memphis, and I just knew this book would"knock my socks off."Like several others, I was disappointed inthis latest Arly mystery.Perhaps the Maggody books are best when set inMaggody with its familiar, quirky residents.I still had some laughs andwas interested in the plot and new characters, but this would not rate asthe best in the series.Joan Hess, however, on her worst day tops many ofthe rest.I love the Maggody residents better than I love my own kin, andthe townspeople of Maggody are much more entertaining! ... Read more

Product Description
Anticipating a normal, uneventful summer in the sleepy town of Maggody, police chief Arly Hanks is stunned when hysterical reports of strange lights, crop circles, and a hairy creature precede the arrival of tabloid reporters. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Martians in Maggody - Joan Hess
This is a typical Joan Hess novel, and a pure romp from start to finish.She captures the local personalities to a tee, and has a wicked sense of humor when it comes to creating plots and outrageous situations.If you want a good laugh, Hess is one of the best.Her Maggody books always deliver.

Close encounters of the Maggody kind
Each of the Maggody mysteries by Joan Hess is a delight.In Martians inMaggody, an enterprising moonshiner bolsters the local economy by creatinga tourist attraction in a corn field.This field of dreams (or nightmares,for the local police chief)becomes a murder scene. As always, PoliceChief Arly Hanks is bothered more by her meddlesome mother and by thecharacters who populate the strange world of Maggody than by the Martiansand the murderer who are only passing through. ... Read more

Product Description

An anthology of orginial traditional mystery stories
Including Agatha Christie's classic mystery The Case of the Discontented SoldierWith fourteen Christie inspired tales from today's most talented mystery writers

Dig into a toxic treat of murder most foul from the devious minds of the finest writers

Robert Bernard

Jan Burke

Kate Charles

Marjorie Eccles

Teri Holbrook

Gwen Moffat

Marcia Talley

Dorothy Cannell

Charles Todd

Ann Granger

Walter Satterthwait

Carolyn Wheat

Susan Moody

Sample some delectable bits of malicious motives...and most intriguing murders

Residents of an old-age home have a killer of a plan for dealing with chronic complainers.

The ladies of the parish just love Father Luke...they love him to death.

Someone just can't wait for old Aunt Marigold's heart to give out. Joan Hess presents
MALICE DOMESTIC 9
AN ANTHOLOGY OF ORIGINAL TRADITIONAL MYSTERY STORIES
Including Agatha Christie's classic mystery The Case of the Discontented Soldier
With fourteen Christie inspired tales from today's most talented mystery writers

Dig into a toxic treat of murder most foul from the devious minds of the finest writers
Robert BernardJan BurkeKate CharlesMarjorie EcclesTeri HolbrookGwen MoffatMarcia TalleyDorothy CannellCharles ToddAnn GrangerWalter SatterthwaitCarolyn WheatSusan Moody

Sample some delectable bits of malicious motives?and most intriguing murders

Residents of an old-age home have a killer of a plan for dealing with chronic complainers.
The ladies of the parish just love Father Luke...they love him to death.
Someone just can't wait for old Aunt Marigold's heart to give out. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Something for everybody.
I love these anthologies! There's something for everybody in MALICE DOMESTIC 9, this collected homage to Agatha Christie. Some of the stories are based on Christie's plots, some on her characters, and some just contain references to her works. Of the 14 stories, a couple are dark, some are outright hilarious, and almost all are in the cozy tradition. Besides Christie's own "The Case of the Discontented Soldier," there are stories by Robert Barnard, Jan Burke, Kate Charles, Marjorie Eccles, Teri Holbrook, Gwen Moffat, Marcia Talley, Dorothy Cannell, Charles Todd, Ann Granger, Walter Satterthwait, Carolyn Wheat, and Susan Moody. (There is no story by Joan Hess -- just a tiny introduction.) This is a really fine collection. I've read some of these first-rate stories several times already. These anthologies are an excellent investment!

Agatha Christie fans take note!
In the mood for a good Agatha Christie type story?Malice Domestic 9 gives tribute to the talented, matchless mystery author in their 14 original traditional mystery stories. Each story carries a British flavorand sports the Christie flair.

Along with the other stories is aChristie's original The Case of the Discontented Soldier. Major Wilbrahamfinds England too tame. He has answered Parker Pyne's advertisement inhopes of drumming up some excitement, and he does. I have to say RobertBarnard's story is one of my absolute favorites. Nothing to Lose is about acomplaining elderly woman who moves into a nursing home and stirs uptrouble - loved the ending! Another I favored was Kate Charles story,Murder at the Vicarage, about a vicar and too many spinsters. Ms. Charlescharacter is a mystery writer named Ms. St. James - a "monopoly" play onwords maybe? You don't want to miss Gween Moffatt's The Dark Tower, whichoffers a brief mystery with her spinster sleuth Miss Pink. Honestly therewere a couple of the stories that couldn't keep my attention, but that'sok, it only means they were meant for someone else. Did I feel that theauthors captured Christie's work? Yes, I do, and what's more, theirindividual talents added to this pleasant read.

Don't miss out on thisone. It's a wonderful anthology written by Christie fans, for Christiefans. This one goes on the keeper shelf with my other eight Malice Domesticanthologies. ... Read more

Product Description
When someone poisons the tamale sauce intended for the grand opening of Jim Bob's Super Saver store, everyone in Maggody, Arkansas, is certain there is a maniac on the loose, and Chief of Police Ariel ""Arly"" Hanks must investigate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Amusing Small Town Cozy
In the 4th book in the Arly Hanks mystery series, a new supermarket is due to open in the small town of Maggody, Arkansas.Most of the business owners are furious, thinking that they will lose everything to the new store, Jim Bob's Supersaver Buy 4 Less.But on the opening day, after the band had played and the speeches were made, 23 people developed severe food poisoning at the free food giveaway in the picnic pavilion.Arly, Maggody's police chief, starts an investigation but cannot find proof of malicious intent until the results of laboratory tests are revealed.In the meantime, she tries to shut down the new store, and reluctantly agrees to keep the store open (but the picnic pavilion would remain closed).When pins and poison are found inside some pre-sealed snack cakes, Arly knows that someone is truly serious about thwarting the new business venture.But when someone dies from poisoning, this case turns from mischief to murder.Working hard despite having a gossip mill much larger than the town itself, Arly puts the pieces together and solves another mystery in this amusing peek at life in Maggody.

This is the first book that I have picked up in the Maggody series, and I have to admit that it did take me a while to figure out the characters and the dialogue.Not being born in the south, or from a small town, I found some of the aspects to be a bit odd at first...including the fact that there were only 755 people total that live in Maggody!But, I found the actions of the townspeople to be very comical and found the workings of the rumor mill to be entertaining.The mystery itself wasn't hard to decipher, but the appeal of this series seems to be in the characters themselves, as they are wacky, witty, and wonderfully entertaining.Great addition to the cozy genre!

The first book in the series is called "Malice in Maggody".Enjoy!

Arly's Back and Better than Ever.....
It was Hizzoner, Jim Bob Buchanon's big day.Jim Bob's Supersaver Buy 4 Less was ready to open.The ribbon cutting ceremony was beginning, the high school band was playing, the cheerleaders were cheering, and the crush of the crowd had created a traffic jam in sleepy Maggody, Arkansas (population 755).With the deli, fresh produce department and food service picnic pavillion, some of the local merchants were far from happy, afraid ol' Jim Bob would put them out of business.But big events like this don't happen too often in Maggody, and so the whole town turned out to check out the new competition and try some of the promised, free "gourmet" food.Within minutes, people started getting sick and dropping like flies, and the big opening became the big closing.With her hands full of citizen complaints, health inspectors, and threats from Hizzoner, Chief of Police, Arly Hanks, could barely keep up with all the chaos, gossip, and rumors.But when another round of poisoning ensues, and a local dies, Arly figures this isn't just some mean spirited prank, turns up the heat on her investigation, and she won't stop until she gets to the truth.....Turn off the phone, and lock the door, Joan Hess is back with another marvelous romp through Maggody that will have you laughing out loud, and rooting for Arly to the very end.Her well paced story line is full of entertaining, vivid scenes, and intriguing subplots, and her writing is crisp and smart, complete with witty, irreverent dialogue and back-woods humor.But it's Ms Hess' wacky and quirky cast of characters that makes this novel stand out, and once you've gotten to know Maggody's finest, and not so finest, you'll be hooked for sure.With a hilarious climax that deftly ties all the story threads together, and a very satisfying conclusion, Madness In Maggody is a pleasure to read in a series that just gets better with each new installment.For those new to Arly Hanks and company, start at the beginning with Malice In Maggody, and read them all.For those who are already fans, enjoy!

The funniest mystery series ever!
The Maggody series is the funniest mystery series that I have ever read.The characters are very well developed, and it does not take long beforeyou feel like a citizen in this bizarre little town. ... Read more

Product Description
When Johanna Mae Nookim is denied the request to file sex discrimination charges, soon half the women in Maggody band together. Brother Verber thinks they are practicing witchcraft, but everybody learns the truth when the women stage a demonstration. Next, the bank turns to flames, and the head teller is found dead. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

ERA NOW in Maggody?
When the local branch of the bank burns down and they find a body in the remains but are missing two, the confusion begins.The women of Maggody decide they will no longer be second rate citizens and the men do not seem to understand it may be the beginning of modernization in our favorite little town, but don't bet on it.Arly has to sift through the ashes and the motives of the suspects.You don't want to miss this stroy in the Arly Hanks/Maggody series ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Glad she got better after this book!!
I didn't recognize the writer.She was dull as molasses dripping off a vinyl topped table from the 50's.D.U.L.L.And I am an avid fan of the Claire Malloy mysteries.I absolutely hated the stories from this book.They were too obvious, knew who did it after reading the first page of each story.Hated it!Okay so do you get the idea that I don't recommend (sp) this book to anyone?But then again I don't appreciate her other series of books either.Just love Claire.Go figure!!!

Ok, I haven't read the whole book
But, Death of a Romance Writer is wonderful.I'm giving the book 5 stars because that story alone merits the rating.I won't give away the plot, but it involves a romance novel character who is tired of the boring, restrictive roles she keeps having to act out, and what she does about it.The way the story is written is, well, nothing short of brilliant. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Too Bad Big Foot Didn't Steal this Book Before I Read it!
This collection of short stories fell very short of my expectations.Granted I had never heard of Joan Hess but the praise for Joan Hess reviews on the back all claimed she was an extremely funny writer so hence that is what I expected.Humour however is not contained within this novel, it is not that her jokes or comedy scenes weren't funny, it is just that they do not exist at all.This book is a B grade thriller but certainly not a humorous collection of stories.The quality of those stories as thrillers is also rather average.The stories are predictable and many an effort to stick with as well.Give this book a miss!

enjoyable satirical mysteries
This eleven-collection mystery anthology showcases Joan Hess at her for the most part amusing best.Two of the tales star Claire Malloy and two others Arkansas Sheriff Arly Hanks (the Maggody novels).Those four tales alone would make the short story collection worth reading, but the other seven tales are also well written with six containing the author's renowned humor with a wink.Surprisingly, the final contribution seems out of place, as it is more of a psychological suspense thriller than Ms. Hess's typical satirical biting social barb that leaves no one standing.Besides the writer's fans and towns with populations under 800, anyone who appreciates a strong anthology will want to read BIG FOOT STOLE MY WIFE! AND OTHER STORIES.Additionally, Ms. Hess' readership will also enjoy her previous collection, DEATH OF A ROMANCE WRITER AND OTHER STORIES.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description

Arly Hanks -- the wiliest chief of police in the Ozarks -- is back on the case in Joan Hess's latest comedy-filled whodunit. And this time around, our intrepid sleuth may have met her match: she's just been pressed into service as chaperone for the church youth group. Ten hormonally challenged teenage boys and girls are spending a week at Camp Pearly Gates, accompanied by the formidable wife of the mayor, the high school shop teacher, and preacher Brother Verber. It's bad enough that Arly has to bunk with this crew, but when, on a dark and stormy night, one of the girls stumbles over the body of a white-robed woman with a shaved head, Arly knows things can only go downhill.

Investigating the murder, Chief of Police Hanks finds herself hindered by an eccentric cast of characters, from the bumbling local police and a band of spacey cultists to her own menopausal mother and an oddly intriguing (and attractive) fisherman called Jacko. Meanwhile, back in Maggody, Arkansas (population 755), Mayor Jim Bob Buchanon is up to his usual philandering antics, Raz Buchanon is looking for an animal companion to keep his pig Marjorie company, and Duluth Buchanon's wife has gone missing with their two sons.

With her trademark wit, "the patron saint of comic mystery" (as Sharyn McCrumb calls her) combines humor and mayhem in her best and bawdiest episode yet in the annals of Maggody. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Not Her Best work
when ever Hanks and Co.leave Maggody (ie Moonbean or Maggody in New York) the stories generally are not as fun to read.This is no exception.Stick with the Maggody based works they are much more enjoyable.

Terrific book, I read it in one day!
I loved this book so much I read it in one day!The many characters in Maggody are just that characters.It is a small town in Arkansas where Arly Hanks is the Police Chief.She has her hands full in this book as she is roped into being a chaperone for the church youth group.They are going to Camp Pearly Gates to do some volunteer work to built bleachers.Mrs. Jim Bob Buchanon, the mayor's wife, and Brother Verber, the local preacher, would make it interesting enough, but then she also has the high school shop teacher and ten teens to keep in line.

When the body of a white-robed woman turns up on the campgrounds, life gets even more complicated for Arly.Then there's the man she found fishing on the campgrounds.Not to mention all the reported sightings of ghosts.Once her mother Ruby Bee and her best friend Estelle show up, things get even more interesting.

Ruby Bee runs Ruby Bee's Bar & Grill.Due to a recent fire in the kitchen, she is out of business for a couple weeks.So she brings all her food up to the camp to feed the kids.They are happy because the menus that Mrs. Jim Bob had prepared were nutritional but not what the kids would want to eat!

As Arly begins investigating the apparent murder, she uncovers a community of women and children living on the campgrounds but that has a lot of mystery as to who they are and where they came from.

All the different characters plays such an important role in this book.It is told from multiple points of view, which at first I found difficult to follow.Once I got to know the various characters, I found that this story couldn't be told from one point of view.It is very well written!

I highly recommend this book.

Murder at the Pearly Gates
Sometimes it is hard to keep a long running series feeling fresh and fun, but Joan Hess manages to bring a bit of revitalization to her Maggody series by sending Police Chief Arley Hanks off with some hormone laden teens, the good Brother and Mrs. Jim Bob to Camp Pearly Gates.

While Arley tries to ride herd on the cosmetic mad girls' bodies, Mrs. Jim Bob works on their souls and the good Brother works on a bottle of sacramental wine.

Meanwhile back in Maggody, Mr. Jim Bob is enjoying his new found freedom with some friends he has made over the internet.

Then one of the girls at Camp Pearly Gates stumbles over a body of a local cult member and things begin to get complicated, as Arley says.

A fun romp in the woods with the Maggody crew.Actually I have to note that the description of Camp Pearly Gates raised certain childhood memories of church camp-- laced with the scent of mildewed towels and sweaty sneakers.

Getting more high falutin'
I have always come to the Maggody stories for light entertainment rather than edification. The jokes were often corny and the characterization crude but the mixture worked. In this one there are a number of highbrow references and Brother Verber reveals a childhood trauma that may account for his character flaws.Even the relatioship between Raz and Marjory is getting more psychologically complex. Where is all this leading? I'll keep reading to find out.

MAGGODY AND THE MOONBEAMS SHINES!
Every time I take a fictional visit to the rural Arkansas town of Maggody (population 775 who all seem to be Buchanons of some sort or other with yet another one on the way), I always look at the publisher's line on the bottom of the title page ... Simon & Schuster with its list of offices in New York, London, Toronto, Sydney and Singapore. It completely mystifies me trying to imagine what readers in Singapore think about the criminal justice system in Maggody.

Anyway, this trip into the world of high crime and comedy starts with Ruby Bee Hanks burning up the kitchen of Ruby Bee's Bar and Grill. Add Duluth Buchanon's wife running off with his children and Raz Buchanon searching for a live-in companion for his pig Marjorie. And last, but not least, Arly getting shanghaied into being a chaperone to a church group of ten out of control teens (Billy Dick, Big Mac, Darla Jean et al), who are supposed to spend a week rebuilding Camp Pearly Gates under the unfortunate guidance of Mrs. Jim Bob Buchanon (the mayor's wife) and Brother Verber (the town's preacher).

Once at Camp Pearly gates, everyone one starts seeing what they think are angels, ghosts and/or aliens, and Darla Jean trips over a dead body in the woods on a dark and stormy afternoon.

If you thought the folks in Maggody were whacko, wait until you meet the people who live around Camp Pearly Gates. As always, Joan Hess delivers up a funny and enjoyable read. (Even if I can't keep track of all the Buchanons!) ... Read more