Murder in Her Stocking by G. A. McKevett #BlogTour #BookReview #Giveaway

I am so delighted today to provide a review for you at my blog stop for Murder in Her Stocking by G. A. McKevett on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. Scroll down to enter your chance to win the Giveaway!

Murder in Her Stocking (A Granny Reid Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington (October 30, 2018)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1496716264
ISBN-13: 978-1496716262
Digital ASIN: B079KTKPH2

As the Moonlight Magnolia Agency revisits old memories on Christmas Eve, Granny Reid takes the reins back thirty years to the 1980s—back when she went by Stella, everyone’s hair was bigger, and sweaters were colorful disasters. But murder never went out of style . .

Christmas has arrived in sleepy McGill, Georgia, but holiday cheer can’t keep temperamental Stella Reid from swinging a rolling pin at anyone who crosses her bad side—and this season, there are plenty. First an anonymous grinch vandalizes a celebrated nativity display. Far worse, the scandalous Prissy Carr is found dead in an alley behind a tavern. With police puzzled over the murder, Stella decides to stir the local gossip pot for clues on the culprit’s identity . . .

Turns out Prissy held a prominent spot on the naughty list, and suspects pile up like presents on Christmas morning. Unfortunately, the more progress Stella makes, the more fears she must confront. With a neighbor in peril and the futures of her beloved grandchildren at risk, Stella must somehow set everything straight and bring a cunning criminal to justice before December 25th . . .

Once again, my introduction to the author and a new series entry intended as a prequel to the well-established Savannah Reid series. As such, this functions well as a standalone, although it took me a few chapters to get into the unique writing style. Very folksy; had me thinking it was not so much a cozy as literary fiction and slow southern, small town, down-home style of McGill, Georgia, at that.

Not so sure it is as much mystery as it is the story of the Reid family. Strong characterizations–Granny is bigger than life. Bless her heart, Granny Reid, is the self-proclaimed caretaker of her seven grandchildren, her grand-angels. She pours her heart and soul into these kids. They come first. And Savannah (who will grow up to be second generation sleuth), the oldest at twelve, has had to grow up very quickly due to the fact that her absentee trucking father is on the road–most of the time. Their mother occupies her bar stool–daily–and almost exclusively. The home is not a home, it’s barely a house. But Granny has enough love for all of them and it’s only later that their mother casts a jealous eye toward her mother-in-law.

The story starts with Stella Reid (better known as Granny Reid) holding her great-grandchild at a Christmas gathering. She begins musing thirty years previous to more tumultuous times and a whole other Christmas. The artfully laid out plot is heavy with clichéd sayings and little glimmers of Granny’s wisdom bestowed with love and guidance to the little ones. Heaven knows they get none from their mother, Shirley.

“Shirley had yet to learn that control wasn’t power. Love was power.”

And the storyline is peppered with colloquialisms:

“Harder than a mustard bottle gets squeezed on the Fourth of July.”

“I’d rather chew bumblebees…”

“…feel like a rubber-nosed woodpecker in a petrified forest.”

“…she clams up tighter than a bullfrog’s keister in a bucket of ice water.”

These are good God-fearing righteous folk, trying to do good in this world.

There is a murder and Granny takes on some sleuthing, along with Sheriff Gilford, though I loved that the sleuthing doesn’t control the story–the Reid family does. And they have quite the story to tell and a lot of lessons to be learned along the way. I think my favorite was “…we treat people–“”I know. I know. According to who we are, not who they are.””

It’s a sweet story told in slow, cozy style and y’all better not expect a barn-burner. It is, however, well paced, keeping the reader engaged. There are good people in the world and people trying to do good. And even the antagonists can’t be bad all the time.

I received this ebook download from the publisher and NetGalley for this book tour and greatly appreciate the opportunity to read and review. Recommended as a great Christmas season entry to your TBR. This narrative will captivate cozy readers, literary fiction readers, and those who enjoy the work of women sleuths.

Sign up for your chance to win one of (3) Print Copy Murder in Her Stocking (A Granny Reid Mystery) by G. A. McKevett – Hardcover (U.S. Only) in this Rafflecopter giveaway  

G.A. McKevett is the author of the acclaimed Savannah Reid mystery series. Also writing under the name Sonja Massie, she has authored over 60 books ranging from cozy mysteries to historical romances, to nonfiction works on the history of Ireland. Her earthy humor and fast-paced plots delight her fans, while critics applaud her offbeat characterizations and incisive observations on human nature. Irish by ancestry, she has lived in Toronto, Ireland, and Los Angeles, but now resides in New York.

Author Links

Website: www.SonjaMassie.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GAMcKevett

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gwendolynnarden.mckevett

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2xQwQKz

Purchase Links

Amazon  B&N  Kobo Google Play   Book Depository

Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour and please visit the other stops listed below!

Tour Participants:

November 5 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

November 5 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT

November 6 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW

November 6 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

November 6 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

November 7 – The Montana Bookaholic – SPOTLIGHT

November 7 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

November 7 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT         

November 8 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 8 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

November 9 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT

November 9 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

November 10 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 10 – My Devotional Thoughts – REVIEW

November 10 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW,

November 11 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 11 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

November 12 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

November 12 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW

Thanks to Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this cozy mystery!

©2018 V Williams