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Unraveling of Violeta Bell, The: A Morgue Mama Mystery (Morgue Mama Mysteries) | 
| Author: C.r. Corwin
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $15.00
You Save: $9.95 (40%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 385784
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 230
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.7 x 1
ISBN: 1590585011
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9781590585016
ASIN: 1590585011
Publication Date: April 15, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Newspaper librarian Maddy Sprowls never gives story ideas to the editors at The Hannawa Herald-Union. She prefers to stay in the morgue and do her job, and hopes the editors stay in the newsroom and do theirs. Then one Saturday she sees four elderly women get out of a taxicab at a garage sale. Those women must hire that cabby every week, she figures, to drive them from garage sale to garage sale while they search for treasure. And wouldnt that make a great feature story for the paper? Monday morning she runs straight to the newsroom with her idea. Shortly after the story runs, one of the four women is murdered?retired antique dealer Violeta Bell. Maddy wants no part of the investigation. But before she knows it shes on another of her infamous snoopathons. And, good gravy, enjoying every minute of it.Was Violeta Bell murdered by one of the other garage sale ladies? Former striptease artist Kay Hausenfelter perhaps? Or real estate agent Gloria McPhee? Or eccentric philanthropist Ariel Wilburger-Gowdy? Or was it Eddie French, the scruffy cabby with a police record as long as his arm? And what about Violetas claim that she was the rightful queen of Romania? Any truth to that? Readers who loved C.R. Corwins first two Morgue Mama mysteries--The Cross Kisses Back and Digwill be happy to see that Maddy is as crafty and cantankerous as ever. If not more so!
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Cea mai buna Mama October 12, 2008
The best Morgue Mama yet.Corwin is a workmanlike and traditional writer of the whodunit. His touches of genius come in the details by which he gives life to his characters. The dog that Maddy Sprowls is allergic to was dumped on her by a neighbor who had to go to California because her daughter's husband was swept away by a wave while gathering mussels to make a paella. A character has a son who is a deputy minister of tourism for Ontario. The ambience of Akron, Ohio and of Watertown, New York is vividly captured. We learn about the history of the Romanian monarchy and the antique fireplace business.
All the while he keeps us laughing and in suspense. He joins my short list of writers where I watch for each new one and pre-order.
A fine novel of mystery and intrigue. September 6, 2008
Newspaper librarian Maddy never gives story ideas to her newspaper: her job is research - until four old ladies at a garage sale lead her to an unusual feature story that results in murder. Now she's part of an investigation whether she likes it or not - and involved in a dangerous case. Libraries with strong mystery collections will find this a fine novel of mystery and intrigue.
 A Royal Story June 17, 2008
Morgue Mama--Maddy Sprowls--returns in this, the third entry in the series. In the previous mysteries, Maddy, the librarian for a daily Ohio newspaper, did not give the editors an idea for a story--she just archived them. In this installment, however, she steps out of character, suggesting a story about four elderly women she observed getting out of a taxi one Saturday at a garage sale. She assumed it was part of a weekly routine and would make for an interesting feature story.
Shortly after publication, one of the women, a retired antiques dealer, is found murdered and once again Morgue Mama gets involved in another murder investigation. The victim was known for insisting she was the Queen of Romania. Could it be true? And the reason for the murder? Or is there some other reason?
Just as well-written and "cute" [intended as a compliment] as the initial two novels in the series were, this effort continues to amuse the reader. The plot moves along quickly. The characterizations are well-done, and Maddy, as ever, remains the zany but crafty protagonist. Recommended.
A laugh-out-loud mystery May 29, 2008
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (3/08)
Maddy Sprowls is back again. This time she is investigating the murder of Violeta Bell who claims to be the Queen of Romania. Maddy feels a close connection to the case because she recommended that an article be written that involved this woman. She fears that her idea helped draw attention to Violeta, which resulted in her death.
Normally, Maddy likes to keep quiet and just do her job as librarian in "The Hannawa Herald-Union." But one day her interest is sparked when she sees four elderly women get out of a taxi at a yard sale. She finds out that they do this every weekend, with the same cab driver. She thinks that it would make a great human interest story so she recommends it. It is titled, "The Queens of Never Dull." After the story is featured, Violeta Bell is murdered and the cab driver is accused, Maddy feels compelled to investigate.
She discovers that the case is much more complex and interesting than she could have imagined. As she investigates she gets to know the other three women in the group. She enjoys discovering their eccentricities. She also gets a lesson in Romanian royalty. As she works on solving this case, she is able to find answers to another mystery. She also accidentally gets to meet the president of the United States.
"The Unraveling of Violeta Bell," is a laugh-out-loud mystery. Maddy Sprowls is truly an irrepressible character. I totally enjoyed watching the mystery unfold. I also enjoyed reading about Maddy's relationships with her boyfriend, her co-workers, the police and her not-always-potty-trained dog. I definitely plan on reading other adventures about the Morgue Mama.
Delightful! April 27, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Once again someone in Hannawa dies violently, and Maddy Sprowls swings into action. Masterful prose breathes life into a miscellany of characters and Maddy's cultural commentary is insightful. Author C.R. Corwin's Morgue Mama series gets better with each episode. "The Unraveling of Violeta Bell" is a must-read not only for readers who fancy mysteries but for those who appreciate excellent writing.
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