Unraveling of Violeta Bell, The (Large Print): A Morgue Mama Mystery (Morgue Mama) | 
| Author: C.r. Corwin
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Category: Book
List Price: $22.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 2282930
Format: Large Print
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 346
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.7 x 1
ISBN: 159058502X
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9781590585023
ASIN: 159058502X
Publication Date: April 15, 2008
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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:
 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
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.
A Heart of Gold, and a Mind for Crime April 23, 2008
The third Morgue Mama Mystery is the strongest in the series. Who is Violeta Bell? Is she a senior citizen who hired the same cabbie every week to drive her friends and herself to garage and estate sales? Is she a retired antiques dealer? Is she a claimant to the Romanian throne?
Newspaper librarian Maddy Sprowls' job is to find out if the cabby did it, because her editor-in-chief asked her to investigate. Naturally, Maddy, an inveterate researcher, finds ways to dig out the truth. The case is complex enough for any mystery reader. However, the true joy of this book is in the character of Maddy herself. The latest in the series reveals more of Maddy's personal life, her relationship with her boyfriend, Ike, her dog, and even Maddy's childhood and background. And, she snores! Morgue Mama isn't at all the curmudgeon she appears to be, and those who get to know her, both in the book, and as readers, will grow to love her.
fine amateur sleuth April 19, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
For over three decades septuagenarian Maddy "Morgue Mama" Sprowls has run the information library at The Hannawa Herald-Union. Her preference is to hide in the morgue where she helps the reporters obtain what they need to do a story; she never offers a story to the editors.
However, Maddy notices four female senior citizens using a taxi to go to garage sale hopping. She thinks their travels would make a wonderful warm human interest story. So after rarely stepping into the newsroom, Maddy enters to offer her idea. To her glee, the story runs highlighting the treasure hunting of former antique dealer Violeta Bell, retired stripper Kay Hausenfelter, realtor Gloria McPhee, and philanthropist Ariel Wilburger-Gowdy. However, not long afterward, someone murders Violeta. Maddy plans to hide in the morgue, but feels guilty wondering if her article led to the homicide. She begins to DIG for clues.
The fun in this fine amateur sleuth is observing the changing reactions of Maddy during the story line especially as she feels some culpability so reluctantly investigates only to learn she is enjoying the sleuthing; she hides that from everyone who sees the irritable and kvetching Morgue Mama. The four garage sale hoppers are unique eccentric protagonists. Violeta insists that she is the rightful queen of Romania; Kay's willing to perform an exotic dance; Gloria is ready to show off a house at any time except garage sale time; and Ariel wants to save the world one garage at a time. Fans will enjoy Maddy's inquiry into this elderly quartet (starting with the deceased) and other suspects, as this is an enjoyable Morgue Mama murder mystery (see THE CROSS KISSES BACK and DIG)
Harriet Klausner
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