Murder at Mabel’s Motel
The Blurb
As quirky as McGill’s residents can be, they usually welcome society’s oddballs and outcasts into the community with open arms. But the three members of the Lone White Wolf Pack are a different story. Townsfolk aren’t feeling the least bit neighborly toward the ignorant gang widely believed to have orchestrated several hate crimes in the area.
When the small group’s irredeemable leader, Billy Ray Sonner, is found dead in an abandoned motel, most assume it was the result of an accidental overdose. An unfortunate yet predictable end for a man who lived the way Billy did. Only Stella “Granny” and the sheriff have witnessed the crime scene in person, and the smell of cyanide means something more disturbing happened in that ramshackle room. Something like homicide.
While Stella wades through a flood of suspects, uncovered secrets link both Billy’s closest allies and respected locals to the incident. One thing is certain, this wasn’t an impulsive act of revenge. There’s a sophisticated killer on the loose, and Stella must expose deep-rooted fears and dark pasts if she wants to crack a carefully planned murder and stop McGill from descending into chaos.
The Details
Series: A Granny Reid Mystery- Book #3
Author: G. A. McKevett
Genre/Category: Cozy – Amateur Sleuth/Older Sleuth
Publisher: Kensington Books
ISBN: 1496729072
Page Count: 288
Rating: 
The Review
Stella “Granny” Reid has got to be one of my all-time favorite characters in any series. I love her commitment to her grandkids, her friends, and her investigative skills. In the 3rd book, Murder at Mabel’s Motel, Stella finds a body, which was abandoned years ago is unexpected, but just one more in a line of victims Granny has found. This victim wasn’t well-liked, some even say he was downright hated, but no one deserves to die the way he did. This time Stella is helping track a killer who uses an unusual and evil method to destroy the victim.
Characters in this series, like all of those written by G.A. McKevett, are lifelike, lovable, and easy to understand. They make the story flow and bring joy to readers. Small towns are used in cozies all the time, but the town of McGill makes readers long for days when small-town life was easy and relaxed. The descriptions of the locations used throughout this book and series always make me smile. The motel where the victim is found is described so that most readers will know a place in their hometown, just like Mabel’s.
Suspects are never what they seem in this series, and this time is no exception. Motives run the gambit from easy to unexplainable. There are a few turns and twists to keep readers on their toes. Evidence is in the open, but not everyone will see every piece until the end. The setting of a motel for the scene of a murder isn’t unusual, but in general, they always bring with them the idea that crime is just par for the course. There is a surprise for Granny and her grandkids, one that will shock and confuse but ultimately bring joy.
Of course, Granny solves the murder, but this does not necessarily bring the reader any closure. It does, however, bring up a bunch of questions that only time and history can ever answer. Murder at Mabel’s Motel is a wonderfully entertaining book that fits in with a magnificent series. I recommend this book and series to all cozy readers past, present and future.
The Author
Since the publication of her first novel in 1986, Sonja Massie has authored more than 60 published works, including the highly popular and critically acclaimed Savannah Reid Mysteries under the pseudonym G.A. McKevett. Sonja’s novels range from Irish historicals to contemporary thrillers. 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, Sonja has authored two non-fiction books on the history of Ireland: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Irish History and Culture and Irish Pride: 101 Reasons to be Proud You’re Irish. Both books impart a detailed knowledge of the complex and controversial Irish story with a light hand and plenty of humor. She also wrote the bestseller Far and Away, a novel based on Ron Howard’s movie, starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
Having lived in Los Angeles, Toronto, and County Kerry, Ireland, she now resides in New York with her husband. Her hobbies include: making jewelry, origami, Irish folk music, Celtic beading and needlework, and playing with her “grandangels.”
Other books and series from G.A that readers will want to check out are, And The Killer Is… from the “A Savannah Reid Mystery” series or book two in the “A Granny Reid Mystery” series, Murder in the Corn Maze.
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