A Body in the Backyard

A Myrtle Clover Mystery, Book 4

De: Elizabeth Spann Craig

Narrado por: Cathy Schrecongost

It’s just an ordinary day for octogenarian sleuth Myrtle Clover - until her yardman discovers a dead body planted in her backyard. This death isn’t cut and dried - the victim was bashed in the head with one of Myrtle’s garden gnomes.

Myrtle’s friend Miles recognizes the body and identifies him as Charles Clayborne... reluctantly admitting he’s a cousin. Charles wasn’t the sort of relative you bragged about - he was a garden variety sleaze, which is very likely why he ended up murdered. As Myrtle starts digging up dirt to nip the killings in the bud, someone’s focused on scaring her off the case. Myrtle vows to find the murderer... before she’s pushing up daisies, herself.

©2012 Elizabeth Spann Craig (P)2013 Elizabeth Spann Craig

Myrtle Is Quite the Gal

I love this series! The narrator for this book almost ruined the story for me. Myrtle is always up to something and just loves to snoop. My kind of gal. I wonder what is going to happen with her and Miles, something good I hope. I hope Red doesn't put Myrtle in "the home"! It isn't for everyone.
The narrator is bad, she reads like the book it is a Dick and Jane story. Maddening really, but the story is worth it!

Nice story, narration could have been much better

Would you try another book from Elizabeth Spann Craig and/or Cathy Schrecongost?

I'd try another book by this author but I'd avoid the narrator.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

This wasn't an edge of your seat kind of mystery. It was more a pleasant diversion, brain candy.

What didn’t you like about Cathy Schrecongost’s performance?

There was very little animation. There were parts of this story that would have been laugh out loud funny with the right inflections in the narration. The performance was slow and deliberate. The reading was very obviously just that, reading. It was slow and methodical, no mispronounced words but no emotion. It was a struggle to finish the book.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Probably not.

not a great narrator

next time get a narrator who can use different voices for the different characters

Different narrator

The books keep getting better as the series progresses. Some laugh out loud moments as this elderly sleuth suspects everyone around her of the murder committed. This gnome loving, horrible cook and her friends find out who "done it" in the end. The narrator was good, just jarring after getting used to the one for the rest of the books.

Love this series

I have read the first few books back to back. I love Mrytle and her relationship with Elaine and Red. The supporting characters are quirky and funny. The plot is light-hearted with enough suspense to keep the listener interested. I hope the next book is just as good if not better.

what's a good garden gnome good for anyway?!?!

Octogenarian, Myrtle Clover fills her yard with her favorite garden gnomes as a sign of her displeasure with her across the street neighbor, Red, who is also her son and their small North Carolina's town police chief. He thinks she should live safely in an assisted living facility, and she thinks she should take advantage of the town gossip and her roll as a newspaper reporter, to help solve problems in her town. Unfortunately, someone has decided that one of her gnomes was a good murder weapon, and there's a dead body in her back yard.

This time, the dead body was a scoundrel, who is a distant cousin of her friend and fellow sleuth, Miles. And Myrtle's busybody neighbor announces that Miles must be the murderer. So, once again Myrtle insinuates herself into Red's murder investigation. She's also helped by Red's wife who has taken up photography as her new hobby.

This fun series never fails to amuse me while providing clues to the murder mystery. Wonder which will last longer, Myrtle--now approaching 90, or this mystery series. I'm rooting for both!

Laugh city!

cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, family-dynamics, humor
Read from May 18, 2014 to September 30, 2016

Crazy fun cozy mystery with truly nutsy characters. Gets you laughing until you can't stop. Great stress buster! The publisher's blurb even gives a hint as to it's comedy.
Kathy Schrecongost gives a decent reading if you have the ability to alter speed to taste.

Well, Who Would've Gnome?

My, oh, my! The Myrtle Clover mysteries keep getting better and better . . . getting murdered in Myrtle's yard with a garden gnome? Perfect . . . only in the south can one fully relate to the attraction . . . and unique (don't give a hoot) gaudiness of a yard full of garden gnomes . . . and just where was the murdered Mr. Claybourne headed when someone whacked him in the head with the Viking gnome (sword in hand)? Myrtle knew Charles Claybourne . . . she knew everybody . . . but he'd left town years ago . . . he was probably going next door to his cousin, Miles' house . . . though Miles really didn't claim him as his cousin, although, of course, he was . . . thus begins Myrtle's and Miles' search for the killer . . . digging up the dirt on Charles Claybourne . . . and putting themselves in danger as well . . . all the local townsfolk, Bless their Hearts, make their appearances, Red, Elaine and Jack, Dusty and Puddin, Erma, Crazy Dan and Wanda . . . and all the dirty secrets past and present come out as Myrtle, again, solves the case . . . GREAT LISTEN!

Better Pacing in Book 4 of 20+, Myrtle (age 80+)

Myrtle, age 80+, is back to sleuth another murder, this one close to home, in book #4 of 20+ series, marked by colorful characters and better pacing.

Easy mystery

This time the bodies were in Myrtle's backyard. Mostly consists of Myrtle going around talking to everyone trying to figure out who the murderer is and then her explaining how she figured it out at the end. Some interesting small town characters. If you like small town gossip then you will enjoy the Myrtle Clover mysteries.

The narrator seemed to be whispering the whole time.