Laid Out and Candle Lit

Tizzy/Ridge Trilogy, Book 1

By: Ann Everett

Narrated by: Margo Trueblood

Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Tizzy Donovan is having a run of bad luck. A bakery delivery gone wrong. A bar fight with an old classmate. And the discovery of a dead body in the cemetery.

Texas Ranger Ridge Cooper's luck isn't much better. He's finally gotten his first solo case, and it's in the Podunk town of Brownsboro, Texas. But when he meets local beauty, Tizzy, he thinks his luck is about to change - until she becomes the prime suspect in his case!

©2011 Ann Everett (P)2015 Ann Everett

Laid Out and Candle Lit

“This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.”

This is a fun cozy mystery, it combines murder, romance, humor, southern charm, and a few noisy spirits to liven things up. There were plenty of suspects to keep you guessing. Some of the romance was rushed, but I would like more of these characters.



The narration was well done. The characters were excellently portrayed.

If you love romantic whodunnits, this is for you!

**I was given a copy of this audiobook for an honest review.

This book was total fun! If you enjoy a good whodunnit with some romance, this book is for you. Getting to know Tizzie and Ridge, along with their friends was a great ride. I really enjoyed trying to figure out who killed Marlene. Ridge, the Texas ranger brought in to solve the murder, kept running into brick walls trying to find the killer, and it always seemed to keep finding another reason to point the finger at Tizzie...lucky for her, he knew better. I loved the side story of Tizzie being able to talk to the dead. This made for some interesting invasions into her mind and dreams..always making you wonder what message they are trying to send. The chemistry between Ridge and Tizzie was sizzling.

The narration by Margo Trueblood was simply flawless. I will definitely be looking out for more narrations by her.

Fun Read

Any additional comments?

The story is well written keep you interested. Funny and quick read highly recommended to people like Janet Evanovich. Can't wait to ready next from series.

It's ... ok

Note: I listened to the audio version of this book and it was provided at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast.

Approximate score: 2-2.5 STARS

This book was advertised on AudiobookBlast as a "Mystery" - and it was ... sorta. But the primary plot was more centered around the romance between the two characters, and because of that the book was longer than it really needed to be; extra scenes were thrown in that didn't really serve much purpose plot-wise (for example, the skunk scene). The characters also lacked depth - they felt stereotypical and didn't really pull me in. The ending was rushed, cliched, and not all that surprising or suspenseful. The hint of supernatural (that the female protagonist could hear the dead) was barely there and not all that intriguing. It's unfortunate because the premise of this story was decent and I think it could have been more effective if the characters and plot had been fleshed out a bit more. The narrator did an OK job (and pretty much nailed the southern accent part), but the performance of certain scenes felt wooden and monotone.

Bottom line: if you go into this book looking for a supernatural mystery, you'll be disappointed; it's mostly a (not-all-that-compelling) romance story with a small sprinkling of mystery and a grain of supernatural.

good book

"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot com.”

i really liked thr book. i cant wait to read the otbers in the series

fun cozy

This is another very nice cozy mystery, this time set in Texas, with just a bit of the paranormal added to spice things up a bit. The mystery itself is well constructed, and kept me guessing through most of the book. Tthe author was careful to place her clues and red herrings where they would do the most good.

The characters were also nicely developed, and were both interesting and believable. Very young children are tricky to write, but this author managed her little girl with sensitivity and charm. While the main romance had more angst than I prefer, it was, for the most part, also believable and sometimes delightful.

The book was well written, and I especially appreciated the author’s humor, which kept this romantic slightly paranormal mystery from taking itself too seriously. A good cozy is pure mind candy, and a *really* good cozy has just enough spice of complexity to keep a reader interested, and this one did.

The narrator gave a fully professional performance in all ways, and if her Texas accent isn’t natural to her, then her management of accents is superb.

I received this book in exchange for this unbiased review via the courtesy of AudioBookBlast dot com.

Names like Bubba & Sweetie Pie plus Wit = FUN

What made the experience of listening to Laid Out and Candle Lit the most enjoyable?

I really enjoyed Ms. Trueblood's southern style narration. It totally captured the essence of the piece. She brought the characters to life. At first, I thought the breathy gasps in her storytelling would ruin the piece for me, but either the narration became more relaxed or I just let myself get lost in the story. Good job!

Which character – as performed by Margo Trueblood – was your favorite?

I fell in love with Bubba/Dwayne.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

So many times I found myself laughing out loud. The writing of Ms. Everett is witty and fun without being too much and taking away from the storyline.

Any additional comments?

I received this audiobook copy via Audiobook Boom in exchange for an unbiased review.

All Kinds of Characters

While a little on the goofy side. It's a good book and a quick read. Tizzy, who just happens to talk to dead people? finds a dead body at her husband's grave. "Trooper Cooper" is a Texas Ranger brought in to solve the murder. It will keep you at the edge of your seat and in stitches at the same time. Only issue I had was there seems to be a lot of sex through out the book.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audio book by the author, narrator or publisher."

A Fun Book

Would you listen to Laid Out and Candle Lit again? Why?

No, I don't re-listen to books I've already listened to.

What did you like best about this story?

The overall funness and acceptance of the Ranger in the town.

Which scene was your favorite?

There were so many moments in the book that I loved. When Tizzy goes to the bar in the morning to get a drink, when she gets in a bar fight, takes a date to the party...

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Texas Rangers Beware of Tizzy

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dont com.

If It Weren't for Bad Luck...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would. It's a fun, light mystery.

What did you like best about this story?

It was funny, with gratuitous sex. So if good dirty fun sex bothers you, you might want to pass. For me though, it wasn't an issue. There's some language that might get some into a lather. lol

What does Margo Trueblood bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I liked her. Maintained good pace with what my untrained ear thought was a passable Texas accent.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I took a few sessions, just because of length. It was an Audible book I wanted to get right back to though.

Any additional comments?

Thank you for letting me review this fun book.This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.