The Middle Finger of Fate

The Trailer Park Princess, Book 1

By: Kim Hunt Harris

Narrated by: Sandra Murphy

Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

When Salem Grimes stumbles onto a dead body on her way to an AA meeting, she does what any self-respecting Christian would do - freaks out and screeches words that would make Jesus blush.

However, learning her ex-husband, Tony, stands accused of the murder spurs Salem into action. Eager to help, she makes the bold decision to investigate the case as an amateur sleuth. What she lacks in skills, qualifications, or a general clue on how to find, well, clues, she makes up for with the genuine desire to help.

With her octogenarian best friend, Viv, and beloved dog, Stump, by her side, can Salem’s faith lead her to answers that will clear Tony’s name? Or will this be one more element of her life she has boggled up?

From USA Today and Wall Street Journal best seller Kim Hunt Harris comes a hilarious and heartfelt mystery full of side-splitting laughs and shocking twists!

©2013 Kim Hunt Harris (P)2020 Kim Hunt Harris

Fun Listen with Unexpected Depth

Salem Grimes is a hapless, imperfect heroine who survives any number of catastrophes merely by getting up more often than she falls down. A recovering alcoholic with a shabby upbringing, she’s finding her way to what she hopes will be a good, maybe even normal, life with the help of her earth angel, Les, and her dog Stump. She lives in TrailerTopia Mobile Home Park, bathes dogs part-time for minimal wages at Bow Wow Barbers, and finds solace in greasy fast food, which is why she can’t figure out what to wear in the morning — most of her clothes no longer fit. She prays a sigh of relief when her wreck of a car starts and prays for help when it doesn’t.

Salem has had scrapes with the law because of her drinking and is still on probation, so finding a dead body at church on the way to her AA meeting creates even more problems, especially since the investigating officer knows Salem from her past record and bad behavior. It’s one thing for Salem to find out her ex-husband, Tony, is the number one murder suspect and another to find out she’s really not quite divorced.

This audiobook version is at times laugh-out-loud hilarious, but it’s also a story about honesty, finding faith, experiencing redemption, and learning to believe in others and oneself.

Narrator Sandra Murphy’s twangy Texas accent is dead-on for Salem and her cronies; the remaining cast of characters have easily distinguishable voices. Viv, Salem’s octogenarian partner in crime (technically the twosome is working to solve the murder, but Viv, especially, doesn’t always color within the lines). Viv is a character gem. She’s pushy, rich, and been married enough times to know how and when to work the system, much to Salem’s horror. They are a perfect twosome as Murphy uses author Kim Hunt Harris’ words to distinguish between the two women’s life experiences, personalities, and modes of operation.

If for no other reason, you need to listen to this one in order to visualize an over-sized, overturned pickle bucket as a driver’s seat in an ice cream truck. Believe me — and do not try this at home!

I was given a review copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left a review.