J.R. Ripley

This was one of the books I picked up at a library book sale, so I have not read the first book in the series. I did not know there was a bird called a towhee until I read this book, just based on the title, I didn't know if it was supposed to be a person's name. I had noted the resemblance of the title to the work "Annie Get Your Gun".

Both towhee and "Annie Get Your Gun" play a role in this book but not together. The towhee is not shot (nor does it wield a gun as the title might imply). The local theater does plan to put on "Annie Get Your Gun"--maybe--if they can work all the kinks out.

Amy Simms is the amateur sleuth of the series. She's the owner of a shop called Birds & Bees but, like most cozy mystery sleuths, rarely seems to be at her place of business, instead leaving the running of it to her friend Kim (who sometimes runs off to "help" her husband who's renovating a home to flip it) or her mother (who has muscular dystrophy and supposedly isn't supposed to be on her feet all day) or her Aunt Betty (who I don't seem to know much about). It's a wonder she still has a business!

There wasn't as much information about birds in the mystery as I thought their would be considering the series is "A Bird Lover's Mystery".

I did not guess who the murderer was. (I'm not usually able to guess the murderer so your experience may differ.)

It was an enjoyable enough read, but I'm not intrigued enough to purposely seek out the first book in the series or other books in the series to read.… (meer)

The community theater in Ruby Lake, NC is putting on a production of Annie Get Your Gun. But the rehearsals are plagued with freak accidents.When two of the performers are injured by a falling stage curtain, Amy Simms is pressured into taking over one of the parts. It's a small part, but Amy is busy running her shop Birds & Bees, arguing with a new neighbor and trying to save her business from the local planning commission. The production's string of bad luck escalates when a cast member is found murdered in a locked dressing room. Who doesn't want the show to go on? Amy is on the case to find the killer before anyone else dies.

I like this series. Towhee Get Your Gun is the 2nd book in the Bird Lover's Mystery series. Amy Simms is a likable main character, and the quirky side characters give the stories a sweet charm. The side plots just round out the bird theme and don't get in the way of the mystery. Accidents plaguing the cast of the local theater group's production of Annie Get Your Gun was a fun backdrop to the murder plot. I don't really care for the cantankerous boarder Amy got stuck with when she bought her shop building. Esther Pilaster, is incredi-annoying. But....she is supposed to be! So the character is effective if her behavior in the story makes me wish I could jump into the book just to tell her off. Amy doesn't call her "Esther Pester" behind her back for no reason. :)

It isn't necessary to read the series in order. There is background about the shop and the characters in the first book, but a reader could start with book 2 and still enjoy the story. Book one, Die Die Birdie, takes place when Amy is first opening her shop.

All in all, a fun cozy mystery! Towhee Get Your Gun will be available January 3rd.

I voluntarily read an Advance Readers Copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

J.R. Ripley is the pseudonym of Glenn Meganck, writer of the Tony Kozol and Maggie Miller Mystery series. He also writes the Kitty Karlyle Pet Chef mystery series under the pen-name Marie Celine. Check out his website here: www.glennmeganck.com… (meer)

**I received a digital copy of this book from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley in return for a fair, honest review**


Amy Simms is realizing her dream of opening a business. She purchased an old Victorian home for the location of Birds & Bees and is dealing with all sorts of pre-opening SNAFU problems: undelivered product, electrical problems, and worst of all, a dead body in her storage room. An older woman who rents an apartment on the second floor of the old house tells the local police that she saw Amy kill the man with a birdhouse hook. So added to her opening week woes are attorney fees, multiple police interviews, and sleuthing to try and clear her name. When the dead corpse is identified as an old flame of hers in disguise, and disturbing banging and scraping sounds are heard in the houses's basement and attic at night, Amy's problems further escalate. Can she juggle her fledgling business stress and defend herself from possible murder charges? Read this book to find out!

I enjoyed this book! Amy Simms is a fun, intelligent main character. At first, I didn't like her tenant, Esther Pilaster (or as the main characters call her behind her back, Esther Pester), but as the story went on the cantankerous old woman became one of my favorite characters.

The idea of a store selling products for bird and bee enthusiasts is interesting. Amy purchases locally handcrafted bird houses and mixes her own specialty bird seed. I would love a store like Birds & Bees! :)

The mystery portion of the plot kept me interested, although I did figure out some of the clues relatively early in the book. It didn't harm my enjoyment of the story though. The characters were enjoyable and developed as well as any light cozy mystery. All in all, a fun, quick read!

Die, Die Birdie is the first book in the Bird Lover's Mystery series. It has a release date of August 16th, 2016. J.R. Ripley is the pseudonym of Glenn Meganck, writer of the Tony Kozol and Maggie Miller Mystery series. He also writes the Kitty Karlyle Pet Chef mystery series under the pen-name Marie Celine. Check out his website here: www.glennmeganck.com… (meer)

Amy Simms loves running her shop for bird lovers, Birds & Bees. But lately she's a bit tired because a woodpecker has been waking her up early every morning tapping on a tree outside her bedroom window. Imagine her surprise when she picks up a pair of binoculars to get a good look at her feathered nemesis only to see a murder in progress across Ruby Lake at the old McKutcheon house. Even though the police find nothing -- no body, no crime scene -- to prove anyone was killed, Amy still thinks something strange is going on at the old house. Her suspicions are confirmed when a local woman is found dead in the woods near the house. What's going on at the old McKutcheon house? Will the legend of a dead McKutcheon ancestor rising from the lake on the anniversary of her death really happen? And did Amy really see a murder?

The Woodpecker Always Pecks Twice is the third book in the Bird Lovers Mystery series. I enjoy this series! Amy Simms is a fun, independent, spunky main character. The quirky group of supporting characters around her are great, especially her unwanted boarder, the curmudgeonly Esther Pelaster (AKA Esther Pester). This newest book in the series, in my opinion, is the best so far. The mystery was well-paced with plenty of twists and turns. There are lots of suspects and some great surprises. The theme of birds and bird watching doesn't overpower the mystery portion of the plot, but adds color and flavor to the story. I will definitely be reading more of this series! I recommend it to anyone who enjoys birds and cozy mysteries.

It isn't necessary to read the books in order. A reader could jump in with this book and still be able to follow the plot and characters relatively easily. As with most cozies, the books are light, enjoyable reads suitable for teens to adults. There is no bad language or detailed sexual situations.

The next book in this series, To Kill a Hummingbird, will be released in July 2017. I can't wait! :)

J.R. Ripley is a pseudonym of the author Glenn Meganck. For more information on the author and his books, check out his website at http://www.glennmeganck.com/

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.**

… (meer)