Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles Update, Part 1

As of 20 September, 6 books have dropped in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series.

A project of The Underground Authors, the series is collective endeavor designed to bring readers everywhere top-drawer fiction with high entertainment value.

So how do 9 authors pull off a crime fiction series? Well, I’m glad you asked. They started with a unifying concept: the fictional town of Magnolia Bluff, Texas.

Then each writer introduced a set of characters and the places they hang out. These characters and their hangouts are available to the other writers to use in their books, as well.

So what about the books? In this post and the next, I want to share reviews by readers that will hopefully inspire you to take the plunge and plan a vicarious vacation to Magnolia Bluff.

All of the books can be found on Amazon.

Death Wears a Crimson Hat

CW Hawes kicked off the series with Death Wears a Crimson Hat. Below is a wonderful review by Joe Congel, who is the author of the exceptional Tony Razzolito mysteries.

I have read and enjoyed several books by CW Hawes. When I heard about the new Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series, I couldn’t wait to dig in. This is a multi-author series where each book will be penned by a different member of the Underground Authors, with Hawes at the helm for the first book in the series.

Being the first also means the author had the weight on his shoulders of establishing the small town of Magnolia Bluff, Texas as the backdrop for all the books to come. Not an easy task with so many different authors, each gifted with their own unique style of writing. But Hawes pulls it off flawlessly. We are introduced to the uniqueness of small-town living which can be both comforting and sometimes difficult. Especially if you are not home-grown or native to the town, making it hard at times to be accepted. Such is the case for Harry Thurgood and the Reverend Ember Cole. Both are fairly new to Magnolia Bluff, and both have a past they’d rather not have dredged up by any of the locals. And both find themselves being accused of murder.

As a fan of mysteries, I love a solid storyline that keeps the reader guessing until the end. And because of that, I will not provide a recap of the story other than to say that there is murder and mayhem and enough possible suspects to muddy the waters for the detective trying to solve the crime. Throw in a colorful cast of local characters who are involved in backstabbing, sordid love affairs, and a closeness that can only be found in a town small enough where everyone knows everyone else’s business, and you have the ingredients for the perfect murder mystery. One has to read and savor this whodunit as it unfolds within the pages to really appreciate the underlying complexity of this small town and its residents. The author has made sure to pepper us with enough clues and red herrings throughout, making this a very entertaining read.

Hawes is a wonderful writer who knows how to draw the reader into a story. And The Underground Authors are a group of extremely talented writers who trusted CW Hawes with the first book to kick off this series. That alone speaks volumes as to the talent of Hawes as a wordsmith worthy of providing a top-notch mystery to open what will undoubtedly be a top-notch crime series.

Eulogy in Black and White

I very much like the fiction of Caleb Pirtle III. He is a skilled and talented writer. His words are magic. He tells a story in such a way as to draw you into it so that you are in another place and time.

Here is my review of his contribution to the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles.

Eulogy in Black and White is a murder mystery that only the inimitable Caleb Pirtle III could write.

I’ve been a fan of Mr. Pirtle’s fiction for some time now. And he knows how to uncork one heck of a powerful novel. And this is a powerful novel.

His characters are people you’d swear you’ve met before. He paints the most atmospheric word pictures. If Albert Bierstadt had traded in his paintbrush for a pen, he’d be Caleb Pirtle.

Set in Magnolia Bluff, Texas, Eulogy in Black and White is the story of Graham Huston, who is on a mission of personal redemption.

However, the expiation of his guilt will have to wait when his friend, perhaps his only friend, is murdered. Another victim of the infamous May 23rd killings that have plagued Magnolia Bluff for nine years.

Pirtle is a master craftsman and will keep you guessing whodunit right up to the end. And in the meantime, you’ll learn a lot about the meaning of life and death and what true friendship is.

The Great Peanut Butter Conspiracy

Cindy Davis is no stranger to the murder mystery. She’s written many of them and sold even more.

The Great Peanut Butter Conspiracy is light and breezy, filled with great dollops of humor. But there is also the suspense that gradually builds and builds until you find yourself on the edge of your chair.

And Ms. Davis handles it all with aplomb. She knows her way around a mystery.

Below is Joe Congel’s wonderful review:

This is my third trip to Magnolia Bluff. And after the first two books in the series, I was eagerly awaiting book three. Author Cindy Davis shows us another side of this small Texas town that was not seen in the offerings from CW Hawes or Caleb Pirtle III. Oh sure, we still get to visit with a few familiar faces, like Harry Thurgood, owner of the Really Good Wood-Fired Coffee Shop, but the author also introduces us to some new characters that help round out the quirkiness of Magnolia Bluff. And we are treated to a bit of a paranormal spin in this cozy mystery crafted by the talented Ms. Davis.

Bliss Jager’s experience in this small town begins when her motorcycle breaks down in Magnolia Bluff. She is trying to escape her past and really only expects to be held up long enough to have her bike repaired so she can hurry along to her next destination… wherever that may be. But like most of the folks who find their way into Magnolia Bluff, she finds it difficult to find her way back out again. The parts for the repairs are going to take a couple days to come in, so what’s a girl to do? Bliss soon finds herself wrapped up in a murder mystery with enough suspects to rival the game Clue, and a ghostly partner that just happens to be the victim. Throw in a Toucan that seems to be able to communicate with her, Jimmy Buffett Lyrics that pop into her head and can only be described as somehow clairvoyant, and you have the making of a fun, page turning mystery.

Davis has a way of drawing you into the story. Her characters are people you want to get to know, and the story develops at a pace that keeps the reader interested from the first page to the last. Her writing seems effortless even though you know that a lot of thought and care went into each word written. I’ve read a couple of books by this author, and she never disappoints. I love the fact that Magnolia Bluff and The Great Peanut Butter Conspiracy is just the first stop for Bliss Jager, and I am looking forward to seeing what other mysteries she gets tangled up in along her journey.

There you have it. The first 3 books in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles, available on Amazon.

Next post we’ll take a look at Books 4 through 6. And we’ll follow that up with a look at Book 7 which is coming out in October.

There is great reading in this series. I encourage you to take a trip to Magnolia Bluff. It’s a great place to visit, rest, and relax. A beautiful place to recharge your batteries. Just watch your back while you’re there.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

CW Hawes is a playwright, award-winning poet, and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

 

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