After their mama's passing, Marygene Brown returned to Peach Cove Island to help her sister Jena Lynn run the family diner, renowned for its homemade peach desserts. But Mama is never too far away--her sassy spirit haunts the island, and more specifically Marygene. Lately Mama has been warning her that the dead will seek her out to solve their murders, an idea Marygene is far from peachy keen on.
But that prophecy appears to be coming true when she goes skinny-dipping off the island and swims right into a woman's charred corpse floating in the waves. And when Marygene and her brother Sam come upon a second burned body in a wine cellar at an event they're catering, it appears they have a double homicide on their hands. It soon turns out the victims have more in common than their charred remains, and Marygene will need to double down to find a killer who has no aversion to playing with fire. Good thing Mama has her back . . .
Includes Seven Recipes from Marygene's Kitchen! (Summary via Goodreads)
Peach Cove Island in Georgia is where you want to be !! And you want Kate Young to be your tour guide. The Marygene Brown Mystery series is an absolute must read series !! And Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse, the second book in this series is explosive !!!
When you read a cozy mystery you know that there is going to be a murder and a dead body or two. You are guaranteed that this will happen fairly quickly when you start reading, sometimes it takes a few chapter as the author takes their time setting the stage. Others may give you the first chapter before revealing the dead body. Young , on the other hand, only gives the reader the first paragraph before there is a dead body to deal with !!! How can you not continue reading with that set up ???
Main character Marygene Brown has moved back home to help her sister run the family diner after their mother passed away....only she hasn't moved to her final resting place, is in limbo and only Marygene can see and communicate with her. And her mother only shows up when someone is in danger or there is a dead person. Marygene's father is also the Sheriff and her on and off boyfriend Alex is a deputy with the department.
While Marygene is out taking an early morning swim in the ocean she is hit by a dead, burned body. Before anyone can figure out who the deceased is, Marygene and her brother, Sam, find another burned body at a catering event. When the bodies are identified as two sisters that went missing over two decades ago, Marygene learns that the island has a lot of old secrets it is holding on to and they involve her mother and her group of old friends. While Marygene tries to weed through things and solve the case, there is someone that is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her quiet. Will she stop before it's too late ??
Her mother warned her.... She told her that "when one of us is forced to remain, it creates an energy around the person we're communicating with. An aura, if you will. The deceased will be drawn to you." Marygene has to do what she does for everyone....alive and dead....until she gets justice for the deceased.
I am a HUGE fan of this series and the way Young presents the story will knock you off your feet !! I highly recommend picking up the books in this series and letting Young take you on a trip. Just make sure you clear your schedule because you won't be able to tear yourself away once you start reading !!!
Review by Missi M.
