Wednesday, November 19, 2014

It's
Whodunit Wednesday 

Do you like to solve mysteries?
Do you love to win prizes?
If you said yes to both questions,
you're in the right place! 

It's easy.
Read the following story and if you think you know
Whodunit, enter your answer into 
the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway is open to US and Canada

This week's Whodunit is being hosted by author
Terrie Farley Moran!


Terrie is giving away to one lucky winner,  
a copy of 
WELL READ, THEN DEAD
Book 1  in her Read Em And Eat Mystery series

WELL READ, THEN DEAD 
debuted August 5 of this year 
and shot to the top 3 list of 
my favorite new series of 2014!

First in a new series!


Nestled in the barrier islands of Florida’s Gulf Coast, Fort Myers Beach is home to Mary “Sassy” Cabot and Bridget Mayfield—owners of the bookstore cafĂ©, Read ’Em and Eat. But when they’re not dishing about books or serving up scones, Sassy and Bridgy are keeping tabs on hard-boiled murder.
Read ’Em and Eat is known for its delicious breakfast and lunch treats, along with quite a colorful clientele. If it’s not Rowena Gustavson loudly debating the merits of the current book club selection, it’s Miss Augusta Maddox lecturing tourists on rumors of sunken treasure among the islands. It’s no wonder Sassy’s favorite is Delia Batson, a regular at the Emily Dickinson table. Augusta’s cousin and best friend Delia is painfully shy—which makes the news of her murder all the more shocking.
No one is more distraught than Augusta, and Sassy wants to help any way she can. But Augusta doesn’t have time for sympathy. She wants Delia’s killer found—and she’s not taking no for an answer. Now Sassy is on the case, and she’d better act fast before there’s any more trouble in paradise.
Includes a buttermilk pie recipe! 


Doesn't that sound great?

If you don't win a copy here, you can pick up your copy at your local bookstore or online




Let's get to solving the Whodunit!

BUDDY BROWN

   Sherman Holmes had been born and raised in Alabama and, despite his mania for Victorian England, has a deep, true affection for the American South. About once a year, usually on a warm spring weekend, he would gas up his antique Bentley and make the long pilgrimage home.

   Sherman himself was an orphan, but he had always kept in contact with his childhood neighbors, Buddy Brown and his family. On one of his annual visits, the odd little detective found himself joining the Browns in every Alabamian's favorite pastime, a picnic. 

   The scene was a state park where the old southern family commandeered a picnic table. Buddy spread the tablecloth. Two of the grown children, Tiffany and Billy, unloaded the wicker basket. The third, Julius, poured iced tea from a thermos, while their mother, Susan, unpacked the crystal salt and pepper shakers and handed out cloth napkins. Sherman added his own touch, a candelabra topped with citronella candles to keep away the bugs. 

   Although he saw the Browns just once a year, Sherman felt he knew them intimately. Julius was close to his own age, while Tiffany and Billy, the twins, were a good ten years younger. None were married, as if forming a family of their own might be some sort of affront to the domineering father who controlled their lives. 

   On the surface, the picnic resembled the dozen previous picnics he'd attended with the Browns. Billy flipped burgers on the grill. Julius kept everyone's glass full. Tiffany and Susan hovered over the proceedings, doling out seconds and thirds, while Buddy slathered butter on his corn, spilling half of it on his plate and wiping the other half from his mouth with a napkin. 

   But something was wrong. The jokes were strained, the affection too forced, and Sherman's sixth sense was kicking into gear. He tried to ignore it. 

   Buddy's heart attack came suddenly, near the end of the meal. The elderly man's fleshy face turned as white as his neatly trimmed mustache. His breathing grew heavy. Then he grasped his chest and collapsed backwards into the grass. 

   Sherman and Julius rushed to Buddy's side. The others gathered around, looking on helplessly as the two men did their best to revive the stricken patriarch. 

   "He's dead," Julius whispered. 

   Tiffany ran off to call an ambulance, but everyone knew it would be too late. 

   "He's had heart problems before," Billy said, then turned to comfort his mother. "This is the best way to go, Mom, surrounded by family and eating his favorite food." 

   Sherman had seen a few heart attacks in his time, and this certainly looked like one. He'd also seen more than a few poisonings. 

   Sherman glance over at Buddy'd place at the table. His glass was half full of iced tea. His plate held the remains of potato salad, coleslaw, and the uneaten sliver of a hamburger bun. A clean but rumpled napkin sat beside the plate, right next to the crystal salt shaker. 

   The detective's heat sank. Why did people try to get away with murder when he was around? It just didn't make sense.

Who killed Buddy?

What clue gave the killer away?

The Whodunit Wednesday solution will be posted on tomorrow's blog after the Throwback Thursday feature.

I want to thank Terrie for hosting this week's Whodunit Wednesday And Monday Mystery Mashup! It's been a lot of fun!

Author Terrie Farley Moran
Learn more about Terrie on her website.

As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

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Click on the link in the 
upper right hand corner of this page!

GOOD LUCK!

7 comments:

  1. Ohhh tough one. I read through twice and don't have the answer---yet. Lisa, thanks for letting me host. Terrie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Terrie, it's been wonderful having you. Please come back again! Anytime!

      Delete
  2. I think I know who did it. Can't wait to see the posted answer tomorrow to know if I got it right. I didn't answer it in the Rafflecopter since I was already lucky enough to win this book this week.

    ReplyDelete
  3. it was a tough one, but i think i figured it out.
    already read "well read then dead" & loved it!
    looking forward to the next book!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Stash, I got part of it right. WELL READ, THEN DEAD was wonderful! Think we could talk Terrie and the publishers into putting out 2 or 3 a year? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Okay, I decided to guess who did it. I think I got the clue but still found it hard. We'll find out tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete