Good introduction of a series that has four friends known as the Good Buy Girls who cut coupons and find great deals and bargains, but unfortunately one of the group is arrested for murder and the other three do their best to scope out clues to find the real murderer. Set in small town southern Virginia, the friendships are warm and the characters vivid. Modern day family situations have been set up that can carry this series for several years…looking forward to subsequent books in the series. Maggie Gerber and several of her friends belong to the Good Buy Girls a group that meets and strategizes frequently on how to find bargains. They will have to strategize in a different way now - Claire Freemont, one of the members, has been accused of murder. She actually did have a reason to want the victim dead, but so did several others, and Maggie and the rest of the Good Buy Girls are determined to prove that Claire is innocent and find the real killer. The only problem is that Maggie has to deal with pesky sheriff Sam Collins."50% Off Murder" is the nicely done first book in Josie Belle's Good Buy Girls cozy mystery series (Belle is the pseudonym for cozy mystery author Jen McKinlay). I admit the book got off to a rocky start for me as, while I love sales, I am not fond of extreme coupon clipping, people who are too frugal, or those that shop just because it is on sale, but I quickly got over that and came to like the characters and set up. What I liked best about the book is the close friendship between the Good Buy Girls (Maggie, Ginger, Joanne, and Claire) and how they pulled together when one of them needed help. I also like the fact that they all, including Maggie, had secrets they were keeping from each other as this made them deeper characters. The one thing I didn't like was the rivalry between Maggie and Summer Phillips, which is way over the top (and reminiscent of the feud between Angie, Melanie, and Olivia Puckett in McKinlay's Cupcake Bakery cozy mystery series). I know it is meant to be funny but a little bit goes a long way. Finally, while the mystery is cleverly plotted, I wish there were more suspects and I honestly forgot the killer was even a character in the book."50% Off Murder" is a bit uneven but has a nice set up and some great characters and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
What do You think about 50% Off Murder (2012)?
Not bad, just not as fun as her other series (under Jenn McKinley). I'm still going to try #2.
—MandyMe
A fast, fun read. Nothing very strenuous, but interesting nonetheless.
—deannarosser
Great start to a new series. Looking forward to the next one....
—mtuki
Enjoyable new series. I'm looking forward to the next one.
—faith
