A small Florida panhandle town mourns when their football star dies in a drunk driving accident after a high school party. But a little bird – a parrot, actually, possibly channeling a long-dead relative – whispers in the ear of local souvenir shop owner Glory Martine that it wasn't an accident. She and her supper club friends start nosing around and learn that all is not what it seems in this community where tourist dollars keep the economy rolling, and a local car dealer seems to have another agenda than selling cars.Were this book set in middle America, I'd have enjoyed it a lot. I might've wondered how someone could stay in business by being closed so often and distracted so much more, but the idea of a quaint shop with an eclectic collection of goods and a foul-mouthed parrot, run by a strong-willed woman working to overcome a tragic past, was interesting.But the location in the Gulf South, which is what captured my attention in the first place, did not serve the plot well, and the inaccuracies in references to southern culture made me wonder if the author had ever spent time here, other than a possible summer vacation once upon a time. We do not fry grits, nor do we still wear hats and gloves to funerals. Jambalaya is not thrown together in a hurry, not made from leftovers and does not include tomatoes. Murder Buys A T-shirt by Christy Fifield was a great first book in the series. All the ingredients for a great cozy were there: great characters, mystery, friendships and as an added bonus, paranormal in the form of a ghost-talking bird. What's not to love. I was drawn into this story right from the beginning and read it in record time. The writing style flowed easily and was very descriptive. The characters were well developed as were their relationships. Humor and mystery were present throughout the story and it was refreshing. I would recommend this book to all who enjoy a cozy mystery. One of my favorite genres to read is paranormal cozies and this one did not disappoint. Looking forward to book two.
What do You think about Murder Buys A T-shirt (2012)?
This was a fun cozy mystery. I'll read more of this series when they are published!
—karvas
Very cute series and I think it's going to be around for a very long while.
—Tostrowski14
It was a cute little mystery although I little predictable.
—holliecuk
