Reason for Concern: Mrs. B Mystery by Anita Kulina
Publisher: Brandt Street Press (August, 2019)
Category: Cozy Mystery, Women Sleuths
Tour dates: October & November, 2019
ISBN:978-1-950836-01-7 Available in Print and ebook, 240 pages
Reason for Concern: Mrs. B Mystery by Anita Kulina
Mrs. B is back on the case with a new mystery to solve! People don’t vanish into thin air. Yet no one has seen Alice since St. Mary’s Senior Center had their Supper Club outing on Sunday. As Mrs. B learns more about her friend, the disappearance seems to involve a burglary, an emerald necklace and maybe even a motorcycle gang. Where in heaven’s name is Alice?Review
Mrs. B is a jolly old lady that totally loves her little town her (slightly large) circle of friends. After waiting for her friend Alice to turn up for a pre-scheduled meeting, and not sure why Alice stood her up, Mrs. B goes in search of Alice. What shocks her is that Alice seems to have vanished into thin air. With very little information, and even lesser number of clues, Mrs. B sets out to uncover the mystery behind her friend's disappearance. Deftly navigating from one adventure to another, she doesn't intend to stop until she finds her friends and brings her back safe home.
I couldn't help falling in love with the adorable Mrs. B. Kudos to Kulina on the characterization. Although Mrs. B is an outgoing, affectionate, and caring person, her sleuthing interests do not make her snoopy or annoying. The narration is witty and engaging. I loved reading this book.
Many thanks to Teddy from Virtual Author Book tours, the publishers Brandt Street Press, and the author Anita Kulina for gifting me a copy of this book for an honest review.
Excerpt
The green door was oddly shiny. When they knocked, it sounded like it was made of metal.
No one answered.
Mrs. B stepped back to the sidewalk, past an overgrown hedgerow, to peer between the houses. She hesitated, then took a step forward down the long row of cracked cement that lined the alleyway.
The front of Tree’s house was covered with white vinyl siding, but on the side it was faded brown insulbrick. Couldn’t afford to fix up the whole house, Mrs. B imagined. She looked up. Two stories. Phone lines and cable wires strung their way from the second floor to the street.
She hesitated again, then walked a little farther, past two blue garbage cans, past a ladder lying on its side, past a big plastic bin. They must keep their tools in there, she thought. She smelled dirt now, newly dug dirt. A flaccid garden hose was attached to the side of the house, stretching back to a corner of the yard where a small pine tree sat in what was obviously its new home. Mrs. B turned toward the house. There was a tiny back porch, not much more than a landing. A dead potted plant sat alone on the railing. The kitchen door was shut and no lights seemed to be on.
From here Mrs. B could see beyond the backyard, to the yards of the houses on the next block. They were all surrounded by fences.
“It doesn’t look like anyone’s home,” Anne said from behind her.
Mrs. B jumped a mile. “Anne! You scared the living heck out of me.”
“You would make a terrible prowler,” Anne said.
Mrs. B pointed through Tree’s chain link fence. “That white house back there, with the blue trim? That might be Jane’s. That one or the red one next door. Both of them border this backyard.” She turned around. “Come on, let’s get off of these people’s property. We’re trespassing.”
It was a short block and it didn’t take long to go around it. They pulled up alongside the white house just as a woman in a pink blouse opened the front door of the red brick house next door. The woman seemed to be in a hurry. She pulled her brown hair back into a stubby ponytail while she walked toward an old truck in a grass-bordered cement driveway.
Mrs. B walked around to the driver’s side. The truck was a dull yellow except for the front right fender, which was a dull red. There was a smell. Oil, maybe. “Excuse me, is this...” Mrs. B pointed toward the two houses but looked at Anne when she realized she didn’t know Alice or Jane’s last name.
Anne took over. “We’re looking for Alice Childers. Do you know where her daughter Jane lives?”
The woman climbed into the truck, then turned toward them, all smiles and dimples. In a sweet voice she said, “I’m Jane.”
“Oh, good,” Mrs. B said, relieved. “We’re friends of your mother. From the Senior Center. We haven’t seen her for a couple of days. Do you know, has she gone away?”
“Goodness, dear, I don’t have any idea,” Jane said as she put the windows down. “She just lives a few blocks over, on Eleanor Street. 254. The house with the yellow awnings.”
“We were just there,” Mrs. B said. “She wasn’t home. Do you know how we might get in touch with her?”
“Sorry, dear, really wish I could help you. I have to pick my boyfriend up at work, otherwise I’d love to stay and talk. Wish I could. You ladies have a good day now, hear?” She started the engine. It rumbled loudly.
Anne rolled her eyes at Mrs. B as Mrs. B knocked on the truck’s door. Jane looked toward them, tilted her head. The dimples popped out again.
“Does your mother have a cell phone?” Mrs. B asked.
“I don’t think so,” Jane said. “Got to go. Sorry I couldn’t be more help. You have a nice day today!” She began to back out of the driveway, and Anne and Mrs. B both stepped quickly away. The truck gave a sharp bounce as it hit the road, then it turned and took off.
Anne shook her head. “You’d think you’d know if your own mother had a cell phone.”
Mrs. B watched the truck’s red brake lights come on as it reached the stop sign at the corner. “You would,” she said, “wouldn’t you?”
Praise for Question of Devotion: Mrs. B Mystery by Anita Kulina
“I found it captivating and funny how one elderly lady's typical life changes from doing games at a senior center to investigating a crime. The characters including Mrs. B are believable. For fans of The Murder She Wrote, Piriot, and Columbo, readers will love this book. I was engaged, entertained, and can't wait for the next installment. Mrs. B is my new favorite lady detective. Smart, brave, and funny. Overall, I recommend A Question of Devotion to all.”-Danielle Urban of Urban Book Reviews “This is a wonderful cozy mystery. Mrs. B is a sweet little old lady that knows everyone and everyone knows her. Most people might not think of her as a detective but that is not going to stop her search for the truth. I loved reading about her bumbling around on the internet. But I loved the interaction between her and Kelly. If you like cozy mysteries look no further. This one has a great story and some hair raising events. I will be looking forward to other books in this series.”-Jessica Bronder of J Bronder Book Reviews “I adored A Question of Devotion and Mrs. B. It’s my goal to be Mrs. B when I “grow up. The mystery in A Question of Devotion is shockingly not a murder! However, it was a nice change to have a mystery that involved a robbery rather than your typical cozy mystery book murder. Mrs. B gets involved because the man accused of the crime is her good friend’s son. With some quick deduction, Mrs. B is able to help her friend. Along the way, you’ll meet some interesting characters at the senior center, and you’ll feel like you’re part of the story through the way the author describes this neighborhood. I definitely recommend A Question of Devotion to all of you cozy mystery fans! This one’s a keeper. I can’t wait for more Mrs. B.”-Christy of Christy’s Cozy Corners “You know the warm glow you get from drinking a cup of hot tea or coffee? This book will warm your insides in the same way. For those of you who love frogs as much as I do, how about the pleasure you get from listening to the spring peepers at the beginning of each spring? Reading this book gives one the same feeling. Hmm. Is there such a thing as a warm, comforting mystery? If so, this one definitely falls into that category.”-Lisa of Lisa's Writopia Achievement in Literature award from the Community of Hazelwood (in Pittsburgh PA)About Anita Kulina
Buy Reason for Concern: Mrs. B Mystery by Anita Kulina
Amazon BarnesandNoble IndieBoundGiveaway
This giveaway is for the winner’s choice of one print or ebook copy of the book. Print is open to the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. There will be 3 winners. This giveaway ends November 1, 2019, midnight pacific time. a Rafflecopter giveaway
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.