A Case of Bad Taste

A very funny and endearing book. Highly recommend it.

Maude Diamond is a struggling novelist who has never made the best seller list. She has recently lost her husband and has a serious case of writer's block. Her elderly mother-in-law moves in with her, followed by her daughter, reeling from a disastrous marriage. So life is looking pretty bleak with nothing to pique Maude's interest until--Well, you'd never guess. A mysterious burglar is knocking over homes in the little town of Morning Shade, Arkansas--a burglar who never steals anything, but comes in to rearrange the furniture and redecorate. Who could it be? And why is he (or she) doing this?It is a pretty far-fetched plot, to be sure, and it takes a while for author Copeland to hit her stride. I wasn't sure I could finish this book, but I'm glad I did. It gradually draws you in to the warm-hearted ambience of the little town and its quirky characters. The story takes off and I found myself enjoying it in spite of myself.Bad Taste is not great literature. The plot is absurd, the dialogue is awkward, the characters are all too quirky and lovable. More serious, the author is not subtle about her Christian faith, and sometimes comes perilously close to preaching. Still, the book was fun and easy to read and I enjoyed it for what it is. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

Lori Copeland writes a light humorous mystery about a burgular who doesn't take anything. Instead, the burgular rearranges furniture, adds accents, and replaces outdated household items. For Maude, a writer with writer's block, it's book material. She just needs to solve the mystery so she'll have the ending to her book. The downside of this book was the ending. I won't say why I don't like it because I don't want to give anything away, but I'll say that I don't like the who did part and the conclusions that Maude comes to about her own motives in writing about this peculiar mystery.If you want light mystery reading, this is for you. If not, pick up something by Terri Blackstock or Dee Henderson for a more in depth Christian suspense book.One last note, I had the chance to talk to Lori Copeland personally and she's a very friendly and witty Christian lady.

In this first of a series (I can't wait to read the rest) Ms. Copeland gives us new friends and some mystery to unfold. The setting is perfect, the characters are great, and the plot is a perfect balance of laughs and reflection. Imagine a break-in artist who...redecorates! And, that, is just the beginning. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up!!