Casket Case

The Callie series gets better and better, although I can't imagine Callie without her Victoria's Secret inflatables. I'd heard the original title was another nursery rhyme, but the editor or publisher changed it. It's one good story and I liked the idea of Jane hooking up with one of Callie's brothers. Now if Callie can get a good boyfriend!

Having read the first two Callie Parrish Mysteries, I was a little confused by the title of the third one. Casket Case is a shorter title than the first two and isn't related to a nursery rhyme. I feared there might be some other significant changes. The first few pages assured me that Callie and Jane are back in full glory. Occasionally, some readers complain about Callie's vocabulary - specifically her use of puh-leese and ex-scuuze me. This seemed less prevalent in the new book. I had the pleasure of meeting Fran Rizer at a reading where someone questioned Callie's friendship with Jane. Rizer's response was, "Callie and I both try to control Jane, but it's impossible. She does as she pleases." I think the same may be true of Callie's word usage. She talks however she wishes, though I myself keep waiting for her to slip into some secondary cussing. Back to Casket Case - I rate it five-star. It's fast-paced with interesting new characters as well as those I've come to know and love in the first two novels. Readers see more deeply into the personalities of Callie's father and brothers. There's a twist in the plot when the villain is identified, but I won't reveal that here. To me, Callie Parrish mysteries get better with each new book. I highly recommend them to anyone who likes a comfortable southern-based mystery with intriguing characters who bring chuckles and occasional belly laughs along with murder.

The fourth book in the Callie Parrish Mystery series is as much fun as the other three. Callie cannot stay away from dead bodies and not only because she works as a cosmetitian at the local mortuary, she seems to attract dead bodies even during her off time. She also has the dubious talent of attracting less than acceptable men and never recognizes the "normal" men who are attracted to her. Her BF Jane plays a major roll in this book and continues to keep the reader in suspense about which personality she will display. Callie's family back her up as always and the reader is given more insight into the family. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a book that is fun to read, that is stress free and makes the reader want to find out just what Callie will do next as well as how many more dead bodies can possibly turn up in Callie's hometown.

I would enjoy the Callie Parrish books a whole lot more without the constant and (to me) exceedingly annoying exaggerated expressions....buhleeeve me, pleeeeese, loooooove....the main character is in her early thirties, not a 14 year old squealing her way through the Mall. That said, I enjoyed Casket Case much more than books 2 and 3 in this series. Just wish that there could be a bit of character growth. And just how does she support herself when it seems like Otis and Odell are always giving her time off to run to help Jane or follow up on a clue? Minor quibbles. It's a good book. Just pleeeeease clean up the vocabulary.