Hush My Mouth: A Southern Fried Mystery (Southern Fried Mysteries featuring Avery Andrews)

Avery Andrews is back in the small town of Dacus, South Carolina, and is hired to investigate a missing person case. While helping to find the missing person, she also reopens a cold case murder. There is plenty of action in this small town murder mystery and their is a lovable cast of characters as well. Light but enjoyable read.

Cathy Pickens has done a super job creating a quirky cast of characters who add charm and spice to this southern murder mystery. Small town attorney Avery Andrews gets hired to track down a missing woman. The woman is found dead and Avery finds herself working on solving the mystery, as well as solving a cold case involving the murdered woman's aunt. Meanwhile she has to contend with a trio of wacky ghost hunters, a PI with a lot of attitude, and a new receptionist who's as sassy as she is talented. Subplots involving other clients and Avery's family are nicely done and contribute to the likability of the main character.

It's wild, it's funny, it's hometown Southern at its hilarious best, with mystery, family relationships, hints of romance, and all-around weird human behavior to keep you entertained.

Avery Andrews was a big lawyer in Columbia. She has recently returned to her hometown of Dacus. She is settling in as the small town lawyer taking care of wills and driving under the influence charges. She gets a big case when Fran French from Atlanta shows up with a missing person's case. Fran tells Avery that Neanna was like a sister to her and is now missing. The last Franknew Neanna was headed to Dacus to go to a concert at one of the clubs. Fran last heard from Neanna on Friday and it is now Monday. Neanna has no family left. She was raised by her grandmother who has recently passed away. Her mom died years ago and her aunt Wenda was murdered in Dacus almost two decades ago. Wenda's killer was never found and Fran believes that Neanna may be searching for answers to her aunt's death. Three kids in town are looking for paranormal sightings and going ons. Some of the locals refer to the kids as ghost hunters. They are advertising in the local newspaper and asking locals for locations to go to find paranormal readings. The ghost hunters are thinking about making a movie and have asked Melvin Bertram to invest in it. Avery shares an office building with Melvin Bertram. Avery is on the case looking for Neanna, who turns up dead. Now she must follow Neanna's steps to see what happened and look for possible links to Wenda's death at the same time. While working this case she also finds time to make sure the ghost hunters stay out of trouble. All of this going on and Avery still finds time for square dancing and ghost stories. I really liked the characters in the book. I like how Avery has a job to do but she never forgets her family. There is always time to work but we all need to take time for outings once in a while just as Avery does. I really like how the ghost hunters are thrown into the book to add twists and turns along the way. Armchair Interviews says: This is Cathy's fifth book.

Atlanta resident Fran French asks Dacus, South Carolina lawyer Avery Andrews to find her missing adopted "sister" Neanna Lyles who came to the small town to learn more about the Wenda Sims murder in 1985; Avery agrees. However, when the attorney finds Neanna, it is not a welcome home scenario; instead the police report the missing person committed suicide. A stunned Fran tells Avery no way would Neanna kill herself. Fran admits that Neanna was despondent over the recent death of her grandmother and horrified to find a picture of corpse of Aunt Wenda in a family scrapbook. Not long afterward Avery finds that same photo in Neanna's car. She believes the niece was murdered with the motive to keep her from finding out who killed her beloved aunt. The latest Southern Fried Mystery (see HOG WILD, DONE GONE WRONG, and SOUTHERN FRIED) is a wonderful regional cozy that fans of the series will appreciate. The case is difficult enough for Avery to solve only to have comic relief (for the audience not for the heroine) caused by a ghostbusters trio interfering with the investigation as they hope to make contact with any of the late Lyles as a ticket to appearing on reality TV, paranormal style. No slim Pickens with this author as HUSH MY MOUTH is a fabulous South Carolina whodunit. Harriet Klausner