Murder on a Girls' Night Out: A Southern Sisters Mystery (Southern Sisters Mystery, 1)

Patricia Anne and Mary Alice are sisters but there the similarities end. Patricia Anne (Mouse) is a sixty-year old retired schoolteacher who has been married to the same man (Fred) for forty years and she weighs one hundred and five pounds soaking wet. Mary Alice (Sister, Aunt Sister to Mouse's children) is sixty-five, weighs two hundred and fifty pounds and has outlived three husbands. Mouse is well grounded, tries to eat a healthy diet and always votes Democratic. Sister is flighty, claims that Mouse doesn't eat enough and always votes Republican. The fertile mind of Anne George dreamed up this pair, put them in position to solve a mystery and neither Alabama or the mystery world will ever be the same again. Sister and her boyfriend Bill are into line dancing and when the owner of their favorite honky-tonk decides to sell Mary Alice decides to buy. The day after the sale closes however the former owner is found dead in the bar's wishing well and from then on Sister's investment is jinxed. The sisters don't really set out to catch the killer but instead are trying to help a former student of Patricia Anne's who is a suspect in the crime. The more they delve into matters though the deeper they find themselves and before it is all said and done one of the sisters finds herself on the wrong end of a gun. Since this is the first book in the series it is easy to assume that the endangered sister survives but you'll never guess who saves the day. As with most cozy mysteries the characters tend to overshadow the plot and the hero figures don't actually solve anything but just sort of blunder into the solution. The characters are so much fun though that you will hardly notice when the plot happens to disappear. Seldom does a book like this make me laugh out loud but this one did the trick and the plot held just strongly enough to make me rush toward the end once I approached the climax of the mystery. As a born and raised Southerner I could clearly visualize these two and could actually identify them with several of my own family members, right down to the double first names. So pour yourself a nice glass of sweet tea and settle down on the veranda for an unforgettable visit with these two Southern ladies extraordinaire.

OK, OK, I am reviewing all eight books in this one sitting! Anne George wrote a series WINNER with these eight books. You need to read them in order and they are as such -- MURDER ON A GIRLS NIGHT OUT MURDER ON A BAD HAIR DAY MURDER RUNS IN THE FAMILY MURDER MAKES WAVES MURDER GETS A LIFE MURDER SHOOTS THE BULL MURDER CARRIES A TORCH MURDER BOOGIES WITH ELVIS I have lent these books out to so many friends/family that they are in need of repair. These books should be read in the above order. Unfortunately, Anne George has passed on, so this is it for this series. You will LOVE every single book. The main characters are two sisters who could not be more different than day and night. Mary Alice weighs two hundred pounds and the word flamboyant does not even begin to describe her. People who know and love her call her Sister. She is loud, border-line obnoxious, and into getting married - over and over again. She is someone you would adore in real life. Her sister, Patricia Anne, is a retired school teacher and the more serious of the two women. She is lovingly known as Mouse. She has been in a steady marriage for years, has grown children, and is the more sensible of the two. You will love them both. The books are set in Alabama, so the books are full of Southern flair and charm. The characters in each book are funny, sad, sweet, nasty -- you will meet a whole cast of characters in each book. I cannot emphasize enough how much you should treat yourself to these eight books! Each book deals with a murder mystery that these two senior girls just seem to keep falling into. I know, I know, the titles sound hokey and so does the preface of the books, but they are WONDERFUL. I read all eight of them in a row and was sad to see them come to an end. Each book deals with another mystery and caper. The trouble these two old ladies get into! The laughs are there, and they will have you laughing out loud. The mystery is just that -- mystery. You will not know which way the book is headed. Each book is full of surprises and keeps your attention the entire length of the book. Get this entire series and set yourself down. Enjoy! Thank you! Pam

This is the first in a series set in the South, with two sisters who couldn't be more different. The dialogue is a riot, and the rapport between the sisters is very realistic. The plot is interesting and credible as the sisters stumble onto several murders and try to get themselves out of a crazy situation. I couldn't wait to read each chapter, and I look forward to the other books in the series. This is highly recommended.

Anne George is one of the best writers in the mystery genre. Her books are not only entertaining and fun, but you walk away believing Patricia Anne and her sister, Mary Alice could walk right into your living room. This is a refreshing change from the dark mysteries that have been hitting the shelves lately - where characters you have come to love are murdered in the last chapter, or the mysteries that have so much international espionage in them you would need a degree in political and military science just to enjoy them. Thanks, Anne George. (Write faster!)

Murder On A Girls Night Out is another hilarious work of the great southern writer, Anne George. I can relate to her descriptions of Birmingham and the surrounding area, an excellent read! The author is an inspiration to all of "us" southern authors. Thanks for the inspiration.