The Crafty Teddy

I love teddy bears, and mysteries, and this combines the best. I look forward to reading more of them. I feel I know them already.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable part of a new series that I can't wait to read more of. The only (piddling) part I thought just didn't fit was the word "macadamized;" the only other place I've ever seen (or heard) the word "macadam" was in a Janet Evanovich book, set in NJ. I've NEVER heard (or said) such a thing here in the Southland! That, however, was the only false note I saw in the whole book, which is a wonder in itself. The humor in the book was just right. Bring on more Bear Collector's Mysteries code 3, please!!!

Reviewed by Sharron Stockhausen John J. Lamb owes me a night's sleep. Be warned that if you pick this book up, you won't put it down until you've finished reading it. Of course, the story is intriguing, the characters are interesting, and the twists and turns keep you turning the pages, but the bonus information about the world of teddy bear collecting guarantees you'll keep turning the pages. I was grabbed immediately by the opening scene. Kitchener, the cowardly Old English sheepdog family pet, growls in the middle of the night. Retired San Francisco cop Brad Lyon hears the soft footfall outside. No one locks their doors in their little community in the Shenandoah Valley, including the Lyons. The door opens and Brad hears the intruder enter his home and rummage around, so he investigates. He only sees the back of the intruder disappear into the darkness. Brad then discovers an antique Farnell Alpha teddy bear, a rare bear he gave his wife, Ashley, for their twentieth anniversary, is gone. A few weeks later, Brad's in a local restaurant and sees three Japanese gangsters come into the restaurant and get directions to the local museum. His investigative instincts get the best of him, and Brad eventually heads out to the museum. He finds the director dead. When the local sheriff draws on Brad's skills to help her with the murder investigation, Brad brings Ashley along. The team of three make discoveries that take them down a path connecting artifacts in the museum, the museum director's affair, a college professor, the director's widow and her brother, the FBI, and more. Brad Lyons adds puns and humor to the investigation, and you may find yourself groaning. Still, they add a light touch and may even make you smile. You'll want to read every one of the books in the series-and jump into the world of teddy bear collecting, murder, and intriguing mystery. Armchair Interviews says: The Crafty Teddy is only the third in the series.

This is fast becoming one of my favorite "cozy" mystery series. Brad Lyon was a long time San Francisco homicide detective when he was forced to retire after a severe injury from a gunshot wound. He and his wife Ashleigh move to the small town in Virginia where she grew up, and they start a business designing teddy bears and other stuffed animals. The Lyons, despite raising two children and being married for so many years, are crazy in love, and are perhaps the most charming couple I have run into in quite some time in a mystery series. In this book, the third in the series following The Mournful Teddy (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries) and The False-Hearted Teddy: A Bear Collector's Mystery (Bear Collector's Mysteries), Brad is woken up by someone breaking into his country home. A shot is fired, and a very valuable teddy bear from their collection is stolen. But does this theft have anything at all to do with the gangsters who visit the local museum, the murdered director there, and the counterfeit teddy bears and quilts in the museum's collection? What has been going on in the museum? And how did someone know which teddy of their hundreds to steal from the Lyons' home? While the local police force tries hard to fidn the answers to the mysteries, Brad, with his greater experience in solving violent crimes, steps in to help out.

When Brad Lyon wakes up in the middle of the night to hear someone downstairs, he's not happy. This ex-cop enjoys the peace and quiet of his new life in Virginia. Going downstairs to investigate, he finds that someone has stolen the Farnell Alpha bear from their collection. Despite hard work from the police, no clues turn up. The police have pretty much given up on ever recovering the bear when Brad spots some Japanese gangsters in the area asking for directions to the local museum. Since even the locals don't visit the museum, Brad smells something funny. Stopping by an hour later, he discovers the museum director dead. But when his wife Ashleigh spots some counterfeit teddies on display, his curiosity is really aroused. What is happening in their little town? This series has quickly shot to the top of my favorites list, and this is a perfect example as to why. The story combines elements of the police procedural genre with the cozy genre for a fun new mix. The story moves swiftly from one suspect and red herring to another, sprinkling in clues as it goes along. And I absolutely love the characters. Brad's humor always makes me laugh, and I love his relationship with Ashleigh. In the first two books, the first chapter was slow and dry, but here it is entertaining, giving us the introductions we need without stopping the story. This is another delightful entry in a fun series. I can't wait to visit the Lyons again soon.