★ Reviews for Senior,

Related Subjects: Author Index Reviews Page 1 2

Book reviews for "Senior,_Nancy" sorted by average review score:

Biggie and the Fricasseed Fat Man (Thorndike Large Print Senior Lifestyles)

Published in Hardcover by Thorndike Pr (Largeprint) (2000)

Author: Nancy Bell

Amazon base price: $27.95

Average review score:

Murder with gravy on top

Nancy Bell has whipped up some wonderful characters residing in Job's Crossing, Texas. There is the wonderfully big hearted, but minute Biggie, and her resident 12 year old grandson J.R. and a cast of other fun characters.

Biggie and J.R. go out for a big night on the town, the opening of the town's brand new, all chicken restaurant. The proprietor is nowhere to be found in all of the hustle and bustle, until he is found, served up dead with gravy on top! Biggie takes it upon herself to help her cousin, the local sheriff solve this crime.

During this Christmas holiday season, J.R.'s other grandparents arrive, with intentions of taking J.R. back home with them. The boy is forced to learn about love and loyalty v.s. the value of a dollar. What choice will he make? Is Biggie to busy for him anymore? What would it be like to spend Christmas, or to live with his rich grandparents?

As I detest spoilers I won't give any more plot elements. The sub-plots were all woven together very well. The gore factor was very light. (I will say that it was a murder tastefully done, with a flourish and garnish at that!) I don't recall any strong language or adult situations in the book. With the story taking place in the holiday season, while this book can be read at any time during the year, it may be a nice addition to the holiday reading pile.

Interesting a real charmer

This is the third in the series bringing readers smack-dab into the grits and gravy lives of Biggie Weatherford and those close to her in Joe's Crossing, Texas. The grand opening of the Fresh-as-a-Daisy Chicken Restaurant and take-out (featuring sweet-and-sour to southern fried chicken) is the unlikely setting of a murder. The body of the owner, Firman Birdsonis found under a table covered in gravy and garnished with tomato and parsley. Biggie, the grandmother we've all wished for, rounds up her posse-Willie May, the best cook south of the Mason-Dixon. Rosebud the handy man-driver-raconteur, Paul and Siles the one man (yes, one man) police department and Jr. Biggies ten your old grandson and they unite to uncover this tasteless killer. To add to the chicken-pot-pie, JR's other grandmother and her ersatz cowboy husband Skinny crash into town to take JR to live with them at their ranch. The reader will eagerly await the next glimpse into Jobs Crossing and the southern-fried charmers Nancy Bill's stories evoke.

Big entry in the Biggie regional amateur mystery series

Biggie Weatherford takes her grandson J.R. to the opening of Job's Crossing, Texas' newest eatery, The Fresh-as-a-Daisy Restaurant. However, instead of enjoying a meal, the amateur detective duo discover the restaurant's owner, Firman Birdsong, has been murdered and stuffed like a chicken to be roasted.

Biggie personally believes that it is her divine right to investigate the murder. She and J.R. soon find several suspects with motives. However, before she can complete her

inquiries, the maternal grandparents of J.R. arrive to take the lad back with them. Feeling that his beloved Biggie is obsessed with sleuthing, an unwanted J.R. runs away, leaving Biggie with two cases to ponder.

If anyone has read the two previous Biggie tales, they might initially feel that their third novel is a repeat. In many ways, it is. However, the story line is freshened up by the crack in the relationship between J.R. and Biggie, and the appearance of the other grandparents. The mystery is well written and built around hoe-down humor and cardiac-giving (but delicious) food. With BIGGIE AND THE FRICASSEED FAT MAN, Biggie remains a big player in the regional amateur sleuth sub-genre.

Harriet Klausner

Biggie and the Poisoned Politician (Thorndike Large Print Senior Lifestyles)

Published in Hardcover by Thorndike Pr (Largeprint) (2000)

Author: Nancy Bell

Amazon base price: $28.95

Average review score:

Biggie Starts with a Biggie

The first book in the Biggie series starts with a bang. A car belonging Biggie's boarder explodes, the mayor dies after a town meeting, and Biggie has to deal with someone trying to put a landfill on her property. The story is told in the narrative of Biggie's 12-year-old grandson, J.R., and makes you laugh out loud at times.

This is a good mystery, but I enjoyed it better for the strength of the characters, the setting, and the relationship between Biggie and J.R. A fun, easy read for a hot summer day. Enjoy!

Mystery and Humor Combined

This story is told from the perspective of "Biggie's" 12 year old grandson - and a unique perspective it is. Those who like a rural setting with rich and unique characters will enjoy this book. The mystery is interesting, but the humor and collection of characters is what makes this book worth the time to read.

Absolutely Charming

Nancy Bell has become my favorite mystery writer. After reading this absolutely charming book, I had to buy the other three books by her. I was not disappointed! I am anxiously awaiting for number five, Biggie and the Quincy Ghost. I have been an avid mystery reader for over forty years, and I can honestly say Nancy Bell is at the top.

Biggie and the Mangled Mortician (Thorndike Large Print Senior Lifestyles)

Published in Hardcover by Thorndike Pr (Largeprint) (2000)

Author: Nancy Bell

Amazon base price: $27.95

Average review score:

Almost Entirely Charm-Free

I found the first Biggie mystery delightful, but this one left me cold. It lacks all the qualities that made Biggie and the Poisoned Politician fun (charm, humor, entertaining characters). Take away those qualities and you're left with... not much. This reads like a short story that forgot to end on time. I do recommend the first Biggie mystery, but definitely not this one!

Murder of a Mortician....

The little town of Job's Crossing is abuzzin with the return adventure of Texas grandma Biggie and her narrating grandson, 12-year-old J.R. There are plans for the upcoming operetta; a monster is roaming the cemetery; and a new mortician has come to town. When the extremely ugly Monk Carter arrives to take up the local funeral home's business, Miss Itha, local hair stylist, takes one look at him and faints dead away. Then, Monk is found dead under mysteries circumstances. Soon several people draw Biggie's attention as suspects: Miss Itha, who has disappeared with her son, DeWayne; and the new preacher, who has been romancing a local girl. Biggie and J.R. set out to solve the mysterious murder while also trying to find the "Wooten Creek" monster.

This is the 2nd book in the Biggie series. There were several very funny scenes in this book but I felt some aspects of the book lacked flow and direction. There were also several items mentioned in this book that were never explained (was Cooter's lottery ticket worth anything?) that I hope are reexamined in later books. However, I enjoyed the characters and I will definately continue to read the other books in the series.

The first book in the series is "Biggie and the Poisoned Politican". Enjoy!

What a great book full of memories of my childhood!

I just finished the book and laughed out loud all through the book. I saw shadows of my grandmother in the language, figures of speech, and view of life. My students at school wondered what was going on during silent reading time! I love the grandson's point of view, so typical of 12 year olds and the lifelike smalltown characters. This was my first "Biggie" book, but it will definately not be my last!