Book 26, 2023

The Proof Is in the Poison by Diane Kelly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I've just now finished reading The Proof Is in the Poison by Diane Kelly. It's the second book in her "Southern Homebrew" mystery series, featuring moonshine maker Hattie Hayes.

Hattie is excited to promote her moonshine at a model train convention in the nearby convention center. She hands out fliers and hosts a moonshine mixer at the attached hotel. Hattie's marketing pays off when several convention goers visit her shop and buy moonshine. However, when one of the convention participants dies after drinking some of Hattie's shine, the police force her to close her shop while they determine the exact cause of death. With her livelihood on the line, Hattie does some snooping of her own, digging up several clues that she passes along to the detective in charge of the case. Hattie won't rest easy though until a killer is caught and her moonshine is exonerated.

The setting of a model train convention was certainly unique, and I enjoyed it. The participants/contestants were serious about their set ups and their vying for prizes, all of which meant there were a multitude of suspects. Hattie took some rather foolish risks, which exasperated her kinda-sorta boyfriend, Marlon. Characters were portrayed well and the plot flowed smoothly.

Favorite lines:
♥ Common sense was sometimes an oxymoron.
♥ "Too bad they don't make those pacifiers in adult sizes. I'd love to have one to stick in my mother's mouth the next time she nags me about my hair or clothes."
♥ "People trivialize OCD, even make jokes about it, but it's not a laughing matter. People with it have a hell of a time. It's not easy to live in an uncertain, imperfect world when you have a desperate need for things to be certain and perfect."
♥ "Be good while I'm gone. Don't be lazy. Maybe chase a bug or do some squats. It'll be good for you."
I have a similar conversation with my cats daily. Mine goes like this: "You be good cats while I'm gone. No fighting, no biting. Get your chores done." LOL!

Very good, four stars.