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Book 65, 2021
The Moonshine Shack Murder by Diane KellyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Just now finished reading The Moonshine Shack Murder by Diane Kelly. This is the first part of the author's "Southern Homebrew" mystery series. The main character is Hattie Hayes, who is determined to revive her great-granddaddy's moonshine business.
Hattie's great-granddaddy used to run moonshine during Prohibition, but Hattie is looking to turn the family business into a legal and profitable venture. She opens The Moonshine Shack in Chattanooga, where she sells some of her own brand of flavored moonshine, along with her family's original corn liquor. Her constant companion is her cat, Smoky. Not only is Hattie's grand opening a success, but she also meets mounted police officer Marlon Landers, and she begins to make connections with other local business owners. Things are going great until someone is found murdered outside the Moonshine Shack--the bar owner who reneged on an agreement with Hattie and whom she had an argument with. As a beat cop, Marlon isn't investigating the crime; instead, Hattie is confronted with homicide detective Candace "Ace" Pearce, who has turned her sights on Hattie. After all, Cormac O'Keefe was killed with a broken bottle of Hattie's moonshine. Determined to clear her name, Hattie begins asking questions and using her own computer and business skills to find out who really may have had it in for O'Keefe. Will she be able to help the police nab a killer before the killer nabs her?
It was a fun story, peopled with colorful characters. I especially liked Hattie's feisty granddad and her kooky friend, Kiki. The setting/premise of a shop that sells moonshine was unique, and the budding romance between Hattie and Marlon was what fluff is made of.
Favorite lines:
♦ ...I could only hope the food in jail was better than it had been in summer camp. The only good thing had been the s'mores, and I doubted the Tennessee state penitentiaries allowed bonfires and pointy sticks.
♦ "Who needs handcuffs or a gun when you've got Mod Podge?"
♦ "Are we going to tickle the killer to death with the bristles?"
♦ "...I'm going to say 'I told you so.' In fact, I'll make it the theme of your eulogy." // "Understood. But, you'd still take Smoky for me? Raise him right?" // "I'll take him in, but I'm going to let him run with the wrong crowd and I won't help him with his algebra homework. He'll become a feline delinquent."
Awarding this one four stars. I'm still putting it to the "Cozy Mystery Trope Test", however.
1. Does the mc work at/as one of the following: baker/bakery/sweet shop/tea shop/coffee shop, library/librarian, antique/vintage shop, book store, fashion/boutique? No, she owns a moonshine shop.
2. Does the mc live at her (or his) place of occupation? No, she lives in a cabin.
3. Is the love interest involved in law enforcement? (Police officer, sheriff, detective, PI, FBI) Yes, he's a beat cop.
4. Does the mc have a dog/cat as a pet? Yes, her cat Smoky.
5. Is the mc's BFF either a gay guy or a ditzy/zany woman? Yes, Kiki is rather zany.
6. Did the mc find the body? Yes, she did
7. Did the mc wind up in mortal danger at the end of the book? Yes, she did
8. Is the mc's mother either: dead, absent, far removed, ditzy and dithering, or overbearing/disapproving/meddling? Yes, mother is absent
9. If mother is dead/absent, does the mc have another mother-figure (grandmother, aunt, mom's friend, or an older friend)? No, although Hattie has her granddad.
10. Is the mc child-free? (Either no children or else grown children--i.e. no small children to look after) Yes, she's child-free.
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