Community theater murders are most often part of the play. The audience thought murder was a performance. Then, Adam Smith didn’t stand up to take a bow.
The killer might have had a perfect crime, except that Miss May and Chelsea were in the audience. They are as hungry for justice as they often are for the apple pies Miss May likes to keep stashed in her purse.
Miss May is Chelsea’s aunt and adoptive parent. Their investigative team includes Teeny, who owns Grandma’s restaurant. The three women enjoy cooking, eating, and solving mysteries.
Pine Grove seems to be a murder magnet. The tasty threesome has been at the crime solution before. As you can imagine, they are not popular with the local police chief, Sunshine Flanagan. She makes her opinion more than clear!
His attraction to Chelsea keeps Detective Wayne Hudson from feeling the same way.
Community Theater Murderer?
Who done it? Germany Turtle, Chelsea’s boyfriend. is director of the new play at the Pine Grove Community Theater. He’s also the prime suspect for murder.
Amidst a food flurry, Chelsea, Miss May and Teeny set out to find the real killer. Their investigations and appetites are rollicking throughout the book. The characters around them become a full menu! Some of these spicy neighbors help while others hinder.
You, dear reader, will savor tasty treats all along the twisting way. Surprises await until Adam Smith’s killer tries to take the team down in the final scenes.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Theater
This story, the seventh in the Apple Orchard series isn’t exactly slapstick humor. There is definitely laughter seeking activity to lighten a reader’s mood. The story moves fast from scene to scene. The murderer is a surprise as the team has the wrong motive in mind.
Readers should expect some excitement when the author is a husband and wife team. Chelsea and Matthew Thomas writer more than their pleasant cozy mysteries. Visit their website: , Chelsea Thomas – Mysteries with Humor
You can enjoy the Chelsea Thomas Readers Club. New members receive a cozy mystery gift. Plus the authors have a letter to readers every week in Thomas Tuesday.
Their writing adventures include screenwriting for several large studios. You can learn more about them at their Amazon Author Page.
What I Liked About Tart!
There is a real tart in the play. Adam Smith, murder victim, is holding it. His last line is about the tart and love of his heart. Teeny is a master tart baker. Her customers enjoy the sweet whenever a fresh batch is available.
There is some wholesome romance in the book. The language is clean. The murder isn’t gruesome. There is some fighting which might count as violence, but nothing outrageous. The community theater murders are not repeated through the series.
All in all, Shot Through the Tart is just a fun read. More than a pleasant read, it’s romping fun. I expect the same would be true of the other books in the series.
Cozy mysteries are aimed to be entertaining with likable characters. Humor can be sly and dry, or as in the case of Shot Through The Tart, rollicking and pushing corny. Because the series is good entertainment, I won’t be reading the books back to back. I don’t want to ‘overeat’ on a good series and spoil the fun
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