Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction by Amy Metz – a Review

Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction is by Amy Metz. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time!  Life in the small town of Goose Pimple Junction, TN is lively as it is mysterious.  Actually, the community is fairly sedate.  Little to no crime at all, people living it up at the Silly Goose for an evening out or the more customary setting of the local diner for sweet tea and conversation.  Life is simple…until writer, Tess Tremaine moves in to the neighborhood.  To be fair, trouble found her, but you’ll figure that out, “lickety split”, when you unravel the mystery of the Hobb murder.

Recently divorced after 26 years of marriage, Tess picks herself up and launches into Phase II of her life.  Although she tries to quietly observe the townspeople, Tess is thrust into the lives of several prominent characters and has to adapt to her environment.  Most significantly is fellow writer, Jackson Wright.  Unsurprising, he’s handsome, witty and intelligent…all the characteristics Tess is determined to ignore.  She swore never to get involved again.  But he’s so dang appealing!  Perhaps never should be “not so soon”?

Let me say that I was immediately put off when I realized the central couple was middle-aged.  I’m so used to panting over eternally hot vampires and studly shifters and/or swooning for lords and highlanders from the 16^th century, I — WAIT.  Those examples are waaay older, but if you perceive yourself to be that heroine, to insert yourself in the story, it’s appropriately hot, right?  Everyone does this, right?!  Ok…admonishing self…**get back on track!**  Let me state clearly that Jack and Tess are such a wonderful couple, age is truly but a number.  Amy Metz has written such an engaging couple, my ignorant impression was quickly dashed and I reveled in their every interaction; romantic or furtive in nature.

The parallel story of the murder of John Hobb (a real event!) is the foundation for the present-day mystery and Ms. Metz tells it in such a nuanced manner, the vacillation between 1932 and 2010 drifts effortlessly.  Adjusting to her newly independent life and wanting to integrate herself into Pimple Junction, Tess gets a P/T job at the local bookstore.  Unable to sleep one evening, Tess decides to finalize the move-in by scraping off old wallpaper in her bedroom.  Picking up dozens of shredded pieces, Tess has to extract the smaller scraps from under a vent on the floor.  Along with the bits comes a peculiar key labeled “trunk”.  Tess approaches her boss, Louetta Hobb, who happens to be the youngest child of the original homeowners.  If Lou wasn’t impressed by its discovery, and even encouraged Tess to use it as a good luck charm instead, why does Tess’ house suddenly get ransacked?  Someone DOES care.  Ms. Metz enlightens us with the details of a bank robbery and subsequent unresolved murder of John Hobb (Louetta and her 3 siblings’ father), while Tess and Jack investigate the mystery.  These two suffer break-ins, an actual mugging and become the unsuspecting victims of a stalker’s plan to keep the truth buried.  It’s sooo good!!!

Aside from the budding love story between Jack and Tess, Ms. Metz describes a slice of life so charming; I highlighted many colloquialisms on my Kindle!  Please indulge me as they’re laugh out loud funny and spot-on descriptive.  A casual greeting is “Hireyew”.  When you’re meeting someone formally, there’s the expression, “We’ve howdied, but we ain’t shook yet.”  Insults were some of my favorites!  When Jack became jealous of a potential suitor of Tess’, he discouraged her interest by saying, “He’s about as handy as a back pocket on a shirt.”  There were some great put-downs, too!  “The only thing that would make him dumber is if he was bigger”; “Jesus loves him, but he’s the only one”; “That child was so ugly, her mama used to borrow a baby to take to church on Sunday.”  Just delightful!  I was swept away by Metz’ many metaphors and I am elated to hear there is more to this series.

Enticed by a mystery, riveted to the swoon-worthy romance and tickled by the “countrified” life, I was thoroughly entertained on all levels.  A quick visit to Ms. Metz’s website promises to continue the hilarity, as the sequel titled Heroes and Hooligans in Pimple Junction, is in the editing process.  That must make her “busier than a one-legged man at a butt kickin’ contest”!  Seriously…read this book! 🙂

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Author

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