Calamity Jayne and Fowl Play at the Fair

By Kathleen Bacus

Book Overview

"Fans of Janet Evanovich will be glad to see that you don't always have to go to the burgh for mirthful murder and mayhem."
Booklist

What do you call a blonde in a freezer?
A frosted flake.

Tressa Jayne Turner, known in her hometown as "Calamity Jayne" for her unconventional exploits, is the newest reporter at the Grandville Gazette. And after a whirlwind start to her new job, she's ready to enjoy the final weeks of summer at The Iowa State Fair. The homegrown good-time is Tressa's favorite time of year-donuts, funnel cakes, cotton candy, turkey legs. It's also her Uncle Frank's busiest. His ice cream stand is in a prime location, and he's poised to scoop the competition. But when a soft-serve saboteur appears at the same time her cousin goes missing, it's another fine, sticky mess she's gotten herself into.

With a string of malicious pranks, psycho dunk-tank clowns, two geriatric Jessica Fletcher wannabes, one hot state trooper, and a guy in a chicken suit, it's mayhem on the midway Throw in one Ranger Rick Townsend, the Don Juan of the Department of Natural Resources and bestower of the hated "Calamity Jayne" moniker, and Tressa's got her hands full The only question is, can she solve the crime and save the day... or will this blonde be enjoying her final fair?

What critics are saying about the Calamity Jayne Mysteries:

"Fun and lighthearted with an interesting mystery, a light touch of romance and some fascinating characters."
RT Book Reviews

"Throw in two parts Nancy Drew, one part Lucille Ball, add a dash of Stephanie Plum, shake it all up and you've got a one-of-a-kind amateur sleuth with a penchant for junk food and hot-pink snakeskin cowgirl boots. A word to the wise: if you're prone to laughing out loud when reading funny books, try not to read Calamity Jayne when you're sandwiched between two sleeping passengers on an airplane...sometimes we learn these things the hard way."
Chick Lit Cafe

"Filled with dumb-blonde jokes, nonstop action and rapid-fire banter, this is a perfect read for chick-lit fans who enjoy a dash of mystery."
Publishers' Weekly

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1494210509
• ISBN13: 9781494210502
• Release Date: December 2013
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 298 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Calamity Jane Rides Again

Great fun read. Written much like the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, and like the Plum series, if you are looking for a definitive ending, keep searching. While the romance is there, it doesn't have the traditional romantic ending. The story is a mystery first and romance second.

fun lighthearted mystery

Local author and store clerk Tressa Jayne Turner is concerned with all the things going wrong at her family's ice cream booth at the Iowa State Fair. First her cousin who was to dish out ice cream has gone missing. Second the food concession has come under assault from a horde of invading cockroaches and angry patrons ready to switch loyalty to the soft competitor. Tressa knows someone is sabotaging her Uncle Frank's concession stand, but who and why is not readily available nor why her cousin seems to have vanished. Determined as ever, Tressa assumes the ice cream sales business has turned cutthroat so she begins sleuthing looking critically at her Uncle's rivals. Meanwhile her nemesis "Ranger Rick Townsend seems more interested this time with her sister than interfering (her thoughts) than helping (his thoughts) as they did in her recent escapade (see CALAMITY JANE). Of course state trooper P.D. Dawkins tells Tressa to not make any inquiries, but what's a girl to do when she finds the cop a hunk, her cousin, and the business melting away; simple investigate Calamity Jane style. This is a fun lighthearted mystery starring an amiable heroine who finds ways to dive head first into trouble and make problems that much worse as she adds chaos to a chaotic situation. The story line is fast-paced as Tressa comes to the rescue of Uncle Frank, who pleads with his calamitous niece to not get involved as he ahs enough problems. The relationship with Ranger Rick takes another spin as the twenty-three year old Jayne seems to have a new love interest and so does he. Fans of humorous romps will enjoy CALAMITY JANE RIDES AGAIN. Harriet Klausner