Calamity Jayne: Calamity Jayne Mysteries book #1

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

How does a blonde spell "Farm"?
E-I-E-I-O

Tressa Jayne Turner has had it up to here with the dumb-blonde jokes and a childhood nickname that's harder to get rid of than her favorite pair of cowboy boots. Thanks to one Rick Townsend, Iowa Department of Natural Resources officer, local hottie, and general pain in Tressa's behind, everyone knows her as "Calamity Jayne". Just because she may be a little accident prone and trouble seems to sometimes find her, Tressa can't get anyone in her small town to take her seriously. That is, until Tressa finds a seriously dead body and an opportunity to get "Ranger Rick" and a skeptical citizenry to see that she's no longer that skinny kid with scraped knees. How? By resurrecting her job as a reporter for the hometown paper and solving a murder no one else believes happened... no one, that is, except the killer. Now Tressa is one not-so-dumb blonde who's out to gain a little hometown respect-or die trying.

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: 1493762796
• ISBN13: 9781493762798
• Release Date: November 2013
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 266 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Calamity: Excellent Title for the Book

Had to put it down! Could not connect with this character or the writing style of the author. Too slow developing the story. Very frustrating.

Kept Me Laughing -- and Guessing

A small-town underachiever with two dead-end jobs, a lust-hate relationship with her brother's gorgeous best friend "Ranger Rick," and a reputation for living up to her hated nickname, Calamity Jayne stumbles into a murder mystery -- and a way to prove to everyone, especially herself, that she's more than just a walking, talking dumb blonde joke. Calamity's wise cracks kept me laughing and the story's mystery kept me guessing 'til the very last page. Terrific, fun debut, Ms. Bacus! I'm looking forward to the next book in the series! Highly recommended.

What a wonderful debut!

This wonderful first novel by Kathleen Bacus is an amazingly funny, yet grippingly suspenseful, debut. Filled with laugh-out-loud moments and peppered with truly poignant observations from the underachieving "Calamity" on her average-Jayne life, it doesn't take long for readers to start rooting for this plucky heroine to receive her due. Determined to win the respect of the townspeople who have good-naturedly mocked her all of her life, our "dumb blonde" heroine Tessa Jayne finally comes to realize it isn't R-E-S-P-E-C-T that she needs, but SELF-respect. While watching her discover that fact, you root for her and cheer her on as she gets closer to solving the case no one in town believes is a case. I loved this book, and I'm looking forward to Calamity Jayne's further adventures. What a fun, delightful read.

Fantastic New Writer

What an enjoyable book! The writer's style makes for a very quick read and keeps you laughing all the way. I did not guess the ending and that is very unusual for me. Can't wait for Calamity Jane Rides Again!

HYSTERICAL LAUGH OUT LOUD MYSTERY

A delightful mystery that involves madcap adventure and small town life. My favorite part of this book was a lot of the references to the Iowa town and its goings-on (since I'm from the same area as the author.) If you love a light mystery, this is a quick read with plenty of comical characters and witty descriptions. There were several pages that I was laughing out loud at the things Calamity was thinking. I am looking forward to the next misadventure of Calamity.

great new author!

This is a fantastic, incredibly funny book - I absolutely recommend it! The dialogue between Tressa "Calamity" Jayne Turner and her childhood nemisis, Ranger Rick Townsend is hilarious and their chemistry is irresistable. I can't wait for the next book in this series.