Aloha Alibi by Jasmine Webb

 

"In the last few minutes, I'd seen a grown man try to kill an old lady, had two geriatric women tell me they were going to beat me to the reward money, and gone full WWE on that grown man myself. And it wasn't even seven o'clock yet."

      -Charlie, from the novel

What an amusing romp this novel was! I have to admit the title caught my attention because I have a great love for Hawaii. 

Charlotte "Charlie" Gibson returns to her childhood home on Maui from Seattle when she finds herself a target of revenge for killing a man in self-defense. She is pretty broke and can fortunately live with her mother but needs a job right away. She is hired by Leslie at Aloha Ice Cream and soon after, she serves ice cream to a businessman who ends up stabbed to death. It turns out there is a very large cash reward for identification of the murderer and Charlie WANTS that money. As she begins her sleuthing, she meets Dot and Rosie, the two seventy-something women referred to in the quote. At first, they seem to be rivals but then decide to join forces and share the reward.

I so enjoyed the humor in the book especially Charlie's run-in with a hotel housekeeper who is a conspiracy theorist; she believes there is no such thing as Australia! I found myself laughing aloud several times. It is a perfect beach read, or in my case, a cruise read. A solid 4 rating for this one which is Charlotte Gibson Mystery #1. One of these days I will look for #2.

I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg

 

"Dear God, how perfectly sad. She had not progressed since the sixth grade. Lately, she had begun to suspect that underneath that pleasant exterior was just another pleasant exterior. She had gotten older, but not wiser. She'd always thought she would be so much smarter by now, but she wasn't. If anything, she was losing ground."           -Maggie, from the novel

I have read and enjoyed several of Fannie Flagg's novels over the years, none more than Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. This one was great fun, as well.

Former Miss Alabama Maggie Fortenberry is a real estate agent in Birmingham, hired by the founder Hazel Whisenknott, a woman of small stature and very large spirit. Coworker and friend Brenda Peoples fights a weight problem and aspires to be the first black female mayor of Birmingham. Agency head Ethel Clipp has her own eccentricities. All three women have been trying to keep Red Mountain Realty afloat after the death of the beloved Hazel including an intense rivalry with Babs Bingington whom they call "The Beast."

Though it appears to others Maggie has everything going for her---beauty and charm, she is depressed that her life is so disappointing and is making elaborate plans to end it. Somewhat predictably her plans are interrupted.

Having lived in North Alabama through high school and college, I found the references to Birmingham interesting---facts about the founding and its infamous part in the Civil Rights Movement. I did not remember ever hearing it called "the Magic City."

The plot of I Still Dream... reminded me of A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman since Ove had also lost the will to live and surprising new acquaintances interfered with his plans.

A little romance, some mystery and a good dose of Southern humor enhanced the story. I give it a 4 rating.

The Frozen Girl of Spirit Lake by Meg Lelvis

 

"There above in that cloudless sky, eagles fly..., like the people's spirit and strength...There, in my dream, I am one with my ancestors, The only sound is the wind that moves fluttering feathers."

          -Roland's recitation of an Ojibwe poem

The Frozen Girl of Spirit Lake reminded me so much of the work of William Kent Krueger, one of my favorite authors. The setting is Minnesota, a main character is Native American and there is a suspicious death, all very common in Krueger's novels, particularly his Cork O'Connor series. This added to my enjoyment of Frozen Girl..

Primary storyteller Nancy Borg is a student at Eklund State Teacher's College. She and her friends, Judy and Peggy, become emotionally involved in the mysterious death of a classmate, Barbara Gruen who, as the title indicates, is found frozen to death. A worker at the college, Roland Nightbird, is an Ojibwe native who will predictably be accused of foul play. I say predictable because the book overview says as much, and more than one character shows racist tendencies. However, Nancy who is acquainted with Roland believes he is innocent.

When she is helping Barbara's family clear out her dorm room, Nancy finds Barbara's diary and keeps it to herself. Will she read it? If she does, will she learn anything important?

I liked the short chapters and the author's alternating points of view with Nancy's parts in first person and those of Roland and Loreen, Judy's self-centered, prejudiced mother told in third. These aspects made the novel a page-turner and I rate it a 4.