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You are here: Home / Books / Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse by Kate Young Book Review

May 28, 2020 · 22 Comments

Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse by Kate Young Book Review

Book Reviews· Books· Cozy Mystery

Thanks for sharing!

Welcome to the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse (A Marygene Brown Mystery) by Kate Young. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, spotlights, reviews and more!

On Georgia’s picturesque Peach Cove Island, a killer is serving up a two-for-one special . . .

Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse (A Marygene Brown Mystery)

by Kate Young

I received this book free to review; however, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no cost to you.

Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse (A Marygene Brown Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Kensington (May 26, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages

After their mama’s passing, Marygene Brown returned to Peach Cove Island to help her sister Jena Lynn run the family diner, renowned for its homemade peach desserts. But Mama is never too far away—her sassy spirit haunts the island, and more specifically Marygene. Lately Mama has been warning her that the dead will seek her out to solve their murders, an idea Marygene is far from peachy keen on.

But that prophecy appears to be coming true when she goes skinny-dipping off the island and swims right into a woman’s charred corpse floating in the waves. And when Marygene and her brother Sam come upon a second burned body in a wine cellar at an event they’re catering, it appears they have a double homicide on their hands. It soon turns out the victims have more in common than their charred remains, and Marygene will need to double down to find a killer who has no aversion to playing with fire. Good thing Mama has her back . . .

Includes Seven Recipes from Marygene’s Kitchen!

Purchase Links  – Amazon – B&N – kobo – IndieBound

My review of Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse

I absolutely love Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse! It took me a few chapters to get how the characters were related, but once I did, I adored them all! Poor Marygene. She came back to the island after her mama died only to be haunted by her mama, and have the dead seek her out. That can’t be enjoyable, right? Right! Marygene can’t stand it, but she doesn’t have much choice. The dead want her help. The only dead that she can talk to though is Mama, and Mama’s not allowed to tell her whodunit even if she knows. So, it’s up to Marygene to get justice for them.

In Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse, Marygene just happens to be out swimming (skinny-dipping, gasp!) very early one morning when the first crispy corpse finds her. Of course, she’s in shock and mortified, but she gathers her wits about her and gets to work solving this very old mystery.

The setting in this series is another one that makes me jealous! As in the Seaside Cafe Mystery series, this series is set in a town by the ocean! Why oh why was I born in the mid-west? I love the diner, and you will too. You’ll be drooling as you read about all of the delicious food they serve there. Thankfully, you can find the recipes in the book. I’d rather have them cook for me though!

Like I said earlier, I adore the all of the characters…even the rotten ones because they are extremely well-written. I might not adore their actions, but I love how they jump off of the page at you.

Of all the side characters, Aunt Vi is my favorite with her quirkiness. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks! Oh, to be Aunt Vi! My second favorite is Betsy who has no filter. She’ll crack you up.

What really surprised me was that I was actually crying during two particular scenes. I don’t think I’ve EVER cried while reading a cozy mystery book, but a scene with Marygene and Eddie (her biological dad with whom she’s got a complicated relationship) had me bawling!

I love that things aren’t easily solved in Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse. And I’m not just talking about the mystery. Relationships are hard, and past traumas are hard. Life can be hard, and Kate Young doesn’t shy away from that fact. It makes the book more real when the characters’ lives aren’t all sunshine and roses.

I highly recommend Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse! Though I didn’t read the first, I’m sure I’d recommend that one too (and I’m gonna go read it!). Be prepared for all the feels!

About Kate Young

Kate Young writes Southern mystery novels. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Guppy Chapter. Kate lives in a small town in Georgia with her husband, three kids, and Shih Tzu. When she is not writing her own books, she’s reading or cooking.

Author Links –

Website – https://www.kateyoungbooks.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKateYoung/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/KAYoungBooks

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6527572.Kate_Young

BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kate-young-b3339e9c-d2e4-482d-a637-5afd7b064d73

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Comments

  1. Sarah L says

    May 28, 2020 at 1:25 am

    Looks like an fun book.
    Thanks for the contest. 

    Reply
  2. Mya Murphy says

    May 28, 2020 at 1:52 pm

    5 stars
    Swimming in the nude with a corpse..sounds fun!! I love cozy mysteries, and this sounds awesome!

    Reply
    • Christy Maurer says

      May 28, 2020 at 1:54 pm

      It is! Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Amber Kolb says

    May 28, 2020 at 8:47 pm

    This sounds awesome! Peach Cove sounds cozy. I plan on reading this!

    Reply
  4. KariLorr says

    May 28, 2020 at 11:11 pm

    Sounds like an entertaining mystery. Thanks for putting on this giveaway.

    Reply
  5. roy gruss says

    May 29, 2020 at 9:16 am

    cant wait!!!

    Reply
  6. Cynthia C says

    May 29, 2020 at 10:06 am

    I enjoy reading mysteries. This looks like one I’d enjoy.

    Reply
  7. Debbi Wellenstein says

    May 29, 2020 at 1:41 pm

    I love mysteries of all kinds! Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  8. steph y says

    May 29, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    Thanks for the introduction to this book.

    Reply
  9. shelly peterson says

    May 30, 2020 at 3:17 pm

    This sounds like a great read.

    Reply
  10. Katie Bellamy says

    May 31, 2020 at 1:30 am

    This looks like a great Summer beach read!!

    Reply
  11. Richard Hicks says

    May 31, 2020 at 10:28 am

    This seems like a great book to reaad!

    Reply
  12. Leela says

    May 31, 2020 at 2:34 pm

    It looks like a good read.

    Reply
  13. John Smith says

    June 1, 2020 at 4:37 am

    This sounds like a fun, quirky read!

    Reply
  14. beth shepherd says

    June 2, 2020 at 10:06 am

    This looks like an awesome read!

    Reply
  15. Antoinette M says

    June 2, 2020 at 11:32 am

    I’d enjoy reading this cozy. Sounds great!

    Reply
  16. Susan Smith says

    June 2, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    Sounds like a great book. I like the cover.

    Reply
  17. Sandy Klocinski says

    June 2, 2020 at 6:45 pm

    Looks like an awesome book! Love cozy mysteries. Added to TBR

    Reply
  18. Lily Kwan says

    June 2, 2020 at 7:42 pm

    This book looks very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  19. BILL HOFF says

    June 2, 2020 at 7:43 pm

    My daughter would enjoy this book

    Reply
  20. Sarah L says

    June 3, 2020 at 12:40 am

    subscribe Literary Gold email: slehan at gmx dot com

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours–Southern Sass and A Crispy Corpse – mjbreviewers says:
    May 30, 2020 at 12:09 am

    […] I love that things aren’t easily solved in Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse. And I’m not just talking about the mystery. Relationships are hard, and past traumas are hard. Life can be hard, and Kate Young doesn’t shy away from that fact. It makes the book more real when the characters’ lives aren’t all sunshine and roses.~Christy’s Cozy Corners […]

    Reply

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