Much Ado in Maggody, Joan Hess

I think I laughed my way through this entire book. Although that is not abnormal for Maggody.

In the small southern town of  Maggody, we have a Woman's Rights epidemic. After Johnna Mae gets fired from the bank for, unbeknown to the reader, skimming money from the bank. What I found particuarly amusing was that all three employees at the local branch were taking money.

Though, the mildly disterbing part was Miss Una. The sweet little old lady at the bank (skimming money) who ends up being this installment's crazy person. Kidnapping Kevin, feeding him sweets to keep him content no less, for being in the bank when she set fire to it. And she lit her house on fire to boot, c.r.a.z.y.

All in all, I enjoyed this Maggody as much as I have in the past. two thumbs up.

Mischief in Maggody, Joan Hess

Vacation book. The Sookie book in the previous entry was one as well. I finished the first on the four hour drive to our destination, and I finished this over the course of the four days at the hotel. I think this was a great vacation book. It's got a touch of mystery, but a whole lot of spunk. It has made me love this little town of Maggody a little more and I've had to restrain myself from just flying through the whole series... a girl's got to have a little variety in her life.

I was not all that sad that Robin is murdered. But I think her kids are hilarious, Hammet is definitley my favorite of the four... Perhaps because of them terrorizing Mrs. Jim Bob :D.

Ruby Bee and Estelle never cease to amaze me. Taking in Baby and then loosing him. Then attempting to patch together a romance between Arly and David Allen. And the attempts to get Arly to see the psychic. Lovely.

More importantly is the hippies that appear to be sticking around town for a little bit of time. Well, except for Nate, who along with Celeste, is no longer with us.

I must say I am begining to think that once I have reached the conclusion of this series, I will be sad. It will probably turn into one that I pick up and read multiple times.

Malice in Maggody, Joan Hess

This was a nice break from my vampire book stint. Although I felt a bit lost at first with the gas station scene with Robert. But Hess does a decent job of moving right along and explaining the characters.

I love the characters. And the dynamics between some of them. Ruby Bee is possibly emerging as my favorite. But I was saddened when Jaylee met her end, I was rather amused by her as well. Plover and Arly's battle of "thou shall not know my first name" was a cute little additive and makes me wonder what happens to them in future books.

As for the ending? I thought it was comical that everyone was rushing to Robin Buchanon's house where they found Carl and Robert in... disrepair... I'm not sure of the accurate wording for that one. And wrapping up the plots I give Hess a mediocre score. I figured out early on that Carl did not commit the crime he had been doing time for. Not to say he did not deserve to be in jail though. But, as for Jaylee's murderer, I did not guess that one until it was revealed. I was definately rooting for Jim Bob to be that culprit.