This is the third cozy mystery featuring Pip and it firmly cements the series as one of my all-time favorites.
I can’t speak highly enough about these books (you can read my reviews of the first two here and here). There is so much cleverness and attention to detail that it’s difficult to know where to start.
I like how Pip is fallible. She is not necessarily the sharpest tool in the box, but she gets things done – sometimes in spite of herself. She also finds herself in the most amusing situations…again, mostly of her own doing.
An ill-planned event at the museum from the last book causes her to lose her job. Again. I like how the authors have established this pattern. Pip is always on to the next thing. This time she inserts herself into the middle of a school cheating scandal.
Anyone who pays attention to pop culture even a little will find it reminiscent of the college cheating scandal that rocked Hollywood a couple of years ago. It doesn’t exactly parallel but there are similarities.
Until a dead body pops up. Or rather, face down? And then Detective Pip really has a dilemma on her hands. As has been the case in the other books, Pip is more a beneficiary of luck rather than actual skill, although she does have a knack for talking to the right person at the right time and recognizing important things when necessary.
Pip’s affinity for pop culture helps her along the way. However, she is woefully underprepared in some areas (her rabbit hole search for sports facts was particularly amusing). Flis also has an uncanny knowledge of pop culture. But hers often seems to be more luck of the draw due to her constant malapropisms.
Honestly, I think Flis is one of my favorite characters ever. I especially liked how her long-suffering husband has apparently figured out a way to get around her horrid attempts at new recipes
My absolute favorite part of these books, however, is the sheer intelligence of the authors. Their command of the language, wordplay, clever alliterations all make for a most enjoyable read. I almost feel like I have to read the books twice: once for the plot and a second time to just enjoy the love of words.
I hope Pip will be around for many books to come because I thoroughly enjoy reading about her escapades.
Other cozy mystery reviews from this author:
Twitter: @KatieGayleBooks
Author Bio:
Katie Gayle is the writing partnership of best-selling South African writers, Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. Kate and Gail have, between them, written over ten books of various genres, but with Katie Gayle, they both make their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg, with husbands, children, dogs and cats. Unlike their sleuth Epiphany Bloom, neither of them have ever stolen a cat from the vet.
