Bonked by a Gingerbread Man



The Gingerbread Bump-off [by] Livia J. Washburn

[New York] Obsidian [2011]

978-0-451-23483-4; $14.00

It’s Christmas, and someone has dropped out of the annual Jingle Bell Tour of Homes in Wasburn, Texas, causing organizer Georgia Hallerbee to ask her friend Phyllis to put her house in the tour at just about the last minute.  Leaving her roomer Carolyn to make cookies, Phyllis and another roomer, Sam, go out to buy decorations.  Even though Phyllis and Carolyn are going to have a bridal shower for another roomer, Eve, on Christmas Eve, Phyllis doesn’t want to disappoint her friend.

Early on the evening of the Tour, Phyllis’ doorbell rings.  When she goes to answer it, it looks like no one is there -- wait, what is that pile of bloody rags on the porch amidst the shards of the big ceramic gingerbread man dressed as Mrs. Claus?  Oh, my God!  It’s Georgia, barely alive.  She is taken away in an ambulance, the police process the crime scene and ask their questions, and the Tour goes on, missing Phyllis’ house and all the new lights and decorations.

But their work is not for naught, because parades of cars come by on subsequent nights to view their decorations.  Two other visitors come as well.  The first one, a friend of Georgia’s named Claudia, accuses Phyllis of causing Georgia to be struck down on her porch.  Phyllis’ arguments that she certainly didn’t want that to happen, fall on deaf ears.  Carl, who comes the next day, is a little less accusatory as he comes to ask her questions, but he also makes Phyllis uneasy and she asks him to leave as well.

Then Georgia dies without gaining consciousness.  Phyllis and Sam begun to look for clues, visiting all of the parties involved in the Tour and in Georgia’s tax preparation and bookkeeping business.  They come up with a number of theories, which they share with the none-too-happy Detective Latimer, who is in charge of the case.  Some turn out to be provocative red herrings, but, eventually the truth is outed, putting Sam and Phyllis right in the path of a murderer. 

In a subplot, Phyllis questions the motives of Roy, Eve’s fiancé.  Eventually, all’s right in the world again.  A fun romp of a mystery, with good humor amongst the friends of the rooming house.  Appended to this "fresh-baked mystery" are 9 yummy recipes and one for ornaments. Recommended. ~ lss-r

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This book came from my local public library. 

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