On the whole, I think I liked this book. Callahan Garrity is an ex-policewoman who now owns and runs a cleaning service. She also does a little detecting on the side. The book is set in Atlanta, Georgia, and there are some chiches of the south that I'm not really sure about. Some are irritating and others I'm not sure still exist. Being raised in the south myself (altho only in Arkansas -but my dad is from Alabama), I have not run into some of these cliches. But, that's only a minor detail I guess. I enjoyed this book and may read more.Callahan Garrity lives with her mother Edna, and has a boyfriend/lover Mac, who wants a more permanent relationship. But, she's leery. Her cleaning service is called House Mouse and she runs it out of her house. Her employees are herself, her mother, a friend Neva Jean (whose husband is Swanelle), Ruby, Baby and Sister. They are hired to clean Elliott Littlefield's mansion for a charity event and find a dead young woman - obviously murdered. Several antiques have also been stolen and Littlefield hires Callahan to try to recover them, particularly a very old diary. Then things get complicated when the sister of the murdered girl turns up on Callahan's doorstep looking for a place to stay.
I totally dig Callahan Garrity, an ex-cop turned PI who also runs a house-cleaning service “The House Mouse”. This is my fourth book featuring Callahan, although this is the second in the series and it might be better to read them in order. So yes, I read these books for the characters and the atmosphere. Callahan is a type of person, type of woman I can totally relate to; she’s not willing to give up her life, her work, her sleuthing, her independence for a man, even if she truly loves him (in this case Mac).The mystery plot of “To Live and Die in Dixie” wasn’t as engaging, neither did the story move along as quickly as I wished, but I remained intrigued because a) the author knows her stuff and always entertains, and b) there were so many possible suspects who might have murdered seventeen year old Bridget, I got more curious with each page. The last 35 pages absolutely make up for any other flaws this story has and indeed my patience was rewarded. No doubt, this is another guaranteed pleasant read in this series. ***3,5***
Do You like book To Live & Die In Dixie (1994)?
Callahan is an ex-cop who runs a cleaning business with some private investigating on the side. When her crew finds the body of a dead girl in a house of murderer (who got off on a technicality), she can't help be drawn in. She is hired to find missing items that were stolen during the murder but ends up finding so much more. Everyone has something to hide and a reason to kill.This is my book club selection for the month. It was a fun read and I liked Callahan. She is tough, no nonsense and gives as good as she gets. My kind of girl. The mystery was complex but kind of predictable in the end. Still I enjoyed it and I think my club will have fun talking about.
—Karen
Decided to read the Callahan Garrity series written by Kathy Hogan Trocheck who now writes under the name Mary Kay Andrews. Love all the Andrews books and loved this Trocheck one. Just ordered two more from amazonCallahan Garrity quits her job as a policeman and opens a cleaning business in Atlanta called House Mouse. The women who work for her are worth the read all by them selves. Callahan aso gets a private detective's license and mixes detecting with cleaning. the plot of this one is very convoluted and suspects pop up left and right but Callahan straightens it all out in the end
—Kathy
Second in the series, first that I'd "read." I didn't notice this was a Kathy Trocheck title/series and that it had a 1990's pub date so some details felt a bit dated. Fun cozy mystery -- I'll go back for the first to introduce the series but may pick up just the last, more current titles in the series. Pets: cat (red flag), not really a physical disability but breast cancer (here things felt dated but not enough focus to call this "medical"), debated adding police-procedural since Callahan is a former detective,sense of place: Atlanta.
—Pr Latta
