Synopses & Reviews
In five superlative mysteries, cleaning-lady-and-sleuth Callahan Garrity has patrolled the uneasy border where antebellum and New South converge. Now, in her most timely and intricate adventure yet, she must step in when hippies, yuppies and crackers clash with murderous consequences.
Overnight, it seems, Callahan's Atlanta neighborhood is morphing from a genial mix of hobo and boho into an upscale, cappuccino-drenched quarter. The most unsettling portent of this change is that YoYos, a venerable headshop, is being forced out of business so that a microbrewery can take over its prime location. As the neighborhood gears up for its raucous Halloween revels, Callahan realizes that trouble is brewing. Not only is a fierce tornado bearing down on Atlanta, but Wuvvy, the aging flower child who runs YoYos, is on an uncharacteristic rampage. And in the storm's aftermath, Callahan's fears are confirmed when she finds the bludgeoned corpse of the grasping young entrepreneur who was pushing Wuvvy out.
The police are quick to pin the crime on Wuvvy, but Callahan can't believe that this gentle soul would commit such a brutal act. Callahan's unique ability to mingle both with superannuated hippies and small-town Southern belles allows her to dig into the victim's past and Wuvvy's. She unearths a slew of succulent revelations about Wuvvy -- a tabloid-worthy tale strikingly at odds with the woman Callahan thought she knew. Her search also forces her to reassess old friendships in light of deadly new developments.
As Callahan's investigation unfolds, she unleashes her wry wit, tussles with the outrageous band of "girls" (and one newly recruited "boy") in her cleaning business and rekindles romance with her rugged beau, Mac McAuliffe. All in all, Strange Brew is superbly intoxicating suspense.
Synopsis
Callahan's unique ability to talk the talk of the superanuated hippie and crawl the drawl of small-town South allow her to dig into the victim's past and come up with some succulent revelations. Her search also turns an old friend into a new enemy-one who will kill to keep a secret hidden.aCore fans will be particularly pleased that Garrity's usual cohorts-her ornery mother, outragious employees, and on-again/off-again lover, Mac (on-again here)-make return engagements in Strange Brew.
About the Author
Kathy Hogan Trocheck is the author of ten critically acclaimed mysteries, including the Callahan Garrity mystery series. A former reporter for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, she is also the author of Little Bitty Lies and the Edgar®- and Macavity-nominated Savannah Blues, under the name Mary Kay Andrews.