Book Review: The Fat Woman Mystery

Author: Sandra Noble
Title: The Fat Woman Mystery
Publisher: Tuxedo Press
Publish Date: Aug 29, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

Margaret Henze O'Brian, a widow, lives in a small Iowa town, in a big old house, with her cat Ruby. She considers herself half German and half Conehead. German, because that's her heritage, and Conehead because of her mass consumption of calories. The Fit Girls, Margaret's diet support group, think her recent weight gain is the result of depression over her husband, Harry's, death. Margaret thinks they're wrong, she's fine, "Just fine, thank you" Margaret has more than her diet to think of after she stumbles over a body, and a friend is accused of murder. In trying to clear her friend of the crime, Margaret finds a lot more than rice cakes on her plate. Not wanting to be left out of the excitement the Fit Girls join Margaret in her attempt to solve the crime, and are soon immersed in small town scandal, gossip, and mystery. Creeping through corn fields, window peeking, and tailing suspects may be more than the average reader of 'Modern Maturity' magazine deem proper, but Margaret finds it exhilarating. And when two handsome men seem interested in her ample body, life is suddenly fascinating. Now if only Margaret can stay alive long enough to enjoy this new lease on life.

Review: Before I say anything about the story, I have to say one thing, this book needed some editing. Lexus was misspelled every time the car was mentioned and there was one section of a chapter that was repeated in the Nook format.

That said, if you can step away from that Sandra Noble really did deliver a fast, fun cozy mystery, with some other sleuthing going on, on the side.

I loved Margaret and her friends in The Fit Girls. They were fun and their struggles with weight really brought some "real life" to the story.  I loved Sara and Karen because they really were different and they were different in their struggles with weight.

I also loved Ryan, Margaret's high school sweetheart and cop. I think what was great about Margaret and her friends is that though they are big girls struggling with their weight, they were accepting of themselves and  Margaret gets noticed even though she's curvy. Woo to the hoo for that. I always hate authors that won't let the girl get the guy if she's overweight.

The mystery was a great one. A prominent lawyer found murdered near the house of his former lover. (Margaret literally stumbles over the body). The story revolves around Margaret trying to clear the good name of his wife, who has no alibi.

A lot of laughs ensue.

This really was a short fun read, which would be fabulous if the problems in editing were fixed.

Rating: 5 flowers