Murder of a Creped Suzette

Table of Contents

 

 

 

“A fun and fast-paced mystery.”

—The Mystery Reader

“As fresh and fun to read as the first book, and that’s quite a tribute.”

—Fresh Fiction

 

 

“The latest carefully crafted installment in Swanson’s Scumble River series features a charming heroine who is equally skilled at juggling detection and romance.”

—
Chicago Tribune

“A tightly woven mystery. . . . I had no idea as to who the murderer was until the final reveal, which definitely makes for a page-turning read.”

—Once Upon a Romance Reviews

“This book was very hard to put down. I enjoyed it tremendously and highly recommend it.”

—Gumshoe

“As always . . . Swanson combines humor and romance within an intriguing homicide investigation while the support cast feels like friends.”

—
Midwest Book Review

 

 

“A trip to Scumble River is like visiting with old friends . . . another entry into a fine series that is sure to be on most must-read lists.”

—The Mystery Reader

“Swanson has given me many a smile and many hours of wonderful, fun reading. This is another in a long line of really great books.”

—
CrimeSpree Magazine

“Just plain fun to read. Readers of cozy mysteries who haven’t read Denise Swanson’s books are in for a real treat when they do.”

—Cozy Library

 

 

“[A] cleverly crafted plot . . . with a generous dash of romance.”

—
Chicago Tribune

“Top-notch storytelling with truly unique and wonderful characters.”

—
CrimeSpree Magazine

 

 

“Endearing . . . quirky . . . a delight.”

—
Chicago Tribune

“Tight plotting and plenty of surprises keep this series on my must-read list.”

—
CrimeSpree Magazine

 

 

“Swanson is a born storyteller.”

—
CrimeSpree Magazine

“Another knee-slapping adventure in Scumble River.”

—
The Amplifier
(KY)

 

 

“Smartly spins on a solid plot and likable characters.”

—
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

“[Swanson] has a lot of surprises in store for the reader.”

—
Midwest Book Review

 

 

“The must-read book of the summer.”

—
Butler County Post
(KY)

“Current readers will appreciate the trip into Scumble River, while new readers will want to go back.”

—The Best Reviews

 

 

“Swanson continues her lively, light, and quite insightful look at small-town life.”

—
The Hartford Courant

“Another sidesplitting visit to Scumble River . . . with some of the quirkiest and most eccentric characters we ever have met.”

—
Butler County Post
(KY)

 

 

“An endearing and realistic character . . . a fast-paced, enjoyable read.”

—
The Herald News
(MA)

“This book is delightful.”

—Mysterious Woman

 

 

“A smooth, pleasant, and ultimately satisfying book.”

—
Chicago Tribune

“Another delightful and intriguing escapade.”

—Mystery News

 

 

“More fun than the Whirl-a-Gig at the County Fair and tastier than a corn dog.”

—The Charlotte Austin Review

“A magnificent tale written by a wonderful author.”

—
Midwest Book Review

 

 

“Bounces along with gently wry humor and jaunty twists and turns. The quintessential amateur sleuth: bright, curious, and more than a little nervy.”

—Agatha Award–winning author Earlene Fowler

“A charming, insightful debut.”

—Carolyn Hart

Other Scumble River Mysteries

OBSIDIAN

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First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

First Printing, October 2011

ISBN : 978-1-101-54477-8

Copyright © Denise Swanson Stybr, 2011

All rights reserved

 

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

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Acknowledgments

A big thank-you to Donna Sears for telling me about a music promoter trying to turn her town into the “Branson of the West.”

Author’s Note

In July of 2000, when the first book in my Scumble River series,
Murder of a Small-Town Honey
, was published, it was written in “real time.” It was the year 2000 in Skye’s life as well as mine, but after several books in a series, time becomes a problem. It takes me from seven months to a year to write a book, and then it is usually another year from the time I turn that book in to my editor until the reader sees it on a bookstore shelf. This can make the timeline confusing. Different authors handle this matter in different ways. After a great deal of deliberation, I decided that Skye and her friends and family would age more slowly than those of us who don’t live in Scumble River. So to catch everyone up, the following is when the books take place:

And this is when the Scumble River short story and novella take place: