Five Belles Too Many

Five Belles Too Many

My Review

Sarah is her mother Maybelle’s chaperone on a reality show in Five Belles Too Many.

Tiny Wheaton Alabama is host to the Southern Belle Perfect Wedding Competition, a reality show offering a free wedding to the winning couple. Five couples are competing including older generation Maybelle and her fiancé, George. But when the show’s director turns up dead, Sarah can’t help but investigate.

Judging by ratings, I am not the only person hooked on reality shows. This cozy mystery uses one to be the perfect stage for the rivalry between Sarah and her ex-husband stealing enemy, Jane. When the police chief jumps to conclusions once again and suspects Jane of the director’s murder, Sarah unexpectedly jumps to Jane’s defense.

I love this cozy mystery series for its genuine characters and relationships. Who wouldn’t want to be at Sarah’s side as she investigates a murder and hurdles family, friend and romantic relationship issues?

Five Belles Too Many is highly recommended to both cozy mystery and reality television fans. 5 stars and a favorite!

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Character Interview with Sarah

  1. Why do you think your mother wants you and your sister Emily to call her Maybelle instead of mother? Does it hurt your feelings that she is not acknowledging your relationship?

    My sister and I think it is weird, but as my mother explained in the book Two Bites Too Many, “When I was at the spa, my guru told me the only way to obtain the best positive energy in my personal zone is to simplify everything. That includes the name I go by.” We’ve suggested Mom, Mother, or Mommy might be more natural for us, but my mother is a force of nature. If this makes her happy, so be it. We think it is weird, but we know our mother-daughters relationship is solid.

  2. There are several reality shows (The Mole, Whodunnit, Killer Camp) where a mystery must be solved to win. Would you ever audition to be on that type of reality show? Why or why not?

    Absolutely not! The few times mysteries have found me, I’ve been lucky enough to solve them. Considering what I’ve seen behind the scenes of the reality show to win a perfect southern wedding that I was my mother’s chaperone for, there’s too much backbiting and manipulation. That’s not for me.

  3. What is the best thing about living in Wheaton, a small town in Alabama? What is the worst?

    The best thing living in Wheaton is that everyone knows each other and watches out for each other. The worst thing is that everyone knows each other and watches everything anyone does.

  4. Why do you seem to find so many dead bodies? I live in Los Angeles and haven’t found a single corpse. Do you have any tips for where to look for one?

    Believe me, the last thing I go looking for is dead bodies. For years, Wheaton never had any crime, that’s why it has been a shock that we’ve had so many tragedies (deaths) recently. I’m hoping this is a trend that doesn’t continue. Living in Los Angeles, you might try hanging around the La Brea Tar Pits for some ancient corpse sightings.

  5. Finally, can describe your relationship with Dr. Glenn in five words or less? How about your relationship with Cliff?

    For both: it’s complicated!

Thank you for participating in this interview, Sarah (and Debra, her ghostwriter, too).

Thank you for having me today, as well as Debra.

About Five Belles Too Many

Five Belles Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in the Series
Setting – Alabama
Kensington Cozies (June 28, 2022)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496732235
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496732231
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09HRCV4TN

When Sarah Blair’s mother participates in a reality show competition for brides in Wheaton, Alabama, things get a little too real as a murderer crashes the wedding party . . .

Sometimes Sarah’s mother, Maybelle, can be higher maintenance than her Siamese cat RahRah. Maybelle and her friend, Mr. George Rogers, have been chosen to be one of five couples competing for a small-town “perfect” wedding and dream honeymoon on a Southern Belles reality show—and guess who has to be chaperone. Even more vexing, the producers have decided to put up the crew and participants at the restaurant/bed and breakfast owned by Sarah’s nemesis Jane Clark.

But when someone turns up dead with Jane kneeling by the body with blood on her hands, she goes from being Sarah’s chief rival to the police’s chief suspect. Neither Sarah nor her twin, Chef Emily Johnson, can stand Jane—still, they don’t think she’s a murderer. The producers vow the show must go on, but to protect their mother and the other contestants, Sarah vows to find the true killer before someone else gets eliminated . . .

Includes quick and easy recipes!

About Debra H. Goldstein

Many, Four Cuts Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, and One Taste Too Many). Her novels and short stories received an IPPY award and have been named Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and Silver Falchion finalists. Debra served on the national boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and was president of the Guppy and SEMWA chapters. Find out more about Debra at https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com .

Author Links

Website – www.DebraHGoldstein.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthor/

Twitter – @DebraHGoldstein

Instagram – debrahgoldstein

Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debra-h-goldstein

GoodReads Link – Debra H. Goldstein (Author of Two Bites Too Many) | Goodreads

Purchase Links – Amazon KindleAmazon PaperbackNookB&N

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 17 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

June 17 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

June 18 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 18 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 19 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST

June 19 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 19 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

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June 20 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

June 20 – Diane Reviews Books – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 21 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 21 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 22 – I Read What You Write – GUEST POST

June 22 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – Mysteries with Character – REVIEW

June 23 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

June 24 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 25 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

June 27 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

June 28 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 28 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – My Journey Back – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE

June 29 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GUEST POST

June 30 – Girl with Pen – SPOTLIGHT

June 30 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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3 Comments

  1. I never gave thought to a murderer chrashing a wedding.


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