LETHAL IN OLD LACE by Duffy Brown
The Fifth Consignment Shop Mystery

Finally, everything is going right for Reagan Summerside. Not only has hunky Walker Boone been cleared of any wrong doing-he actually proposed...marriage...to her! Add to the thrill of being engaged, customers are finally returning to the Prissy Fox. All is right with the world. Except for the dead body...which keeps disappearing! And the fact that Auntie Kiki stole from a dead man...and is being blackmailed by the man's grandson. Did I say everything was going right?

Reagan Summerside is back in another outrageously funny Consignment Shop mystery. As always there is laugh out loud humor, memorable characters, and nonstop action. From wedding planning to wake attending, with interesting transportation choices, and a retirement home with the nickname Sexy Pines, Reagan deals with it all with pluck, determination, and a little help from her friends.

LETHAL IN OLD LACE is all about love, acceptance, and loyalty. It's about doing all you can to help those you love and accepting them, faults and all, for who they really are. That's truly a great lesson. It's also endlessly entertaining and will leave you with a smile on your face long after you finish reading. And you'll never look at a Snickers bar the same way again.

So grab your martini and settle in for a fun time in Savannah. Don't know how to make a martini? Never fear Auntie Kiki shares several drink recipes at the end of the book.

This book was absolutely hilarious! There were so many fun moments and laugh out loud happenings from a chick food fight to an old guy fight at a funeral viewing. Of course Aunt Kiki was right in the thick of things as always and helping in a fairly major way with this investigation. I loved that Reagan's mom, the judge, got in on some of the snooping fun this time. I had only read the first in this series but just couldn't resist reading ahead since it was no secret that Reagan and Boone would be getting married, something I started wishing for in the first book.

The book starts up right on the heels of the previous book. Reagan said yes and practically promised Boone she'd never pay attention to another dead body again. The only problem was that there was a body in the Fritz sisters' car and Reagan certainly didn't want them to go to jail for something they didn't do. A whole comedy of errors follows, one funny situation after the other which leads to a pretty awesome conclusion where BW, Reagan and Boone's rescue dog, gets to be a hero.

I didn't guess the killer very early, but I did have suspicions all along about that person.

There was a little side mystery concerning Uncle Putter meeting with Boone over some legal matters but it seems like that might be an ongoing future small plot since nothing was explained about it. I loved the whole wedding planning craziness. One minute they didn't want a big wedding, next minute there was one being planned. A super fun roller coaster ride that you won't want to miss! I probably should get caught up on the rest of the series before the next book comes out but I'm so anxious for that to happen too.

I was provided with an ARC of this book in exchange for a true and honest review. Duffy Brown was a new to me author and now I absolutely adore her writing! Some mysteries can take on a dark side although, Duffy's cozy, "Lethal in Old Lace" was very entertaining and enjoyable. I felt myself transported to Savannah. I found many suspects, comical moments, and well-developed characters.

This is the fifth book in the series and I did not feel lost at all. I found the mystery delightfully charming. I will be sure to go back and start this story from the beginning as it will surely become a favorite series of mine.

OMG---Reagan Summerside is seeing the bright side of life. She's help clear the name of love of her life, Walker Boone, and he's asked her to marry him, and she's said yes! But a string of deaths at Sleepy Pines Retirement Center draws Reagan into trouble, especially when her Aunt Kiki takes a Snickers bar from the pocket of a deceased individual lying in state, and gets caught by the man's grandson.

The grandson threatens to blackmail Reagan and Kiki unless they find out who killed his grandfather. Add to that a body that keeps being moved, and is finally found in the garden of Reagan's neighbors, the Fritz sisters, who are now working as professional mourners.

It takes all of Reagan, Kiki, and Boone's resources to get to the bottom of things so that Reagan and Walker can tie the knot and live happily ever after.

I have to admit the Consignment Shop mysteries are among my favorites, simply because they make me laugh. There are several times when I had to put my Kindle down, put my face in my hand and just laugh and laugh.

Reagan has worked hard to make the Prissy Fox a success, and I loved the fact that she and Walker will now be together, and he will be working to help her fix up the house. Watching them grow together over the series has been wonderful, and seeing them together is perfect.

I particularly enjoy the way Duffy Brown describes Savannah society and the quirks of bus drivers and gang leaders. The mystery in this episode kept me guessing to the end, and I loved watching it unfold You never know what is going to happen with Reagan Summerside, or how she is going to react. Take the time to read this book, but be prepared to be sucked in, and have a good laugh in the process.

I can't wait for the next installment in the Consignment Shop mysteries. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Lethal in Old Lace by Duffy Brown is the fifth book in A Consignment Shop Mystery series. Reagan Summerside is stunned and thrilled when Walker Boone proposes to her. She barely gets to enjoy the moment when Aunt Kiki disrupts them. Elsie and Annie Fritz Abbot are lacking mourners at Willie Fishbine’s wake (if you knew him, you would not mourn him either). The Abbot sisters are professional mourners and need every cent of their income since they lost their savings in a get rich quick scheme. The next day, Reagan and Aunt Kiki get a visit from Fishbine’s grandson. He witnessed Aunt Kiki stealing a candy bar from his grandfather’s coffin. He wants it replaced and for them to find out who killed Mr. Fishbine. The death was ruled accidental, but the young man has a different theory. Then BW (Reagan’s dog) finds a body partially buried in the Abbot sister’s vegetable garden. Bonnie Sue and Willie Fishbine were both residents of Sleepy Pines Retirement Center. Is someone killing off the residents? With the Abbot sister’s the primary suspects in one of the crimes, it is up to Reagan and Aunt Kiki to get answers.

A Consignment Shop Mystery series is best read in order. I am happy that Regan and Boone are engaged. I just hope Regan gets the wedding she desires (her mother has gone into overdrive). The book contains good writing and a fast pace. The characters are established (well developed), and I just love the setting of Savannah. Duffy Brown provides beautiful descriptions of the area. There are several characters with various quirky traits like Aunt Kiki. Boone is a saint to put up with Regan and her family (he is a nice balance to Reagan). Reagan and Aunt Kiki remind me of Lucy and Ethel in I Love Lucy (screwball comedy). The mystery will lead readers on a merry chase. I do wish there had been a little less action. There needed to be some calm moments in between the frenetic ones. Lethal in Old Lace was different from Iced Chiffon (first book in the series). The author seemed to have ramped up the zany antics and quirk factor in Lethal in Old Lace. My mother laughed continually while reading Lethal in Old Lace (she thought it was hilarious). I loved the reference to Gilmore Girls in the book (my favorite show). There are various martini recipes included. Lethal in Old Lace is an entertaining cozy mystery that will have readers in stitches and perplexed over the killers’ identity.

Fans of the Consignment Shop series by Duffy Brown are sure to be pleased that the series is continuing with a new publisher (Crooked Lane), and that the wait for a new adventure featuring Reagan Summerside and crew is finally over.

Reagan and her beau Walker are engaged! Reagan is the owner of a consignment shop, and her neighbors Annie and Elsie often help her out. When bodies of residents from Sleepy Pines Retirement Canter start popping up, Annie and Elsie become the prime suspects. Reagan, though she is busy planning her wedding, must clear the names of her friends and, with the help of her Aunt Kiki and mother Gloria, catch the real murderer while hilarity ensues.

Author Duffy Brown has a knack for creating fun, witty characters. The Savannah, Georgia, setting is delightful, and the story drips with Southern charm and atmosphere. The mystery is well crafted with plenty of suspects and twists and turns.

If you enjoy plenty of hijinx and comedic dialogue in your cozy mysteries, LETHAL IN OLD LACE is sure to fit the bill. I look forward to many more adventures with Reagan. Recommended for any cozy mystery fan.

I adore this entire series. It gets better with every book, and LETHAL IN OLD LACE is no exception. Author Duffy Brown continues to entertain, and hold me captive. She also can spin a mystery that leaves me guessing until the reveal. I've looking forward to the next installment!

Lethal in Old Lace is a delightful romp with the very genteel ladies of Savannah. Georgia has peaches, charm, magnolias, and – ta-da! Reagan Summerside! And her very dignified mother, Judge Gloria Summerside, and Gloria’s delightful sister, Reagan’s Auntie Kiki. These ladies are enough to put Savannah, Georgia on the map all by themselves.

Reagan owns the Prissy Fox Consignment Shop on the first floor of her aging Victorian, Cherry House. It was the only thing she from her divorce from the cheating ex. Well, that and his divorce attorney, Walker Boone, and they are dearly looking forward to getting married. Reagan lives on the second floor since the first is where she tries to make enough to pay bills every month. Her dearest Aunt Kiki lives next door with Uncle Putter. Kiki teaches all the girls how to dance for their cotillion. Some of the guys, too! Kiki is Reagan’s partner in crime (solving). Where Reagan goes, dead bodies just show up. She finds the killer, whatever it takes, and Kiki is always up for an adventure.

People at Sleepy Pines Retirement Home are dying unexpectedly. Yes, it is a retirement home, but rumors are everywhere. Reagan gets dragged into first one, then another death. The first is a man who wasn’t very lovable, or loved, except by his grandson. He has reasons to bribe Reagan to into finding who killed the guy, thanks to Kiki’s need for chocolate. The second is a woman whose body was first seen in the back seat of the Abbott sisters’ Cadillac, then in the window display at ... the Prissy Fox? When Aldeen, a police detective, is chatting with Reagan, her dog BW brings a dirty blue hat and a red purse, both belonging to a missing woman. As BW happily trots to the Abbott sisters’ back yard, they found a woman’s hand sticking up from the garden. Gaa!

Now Kiki is staying at Sleepy Pines to find the culprit, then Gloria joins her to “help her sister” with dressing and other tasks. There is a full complement of laugh-out-loud scenes that give serious competition to Lucy and Ethel’s zaniest stunts, as well as very frightening moments. All this, and a wedding to plan…so many interruptions, so little time!

I love Auntie Kiki and Reagan! They are loyal, fun, imaginative, and brave. The Abbott Sisters are also amusing, although I didn’t believe the story of why they buried the poor lady’s body. Only a man like Walker could love Reagan for who she is and not try to change her; the author has designed these characters with such care!

There are interesting plot twists that maximize either sadness, hilarity, or fear. There are times that I think, where does the author come up with these things? I guess I don’t care if she continues to dream them up! The author allows us as readers to lighten up and not take ourselves so seriously. It turns out there is no shortage of suspects for either senior, sadly. Or are there two killers on board? The real killer(s) I considered on and off throughout, even though some of the others looked so much more culpable. No spoilers – suffice it to say that there are no loose ends at the end of the novel except…when will we see Reagan walk down the aisle? I highly recommend this novel to those who like their mysteries cozy, their Southerners charming, and their mysteries complex.

From a grateful heart: I received a copy of this from the author and NetGalley, and here is my honest review.

After a long wait, Lethal in Old Lace is bringing back our favorite characters, city, and an engagement. Duffy Brown has outdone herself with this installment to the Consignment Shop Mysteries. Reagan is newly engaged to our favorite lawyer, Walker Boone, and helping her neighbors beat a murder rap. This book is unputdownable and laugh out loud funny! So grab a snickers and enjoy this delightful, madcap return to Savannah with Reagan, Walker, Auntie Kiki, and all favorite characters.

This is a good addition to the Consignment Shop Mystery series. It is book 5 and I did not read the previous books but had no problems following the story. I like the characters and the way they all interacted. Reagan agrees to marry Walker on the first page of the book and then has the whole story to show him how crazy her life is. The plot revolves around the elderly retirement community of Sleepy Pines and how they were swindled out of their life savings by a con man who is now dead. Lots of action and laugh out loud moments with a cute dog and yummy recipes to cap off a delightful book. Lots of recap of previous books and easily read as a stand alone.

A great mystery! The characters were phenomenal! They story line and mystery perfection! I always enjoy a good series, especially one that the books can be stand alone, and this did not disappoint! If you are looking for a unique, engaging mystery, look no further!

When Boone asks Reagan to marry him, she starts telling him all the reasons he doesn't want to marry her! Fortunately Boone doesn't give up easily and soon has Reagan saying yes! But if you think this book is about their wedding, then you obviously don't know Reagan's unusual talent of being a dead body magnet. Just walking down an alley she sees her neighbor ladies' Caddy parked behind the dry cleaners with a dead woman in the back seat! This is just after Reagan went to the visitation of one of the world's meanest and grumpiest old men. Turns out both dead people lived at the same old folks home. Hmmm... When the dead body from the Caddy turns up first in the display window of the Prissy Fox and later in the garden of her neighbors, it's time to get to work and see what is really going on at the Sleepy Pines Retirement Home where both the dead people lived. And Reagan, with a little help from her aunt Kiki, is just the person to investigate!

If you like con schemes, dead people, triple timing funeral directors, borrowing bodies from the funeral home, late night shenanigans, consignment shops and more, there is sure to be something in this book that you will enjoy. Besides with Boone and a faithful dog named BW (Bruce Willis) what else could you want?

This is a series of books that are best read in order so you learn who the people are and what the body count is gradually. You will enjoy meeting Reagan and Kiki, as well as Mamma, Boone, and scores of others while alternatively laughing and being scared by the latest Reagan/Kiki scheme. The splendor of old Savannah combined with wit of author Duffy Brown will only leave you wanting more!

I would like to thank the publisher and Net Galley for providing a copy of Lethal in Old Lace for me to read and voluntary review.

The fifth in the Consignment Shop mystery series, Lethal in Old Lace can easily be a standalone book.
As the description states, consignment shop owner Reagan Summerside agrees to marry the hunky Walker Boone. Her neighbors, sisters Annie Fritz and Elsie Abbot, step up their business as professional mourners as they lost a lot of funds on a vitamin swindle deal. The Sleepy Pines Retirement Center has hired them as a part of their retirement package.

The sisters are at the top of the suspect list when Bonnie Sue is found dead in their Pink Caddy. (can you hear the song?) Reagan has doubts about the sisters’ guilt.

She begins to look into the unexpected death of Willie and the missing bodies. While getting help on planning her wedding from her mom, she and the wonder pup Bruce Willis, take us on a delightfully comic romp to find the killers. I loved the way Walker accepted all of Reagan's crazy actions. She and her companions get into all sorts of unusual situations.

I thoroughly enjoyed the hijinks, comedy and revelations.

Oddly appealing from the premise to the odd characters to the methods and reason for the crimes. The down home speech pattern of Reagan and her beau made me smile

Lethal in Old Lace is the highly anticipated fifth book in the Consignment Shop Mysteries, one of the most comedy-filled cozy series' that I've had the pleasure of reading. I must say I was not disappointed.

The latest caper surrounds the Sleepy Pines Retirement Center. People in the retirement center are dropping like flies from something other than natural causes.When dead bodies, well, the same dead body actually, keeps showing up in random places around town, Reagan, Aunt Kiki, and the rest of the characters make it their mission to figure out what is going on. Things intensify when the local police are positive that Reagan's neighbor ladies are guilty. Now Reagan and Aunt Kiki must kick their sleuthing up a notch if they want to keep sisters, Annie and Elsie, out of jail. Grab a copy of the book and read as the group infiltrates the retirement center, steals a casket, and just creates general mayhem as Reagan and Aunt Kiki are wont to do. Plus, Reagan has a wedding to plan amid all of the chaos. Yay for Reagan and Boone!

The Consignment Shop Mysteries by Duffy Brown are spectacular and always keep me anticipating the next book. Lethal in Old Lace does not disappoint. The story lines are always well thought out and perfectly executed. There is humor tossed in for good measure - I love Reagan's one liners and Aunt Kiki's melodramatic episodes. She always has Reagan's back, however, and they make a great duo. Reagan is snarky, funny, and very enjoyable. I've enjoyed watching how the relationship between Reagan and Walker has evolved into love.

Duffy is an excellent writer and I've loved everything she's written. Her cozy mystery novels are completely engaging from the first page. The character development and world building was fabulously executed and the author continues to build on that through the entire series. The author's descriptions make it feel like the reader is right there in Savannah with the characters.

Just a reminder, all of the Consignment Shop Mystery books play off the next book. Please read them in order otherwise you may find yourself really confused.

I'm so happy to see Reagan, Boone, BW, and Aunt Kiki are back! As of my favorite cozy mystery series', I really missed all of the great characters that the author created for us cozy readers. I'm just going to put this out there - I cried when I thought this series was done. Duffy Brown writes amazingly wonderful cozies and the thought that both the Consignment Shop Mysteries (Crooked Lane Books) and the Cycle Path Mysteries (unsure of the new publisher) were going to be unceremoniously dumped upset me deeply. Enter Crooked Lane Books FOR THE WIN!!! Crooked Lane Books has become one of my top most favorite publishing companies. Thank you Crooked Lane Books - Thank YOU!!

I really tried to get into this book, but I just couldn’t. The story line sounds great, and I hate to give a bad review for something I couldn’t even get through. Therefore, I will not be publishing a review on my website. I do plan to try it again! Thank you for this opportunity.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I was over the moon when I heard this series had found a new home. This is one of my favorite series and I sure wasn’t done with these wonderful characters.

Something I have been waiting for is moving forward in this book. Boone pops the question and Reagan says yes. They are moving forward in their life together with some major decisions like where they will live and the renovations that may be needed. Due to some crazy circumstances, their wedding party is going to be filled with some people I never suspected. That’s the good news. The bad news is a dead body is found in sisters Annie Fritz and Elsie Abbot garden and another body with casket is hidden in Aunt Kiki’s garage. Both are connected to the Sleepy Pines Retirement Center and the sisters are prime suspects for what could be two murders. Aunt Kiki decides to go undercover in the retirement home to help Reagan solve the case.

Reagan Summerside owns the Prissy Fox Consignment Shop and her neighbors Annie Fritz and Elsie Abbot’s help out at the shop while Reagan is out trying to plan her wedding or catch a killer. Her mother, Judge Gloria and her Aunt Kiki are usually along for both. Her new fiancee Walker Boone does his best to keep all of them out of trouble. With two murders to solve his task is far from easy. I had so much fun following along with their antics. Ms. Brown’s Savannah, Georgia has its hands full with this gang,

Southern charm, snappy dialogue, genuine, unique characters, laugh out loud moments, and a top-notch whodunit grace the pages of Lethal and Old Lace. From the very first word until the last this story completely entertains.

I love the way Duffy Brown writes. Each new story quickly becomes my favorite. It was a bit of a wait for this book, but it was so worth the wait. It surpasses a perfect escape by quite a bit. Yes, this book gets my Paradise Rating. More than 5 stars! Thank you, Duffy Brown, for this marvelous story!

Regan Summerside is in 7th heaven. Walker Boone, the man of her dreams, has asked her to marry him. Business is picking up at The Prissy Fox Consignment Shop. What more could anyone ask?

Unfortunately, death is a fact of life that we cannot escape, and Willie Fishbine, a former resident of Sleepy Pines Rest Home has recently died. Willie wasn’t very popular, so very few people are attending his wake. Professional mourners, Annie and Elsie Fritz, are trying to boost attendance. Regan decided to show up in an effort to help.

After leaving the wake, Regan spots the Fritz sister’s Cadillac in the alley and thinks she sees a woman sleeping in the back seat. Upon closer inspection, she realizes that the woman is dead. However, when she tries to show Walker, both the Caddy and the body are gone. Later that night, she finds the body in the display window of the Prissy Fox ... only to have it disappear again.

Is there really a body or is Regan imagining it? How can she be sure that she’s not going crazy? How does the body keep moving? And who is responsible for moving it? Why is it constantly being moved? Was her death natural or was she a victim of foul play? As a former resident of Sleepy Pines, you have to wonder if something is suspicious going on there.

This is a cute, fast-paced story. Duffy Brown does not disappoint with her writing. The characters are quite involved, each with their own personalities and problems. The situations described in the book are both comedic and serious at the same time. The book is guaranteed to hold your interest from start to finish.

Another adventure for Reagan is about to take place. She thinks accepting Boone's marriage proposal is exciting enough but she hasn't idea what else is in store for her.
On that same evening she stumbles onto body of an old lady. When she returns with the help, the body is gone! And then, it happens again. Trying to keep it all hush hush from Boone, she enlists Kiki's help to try and figure out what in the heck is going on, but that only leads to more twist and turns and they as always get into even more trouble.
Trying to keep Sisters out of jail and clear their name, checking out happenings in retirement home, making sure to send deceased to his final resting place with a Snickers bar, these ladies have their hands full.
This series has it all, southern charm, quirky characters, lots of humor and of course a well written and presented mystery. I am delighted with this series and if I could write this is what I would write

Duffy Brown is the queen of humorous cozy mysteries. She will keep you not only entertained, but laughing out loud until the very last page. A light hearted who-done-it mystery.

Sub Themes
Humorous cozy, small business owner, southern charm, consignment shop

Can You Start the Series in the Middle?
This was the first book in the series that I read. I can see wanting to go back and read past installments, because this book was so entertaining, but I didn’t feel left behind in the story.

If You Like …
Vickie Fee’s Liv and Di in Dixie Mystery Series, you’ll enjoy this book.