An excellent whodunnit this blast from the past mystery is well worth the read. I can’t wait to pick up the second book in the series.

What a fun and quick read. The writing was engaging and loved the characters. Dot is great main character and I loved how she stood up for herself and for her friends. I liked how societal issues were addressed through out the book and how they added to the story.

This mystery is set in the early 1960s. As can be seen from the cover, the job options for women included teacher, nurse and/or a secretarial job (hence the typewriter). Dot chooses secretarial school, little knowing where this will lead her.

Dot is busy. She gets to know women in an elite club in order to help her father’s political campaign. This exposes her to many things, some of which are not pleasant. When mayhem and murder ensue, will all be resolved satisfactorily? Find out in this cute mystery with an adorable cover.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Who's ready for a grip to the past? Lets go to the 60s to follow along with Dot. She is going to secretarial school full time while also trying to help her dad run for a city council seat. This would be challenging enough but she is roles into helping at a big event only to find out she was used. When her dads opponent turns up dead things really take an intriguing turn. Dot has to clear her dads name before this tanks his chances at the council. As the mystery plays out we get to feel immersed in the past as Dot tries to figure it out. The time period is really captured well and the mystery keeps you guessing. Makes for a great start to a new series and I look forward to the next one. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.

A nostalgic read that takes you back in time. Exposure to a period that have been told about. I had fun reading this book. The mystery was written in a way that I didn't figure it out and was pleased with the ending. The writing was tight and smooth and I immediately was drawn into the story. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book by this author.

#NETGALLEY #THETWISTANDAHOUTMURDER

Dot Morgan is a young lady in the 60s who is interested in exercising her independence and not living the life of a traditional housewife. After her father enters the race for city councilman, Dot joins the ladies club, and becomes entangled with the Manning family who control the community. After the death of a prominent citizen at a banquet, Dot questions if it was an accident. Dot begins asking questions and lands herself in a world of trouble.

I was excited about this book since there are not many book set in this decade. I also like that Dot was a very independent young lady and was pushing the boundaries of what would be considered "propriety." I was a little disappointed that there were few references made to the pop culture in this time period - add in cell phones, and the story could have taken place in the present time. There was a decent plot line and the "whodunit" part was not completely obvious.

Quirky quick read - definitely encapsulates the sexism of the 60s. Dot is the main character, and her father is running for city council. When his opponent is mysteriously found dead, an investigation ensues to find out whodunnit. As Dot tries to uncover the truth, she makes enemies with the wrong people...

Again, quick and cute murder mystery - definitely check it out! Thanks NetGalley for the early copy!

The Twist and Shout Murder: A Swinging Sixties Mystery by Teresa Trent definitely falls on the cozier side. When I saw this book on @netgalley a few weeks ago it jumped off the screen and I had to request it. I am glad I was finally able to read it.

Things I loved:
📝The setting–both the time period, the 1960s, and the small town feel
📝Dot–Young and perhaps a tad naive but learning; refusing to be pigeon-holed and to let people walk all over her
📝Dot’s family–so loving and supportive
📝All the different women portrayed in the book–a theme in the book is the growing women’s independence and equality–most of the female characters were more complex than they first appeared
📝The appearance of Lady Bird Johnson–”Just call me Lady Bird”
📝The wholesome, earnest writing style–really fits the book
📝The mystery–I really fell for one of the red herrings and had NO CLUE about the murderer
📝The role that weather played–in the murder and in the reveal of the murderer

Fun, Frothy..
The first in the Swinging Sixties Mysteries set in 1962. Feisty Dot Morgan gets thrown into a bizarre world when a death occurs. Nothing like he secretarial school ambience she was getting used to. With an eccentric cast of characters and a likeable, strong protagonist this is a fun and frothy cosy mystery with a good sense of time and place.

It’s 1962 and Dot Morgan is in her final semester at secretarial school. She finds herself helping her father run for local city council. However, when her father‘s opponent dies and the police think it’s that was an accident she is convinced it’s murder. But the only suspect would be her father.

This is a great cozy mystery and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next for Dot Morgan.

This started out a little slow for me but I'm glad I stuck with it. I enjoyed getting to know Dot and her family as well as the immersion into the 60s. It doesn't seem so long ago but the conditions for women have changed drastically (thankfully!) and it was interesting to learn how different it was for women in the working world. The mystery was a good one but I figured out who the killer was earlier on. I will continue with the series and can't wait to see what Dot gets up to next.

While helping her father run for office, secretarial student Dot Morgan must help solve the town golden boy's murder. Dance anyone?

It's 1962 and Dot Morgan, who shares a top floor, modest apartment with her cousin, Ellie, dreams of completing secretarial school. Dot's dad, who is a clerk at the local courthouse in Camden, Texas, with twenty years of experience, hopes to run as a candidate in the elections following the death of Phil Boggs. Her mum is a librarian. Wanting to help with her dad's election campaign, Dot joins the Camden Ladies Club, in place of her mum. Busy Dot, who is in the final semester of her course at Hudson Secretarial School, is asked to make thirty flower arrangements for the Founder's Day Banquet which is just around the corner. The day before the Banquet Dot loads her once red car with the flower arrangements and ends up in a disagreement with Barb Manning, the president of the Ladies Club. The next day at the Banquet the brother-in-law of the club’s president is found dead.

The mystery is intriguing and I thoroughly enjoyed attempting to solve the puzzle of the murder alongside Dot. She’s a strong character, very likeable and she’s surrounded by a fun supporting cast. Roll on book two; I'll certainly be in the queue!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Level Best Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I admit that I didn’t choose this Netgalley ARC wisely: I liked the title and the cover and I was in the mood for a cozy mystery. Cozy it was indeed, in the 1960s it was also, with glaring allusions to pre-marriage sex, contraception and abortion, and working women. But I had somehow the idea that it was a British cozy mystery (swinging London, I suppose) and I was sort of shocked that it was set in a small town in Texas.

Once I reconciled to the setting, it was OK. Not exceptional but entertaining for a few hours. The characters are a bit cliché, although they duly undergo some evolution over the course of the book. Bad guys are duly bad, and rest assured that they will find their comeuppance in the end (I’m not spoiling anything!). I wasn’t really surprised when the final twist occurred, and I wasn’t totally won over by the main character Dot, who must be a distant cousin of Pollyanna. (...)

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book for review consideration.

The Twist and Shout Murder is a fun murder mystery set in the 1960s. I found myself wanting the protagonist to use modern technology, which of course wasn't available in the 60s. I commend the author for the lack of anachronisms. (At least I didn't notice any.)

The story centers around, Dot Morgan who is a forward thinking young woman who doesn't want to be told "you can't do that because you are a girl." Dot is a bit impetuous, but it seems to fit the "type" of the character. At times I was a bit frustrated with her failure to take good advice from family and friends. In the end it almost resulted in her demise.
While there were several very good suspects in the case, it would have been easy to miss the very subtle clues to the real killer's identity.

Overall a good read although a bit more editing is required prior to publication.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
This book was so good!
I loved how this book captured my attention in the first chapter, the author went right in and she did not slow down til the last sentence.

A really easy light read, one to take with you to the beach this summer, enjoyable characters with the refreshing change of being set in the 1960s

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Set in 1962, just one year after I was born, Dot Morgan is a small-town girl with dreams. For herself, that means secretarial school but for her dad, it means a seat on the city council. He works at the courthouse and has always been a champion for the common man. Though he is no politician, when a seat on the council opens up Dot and her mom feel he is the perfect man for the job. To help his campaign Dot decides to join the Camden Ladies Club. The women in the group are married to the most influential men in town so getting her dad’s name out to them has to help his chances of winning. Dot had no idea what she was getting herself into especially when the brother-in-law of the club’s president decides to throw his hat in the ring for the same council seat.

Then the man is found dead. Police believe it was a terrible accident but Dot believes it was murder. She hesitates to voice her theories fearing she and her dad will become the prime suspects. Knowing she had nothing to do with killing anyone she starts looking into the case herself but there could be some dire consequences for doing so.

Being the first book in the series we are introduced to a lot of interesting characters. Dot is an appealing protagonist. She is smart and is in her last semester of secretarial school. OMG Shorthand Nightmares!! She is very close to her parents but lives with her friend Ellie who has been in a long-term romance that has hit a bit of a snag. Dot’s parents are very low-key, happy and comfortable in their middle-class life.

Then there are the members of the ladies club. Barb is the president of the club and is very overbearing and has no trouble taking credit for other people’s work. Her husband is a mover and shaker about town. When he says jump, people say how high. His brother really has no direction so getting him on the town council has become their goal. He also really has no moral compass but some women think he is better than sliced bread. It could also have a lot to do with why he ended up dead. All the characters were believable and true to life. I really like Dot. She has a huge heart.

A lot of hot topics of the ’60s are touched on throughout the book. Pre-martial sex, abortions, and women working outside the home all find their place within the story along with a good dose of adultery, secrets, and lies all leading up to murder. Ms. Trent twists and tangles it all together in a mystery the grabbed my attention and held on tight. Dot really impressed me as she tackled some crazy and maddening things. The ’60s are a very interesting time in history for women and I think the author does a nice job fictionally shining a light on this time.

The murder mystery isn’t an easy solve either. There are some clear suspects and my one critique is there could have been many more. The victim was a real jerk to a lot of people. That being said my focus was drawn to one person so I was totally caught off guard by the final twist. I do love it when that happens.

The Twist and Shout Murder has set this series off on a groovy start. Dot is just starting her real-world journey through the Swinging Sixties and I am excited to see where Ms. Trent takes her and the rest of the core characters next. I am looking forward to visiting Camden Texas again soon.

It’s 1962 and Dot Morgan is going to secretarial school. Everyone tells her that’s the best thing for a woman to do unless she wants to be a nurse or teacher. Dot is determined to do well in secretarial school and maybe even own her own business someday.

When a position on the local city council opens up, Dot convinces her father to run for office. With no one else opposing him, her father should have an easy go of it. However, nothing is that easy. The wealthy district attorney puts his brother up for the position too. It’s an ugly political battle which ends up with a dead body. Dot’s father is the main suspect and she’s not going to sit quietly by while her father is railroaded for a crime he didn’t commit. Along with a few of her friends, she investigates the murder and is shocked at the secrets she uncovers.

What a unique cozy mystery. The author draws you right into the time era. For a couple of days, I felt as if I was actually in 1962. She adds 1962 facts throughout the book including the “new” fast food restaurants. It’s a time when women weren’t taken seriously and took a backseat to men.

The mystery is well written and intriguing. I enjoyed trying to untangle this investigation with Dot. She’s a wonderful, strong character. She’s surrounded by a fun, likeable supporting cast.

It’s a fast-paced story that left me wanting more. I hope there is a sequel and soon!










FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

It’s 1962 in Camden, Texas, and Dot Morgan is almost done with her secretarial schooling. But she’s taking on helping her father with a run for the local city council. However, the election hits a snag when her father’s opponent dies. The police think it was a tragic accident, but Dot thinks something else is going on. The trouble is, if she convinces the police that it was murder, will she and her father become the top suspects?

It did take me a couple of chapters to get fully into this book, mainly because I felt like I was trying to remember all the characters and their relationships to each other. But once I got that sorted out, I was hooked. There are plenty of complications for Dot to deal with, and I enjoyed seeing how she dealt with everything. She is strong. There are plenty of great characters, including a potential love interest. That time in history is also brought to life, including the changes society was going through. I already can’t wait to see these characters again. If you are looking for a fun historical mystery, you’ll be glad you picked up this one.