DNFed at 42 percent.

I can’t get around being bothered by the opening scene which I know is meant to be funny…but nobody who has EVER worked in the service industry is going to think belittling a barista in training is comical or “oh what a cranky lady, isn’t she relatable” and that’s clearly what the author is going for.

Being a barista is HARD. I’d like to see Glory go behind the counter and whip up a coffee drink without using the training manual the new barista is using.

I can usually get on board with an unlikeable character - but I don’t want to hang out with any characters (that aren’t meant to be villains) who disparage servers, baristas, retail workers etc. - to me that’s exactly how you let me know a character is sans morals and goodness.

Glory’s daughter (who is just entering the first stage in a divorce) is hedging why it’s totes fine to cheat with her married love interest because his wife doesn’t understand him/treat him well. *Eye rolling*

Y’all…I can’t. I cannot. Neither of these women are endearing to me and my rigid autistic/AuDHD moral code, and they’re clearly meant to be.

And the plots…TW for dog fighting, bee attacks, illegal gambling…and then there’s the suicide or murder of a nun, drug addiction, illegal drugs, illegal gambling, hoarding, divorces, probable affairs, environmental law…and this is supposed to be a fun, cozy mystery?

I went in with high hopes and they curdled like bad milk in the sun and I can’t spend anymore time waiting for this one to improve.

Not even Bahni Turpin’s narration can fix this, especially when I was SO excited to hear her do a Louisiana accent and was surprised by her using a standard Southern accent without that special bayou twang.

What is it about Louisiana that’s so appealing?

You could take the exact same story, and put it in Texas, and I wouldn’t like it near as much.

There was more to enjoy about this book, beyond its lush setting. The cover is stunning, the characters are fun (I love a hot-mess main character), and the ending was satisfying.

My only complaint was the dog-fighting scene. Much like murder in a Patterson-type book, I found it too descriptive for my tastes. I get that it was your kill-the-cat moment, but my brain didn’t need that level of vivid.

Definitely looking forward to more of this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for this ARC.

Glory Be is an exciting start to a new mystery series and I can’t wait to see where it goes! Glory Broussard is a delightful main character — it’s so refreshing to experience older women at the center of a story. If you like cozy mysteries but wish they had a little more bite, this book is perfect for you. And of course, audiobook queen Bahni Turpin slays the narration.

I was really intrigued by this one, I started listening and was interested but it never hooked me. I couldn't get into it something was missing for me and it just didn't deliver.

Glory Broussard is an older Black woman who grew up during segregation in Lafayette. Louisiana. She spends her Sunday mornings in church and the afternoons in the local coffee shop as a small time bookie. When her best friend, an activist nun, is found dead of an apparent suicide and the police quickly close the case, Glory refuses to accept that her friend would take her own life so she sets out, with the aid of her daughter, Daphne, to find out what really happened.

Glory Be is the first in a new cozy mystery series by Danielle Arceneaux and I have to say I loved every minute of it. The story is full of interesting descriptions of the area as well as looking at how Black people are most often the group most impacted by environmentally hazardous projects. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the story moving and the reader guessing and, despite the serious nature of some of the issues explored, there’s a nice touch of humour running throughput. But the best thing about the story is Glory B, herself, a complete force of nature, brash and outspoken but also loyal, brave, and good-hearted, especially when it comes to friends and her daughter.

I listened to the audio version of the novel narrated by Bahni Turpin who does an excellent job bringing the story and its characters to life. A terrific start to this new series and I will definitely be watching out for future additions.

Thanks to Netgalley and Spotify Audiobooks for this book in exchange for an honest review

Loved this book! In part, it was due to my love of Cajun/Creole cultures, having lived in the area for awhile. The narrator really brought that special atmosphere to life. And, the storyline held my interest with a spunky main character (Glory) who is a church-going bookie! The story focuses on the suspicious death of her good friend, who happened to be a nun. Glory thinks that it was not suicide, but murder, and sets out to find the killer. In the meantime, she's also dealing with having to de-clutter her house so she's not evicted and put up with snobby women in the church group. The author weaves issues of privilege and segregation into the story in a way that educates but doesn't preach. I loved the characters, loved the setting, and look forward to another book in the series!
Thank you to Spotify Audio and NetGalley for providing an advance review copy. My opinions are my own.

This is gonna be one of my new detective series to look out for. Glory is a fun, intelligent, and dynamic female lead along with her equally witty daughter Delphine. This book is filled with southern charm and good sleuthing. I adored this. I could also be partial because I truly believe anything that Bahni Turpin narrates is a gem. This is no exception. Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to review this wonderful book.

Colleen Chi-Girl
4 Stars

What a fun new detective series! I really enjoyed the two main characters, Glory Broussard and her daughter Delphine who live in Lafayette, Louisiana. Glory is a strong female lead, which is always a fave read of mine and she is gutsy, fun and funny. I haven't visited this amazing state in a couple of decades, but this book about these 2 female amateur sleuths put me right back into the heart of Louisiana and I'm dreaming of gumbo and corn muffins. I look forward to the next in the series featuring positive images of African American women.

Publisher's blurb:
The first in a vivid and charming crime series set in the Louisiana bayou, introducing the hilariously uncensored amateur sleuth Glory Broussard.

It’s a hot and sticky Sunday in Lafayette, Louisiana, and Glory has settled into her usual after-church routine, meeting gamblers at the local coffee shop, where she works as a small-time bookie. Sitting at her corner table, Glory hears that her best friend—a nun beloved by the community—has been found dead in her apartment.

When police declare the mysterious death a suicide, Glory is convinced that there must be more to the story and, with her reluctant daughter, with troubles of her own, in tow, launches a shadow investigation in a town of oil tycoons, church gossips, and a rumored voodoo priestess.

As a Black woman of a certain age who grew up in a segregated Louisiana, Glory is used to being minimized and overlooked. But she’s determined to make her presence known as the case leads her deep into a web of intrigue she never realized Lafayette could harbor. Danielle Arcenaux’s riveting debut brings for an unforgettable character that will charm and delight crime fans everywhere and leave them hungry for her next adventure.

Glory Broussard is a wise, church going woman that isn’t afraid of speaking her mind. The fact that she’s a Louisiana native added to her southern charm. We get to see Glory B in action when she learns about the suspicion death of her friend and beloved Nun Amity.

Glory B immediately turns into a detective to uncover the truths behind Amity’s death
I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook, Bahni Turpin really brought this character to life and gave her spunk. I found myself laughing out loud to several of her comments especially when she talked about other people.

This is just the beginning of Glory Broussard and her sleuthing skills, I look forward to reading more of the Glory B mystery stories.

I listened to this book on my commute to and from work, and it passed the time quickly! The main character, Glory, is hands down the Louisiana BFF I need in my life! The story is packed with local flavor, a variety of characters, and a mystery or two that need to be solved. I am happy this is the first book in a series.

The narrator did a fantastic job of reading the book and becoming each character.

I received a free audiobook from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Genuinely, I was just bored reading this book. Did I guess the ending? A little? It made sense in the beginning, but it seemed so out of left field by the end. The villain's motivation was cheesy, and it didn't seem well-thought-out.

The characters were flat and repetitive. You would think that, after these horrible things happen to Glory, she might tell her daughter or her daughter might catch on and keep a better eye on her mother. But no.

Overall, underwhelming.

Glory Be by Danielle Arceneaux is the first book in the Glory Broussard Mystery Series. Glory is a southern Miss Marple. When her friend dies by suicide Glory can’t believe it and begins to investigate. I love a Louisiana sleuth and the narrator did an excellent job!

‼️ New Cozy Mystery Series Alert ‼️

Good golly - Glory Be was absolutely amazing! The first book in the Glory Broussard Mystery series follows Glory as she investigates a murder, runs her OTB enterprise, reconnects with her daughter, quells the Church gossip and questions the local barista about his coffee skills. This was such a fun series debut and I cannot wait to see where Danielle Arceneaux takes the story from here!

❓Cozy Mystery
🐊 Louisiana Bayou
⛪️ Church Lady Gossip
🔍Amateur Sleuth
🪦Murder
📓 Bookie
☕️ Coffee
❤️Bless Your Heart Vibes


Method Read: 🎧
Bahni Turpin did a fantastic job bringing the story to life!

*Please check TW

Thank you to Spotify Audiobooks for the gifted copy.

My favorite new voice in audiobooks belongs to Bahni Turpin, who is not new to the form, just to me.

Turpin narrates the delightful “Glory Be,” by Danielle Arcineaux (OrangeSky Audio, 8 hours and 47 minutes), the first in an intended series featuring Louisiana church lady (and sometimes bookie) Glory Broussard.

Glory is a character, but she’s also a sharp cookie who realizes the police have dismissed the death of her friend Amity, a nun, as suicide. Joined by her lawyer-daughter, Glory sets out to prove Sister Amity was murdered.

Turpin brings Glory fully to life and made me laugh out loud in the first five minutes. Her other, extensive narrative work is impressive, including Colson Whitehead’s “The Underground Railroad,” issued as a tie-in to the television adaptation, and as part of a full cast of “The Other Black Girl.”

A new mystery series that I will be definitely continuing along with as they come out! I found Glory to be cunning, witty and passionate in her interactions with the other characters, especially her daughter. The Louisiana bayou was a mysterious and lovely setting, a perfect fit for this story. Not only was there a mystery to be solved, we also read through both female main characters: Glory and her daughter, Delphine, learning how to navigate their new paths in life. They also have a relatable mother-daughter relationship which was heartwarming to read. With the mystery, I was completely guessing and trying to figure it out every step of the way as Glory and Delphine did. The pace of this story and the mystery was a good pace and kept me wanting to listen! I enjoyed the narrator's voice in this audiobook and thought that it added to making Glory come alive! Thank you to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

I honestly cannot remember a time where I actually laughed out loud at a book but Glory Be managed to make me laugh several times throughout the story.

Glory Broussard is the kind of woman that I want to be friends with. When her closest friend dies by suicide, Glory does not believe that she could have done it and sets out to find out exactly what happened to her friend.

The story is set in Louisiana, which makes it even more endearing. Glory is strong, confident and will not take any nonsense from anyone in her life. Honestly, if I could choose a character to emulate as I age, it would be Glory. Bagni Turpin narrates the audiobook which makes the story even better. Honestly, she could read the phone book and be perfect at it. Having her add her expertise to the characters only made the story that much more enjoyable.

If you are looking for a mystery that also contains strong female characters and hilarious hijinks, Glory Be is the perfect book for you.

A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I could not have loved this book more!

Thanks to Spotify & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fine, but it just didn't do it for me. Glory Broussard is a good character, and I'm interested in her backstory, but it was presented almost as though the reader is supposed to be familiar with it already. The mystery part was good enough, and Glory moving through her world was pretty entertaining and made for a decent cozy. Perturbing, then, to suddenly be faced with a pretty raunchy sex scene in the B plot featuring Glory's daughter, Delphine, and a local cop (both are married to other people, btw). I don't mind a raunchy sex scene here and there, but this came out of nowhere and was a bit much for the story (and furthered the plot not at all aside from keeping Delphine conveniently away from the action at a key moment).

I was also a bit taken aback by an order of Catholic sisters who seem not to observe any of the usual vows (not to mention a celebrity priest making gourmet pasta in his mod apartment, but having worked in a rectory, that feels a little more true to form lol).

Arceneaux can definitely improve if she decides to focus more on Glory and less on Delphine, or leave Delphine's love life out of the story. There will be plenty of cozy fans who skip through the book to avoid Delphine's lusty adventures (at least in my library).

Bahni Turpin's voice acting was quite good.

It's hard to say whether I loved the talented narrator or the voicey writing of the protagonist, Glory, by Danielle Arceneaux more. Part cozy, part straight up women's fiction. Original, plucky, and makes Lafayette LA atmospheric and quirky. Great series debut!

This was a really fun southern mystery!

I love that Glory was an older woman. I usually can only count on Terry McMillan to develop strong 45+ Black women lead characters, but Danielle Arceneaux did a really good job.

There were a lot of plot twists I never saw coming that often made sense. But, what really won me over was the way that Louisiana culture and people were central to the story. I could almost hear the accents and taste the Slap Yo’ Mama lol.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5

Glory Be, indeed! I was eager to hear this cozy mystery from the POV of a sassy black southern woman,Glory Broussard. Set in Louisiana, which everyone knows is a character unto itself, there is a wealth of potential material to be mined for books to come - and come they will, as this is the first in the series.

When the story began, I wasn't so sure about Glory. She seemed a little too sharp tongued and judgmental. As the story progressed, and we find the flaws and humanity in her, Glory balances her gruff outward expressions with a vulnerability that she dare not show others.

I do wish some explanation or context around the order of Sisters of the Holy Family was provided. It was a bit confusing hearing of a Catholic order of nuns who did not seem to adhere to tenants that I am familiar with. I did look them up, thinking this may have been a fictional order, but found that this is a real order with a rich history that could have seasoned the mystery.

Bahni Turpin's narration proves once again why she is one of the best there is. She brings life and attitude to the characters for the listener. Her ability to inhabit accents and inflections of each persona is wonderful.

Glory Be is the beginning of what I know will be a beloved series with characters already lying in wait to have their say I look forward to meeting them all.

My Thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the ALC of of Glory Be in exchange for my honest opinion