Perils of a Pregnant Sleuth

This was a great sequel in the Callahan Banks mystery, I had enjoyed the first book a lot. The first was a unique take on the mystery genre and I was interested from viewing the covers. Dershie McDevitt works really well in the mystery genre and I enjoyed going on this journey with the characters. I look forward to reading more from the author.

"Callahan’s already making connections as Pepper gives voice to them. “If Chalmers is still using, prescription drugs are harder to get when you’re a doc in a different state. Le Perroquet could have been his source and Trad’s as well."

I enjoyed this book. I didn’t like some of the characters but I enjoyed the ending. I was definitely surprised by who the killer is. #PerilsofaPregnantSleuth #NetGalley

I love a good mystery and a good love connection, even if one of them is fighting it. This book delivered on all fronts and is so well written, i couldn’t put it down.

Full of quirky characters who live on the island along with Callahan and Pepper, you find yourself questioning who’s quirky and who’s hiding dark deeds. I hope there is more to come in this one as I am completely vested in life in Timicau Island!

Callahan Banks, six months pregnant and fiercely independent, spends as much, if not more, time struggling to figure out if she is in love with the father of her child and wants to spend her life with him as trying to find out who is killing people on the small barrier island of South Carolina where she lives. There are quirky characters and adorable triplets that will steal your heart in this story that I say is heavier a woman struggling to figure out if the man she is involved with is "the one" and how to be a strong independent woman in a marriage to a man who is use to managing things, but is willing to try if she will help than a mystery. But there are definitely people dying on this beautiful island and it may just end up being a precocious child who solves the mystery instead of an adult.

The writer has created rich characters and writes beautifully of the flora and fauna of this isolated barrier island. I did not read the first book in this series so I don't know if Callahan did more of the investigating in that one than she did in this one. It was entertaining, funny and heart-warming to see that love can triumph if you are willing to give it a chance and to compromise.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Callahan Banks, is thirty-two years old, six months pregnant, and living in the wilds of her childhood home on Timicau Island. The baby's father, Pepper Dade, owns the island and is determined to marry her and raise their child together.

A body is found wrapped in barbed wire. Then, a further two bodies are found. There is a limited number of suspects, all who live on the island. Suspicions and tensions mount.
Can Callahan and her band of boy triplet detectives find the murderer? Will Callahan and her baby have a home with the father of her child?

This book was a joy to read as the author clearly knows, or had researched, the various forms of wild-life you might find on one of Charleston’s Sea Islands – the Coastal barrier islands from the deltas of the 2 rivers that exit nearby.
We learnt about biology and alligators and how long it takes them to eat and how often; and not-lizards (anoles) and that they hibernate, and there is even a sub species that is native to the area called Anolis-carolensis, which is green, lives in trees and is an iguana lizard (yes I can research too); and the bald eagles; and mullets – yes there is a theory that the less oxygen in the water the more the mullet jump.
That said, it is not an area I would like to live, too muggy, boggy, and too many mosquitoes (I’m allergic to their bites) and other insects – fire ants for instance! But I guess if you were already living in Charleston, none of that will faze you and you might think it idyllic to live in a wild park. Certainly, you might think a safe place to bring up 3 very lively, intelligent boys – triplets no less! The worst of all boys to deal with I should imagine as there can always be 1 or 2 to contradict the other/s.
So, a very different setting for this murder mystery. And add to that the triplets with their boundless energy, imagination and inquisitiveness and a very pregnant biology professor they befriend, and the scene is set for mayhem and general chaos as the island acquires new residents, not all with a stainless background it seems.
I liked this story with its characters and the description of our heroine and her personal voice in the narration. Her explanation of her emotions and beliefs and upbringing being somewhat different from the accepted norm, and thus colouring her outlook to life and her pregnancy and potential marriage. Nicely written in a low key and gently humorous manner.

I grabbed this book because the cover is awesome. It is a cute fluffy read with many different zany characters. It's really two stories in one, an adorable love story with a mysterious murder sprinkled in.
The main character, Callahan, is pregnant and trying to figure out if she wants to marry the father of her baby, Pepper. Callahan was raised to be very independent, so marriage is a big step for her. Pepper doesn't want to change her in the slightest and this makes him my favorite character ever.
I only wish that I knew this is the second book in the series because reading the first would have probably helped me keep track of all the characters. It was a struggle to remember who was who. I highly recommend that you read the first book before this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Books Go Social for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

The title effectively draws your attention while the cover is eye-catching but it's the delightful characters that McDevitt creates that draw you into this world. So much substance in this story that digs deep into her relationship with Pepper and her commitment issues which stem from her mother's own issues. McDevitt succeeds in delving into Callahan's struggles as a headstrong and independent woman, now pregnant and needing to rely on someone else, at least a little bit. This is a struggle that she faces throughout the mystery and learning her limits being pregnant aren't the same as before. Their relationship is genuinely done and has a nice pay-off at the end of the mystery. The island is a great setting that has this quirky surface and a tinge of darkness underneath that takes you into this gorgeous backdrop filled with various dangers. The characters are such a treat such as little Tom, Dick, and Harry who are rambunctious triplets that have the souls of the Hardy boys and the Goonies combined. These children are truly entertaining and their way of speaking is perfectly akin to the way children behave such as their storytelling abilities - digging as fast as hungry groundhogs and mama doesn't do good at being adventurous. They love adventure and have a knack for finding trouble which is a little worrisome since one of their quests - this one to find buried treasure - leads them to a dead body. Dialogue is authentic and crafted for each character so each one sounds different while pairing well with the overall tone of the mystery which is ultimately lighthearted with a serious edge and an almost gritty underbelly. The writing style is phenomenal with delightful phrases that shine, such as lightning scribbles, the roar of pounding rain, muzzy headed, chalk-on-blackboard screech, and Dr. Redpath has mustaches in his ears. Highly recommended!

I think the author has set the bar high here. Will look forward to the next book and hope it is as good as this one. Overall 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Callahan is 6 month pregnant and has returned to childhood home on Timicau Island, South Carolina. But there are complications. The baby’s father, a wealthy forty-two-year-old bachelor, Pepper Dade, owns the island and is determined to marry her and raise their son together. Some children find a body in the swamps and it seems one of the locals is a killer. More bodies show up and if Pepper wants to be a father, he and Callahan will have to flush out the killer. Good mystery and interesting characters.

Perils of a Pregnant Sleuth is the second Callahan Banks mystery by Dershie McDevitt. Released 30th Sept. 2022, it's 280 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a light small town cozy romance/mystery featuring a biology professor with a complicated romance/relationship situation who is drawn into a murder mystery by happenstance and a trio of precocious 9 year old triplets. The setting is a rural island in coastal South Carolina. Taking a break from her teaching duties for an extended maternity leave after the loss of her mother, she's not interested in marriage (or is she?).

For readers who do not want strong romance subplots in their mysteries, this might not be the best choice. Additionally, the third person present tense voice takes a bit of getting used to (but does soon fade into the background): "Callahan's so deep into her ruminations that it takes her a minute to hear someone coming up the steps to her deck. There's a thud and then another on that outside staircase, the only one in the house". The writing is direct and unvarnished and disarmingly simple.

The plot is well constructed. It's a small town cozy, so readers should bring a solid suspension of disbelief to the read. Overall, it's quite good and in some ways it reminds me of a southern US version of Elly Griffiths' excellent Ruth Galloway mysteries.

Four stars. Although it's the second book in the series, it works very well as a standalone. It would make a good mini-binge or buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.