First, my apology for being gone so long. Lots of things, which I won’t bore you with. But Elaine  Faber’s new book forces me to come back.  In case you don’t know her, she has written 5 books in this humorous historical mystery series, plus a nice series of cat mysteries.   She has won many awards, including three NCPA awards for books in this “Mrs. Odboddy” fiction series. Here’s a little about this new book, set in northern California during world war II.

Mrs. Odboddy and the Conniving Candidate

Agnes tiptoed down the hall, stepped into the kitchen and glanced out the window into the back yard. The sun cast a glow over the garden, turning the apple blossoms a pale shade of pink. She sighed. All’s right with the world; at least in her part of the world. The war still raged across Europe, affecting some of her friends with tragic loss of loved ones, but today promised to be another safe and sunny day, without immediate threat to their Northern California town.

Agnes lit a match, held it under the front stove burner, and slowly turned on the right-hand knob. Blue flames danced around the burners. She filled the tea kettle, set it on the stove, and carefully measured exactly six tablespoons of coffee into her drip coffee maker. A few grains spilled from the spoon onto the stove-top. She carefully swept the sacred coffee into her hand and back into the coffeepot. Couldn’t waste a single grain. Thank goodness there was no longer a restriction of one pound of coffee per adult every six weeks

.The sound of voices in the front yard drew her to the living room. She yanked back the curtain, peeked out the window, and caught her breath. “What the Sam Hill?” Two men leaned over her front lawn campaign posters. One man held a can of red paint and the other brushed paint, defacing the poster touting her candidacy for Newbury City Council.

Agnes rushed back to the kitchen, grabbed a broom, threw open the front door, and stomped onto the porch. “Get the heck off my lawn, you rapscallions, before I have the law on you. What do you think you’re doing?”

The men grabbed their paint supplies and scurried toward a 1938 Hudson, idling at the curb. Agnes bounded down the front steps and across the lawn. She smacked the broom on the Hudson’s trunk as it pulled from the curb. “And stay away!” She turned toward the campaign sign. Red paint dripped off the cardboard poster onto the grass. A bright red mustache marred the image of her upper lip and across the silver chopsticks sticking akimbo from her hennaed bun. At least the vandals hadn’t defaced the determined glare in her eyes that expressed her intention to fill the empty position left by the recent arrest of the previous city council chairman.

****

Thus begins the latest Mrs. Odboddy adventure, Mrs. Odboddy and the Conniving Candidate, as she begins her political campaign to right the wrongs of the current city council members who discriminate against women in business. Who would expect how a political campaign could turn your world upside down when your opponent is an unscrupulous reprobate?

The subplot is even more intriguing as granddaughter, Katherine’s ex-fiancé returns to town, admitting his mistake for leaving her at the altar the previous year, and now, declaring his undying love! But how can she kick him to the curb when, repeatedly, he comes to the family’s aid when troubles arise at home, in campaign headquarters, and at the local church?

Like her other adventures, with Mrs. Odboddy and the Conniving Candidate, you can expect lots of laughs, Agnes’s outrageous behavior and caustic comments, a bit of history involving the WWII era, and a compelling mystery. Just $3.99 for an Amazon e-book. I know you will enjoy Mrs. Odboddy and the Conniving Candidate.  click here:  

https://tinyurl.com/48c77skh

From Jim, thanks for your time today.  If you  like a cozy historical mystery set during WWII, but a mystery set in a California town election, this is a great choice.  I’m sure you will enjoy it.  It’s number 5 in a successful series. It’s a stand alone novel, but after reading it, you’ll probably want to read some of the earlier books in this fun series.