Bubba and the Dead Woman by C L Bevill

Bubba and the Dead Woman by C.L. Bevill
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 213

Blurb from Goodreads

Bubba Snoddy is a good old country boy with a big problem. Although he’s personable, handsome, and lives in a historical Southern mansion in a small Texas town, he has just discovered the dead body of a woman to whom he was once engaged to marry. His ex-fiancée was responsible for Bubba being thrown out of the military which in turn caused his shameful return to the tiny town of Pegramville, where everyone is a consummate gossip and no one has any secrets. Sheriff John Headrick believes Bubba killed his ex-fiancée in a fit of vengeful rage. The townsfolk believe that Bubba killed his ex-fiancée in a fit of vengeful rage. Bubba’s own mother believes that Bubba killed his ex-fiancée in a fit of vengeful rage. To top it all off, there are some mighty strange goings-on at the Snoddy Mansion, where ghosts walk the halls rattling chains in the midnight hour, and Bubba’s own sainted mother, Miz Demetrice, runs an illegal gambling ring. Rumors run merrily rampant about Bubba, decadent Snoddy ancestors, missing Civil War gold, a to-die-for sheriff’s deputy with the greenest eyes Bubba’s ever seen, and a Basset Hound named Precious who likes to nip first and ask questions later. Bubba has to find out exactly who did murder his ex-fiancée and quickly before he goes to jail for the crime, or before someone murders him.

Book one in the Bubba series.

This novel has been revised for errors. I don't guarantee that there aren't any in it, but there's a whole lot less now.


My Review

Bubba is living in a historical mansion, with his mother, in Texas. He is a catch by all accounts and a hard working chap with his dog Precious. When a dead body is found in the grounds at his house and found to be his ex fiance, he is arrested. He gets out and starts his own investigation, why was she back, who wanted to kill her and could he be in danger?

This book really missed the mark for me, his mother is a card and the humour these guys have is what saved the book from a 1 star rating. The murder and actions of the investigating police was farcical, a lot of the dialog is stretched and so descriptive when one simple sentence would suffice. Some of the things the characters said. For example "He drank gratefully from it, sighing with relief at the influx of the much-needed addictive substance into his body". Or "That's a loose tooth all right. It's my professional opinion, based on years of advanced training in the area of human medicines, and years of practice that you should have a shot of twelve-year-old scotch, and then go see a dentist. Now lemme have a look at that eye". Just lots and lots of paragraphs like that really detracted from the enjoyment and the story for me. However, lots of people love it and felt it was fitting with the setting of the book.

You always get answers to most of your questions which again is for me always a good thing, however, the whole tale was just a bit silly and out there. Even the tongue in cheek humour and great character of his mother wasn't enough to rescue this book for me. I wouldn't read any more of this series but I would try the author again, 2/5 for me this time. I think this may be a marmite book as, like I said, many people seem to love it, it just was not for me.

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