Cherry Tucker is a starving artist, a sassy Georgia girl, and a magnet for trouble. When her friend Eloise dies of poisoned Brunswick Stew eaten at an art fair where the two of them are vendors, she’s determined to find out who committed the crime.
Her boyfriend, Luke Harper, is a deputy in the sherrif’s office, and the sherrif is Cherry’s uncle. Neither of them wants her interfering, but it would take more than that to discourage Cherry. With suspicious activities in the Ladies Auxiliary bingo games and Cherry’s nemesis Shawna getting physical, Cherry has more than her menfolks’ disapproval to deal with — and that’s not even counting the really dangerous people.
Cherry Tucker is memorable, funny, and sharp. Her narrator’s voice is shrewd and witty, describing the people and circumstances with insight. The other characters, including the continuing characters in the series, are complex and colorful. This story is filled with action and with details that bring the imaginary towns of Halo and Sidewinder to life. There’s a splash of romance in the book, but we’re left with the feeling that the next book will have to straighten out Cherry’s messy love life.
Like the first book in the series, Portrait of a Dead Guy, this one includes discussion questions for book groups.