  Reason for Concern: Mrs. B Mystery by Anita Kulina Publisher: Brandt Street Press (August, 2019) Category: Cozy Mystery, Women Sleuths Tour dates: October & November, 2019 ISBN:978-1-950836-01-7 Available in Print and ebook, 240 pages Description Reason for Concern: Mrs. B Mystery by Anita KulinaMrs. B is back on the case with a new mystery to solve! People don’t vanish into thin air. Yet no one has seen Alice since St. Mary’s Senior Center had their Supper Club outing on Sunday. As Mrs. B learns more about her friend, the disappearance seems to involve a burglary, an emerald necklace and maybe even a motorcycle gang. Where in heaven’s name is Alice? Buy Reason for Concern: Mrs. B Mystery by Anita Kulina Amazo | BarnesandNoble | IndieBound REVIEW by LAWonder10: This book is a pleasant read, when wanting to relax. It also provides a couple of great points for discussion at Book Clubs. Mrs. B and Anne are members of St. Mary's Senior Center. While a carpool list was made, a new member, Alice, was left off. Mrs. B. & Anne included her with them. After the dining activity, Anne was nowhere to be seen. They looked everywhere, then determined she must have found a different ride home. However, when they arrived home and opened the trunk to take the purses they had stowed there out, Alice's was there. Who would go home without their purse? Alice was not at the Senior Center the next day, or the next, or the next.. The ladies tried in vain to find her. Isn't anyone else concerned about her being missing? The reader may be surprised with the ending of this mild mystery. The characters and scenes are well-developed and easily visualized. The Title and Book Cover are a good "fit". To me, it was slightly predictable and drawn out. However, it is a relaxing "quick read" for "lazy day" entertainment. It also provides topics for discussion, i.e. "Prejudgement", "Becoming More Aware of Others", "Relationships". I offer a Three Stars rating. *This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.
" I don’t know Alice very well,” Mrs. B said. “Is she the kind of person who would do this, disappear and you’d have to go look for her?” She pulled an old, faded blue handkerchief out of the pocket of her yellow blazer and wiped her hands. “ Beats me, I never talked to her before today,” Anne said, then added, “Well, that’s not entirely true. I used to see her down the Legion Hall but that was years and years ago, when I was married to my first husband. You know, on Saturday nights when they used to have the dances. We would say hello to each other there. But then her husband died, I remember he was only thirty-nine, can you believe it? Heart attack.” “That’s so sad,” Mrs. B said. “Two little kids, too. Alice never came down the Legion after that. I wasn’t even sure she was still in Burchfield until she showed up at the Senior Center last week. Never see her at the supermarket. She must go to the one in Rockwood. And we never see her at St. Mary’s. I think she might be Protestant.” Mrs. B was puzzled. “Didn’t you talk to her at crafts last week?" “No, no, remember, I was doing that silk embroidery with the mahjong ladies,” Anne said. “Oh, that’s right,” Mrs. B said. “I forgot. Did you finish that little purse you were working on?” “Friday afternoon I stitched the last feather on the fan. It really turned out cute, I’ll have to show you,” Anne said as she reached for the berry-stained handkerchief. “You know, when you told me you asked Lily if the mahjong ladies could show me how to sew like that, I was a little mad at you. I didn’t want to sit at their table. All those Chinese ladies. I never knew any Chinese ladies before. But as soon as I got used to it, I really had a lot of fun.” “I’m sorry for putting you in a spot,” Mrs. B said. “I didn’t realize.” Anne wiped her hands and handed the handkerchief back. “Oh, you were just being nice. I know I kept telling you and telling you I wanted to learn that silk embroidery. Ever since my first husband brought me back a robe from overseas. Oh, it was lovely, Edwina. I wish you could have seen it. Royal blue silk, you know, that heavy silk, with a big parrot all up and down the back.” She swept her arm to illustrate. “That one lady, the chunky one who always wears purple, I don’t know how to say her name, she was so patient, showing me how to do the stitches. Thank goodness for Lily, though, translating. We’d have done the whole week in pantomime.” Mrs. B folded the handkerchief so the berry stains were inside and put it back in her pocket. “Even with Lily’s accent, I always understand everything she says.” The sun glinted off the lion tamer’s big red coat as they rounded the last corner. “Poor Alice,” Mrs. B said. “Didn’t you feel bad this morning when we were all in our cars getting ready to leave and her name wasn’t on the list for carpool? I guess it happened because she was so new, but still. She had to feel awful, standing there all by herself. I’m glad we had room for her in your car.” Anne said, “Always room for one more, that’s my motto. But where the heck is she now?” They were at the front of the restaurant again, next to the tiger. A path at the end of the parking lot led to a sidewalk. A few little buildings were clustered along it, a block or two away. “She must have gone home with somebody else,” Mrs. B said. “You don’t think she would have walked down to those shops, do you?” “Let’s check before we head home.” They got back into the car, and Anne put her key in the ignition. “I’d hate to leave her stranded here.”  PRAISE! Question of Devotion: Mrs. B Mystery by Anita Kulina “I found it captivating and funny how one elderly lady’s typical life changes from doing games at a senior center to investigating a crime. The characters including Mrs. B are believable. For fans of The Murder She Wrote, Piriot, and Columbo, readers will love this book. I was engaged, entertained, and can’t wait for the next installment. Mrs. B is my new favorite lady detective. Smart, brave, and funny. Overall, I recommend A Question of Devotion to all.”-Danielle Urban of Urban Book Reviews “ This is a wonderful cozy mystery. Mrs. B is a sweet little old lady that knows everyone and everyone knows her. Most people might not think of her as a detective but that is not going to stop her search for the truth. I loved reading about her bumbling around on the internet. But I loved the interaction between her and Kelly. If you like cozy mysteries look no further. This one has a great story and some hair raising events. I will be looking forward to other books in this series.”-Jessica Bronder of J Bronder Book Reviews “I adored A Question of Devotion and Mrs. B. It’s my goal to be Mrs. B when I “grow up. The mystery in A Question of Devotion is shockingly not a murder! However, it was a nice change to have a mystery that involved a robbery rather than your typical cozy mystery book murder. Mrs. B gets involved because the man accused of the crime is her good friend’s son. With some quick deduction, Mrs. B is able to help her friend. Along the way, you’ll meet some interesting characters at the senior center, and you’ll feel like you’re part of the story through the way the author describes this neighborhood. I definitely recommend A Question of Devotion to all of you cozy mystery fans! This one’s a keeper. I can’t wait for more Mrs. B.”-Christy of Christy’s Cozy Corners “You know the warm glow you get from drinking a cup of hot tea or coffee? This book will warm your insides in the same way. For those of you who love frogs as much as I do, how about the pleasure you get from listening to the spring peepers at the beginning of each spring? Reading this book gives one the same feeling. Hmm. Is there such a thing as a warm, comforting mystery? If so, this one definitely falls into that category.”-Lisa of Lisa’s Writopia Achievement in Literature award from the Community of Hazelwood (in Pittsburgh PA)   About Anita Kulina Anita Kulina has been writing since she was nine years old and kneeling, pencil in hand, at the coffee table in a house very much like Mrs. B’s. Nowadays, she writes mystery books. When she’s not writing, she helps people tell their family stories. Anita’s other books are Millhunks and Renegades and A Question of Devotion: A Mrs. B Mystery. Website: http://www.brandtstreetpress.com/booksmain.html Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anita.k.smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anita-kulina-smith-4094812?trk=hp-identity-name
2 Comments
Anne
11/18/2019 08:49:21 am
Mrs. B is a real treasure and special and unique. I love these wonderful Mrs. B. books. Thanks. Leave a Reply. |
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