Month: December 2017

Title: Something’s Fishy In Palm Springs

Author/Publisher: Michelle Ann Hollstein

Year Released: 2008

Hi, Guys! I’m back with another book review for indie author/publisher, Michelle Hollstein.  Yes, I just did a review of her book, Deadly Withdrawal, the first book in her Aggie Underhill Mystery series. Something’s Fishy In Palm Springs is Hollstein’s second foray into mystery writing, and finds her attractive, albeit “too nosy for her own good” protagonist, Ms Aggie Underhill, once again involved in a mystery that goes from missing to murder, with a couple kidnappings mixed in, when a beautiful online dating site owner/ part-time actress goes missing, a fish is kidnapped and a murder occurs during a party for the fishy. Yes, I said a party for the fishy. In this book, readers are further introduced to Betty, Aggie’s best friend for over twenty years, and Roger, Betty’s flamboyant cousin, whom she found during an online family search.

Overall, I give the book four out of five stars. There are grammatical errors and misspellings throughout the book, and I felt the ending was a little too convenient. With that said, I think that Something’s Fishy In Palm Springs is a great second effort into this new genre, and look forward to seeing how Hollstein’s plots and characters develop over the next eight books in the series. If you’re looking for a light, “quirky” mystery series, you need to check out the Aggie Underhill Mystery series by Michelle Ann Hollstein. For the holidays, I’m reading Maid In Heaven, the third book in the Aggie Underhill series, and will have a review soon afterward.

Title: Deadly Withdrawal

Author/Publisher: Michelle Ann Hollstein

Year of Release: 2008

What starts as a simple visit to the bank turns out to be much more for the attractive, fifty-something widow, Aggie Underhill in Michelle Ann Hollstein’s “quirky” first novel in her Aggie Underhill Mystery series.

While waiting to open a savings account for her grandson at the local bank in the small North Carolina town where Aggie’s daughter, Sarah-Underhill Ferguson and son-in-law, Everette Ferguson – a US Marine, currently overseas, live with their son, Aggie’s grandson, Shawn, Aggie encounters a host of characters, and learns that the bank has been subject to several robberies and the recent murder of a security guard. And, as if that’s not enough, while she is there, a police detective, who is at the bank to investigate the recent murder, is murdered herself in the break room of the bank, and two teenage boys come in to rob the place, one of them holding a gun! Being “too nosy for her own good”, as her daughter tells her, Aggie can’t help but get involved in solving this mystery.

Who is responsible for the murders? Why is the bank such a prime target for robberies? Does Aggie get to open the savings account for her grandson?! All of these answers, and more can be found by reading “Deadly Withdrawal”.

The first time I was introduced to Aggie Underhill was when I read “The Case Of The Haunted Address” by Michelle Ann Hollstein. All I can say is I’m sorry I didn’t meet Aggie ten years ago. When I read “The Case Of The Haunted Address”, I pegged Aggie Underhill as a cross between Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and Ms Jessica Fletcher, no-nonsense but with a touch of whimsy. While reading the character list at the beginning of “Deadly Withdrawal”, I saw where she is from England and spends time in the US, visiting her daughter’s family. The book will also introduce you to a host of other characters, each with their own quirks and agendas.

There are currently ten books in the Aggie Underhill series, and I wanted to start at the beginning, so I’m about ten years late with this review. At this time I’m reading the second book in the series, “Something’s Fishy In Palm Springs”. Future review to come. As always, you can visit Michelle’s website at michellehollstein.com for a complete list of her Aggie Underhill Mysteries and her other books.