A Body in the Backyard

A Myrtle Clover Mystery, Book 4

By: Elizabeth Spann Craig

Narrated by: Cathy Schrecongost

It’s just an ordinary day for octogenarian sleuth Myrtle Clover - until her yardman discovers a dead body planted in her backyard. This death isn’t cut and dried - the victim was bashed in the head with one of Myrtle’s garden gnomes.

Myrtle’s friend Miles recognizes the body and identifies him as Charles Clayborne... reluctantly admitting he’s a cousin. Charles wasn’t the sort of relative you bragged about - he was a garden variety sleaze, which is very likely why he ended up murdered. As Myrtle starts digging up dirt to nip the killings in the bud, someone’s focused on scaring her off the case. Myrtle vows to find the murderer... before she’s pushing up daisies, herself.

©2012 Elizabeth Spann Craig (P)2013 Elizabeth Spann Craig

Myrtle Is Quite the Gal

I love this series! The narrator for this book almost ruined the story for me. Myrtle is always up to something and just loves to snoop. My kind of gal. I wonder what is going to happen with her and Miles, something good I hope. I hope Red doesn't put Myrtle in "the home"! It isn't for everyone.
The narrator is bad, she reads like the book it is a Dick and Jane story. Maddening really, but the story is worth it!

Nice story, narration could have been much better

Would you try another book from Elizabeth Spann Craig and/or Cathy Schrecongost?

I'd try another book by this author but I'd avoid the narrator.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

This wasn't an edge of your seat kind of mystery. It was more a pleasant diversion, brain candy.

What didn’t you like about Cathy Schrecongost’s performance?

There was very little animation. There were parts of this story that would have been laugh out loud funny with the right inflections in the narration. The performance was slow and deliberate. The reading was very obviously just that, reading. It was slow and methodical, no mispronounced words but no emotion. It was a struggle to finish the book.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Probably not.

not a great narrator

next time get a narrator who can use different voices for the different characters

Different narrator

The books keep getting better as the series progresses. Some laugh out loud moments as this elderly sleuth suspects everyone around her of the murder committed. This gnome loving, horrible cook and her friends find out who "done it" in the end. The narrator was good, just jarring after getting used to the one for the rest of the books.

Love this series

I have read the first few books back to back. I love Mrytle and her relationship with Elaine and Red. The supporting characters are quirky and funny. The plot is light-hearted with enough suspense to keep the listener interested. I hope the next book is just as good if not better.