by Nancy Bell
Page-Turner of the Week
BIGGIE WEATHERFORD IS AN ECCENTRIC of Lone Star state proportions. As her neighbors in the East Texas town of Job's Crossing know—and readers of this deliciously funny mystery will soon discover—Biggie would rather literally cool her heels in her fridge than use air-conditioning and keeps supper's catfish swimming in the toilet bowl. But she really hits her stride when she and her 11-year-old grandson J.R. start investigating some spooky events, including a car bombing and a death over angel food cake.
As it turns out, food—much of it savory Cajun cooking by Biggie's maid—plays a key role in this first novel from Bell, a sorority house mother at the University of Texas in Austin. But along with all the fried chicken and gumbo (recipe provided), Bell serves up a tangy puzzler and a banquet of saucy characters—who definitely rate a return visit. (St. Martin's, $21.95)
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