3.5 stars

Consignment shop owner Reagan Summerside stars in a madcap, zany Southern romp. Reagan, her new fiance Walker Boone, her hound Bruce Willis and a crazy collection of relatives and friends get involved with the murder of two residents of a senior living home. Soon Reagan's free-spirited and free-tippling aunt Kiki has gone undercover at the nursing home to find the killers.

In the meantime, Reagan's two elderly friends and neighbors are accused of the crime and it's up to her to clear their names.

I have been a fan of this series and enjoyed the lighthearted and screwball fun. But this one seemed to be a bit off. The novel was trying so hard to be crazy that the beginning was extremely confusing, even though I had read the previous books. These are entertaining, but a little less frenetic start to the adventure and some gradual pacing would have improved the whole package. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Reagan and Walker are engaged. Their wedding needs to be planned in the charming southern town of Savannah. Walker has finally been cleared of murder, but now the seniors in Sleepy Pines Retirement Home are dying.
Elsie and Annie Fritz are the prime suspects when the police find a body buried in their garden.
Funny, laugh out loud, twists and turns that kept me wanting to turn the pages in this wonderfully written book by Duffy Brown.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this book.

I have looked forward tp this book for awhile. This is a fun romp through one of my very favorite cities. The mystery is well crafted, Brown's characters are so well developed and have so much depth, they grow with each book. I really enjoy the character Aunt Kiki. When you open up a new book in this series you feel as if your visiting old friends and cant wait to sit and have a drink with them in the sultry beautiful city of Savannah. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a well written, well plotted mystery. .

I enjoyed this book. Starting a series at book #5 can be challenging to the new reader and to the author. Duffy Brown has found the perfect balance between character background and hints at previous plots.
Reagan Summerside's Prissy Fox Consignment Shop has the first floor of Cherry House. Reagan lives in the upper floors and her new fiancee Walker Boone is joining her there.
When seniors at the Pines retirement home begin a dying spree, Regan and her Aunt KiKi team up to investigate.
A family containing a judge, and a dog named Bruce Willis (BW) keep Reagan busy. The town is full of interesting characters whose Southern small town charm made for a pleasant cozy.
The Martini recipes include some non-alcoholic versions to close out the book.

Cheating, scamming, murder, all in a day for Reagan Summerside.

Reagan is on top of the world.... Walker Boone just asked her to marry him!! What a time for Aunt Kiki to show up and need her to go with her to a wake. Willie Fishbine has passed away and they need to support Elsie Abbot and Annie Fritz, sisters who are criers at such events for extra money.
Arnett, Willie's not so grieving daughter looks a little too happy about her fathers passing. Reagan finds another dead body, in the backseat of Elsie and Annies car. There doesn't seem to be anyone upset besides Emmitt and Foley who both insist that Bonnie Sue was their girl. Reagan goes for help but when she returns there is no body. Later the sisters are caught trying to bury Bonnie Sue in their backyard, and it doesn't look good. They swear they are innocent.
Kiki decides to go undercover at the Sleepy Pines. Uncle Putter is out of town so they are sure they can find the right killers before he returns and that they can prove that Elsie and Annie did not kill anyone.

This series is crazy fun and quick to read. Very hard to put down. The characters are a blast!! I am looking forward to see what Uncle Putter has up his sleeve, and the approaching wedding of Reagan and Boone.

I want to Thank Netgalley for allowing me to read this book and post a review.

Finally, Reagan and her "Gang" of kooky players (her aunt, her boyfriend, the neighbors) , are back in action! It had been so long that at one point, I actually checked with amazon, to see if I missed a book, in the interum I love how some characters have "slaydar" and Reagan is one of them. I love how they are all so Southern and insult in such a southern manor. I love the outrageous "bribes" she comes up with to get her way. I also love that it is not so obious who did it, and I am kept guessing until almost the end of the book. There were quite a few unanswered questions, but I guess that's for the next book to answer. Can't wait.

Lethal in Old Lace is a delightful addition to this series by Duffy Brown. I absolutely love the characters - Reagan, Boone, BW, and Aunt Kiki. In this book Mamma played a bigger role than I remember her having in previous books and the Summerside girls were fantastic as always. I loved Boone's increased role in the shenanigans as well.

When Aunt Kiki gets blackmailed by a crafty juvenile to look into the death of a shyster, she and Reagan don't really want to participate, but they have no choice. Kiki soon finds herself enjoying a hazardous stay at The Pines and Reagan mixes wedding planning with investigative hijinks and some crazy brides-to-be. As they soon discover, the shyster's victims were everywhere giving them more than enough suspects.

While I really enjoyed this book, I felt like a couple of plot lines were left dangling at the end in a book that otherwise delivered all I'm looking for in a good cozy. I may have missed it, but the blackmail thread seemed to be dropped and Uncle Putter?

Reagan Summerside and Walker Boone are finally engaged! Nothing better than an old southern wedding, but before that happens, Reagan has to find out who killed Willie Fishbine and Bonnie Sue? They were both residents of the retirement home, Sleepy Pines. Reagan's neighbor's, sisters, Annie Fritz and Elise Abbot have a 'mourning' business with the retirement home. Now they are the top suspects in the killings. Didn't help any that they buried Bonnie Sue in their backyard! Can Reagan find out who the real killer is and why? Could her ex-husband be in on it? Will she be able to find the answers and still get the wedding everyone else wants her to have? You will need to read the book to find out. I received a copy of this book from Net Galley. The review is voluntarily done and my own opinion.

Reagan Summerside and Walker Boone are engaged and they have a wedding to plan. I lived in Savannah for many years. I still go back most weekends to enjoy the enchanting town squares and walk the beautiful beach on Tybee. There isn’t a lovelier place on the east coast for a wedding, as far as I am concerned. There also isn’t a better person to write about weddings, murder and mayhem than the lovely Duffy Brown! There is more than one dead body turning up in this fast-paced story. The mystery will keep you guessing until the end. At the end of this book you will be looking forward to the next installment in the Consignment Shop Mystery series. I was fortunate to receive an advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my rating, however. I have provided an unbiased and honest review.

Duffy Brown has written a wonderful continuation to Demise in Denim (indeed the two books could easily be read one after another as they are that seamless!) At the end of the previous book (the aforementioned Demise in Denim) Reagan Summerside and Walker Boone got engaged and that is where this starts, but within a couple of pages Reagan and her Aunt KiKi are off to a funeral, Walker is moving into Reagan's house and it gets madder and more fun from there on in with undercover work by KiKi and Reagan's mother, Reagan's neighbours getting arrested and released (thank you Walker Boone!) and of course the wonderful Bruce Willis is there as well. 5 well deserved stars!

NB - I was lucky enough to be granted an ARC by NetGalley and therefore reviewed before general release!

Duffy Brown has given her fans another entertaining book in the Consignment series with its hilarious cast of characters. With Walker Boone finally cleared of murder things seem to be settling down in Savannah, right? Wrong. Reagan just happens to find a dead body that seems to be moving around too much and seems to be tied into some shady business going on over at the local retirement center Sleepy Pines. In the middle of everything crazy, Walker finally proposes to the love of his life, Reagan. But who can plan a wedding as the mystery continues to grow?

Another delightful installment in Duffy Brown's Consignment Shop Mysteries. I loved sleuthing along with Regan as the newly engaged retailer foiled the dastardly plans of a murder running rampant at the local retirement home.

Fans of Duffy Brown’s Consignment Shop Mysteries have waited a long time for “Lethal in Old Lace,” and I’m thrilled to say this story is worth the wait! Easily the most comedic cozy series I know of; protagonist Reagan Summerside, her mother Judge Gloria, her Aunt Kiki, and several of the awesome recurring supporting characters such as Big Joey, Mercedes, and Earlene, are in fine form as they’re tagged to help Reagan steal a casket with a corpse from the funeral home and hide it. Then, they must track down a mysterious second corpse that’s making rounds about town. What the heck!? The mystery concerns a swindler and Kiki and Gloria go undercover in an assisted living home where drama Southern-style ensues. Aunt Kiki’s serving martini’s on the porch! LOL! I had a suspicion about the culprits; however, the final reveal was certainly surprising.

I love that Walker Boone and Reagan are rapidly moving forward with their relationship. ❤️ Bruce Willis, the rescue pup is as loveable and brave as ever. I highly recommend this book and the entire series!

Drink Recipes to try (martini’s).

I voluntarily read and reviewed a digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books.

First, a disclosure: I requested to review Lethal in Old Lace because The Consignment Shop Mystery series is one of my favorites. The wild cast of characters is great, each adding color in their own way. The setting is wonderful too, but I am biased in that I love Savannah.

The story opens exactly where the old one left off. I loved that, but I can see where those unfamiliar with the series might be a little confused. Reagan accepts Walker's proposal, and the shenanigans immediate begin.

I loved how prominent a role Aunt Kiki played in this book. We got to spend much more time with her. We also got to see a lot more of Mamma as well. Overall, the book was fast-paced and fun. Just how I like them!

Reagan Summerside, Auntie Kiki, Walker Boone, Bruce Willis and more return in this fun and engaging new installment of Duffy Brown's Consignment Shop Mystery series. I've loved this series since the very beginning, but Brown has outdone herself with this one. Some of these things could only happen to Reagan Summerside. Filled with southern charm and tradition and a whole bunch of zany characters that you will simply adore, the Consignment Shop Mystery series is the cozy mystery genre at its best. Tons of twists and turns will keep you guessing to the very end. Highly recommended!

Lethal in Old Lace is a humorous mystery. A body keeps getting moved while the police are looking for him. A second body is buried in the garden and then moved as well. The reader must stay alert to follow the bodies. I found the book to be interesting, creative and challenging, although enjoyable.

This is a sweet, funny cozy mystery series with zany supporting-characters and a very likable heroine. This installment opens at the end of the previous volume. Reagan's happy ending dreams are coming true - she just has to survive until her wedding.

I love this series. I love Reagan and I especially adore her Auntie Kiki. In their latest adventures, mayhem has been added to the phrase “love and marriage” as Reagan and Aunt Kiki try to clear the name of their neighbor when first a body was there, then it wasn’t, then it was found again. Hilarity ensures with this duo as they search for a killer in all that they do. I’m laughing now as I write my musing.

I can always count on Duffy to have me laughing immediately in this fast-paced read that I could not put down until the last page was read. Well-written with a comfortable tone, it is easy to follow the antics in this humorous mystery that kept me engrossed in all that was happening from the proposal, to finding the body, to losing the body, to someone else finding the body, to helping the sisters, to a surprise willing accomplice, to infiltrating the den of iniquity to everything Walker that defines how well this story was being told. The author did a great job in providing plenty of suspects and planting clues with some key twists and turns that enhanced the telling of this tale. The narrative was visually descriptive letting me see and feel all that was facing the various characters while enjoying this novel. When I thought I had a handle on who the likely killer was, the author changed directions and wow, never saw that one coming. The main characters, including BW, all played pivotal roles that led to the capture of the killer. All in all, this was one of the best book in the series and I can’t wait to see where we go next with Reagan, Walker, Aunt Kiki and the rest of the gang in this delightfully entertaining series.

Funny, fast reading and extremely enjoyable. I really liked this cozy mystery and, even if I didn't read the previous book in this series, I had no problems in understanding the characters and the relationships amongst them.
Thanks to netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the chance to read and review this book