It has been a few years since the last Cackleberry Club story, but these ladies were as fun and fresh as always. This is the ninth book in the series and even though each mystery is self-contained, you will enjoy this story more if you are familiar with the characters and the journey they have taken together. Egg Shooters starts off with a bang literally, with the shooting at the hospital. He kills the security guard and shoots the receptionist, before Suzanne throws a thermos of chili at him and he takes off. Suzanne chases him, but he has disappeared. Where did he go? It seems like he was robbing the pharmacy and a nurse in that area is also injured. The wife of the victim has asked Suzanne to help solve the crime, so what can she do?

This series has a great cast of characters led by a main character that is intelligent, witty and a strong female protagonist. Suzanne and Toni get into several scrapes while Petra cooks up a storm in the kitchen for the Cackleberry Cafe. I love Sheriff Dougie. I love his "southernisms" and his laid back personality, even though he is pretty smart. The setting is wonderful and I love the quirky town and secondary characters. This story was face paced and well-plotted. Suzanne had some great intuition in this one as she put together motives and suspects. Suzanne's investigation in this one was a bit different from others in this series, as there was a lot of turmoil and emotional distress caused by her questioning and accusations. Once again, there is danger and Suzanne takes some chances that were ill advised, but she comes through unscathed. There are a few side stories in this one, but they all come together in the end with the exciting reveal. I enjoyed this one and recommend this series to those who enjoy cozy mysteries.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this title. Years ago, I read a few by this author and enjoyed them. Unfortunately, they just aren't to my taste any longer. Since I didn't finish it, I will not be posting a review online.

"Egg Shooters " the 9th instalment in the "Cackleberry Club" Mystery series by Laura Childs. It has been awhile since I read the series having only read up to book 6, but I really enjoyed visiting Kindred and the Cackleberry Club Cafe again.

The story starts off with a bang literally, with the shooting at the hospital, I think with everything that’s been happening in America right now some aspects of the book could unsettle some people. It touches on PTSD as well as drug addiction but not in any great detail.

Now with that all said I did really enjoy this story, and it has made me want to catch up on the series. The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed. I especially love the dynamics between Suzanne, Toni and Petra as they are so different from each other but meld perfectly together.

I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit, I did suspect the killer for a quick second then thought no way. I also suspected the getaway vehicle from the beginning and was why aren’t they thinking of this.

Now I loved the recipes that are included in the back of the book.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkley and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

EGG SHOOTERS is the ninth book in the Cackleberry Club Mystery series by Laura Childs. One of the hallmarks of the books written by Ms. Childs is her ability to start the story off with a bang, and in this case it’s a literal bang. The action and mystery are foremost and draws the reader in, making them want to know what happens next. That said, I found this particular book to be a bit jarring with the opening random violence that’s targeted against innocent people. As the story progresses and as the protagonist, Suzanne Dietz, and her two friends investigate, the reasoning for the violence becomes clearer, albeit not any more palatable. I also thought that Suzanne took too many unrealistic and harebrained chances in her investigation. While she may have come through unscathed, she left emotional upheaval in her wake that left me feeling uncomfortable. I did enjoy the relationship and repartee between the three friends and the setting of the Cackleberry Club Café is charming as well as delicious. The mystery itself is well-paced and there were enough clues and suspects to keep me guessing. With a heart-pounding reveal, the threads of the plot come together into a cohesive story.

Suzanne takes dinner to Sam, who's working the ER in the hospital. While there, the pharmacy is robbed and a security guard killed. Suzanne, as a witness, gets involved in the search to identify the killer. Recipes included.

Laura Childs' latest offering in the Cackleberry Club mystery series; entitled Egg Shooters.
Didn't manage to land anywhere near the unputdownable read target this go round.
Though all of the usual suspects and just enough new ones to make the story at least somewhat plausible. Were present and accounted for. With leading lady, Suzanne Dietz, front and center. Always managing to be in the wrong place at just the right time to bear witness to a murder.
This being her 9th.
I tell you...
It's high time that someone traded in her chef's hat and tea cozy for a sheriff's badge and a gun.
But I digress.

So...
We have Suzanne, minding her own business. Just stopping in at the hospital to bring her fiance some chili. When a gunman enters the waiting room. Shoots both the nurse and the security guard
Killing the poor guard.
But miracle of miracles.
Suzanne is not only unharmed. But is also able to send our murderous assailant running for the hills. After she manages to hit him in the face with a thermos full of lunch.

Time to trot out the suspects and innuendo.
And make the introductions of those "new people in town".
Who could very well have ties to either the murder or the underlying reason that contributed to said murder.
Which in this case is drugs.

Now that the proverbial chessboard has been set.
All we have to do is sit and watch as the pieces move along their prescribed routes.
Starting with our heroine wanting to "help solve the case".
And ending with her outsmarting both the sheriff and the killer.
Almost getting herself killed...
But not...AGAIN!
And managing to singlehandedly solve yet another murder. In the sleepy little town where "things like this just don't happen."
Oh...
And there are recipes In the back.
In short.
Though this book is undoubtedly well written. The story is...
More boring than watching paint dry in Siberia.
Let's face it.
The best part of the whole ordeal is the murder.
SMH!!!
Better luck next time Miss Childs.
Because apparently, nine times is not the charm.

*Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing the review copy on which this honest critique is based.

I am normally a big fan of the Cackleberry Club Café series by Laura Childs (and her other cozy series). Unfortunately, I found this one to be disjointed and choppy. I missed the usual sassy dialogue in the previous books. I hesitated to write this review as I didn’t want other readers to quit following the series due to my unflattering review of this book. This one might be the series book to skip and look forward to the next which will, I’m sure, return to the delightful books in this series.