A mystery, on an island off the coast of Georgia, complete with all things peach and an island ghost. What's not to like? This is the third book in the series by Kate Young featuring Marygene Brown, diner owner, baker extraordinaire and amateur detective. She gets help along the way by a cast of fun characters including her best friend who frequently speaks with an overwhelming amount of southern idioms, Javier, the sheriff who shows signs of romantic interest in Marygene, and the ghost of her mother who pops in on occasion to provide information and offer limited protection.
The plot is entertaining and unique, featuring a wedding reception that is a murder mystery event. It gets more entertaining when Marygene walks around inside the reception tent and almost stumbles on the bride's body. No problem, the bride wanted to be the "victim" in the event. Something has gone wrong, though, because it appears the bride is actually dead. Before that can be confirmed, the body disappears and the mystery starts in earnest. Is she dead? If so, how did the killer move the body? If not, where is she?
To make things more confusing, the bride was marrying Marygene's ex boyfriend, who seems to go off the deep end. He leaves the island, only to return with a detective who seems to be out to prove both the island's sheriff's department, run by Marygene's father and Marygene herself are complicit in the murder; perhaps with help from Marygene's best friend.
All in all this is a lively romp through a cozy mystery that will entertain, bring smiles, and, perhaps, provide a few recipes to readers who are interested in trying them. It's the third in a series, so there are some relationship issues that have been growing since the first book. If you are a reader who likes to follow relationship developments, you are probably going to want begin with the first book in the series although the mystery itself is complete within this novel.
My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel for review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I hadn't read the previous books in this series and wish that I had. Young did a good job of filling in some back stories but I was really struggling with why Marygene Brown would have ever been involved with Alex Myers.
In this book, he's marrying another woman, Lucy. And Lucy is... well, let's go with she's a jerk. And a bridezilla. When Lucy ends up dead after the wedding, Marygene becomes an obvious suspect but Alex also wildly accuses his own cousin, Betsy, who is Marygene's best friend.
The book is a wild romp with some pretty outrageous exploits on the part of our heroine who is pulled into the mystery, not by her own curiosity, but because she seems to be part of some collateral damage.
I hope that future books don't fall into the love triangle that could result as a part of the end of this book but I think Young is sidestepping that possibility (thank goodness.) I did enjoy the fact that Marygene's ghostly mother was used lightly.

Three stars
Follows Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse
This book comes out April 27th
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Kate Young has a knack for the cozy mystery genre.
I’ll happily read her books anytime


Witty, enjoyable read like a cozy mystery book should read. Characters who make you laugh, you find relatable and enjoy their story make it that much more enjoyable.

Marygene is such a good friend and better person than I. Alex is marring a she devil but Marygene does her best that is until he accuses her of killing his bride. Betsy is her ride or die friend and they are on the case. I enjoyed the mystery and characters. It’s time she moves on from Alex and finds someone deserving of her. The turns and twist this book takes keeps you on your toes never knowing where it will lead.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. Had some nice twists and turns that kept me guessing.
Marygene is trying to be a good person and cater the wedding of Alex (her ex) and Lucy. Lucy seems to be difficult to like, as most people in town agree. The problems begin to arise when the bride is thought to have died at the wedding, except the body has disappeared.
There is a lot of finger pointing, family turning on family, and lies and truths that are being revealed at every turn. Great story, loved the characters especially Aunt Vi. So glad Marygene ended up with who she did! (Sorry no spoiler).
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A promising read by this great author, as usual.... I enjoyed the premise & the story clipped along at a great pace. Thanks for the ARC!

I am becoming a huge fan of the cozy mystery genre due to books like this. You can read this as an escape from the everyday in a weekend. A really good mystery.

I have read a lot of cozy mysteries and this one ended up being only okay for me. There was definitely some original thinking (the murder mystery themed wedding!) but in the end I could see the killer from miles away and I was bored for much of the book. It did have a great setting and the characters were well done. I liked the food mentions and enjoyed the writing. Overall the plot and mystery left me wanting a lot more.

Georgia’s peach cove island is getting ready for a wedding but a murder has occurred that will change the course of actions for the day. Marygene always thought that she was going to marry her childhood sweetheart. However, that was not how her life played out. Yet she does get to do the next best thing, cater his wedding to Lucy Carmichael. Lucy is not your typical happy bride to be. During the wedding, where most of the island will be in attendance, the plan is to have a murder mystery also. Marygene has a secret. Her mothers ghost speaks to her. That is how she knew something was going to go awry. A young bride found dead and then her body goes missing brings a sleuth out of Marygene. Most do not like Lucy so the possibility’s are endless of those on the suspect list. However the ending was not what I expected nor even thought about. This is a very cute mystery that takes your breath away as you begin the end.

Thanks to netgalley as well as the author for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

SOUTHERN SASS AND A BATTERED BRIDE, the third book in the Marygene Brown Mystery series by Kate Young, grabbed my attention from the very first and captivated me until the last page was read. The quirky, loveable characters pulled me in and the twisty-turvey plot made this book a “just one more chapter” read through the night story. Protagonist Marygene, is as southern as they come. Despite her longtime sweetheart marrying her detested nemesis, Marygene and her sister agree to cater the wedding after being asked and do so with more grace than what seemed possible. When the bridezilla is found murdered, just after the ceremony, Marygene and her best friend/cousin, Betsy, become prime suspects. To make the scenario even more intriguing is Marygene’s ghostly mama, who shows up to lend support and an occasional clue in solving the crime. I’ve enjoyed watching the growth of the characters over the course of this series, and that includes Marygene’s Mama’s ghost. The creative and quirky twists on the characters adds to the overall entertainment.

The plot flowed at a quick pace which kept me turning pages. With action galore and snippets of humor to lighten the scenes, Ms. Young weaves in clues to keep the reader guessing. While I had my suspicions about the culprit, I wasn’t quite sure and I waffled back and forth as I was sucked in by misdirection. The heart pounding reveal contained another unexpected twist and has me waiting impatiently for the next book in this Southern Sass cozy series!

Marygene and her sister own the Peach Diner and whip up multitudes of mouthwatering dishes and desserts. With Marygene’s father experiencing some health issues, she’s determined to bake up healthier treats so he doesn’t feel deprived. I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the author’s recipes at the back of the book, which incorporate some of her healthier desserts.

MaryGene Brown owns the Peach Diner, along with her sister and brother. Today they're catering the wedding of MaryGene's high-school sweetheart, Alex Myers, and his bride Lucy Carmichael. MaryGene isn't happy about the wedding, even though she doesn't love Alex anymore, not to mention she has a new beau of her own, Paul.

The strangest thing is the bride wanted to be part of a murder mystery at her reception, and while they're setting everything up, Marygene sees that Lucy, who's disliked by everyone except Alex and his mother, Regina, is playing the victim. When it's quickly discovered that she's not playing but has been killed, everyone is kept from the scene. But when her body disappears quickly after that, it's now a crime that needs to be solved quickly.

Alex is distraught and blaming everyone for hating Lucy; his mother is blaming family members; the town doesn't care; and Marygene's father, Eddie, the chief of police, is determined to figure everything out. But then there's a near-fatal accident, and Alex brings in help from outside, which only upsets the locals. With Marygene's mama's help, she plans on finding the truth...even if it puts her in danger once again...

This is the third book in the series, and I truly enjoyed it as much as the first two. I do love the interactions between Marygene and her family members, and I especially love the fact that her mama, who is an island spirit tied to Marygene, is keeping watch over her and helping her whenever she can. I l think that this aspect is much of the magic of the series, and it makes it more entertaining to read.

We also see that Marygene is going through changes in her life, and determined to overcome her past and learn from it. She's gaining inner strength, and is more confident in this book than the previous two. Her best friend, Betsy, is a real character -- she professes to be one type of person, but when she's caught up in the middle of a murder investigation, her true personality emerges, It's a trip to watch her go through the emotions. Soon Marygene also realizes that she might be a suspect in the murder, so she knows that she needs to clear herself by getting involved, but soon discovers that might not be so easy to do.

The action is practically non-stop, from Alex lashing out at everyone, the disappearance of a deceased bride, people who might not be who they claim to be, the addition of an Atlanta homicide detective that Marygene's locked horns with once before, and other events I will not list here in order not to ruin this book for others; I will say that this is probably the best book in the series so far and it kept me reading in one sitting (much to my dismay, as I realized I should have been doing a few house chores instead).

When the murderer was discovered, there were clues leading up to it, but you have to put them together much as Marygene did. Finding the murderer isn't enough; it's the reasons behind it that count, and they were motives as old as time. All in all, this is quite an engaging mystery drenched in southern charm and I hope to see the next in the series soon. Highly recommended.

Just when I thought Kate Young couldn't write any better, "Southern Sass and a Battered Bride" comes out. I LOVE THIS BOOK. It's Young's best ever. Please write more, Kate!

Southern Sass and a Battered Bride“ by Kate Young the 3rd instalment in the "A Marygene Brown Mystery" series. I love this series so much!
I really enjoy visiting Peace Cove Island, Georgia and the Peach Diner. I love the island setting and Marygene and her diner family. The story is filled with quirky characters, like Betsy and Aunt Vi they are such a hoot! I was surprised by what happened and drawn in for the ride of finding out what happened to the bride.

I found myself so engrossed in the story that I read it in one sitting. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Marygene did.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 4 to come out!


I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

Every cozy protagonist needs a BFF like Betsy. She strikes me as the type who would bail you out if she wasn't already helping you hide the body, of course in this Southern Sass cozy, she is actually trying to help Marygene to find the body and trying not to strangle her cousin Alex, Marygene's former on again off again first love. There is a great depth of character in this story from the pain and anguish that Marygene feels, the lost and hopeless Alex, to the fierce loyalty of Bets and Aunt Vi. There is definiently something strange going on from the missing body to the bomb and back to the reappearing sweatsuit clad bride. This one definetly twists and turns as clues surface and red herrings distract, they distract almost as well as as the suave Officer Javier, who shows Marygene something she needed to see, and her Mama told her something she needed to hear. Great story and equally great recipes, as usual!

The third book in the series is at times alittle confusing. A newly married bride who has disappeared. Old boyfriends and new ones. Delightful kinfolk who are colorful and kinda kooky. But they all come together to form an enjoyable read even if the ending is easy to figger out. #netgalley #Keningston
In exchange for an honest review I was given a free digital copy.

I found this book really weird. Great premise but I didn’t like how the mother character was written. Because she had passed on, I understand the daughter character feeling her spirit but she was written as this ghost that controlled the island and just really rubbed me the wrong way. I didn’t end up finishing as I couldn’t get past this character

Southern Sass and a Battered Bride is the third in Kate Young’s Marygene Brown Mystery series. In the first chapters, Marygene is catering the wedding of her high school sweetheart Alex to his not-so-nice bride Lucy. Trouble starts brewing when Alex expresses his doubts about his impending marriage. Even his family and friends are not enamored of the bride, who has a fascination with death scenes. Lucy decides to turn her reception into a murder mystery dinner and “star” as the murder victim. Unfortunately, the mystery becomes all too real, especially when the deceased bride disappears.

The cast of characters is completely enchanting, especially Marygene’s best friend Betsy and Betsy’s Aunt Vi. Marygene has strong bonds and realistic relationships with her siblings Jena Lynn and Sam, her father Eddie, and even the spirit of her dead mama. (OK, well maybe the relationship with Mama isn’t quite realistic.)

As with the previous books in the series, the author captures the sense of place beautifully, making the reader long to visit the island for a relaxing getaway. I can’t wait for the sheer delight my next visit with Marygene and her crew. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.)

This book was a lot of fun! I'm biased because I enjoy wedding-themed cozy mysteries. If you love this theme, you'll enjoy this book for sure. A lovely whodunnit with plenty of clues to both keep you guessing while making you feel like you're unraveling the crime right alongside the book.

I have really enjoyed the past books in this series, so I was looking forward to this one. I have to say I was a bit disappointed. The characters' personalities seem to change erratically throughout the book. and from the previous books. Betsy was so annoying in this book that by the end I wanted to smack her. I don't know what Alex was doing throughout the book. There seemed to be a lot going on and yet nothing going on when you really looked at it. AT one point I started to think about the fact that the body was missing and why would someone hurt her and I actually predicted the ending of the book. There were too many loose ends and small facts/clues that ultimately did not quite make sense for this to work for me.

With an intriguing and complex plot, this book was totally compelling, I especially liked the quirky southern characters, some of whom I wanted to reach into the pages and shake and others I just wanted to give a big hug. That’s how realistic the characters were; they joined me in my living room each evening and we chatted together about our days and the murders that were happening instead of the wedding that was supposed to happen. Marygene Brown ends up catering the wedding of her teen-aged sweetheart Alex, and he’s not marrying her. Instead he is marrying a newcomer to town, Lucy Carmichael, who has done nothing to endear herself to the little town’s residents since she is self-centered and demanding. Nevertheless, Marygene agrees to the catering job and that wedding becomes the wedding of the century, mostly because the bride is not exactly ready for the reception. Face down and dead in the diner’s catering tent, Lucy appears to be the victim of foul play and Marygene is, of course, a prime suspect. When Detective Thornton is brought over from the mainland to investigate, the conflict really begins. Marygene has to prove that she and her best friend Betsy are innocent and that there is someone who wants the two of them dead, also. This is a fun romp through a mystery with the spirit of Marygene’s deceased mama giving her advice and Marygene falling for someone new, leaving Alex, the grieving groom to handle his grief on his own. I really enjoyed the fast-pace of the story and the handy recipes included at the end. Yum! This tale is told humor, with one surprising revelation after another. This will go down as one of my favorite cozy mysteries this year...highly entertaining with laugh aloud incidents. Fans of cozies and those who just love a well-written mystery will definitely want to read this one!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”