An engaging mystery. Good characterizations.
Plenty of suspicious people and even a shark added into the mix.

This novel is the 27th installment of the Sarah Booth Delaney series and it is an excellent addition. I enjoyed following along on Sarah Booth and Tinkie’s murder investigation related to a film project. This story combines mystery,humor, and Southern charm and is a delightful read.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've been reading this author for a long time and I don't think I've ever been disappointed. I'm a big fan of cozy mysteries and Carolyn Haines knows how to deliver. This storyline was improbable, but fun, as we deal with missing and possibly murdered people on a movie set. I never thought I'd see a shark as a plot line in a book featuring the Mississippi River. I do recommend picking up her other books too if you like this one.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur for my honest review.*

This was a totally new series to me - 27th?!? I was able to follow along even though there was much history behind the characters from the prior books.

Sarah Booth (I do kind of want to know why the 2 names and are they both used all the time?) and Tinkie are hired to investigate a missing person from the Movie crew that is filming about the 1927 flood in Greenville, Mississippi. There are tales of a shark in the river and speculation about how the shark got all that way upriver. And when a second person goes missing, it is even more important to get to the bottom of things.

A great little cozy and a chance to learn about the flood in Greenville. Sarah has a ghost that helps - something learned about in previous books in the series? All else seemed normal in the book except for the ghost. Quite a cast of quirky characters and I am ready to go back and read from the beginning!

I picked up Lights, Camera, Bones by Carolyn Haines, and while I loved the premise, it was a bit of a struggle for me as a first-time reader of the series. The story revolves around a murder on a movie set, which had such a fun, intriguing setup, but because I hadn’t read the earlier books, I found myself confused about who the characters were for a good portion of the novel. There’s a big cast, and without having that background knowledge, it took me almost until the end to feel like I knew who everyone was.

That said, once I got my bearings, the mystery was solid! I love a good whodunit, and this one delivered with plenty of twists and turns. If you’re already familiar with the series, I think you’ll have a much smoother experience jumping in and following along with the characters. The movie set setting was a fun touch, and the overall vibe is light and cozy.

All in all, I liked the plot and could see myself enjoying it a lot more if I’d started from the beginning of the series.

This is one of my most favorite series and this book didn't disappoint. I love Sarah Booth and Tinkie and feel like they are some of my best friends. As I've noted before, Ms. Haines understands the Mississippi Delta well. The story was very well done and I thought the mystery was top-notch as I've come to expect from this series.

I love Sarah Booth Delaney and this is book 27 in her series. Sarah's detective agency is hired by a movie company to find a missing worker. The movie is about the flood that destroyed their town many years ago and there are two families that don't want the film made. Several murders later, Sarah and her team unravel the clues and solve the crime. All your favorites are back and they all grow and mature in each book.

Another amazing addition to the Sarah Booth Delaney series! A movie is being made in a close town, but a grip has gone missing. And there's a shark in the river?? I absolutely adore this series and this was such a good book. Keep them coming, Carolyn Haines!!

Carolyn Haines involves Sarah Booth Delaney in a Mississippi river movie set where an actor goes missing in the water and his foot is discovered chewed off by a shark. Lights, Camera, Action proves that the skullduggery performed in real life is worse than that being filmed. A town divided, a prominent family with a shady past and Sarah caught in the middle. Great read.

I love a good cozy mystery! One that incorporates all of my favorite topics (i.e. genealogy, bookstores, libraries, cooking, painting, inn keeping, animals, etc.), throwing in some action-suspense, a who-done-it, interesting characters, and a plot that keeps me guessing, then you’ve got me hooked. I will say, I am one of those people who like to read a series from the beginning, but I often find you don’t have to… either way I highly recommend reading Lights, Camera, Bones by Carolyn Haines.

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.*

Sarah Booth Delaney has gone Hollywood. Well not really, but it looks like Sara Booth and her BFF Tinkie are going back to work without so much as a long weekend off after two straight years of work. If you are not familiar with the Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery series, you will need to channel your inner Steel Magnolia because Sarah Booth is not your typical Southern belle. Just a heads up that this is not a fluffy cozy. There is Southern sass and a little language now and again. These ladies mean business after all. This is book 27 of 28 (yes, the next one is already in the works), and I have enjoyed each one that I have read over the last decade. Not having started at the beginning, doesn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story or its characters of which there are some definite “characters,” including a ghost/haint of nannies-past named Jitty. She is forever antagonizing Sarah Booth to have babies and drives her crazy by making enigmatic statements meant to aid in investigations and then disappearing. Jitty says there are rules about being straightforward.

Jitty isn’t the only one disappearing. A gaffer named Jules is missing, then Marlon Brandon, the big star/screenwriter and grandson of former Senator Brandon Brandon (yes that is his name) goes missing. Local loudmouth Lamar Bilbo and bookstore owner Mary Dayle McCormick show up on set and do their best to shut down the production. Lamar and Mary Dayle claim the movie is going to show unpleasantness and blatant racism instead of portraying the heroic rescue of stranded folks by a Brandon ancestor and his boat. Tensions are high and they get even higher when a severed foot is fished out of the water. Now it is really getting interesting, isn’t it?

This plot had me hooked because of inter-linking clues such as family history that some felt should remain in the past. There are well-placed red herrings, and tips and hints from the many personas of Jitty who seems to be exceedingly vexing to Sarah Booth. It is very easy to be caught up in the story with Sarah Booth and her friends since emotions are running high. I turned page after page eager to learn the truth but unable to figure out the puzzle, which is just how I like my mysteries. I also like learning something new such as the fact that the background of this story is based on actual history. There was a horrific flood in 1927, and the loss of property, livestock, and lives devastated Greenville, Mississippi. This is an excellent read, and I am looking forward to seeing what Ms. Haines has in store for us in book 28.

I absolutely loved this book...I.just like Sarah Booth. She is all about her community and holds dear those around her, her animal babies and haint Jittty who rounds out the motley crew of mystery and mayhem in Mississippi.
Sarah always puts forth her local dilemmas and blends it with a relevant social commentary on something at a national level.

This particular installment calls into returning home to revisit the past while solving disappearances that may or may not be linked to a shark loose in the Mississippi River. Concerned with the animal's well being, Sarah and company also try to solve the disappearance and murder of some of the visitors to their town who are bringing business to the community by filming a history documentary there.. What they find is someone using their political power for evil, not good.
Definitely recommend!

Sarah Booth and Tinkie are caught up in the middle of murder, history and Hollywood - right in Mississippi. A missing movie director and actor, a shark on the prowl and more have them on their investigative toes.

I enjoy this series and love the friendship between Sarah Booth and Tinkie, along with all the other wonderfully quirky characters. The beautifully described Mississippi delta is a character all of its own and blends perfectly into the book.

I'm ready for the next visit!

I received an ARC from Net Galley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

When I get the chance to go to Zinnia and review a Carolyn Haines ARC, I snatch that opportunity up! I’m late with this review despite reading it well before the release date. I moved release week immediately by the Wild & Windy in the City book event and them life. So better late than never, here is my review…

On vacation to Greenville, MS, Sarah Booth and Tinkie stumble on a case when a member of the crew of a movie shooting there goes missing. Marlon Brandon wants to create a movie that tells the truth of the flood of 1927 that submerged the town and the roll his ancestors played in saving the town. Most of the town is on board because of the tourism it brings, but as Delaney Detective Agency discovers not everyone wants the truth of the flood to come out. When Marlon himself goes missing, a rare shark is seen in the Mississippi, and a foot is found, the danger surrounding this case is more than Tinkie and Sarah Booth thought.

I love the Zinnia crew and also love when they go “on location” like this book, but I really missed the rest of the crew that normally travels with them. Mentions of them without actually seeing them drove me crazy! When we did finally see CeCe & Millie it did make me appreciate it and their contributions even more. I was so happy for so much Sarah Booth and Coleman content! It made my romance loving heart happy at the same time I stressed as much as Sarah Booth for his safety. It also made me realize I’m ok with any character outcome as long as their HEA remains constant.

I love how seamlessly Haines weaves the complexities of the history of the South and why it can’t be ignored into her books. The way Sarah Booth is able to both love who and where she came from and acknowledge the wrong those same people did without conflicting emotions is something I aspire to since I constantly struggle with it. I love that in this case it was a class difference that was the forefront of the loud minority being against the movie filming. The Delaney Detective Agency is known for rooting for the underdog, but I loved the extent this went to.
As always, I loved that I couldn’t guess how the story played out. In fact, I was 100% certain of something for almost the entire book that also 100% did not happen. There was so much happening, so many times I disagreed or agreed with Tinkie or Sarah Booth, but I could not put this down until I finished!

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s/Minotaur Books and Carolyn Haines for and electronic ARC of this book!

Sarah Booth Delaney has gone Hollywood. Well not really, but it looks like Sara Booth and her BFF Tinkie are going to be going back to work without so much as a long weekend off after two straight years of work. If you are not familiar with the Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery series, you will need to channel your inner Steel Magnolia because Sarah Booth is not your typical Southern belle. Just a heads up that this is not a fluffy cozy, there is Southern sass and a little language now and again, these ladies mean business after all. This is book 27 of 28 (yes the next one is already in the works) and I have enjoyed every one that I have read over the last decade. I still need to start at the beginning but it doesn’t hinder my enjoyment for the story or its characters of which there are some definite “characters,” including a ghost/haint of nannies past named Jitty who is forever antagonizing Sarah Booth to have babies and also driving Sarah Booth crazy by making enigmatic statements that are meant to aid in investigations and then disappearing. Jitty says there are rules about being straightforward.

Jitty isn’t the only one disappearing, a gaffer named Jules is missing, then Marlon Brandon the big star/screen writer, and grandson of former Senator Brandon Brandon (yes that is his name) goes missing. Local loudmouth Lamar Bilbo and bookstore owner Mary Dayle McCormick have been showing up on set and doing their best to shut down the production. Lamar and Mary Dayle claim that the movie is going to show unpleasantness and blatant racism instead of the heroic rescue of stranded folks by a Brandon ancestor and his boat. Tensions are high and they get even higher when a severed foot is fished out of the water. Now it is really getting interesting isn’t it?

This plot had me hooked with all of the inter-linking clues such as family history that some felt should remain in the past. There were well placed red herrings, and the tips and hints from the many personas of Jitty who seems to be exceedingly vexing to Sarah Booth, even more so than usual. It is very easy to be caught up in the story as if you were there with Sarah Booth and her friends since emotions are running high. I was turning page after page eager to learn the truth but unable to figure out the puzzle, which is just how I like my mysteries. I also like it when I learn something new such as the fact that the background of this story is based on actual history; there was a horrific flood in 1927 that devastated Greenville, Mississippi due to the loss of property, livestock, and lives. This is an excellent read and I am looking forward to seeing what Ms. Haines has in store for us in book 28.

This series is getting a little too cute to be a cozy mystery anymore. I do like the characters, but sometimes the mystery part is lacking, Haines needs to return to her roots of a good old fashioned mystery and focus less on the characters in the town.

Delaney Detective Agency gets a taste of the spotlight when they are called to a case on a movie set in Greenville, MS, right on the Mississippi River. Marlon Brandon, heir to a wealthy and influential political family, has brought a film crew to town to film a drama about the 1927 flood that submerged a great deal of Greenville. Marlon wants the world to know the story of the flood—and the heroic role the Brandon ancestors played in rescuing dozens of local residents from drowning. Or at least that was the plan until he disappeared. If this weren't concerning enough, the situation appears even more dire when a severed foot is discovered in the Mississippi River, and clues indicate that Marlon may have fallen victim to a freak bull shark attack. But as rumors swirl around the Delta about Marlon's motives for making the film, Sarah Booth and Tinkie have to wonder whether a shark is to blame, or an equally ferocious human offender. The show must go on, and Sarah Booth and her crew will have to investigate all manner of creatures, over land and sea, in order to solve the mystery and save the day. This is an incredibly fun series and the characters never disappoint. Highly recommend!

It felt like ‘tis book was going nowhere, which I find frustrating. I think the story with the shark, & having Sweetie Pie doing tracking is great. I do feel like this series has become stagnant in the development of the main characters. I really,! wish the Jitty character would go away, I find her really annoying. #Lights,Camera,Bones NetGalley

Princess Fuzzypants here: I confess I have a real soft spot for Sarah Booth and her family and friends. I always feel like I am on a trip to the Delta when I read her. I also love how Delta authors often cross promote each other like the author does with Miranda James in this book.. Sarah and Tinkie are two very capable investigators and appear on the set of a movie just when one of the crew has gone missing. When a foot that has been severed pops up, disappearance has turned to murder although the cause of the dismemberment is rather odd for fresh water. The foot has been bitten off by a shark.

This is but the beginning of a very complicated and complex tale where Sarah Booth has trouble figuring out the good guys from the bad. Even the shark is an innocent victim. Then the star, writer and director of the film, Marlon, goes missing too. He has some deep roots to the area. The big questions are why was he taken and who took him. History, family and corruption- three very important things in this part of the world- are at the heart of it. But sorting fact from fiction is going to tax her to the limit. Meanwhile, there is also a race to see if the shark can be found and moved to safety or whether it too will become a victim of greed.

It had some very unexpected turns and kept me entertained throughout. Five purrs and two paws up.

Another exciting book about the Delaney Detective Agency! This time, Sarah Booth and Tinkie are on the scene of a movie set in Greenville, Mississippi. The star, Marlon Brandon, is a local who has come home to make a movie about the terrible flood that happened to Greenville in the 1920s. However, when a crew member disappears, Sarah Booth and Tinkie take on the case. The excitement and danger build as Marlon goes missing, the locals begin to protest the movie, and even a shark ends up in Mississippi river!

It also becomes clear that people continue to hide secrets from the detectives. It's hard to solve a case when you get the runaround, even from those you are depending on!

Will Sarah Booth and Tinkie be able to save Marlon and the movie in time?

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy of this book!