Poppy and Mary Ellen All Fed Up: Book Two of the Frankenmuth Murder Mysteries by Roz Weedman and Susan Todd, Illustrations by Lane Trabalka
Mission Point Press, October 2024
In Poppy and Mary Ellen All Fed Up, the punchy writer duo of Roz Weedman and Susan Todd welcome readers back to Frankenmuth, one of Michigan’s most famous and popular tourist towns. With a year-round population of only 5,000 residents, this Bavarian-themed town with its famous chicken dinners and year-round Christmas village draws more than three million visitors each year, making it the perfect setting to slink in and out unnoticed.
Poppy and Mary Ellen earned a reputation for themselves in the first book in the series when they (and a few canine friends) helped the police solve a double homicide, even beating the police to the capture. This time, though, Poppy finds herself topping the suspect list of the murder of a Mah Jongg-playing tourist.
Some familiar characters are back, both canine and human, there’s a titch of romance in the air with its own mystique, and Lane Trabalka’s chapter heading line drawings add to the intrigue and charm. Those who play Mah Jongg and follow conversations about “friendly games” will find themselves laughing out loud as the story centers around planning an upcoming Mah Jongg tournament. Weedman and Todd weave the elements of the game through the story with enough explanation that even non-players may be encouraged to pick up the game.
Although most of the story takes place in the popular and quirky confines of Frankenmuth, readers get to travel all the way to Nairobi in Book Two, but with Weedman and Todd crafting the twists and turns, everyone will need their seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
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