Thistle & Twigg (The Thistle & Twigg Mysteries)

by: Mary Saums

Published by: St. Martin's Minotaur

Reviewed by Stephanie Boyd

Jane Thistle and Phoebe Twigg seem like unlikely friends, but these two feisty widows sure love a good mystery and form a close relationship while trying to solve a murder and avoid the criminal who seems intent on harming them next.

Jane is originally from England, the widow of a former colonel in the military, and possesses an array of unusual but extremely useful skills, including some paranormal talents. Phoebe has lived in Tullulah, Alabama all of her life and brings to the partnership a lifetime of connections, a blend of frankness and practicality, and southern charm. The bad guys are about to learn to never underestimate a woman because she seems gentle or has grey hair, especially not this lively and unique pair.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this new cozy mystery series. I loved the personalities of Jane and Phoebe and was delighted at the contrast between the two ladies that didn’t pull them apart but rather complemented each other to make them a fun and charming duo. Ms. Saums descriptions of the area in North Alabama in which she placed the town of Tullulah were so vivid I want to go see if I can find them! I am familiar with that part of Alabama and it is truly a beautiful area, and I know that some of the natural areas she describes truly exist just maybe not quite where she placed them.

I also loved the plot, the mystery with the paranormal twists that Jane and Phoebe encounter while trying to figure out what is going on. The fact that these main characters are not of my generation did nothing to distract from the marvelous story. I commend Ms. Saums for having strong women characters in their sixties that are not forgetful, airheaded, or silly but rather intelligent with many useful skills and abilities.

I can’t wait for the next one in this Thistle and Twigg series!

Armchair Interviews says: Thistle & Twigg has been nominated for the 2008 Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Book Award for Fiction.

Author’s Web site: http://www.MarySaums.com