Decent read however dont like the interactionwith the main character Callie and her on again off again ex Jack. ( )

An entertaining romp through the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. Elvis, reincarnated as a Basset, saves Callie from the murderer, but not from herself. The plot is relatively easy to figure out, but the descriptions of the characters and the dialog were quite humerous. ( )

This was the first book of the Southern Cousins Mysteries series that I have read. Being from the South and having a love for southern literature, I thought this would be a good pick for me. Upon reading the book though, I didn't find the characters to be true representations of real southern people. Yes, they talked using some hokey southern sayings (which I think were added for humor), but I never felt like I got to really know the heart of the characters if that makes sense. I didn't feel as if the two main characters had that unique charm, complexities, and genuineness that is important when portraying true southern people. One thing that makes me a fan of southern fiction is that I can relate to the situations, places, conflicts, and characters. Not much in this book seemed all that realistic to me or really all that practical, especially the dog. It was hard for me to suspend belief and just buy into the plot line and characters, which to me seemed overly contrived.
A good point about the book was that the story did move along fast. One wouldn't really have to read the others in the series to be able to follow along either. Also, if you're just looking for a light read without much deep thinking or afterthought involved this might be perfect. Like some other reviewers have commented, the hardest thing about this book was keeping track of all the characters and where they fit in. ( )

This was the first book I read from this series, and I would rate as fair. It was an enjoyable, but quick read. I enjoyed the southern mystery, and the quirky dog but felt it lacked in its ability to keep me guessing. ( )

An okay read for a southern cozy. Normally I love these types of books but a bassett hound that thinks he is Elvis reincarnated just made me suspend my disbelief too much. The story is told from two different viewpoints; mostly from Callie and then a few chapters from Elvis.

Callie, who along with her cousin Lovie, accompanys her Mama, Ruby Nell, to Memphis for a dance contest. The dead body count starts to escalate fast and furiously in the Peabody Hotel setting. After Mama insists someone tried to kill her, Callie and Lovie try to figure out who the murderer is. Elvis, of course, thinks they should listen to him. Apparently not only can he put on a show but he can help solve crimes.

It felt like too many bodies too fast. Not enough real suspects and almost no motives. Maybe it's just me, but talking and rationalizing animals just doesn't do it for me. I guess it is a cute shtick and it works for some people.

On the plus side, it was a quick read with a few laughs along the way even with the stereotypical southern women characters. ( )