I had to read this book because of the title. It was charming, although I got a little tired of sweet tea and the weird names of the main characters. ( )

It's hard to be objective since I know the author. But I really like this first book in Miranda James new Southern Ladies Mystery series. If you like your cozies in the classic style of Agatha Christie, then you'll love "Bless Her Dead Little Heart." It's a delightful new spin off from James' Cat In The Stacks Mysteries featuring the Ducote sisters getting into their very own messes as only they can. It's smart and witty without being graphic or vulgar. ( )

I really really enjoyed this book. I had to tear myself away from it last night at 2:00 a.m. I wish I had book two already. I love that it has the same characters as her other series Cat in the Stacks. It was just packed with action and amusing with it and with enough set up for next book that I am really looking forward to it and already pre-ordered it. ( )

What a fun book this was! Two sisters in their 80's living alone in a huge house and liking very much the "alone" part. Their old friend shows up on the front porch seeking a place to hide from her family who is trying to kill her (??). Within the next few hours, her entire family also knocks in varying groups. Is there a killer among them? And where, for Heaven's sake are they going to put them all!?

A good plot, great characters and the ending was very well done. A great beach book! (Now, I just have to find a beach!!) ( )

Miranda James is really Dean James and he seems to write under several female names with several series - although none of the series seems to be very long. This is the Southern Ladies series - something new and a spinoff from the Cat in the Stacks series starring Charlie Harris and his large maine coon cat, Diesel. Harris is on vacation and left Diesel with the Ducote sisters, An'gel and Dickce who are single and in their 80s with a very nice large house. They have figured into some of the earlier cat in the stack books. An old sorority sister, Rosabelle Sultan, shows up unexpectedly at their doorstep claiming her family is trying to kill her. Rosebelle is on her 3rd husband a wealthy Italian man. Her first two husbands seem to have left her money and her children live with her and are on allowances. While the sisters are willing to take her in, they recall her being extremely self-centered and selfish. Not long after Rosebelle shows up, her family comes knocking and the sisters have a houseful of people, many of whom are rude, angry and not well behaved. Rosebelle's son's wife dies in a fall down the steps that seems to be murder. The deputy, Kanesha Berry, is in charge of the investigation and would like to keep everyone under one roof. Then Rosebelles daughter, Maudine, a particularly offensive woman is found dead of a heart attack surrounded by rubber spiders. She had a deep fear of spiders. Dickce and a younger member of the family, Bengy, find a cat and dog apparently left by the side of the road. Benjys mother was married to Wade, Rosebelle's son and Wade doesn't seem to like Bengy and probably won't bother with Benjy with his mother now dead. Dickce likes him and he likes Diesel. Two more woman die including Rosebelle and it is found that her other daughter, Bernice, was the killer. However, once Bernice is found out by her daughter Juanita smothered her in shock or to avoid her mother going to prison. I think that Diesel will go home when Harris returns and the new cat and dog will be adopted by the sisters and Benjy will be on hand to help out in future mysteries.