Don't make the mistake others have of brushing off Wanda Nell Culpepper as no-account trailer park trash. She may be a divorced mother with two blue-collar jobs, but she's hard working and respected at those jobs and a good mother. One of her kids has a work ethic and brains she certainly didn't get from her father, as becomes clear when he reappears. Wanda Nell sends him off again, more finally than she realizes, until she discovers his body impaled with one of her lawn ornaments. Which means real trouble - the local law is one of his best buddies who has despised Wanda Nell for years and is now in position to act on it. More trouble is right behind him, with a mother-in-law from hell and people after missing illegal money -- all sure Wanda Nell knows more than she's saying.

This story is really about the characters. Wanda Nell is believable and avoids the clichés. She's neither trailer park trash nor unbelievably goody two shoes. She has a hair trigger temper that gets her deservedly in trouble and is a caring mother, but not a perfect one. There's pleasure in the other characters too, like Wanda Nell's rifle toting best friend Mayrene, who is responsible for one of the book's funniest scenes, where her buxom figure is used to advantage in getting info from an awestruck gas station attendant. I thought Wanda was a little too blind in her own way as the law was against her; but the simple fact is, people are like that, and I could believe it even as I was frustrated by it. A nice, light but satisfying cozy read.

Jimmie Ruth Evans is a pseudonym for Dean James, which was part of why I wanted to read this book. Dean knows his mysteries, and I've enjoyed his other books. This one is very different, but I liked it.