Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable reading!
Review: A great read. The mystery is well-paced and the characters are likable. The tension between the main characters is well played, and best of all, Benni's quirky grandmother is a hoot. I look forward to the next one!
Rating: 
Summary: A Slow Start
Review: At first I thought the idea of a mystery based upon a type of quilt pattern to be interesting. Then, as I started to read the book, I was a little disappointed. The book takes quite a while to get going. I think this is because the author was trying to lay the foundation for a series, which proved to be the case. Once she did this the book really got going and proved to be a good read. If you like the amateur detective in a small town motif, this would be a good choice.
Rating:
Summary: an absorbing mystery, compelling and true-to-life
Review: benni harper is an engaging new heroine, and there's actually chemistry (!) between her and gabe ortiz, the new sheriff. she's a courageous, recently widowed former ranch wife, feeling a little dazed and overwhelmed by her new status, trying to throw herself into her new job and pretending to be okay... until a dead body turns up. gabe the sheriff is interested in her on more than one level, and his macho attitude rings true. the scene at Liddy's is sad and sweet, and the book has a satisfying resolution - all in all, a great book. dove brings the right note of practicality and familial love to the book, showing us where benni got her resilience and self-sufficiency, a combination more attractive than a designer wardrobe and super-model looks. start with fool's puzzle, and read the series.
Rating:
Summary: Strong Characters make for a Remarkable Debut
Review: Benni Harper is trying to put her life back together. It's been nine months since her husband died. Recently, she's moved into the town of San Celina and taken a job at the local artist co-op running the folk art museum, a job she's perfect for. But then she finds one of the artists stabbed in the woodshop. Since her cousin was seen fleeing the scene, she gets involved trying to find out what happened. The stakes are raised when a second body is found. Still trying to figure out her relationship with the temporary police chief, she plunges on, learning secrets she didn't want to know. But can she find the killer before the killer makes her the next target?What struck me most about this book was the characters. Benni and police chief Gabe Ortiz jump off the page as fully realized characters. I feel like I've known them for several books instead of just one. Even the supporting characters are well developed. The mystery itself is good, with some unexpected twists. The writing style feels like that of a polished professional. It's hard to believe this is a first novel. This is the first in the Benni Harper series, and I look forward to reading the others. If you enjoy a well-written mystery with fresh, three dimensional characters, this is the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Strong Characters make for a Remarkable Debut
Review: Benni Harper is trying to put her life back together. It's been nine months since her husband died. Recently, she's moved into the town of San Celina and taken a job at the local artist co-op running the folk art museum, a job she's perfect for. But then she finds one of the artists stabbed in the woodshop. Since her cousin was seen fleeing the scene, she gets involved trying to find out what happened. The stakes are raised when a second body is found. Still trying to figure out her relationship with the temporary police chief, she plunges on, learning secrets she didn't want to know. But can she find the killer before the killer makes her the next target? What struck me most about this book was the characters. Benni and police chief Gabe Ortiz jump off the page as fully realized characters. I feel like I've known them for several books instead of just one. Even the supporting characters are well developed. The mystery itself is good, with some unexpected twists. The writing style feels like that of a polished professional. It's hard to believe this is a first novel. This is the first in the Benni Harper series, and I look forward to reading the others. If you enjoy a well-written mystery with fresh, three dimensional characters, this is the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: A great new addition to the mystery scene
Review: Earlene Fowler has brought us a terrific new detective - Albenia "Benni" Harper, a recent young widow with a background in quilting, ranching, and folk art. Benni solves a murder at an art cooperative, while she gradually heals from the death of her beloved husband and prepares to love again. Fool's Puzzle is set in the Central California coast, an area that is uncommon as a mystery setting. Characters, setting, and plot work together to provide an excellent read
Rating:
Summary: Fool's Puzzle
Review: Highly enjoyable read. Recently widowed Benni Harper is a likeble character working as curator in a folk art museum. When murder hits too close for comfort, Benni starts digging for information, even against the wishes of the handsome police chief, Gabe Ortiz. Benni's grandmother Dove, will leave you laughing as she keeps a sharp eye on Benni while meddling in her life. Earlene Fowler's writing is down to earth and a pleasure to read. This book leaves you wanting to follow the lives and careers of it's characters.
Rating:
Summary: Fool's Puzzle
Review: Highly enjoyable read. Recently widowed Benni Harper is a likeble character working as curator in a folk art museum. When murder hits too close for comfort, Benni starts digging for information, even against the wishes of the handsome police chief, Gabe Ortiz. Benni's grandmother Dove, will leave you laughing as she keeps a sharp eye on Benni while meddling in her life. Earlene Fowler's writing is down to earth and a pleasure to read. This book leaves you wanting to follow the lives and careers of it's characters.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I have tried so hard to like this series. I really like the quilting connection, the quirky characters and the setting. My big problem is that I don't like the main character. She is defensive and reacts like a rebelling teenager a good portion of the time. I also can't figure out why she gets involved in the murders. In other series I have enjoyed, the main character gets involved because she is pulled into the mystery, a student confides in her, a loved one disappears, etc... However, Benni just seems to be noisy (and not in a charming way). She doesn't give the police a chance to work with her and the sexual tension between her and the chief of police is creepy, not romantic.
Rating:
Summary: Great beginning to series
Review: I JUST finished "Fool's Puzzle" and loved it. A very easy and entertaining read, I found the main character Benni Harper to be down-to-earth in a most intriguing way. I truly look forward to reading the rest of this series. Thanks to Amazon for recommending this author whom I had never heard of but has become one of my favorites, up there with Patricia Cornwell, Mary Higgins Clark, James Patterson and Janet Evanovich. If you like these authors, I think you will like Earlene Fowler. Give her a try.
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