Must Read Senior Sleuth Cozy Mystery

Pretty Is As Pretty Dies

Book One in the Myrtle Clover Mystery Series

Pretty Is As Pretty Dies

Elizabeth Spann Craig
Myrtle Clover Mystery Series
Hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook

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Pretty Is As Pretty Dies is the first book in the Myrtle Clover Mystery Series by Elizabeth Spann Craig. The story is set in Bradley, North Carolina, a charming Southern town with a population of about 1,500 people. The series sleuth is Myrtle Clover, a retired school teacher and spirited octogenarian.

When Myrtle finds a dead body in the church, she is struck with a brilliant idea. If she can figure out who killed the victim, she can prove to everyone, especially her son Red, the local police chief, that she’s still sharp as a tack. Myrtle relishes the idea of solving the mystery before Red, who has been making jokes about farming her out to Greener Pastures Retirement Home.

The only problem with Myrtle’s plan is that the victim is Parke Stockard, the most disliked woman in town. Nobody is crying into their sweet tea over her death, and as Myrtle investigates, she discovers that Parke has made enemies all over town.

Reasons to Read Pretty Is As Pretty Dies

Pretty Is As Pretty Dies is a delightful cozy mystery laced with humor, suspense, and Southern charm. Myrtle Clover embodies the spirit of an independent woman. She refuses to be sidelined by age or her son, Red, who tries to keep her out of trouble by signing her up for activities that he deems appropriate for a lady her age. (Myrtle claps back at these attempts and lets Red know she is mad at him in the most amusing way!)

Myrtle may be in her eighties, but she has a sharp mind, keen observation skills, endless curiosity, and a penchant for meddling. When the opportunity arises to use these skills, she doesn't hesitate to show her well-meaning son that she can do more than play bridge and attend church socials.

Myrtle isn't the only entertaining character in the story. The residents of Bradley are a wonderfully quirky bunch. Her senior neighbors, Miles and Erma, are always on hand to assist or annoy her. She also has a lazy housekeeper named Puddin, a perpetually exasperated son, and a likable daughter-in-law who has her hands full with a small child and a French exchange student.

Pretty Is As Pretty Dies is written by Elizabeth Spann Craig, a bestselling author with a knack for writing cozy mysteries. Her books are full of charm and suspense and contain laugh-out-loud moments that entertain you from start to finish. They are perfect to read alone or with friends as a buddy read or book club read.

Pretty Is As Pretty Dies is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats. The hardcover is 224 pages, the paperback is 228 pages, and the Kindle book is 218 pages. The audiobook is 6 hours and 12 minutes long and narrated by Judy Blue, who does a great job of voicing Myrtle and the other characters.

What Readers Say About Pretty Is As Pretty Dies

“Craig’s skill at evoking a small town and its idiosyncratic inhabitants renders this mystery a pleasure to read. I’m looking forward to the further exploits of Myrtle Clover.”

— Mystery Scene Magazine

“Myrtle’s wacky personality is a delight”

— Publishers Weekly

“I laughed so hard that I was crying and had to stop reading for a few minutes..”

— Amazon Reader Review

“Love, love, love Myrtle Clover. Her spunk and wit is so refreshing. ”

— Amazon Reader Review

“This book was so well written, the characters so intriguing and the dialogue so entertaining that I was hooked on Myrtle Clover right from the start. ”

— Goodreads Reader Review

The first 24 books in the Myrtle Clover Mystery Series

Pretty Is As Pretty Dies Reading Kit

Keep the fun going after you read the book with this free Pretty Is As Pretty Dies Reading Kit. It contains discussion questions, book club activities, and an interview with author Elizabeth Spann Craig. If you aren’t part of a book club, you can use the discussion questions as reflection questions to examine your personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences after reading the book.

Other Books in the Myrtle Clover Mystery Series

There are more than two dozen books in the Myrtle Clover Mystery Series. Other books in the series include:

Progressive Dinner Deadly
A Dyeing Shame
A Body in the Backyard
Death at a Drop-In
A Body at Book Club
Death Pays a Visit
A Body at Bunco
Murder on Opening Night
Cruising for Murder
Cooking is Murder
A Body in the Trunk
Cleaning is Murder
Edit to Death
Hushed Up
A Body in the Attic
Murder on the Ballot
Death of a Suitor
A Dash of Murder
Death at a Diner
A Myrtle Clover Christmas
Murder at a Yard Sale
Doom and Bloom
A Toast to Murder
Mystery Loves Company
A Murder Down Memory Lane

Other Mysteries by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Elizabeth Spann Craig writes several other cozy mystery series, including the:

She also writes the Memphis BBQ Cozy Mystery Series under the pen name Riley Adams.

The first twelve books in the Village Library Mystery Series

Interview with Elizabeth Spann Craig

Check out this Cozy Crime Reads interview with Elizabeth Spann Craig to learn what drew her to cozy mysteries, how she creates her cozy settings and characters, and what advice she offers to aspiring writers. You can also learn more about Elizabeth on her website, www.ElizabethSpannCraig.com. You’ll find a full list of her books in series order, a blog with interesting tidbits about her writing process, and useful links for writers. If you sign up for her free newsletter, you can get a free ebook, updates, recipes, and more.