Every Crooked Nanny

Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Genre: Light Mystery
Type: Digital Audiobook
Source: Local Library
Series: #1 in Callahan Garrity series
Publisher: Harper-Audio
First Published as Audiobook: March 26, 2013 (originally published in 1992)

Book Description from GoodReads:  After ten years of cleaning up the dirt on Atlanta's streets, Callahan Garrity is trading in her badge for a broom and a staff of house cleaners. But, though the uniform is a little different, Callahan soon finds herself right back in the middle of a mystery when a client's pretty, pious nineteen-year-old nanny is gone ... along with the jewelry, silver, and a few rather sensitive real estate documents.

Before she knows it, the meticulous Callahan is up to her elbows in a case involving illicit love triangles, crooked business deals, long-distance scams, and a dead body. Now she has to roll up her sleeves and start some industrial strength sleuthing to solve -- and survive -- this mess.
My Review:  I downloaded this digital audiobook onto my iPhone based solely on the simple fact that I needed a light mystery to listen to as I drove back and forth to work and as I cleaned my house.  I love 'reading' hands/eyes free because it totally ups the multi-tasking that I do so love.

This definitely was a light mystery - too light actually.  Initially I liked Callahan and the secondary characters but I didn't feel like the author took them far enough.  They felt muted in their humour, weren't interesting enough nor did they really add to the story.  It reminded me initially of a very mild and meek Stephanie Plum but without the laugh out loud humour and strong cast of secondary characters that help to not only move the plot along but add a great dimension too.  Callahan has the potential to be a good, solid main character but so far she comes off as bland.

The mystery itself was just okay.  I realize this is a 'light mystery' but it still has to keep me guessing and unfortunately after about half way through the book the pace really lagged.  There were a few red herrings thrown in to attempt to keep the readers' attention away from the real culprit.  But, at the same time, so much attention was given to two specific characters that I knew right away that they couldn't possibly be the culprit because it would be too obvious.

Lastly, I'm not certain that people who live in Georgia or Mormons will enjoy this read because it felt like the author took many stereotypes of the South and the Mormon religion.  These clichés included including the use of the 'N word' (which I abhor) several times and portraying Mormonism in an unflattering light.

Overall, I wasn't impressed with this book.  I initially chose it for a light read but also based on the fact that I recognized the author's name (Mary Kay Andrews also writes under the pseudo-name Kathy Hogan Trocheck).  Unfortunately choosing fairly blindly doesn't always work out for the best.

My Rating: 2/5 stars