Dead weight by Susan Rogers Cooper is the tenth book in the series to feature romance

writer and amateur sleuth E.J. Pugh. It is a delightful blend of folksy storytelling,

unique characters, humor, and mayhem.

The book opens with E.J. attending the memorial service of one of her weight loss

group acquaintances, Berta Harris. E.J.’s suspicions are tweaked by the conflicting

stories of Berta’s demise. Did she die in the hospital from complications or was she

dragged to her death by a car? No one seems to know. When Berta’s best friend is

murdered, E.J. is convinced that the deaths are connected. She launches an investigation

that puts stress on her family and threatens her marriage. Will her family survive?

This is an entertaining cozy mystery. The dialogue is light and fun.There are enough

twists and turns to please the mystery buff. However, it is the characters and

the humor that are the book’s winning strengths.