Review: Nothing but Trouble by Susan May Warren

Title: Nothing but Trouble (PJ Sugar, Book 1)
Author: Susan May Warren
Released: April 16, 2009
Publisher: Tyndale House
Pages/format: 352 (Trade Paperback)
Genre: Christian Cozy Mystery, Chick Lit
Source: From the publisher

Quick Synopsis: Returning to her home town after ten years of wandering, PJ Sugar must face her shady past, face her old flame, and solve a murder mystery in which her best friend’s husband is the number-one suspect.

From the publisher’s website:

It’s not fair to say that trouble happens every time PJ Sugar is around, but it feels that way when she returns to her home town, looking for a fresh start. Within a week, her former teacher is murdered and her best friend’s husband is arrested as the number-one suspect. Although the police detective investigating the murder––who also happens to be PJ’s former flame––is convinced it’s an open-and-shut case, PJ’s not so sure. She begins digging for clues in an effort to clear her friend’s husband and ends up reigniting old passions, uncovering an international conspiracy, and solving a murder along the way. She also discovers that maybe God can use a woman who never seems to get it right.

Quick Review: Nothing but Trouble is a fun, light read with plenty of mystery and romance––perfect for a summer day at the beach!

In-Depth Review:

When I first read the synopsis of Nothing but Trouble, I knew it was going to be a winner. Mystery, romance, faith, humor, and just a hint of international intrigue––how can you go wrong with that?

Ten years after leaving her hometown of Kellog, Minnesota, disgraced and widely considered the biggest troublemaker in town, PJ Sugar is cajoled into returning home to care for her four-year-old nephew while her sister is out of town. Determined to restore her reputation and make peace with the past, PJ soon realizes that her penchant for troublemaking is hard to escape.

Amid trying desperately to connect with her cantankerous nephew and keep her sister’s Russian in-laws from terrorizing the neighborhood, PJ reconnects with Boone, her high school sweetheart and the reason she left town in the first place. Pretty soon Kellog sees its first murder in more than a decade and PJ is embroiled in an investigation to find the true killer.

Immediately I felt a connection with PJ, our spunky redheaded protagonist and troublemaker extraordinaire. Her confusion about the intersection of faith and life, not to mention her knack for messing up, are endearing because they are so realistic.

All of Warren’s characters are vividly written and seem to come to life on the page. I like the introduction of Jeremy Kane, the mysterious PI PJ teams up with, and think that his character adds a a great dynamic to the parallel plots of mystery and romance.

The mystery element of the story is very well written. The ending is surprising and there are plenty of undercover operations, sneaking around, and breaking-and-entering to keep the reader thoroughly entertained. What makes it more interesting is that Boone is the detective in charge of the murder investigation. PJ’s ideas about the case often clash with Boone’s which makes things all the more suspenseful.

Throughout the novel, PJ struggles to reconcile her faith with past mistakes and continuing foibles. She wants to put off the old woman and move forward in new life with Christ, but returning home makes this difficult. Another dilemma PJ will no doubt wrestle more with in book two is the fact that Boone is not a Christian, making any romantic entanglements with him problematic.

I am a certified cozy mystery buff, which is the main reason I was attracted to this book in the first place. PJ’s amateur sleuthing antics are suspenseful and often hilarious. I was simultaneously kept laughing and on the edge of my seat.

Nothing but Trouble is a fun, light read––perfect for a summer day at the beach.

About Susan May Warren:

Susan May Warren is the award-winning author of more than twenty-five novels. She spent eight years as a missionary in Russia with her husband and four children before returning to Minnesota’s north shore to write full-time. She loves vanilla lattes and hanging out with friends, and she’s always on the lookout for a great story.