When Did We Lose Sylvia, (A Tulip Texas Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Vera Day is this week’s Reader Friday. Here’s the first line. Betty Bell stood at the front of the classroom, immersed in scents of fruity shampoo, artificially flavored bubble gum, and high school sweat.
But first the photo and verse. This was another photo I took in Little Rock. It was the same clouds as the ones in Tuesday’s post, but from a different position. And I love that verse–I think I’ve used it a couple of times before. 🙂
Now for When Did We Lose Sylvia (A Tulip Texas Cozy Mystery, Book 1) by Vera Day–I’m sure you recognize the name from her comments on my posts. Here’s the cover and back copy:
Betty Bell is a famous poet, or at least a local celebrity, in the tiny town of Tulip, Texas. Gossip runs amok when a Goth teenager, Sylvia Smith, and her elderly grandfather arrive. Even worse, they’ve moved into the creepy, old Sanchez place on the outskirts of town.
Betty volunteers to teach a summer poetry class to restless Tulip teens. Soon, the kids are expressing themselves in stellar stanzas and heart-rending rhymes. But what was supposed to be a summer of ministering to the teens becomes a season of sleuthing when one of Betty’s students, the spooky Sylvia, goes missing.
When Sylvia turns up dead, suspicions point to Sylvia’s reclusive grandfather. Deputy Miller is a good man and excellent investigator, but after a second death shakes the small town, Betty is convinced the deputy is after the wrong suspect. Betty, her left-brained husband Larry, and her quirky friend Flora must use haunting haikus, couplet clues, and lots of prayer to track down the real killer.
My Take:
When Did We Lose Sylvia? by Vera Day is a great example of why I love cozy mysteries–a small town, fun, quirky characters, an older mystery sleuth, and a good murder mystery. Vera Day hit all the right notes in this one.
I love that the heroine is a poet–you don’t see that often in stories. And I loved her unflappable husband, LB. Day did a great job drawing me into the story with Betty as she tried to teach poetry to a bunch of teenagers during summer break.
Day developed the story well, dropping breadcrumbs of information about the heroine into the story. After a teenager is murdered, Day does the same thing with clues to the murderer. The case draws Betty into the investigation when she believes the victim is one of her students. Her partner in crime the investigation is her friend Flora who has her own brand of comedy.
This is book 1 in the series and I’m looking forward to the second book! You can buy When Did We Lose Sylvia? on
Amazon or read it in Kindle Unlimited.
So, what are you reading this week? Leave the first line in the comments and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library!
When Did We Lose Sylvia, (A Tulip Texas Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Vera Day is this week's Reader Friday. Leave a comment and I'll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library! Share on X
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Comments 46
SQUEEE! That’s MY book! Thank you for reading and reviewing it, Patricia.
The verse you picked is a good one. I can see why you’d use it a MILLION times!
Author
Thanks, Vera! I loved your book. 🙂 And I’ve posted a review on Amazon…will do Goodreads and Bookbub next.
Thank you❤
nothing this week
Author
You must’ve been busy, BN!
God is the greatest artist, and His love is boundless. Both points made in the photo and chosen verse, Pat.
Vera, congratulations on your new book. Tulip, Texas! This reminds me of the high school football team in Blooming Prairie, MN who are known as the Prairie Bloomers. I think that was supposed to toughen them up; kinda like Johnny Cash’s Boy Named Sue.
I am about 2/3 through Susan May Warren’s thriller, “Ned”, one of the Minnesota Marshalls books. Part of the opening reads: “But he’d left his Navy-issued Glock-19 at home, along with his side holster, and his KA-BAR, and even his dive knife because, well, that just might get flagged, and if he carried permits it would most definitely slow him down with Helsinki customs.”
Author
Thanks, Tim–and you’re so right about being the greatest artist! I really think you’d enjoy Vera’s cozy mystery.
It appears the Blooming Prairie high school football team has changed their nickname. Now it’s the “Awesome Blossoms”. I think the affect is the same 🙂
Author
🙂
Thank you, Tim!
Oooh, Pat, the pictures I see in those beautiful clouds…. 🙂 The Scripture is perfect and does draw us into worship.
Vera, your book, Tulip Texas, sounds like a refreshing read and quite the challenge to teach teens poetry. It will be interesting to find out how Betty did it.
Tim, Susan May Warrens book, Ned, really pulled me in with the Helsinki customs permits check. I went through customs in Helsinki in 1993. Gracious, it was brutal. They also did a very thorough and public body search for each one of us. I passed, but was mortified.
“The slap-slap of rubber soles against asphalt echoed in the darkness somewhere behind Gabriella Benoit.” I’m reading Over the Line, by Kelly Irvin.
Author
Thank you, Barbara! I thought you would enjoy the clouds. They were quite impressive that day. I think you’d really enjoy Vera’s book, too. And I have Kelly’s up to read next…
Hi Barbara! Yes, those teens gave Vera a challenge. Kelly Irvin is a great storyteller!
Vera’s cozy sounds fun. I’m reading a cozy. “It’s your job now to keep these crazies n line, Miss Turley.” No Small Caper by Cynthia Hickey.
Author
It is a fun read, Sally Jo! I like the sound of Cynthia Hickey’s book, too.
Thanks for the kind words, Sally Jo. Oh, I enjoy Cynthia Hickey’s writing!
Beautiful photo and verse, Patricia!
Congratulation to Vera on her first cozy! (I have a copy of “When Did We Lose Sylvia?” on my ipad, and it’s getting close to the top of the TBR stack.)
I just finished “Memphis” by Tara Stringfellow. It’s a book club pick. I’m in the middle of “The Awe of God” by John Bevere. It’s a women’s group pick in my congregation. Also re-reading “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library” by Chris Grabenstein as I work on my own middle grade fiction.
Author
I think you’ll really enjoy Vera’s book, Kay. Is Memphis fiction?
Yes, it’s fiction. It follows the lives of four women over the period of about a half century. Although my husband and I live in Memphis, neither of us is from this area. It’s been interesting to read the perspective in this book.
Author
It sounds interesting. I grew up in Memphis when it was a great place to live. Thought nothing of taking the bus to downtown Memphis and staying all day–going to the movies, the Blue Light Studio where you could have your photo taken in the morning and pick the pictures up in the afternoon…
Thanks, Kay! I think it’s really cool that the women’s group at your church has a reading club.
Good morning, wow, this cozy sounds great! Very intriguing ! I love your photo and the verse. I am reading “First Fall ” by Tina Hogan Grant. This is the first line: “Mom, can I go ride my bike?”
Thank you for the kind words, Alicia.
I’m sorry Vera, I typed the wrong title, it should be When did We Lose Sylvia. Changed in my “to be bought” pile as well.
It’s cool, no need to apologize, Barbara. I’m just thrilled you added my book to your reading list!
The photo and verse are beautiful and incredibly paired. I keep going back to look and reread it. It’s very comforting.
I’ve ordered my 1st Vera Day book and it’s arriving Monday! Can’t wait to curl up with it and enjoy my day!
Author
I think you’ll really enjoy it, Debra!
Woohoo, thank you, Debra!
This sounds like a really good book.
Author
It is, Patricia!
Thank you for the kind words about my book, Patricia. I’m thrilled the other Patricia reviewed it here. (Hm, now should I ask my sister Patricia to leave a comment? Haha!)
Very interesting clouds! Congratulations, Vera!
I am about to start The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh. The first line:
Isadora Bentley is shopping for her final meal.
Thank you, Gloria!
Author
Hi Gloria. The book you’re reading sounds really interesting!
Beautiful photo and very fitting verse Pat! I just downloaded Vera’s book on KU and look forward to reading it. Just finished reading Treacherous Waters, bk 4 in the Joe Boyd Suspense series by Dan Walsh – good book! Have a blessed weekend everyone!
Thank you so much, Miss Mary! I hope you like it.
Author
Thank you, Miss Mary. I think you’ll really enjoy Vera’s book! And Dan Walsh is a great writer. Ditto on the blessed weekend.
I love those clouds. I don’t have the words to describe them, particularly the ones in the lower half of the picture. Good choice of verses.
I have wanted to read Philip Yancey’s memoir, Where the Light Fell, since he released it two years ago. I finally bought it and started reading a few days ago. He is a few years younger than me but so much of what he describes in the first half of the book (that’s as far as I have read so far) reminds me of my early years. I’m anxious to read of his adult life, but just haven’t gotten to that point in the book. The first line: No until college do I discover the secret of my father’s death. (This part does not fit my early life. His father died when Philip was a baby. My father died when I was 28.)
Author
Thanks, Edward! I love clouds, too. I’ll have to check Phillip Yancey’s memoir. I didn’t know who he was and looked him up. He’s very a interesting man and Christian.
Thank you for sharing. Sounds good. Edward Davidson had an odd fascination with pretending he was everyone but himself. The Keys to Gramercy Park
Author
Lucy, Vera’s book is very good! The Keys to Gramercy Park sounds good, too.
Hi Lucy! Thank you for the kind words about When Did We Lose Sylvia? If you decide to give it a read, I hope you like it!
The slap had hit its mark, leaving a burning outline Brianna was certain showed perfectly on her cheek. “The Maid of Ballymacool” by Jennifer Deibal. I love cozies.
Hi Lisa! If you decide to give When Did We Lose Sylvia? a try, I hope you like it.:-)
I can’t wait to read this book.
Oh, Judy, that’s music to my ears.:-) Thank you!