Amazon Mary Clay Category:  Mystery/Suspense Publisher: IF Mystery ISBN-10:  0971042977 Pages: 260 Copyright: Feb 9 2004 ISBN-13: 9780971042971 Move Over, Steel Magnolias. Move Over, First Wives Club. The DAFFODILS* Are Back! (*Divorced And Finally Free Of Deceitful, Insensitive, Licentious Scum®) Leigh is building a new, single life at the beach. Ruthie's in town for a spiritual seminar. Flamboyant Penny Sue, hot on the trail of her latest soul mate, buys a Harley and follows him to Bike Week. In true DAFFODILS fashion, no sooner do the sorority sister reunite, then all hell breaks loose. Bullets are flying, a body is found and all clues point to Rich, Penny Sue's new love. Unfortunately, Rich has disappeared into the hubbub of a half million bikers, beer bashes, and cold slaw wrestling. With the help of Frannie May, a savvy, Italian widow from the South (South Shore of Boston, Massachusetts, that is), and a motley crew of bikers, Trekkies, and Navy Seals, the DAFFODILS must find Rich and unravel the mystery to protect themselves and the entire East Coast.

Funny, witty, catty, and filled with plenty of action
The DAFFODILS (Divorced and Finally Free of Deceitful, Incentive, Licentious Scum) are in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Leigh is living in Penny Sue's father's home rent free, working part-time, and trying to recover from being dumped for a bimbo her daughter's age. Ruthie plans to attend a metaphysical seminar and Penny Sue has followed her boyfriend down here so they can spend some time together during festivities of Bike Week.

The first couple of days are great for Penny Sue and Rich, but one day out of the blue he dumps her. Shortly thereafter, a dead body is found near Penny Sue's car and she knows that the dead man was hanging around with Rick. The police want to bring Rich in for questioning but he has disappeared with the criminal Vulture and his girlfriend who deals drugs and are wanted for other assorted activities. Penny Sue cajoles Mary Beth and Leigh into helping her find Rich before the police do and what follows is one of the funniest capers this reviewer has had the privilege of reading.

Mary Clay has the right touch when it comes to writing a mystery that will appeal to fans who like something funny, witty, catty, and filled with plenty of action. Penny plays Lucy to Leigh's Ethel and Ruthie is the voice of reason. The plotting is well done, all the characters (villains, odious ex male mates, and heroines) feel real and readers will find themselves reading BIKE WEEK BLUES in one sitting.

Harriet Klausner

A story most luscious, as Poirot would say
After her first successful mystery, THE TURTLE MOUND MURDER, New Smyrna Beach's Mary Clay is at it again with her DAFFODILS...that is, "Divorced and Finally Free of Deceitful, Insensitive, Licentious Scum," in BIKE WEEK BLUES. The ex-sorority pals are visiting Leigh in New Smyrna Beach, and are having as much fun as they did in their youth. Except dead bodies keep turning up. And, as Leigh's policeman buddy puts it, the "girls" have a penchant for getting into trouble.

Leigh is finding herself and worrying about her daughter. Penny Sue has outfitted herself with a Harley and new gear for BIKE WEEK and her new love. When Penny Sue's Rich unceremoniously dumps her and then calls to apologize, she is suspicious. But it's the dead body found next to her car which has a bullet hole in the license plate that really gets her going. Ruthie, the New Ager in the group, contributes sages and scents, which sometimes backfire, but add to the fun. But the real corker is the addition of Frannie May, a rich Italian widow whose MIT educated genius of a son and his Trekkie buddies join forces with ex-Navy Seals to find Penny Sue and Rich, who are eventually kidnaped by a biker named Vulture and his terrorist partners. The remaining DAFFODILS swing into action, join forces with the Trekkies and Navy Seals, and a real Klingon assault is in the making to save the entire Eastern seaboard from uncertain disaster from those dastardly cultist bikers:

"'Yes ma'am.' Klingons, Romulans, and Navy Seals-I'd try not to judge it all. On the plus side, I had to admit narrow, sheltered life had broadened considerably since my divorce."

All in all, BIKE WEEK BLUES is a delightful reprise of the DAFFODILS in action. Mary Clay expands her characters considerably in her sequel, and the addition of Star Trek enthusiasts is a stroke of genius. Her characters are carefully drawn and keep the reader laughing throughout the entire novel. The additional frequent references to menopause in the DAFFODILS as they are trying to keep up with the younger generation simply add to the mirth. There are plenty of moments of sobriety well interspersed in-between, which keep the book and plot focused on the mystery. BIKE WEEK BLUES is a story most luscious, as Poirot would say.

Shelley Glodowski, After her first successful mystery, THE TURTLE MOUND MURDER, New Smyrna Beach's Mary Clay is at it again with her DAFFODILS...that is, "Divorced and Finally Free of Deceitful, Insensitive, Licentious Scum," in BIKE WEEK BLUES. The ex-sorority pals are visiting Leigh in New Smyrna Beach, and are having as much fun as they did in their youth. Except dead bodies keep turning up. And, as Leigh's policeman buddy puts it, the "girls" have a penchant for getting into trouble.

Leigh is finding herself and worrying about her daughter. Penny Sue has outfitted herself with a Harley and new gear for BIKE WEEK and her new love. When Penny Sue's Rich unceremoniously dumps her and then calls to apologize, she is suspicious. But it's the dead body found next to her car which has a bullet hole in the license plate that really gets her going. Ruthie, the New Ager in the group, contributes sages and scents, which sometimes backfire, but add to the fun. But the real corker is the addition of Frannie May, a rich Italian widow whose MIT educated genius of a son and his Trekkie buddies join forces with ex-Navy Seals to find Penny Sue and Rich, who are eventually kidnaped by a biker named Vulture and his terrorist partners. The remaining DAFFODILS swing into action, join forces with the Trekkies and Navy Seals, and a real Klingon assault is in the making to save the entire Eastern seaboard from uncertain disaster from those dastardly cultist bikers:

"'Yes ma'am.' Klingons, Romulans, and Navy Seals-I'd try not to judge it all. On the plus side, I had to admit narrow, sheltered life had broadened considerably since my divorce."

All in all, BIKE WEEK BLUES is a delightful reprise of the DAFFODILS in action. Mary Clay expands her characters considerably in her sequel, and the addition of Star Trek enthusiasts is a stroke of genius. Her characters are carefully drawn and keep the reader laughing throughout the entire novel. The additional frequent references to menopause in the DAFFODILS as they are trying to keep up with the younger generation simply add to the mirth. There are plenty of moments of sobriety well interspersed in-between, which keep the book and plot focused on the mystery. BIKE WEEK BLUES is a story most luscious, as Poirot would say.

Shelley Glodowski, Reviewer
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