Amazon The Daffodils Category:  Mystery/Suspense Publisher: IF Mysteries, an imprint of Inspirational Fiction ISBN-10:  0971042950 Type: Fiction Pages: 224 Copyright: Feb 1 2003 IS THERE LIFE AFTER DIVORCE? YOU BET! Meet the DAFFODILS* (*Divorced And Finally Free Of Deceitful, Insensitive, Licentious Scum®), three sassy, Southern sorority sisters who stumble on corpses and chaos at every turn. Rebecca Leigh Stratton is divorced, depressed, and thoroughly disgusted. Thanks to her two-timing, asset-hiding, lawyer husband, Leigh faces the prospect of starting over at forty-six. Fortunately, her sassy, Southern sorority sisters, Penny Sue Parker and Ruthie Nichols, are old hands at divorce. The three single-again ladies take off for New Smyrna Beach, their college-days haunt. What they don't bargain for are old flames, fist fights, and gunfire. And, that's just the first day!   Excerpt Leigh Stratton, Ruthie Nichols and Penny Sue Parker are sassy, Southern sorority sisters with very unique views … On Each Other: Penny Sue was an exasperating flake, but a person would be hard-pressed to find a better friend. * * * Ruthie hasn’t been right since she drove off the bridge and cracked her head. * * * "Always thinking, that’s why Leigh was president of the sorority," Ruthie said matter-of-factly. "That’s why she’s always covered in spots." Penny Sue sniggered, pointing at a splotch on my blouse. On Men: "Even straight men act like a pack of dogs, sniffing each other and posturing. All that butt slapping and carrying on, it’s in their genes, goes back to ancient Greece where they played sports in the nude." On Psychologists: Penny Sue threw back her head and laughed. "Of course, dear, he’s a therapist. They’re all weird. You teach what you need to learn." On Fashion: Penny Sue chose a black leather halter top with a Harley Davidson emblem in the center, below the boobs. She wanted to buy leather shorts to match, but Ruthie convinced her otherwise. "One continuous yeast infection," Ruthie pronounced quietly. Those four words eclipsed all my arguments about propriety and image.

Midwest Book Review
Mary Clay is a pen name for Linda Tuck-Jenkins. Her first novel, Starpeople: The Sirian Redemption was voted First Runner-Up for Best Visionary Fiction of 2001.

Move over, Steel Magnolias; move over, First Wives Club. "The Daffodils" have arrived. Named for "Divorced and Finally Free of Deceitful, Insensitive, Licentious Scum," the Daffodils are comprised of Penny Sue Park, Ruthie Nichols, and most recently, Rebecca Leigh Stratton, who is newly divorced from her assets stealing; two-timing lawyer husband Zack. The Daffodils decide to take a trip to their college retreat, off New Smyrna Beach, but Leigh discovers a body on the beach within twenty-four hours of their arrival:

"Then, my finger touched something cold and hard. I leaned forward and grabbed... a cold, stiff foot! It was like a bad dream the one where someone is chasing you, and you try to scream but can't. You open your mouth, straining, yet no sound comes out."

Women are women and men are men in this twist of gender stereotypes. The men are never around when you need them; keep turning up as corpses; and the women have to pick up the pieces, all the while muttering about their connections with the DAFFODILS.

THE TURTLE MOUND MURDER is an entertaining book with strongly defined characters who romp around New Smyrna Beach reliving their college days; tripping over dead bodies; and in general creating havoc and fun. Penned in the best Southern Belle with tongue firmly in cheek, Clay's characters are seen through straight woman Leigh's eyes. Her two pals are flirty and flaky, but she loves them and sees the trio through a string of mishaps that would bowl over a lesser person who was not going through a devastating divorce.

Witty and hilarious, The Turtle Mound Murder engages the reader from the very first page. Mary Clay writes with a sure hand, and Penny Sue, Ruthie and Leigh are all personalities most women have grown up with. The jokes are insiders that all women relate to, making this a Shelley choice for a great read.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer
Midwest Book Review