Twisty Tortoise Tussles is the sixth book in author Ann Charles’s Jackrabbit Junction mystery series. Looking for a mystery novel packed with humor (and I mean A LOT of humor), drama, some romance, and secrets, then this is the book for you! Whether you have read the previous books (our Reviews here) in this series or not, you’ll find something to enjoy with these characters.

Right from the beginning, the author, Ann Charles, gives you a cast of characters and which books they have made appearances in. Some you’ll see have been there from the beginning and others have made on and off appearances, but they all come together to contribute mightily to the overall story, helping to bring it to life in a big way.

You’re going to love the author’s great attention to detail and amount of humor right off the bat, and giggle when you read lines like – “Kate’s smile was too wide. Deranged clowns looked less creepy.” Prepare for wide eyes, stifled chuckles, and tightly clamped lips as you resist howling with laughter (depending on your location, of course).

The detailing in the characters’ behavior, and in some cases sensitivities to certain words or even looks truly amplifies the humor. Through these details, the author encourages you to delve deeper into this story within the first few pages. Things get even better as the story progresses with phrases like “squirrels in her noggin’ got rowdy and started bouncing around”, and “tendency to morph into Taz the Tasmanian Devil.” Talk about painting a picture of someone when a particular mood or moodiness hits them. Plenty of fun to read and imagine the chaos they must leave in their wake.

Brace yourself when a particular blonde struts her way onto the scene in chapter one. Drama is following like wildfire in her wake, and she has nothing but trouble in her eyes. Who needs just one character to dislike when two make the party even better? While the drama will initially appear to be targeted toward one particular character, just hold your horses, because it’s not. There is plenty of drama to go around and go around it shall!

Drama is the name of the game with this book though as there is the day-to-day drama that must always be dealt with. Each of the characters featured their own issues that they must face and it’s not getting any easier it seems. Whether it’s individuals wanting to stir up trouble and seek revenge, or multiple projects being heaped on one’s heads, there is always something going on.

One of the highlights that you’re going to enjoy about this book is the attention to the desert scenes. Twisty Tortoise Tussles is based on a small desert town called Jackrabbit Junction, in Arizona. When the characters are outdoors, the author makes sure to pay close attention to the various wildlife, both flora, and fauna, that can be found there. If you ever watched a nature show or even been to the desert then you’re going to appreciate the various plants and animals mentioned throughout these particular scenes. They help to create a vivid image of both the beauty and the danger that surrounds them on a daily basis. The black and white sketches scattered throughout this book are a nice added bonus to complete the mental images you’ll be creating for specific scenes.

One of the benefits of this novel is that the author tucks in backstories where appropriate for certain characters. You get a more precise understanding as to why they ended up where they are and how they got their start. This information might be already known by those who have read this series to this point, but for new readers, just diving into this is always a bonus. It helps brings you closer to the characters and ties it all together better. There is some filler for situations that have happened in previous books (our reviews here) as well. This definitely goes to help fill in gaps and questions that will naturally arise for those who decide to grab this book out of order.

Before this book even begins the author makes it a prerogative to let readers know that this story is going to follow more than just one character. Now, in case you’re wondering – does that mean that each chapter will identify that particular focus? The simple answer – is no. Don’t worry though, you’ll grasp pretty quickly who the current focus is.

The mystery element is truly unique in this book. When you read “mystery novel” your first thought is that the mystery aspect is going to take center stage and be the primary focal point of the book. With Twisty Tortoise Tussles, this particular novel, that’s not necessarily the case. When I say that, I mean that there are multiple mystery threads floating around. One that appears to continue from the previous book(s), – reviews here – and then new threads that crop up in this particular installment. The variety of threads will keep you on your toes as the author shifts between characters, but that’s really half the fun.

The characters really bring this book to life. There are more moments than not that you will believe you could go to Jackrabbit Junction and cross paths with them. You’re going to love how there is essentially a character for anyone who reads this book. As you read, you’re going to feel a connection to one or more characters. Whether it be in their current behavior, or in the situations and issues that they have not only had to deal with in their lives but overcome as well. Books that bring you those types of connections are always some of the ones that stick with you long after you’ve put the them down.

Pros:

• Great attention to detail in both the landscape/area and the characters.
• Just the right amount of drama and “crazy” without going overboard.
• The humor is perfectly balanced and hits just the right spot to keep you entertained.
• The surprise elements. You just never know what’s going to happen next or who’s going to do what next. Keeps you on your toes.
• Engaging novel even if you haven’t read the previous books in this series.

Cons:

• If you haven’t read the previous books you have quite a few questions concerning previous incidents that are brought up throughout the book.

Lesson of the book: It’s always good to know that family has your back because you never know when you’ll need a witness.

Favorite Character(s): Penelope “Penny” Harrison and Kathryn “Kate” Morgan

Cover: 8.3/10

Book Score: 8.7/10

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