A laugh out loud comic mystery

Double Dog Dare (A Davis Way Crime Caper) (Volume 7)

By: Gretchen Archer

Rating: 5 of 5

I always look forward to a new Davis Way crime caper. I’ve been following the series for a while (have to go back and find the time to read the first couple of books that I missed.) It is one of my favorite series as the plots are hilarious and the characters sometimes bring tears to my eyes from laughing so hard.

Davis Way Cole is responsible (part time now that she has the kids) for security at the Bellissimo Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. She lives there with her husband (manager of the Casino) and their young twin daughters, taking up half of the 29th floor of the hotel. A continuing theme in the books is that Davis is a dead ringer for the casino owners wife, a pampered lady who prefers to have Davis double for her at local events and has, for some reason, decided that Davis’ name is actually David.

In this story, Davis’ past in Pine Apple, Alabama, has made its way into the casino (once again.) Davis is asked to pay a ransom of a million dollars (just go take it from the casino, right?) In her search for the kidnappers, she runs into a cast of characters from Pine Apple – Bootsy Howard (a known witch – just ask any child in Pine Apple), Leverette Urleen, MD – a doctor that I would just say no to, and my favorite, Vreeland Howard (Davis’ sister’s best friend.)

Vree talks a mile a minute. She one of those people who seem to have perfected the ability to talk while inhaling as well as exhaling.

I laughed my way through the book. The mystery wasn’t too difficult to figure out but the plot did make sense. For me, reading this series isn’t about figuring out the whodunnit. It’s all about enjoying the ride.

The book can be read standalone but I recommend reading the series in order. While I enjoy the books I have read, I think I am lacking some background because I missed the first two. I purchased them so it is simply a matter of finding the time to read them.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.