Mixed Genre  Fiction

I like mixed genre fiction. I enjoy almost any fiction genre more if it contains some humor. Humor can relieve the tension in a mystery or thriller. Romance can also add interest to mysteries and historical novels. Christian faith can add depth to romance, historical fiction, and mysteries.

I have been mixing it up this month. I’ve read many novels that fit into multiple genres.  Here are brief reviews of some of them. At the end of the post you will find links to the books I’ve discussed. Some of them may still be free for your Kindle. Many of the books are also available in paperback for those who prefer bound books.

 

Mixed Genre Fiction for Youth: Humor,  Mystery and Romance

 

Kait’s Strange Hobby: Adventures in Funeral Crashing

Adventures in Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris introduces us to Kait Lenox and Ethan Ripley — two people hurting because of a death in the family. Kait is sixteen and a nerd.  Her former best friend Ariel has turned into an enemy who loves to make fun of her in public. As one of the unpopular people in her school, she eats by herself. She loves to read, and her secret hobby is crashing funerals. The first funeral she attended was her mother’s, who had died of ovarian cancer, and Kait misses her — a lot.

Ethan is the most popular boy in the school. His half-sister, Liz O’Reilly, has just died of an overdose. Her friends and family were shocked since she did not run with druggies and seemed to be an upbeat person — not someone who would do drugs. Nevertheless,  the papers reported she had died of a drug overdose.

Kait decides to go to Liz’s funeral, even though she had never known Liz, who was in college. Kait’s usual practice is to be inconspicuous, wear dark clothing, and sit near the back. She tries to avoid talking to anyone who might ask her how she knows the deceased.  She figures Liz’s funeral will be big enough that no one will notice she is there.

Liz’s Funeral

Kait doesn’t want to admit to anyone she is funeral crashing. She likes funerals because she learned a lot about her mother at her funeral she hadn’t known before. Kait likes to hear the stories family and friends tell about their loved ones at the funerals she crashes.

Unfortunately, at Liz’s funeral, Ethan Ripley walked up to her and asked her how she knows Liz. Her prepared answer, that they had an English class at the community college doesn’t work with Ethan since he knows she is only in high school. So she asks how he knows Liz, and he explains Liz is his half-sister. He asks again how she knows Liz, and she flees.

Ethan Nails Kait and They Team Up to Solve the Mystery of Liz’s Death

She manages to evade Ethan for a few days before he finally finds her at the video store where she works and makes her explain how she knows Liz. She finally admits that she doesn’t and that she was just funeral crashing. Ethan asks why she likes funerals and she explains.

She talked about her mother’s funeral, and Ethan and Kait see each other’s grief. It comes out that Liz is one of several girls who recently died of an overdose, and they were all girls no one expected to be using heroin. Ethan finally tells Kait he thinks Liz was murdered. The two decide to work on the case and find out who killed  Liz and the other girls.

A Teen Romance Even an Adult Can Enjoy

There is enough humor, mystery, and romance in this book to keep most teenage girls intrigued. Even I didn’t want to put the book down.  There was a twist at the end that caught me off-guard, but I was still satisfied with the ending.

I enjoyed the interaction between the teens and the hints of budding romances. I will have to read the next books in the series to see how the romances progress and what new mysteries the friends will solve. The series has good reviews from those who have read all of the first three books. The one I have reviewed is still free for Kindle as I write this. To order, just click on the buy button at the end of this post.

The Aylesford Humorous Christian Romance Series for Adults by Steve Demaree

Brad Meets His Neighbors

I read Volume I, Pink Flamingoed, and  I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. Well-known mystery writer Brad Forrester inherits a house in what he assumes is a quiet neighborhood on Aylesford Place in December. Before he can even unpack he hears carolers outside his door.

When they have finished singing, they invite him to come with them as they gather all the other neighbors on the dead-end street. The three singers are Amy, his pretty next door neighbor, and Cora and Frank, an elderly couple. Cora explains to Brad that Amy will lead the neighborhood tour as they collect the other carolers. She explains who lives in each house and a bit about them. The church most of them go to is at the dead-end of the block. When everyone is collected they all go to  Amy’s house for a party.

What a Bunch of Characters!

The fun in this book is in the interaction between the characters, most of whom are Christians. As Brad observes them for the first time, it’s obvious that Harry, the retired IRS agent, is the brunt of most of the jokes. He is a tightwad, and they call him on it frequently. Cora is like the adopted mother of the single young adults who live on the block. They confide in her and she gives them advice.

Melanie is a single real estate agent who chases any man near her age who crosses her path. Cora tries to tell her that she may be scaring off those men who might like to do the chasing themselves. Amy is a professional photographer.

Pastor Scott Ambruster and his wife Nancy have the only children on the street, Jill, Kenny, and Mallory. They also add humor to the book as they tease each other. Kenny’s greatest fun seems to be in making his sisters miserable.

The most infamous resident on the block is someone no one ever sees. The neighbors call her Witch Peabody, but her real name is Minerva. Her fortress-like house with an iron gate is next to the park. No one dares get near it,  for it’s said that she shoots anyone who does. She frightened a couple of Mormon missionaries so badly that they ran away and no Mormon ever came back to the neighborhood.

One Big Zany Family

It soon becomes evident to the readers that the neighborhood is like a big family. They tease each other, but they care for each other. Within this neighborhood, there are four budding romances before the book ends, and one of the couples is not young.

Cora seems to be the ring leader of the group — the one who organizes things and keeps everyone — including Harry — in line. She is the one who organizes the church fundraiser where the pink flamingo comes into play.

The Pink Flamingo

One unlucky neighbor is chosen by lot to be the first to receive the pink flamingo Cora provides.  The person with the flamingo must place it in plain sight in the yard of another neighbor — without being seen. If a neighbor finds the pink flamingo in their yard, they have to donate $20 to the fund for the orphanage and be the next one to get rid of the flamingo. If they get caught placing the flamingo, they have to donate $20 to the fund.

Tightwad Harry is determined avoid having to make that $20 donation. That’s why he sleeps on the front porch the first night. I won’t tell you how that turned out. You need to read the book,   which currently, as I write this is free. You have to pay for the rest of the books in the series.

There are many humorous subplots, most involving Harry. There are also some mysteries to be solved. Why is Minerva a recluse? Who is the mysterious Moses on the church email list? Harry’s efforts to solve this one make his wife sure he’s having an affair. She also thinks that’s why Harry wants to sleep on the porch.

Pink Flamingoed Will Make You Laugh

Pink Flamingoed is slapstick funny and should appeal to most adult ages who just want to laugh. I think seniors will most appreciate the humor and may catch more of it than younger people might.

The characters are not as well developed as they could be, but their interactions show you a lot about them. What they do reveals their personalities, as well as their affection for one another.

The books in the Aylesford Place Series are not literary, but they are entertaining. They make great escapes when you don’t want to get involved with a thriller.

Steve Demaree also writes humorous detective novels, but the Christian elements in  those seem out of place. His treatment of Christian faith is more realistic in the Aylesford Place series.

The links below are to books in a series. Just click through to see the individual books. The first volume in each series may still be free. It is as I write this, but that could change at any time.

 

 Aylesford Place Humorous Christian Romance Series (4 Book Series) Funeral Crashing Mysteries (4 Book Series)

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