Don't Mess with Mrs In-Between

PI Grace Smith #3

by Liz Evans

When Barbra Delaney comes into Grace Smith's office, looks her in the eye and announces, 'I'm filthy rich and I've decided to make a will leaving the lot to a complete stranger. I've chosen you...', Grace thinks she may be hallucinating. It is, after all, the stuff of which daydreams are made. That is until Barbra hands Grace the photographs of three complete strangers, and tells her to find their names and addresses so that she can will all her dear departed husband's worldly goods to them. But, as Grace tracks down the lucky legatees, she discovers that they all have their own reasons for not wanting her poking around in their lives. When a series of increasingly violent events culminates in a very nasty death, it seems that someone will stop at nothing - not even murder - to stop Grace finding out the truth ...

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Crime, British Literature, Fiction

406 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2015

About the author

Also writes as Patricia Grey

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't Mess with Mrs In-Between is the 3rd book in the Grace Smith mystery series by English author Liz Evans. The first two books were Who Killed Marilyn Monroe? and JFK is Missing! Grace Smith is a PI who works for a small detective agency, Vetch (the letch) (International) Associates Inc (don't be fooled by the firm name, it's piddly) in the coastal town of Seatoun. The firm basically consists of Vetch, Grace Smith, Annie (Grace's best friend and also one of the firm's PI's) and Janice, the recalcitrant secretary.

Vetch assigns Grace a strange case. Barbra Delaney has taken photos of 3 people coming out of a corner shop in the nearby town of St Biddy's. Not wanting to leave anything to her son in her will (family feud), she wants Grace to find out who the 3 people are, investigate them and then tell Barbra whether they are suitable for sharing Barbra's estate.

So, somewhat unwillingly, Grace takes the assignment and begins her investigation. All sorts of things will happen. Her flat will be turned over, the office will as well. Someone will be murdered. Grace will celebrate her 30th birthday.... sadly. She will have a relationship but is the young man who he seems to be? Best friend Annie is considering moving to a new firm in the London. And Grace has to travel around using Vetch's old aunty's bicycle because she can't user her own car. So either cycling or cadging rides, Grace finds herself in a convoluted case, where people smuggling, female impersonators and so many other things crop up.

It's all very fascinating. Grace is a cross between Kinsey Milhone, Kat Colorado and Stephanie Plum. She's an ex-cop who left under a cloud of suspicion and her relationship with the police is always somewhat confrontational. She doesn't mind bending the rules a bit to achieve her case. But she's always interesting, intelligent and able to work through the weeds to solve her case. The story is funny, dangerous and just enjoyable to read. Don't get caught up too much with the twists and turns. Just enjoy the seaside, the characters and the story. (4.0 stars)

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don’t Mess With Mrs In-Between is the third book in the PI Grace Smith series. Grace is not the most talented PI, but she is feisty and persistent, and she likes to think she always gets her man (or at least they might fancy her). In this outing she tries to track down three people chosen at random by a rich heiress to become the beneficiaries of her will. Only the three are not keen to have someone snooping around their business and the heiress also seems to have something to hide. Progressively the case becomes more convoluted and dangerous. The tale fits into the tart noir genre popular at the end of the 1990s/early 2000s, a kind of edgy cozy with a strong-willed, independent female lead. While at times entertaining, the story unfolds somewhat haphazardly, often held together by thin or awkward plot devices and I just had difficulty believing a good chunk of it or in some of the characters, and the ending was weak. I know tart noir and crime with a comic twist often requires a suspension of disbelief, but it all felt too overly contrived without the payoff of being lost in the tale or belly laughs. And some things made little sense to me – for example, a PI being knocked from her bike and not even being curious about who hit her, let alone trying to track them down. The result was a book that felt a little insubstantial, driven by a central character with flaws, some humour, and a frail plot.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since Grace Smith left the Seatoun police in murky circumstances, she's been a marginally unsuccessful private investigator who finds it difficult to spend her own money. She lives in a squat, buys her clothes from the thrift shop, and mooches off her friends for food and rides. So she's glad to get a job for a rich widow, who wants to leave her estate to three strangers she photographed one morning in a nearby village--if Grace can only find their names, contact information, and assure her that they've never been in trouble with the law, unlike her scapegrace son. And she can't explain to anyone why she wants to find the three. The first photo is easy, but the other two don't want to be found, for reasons of their own. If you haven't read any of this terrific series, I'd strongly advise that you try to get some--not too easy in the States, but well worth the trouble.

[Jeff Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brighton based Private Eye, Grace Smith is employed wealthy Barbara Delaney to find a group of people from a few pictures taken at a wedding. Having decided to that she will not leave her inheritance to her son Sean she wants Grace to find a more deserving case from these photos. The investigation soon goes off the rails when the people she discovers have something to hide. Throw in a murder, a cross dresser and psychotic farmer, Grace has her work cut out. The weakest of the three Liz Evans books I've read but it still includes some very good moments with a final twist that ties up the lose ends.

[Jean Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read a Liz Evans for quite a while and didn't take to this one as well as I did some of Ms Evans earlier offerings. I think maybe the story lines are getting a bit too similar and predictable.

[sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found these books a long time ago... wonderfully English ( I'd read a lot of American murders and wanted something that wouldn't give me nightmares!!) funny and really enjoyable read

[Beth Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not my usual type of story but I was drawn in by the main character's problems and her determination. It really is a gripping tale.

[Catherine Leggitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

These Grace Smith Mysteries are really special. Love the English village charm. Love Grace Smith's inept but somehow brilliant detective work that always leads her to the perpetrator. Love the fresh writing and intriguing plots. A healthy dose of wit, quirky characters, and puzzling murders makes me want to read more. Some of my favorite lines: "we exchanged loving looks that could have stripped the varnish off any furniture..." or "I wanted it like I wanted to hear the Dutch telephone directory recited backwards." Descriptive phrases are Liz Evans speciality. "Chocolate-fudge-sundae smiles" "...where lobotomy donors go to retire" "an ee-eye short of the full MacDonald" "like a limpet on speed." Really terrific stuff, eh? Cheers. I'm off to order the next installment.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Liz Evans' humor is just my style, and the plot was excellent also. At first I hesitated to read her because she had been compared to Janet Evanovitch, and I gave up on her several books ago. I liked the first few, but after that, not so much. In this book Grace Smith, PI, takes on a case to find three people someone has chosen to inherit her money after her death, people she has chosen solely on the basis of three photos she took of them coming out of a shop. The fact that Liz Evans is British, and the story is set in Britain, adds greatly to my enjoyment.

[Angela Verdenius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, such a great story! Full of the usual twists and turns. That's what I love about this series, it's not cookie-cutter style, the mystery never easily solved. And the characters are not perfect, mistakes are made, and even personal relationships are not perfect. Cannot recommend this series enough.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one. I really like the characters she comes up with, I just wish some of them would flow from book to book. The donkeys weren't mentioned even once in this book. Sad.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usual funny writing style with an interesting ending.