Mama Stalks the Past

by Nora DeLoach

Book Overview

Mama, an African-American social worker from Otis, South Carolina--where her cooking entices visitors from near and far--and her lawyer daughter take on a case of greed, family betrayal, and murder. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553577212
• ISBN13: 9780553577211
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: Bantam Dell
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

kat from TX

I had this book on my book shelf for 2years before a finaly decided to read it and I love the book. Now I'm sorry it took me so long to read it. The book kept my attention the hold time. Very enjoyable.

Love Mama's down-home style

I love the sense of home and family in the Mama mysteries. They take place in a small town in South Carolina where Mama, a social worker and excellent cook of down-home food, is a newcomer. Papa was born and raised there and the couple made it their home after Papa retired from the military. Daughter Simone works in Atlanta as a paralegal for one of the city's top lawyers, and can always be counted on to help Mama solve a mystery. This one begins when Mama's next door neighbor, who doesn't like Mama or anybody else, dies and leaves Mama a large parcel of land. The neighbor's only son isn't happy about the will and lets Mama know it. But when Mama tries to find out why the land was left to her, she discovers a long history of domestic abuse and murder connected to it, and it begins to look like it may have been left to Mama to serve as her burial plot.Beware of one thing. Don't read this series on an empty stomach -- all that talk about Mama's big dinners will make you hungry.

In the best tradition of a down home southern cozy

Everyone in Otis, South Carolina loves Grace "Candi" Covington, affectionately known as Mama to her daughter Simone, a paralegal in Atlanta and her spouse James. At least everyone adored her until she inherited her next door neighbor's two hundred and fifty acres of prime farm and timber land. The inheritance comes as quite a shock to the townsfolk, including Mama, who never spoke to the mean-spirited individual. The most angry person is the neighbor's son, Nat, who needs the profits from the land to pay off his debts. Nat threatens Mama, especially when an autopsy reveals that the vitriolic individual died from arsenic poisoning. Matters turn even stranger when Nat dies from arsenic poisoning also. Mama, with Simone's help, tries to ferret out the identity of the real killer before the whole town starts to believe that she committed the dastardly deeds. However, before the intrepid duo can get very deep into their investigation, Mama becomes very ill from arsenic poisoning, making it imperative that the murderer be named and nailedd quickly. MAMA STALKS THE PAST is a delightful southern small town amateur sleuth tale. The protagonist is a respected African-American who has returned home after traveling the world with her military spouse. Mama is an adorable detective, whom readers will love for her southern grace, kindness, and charity. Nora Deloach captures the essence of small town life, turning her delightful mystery novel into an atmospheric mood piece that will leave the audience feeling warm after finishing it- just like a Jessica Fletcher story. Harriet Klausner