Holy Terrors is the third book in Mary Daheim's Bed and Breakfast cozy mystery series. It's Good Friday, a day of fasting and abstinence (no meat) for Catholics, and widowed Judith Grover McMonigle is hungry. Her widowed mother, Gertrude 'Gertie' Grover, is being being obnoxious as usual. Gertrude is griping about the changes in the Catholic Church and Catholic schools since she was young as well as one of their parishioners. In comes Judith's across-the-street neighbor, Arlene Rankers, with snacks for her eight cousins, nephews, and nieces who will be staying at Hillside Bed and Breakfast because the Rankers don't have room for all of their visiting kin at their house. Pay attention to Gertrude and Arlene's natter. It's not irrelevant.

Our Lady, Star of the Sea Catholic Church ('SOTS' for short) is where Judith's family goes to worship.

NOTES:

Chapter 1:

a. Kurt and Eve Kramer's nickname among their fellow SOTS is 'the prickly pair'.

b. Arlene and Carl Ranker's grown offspring are: Meagan, Mugs (female), C. J. [Carl, Jr.], Matt, and Kevin.

c. Part of Judith's backyard is described: a gnarled old lilac tree, a blush-pink rhododendron, and the trees that are all that's left of the Grover apple orchard. (According to book one, Just Desserts, chapter 3, there are 3 apple trees left.)

d. Judith keeps the ashes of her first husband, Dan, in a boot box in the shed. (The shed is where Sweetums got the mouse he gave Judith.)

Chapter 2:

a. Judith is described.

b. Judith gets part of her gray hair dyed sable satin at Chez Steve (by Steve himself). See later in the chapter for Gertrude's reaction.

c. Norma Paine has a wire-haired terrier.

d. The funeral of Lucille Tresvant Frizzell, younger sister of the recently deceased rich Emily Tresvant, had to be scheduled around Judith's wedding to Dan. (Emily and Judith's mother had different reactions to that.)

e. Here it's stated that Judith bought Hillside Manor from her mother, her aunt Deb (Renie's mom), and Uncle Al Grover.

Chapter 3:

a. It's now Holy Saturday.

b. Read here for what Dan did with Renie's clam doodoo dish, which is why Mrs. Dooley didn't speak to Judith for 6 months.

c. Tony Jones' latest girlfriend is Rich Beth, as Renie calls her.. Renie may not like her much.

d. Our Lady, Star of the Sea, has a gothic eminence.

e. Father Tim Mills dated Arlene Ranker's daughter, Mugs, before he attended seminary.

f. This chapter contains some gossip and arguing among parish members. Only Arlene Ranker has ever gotten the better of Eve Kramer.

g. Sandy, who was in charge of the school nursery, tells Judith what the Raine grandson, the Paine's niece, and the Rankers kin were up to.

h. The church steeple looks crooked to Judith.

i. Mrs. Dooley's baby daughter was bitten in the nursery.

j. Dooley (known as that instead of Aloysius Gonzaga since kindergarten, is the Dooley's eldest son), joined the Explorers police auxiliary for kids last year. See book 1, Just Desserts, for the fortune-teller mystery. [St. Aloysius Gonzaga is the patron saint of Christian Youth, plague victims, and AIDS victims & their caregivers. Catholics usually are named for one or more saints, i.e., St. Judith is the patron saint of Prussia.]

Chapter 4:

a. See book 2, Fowl Prey for the mystery during Judith and Renie's vacation. It's been over a year since book one.

b. We learn what the youngest of the Rankers clan (from Omaha), did to the Pooh Bear in the nursery.

c. Lt. Joe Flynn has entered this novel.

d. Judith's small patio is bordered by the Ericson's laurel hedge and the Dooley's picket fence. Judith's birdbath has a stature of St. Francis.

e. Wilbur Paine is part of Hoover, Klontz, and Paine, an old established law firm based in the Evergreen Tower Building.

f. We learn who won the mortality pool for Dan McGonigle.

Chapter 5:

a. Before she got arthritis in her fingers, Gert made needlepoint covers for the dining room chairs.

b. Serena's middle name is 'Elizabeth'.

c. Bill Jones has come up with a psychological profile for the killer.

d. It's been 23 years, but Bill's ability to swear still amazes Judith.

e. Our Lady, Star of the Sea, has a side altar with a statue of St. Thérèse of Lisieux [patron saint of missions and florists].

f. Judith remembers some things from when she attended the SOTS parochial school.

g. See the last chapter of Fowl Prey for Gert's revelation about Joe's phone call.

h. Father Hoyle has a Siamese cat named Pope Urban IV. [That pope instituted the Feast of Corpus Christi.]

Chapter 6:

a. Renie recounts a funny incident involving Kevin Ranker as a child and a missionary pleading for starving Ethiopians.

b. The Paine's house's exterior, the Kramers' car, and Norma Paine's car are described.

c. Some of Judith's Easter decorations are described, including Gert's favorite of the Resurrection (the Lord's footwork resembles Fred Astaire's).

d. Joe's adult stepchildren are Doug (married) and Terri (living with a guy in San Francisco). His daughter, Caitlin, works for a chemical company in Switzerland. Joe and Judith discuss what it's like being parents.

e. Easter dinner includes Aunt Deb, Auntie Vance, Uncle Vince, Bill, Renie, Anne, Tom, Tony, Uncle Al, and Rich Beth.

Chapter 7: Joe's office is described, including his photo of Caitlin.

Chapter 8:

a. We learn about the time that Dooley was using his telescope and accidentally saw Gert in a condition she didn't like.

b. It's only a year or so ago since Grandpa Dooley had to give up being the church gardener because of a kite and lightning.

c. Judith's last family lawyer was Ewart Gladstone Whiffel, who died around the same time as Dan.

Chapter 9:

a. Phyllis Rackley is back at work. Her sister has a son named Randolph who is in Sioux City. She lives across the ship canal in the Rutherford District.

b. We learn about a few things Joe and Judith did for fun almost 25 years ago.

Chapter 10:

a. George Philip Sanderson was 44 years old when he died.

b. Judith has very strange dreams.

c. The SOTS rectory housekeeper is Mrs. Katzenheimer.

d. Arlene says Mugs was able to deck the future Father Tom Mills only once in the six months they dated. Gertrude reminisces about a Father Houlihan at St. Mary's-in-the-Pines.

e. Renie mentions Uncle Fred in Denver (who apparently is mentally ill). [According to chapter 1, book 4, Dune to Death, he's Renie's uncle, but not Judith's].

f. Dooley has an exchange with a dissatisfied customer on his paper route, Mrs. Dowzak.

g. SOTS has a grotto with St. Bernadette and the Virgin Mary in the rose garden. Why the Dooleys donated it 30 years ago was interesting.

Chapter 11:

a. Hilde Katzenheimer has been the SOTS housekeeper for 30 years.

b. Bill Jones was born and raised in Michigan.

c. Judith lies about her Uncle Corey, who was an elevator operator at an old hotel at Geary and Mason during the Great Depression.

d. Toot Sweet, Heraldsgate Hill's ice cream & confectionery parlor, was established in 1919 & has a cute phrase on its front door.

e. John Frizzell's middle name is 'Casper'.

Chapter 12:

a. Sweetums has a fight with the Ericson's Dandy Dinmont.

b. Look here for what Auntie Vance [Vanessa] said to Dan McMonigle, for which he never forgave her.

c. The local service station owner is Marvin Boggs, with whom Arlene went to high school.

d. Tim Mills' mother is a full-blooded Sioux named Squatting Frog.

e. Sweetums has nasty yellow eyes. He's orange and white striped.

Chapter 13:

a. There's an Episcopal church named St. Alban's.

b. Judith absentmindedly signs a check "Judith G. Flynn".

c. 20 years ago, Bill and Renie Jones moved back from Port Diablo.

d. 5 years ago Judith got a ticket for driving 50 mph in a 35 mph zone (Dan had sent her for a case of twinkies).

e. Woody Price is a Methodist.

f. Aunt Deb mentions a cousin Mabel Frable.

Chapter 15:

a. Judith hasn't been to Bayshore's restaurant since she was married to Dan.

b. Joe tells Judith the whole story of how he got married to Vivian and how their marriage went sour.

Chapter 16:

a. Dan pawned the baguette diamond set in platinum ring that Joe had have given Judith during the first year of their marriage.

b. Kitty Duggan is the SOTS parish secretary.

Chapter 18: Joe tells Judith the news about the annulment.

Holy Terrors is not my favorite book in this series, but it did have some interesting twists. No, I did not figure out the killer or the motive.

Cat Lovers: besides Sweetums' antics, there are a couple of cameos by a Siamese cat. ( )

The scissors-wielding Easter Bunny was the best part of the entire book...plus the green cover that I needed for...you guessed it...another challenge. The book description sounded fun and interesting...a murder by a bunny-suit clad perpetrator to be solved by the Bed-and Breakfast owner. Had the look of a laugh out loud book because a few reviewers described the book as hilarious. I was wrong or we were all reading a different book. There were way too many characters and keeping up with them was cumbersome. It still got 3 stars for a novel idea and a really cute rabbit even if it was a bit psychotic. ( )

Another book in the Judith McMonigle cozy series. I haven't read one in a while and found that I still enjoy Dahiem' writing.

This time out it is Easter and murder is on the menu. Did the Easter Bunny do the crime?

This book is the third in the series. Judith and Joe Flynn's romance is in the early stages, but Judith has shown, previously, that she is adept in finding clues and solving mysteries. Judith's mother, Gerturude, is living in the house with Judith and not in her own little flat, later built on the property. The mother is cantankerous and demanding. (A spoiled brat, in my opinion.)

During pre-Easter event at the church, the reclusive wife of one of the monied families is found stabbed to death in the church. Not one to pass up a mystery, Judith starts right in investigating. The suspect list seems to grow bigger and bigger and the secrets she finds are deeper and deeper.

I enjoyed it but like some of her later books better. All in all, a fun and quick read. ( )

I have read the first books of this series and enjoyed them. This novel, however, was tedious. There were a lot of people to keep track of. I kept getting confused as to who was who. Additionally I was unclear on the ages of the previously mentioned group of people. Maybe the ages were mentioned in passing, but I don't recall. It was difficult to wrap my head around.

The plot seemed good. Started out good, but then it fizzled. Though there was no outward disapproval of the gay couple, there were serious undertones of homophobia specifically in reference to religion. Judith had a better "moral sense" than the killer because the killer was gay and because Judith wasn't. It was jarring.

Def would not read again. Will try next in series though. ( )