BIGGIE AND THE FRICASSEED FAT MAN

Short, amiable, and colorful, this comic murder mystery stars Biggie, a Texas grandmother, as detective and J.R., her 10-year-old grandson, as a kind of Watson. There are echoes of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, but on a much lighter note. A tubby restaurateur is found dead on the grand opening of his new establishment in a small East Texas community. While Biggie, the community problem-solver, investigates, trashy relations try sneakily to gain custody of her young charge. Amplifying the fun is Jeff Woodman, who impersonates the precocious J.R. with tongue-in-cheek gusto. The local suspects and neighbors are heard through a boy's (and comic author's) perspective, but the engaging Woodman nicely skirts superciliousness and mockery. Y.R. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 06/ JAN 07]