Luther Abernathy, the mailman with a penchant for gossip, delivers more than mail on his appointed rounds. Handing out gossip, sometimes including tidbits related to the mail neighbors receive, Luther has annoyed a few people, but no one suspects to the point of murder.

This is why, when Luther is found dead in his Camaro in a ditch, the police chief doesn’t suspect foul play. That is until he realizes the back of the mailman’s head is smashed in, not the front, which would have been more consistent with the accident.

Biggie, however, has bigger fish to fry. The Lions Club has donated a lakeside piece of land to the James Royce Wooten Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (named after Biggie’s ancestor). The DRT hope to turn the land into a women’s retreat and a community park. There is some work that needs to be done, as the land was once used as a dump, but in Biggie’s usual whirlwind fashion, she sets out to clear the land and raise money for the park.

The appearance of Senator Lefty Lovelace and the discovery of a militant group, the Empire of Texas, squatting on the DRT’s new piece of land, muddy waters sufficiently. Did Luther have something on one of them worth killing for? And does J.R.’s chance discovery of the Senator’s old high school yearbook hold the key to Luther’s murder?

Biggie and the Meddlesome Mailman is a delightful mystery. Although you will realize early on who didn’t do it, the clues are subtle enough that you may be surprised at who really did it.

The book is made even more enjoyable by a twelve-year-old’s point of view. Good subplots, including the mysterious new pitcher on J.R.’s little league team keep the pace of the book moving along nicely. Overall, a quick, fun mystery that will make you feel as if you have just stopped in the kitchen on Elm Street for a cup of Willie Mae’s Cajun coffee and hope to visit again very soon.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry