Book Review: Secret Sisters by Tristi Pinkston

Relief Society president Ida Mae Babbitt never meant to break the law or become a spy, but when she discovers that one of the members of her ward is in trouble, and the woman denies it, well, a little investigation doesn't seem out of line.

As Ida Mae and her presidency, Arlette and Tansy, become embroiled in adventure and deep secrets between taking care of the needs of various members of the Omni 2nd Ward, the murder of one of their suspects shakes them to the core. But with no cooperation forthcoming from the sheriff's office despite their best efforts to enlist that aid, they press forward to untangle the mystery, helped out by Ida Mae's techno geek nephew and Arlette's charming granddaughter.

Secret Sisters is a whimsical departure for LDS author Tristi Pinkston. Her previous works have been serious historical fiction, with one romance thrown into the mix. Now she has built a unique world peopled with interesting characters and sprinkled with delightful, laugh-out-loud-at-the-library repartee between Ida Mae and her cohorts. That's a good thing, because Secret Sisters is just the beginning of a cozy mystery series featuring Ida Mae and her friends.

Tristi Pinkston put a lot of effort into publicizing this book before it ever appeared in March. Ida Mae is all over the Internet: she has her own blog, Facebook profile, and even tweets through Twitter. In fact, she participated in the recent Whitney Awards live blogging coverage. Ida Mae has become quite the personality, and Tristi's effort is paying off. Everyone I know wants to read this clean, entertaining book. I'm looking forward to reading the second installment of "The Secret Sisters Mysteries," Ida Mae Rides Again.

Secret Sisters is available here.
Price: $15.95
Publisher: Valor Publishing Group, LLC (March 16, 2010)
Genre: Comedic Mystery
Binding: Hardbound
Pages: 260 Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1-935546-09-2
Product Dimensions: 5 x 7.5 inches

Tristi’s website
Tristi’s blog

FTC Disclaimer: I have known Tristi Pinkston for several years, and received a copy of Secret Sisters from her publisher. However, as always, my review is my own opinion, and is not influenced by my friendship with Tristi, nor the free copy of her book.