More reviews for Blue Magnolia and its ‘whiplash plot twists’

Blue Magnolia is book two in the Red Farlow Mysteries series and W.F. Ranew is nothing if not consistent in his story-telling and writing style.

While country music and cowboys isn’t necessarily my style, I still found myself intrigued with the mystery and curious enough to keep reading.

Blue Magnolia is chock full of vivid imagery and whiplash plot twists. Fans of mystery genres will really enjoy this on-going series.

—Hurn Publications Blog

Hank Tillman wants nothing more than to be a country singer. Hank performs in bars through out Georgia and Florida. But so far Hank has had no luck with meeting the right people that could make him famous nor has he had a number one hit so to speak. Well not until he writes a song that draws the attention of another group who wants Hank’s song and will go to any link even murder to get their hands on Hank’s song. When Hank refuses to give up the rights to his song it puts his life in danger.
Trouble sort of follows Hank around and sometimes he ends up in jail leaving his cousin Mary Ellen to bail him out. Mary Ellen has been bailing Hank out of trouble for a long while. She understands that it is not always his fault working and singing in bars will lead to trouble on occasion. Mary Ellen wants to help Hank and keep him safe at the same time. Mary Ellen hires PI Red Farlow to keep an eye on Hank and keep him safe.
Blue Magnolia has action, mystery, singing, bars, great characters, and even murder. I really enjoyed reading about all the bars and places Hank sings in as I have visited most of the places. I love reading books with places in them that I know about. It was nice reading a book set in the south. Once I picked up Blue Magnolia I was glued to the pages and racing to the end to see how it all turns out.
I highly recommend Blue Magnolia to anyone who loves a good mystery, thriller book. One click your copy today!

—The Avid Reader Blog

Blue Magnolia, Red Farlow Mysteries No. 2—For more about the novel and how to purchase, visit W.F. Ranew at Tirgearr Publishing.

Also, take a look at Rich and Gone, Red Farlow Mysteries No. 1. Red goes on the hunt for a crooked executive who bilks family and friends out of $300 million. To Red, justice might be relative. Often, it takes time to work its course.

Cowboy Tillman’s benefactor

First cousin Mary Ellen Winship supports the country singer any way she can, including bailing him out of trouble.

Blue Magnolia, Red Farlow Mysteries No. 2 excerpt:

“Yeah, Mary Ellen? Thank goodness you called back.”

The ambient noise of a jailhouse buzzed into the phone call.

“Hank, speak up. I can barely hear you,” Mary Ellen said. She spoke loudly. “I’ve been in a meeting. What happened to you?”

“Sad to say, M.E., but about the same as last time,” Hank said. “A drunk at the honky-tonk complained I wasn’t playing a song he wanted to hear. Even when I did, he continued pestering me. After the set, I broke for a beer, and he accosted me. I defended my person and my honor. But I got busted. Hit him a good one, though.”

“Are you OK? Did he hurt you?”

“He got a couple of licks in. But he was so drunk he could hardly stand up. He went down faster’n a watermelon truck wrecking in a ditch.”

“Yeah, I’ll reckon. They say I will have a court appearance later today. Likely there will be a fine.”

“I should ask, is he OK?”
“Dunno and don’t care.”
Next, Mary Ellen asked a question she knew would cost her money. “Can you get out of there?”

“Well, damned, Hank. What are we going to do?” Mary Ellen asked him. “Are you still traveling around on a Trailways bus?”

“Well, yeah. That’s the only way I can get to my gigs,” he said. “I still don’t have a truck. And, of course, I couldn’t get a license anyways.”

Hank had it rough on the road. When he graduated from high school in Norman Park, Georgia, he set out to make his fame and fortune as a country singer. His first gig was in a place called Tomcat Joe’s in Moultrie near his hometown. He did all right, too, playing to the Friday and Saturday night crowds for three weekends. Then he set off for Albany, Tifton, Waycross, and Brunswick. After his first of three nights in Brunswick in a redneck dive with a name he’d forgotten, he got a chance to play Murphy’s Tavern on St. Simons Island for a weekend. In his earliest string of engagements, Murphy’s ranked as the big time.

Hank performed well as a country singer—”itinerate” was what Mary Ellen called his trade—and his exceptional talent playing the guitar. He knew all the Texas Outlaws songs by Willie, Waylon and the boys, and everything recorded by David Allan Coe. He even had his own rendition of the “Perfect Country Song.” And always, always, he closed his sets with Dave Dudley’s “Six Days on the Road.” Cowboy loved the song, even though he didn’t have his own home to go to or a baby there. But it was a crowd favorite, especially at bars that catered to on-the-road truckers.

Of course, his specialty was Hank Williams, his idol. He knew all of Hank’s hits and then some.

“Well, we’ll try to get you out of there as soon as possible,” Mary Ellen said. She tried not to sound as disheartened as she felt about Hank.

“Oh, thank you, Mary Ellen. I’m trying to do better. Honest,” he told her. “I appreciate this and will call when I get out of court.”

Blue Magnolia, Red Farlow Mysteries No. 2—For more about the novel and how to purchase, visit W.F. Ranew at Tirgearr Publishing.

Also, take a look at Rich and Gone, Red Farlow Mysteries No. 1. Red goes on the hunt for a crooked executive who bilks family and friends out of $300 million. To Red, justice might be relative. Often, it takes time to work its course.

New 5-star review—Blue Magnolia ‘truly a satisfying book’

Amazon.com

Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2020
A Great Read
Blue Magnolia is a highly rewarding book, with a constantly building plot. The drama takes hold from the beginning and entertains to the last page. The author combines a look back at dark times in Southern history, contrasted to present day. Country Western singer Hank Tillman struggles with his honky-tonk career after being shot and left for dead. His original-lyric songs, Hotter Than a Two Dollar Gun and Redneck Devil lead to unwanted interest by unsavory characters. Truly a satisfying book.

More on Blue Magnolia at Tirgearr Publishing and on Amazon.

Dive into the deep end of crime with PI Red Farlow

Red Farlow starred on defense for the Georgia Bulldogs. He joined the army after graduating from UGA and served in Vietnam. After his military stinet ended, he joined the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Red Farlow starred on defense for the Georgia Bulldogs. He joined the army after graduating from UGA and served in Vietnam. After his military stint ended, he joined the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. 

One of his most celebrated cases was his joint investigation, with Florida authorities, of the Green Bottom Springs murders in the early seventies. Read all about the case in Rich and Gone, as the man who got away in that heinous crime stalked Red at a later date. Red investigates the missing $300 million and the man who took the money from investors. On the way to tracking down the bilker, our football hero steps into some muck and mire, stinky and deadly.

More recently in Blue Magnolia, Red confronts a political foe he protects a rising country star on his road to Nashville.

Find both ebooks at my Tirgearr Publishing author page.

Blue Magnolia publishes today; early review calls novel ‘highlight of quarantine’

“Blue Magnolia has been the highlight of quarantine. It was enjoyable from beginning to end, with the plot continuing to build to the last page. Great entertainment. Brilliant plot. Appreciated the history contrasted to the present and all of the detail surrounding the characters. So well done and can’t wait for your next book . . .”

—Red Farlow fan

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Blue Magnolia, Red Farlow Mysteries No. 2—For more about the novel and how to purchase, visit W.F. Ranew at Tirgearr Publishing.

Also, take a look at Rich and Gone, Red Farlow Mysteries No. 1. Red goes on the hunt for a crooked executive who bilks family and friends out of $300 million. To Red, justice might be relative. Often, it takes time to work its course.