Poker Chips and Poison

What's a con artist to do when they retire? Solve murders of course!

Not being familiar with the author Rodney Strong nor having read the preceding series that introduced us to 97-year-old Alice Atkinson, I didn't know what to expect when I borrowed this cozy mystery with fun title and cover. To say that I was pleasantly surprised would be a gross understatement. This short cozy had me laughing out loud.  Alice may be close to 100 years old but she still has her wits about her and she is bored. Sure she is the reigning poker champion at the retirement community but that is not enough. When her friend suddenly dies at the end of the Poker Tournament, Alice is determined to find out why, and old age is not an acceptable answer. With the help of Vanessa, an employee at the community who has a fondness for Alice, the investigation is underway. 

I like Alice a lot and hope that I am can be half as spry as she is in my old age. She quips about being a con artist and other things in her past without much detail and Vanessa is unsure whether or not to believe her. Alice does prove to have some tricks up her sleeve to the get the answers that she seeks. She also has a thing for hiding flasks around her home just for the fun of it and recognizes another con when she sees her.

Such a fun story with characters that have lived life for many years and don't appear to be slowing down.  Check out Alice and her friends as they solve the murder at Silvermoon Retirement Village.

Happy Reading!