Elvis and the Blue Suede Bones
Page 16
If you want to know how the web was woven, it’s usually with money First, Gloria paid to keep Wexford quiet with her daddy’s money. When she became a one-woman book empire and he extorted her for more, she ensured his silence with marriage and his own landscaping business.
Glenda and Wexford might still be rolling in each other’s crazy arms if they hadn’t picked the wrong garden to bury their dirty little secrets. And if she hadn’t started sending threatening notes to Callie’s mama. Don’t step on Ruby Nell’s blue suede shoes, baby, because you’ve just stepped on mine. And believe me, when this dog sets out for justice, I get it every time, cross my heart and hope to die.
There you have it. The stuff of bestsellers. Just wait till my book comes out. It will put Murder under the Magnolias to shame!
They’re bringing in doughnuts and fresh coffee now, and the morning shift is coming in. Lovie nabs six doughnuts and we hit the trail. The sun is just rising when we leave the police station. She squats beside me and hands me three of the doughnuts.
“Breakfast, Elvis. Job well done. Give me five!”
I scarf down the doughnuts then lift a paw and give Lovie a high five. We head off toward Callie’s Dodge Ram with the bad boy Hemi engine. Home, here I come.
Elvis has left the building!
The End
Thanks for reading! Please do leave a review.
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Read More
If you enjoyed this book, you’ll want all the Southern Cousins Mysteries. The most recent ones are:
Elvis and the Pink Cadillac Corpse
Elvis and the Rock a Hula Baby Capers
Elvis and the Buried Brides
Elvis and the Bridegroom Stiffs
Jack Loves Callie Tender, series prequel
Visit www.peggywebb.comfor a complete list of Peggy’s Southern Cousins mysteries, as well as her romances, women’s fiction, literary fiction and special projects. While you’re there, sign up for Peggy’s newsletter, chat with her on the blog and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
WHO KILLED THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH?
Peggy teams with 3 other bestselling authors for a stunning 4-book series, October, 2018.
GONE GIRL meets BIG LITTLE LIES.
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Letter from the Author
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading my books, for your generous reviews, and for your wonderful letters telling me how much you love Callie, Elvis and the Valentine gang. I hope you will take the time to review Elvis and the Blue Suede Bones. Your reviews provide valuable feedback for me and help new readers find this series.
Elvis and the Blue Suede Bones will also be available in paperback. The paper version will contain the Southern Cousins Mysteries prequel, Jack Loves Callie Tender.
About the Southern Cousins cover art….Normally, my talented granddaughter Cecilia does the covers, but she just graduated from SMU in Dallas and has a great job out in Texas, so I am now doing the covers. Though I write and play the piano with ease, I make no claims to being an artist. Still, I hope you enjoy these sassy little covers!
As many of you know, this series was inspired by my faithful canine companion, Jefferson, a chocolate Lab who spent the 15 years of his life protecting me, adoring me and sitting under my desk listening to the rapid rat-a-tat-tat of my ancient keyboard. Originally, I was going to make Elvis a ghost, but when Jefferson stood up and did his shake, rattle and roll dance, I knew everybody’s favorite character had to be a dog.
Now a word about the recipes…I’m surrounded by great Southern cooks, and as Callie would say, yours truly is not ashamed to admit that I’m in that number. I wish you much joy in your reading and in your cooking!
Warmly,
Peggy
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About Peggy Webb
Peggy Webb is a USA Today best-selling author from Mississippi with more than 75 books to her credit. She writes romantic comedy, women’s fiction and comedic cozies. Her peers call her a “comic genius.” She also writes literary fiction under the name Elaine Hussey. The late, great Pat Conroy called her literary work “astonishing.” This critically acclaimed author has won many awards, including a Romantic Times Pioneer Award for creating the sub-genre of romantic comedy. Several of her books have been optioned for film.
Peggy is a member of Novelists, Inc., International Thriller Writers, and Romance Writers of America. Her award-winning books, Touched by Angels, A Prince for Jenny, the Donovans of the Delta series and her boxed sets have all been Kindle Top 10 bestsellers.
Though she lives in the Deep South, her two children and four grandchildren live in Florida and New Hampshire. She plays piano, composes blues lyrics, sings in her church choir and loves gardening. She’s passionate about theater, has written two screenplays based on her work and has starred in several community theater productions, including Steel Magnolias. Her screenplay based on her novel, Driving Me Crazy, is slated for community theater production and has been optioned for film.
Follow the author on her websites: www.peggywebb.com (newly designed!) and www.elainehussey.com/and on Facebook and Twitter.
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Favorite Soups from Lovie’s Kitchen
Peggy says, “Soups are the heart and soul of my kitchen. I love to throw whatever I can find into a stew pot then invite friends and family to come over and sit a spell.”
Quick and Easy Tomato Bisque
1 can of Progresso Tomato Basil
3 ounces of cream cheese.
Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and throw into the pot with 1 can of tomato basil soup. Microwave until the cheese is melted. Blend with a hand-held whisk or in a food processor until the soup is smooth. You can also cook this on the stovetop. If you do, stir constantly so the cheese won’t stick. Note: Other brands of tomato soup will do, but this one is more flavorful.
Pimento Soup
1 small 4 oz. jar of pimentos, undrained
2 t. grated onion
½ t. salt
¼ t. hot sauce
14 ounces of chicken broth (from a can, a box or a mixture using Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base)
3 T. butter
3 T. cornstarch or all-purpose flour
Blend onion and pimento in a food processor and set aside.
Melt butter in a heavy sauce pan, add cornstarch (or flour) to create a roué. Slowly add chicken broth and half and half. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and creamy. Stir in the pimento/onion mixture, salt and hot pepper. Heat through, serve and wait for compliments. This soup is also delicious without added salt.
Simple Bean Soup
(Trey Webb’s recipe)
8 ounces of dried Navy beans, soaked and drained
¼ stick of butter
¼ cup of Canola oil
½ a very large onion, chopped
Chicken broth, enough to cover the beans, approximately 6 cups.
½ cup of potatoes, mashed and seasoned
One handful of finely chopped ham
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Wash and soak beans according to directions on the package. Be sure to use Navy beans instead of the larger white beans. Drain and set aside.
Finely chop onion, add butter and canola oil then cook in the microwave until butter is melted and onions are limp. 2 or 3 minutes. Set aside.
Prepared mashed potatoes and set aside ½ cup. You can do this from scratch, but I use IDAHOAN Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes, which come in a packet.
In a large stew pot, add soaked and drained beans, cooked onions with all the butter and oil, chopped ham and enough chicken broth to more than cover the beans. Sometimes I use one big box of prepared broth plus 1 can of broth. OR, I prepare about 6 cups of broth using Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base. You want the beans completely covered and some extra broth on top because the beans will expand during cooking. Cook until the beans are almost done. Approximately 1 ½ hours.
Add the mashed potatoes when bea
ns are almost done. This will thicken your bean soup and add a big dollop of flavor. Continue cooking another 15 minutes or so until beans are completely done. If your soup is getting too thick, add more chicken broth in small increments. You don’t want to dilute all these delicious flavors!
This bean soup recipe is from the author’s son, Trey Webb. He’s a great cook and also the inspiration for Elvis’ best friend. Trey thinks it’s hilarious that his mama made him a redbone hound dog in the Southern Cousins Mysteries.
Thanks again for reading this book! Elvis has left the building.