On Flashback Fridays I will share with you
the books I was not able to review
when they were first released that have been screaming at me
from my To-Be-Read bookshelf.
I didn’t have much time last week to read a book for today’s #FlashbackFriday, so I searched for a book with fewer than 200 pages on my To-Be-Read list. This one fit the bill, and it allows me to check off Oklahoma for my Literary Escapes Challenge. 
This Little Piggy Wound Up Dead (A Willow Crier Cozy Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Oklahoma
Publisher : Wide Awake Books
Publication date : April 20, 2016
Print length : 172 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 : 0692697918
ISBN-13 : 978-0692697917
Kindle
ASIN : B01EKJMMFW
Willow, Steve, and Embry team up to win the city’s annual Barbecue Competition.
Camping out isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
As Willow is coercing her 40 something year old body to make the trek to the bathroom for her morning rituals, she finds herself a witness to the local bad boy twirling on a rotisserie.
She vows she won’t get involved.
Yeah, like that happens.
Her gut tells her the young man arrested is not the right guy.
It’s not long before she’s being serenaded by an opera wannabe, mistaken for a homeless person, and being chased by Mexicans toting guns.
All in the name of justice.
*Contains NO swearing, sex scenes (maybe a kiss or two), or graphic violence
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The BBQ Cook Off is happening even in the rain. Willow, Steve, and Emery pulled into the park about noon to get set up for their first competition. While they were getting soaked, Willow heard angry voices and a slap. The couple is clearly incensed, with her calling him “a pig”. Not her problem, she has meat to get in the smoker.
Willow woke up the next morning with the need for coffee and a bathroom before she took her turn at the smoker. Passing by another camp, Willow witnesses an upset competitor. His smoker wasn’t even hot. He opened it just as Willow got close, but she could see into it. The man is clearly upset, voicing his distress with some explicit language, and slamming the smoker shut. Willow wants to help. She opens it back up to find a man trussed up with an apple in his mouth spinning on the rotisserie. A man she has seen before. OMG, it’s the pig.
Soon, she and Steve are surveying the crime scene, digging into the victim’s life and questioning suspects. Then, things get just plain crazy.
Has Willow cooked her last brisket? Or will she be sure justice is served?
Three books in, I am enjoying getting to know Willow, her daughter Emery, police chief and Willow’s significant other, Steve, and Willow’s BFF Janie. They have continued to develop nicely, leaving room for more growth as the series continues.
Willow usually accompanied by Emery get into a heap of trouble. Thankfully, Steve is never too far away. Sadly, the crimes being committed are hot topics just as or even more relevant today as they were in 2016 when the book was written. Follow the money, find the evidence and uncover the heartbreak. The topic could be intense but Willow’s antics bring the levity when needed.
This Little Piggy Wound Up Dead is an entertaining quick read filled with twists and turns, and likable characters. Ms. York packs a lot into 172 pages and the pages flip by quickly. Suspense blended with a generous dash of humor, just a bit of romance, and a significant theme come together for an enjoyable evening of reading.
*This book is from my private collection. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
About the Author
I am giving away a $5 Amazon Gift Card (US).
The contest is open to individuals 18 years of age or older..
Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.
You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find
something you like here and become a follower.
Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Following My Facebook Fan Page.
Subscribe to Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book via Email for 3 Bonus Entries.
Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries.
If you share the giveaway on Threads, Facebook, etc., you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
The Contest Will End on May 22, 2026, at 11:59 PM CST
The Winner Will Be Chosen Using Random.org
The Winner will be notified by email and posted here in the sidebar.
Iris March has a reputation for killing house plants, and now she’s killing people off in 
You must be logged in to post a comment.