Published March 18, 2009 | 
Have you ever read anything by Anne George or Janet Evanovich? If you haven’t you should give both these authors a try. Sadly, Anne George passed away in 2001 and she no longer has her won website but she wrote 7 of the funniest mysteries. Beginning with “Murder On A Girl’s Night Out” and Ending with “Murder Boogies with Elvis” you are dropped into the world of southern women. These stories revolve around two sisters who reside in Birmingham, Alabama and are total opposites. One sister is petite, demure, married to the same man for years, Patricia Anne, and the other is big, brassy and has been married to several different men and is currently looking for another, Mary Alice. Between the two of them they seem to get into all sorts of trouble besides tripping over dead bodies. The stories are fast-paced and suspenseful. They hit the right note on what being a southern women is all about.
Janet Evanovich, on the other hand, has a northern women character she writes about called Stephanie Plum. She is young, sometimes attached and sometimes not, recently unemployed but finally lands a job as a bounty-hunter. She has no skills for this trade but she has heart, determination and the insane ability to fall over her prey. She was born and raised in New Jersey with a hot-to-trot grandmother and parents who can’t understand why their little girl isn’t married with kids of her own. The stories are fast-paced and laugh-out-loud funny. Stephanie has the worse luck with cars. I can really relate to some of her trials and tribulations, her problems with money, and her Murphy’s Luck. There are currently 19 books featuring this character with more on the way.
When comparing the these characters you will find that they are truly funny, trying their best everyday and the epitome of what characterizes northern versus southern women. I hale from the south and have all of my life but I have friends who were born and raised in the north. We have different outlooks on life. Of course, there are similarities as well as opposites in what the rules are. You know what I mean; “never leave your front room dirty in case of company”, “don’t stay in your bathrobe after a certain hour unless you are sick”, “when company comes over have both non-alcoholic as well as alcoholic beverages available (that might just be a southern one)”, “a lady always dresses appropriately for any occasion”, etc. I am sure you can think of many more.
So, give these books a try and tell us what you think!
Cheers
Jolenemacinjax
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