I mentioned a while ago that I have developed quite a fondness for Mick and Casey McKee, a young married couple who are gunslingers in the Old West. And tend to do a bit of detecting while they’re at it. Over my vacation, I read a few of the mysteries starring the pair, including the short story “Trail of the Lonesome Stickpin.”
The story opens with Mick waking up on the floor, half-undressed, and the memory of a pair of beautiful brown eyes and soft blond hair. His wife, by the way, has hazel eyes, brown hair, and is quite a sharpshooter. Needless to say, he’s desperate to figure out what happened before he’s in more trouble with Casey than he can handle.
I still love this couple. They make me smile, it’s that simple. Mick’s the talker, the one who figures things out. Casey’s more likely to shoot first and ask questions later, but she has a soft side that shows itself once in a while.
The question in this mystery is how did Mick get himself in this position.
I closed my eyes and nearly laughed. Wouldn’t you know there would be a pie involved when I got myself into trouble. Pie and women are pretty much my idea of heaven. But the laugh never happened, because the presence of pie made me feel I must have got myself involved in some kind of orgy, and the lingering touch of satisfaction made me feel guilty as hell.
We learn as he remembers bits and pieces, but we don’t get the whole story until he explains it all to Casey. It’s pretty amusing.
You can read the story on-line here for free, or it’s one of the stories in Waiter, There’s a Clue In My Soup!.
Mick and Casey Mystery
4,301 words
4 out of 5 stars
John hosts Short Story Monday at The Book Mine Set. Head over there to see what he and others have been reading.
I purchased my copy and the above is my honest opinion.
Now this sounds like a fun story!
This book reminds me a lot of Tommy and Tuppence mysteries by Agatha Christie!
I have to read this book! Mick and Casey McKee sound like a lot of fun 🙂
I love Tommy and Tuppence, too!
Intriguing review! I just loaded it on to my Kobo to read.
I read the same story as John this week.
These are so short so even I could read them :=)
A western, a mystery, and potential for romance– throw in some vampires and aliens and she’d have most of the genres covered! Sounds fun!
There’s a ghost in her novellette I’ll be talking about this week or next.
I just posted my review of “Trail of the Lonesome Stickpin.
http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2011/08/trail-of-lonesome-stickpin-mick-and.html
I’ll head over to see what you thought.