The Old Buzzard Had it Coming

By Donis Casey

Alafair Tucker is a strong woman, the core of family life on a farm in Oklahoma where the back-breaking work and daily logistics of caring for her husband Shaw, their nine children, and being neighborly requires hard muscle and a clear head. She’s also a woman of strong opinions, and it is her opinion that her neighbor, Harley Day, is a drunkard and a reprobate. So, when Harley’s body is discovered frozen in a snowdrift one January day in 1912, she isn’t surprised that his long-suffering family isn’t, if not actually celebrating, much grieving.

When Alafair helps Harley’s wife prepare the body for burial, she discovers that Harley’s demise was anything but natural—there is a bullet lodged behind his ear. Alafair is concerned when she hears that Harley’s son, John Lee, is the prime suspect in his father’s murder, for Alafair’s seventeen-year-old daughter Phoebe is in love with the boy. At first, Alafair’s only fear is that Phoebe is in for a broken heart, but as she begins to unravel the events that led to Harley’s death, she discovers that Phoebe might be more than just John Lee’s sweetheart: she may be his accomplice in murder.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Release date: Jan 31, 2010
• ISBN: 9781615950171

Donis Casey

Donis Casey is an award-winning author whose first novel The Old Buzzard Had It Coming was named an Oklahoma Centennial Book in 2008. She has twice won the Arizona Book Award and has been a finalist for the Willa Award. A former teacher, academic librarian, and entrepreneur, she currently resides in Tempe, Arizona.

Reviews for The Old Buzzard Had it Coming

[fhudnell-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I should know better than to try to read a cozy mystery. They are not my cup of luke warm tea. Although this is a short book, it felt endless. If I had been reading this book, rather than listening to the audio book, I would have just skipped to the end to see who killed the old buzzard. The title was the best part of the book and I stupidly thought that it might have more grit than it did. Instead I got discussions of domestic details, like warming innards, laundry and peach cobbler recipes and the names of way too many children. I deducted one star from my rating due to the epilogue, which is sappier than anyone should have to endure and also includes recipes. I won't be continuing with the series, although the narrator of the audio book wasn't bad.

[romonko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I tried this book simply because I loved the title. This is the first book in the Alafair Tucker mystery series. And what a protagonist Alafair is. She's a 35 year old mother of nine children! The setting is 1912 Boynton, Oklahoma. Alafair and her husband Shaw are farmers in the thriving town of Boynton when we meet her. She rules her large household with a firm, but fair hand. Everyone in the Tucker family pitches in to help in the never-ending job of raising such a large family. When a drunken obnoxious neighbour is found frozen to death in the snow, Alaifair finds herself drawn into to trying to figure out what happened to the old buzzard. His name was Harley Day and he was a vicious, mean man who no one will mourn, least of all is long-suffering family. Alaifair discovers that her 17 year old daughter Phoebe is sweet on young John Lee Day. The setting and the plot delineations are spot-on with the time frame and with the place of rural Oklahoma. I found the mystery fun, different and I absolutely lovely feisty Alafair. We even get early 20th century recipes at the end. This book was a whole load of fun.

[grandpahobo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a nice, light mystery. The story is set in rural Oklahoma in 1912 (come to think of it, all of Oklahoma was probably rural in 1912). The mystery is not very complicated, although there are a few twists near the end. The thing that seemed far fetched to me was how this mother of 7 or 8 kids was able to run a farm, manage the kids and investigate a murder. There are also a lot of references to "God's will", but I think that is just representative of the time period.

[bookswoman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good book. Set in about 1908 it depicts a slice of life in Oklahoma that is long gone yet is fascinating to take a peek at - through the eyes of the people living there. The mystery surrounds two farm families, one fairly well-to-do, the other dirt poor with a vicious drunkard for a family head. When "the old buzzard" from the title ends up dead the two families find out how entwined they are with each other. Part of the mystery is how he died, did he freeze to death after falling asleep in the snow? Or was the 22 shot to his head the guilty instrument? Today the forensics could tell if it was the bullet or the cold that killed him, but in the early 1900's the best they could tell is that if he wasn't already dead from the cold, he was almost dead from the cold. The lives of two families are affected and it is a fascinating journey to find the shooter. I'll be looking for the next in this series to see how things develop.

[susiesharp_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Old Buzzard Had It Coming by, Donis Casey narrated by, Pam WardI requested this title from the Audiobookjukebox to review because of the title and I enjoy cozy mysteries, I did expect it to be a little more fun (because of the title) I expected more humor, it was also very formulaic. I enjoyed the characters, Alafair was fun and I liked the setting of place and time and thought it was well done in taking us into a different time. As I said this was a little predictable we of course know that Alafair will figure out who killed the old buzzard and there were the usual red herrings. I enjoyed the different people in town from both sides of the track. This is the first book in a series and I would get the second book and just hope it gives a bit more meat to the story. I did enjoy getting to know Alafair and her family and I do look forward to reading about them again.There were times Pam Ward’s narration reminded me of Lorna Raver but not quite as good. She did do a good job at all the different voices and I would listen to her narration again. I just couldn’t help the Lorna Raver comparisons. 3 Stars

[lizsun · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book and the series of Alafair Tucker mysteries that come after are well worth the time. Quick reads. Plus there are a few great recipes thrown in for good measure!

[lesaholstine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In 1912 Oklahoma, Alafair Tucker is the mother of nine, and a farm wife. The town drunk is murdered, his son is suspect, and Alafair's daughter is in love with the suspect.