Limestone Gumption
By Bryan E. Robinson
Robinson has crafted a nicely nuanced debut written with wit, humor, and pathos in this promising series opener.
Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine
When Brad Pope returns to his boyhood hometown to settle a debt with his long-lost father, the 35-year-old psychologist becomes a prime suspect in the murder of football legend turned cave diver, Big Jake Nunn. Perched high on the east bank of the Suwannee River, the sleepy town of Whitecross, Florida, is known for its natural crystal-clear springs and underwater caverns. Locals are online and computer savvy, but if asked about blackberries, they think cobbler, not wireless. And townsfolk die of natural causes, not murder.
Until now.
As if being accused of murder isn’t shock enough, the psychologist’s hopes of confronting his father and reconnecting with his cantankerous Grandma Gigi are hindered by the surprised horror surrounding his father’s whereabouts and sinister secrets of the Women’s Preservation Club (WPC).
The six quirky “sisterfriends” in the club founded by Grandma Gigi—whom Brad expects to jabber about preparing Sunday’s church bulletin or the next bake sale—start to look more like cold-bloodied killers than church ladies. As Brad learns of more dead bodies and that each sisterfriend has reason to kill Big Jake, his suspicions sour into the clabbered taste of fear.
What had the WPC planted in their welcome garden on the outskirts of Whitecross? Camellias or corpses?
With its blend of humor, dark plot, and quirky characters, Limestone Gumption witnesses beauty and brutality in a small Southern town. This offbeat mystery offers you suspense, surprise, and plenty of chuckles along the way to its solution. The fast pace and twists and turns are as frequent and fast as the Suwannee River itself, and they will keep you on the edge of your seat or make you fall out of it laughing.
Awards for Limestone Gumption
New Apple
2015 Award For Excellence In Independent Publishing
Independent Publisher Book Awards
2014 Silver IPPY Award
Praise for Limestone Gumption
Limestone Gumption is a stunning comedic debut, a laugh-out-loud page-turner of a mystery populated by the most eccentric and hilarious characters I’ve encountered in a long, long time. I want to be a member of the Sisterfriends, and I’m betting you will, too!
Cassandra King, author of The Sunday Wife and Moonrise
No treasure trove of Southern lore is complete without Limestone Gumption and its Suwannee River legends, lies, and multiple mysteries, such as who’s buried in the flower bed, what really happened to Big Jake, and how will the ‘geriatric mafia’ get out of trouble? Delightful story and memorable characters.
Chris Roerden, Agatha Award-winning author of Don’t Murder Your Mystery and its all-genre version, Don’t Sabotage Your Submission
Robinson’s debut amateur sleuth gets a thumbs up… light humor, genial banter, and colorful characters… mouthwatering recipes included.
Library Journal
Limestone Gumption displays the author’s ear for colorful dialogue and boasts many larger-than-life Southern characters, earning it favorable comparisons to the work of Fannie Flagg and Pat Conroy.
Rich Rennicks, Asheville Mountain Xpress
The trick to successfully blending humor into plot made of the worst things people can do is an understanding of the clockworks of the human mind and heart. Bryan Robinson truly understands how people work, making Limestone Gumption a rare treat.
Jamie Mason, author of Three Graves Full and Monday’s Lie
A debut novel written with a veteran pen, Limestone Gumption is expertly crafted with controlled plot twists and quirky, memorable characters whose development grips the reader as much as the mystery itself. With light-hearted deftness, it also provokes much thought on wider issues.
Azam Gill, The Big Thrill Magazine
Limestone Gumption gives us the pleasures of a mystery that keeps us guessing as well as a humorous look at small-town Southern life. Bryan Robinson has written a highly enjoyable novel!
Ron Rash, New York Times best-selling author of Serena and The World Made Straight, both major motion pictures