About the Book

Book: Tracking Tilly

Author: Janice Thompson

Genre: Mystery/Christian Fiction

Release Date: August 2024

Who Stole Tilly from the Auction Block?

Breathe in the nostalgia of everything old red truck in book one of a new cozy mystery series.

The Hadley family ranch is struggling, so RaeLyn, her parents, and brothers decide to turn the old barn into an antique store. The only thing missing to go with the marketing of the store is Grandpa’s old red truck, Tilly, that was sold several years ago. Now coming back up on the auction block, Tilly would need a lot of work, but RaeLyn is sure it will be worth it—if only she can beat out other bidders and find out who stole Tilly after the auction ends. Hadley finds herself in the role of amateur sleuth, and the outcome could make or break the new family venture.

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My Thoughts:

What a fun cozy mystery that has a rather large item being the object of greed and envy. A beat up old red truck, which I know is quite valuable these days. And this particular truck is very valuable to the Hadley family and when they finally have it back, it disappears. But who would have taken it, and the bigger question is why? Is it due to just the monetary gain, or is that old truck hiding secrets?

Raelyn and her family are trying to save their ranch and keep it in their family and times are hard right now. So, Raelyn has decided to open an antique store on their property, selling their antiques that have been handed down through the generations. All in all, that is sad too, but they are keeping the most sentimental of the pieces. I like how the whole family is working towards saving the ranch so that future generations can call it home too.

Enter in a group of suspects, and Raelyn seems to be getting dirt on everybody. She especially doesn't trust her one time friend and crush Mason Fredericks. Could he be involved in the truck's theft and that is why he is always coming around? Or maybe, just maybe he could be coming around for Raelyn.

This was an enjoyable story filled with small town southern charm, laugh out loud moments, and very strong familial bonds of the Hadley family. What a great quirky cast they were.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and al views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Janice Thompson hails from south Texas. She is a Christian author and mother of four grown daughters. Janice has written over forty books.

More from Janice

Welcome to Mabank, Y’all!

Some stories are written out of a passion for the characters. Others are written out of an idea for a unique and engaging plot. And some—like my new book, Tracking Tilly—are written out of pure love and devotion for a location.

We writers love to set our books in unique places. And because I’m a Texas gal, I usually set my stories in South Texas, often along the Gulf Coast. This time, however, I wanted to take a trek a little farther north, to the town of Mabank Texas.

Don’t know where Mabank is? No worries! It’s right next to Gunbarrel City, which is nestled next to Cedar Creek Reservoir, a gorgeous body of water that provides excellent fishing, boating, and camping. This neck of the woods is known as East Texas territory, and it’s unique from where I live in the Houston area—both in terrain and culture.

My familiarity with this region goes back to the early 1980s, when my mother remarried and moved to a 63-acre ranch with my step-dad. Though I hailed from Texas, I’d never been to this particular region. Turns out, I’d been missing out on a lot! Picture beautiful ranch-lands, perfect for raising horses, cows, goats, and chickens. Now imagine small-town churches, restaurants, and specialty shops. Add to that the beauty of a fabulous lake, one dotted with fishing boats, kayaks, and swimmer. Talk about beautiful. . .and perfect for a book series filled with the unexpected twists and turns found in most cozy mysteries.

Tracking Tilly is the first in a three-book series from Barbour called The Little Red Truck series. I used the ranch as the setting for my main character (RaeLyn Hadley) to live. And boy, does the story ever explore those beautiful Texas backdrops, all through her eyes! Tracking Tilly is set in the springtime, when bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes are in full bloom. I didn’t even have to research to know what those look like!

I loved setting this fun cozy mystery in mama’s hometown, and not just for nostalgic reasons. Sure, a quaint small town and a rustic 63-acre ranch provide the perfect backdrop for a mystery, but even more than that, I loved getting to know RaeLyn and her family. Plunking them down in my mama’s house allowed me to re-visit the location in my own imagination and to envision how RaeLyn would see it.

My mom passed away in 2017 and I rarely get back to Mabank and Gunbarrel City these days. But once I decided to set Tracking Tilly in this area I knew I had to make one more trip. So, I asked a close friend to join me and we made a day trip out of it. Over the river and through the woods, to my mama’s old house we went.

And while we were there, we drove by her church (First Baptist, Mabank). Oh, and we had to stop off at one of her favorite restaurants. Mostly, though, I wanted to see the lake. As I got out of my car at the water’s edge I was flooded with memories of driving over that lake on my way to visit mom when my kids were little. We spent nearly every holiday on that beautiful property.

As you read Tracking Tilly, I hope you find yourself captivated by the setting, but I also hope you see a little of yourself in RaeLyn. She’s an adventurous, inquisitive gal, loaded with zeal for life and a passion for her family. More than anything, I hope you discover a renewed sense of purpose in your own family’s story.

Thanks for reading, y’all!