Sell Low, Sweet Harriet
by Sherry Harris
When Alicia Arbas was murdered, the Fitch Air Force Base community turned out in support, including Sarah Winston who only knew her in passing. To Sarah’s surprise, she is recruited by Pellner who works for the local Ellington Police Dept. and Special Agent Bristol, an investigator with the Air Force OSI, to keep her ears open to any talk around base that might help them solve Alicia’s murder.
As the ex-wife of an Air Force security officer, Sarah still volunteers at the base thrift store and has maintained some of her social contacts. She also has been involved in informally investigating other local crimes.
Sell Low, Sweet Harriet is a cozy mystery with lots of fascinating threads. Sarah has a garage/estate sale business and in this book is hired to sell off goods that belong to former CIA agents who recently passed away in a faulty gas line accident. The house is full of interesting items from their travels around the world. so while Sarah is involved in a murder investigation and a mid-winter estate sale, she is trying to pinpoint her feelings for District Attorney boyfriend Seth and help her friend and landlady Stella with her relationship with an enforcement officer whom Sarah has nicknamed “Awesome.” Mike Titone, a mobster has also complicated her life by moving into the other apartment on her floor—again.
This mystery moves quickly; the characters are interesting. I hated to get to the end although I enjoyed the surprise. I want to see this series continue, but I am a little concerned about the direction it may take. Sarah makes it clear that as time passes, she has fewer genuine connections to the Air Force base. I wonder if the author will continue to rely on these tenuous connections or focus on Sarah’s new relationships and her business. I like Sarah because, despite various personal digs and a betrayal, she takes the high road, never seeking revenge.
I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #8 in The Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries, but works quite well as a standalone.
2. Includes tips for holding a winter garage sale.
Publication: December 31, 2019—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
And every time someone opened the door the wind nipped at my ankles like an overenthusiastic puppy.
“It’s hard enough to feel judged when it’s just you, but then worrying about tanking your husband’s career too? It feels like you’re walking a minefield of rules no one gave you.”
Pellner’s expression didn’t change. He kept his cop face locked and loaded. I thought his dimples deepened just a bit, but his impassiveness was impressive.
education pathways 
Another series that I enjoy. I have yet to read this one, but it sounds like a lot of fun. I enjoy the way Sherry Harris adds interesting storylines into the main murder plot. You have piqued my interest in this one, now that you have pointed out some possible new directions. Great review Linda. This one has zipped up that TBR list for sure.
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I noticed today after I posted my review that I have her From Beer to Eternity in my queue. It is the start of a new series. That leaves us wondering if she will continue the Garage Sale Mysteries or leave it behind as she works on her new one.
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You might be right, she may be finished with that series and be moving on. I will have to see what I can find out.
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Oh wow Linda, another cozy mystery series I’m going to love! Right now I am actively reading so many series that I had to make a list of their titles and the order they go in to refer to…Luckily I am able to read a lot of them on my Kindle for free. I will add the Garage Sale mysteries to my ever growing list!
Jenna
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I know what you mean about a list. Until I started reading and reviewing in earnest I had no idea there were so many cozy mystery series. They are clean and not very scary; they provide a little mental stimulation and a fun diversion. I hope you enjoy them when you are not creating with your paints and cooking utensils.
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I always appreciate when an author makes a series story just as enjoyable as a stand alone. Another enticing review!
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Oh, wow. This reminds me—I started the first book in this series right after it came out, but I never finished it. And now I have no idea why. Sounds like I need to get back to it … By the way, I’m loving how many cozy reviews you’ve been writing lately. So many series, so little time, and you make so many of them sound like perfect reads.
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Thanks, Christopher. There are way too many cozy mystery series out there. I have my favorite authors for sure, and I do try to mix it up with some other genres.
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Sherry Harris is starting a new cozy mystery series.
I haven’t read it yet, but it’s a good opportunity to in on the first book as an ARC.
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You’ve reminded me that there’s another series I need to get back to. 🤦🏽♀️
Thanks for the great review, Linda.
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Too many good books, right? Occasionally I feel bad because I am reviewing mainly ARC’s; that was a necessity in Mexico, but now it is not. Perhaps I should go back, be my own woman, and read a classic or two. Just yesterday I was thinking about A Tale of Two Cities and some famous lines I memorized so many years ago. It would be fun to reread and see if I like it as much as I did then.
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Yes!! Too many. 🤦🏽♀️
I’m a bit more selective in terms of what I REALLY want to read, as opposed to what might be popular as far as ARC’s are concerned. With my life being so busy right now with various things, I just haven’t been able to focus on reading as much for some reason. I’m so easily distracted. So I have to choose what I think I’ll like so I can stay motivated to finish it. Hopefully my unfocused mind will return to normal, I hope.
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We all have different needs as readers during various seasons. The important thing is to enjoy what we do choose. I think focusing is difficult for a lot of people right now.
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