It was undeniable the two widows had decades of wisdom over Quita’s tender age of twenty-two, but she had something just as valuable to offer— something they’d never survive without. Street smarts and a young, tech savvy mind.

Together, the three made a valuable team, and they took advantage of every opportunity. Quita had quickly learned that nobody, not even a seasoned crook, would suspect two old women in a four-door sedan of being undercover.

Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Reader Views (03/2024)

“The Root of All Evil” by Kim Carter

Posted on March 13, 2024by Reader Views Review #1

The Root of All Evil

Kim Carter
Raven South Publishing (2024)
ISBN: 978-1947140134
Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Reader Views (03/2024)

“The Root of All Evil: A Clara and Iris Mystery” is the third Book in the award-winning Kim Carter mystery series, which takes murder investigation to a whole new level. Book three finds the Atlanta Police Department approaching widowed private investigators Clara and Iris with a different kind of case. They are excited to have put their first year of investigating behind them and now find themselves with a case that has been solved once.

It would have stayed solved and closed if not for the victims’ family members objecting to the jury’s findings. This challenging case is perfect for Clara and Iris and their team, as they are determined to prove that the two men behind bars for the crime were wrongly convicted of the double murder. The two women go undercover to dig into the gruesome crime, finding mystery and illusion at every turn. Worse, their lives are now in jeopardy because of the investigation.

For many reasons, Carter’s third book in the mystery series is a standout drama. One is that the plot is unpredictable. You can’t guess what’s happening, but you want to know and find your investigative instincts kicking in as you read along. I love the unique characters of Iris and Clara, two widows completely different from many PIs you may have encountered in murder mysteries. I like their tenacity and sharp wit. They just won’t let go once they sink their teeth into a case.

Carter’s style rings with authenticity, grit, and a healthy dose of humor, which holds you in suspense until the end. The fun part is that the novelist based these two lead characters after her mother and her mother’s best friend. Likewise, Carter’s life experiences inform her work, which I think adds so much to the story and characters, giving you an insider’s feel to the story. The dialogue is dynamic, and the pace is fluid.

This brief excerpt gives you an idea of the author’s succinct yet descriptive style and provides a little insight into the characters: 

It was undeniable the two widows had decades of wisdom over Quita’s tender age of twenty-two, but she had something just as valuable to offer— something they’d never survive without. Street smarts and a young, techsavvy mind.

Together, the three made a valuable team, and they took advantage of every opportunity. Quita had quickly learned that nobody, not even a seasoned crook, would suspect two old women in a four-door sedan of being undercover.

If you like thoroughly entertaining, character-driven mystery novels, you will become an instant fan of the compelling “The Root of All Evil: A Clara and Iris Mystery” and its author, Kim Carter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR  Kim Carter 

Novelist Kim Carter is a multi-award-winning author and critically acclaimed writer of gripping suspense, chilling thrillers, and haunting historical mysteries.

Ms. Carter is widely known for her vibrant characters in her Clara and Iris Mystery series, a couple of overly curious widows who turn into private investigators. These funny women were inspired by Kim’s mother and her mom’s best friend. Book one of this series, Murder Among The Tombstones, was chosen as a Finalist for the 2018 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award and a recipient of the 2017 TCK Publishers’ Readers’ Choice Award.

Ms. Carter’s Mysteries and literary works include Sweet Dreams, Baby Belle, When Dawn Never Comes, Deadly Odds (chosen Editor’s Pick in Books Shelf Magazine in 2022), No Second Chances, ‘And The Forecast Called For Rain,’ and ‘Dark Secrets of the Bayou, and her new ‘A Clara and Iris Mystery titled ‘The Root Of All Evil in Feb. 2024.

“Dark Secrets of The Bayou” has been awarded a Reader’s Favorite Editorial 5-Star Review. It was also chosen the #1 Finalist for Best Historical Mystery from Reader’s Favorite 2021 book awards and a 2021 Killer Nashville Finalist for The Silver Falchion Awards. In 2022, “Bayou” was chosen by The Author Shout book awards as a Recommended Reads. All of Kim’s novels can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM, and Indie Bound.

Kim’s writing career started after she suffered an illness that made her housebound for a couple of years. An avid reader of mystery novels herself, she embarked on writing to fill her time. Kim’s health struggles and successes have been chronicled on Lifetime Television in early 2000, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Women’s Day Magazine, and Guidepost. Now, with eight acclaimed mystery titles to her credit, Kim worked in many different capacities in county government.

Still, her job as a correctional officer ultimately offered her opportunities to talk and interact with a diverse group of people. Her experiences run the gamut from inspiring success stories to tragic endings as she writes within her mysteries. Kim began networking and connected with numerous homicide detectives, medical examiners, and prison officials. Her research has taken her to many places, including morgues, death row, and the occasional midnight visit to cemeteries to gain material for all eight of her novels.

Ms. Carter is a Saint Leo University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. When she is not writing, she enjoys gardening and is an avid reader. Ms. Carter is a proud mother of four beautiful grown children. The author resides and shares her time in Biloxi, Mississippi, and Atlanta, Georgia.


~ EDITORIAL BOOK REVIEW #2 ~ “The Root Of All Evil ~ Reviewed
by Terri Stepek for Reader Views (03/2024)

Author Kim Carter wows fans yet again with another great Clara and Iris Mystery, “The Root of All Evil.” If you have not had the pleasure of meeting Clara Samples and Iris Hadley, here’s a little primer.

Both are widows in their “golden years” and have enjoyed a close friendship for over 50 years. Both are intelligent in their own ways but streetwise and tech-savvy. Clara is steady, calm, reliable, and the ever-present voice of reason. Iris is… not. She’s more reactionary, hot-headed, and has no working filter for her brain-to-mouth interface. Together, they’re unstoppable. They’ve opened their own business in their twilight years and are happy with their newfound careers as private investigators.

Their case this time is already solved. Or so the Atlanta PD says, having incarcerated two men for the theft and double homicide of a wealthy Atlanta couple seven years ago. Their friend from APD, Pritchard Pitts, has asked that they look further into the former case because not everyone believes the men serving time for the crime are the guilty parties.

As they investigate the facts, this case becomes more intriguing. There are a host of fun new characters and several old favorites. Two spectacular standouts among the new faces are from a crusty old diner—what many would have called a “greasy spoon” in the day.

As Iris says it:

“This place needs more than moppin’,” she commented, rubbing her fingers across the greasy pleather of one of the booths. “It needs Jesus.”

The owner/cook, Reno, is an enigmatic character with a gruff, anti-social demeanor. How he keeps his wreck of a restaurant, the Starlight, open is a head-scratcher of a mystery.
His one and only waitress, Marigold, is verbally abused by her boss and friendly, but she’s a seriously dim bulb. Her well-meaning teachers repeatedly passed her to the next grade level so she could eventually leave school and start her inevitable minimum-wage career. Feeling sorry for Marigold when we meet her at the diner is easy.

“The Root of All Evil” is packed with mystery, intrigue, lies, and misfortune. It’s also a fun and entertaining read with stellar characters, uniquely crafted and full of warmth, charm, and wit. While Clara’s steady demeanor is wonderful and wise, it’s ‘Iris’ who steals the spotlight nearly every time. She’s what I aspire to be: the crazy old lady who can get away with doing and saying whatever she wants.

Oh, to be so free… If you think this is one of those cutesy, cozy mysteries that old ladies like to read, let me disabuse you of that notion. With “Iris” surly comments, I don’t think it could qualify as such. While it shares certain traits with such novels, it aligns more with a PI/amateur sleuth story.

Fans who enjoy sussing out the facts and attempting to solve the case will enjoy this read, as will fans of mysteries with well-honed characters. If you enjoy solid mysteries that include wit, grit, and southern charm with a touch of “bless her heart…” then this is the read for you.

Fans of author Kim Carter and the Clara and Iris Mystery series eagerly await the next installment of murder, madness, and mayhem!


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