Margarita Nights is a cozy with grit -- serving Jack Daniels instead of tea.

In a small Florida beach town, Sherri Travis is a bartender with attitude and an inconveniently murdered husband who turns out to be as much trouble to her dead as he was alive.

Sifting through the debris of Jimmy's life, Sherri finds more than a few people who wanted her lying, scheming, scam artist husband gone -- but which one actually did the deed?




Reviews

Excerpts from Jim Napier review:

All the write stuff

Canadian pens impressive debut

by Jim Napier
The Sherbrooke Record, July 4, 2008

As I've said before in this column, one of the pleasures of book reviewing is the opportunity to introduce readers to a new and talented writer. In the course of a year there are dozens if not hundreds of debut crime novels, and most make a mercifully brief appearance. Small wonder that many first efforts sink into oblivion soon after publication: when you think what's required of a good novel-strong yet vulnerable characters, a convincing setting, a distinctive voice-it's so easy to go wrong in one way or another.
But thankfully, every so often someone gets it exactly right. Shortlisted for the British Debut Dagger Award for Best First Novel in 2004, Phyllis Smallman went on to garner the first Arthur Ellis Award for Best Unpublished Novel from the Crime Writers of Canada, a prize established by the Townships' own Louise Penny and her husband Michael Whitehead in 2007. Although she is new to the crime writing scene, Phyllis spins an entertaining tale with style and panache......

My Recommendation

A traditional or "cozy" novel, where the emphasis is on the puzzle rather than on gratuitous violence, Margarita Nights is a refreshingly strong debut novel-the strongest I've come across in years. Sherri Travis is a nice blend of sassy, in-your-face attitude combined with an underlying vulnerability that the author gets exactly right. The secondary characters are believable and well-drawn, the dialogue and narration are crisp and leavened with humour. The action is well-paced, and Smallman's description of the south Florida setting will resonate perfectly with readers who have spent time in the southern reaches of the Sunshine State... Keep your eye on this talented and original author; she's moving from making a kiln to making a killing...

Additional Reviews

Winnipeg Free Press Review

Ancaster News and Dundas Star Review

London Free Press Review

Waterloo Record and Guelph Mercury Review

Margarita Nights was the first ever recipient of the Arthur Ellis Award for Unhanged Arthur from the Crime Writers of Canada in June 2007.

Margarita Nights was also short listed by the Crime Writers of the UK for the Debut Dagger in 2004.

Memberships
Mystery Writers of America
Crime Writers of Canada
Sarasota Fiction Writers