Marygene Brown first appeared in Southern Sass and Killer Cravings and one of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions, so let’s get to know Marygene.

What is your full name?
Hey, y’all! My full name is Marygene Francis Brown. I hear my middle name whenever my mama is upset with me. Which is a lot.

How old are you?
I’m 29 years old, though some days, I feel a hundred.

What is your profession?
I’ m the co-owner of The Peach diner in Peach Cove, Georgia, where everything is either fried, smothered, or covered and tastes like heaven.

Do you have a significant other?
Well, let’s put it this way. If you were to read my Facebook profile, most of the time, the relationship status would read: it’s complicated.

What is their name and profession?
His name is Deputy Alex Myers, and he works for my father, also the sheriff of the Peach Cove Sheriff’s Department. Uh-huh. . . Complicated.

Do you have any children?
Nope. I do not have any children. I do, however, have a new fur baby and he’s snuggled his way into my heart. Like me, and most of my closest friends, he’s an acquired taste. You’ll meet Mr. Wrigley in Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse.

Do you have any siblings?
I have an amazing sister Jena Lynn Atkins, who inherited Mama’s looks and her late daddy’s gentle spirit. The diner is half hers. I also have a half-brother, Sam. He and I have the same blue eyes, blond hair, and easily tanned skin. But he inherited our father’s height, and I’m stuck at an average five-foot-five. Sam’s the line-cook at the diner and is known for his Sam’s Surf and Turf Burger.

Are your parents nearby?
Yes, they are. As with everything else in my life, this, too, is interesting. My father, as I mentioned previously, is the sheriff. And Mama well, she’s never too far away–her sassy spirit haunts the island and, more specifically, me. It’s because of her that the deceased seek me out to aid them. So, this part-time amateur sleuthing gig is on her too. Fun, huh

Who is your best friend?
That’s an easy one. Betsy Myers is my ride or die BFF. I can count on her to always be on my side and lend a hand.

Do you have any pets?
My cat, the aforementioned fur baby, Mr. Wrigley, came into my life when I needed him most. Our connection was a surprise to both of us.

What town do you live in?
I live near the city center of Peach Cove Island, GA.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I live in the old farmhouse where I grew up. Mama left it to me.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
Thanks to my friend Yvonne, my newly renovated kitchen is my favorite spot. It’s a beauty.

Favorite meal and dessert?
Chicken and dumplings with cheese biscuits and peaches and cream bars for dessert.

Do you have any hobbies?
Other than baking, I’d say, reading and sunbathing.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
I’m happy on my beach right here on Peach Cove Island.

What music do they listen to?
I adore music. Many genres make my playlists. And I create playlists for different activities—one for baking, one for sunbathing, one for reading, and so on. Here’s the link to my baking playlist featuring some of my fav female artists. Baking Playlist [Editor’s Note: Nice playlist!]

What is your idea of a really fun time?
A day on the beach with an ice-cold drink and a good book. What could be better than that

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Amateur, I try to help out the sheriff’s department when one of the deceased enlist my aid.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
Most of my day is spent at The Peach Diner serving and chatting with customers. A glass of glass and stroll on the beach helps me unwind after a long day. I used to begin some mornings with a dip in the ocean, but current events have halted that activity. Swimming into a dead body will do that to a gal.

Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse is the second book in the “Marygene Brown” cozy mystery series, released May 26, 2020.

On Georgia’s picturesque Peach Cove Island, a killer is serving up a two-for-one special . . .

After their mama’s passing, Marygene Brown returned to Peach Cove Island to help her sister Jena Lynn run the family diner, renowned for its homemade peach desserts. But Mama is never too far away—her sassy spirit haunts the island, and more specifically Marygene. Lately Mama has been warning her that the dead will seek her out to solve their murders, an idea Marygene is far from peachy keen on.

But that prophecy appears to be coming true when she goes skinny-dipping off the island and swims right into a woman’s charred corpse floating in the waves. And when Marygene and her brother Sam come upon a second burned body in a wine cellar at an event they’re catering, it appears they have a double homicide on their hands. It soon turns out the victims have more in common than their charred remains, and Marygene will need to double down to find a killer who has no aversion to playing with fire. Good thing Mama has her back . . .

Includes Seven Recipes from Marygene’s Kitchen!

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About the author
Kate Young is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Guppy Chapter. She is married and the mother of three. She lives in a small town in Georgia and when she is not writing her own books, she’s reading or cooking. Visit Kate’s website at kateyoungbooks.com.

All comments are welcomed.