Just Add Trouble by Jinx Schwartz Narrator: Beth Richmond

Just Add Trouble by Jinx Schwartz

Beth Richmond Narrator

Just Add Trouble
Jinx Schwartz
Narrator: Beth Richmond
From: Books in Motion
8 hrs. 25mins

Beth Richmond, has a perky, buoyant voice, she enriches the fun and quirky nature of Hetta and her best friend Jan. Her rendition of the Hetta Coffey series is youthful, energetic and playful, and yet, she sounds sensitive and softer when reading the text parts. Ms. Richmond manages to bring so much energy and charm to Just Add Trouble. I don't have to know who is speaking, I know just by the distinctive changes Ms. Richmond makes.

Believe me, you will be captivated and enthralled and completely drawn into the book when you listen to a professional narrate and Beth Richmond is that narrator. Whether she is doing Hetta's mother, with the Texas drawl or Trouble, the bird singing,  How Much is that Birdie in the Window. You will be enchanted and drawn into the wacky world of Hetta Coffey, where what seems simple turns life threatening very quickly.

Even if you never had any special interest in sailing, yachting or lounging around beautiful coves in the Baja, that didn't include a 4 or 5 star hotel, you might find, that you'll develop not only some knowledge but a genuine interest in boating. Hetta and her boyfriend Janx are enjoying the sun, lounging around and taking timely dips in the waters of the Sea of Cortez, when a panga interrupts their idyllic day. Right away they can tell these guys are not fishermen, so they pretend they don't understand their Spanish, letting them think they are Europeans. When they try to board their boat to steal their gas, Hetta and Janx, show their weapons, Hetta's is a flare gun. I guess, a flare gun could do some serious damage. Janx's weapon wasn't much better, yet, it did the trick and the bad guys took off. Hetta is destined to meet up with them again later in the book and outwits them a second time.

Hetta is "loosely following the path of John Steinbeck's book The Log from the Sea of Cortez."... This may not sound exciting or interesting, but when Hetta does anything it is bound to be both. She mocks Steinbeck's lines about unexpected storms, only to learn she should have paid more attention. Later she ponders the name of an island, and translating from Spanish to English, it means covered in a shroud. After dropping anchor there, they are swarmed with thousands of no see'ums leaving her a red spotted, itching mess. Her medicine of choice, Preparation H. Her logic is, it says for swelling and itching.

Her friend Jan in Just Add Salt, hooked up with Chino and stayed in Mexico with him. In Just Add Trouble, Jan phones, Hetta, to let her know she is planning on marrying Chino, and gets Hetta involved in locating Chino's grandmother. According to Jan, she wants her blessings on their wedding. A storm has taken down communications in the town, so, Hetta and Jan decide they will try to get to the town and make sure she's safe. They neglect to tell Chino of their plans. Fit into all this, Hetta's aunt Lil, who is the aunt from hell, according to Hetta, Aunt Lil, "is a retired nurse of Ratched ilk"....  the unlovely nurse in, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Aunt Lil, asked Hetta's parents, to feed her bird, while she went away for a few days. They didn't want to, but ended up doing it anyway. The bird is cramping their style, when  auntie dearest, doesn't come back for the bird, and they want to hit the road for some RV time, sans the bird. They ask, Hetta, to bird sit, so they can take their vacation. Hetta, was glad she could say no, since she's in Mexico and has a job to do there and then has to go to California on another job. This type of bird is illegal in California. Who ends up with said, bird, Hetta, of course, her mother freights it off to her via nefarious means.

Hetta, just unexpectedly receives a package listed as jerky and she signs for it. It is jerky, but comes along with Trouble, the bird. It's his favorite treat. The bird is very talented, can sing, talks a lot and has a bad habit of attacking Mexican men. The birds name is Trouble, and boy does he ever cause a lot of it for Hetta. Everything about this book will keep you laughing, either with the birds antics, or Hetta's aunt Lil. There are of course some very hazardous events, nonetheless, Hetta manages to pull out of them in the end. I look forward to more adventures with Hetta and Jan in the future and trust that Beth Richmond, will once again be the narrator.

Jinx Schwartz has a wonderful sense of humor, it's not to be missed, and, Beth Richmond, does an amazing job of making it all come to life. I do suggest starting with the first book in the series, Just Add Water, and the second, Just Add Salt, after Just Add Trouble, look for the latest in the series, Just Deserts, available as a kindle download.