Celebrate Lit / August 13, 2024

The Women of the Wynton’s

About the Book The Women of Wynton’s

Book: The Women of Wynton’s

Author: Donna Mumma

Genre: Mystery/Christian Fiction

Release date: July 2024

Mid-Century Glam Meets Murder Mayhem

Get swept away to the glamour of a 1950s department store where four women’s loyalties, vanity, friendship, and detective skills are put to the test.

Audrey Penault once led a glamorous life as a model but now works as a devoted secretary to Mr. Wynton. To her fellow employees, she is too vain and uppity.

Mary Jo Johnson, a wife and mother, longs to find her worth in the cosmetics department, but it may take a while for the shy housewife to discover her voice.

Vivian Sheffield owns and runs the bridal salon within Wynton’s. She is proud of her accomplishments and won’t let anyone take them away.

Gigi Woodard dislikes her job as a waitress in the store’s lunchroom, but she is determined not to let her secret shortcomings cause her to lose the position.

These four women have much to dislike about each other, but they unanimously agree that Mr Wynton is the best of employers and must be protected at all costs from someone who seems determined to see him gone for good. When other employee deaths occur, can the women band together to solve the murders, or will they discover it is one of their own bent on destroying Wynton’s from within?

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My Thoughts on The Women of Wynton’s

The Women of Wynton’s is a wonderful cozy mystery of historical fiction that you don’t want to wait on picking up! Though the 30s and 40s are my favorite time period, I do enjoy the 50s as well. There’s just something so wonderful about the fashion being so decidedly feminine!

Let’s chat about the book. I call it a cozy mystery because those it does have some faith aspects it is not decidedly Christian. It’s set in the 1950s so historical fiction. And it involves murder!

A group of women must band together to save their store. The only thing they have in common is where they work. I feel like I could relate to each character. The author did an amazing job of fleshing them out and making them real and believable.

Be warned the beginning seems slow as you have to meet all the characters and really get to know them. But the story quickly picks up after that and you won’t want to put it down.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

About the Author of The Women of Wynton’s

Donna Mumma perfected storytelling in her first-grade classroom, spinning tales exciting enough to settle a roomful of antsy six-year-olds. She is an award-winning author who loves to blend history, mystery, and a dash of hope in stories that explore ordinary people who learn extraordinary life lessons.

Donna is an active member of Word Weavers International, serving as president for the Tampa chapter as well as a mentor for chapters around the country. She was recognized as the Word Weavers traditional group president and mentor of the year in 2022.

She also serves as a line editor and contributor for Inskpirationsonline.com, a site featuring devotions written for writers by writers.

An avid believer in education, Donna earned her M. Ed in elementary education and writes educational blogs and articles to assist teachers overseas for the International School Project. A native Floridian, she loves sharing life with her husband and her energetic collie, Duke.

More from Donna

Two models posed in red, flowy iconic 50’s dresses, white gloves, and classy hats. Perfect makeup and hair. Years ago, this picture hung in the dressing rooms of my favorite clothing store.

I was hooked.

Every time I entered the store, I’d walk to the dressing rooms to stare at the picture whether I had something to try on or not. There was something about that image that drew me in.

A few years later, I happened upon the same picture from the store on a social media page I’d joined featuring fashions from the 1950s. I discovered my beloved photo came from a cover of Vogue magazine issued in 1955.

Then my imagination started churning. Every movie I’d watched with Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Kim Novak came to mind. I pictured four women, wearing classy, tailored suits, full-skirted dresses, and beautiful gowns from the 50’s. They were going to work in a department store because I grew up on a dairy farm, way out in the country of central Florida, and the big department stores like Burdines, Maas Brothers, and Robinsons were the most glamourous, luxurious places I’d ever seen.

These women were going to have to deal with a few murders.

And the fact they don’t care much for each other.

As I researched, department stores, history, fashion, and life in Florida in the 1950’s these characters came alive. First was Audrey, a former fashion model and the personal secretary to the owner of Wynton’s Department Store who may be the most hated woman around town. Miss Vivien, the owner and designer for Wynton’s bridal salon, who fights being set aside because she’s growing older. Mary Jo is a young wife and mother who longs to be at home but must take a job at Wynton’s to save her family. Lastly, Gigi is a girl who’s tired of the tough breaks in her life and hopes a new job at Wynton’s will bring her better fortune.

I wanted their experiences in the story to be true to life for that period and drew from stories and memories my own mother shared with me when I was growing up. I had so much fun writing about The Women of Wynton’s as they worked their way through mayhem, murders, and a Christmas parade, but I also learned much about the women in this period of history. It is my hope my readers will too.