Strawberries and Crime - A Review

 

Strawberries
and Crime

by

Elle Brooke White

A Review

A relaxing cozy mystery with a highly intelligent pig. The setting is Little Acorn, a rural town in Southern California among the hills of the Santa Barbara Mountains. Most of the action takes place on the Finn Family Farm or on the local farms owned by the murder victim or the various suspects.

I learned a great deal about farming, particularly organic farming. Assisting the human population in solving the murder/suicide of Linc Pierce are a variety of animals including Horse (a pig who ate like one), Mrs. Robinson (a ladybug), and Fred and Ginger (a pair of nesting barn owls). It was concerning when Charlotte Finn and the Chief of Police took much of the last chapter walking through the evidence to educate their audience and the reader as to how they solved the crime. One would expect a well-written cozy mystery not to require this kind of detail.

The book was a relaxing read and worthy of a four-star review.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Seeds of Revenge - A Review

Seeds of Revenge

by

Wendy Tyson

A Review

Megan Sawyer and her friends from the small town of Winsome, PA, are in the middle of another series of murders, a series which could easily tear the town apart. Megan owns a small organic farm on the outskirts of town and also runs a small cafe and store in town in which she markets some of her products. The cafe has quickly become the hub of town gossip - if you want to hear the latest news (true or false) visit the cafe. Winsome was also a place that was inviting to family reunions - and this one was turning deadly.

The disliked patriarch of the family was the first to die - but others would follow. Then other members of the community started to be threatened as well. The police chief was young and was learning his role in murder investigations very quickly. This was not his first case (see Wendy Tyson’s earlier novels in this series for those details), but it was becoming his trickiest to solve. With so many misleading clues and possibilities, naming the wrong suspect could lead to more deaths.

A bit harsher than some cozy mysteries, but still a satisfying read. Set in rural Pennsylvania, the place almost feels like home (without the murders, of course): warm fireplaces, ice covered roads, small town life. A walk along the frozen canal might be just the way to finish day’s work. The town, the plot, and the characters will welcome all readers to again visit Winsome, Pennsylvania.  

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

A Muddied Murder - A Review

A Muddied Murder

by

Wendy Tyson

A Review

A small farm, a vegetable stand, a small town local grocer, and an organic cafe, make for the perfect location for a murder. When located in southeastern Pennsylvania, it seems almost like home. In fact, for Megan Sawyer, it was too close to home.

Megan was on the verge of becoming a big time Chicago lawyer, but she had the opportunity to return to her roots in rural Pennsylvania after the death of her husband. But to do so, she had to hang up her law education and grab the small farmer label that came with the old family farm she would run. She found it energizing - working among the vegetables and farm animals that defined her new life. The property had a history - a legend really - that somebody knew more about than she did. A legend that somebody was willing to kill for.

Megan was the first suspect (really? come on now?); Bibi Birch, her grandmother, was the second (not likely, being in her 80’s). But somebody had murdered Simon Duvall, the local zoning commissioner. It would take Megan, Bibi, Clay (the farmhand), Bob King (the town Police Chief), and Denver Finn (the local veterinarian), along with a few others to find the truth. The characters were well developed and fun to follow. This reader felt like he knew them - having lived in small towns and known a few individuals that returned to their rural roots by choice.

As in the past, Wendy Tyson and her publisher, Henery Press, have put together a fun, readable book - a book that sets the stage for future books involving some of the same characters. I can hardly wait for Spring 2017, when the next book is scheduled for release.

For the reader looking for a cozy mystery written for those spring days that never are quite ready for summer, “Muddied Murder” might just fill the bill. Sit back, relax, and get to know the people of Winsome, PA, as you discover the history of Washington Acres and its ties to an unnecessary murder.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.