A Gala Event
Orchard, Book #9
By Sheila Connolly
ISBN: 9780425275818
Author Website: http://www.sheilaconnolly.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
Synopsis:
Wedding bells are ringing for Meg and Seth in the latest Orchard Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Picked to Die…
The fall harvest may be just about over, but orchard owner Meg Corey is busier than ever planning her wedding to Seth Chapin. Who knew picking apples would be less work than picking out rings and a dress? And even though the happy couple has invited most of Granford, Massachusetts, to the ceremony, they might have to make room for one more guest…
Ex-con Aaron Eastman has unexpectedly reappeared in his hometown, searching for answers to the tragic fire in his family’s past that put him behind bars twenty-five years ago. Moved by his sincerity, Meg vows to do everything she can to help him solve the cold case. As she cobbles together the clues, it becomes increasingly clear that Aaron may have been considered the bad seed of the family, but someone else was one bad apple…
Includes Delicious Recipes!
Review:
A Gala Event is another great cozy in Sheila Connolly’s wonderful An Orchard Mystery series. Orchard owner and main character Meg Corey and her fiancé Seth Chapman are busy as ever. Autumn has arrived and with it the end of apple harvest and the fall rush for Seth’s antique house restoration. To add to the mix the couple also have their wedding to plan and that date is fast approaching. Meg’s to do list is not getting any shorter and Seth has decided to give a bathroom or two to his soon to be wife for a wedding present. Things are getting hectic and things are going to be changing for the couple and housemate Bree as well.
A couple of guests pop up and none of them are exactly invited. First of couple of newbie alpaca farmers have moved in next door to the orchard and the fence is not up to snuff. Meg is met with one as she is tending her goats and a different one pops up over the next few days. The other uninvited is a man from the past with a past that is truly tragic. Aaron Eastman was just released from prison after spending the last 25 years locked up for a fire that destroyed his family home and killed both of his parents and his grandmother. Meg and Seth and a cast of marvelous friends try to help Aaron get some answers since he cannot remember that night at all.
I love this series and this latest installment is probably my favorite. The characters are amazing and diverse. The small town setting is delightful. The mystery in A Gala Event is intriguing, superbly written, compelling and heartbreaking. Sheila Connolly’s writing style is filled with details that entertain and inform, but never bore. It is a wonderful mix of humor and intrigue. Especially in this installment, there is laughter and anger, joy and sadness, endings and new beginnings.
This is the 9th in the Orchard series and while I think it makes the stories more enjoyable, Sheila Connolly gives enough background that you can read it as a stand-alone. I love getting to spend time with Meg, Seth, Art and the gang. I get to go on a roller coaster ride of emotions and never leave the comfort of home. I would recommend A Gala Event to any reader that enjoys a fabulous cozy, great writing dealing with family and anyone who wants to enjoy a well plotted mystery. I also have to mention that this installment has a truly gorgeous cover and some enticing recipes. So all in all, a big hit all round.
