Dead and Berried
Cranberry Cove, Book #3
By Peg Cochran
ISBN13: 9780425274552
Author website: http://www.pegcochran.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
Synopsis:
It’s hive time for murder in the latest Cranberry Cove mystery from national bestselling author Peg Cochran.
It’s June in Cranberry Cove and Monica Albertson’s plan to sell cranberry relish to chain stores is taking off. The cranberry bogs are in bloom, and local beekeeper Rick Taylor and his assistant Lori Wenk are bringing in bees to pollinate the blossoms. When a fatal prick fells Lori, the buzz is that Rick is to blame.
In trying to clear her friend s name, Monica discovers that more than a few people in Cranberry Cove have felt the power of Lori s venom, and it looks as if this time she may have agitated the hive a bit too much. With the fate of the farm on the line, Monica must get to the bottom of the crime before another victim gets stung.”
Review:
I really enjoy author Peg Cochran’s “Cranberry Cove” mystery series. I love the characters from protagonist Monica Albertson, to her wonderful brother Jeff who is a veteran that still has lingering issues from his time served and also owns Sassamanash Farms which is a cranberry farm. I love the family relationships with them and also their mothers. Yes they have different moms. The town is filled with wonderful personalities that keep the stories entertaining and at times humorous. I delight in the small town live of Cranberry Cove. This latest installment Dead and Berried is the third book in the great series. What a superb twist in the method of murder! You cannot beat the twists and turns of this tangy read that has just enough bite to make you settle in and not put this book down.
Monica has really settled into live in Cranberry Cove and her baked goods and salsas are taking off. And she may have a bit of a romance started as well, good for her. Jeff is as busy as he always is getting things in order with his cranberries. The cranberries are blooming and Jeff decides they may need some help to have produce well. He hires beekeeper Rick Taylor to bring some bees out to help the blossoms really bloom and produce. Rick and his assistant Lori Wenk bring out two hives. They have to wait for the weather and leave. Or so everyone thinks. Lori unfortunately will not be leaving on her own two feet. She is dead.
At first everyone thinks Lori has had a reaction to bee stings. While that seems odd as she should know better, it is accepted. Then things take an even worse turn when murder is suspected. Monica has assisted Detective Stevens before so she is ready to help this time. She learns that maybe Lori was not that nice and some of her meanness was towards Monica’s clerk and her husband, Rick. Monica is not one of those amateur detectives that make you cringe in the stupid actions, she is smart, helpful and thoughtful. I really enjoy how she goes about finding clues and coming to her conclusions. I have to say I had a clue who the killer was, but the reason was still a mystery.
I think Dead and Berried is the best in this tasty and entertaining series. Each one has been better and better and the first was great. I cannot wait for the next release in this series. The characters continue to develop and become more familiar and I love coming to spend some time in Cranberry Cove. They are complex and real and most are people I would love being friends with and having over for dinner (as long as they brought the food, lol). This is a well written and fun read. Peg Cochran writes in a style that makes you comfortable immediately, has you wanting to delve further and further into the book and not put it down. She has Cozy Mystery down to a well-honed recipe that delights and works in so many ways and levels. I love this book and know that cozy readers will as well.
