Book: Town in a Blueberry Jam by B.B. Haywood
Series: A Candy Holliday Murder Mystery
Extras? Recipes including Candy Holliday's Blueberry Whipped Cream, Herr Georg's Bavarian Blueberry Pretzels, Blueberry Lemon Shortbread, and Blueberry Gingerbread
Published: 2010
Plot (Goodreads):
My four-sentence or less take on the plot: Candy Holliday is a blueberry farmer with her father in the small town of Cape Willington, Maine. An unprecedented two murders occur back to back, shocking the town, and casting suspicion on one of Candy's friends. Candy decides to investigate the mystery to clear her friend and gets a love interest and a second job along the way.
Rating: 8
What worked: As an intro to a new series, this was a great start. A lot of interesting, bizarre characters were introduced (always a good idea in a cozy), the blueberry theme was interesting and different (I knew nothing about blueberry production), and the backstory was believable. The mystery was solid and there were several twists and turns along the way. Plus the Blueberry Queen pageant is a hilarious trainwreck that anyone who has ever been to a small "Queen" pageant will totally get.
Published: 2010
Plot (Goodreads):
In the seaside village of Cape Willington, Maine, Candy Holliday has an idyllic life tending to the Blueberry Acres farm she runs with her father. But, when an aging playboy and the newly crowned Blueberry Queen are killed, Candy investigates to clear the name of a local handyman. And as she sorts through the town's juicy secrets, things start to get sticky indeed...
My four-sentence or less take on the plot: Candy Holliday is a blueberry farmer with her father in the small town of Cape Willington, Maine. An unprecedented two murders occur back to back, shocking the town, and casting suspicion on one of Candy's friends. Candy decides to investigate the mystery to clear her friend and gets a love interest and a second job along the way.
Rating: 8
What worked: As an intro to a new series, this was a great start. A lot of interesting, bizarre characters were introduced (always a good idea in a cozy), the blueberry theme was interesting and different (I knew nothing about blueberry production), and the backstory was believable. The mystery was solid and there were several twists and turns along the way. Plus the Blueberry Queen pageant is a hilarious trainwreck that anyone who has ever been to a small "Queen" pageant will totally get.
What didn't: It was a solid book, it just had some growing pains. I wasn't attached to any of the characters yet, which is the reason I always think first books in a series are usually weaker than the rest. So many mysteries seem to have that "girl moved to big city, failed, and moves to the country" theme that it's getting a bit old for me.
Keep reading? Yes
Keep reading? Yes
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