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Moonshine Mystery #1
Murder and Moonshine
A debut mystery set in the heart of moonshine country and brimming with Southern charm
All small towns have secrets—and plenty of them—as every small town waitress knows. Daisy is no different. A young, recently-separated waitress at H&P's Diner in sleepy southwestern Virginia, she hears more than her fair share of neighborhood gossip while serving plates of hash and peach cobbler. But when a reclusive old man, Dickerson, shows up at the diner one day, only to drop dead a few minutes later, Daisy quickly learns that some secrets are more dangerous to keep than others—especially when there’s money and moonshine involved.
Daisy finds herself caught between whiskey and guns; a handsome ATF agent and a moonshine-brewing sweet talker; and a painful past and a dangerous present. Not sure any longer who she can trust, Daisy must turn sleuth while also protecting her sick mother and keeping a handle on Aunt Emily, her goading, trigger-happy landlord. There's trouble brewing in her small town, and before it passes, many secrets will come to light.
Carol Miller makes a memorable and charming debut in Murder and Moonshine, the first of an intriguing new series.
All small towns have secrets—and plenty of them—as every small town waitress knows. Daisy is no different. A young, recently-separated waitress at H&P's Diner in sleepy southwestern Virginia, she hears more than her fair share of neighborhood gossip while serving plates of hash and peach cobbler. But when a reclusive old man, Dickerson, shows up at the diner one day, only to drop dead a few minutes later, Daisy quickly learns that some secrets are more dangerous to keep than others—especially when there’s money and moonshine involved.
Daisy finds herself caught between whiskey and guns; a handsome ATF agent and a moonshine-brewing sweet talker; and a painful past and a dangerous present. Not sure any longer who she can trust, Daisy must turn sleuth while also protecting her sick mother and keeping a handle on Aunt Emily, her goading, trigger-happy landlord. There's trouble brewing in her small town, and before it passes, many secrets will come to light.
Carol Miller makes a memorable and charming debut in Murder and Moonshine, the first of an intriguing new series.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published December 17, 2013
15 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Carol Miller
7 books25 followersCarol Miller is the author of the forthcoming Fortune Telling Mysteries and the Moonshine Mysteries. MURDER AND MOONSHINE was named an Amazon Best Book of the Month and a Library Journal Starred Debut of the Month. Carol is an attorney and lives in Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
December 29, 2013
Murder and Moonshine is a debut mystery for Carol Miller. Set in rural Virginia, it begins when a reclusive old farmer stumbles in to the H&P Diner and dies, foaming at the mouth. Waitress, Daisy McGovern, is horrified, and even more so when ATF Agent Ethan Kinney shows up to investigate his death. Daisy bears a grudge against the FBI who, in the wake of her father's tragic death five years before, seized her family's farm and she is determined to ensure Agent Kinney doesn't stay long. Then Hank (the H is H&P Diner) is murdered and suddenly Daisy finds herself in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy, and Ethan may be the only person she can trust.
There is a touch of humour, romance and moments of high tension in Murder and Moonshine. The story has more authenticity than I usually expect from a cozy mystery and the plot is well thought out, twisting in unexpected directions. While I found the pace a bit slow initially, the story does gather momentum as it unfolds and I was surprised by the denouement. At its heart lies family secrets, murder and a conspiracy of greed.
Daisy proves to be feisty and resourceful with a history of tragedy - from the death of her father and the loss of her family home, to being abandoned by her husband, and to now coping with her mother's prolonged illness. Her motivation to become involved in the mystery makes sense, the murders are linked to her old homestead and both she and her mother are in danger.
Of course, no southern murder mystery would be complete without a cast of quirky characters from the gun toting Aunt Emily to the moonshine brothers, Rick and Bobby.
I enjoyed Murder and Moonshine, and I look forward to seeing how the series develops.
April 18, 2017
My interest really perked up when I started reading Murder and Moonshine when I realized it was set in rural Virginia. A different setting, loaded with possibility. There is no start up, just BAM! straight into a guy croaking in H&P diner. The setting, characters and story line were all interesting, but the book lacked personal detail about the characters and some set up to make the story richer. We never learn what's actually wrong with Daisy's mom nor what happened to Daisy's husband. He just disappears one day. What? Did no one try to find him? Did no one suspect he was dead somewhere? He just disappeared....OK. We don't know why Daisy is called Ducky (though I think Daisy Luck Hale... Daisy Luck...Daisy Duck...Ducky). I was thinking that perhaps this was the second book in a series and we were expected to go back and read book one to get more backstory, but that's not the case.
Glade Hill is a small, rural town, yet most of the characters didn't even know the dead guy had still been alive and living in Daisy's old home?!? Not believable.
Despite these weaknesses, I liked the story line and how the writing flowed, it just could have used 20 or 30 more pages of detail.
This book is published by St. Martin Press, as a name publisher, I would have expected the Kindle version to be formatted better. Words are broken up and extra spaces added here and there.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Glade Hill is a small, rural town, yet most of the characters didn't even know the dead guy had still been alive and living in Daisy's old home?!? Not believable.
Despite these weaknesses, I liked the story line and how the writing flowed, it just could have used 20 or 30 more pages of detail.
This book is published by St. Martin Press, as a name publisher, I would have expected the Kindle version to be formatted better. Words are broken up and extra spaces added here and there.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
September 1, 2020
Sometimes one needs to go through a lot of junk to find a really good new mystery series. This was not my idea of a really good mystery series...
Although, if what the author was going for was the dumb bomb blonde stereotype for the protagonist, she nailed it.
Apart from that, the amount of repetition in her language is astounding. If you take out the words "big-city folk" and "my momma" there goes a third of the book. Of course, I have to come back to the fact that if what was wanted was to infantilize the dumb blonde, that was another stroke of genius.
And if you make it to the final "action" scene it is so ridden with witless action by the main character and downright mistakes by the narrator that you won't know if to laugh or cry.
Although, if what the author was going for was the dumb bomb blonde stereotype for the protagonist, she nailed it.
Apart from that, the amount of repetition in her language is astounding. If you take out the words "big-city folk" and "my momma" there goes a third of the book. Of course, I have to come back to the fact that if what was wanted was to infantilize the dumb blonde, that was another stroke of genius.
And if you make it to the final "action" scene it is so ridden with witless action by the main character and downright mistakes by the narrator that you won't know if to laugh or cry.
May 1, 2018
Im from Southwest Virginia which is where this great mystery takes place. I felt right at home. I loved it. Lots of county and good folks. Probable situations. Totally enjoyed the characters and the mystery. Didn't figure the killer till revealed.
Look forward to book 2.
Look forward to book 2.
February 12, 2015
Still smarting from the recent abandonment of her husband, local waitress Daisy McGovern focuses her time on work at the H & P Diner and caring for her ailing mother in the slow pace of southwestern Virginia, all while fending off unwelcome advances of local moonshine-brewing ne'er-do-well Rick Balsam. Complications ensue when elderly recluse Fred Dickerson staggers into the diner, mumbles the word "burger" twice and drops dead a few minutes later. (Yeah, I know, he probably wasn't referring to food. Maybe he was warning Perry Mason about new evidence uncovered by district attorney Hamilton Burger? Eh, probably not.)
The symptoms indicate a suspicious death, and Daisy can't help but notice odd reactions to the old man's death from H & P Diner owner Hank as well as Rick, who had arrived only minutes earlier with his not-too-bright brother Bobby for breakfast. When ATF agent Ethan Kinney shows up a few days later at the diner, dredging up painful memories of Daisy's past asking questions about her lost birthright and home Fox Hollow, and then another local man is found dead, Daisy finds herself having to play sleuth to protect her family from conspirators and possible environmental disaster.
The structure of the novel needs work, as sufficient backstory on the main character isn't provided until halfway through the book, at which point it feels like the reader has been thrown into the deep end, with little or no warning. When Daisy discovers handsome stranger Ethan is with the ATF, neither he nor the reader is prepared for the level of vitriol from Daisy and the local townsfolk. Which, by the way, makes it that much harder to fathom why resentment towards Ethan, however undeserved, seems to fade so quickly as the story progresses.
Carol Miller's use of local dialect is spotty at best, and seems unfamiliar with its nuances, like the word "chap," i.e. man, is used at different parts of the book, but having grown up in the country of central Virginia, I can tell you I've never heard that word in local parlance, so for a minute there I thought I was reading an Agatha Christie novel (okay, not really, but you get my point). Using the slang term "ya" instead of "you" works in certain instances, but the phrase "Ya and yer momma" just doesn't sound right. For that sentence, I don't care how country you might be, it should always be "You and yer momma." Other wording seems wildly out of place. Terms like "community cognoscenti" and "colloquial circumlocutions" come off as far too high-falutin' for describing local events in a small Virginia town.
Plus, any reference to God is capitalized, especially out in the Virginia countryside, which has plenty of Baptist churches for its citizenry. When Daisy says, "Not with the good lord as her witness," I immediately thought to myself that it's "the Good Lord." Without question. (See, Mom? I did pay attention in church all those years ago. What? You want me to keep going to church? Nuts.) Little details to be sure, but when it comes to dialect, it definitely matters.
Also, I don't think the author ever met a metaphor she didn't love to death. After a fair amount of reading, I was hip-deep in enough colorful phrases to choke a horse. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself.) As colorful as Southern folks can get, a little straight talk goes a long way.
People do a lot of grunting in response in this book. Maybe they could try something different like nod or say "hmm" instead. But more than that, she commits the ultimate sin for a mystery writer; she withholds vital information from the reader that would enable him or her to figure out what's going on and who's responsible. When the true culprit is revealed, it felt like it came from out of nowhere, because that person was hardly ever seen, and no clues were provided to hint at their true nature. (For the record, trying to see what's on a smartphone screen would be easier with diminishing daylight, not harder.)
As for the motives for the murders: Property lines? Land ownership? Mining rights? Environmental danger? They were more labyrinthine and harder to follow than watching Chinatown all over again. ("My sister! [slap] My daughter! [slap] My nose!") I wish the villain could have been seen to suffer a little comeuppance for committed misdeeds instead of cutting to the last chapter featuring Daisy recovering from her adventure remarking on that person's inevitable incarceration. You want to see the bad guys suffer a little, even if it's only from embarrassment.
Most importantly, I wish that our heroine could have saved herself without an unexpected (and unlikely) white knight coming to her rescue. I would have even settled for Daisy saying something to the effect of, "Thanks for the able assist, but I'll take it from here."
All that said, I did like the character of Daisy McGovern. And though there was plenty of romantic tension between her and Agent Ethan, I liked the dynamic more between her and bad boy Rick. So I may well check out the second book in the series, A Nip of Murder, if only to see whether Carol Miller can do better the second time around.
The symptoms indicate a suspicious death, and Daisy can't help but notice odd reactions to the old man's death from H & P Diner owner Hank as well as Rick, who had arrived only minutes earlier with his not-too-bright brother Bobby for breakfast. When ATF agent Ethan Kinney shows up a few days later at the diner, dredging up painful memories of Daisy's past asking questions about her lost birthright and home Fox Hollow, and then another local man is found dead, Daisy finds herself having to play sleuth to protect her family from conspirators and possible environmental disaster.
The structure of the novel needs work, as sufficient backstory on the main character isn't provided until halfway through the book, at which point it feels like the reader has been thrown into the deep end, with little or no warning. When Daisy discovers handsome stranger Ethan is with the ATF, neither he nor the reader is prepared for the level of vitriol from Daisy and the local townsfolk. Which, by the way, makes it that much harder to fathom why resentment towards Ethan, however undeserved, seems to fade so quickly as the story progresses.
Carol Miller's use of local dialect is spotty at best, and seems unfamiliar with its nuances, like the word "chap," i.e. man, is used at different parts of the book, but having grown up in the country of central Virginia, I can tell you I've never heard that word in local parlance, so for a minute there I thought I was reading an Agatha Christie novel (okay, not really, but you get my point). Using the slang term "ya" instead of "you" works in certain instances, but the phrase "Ya and yer momma" just doesn't sound right. For that sentence, I don't care how country you might be, it should always be "You and yer momma." Other wording seems wildly out of place. Terms like "community cognoscenti" and "colloquial circumlocutions" come off as far too high-falutin' for describing local events in a small Virginia town.
Plus, any reference to God is capitalized, especially out in the Virginia countryside, which has plenty of Baptist churches for its citizenry. When Daisy says, "Not with the good lord as her witness," I immediately thought to myself that it's "the Good Lord." Without question. (See, Mom? I did pay attention in church all those years ago. What? You want me to keep going to church? Nuts.) Little details to be sure, but when it comes to dialect, it definitely matters.
Also, I don't think the author ever met a metaphor she didn't love to death. After a fair amount of reading, I was hip-deep in enough colorful phrases to choke a horse. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself.) As colorful as Southern folks can get, a little straight talk goes a long way.
People do a lot of grunting in response in this book. Maybe they could try something different like nod or say "hmm" instead. But more than that, she commits the ultimate sin for a mystery writer; she withholds vital information from the reader that would enable him or her to figure out what's going on and who's responsible. When the true culprit is revealed, it felt like it came from out of nowhere, because that person was hardly ever seen, and no clues were provided to hint at their true nature. (For the record, trying to see what's on a smartphone screen would be easier with diminishing daylight, not harder.)
As for the motives for the murders: Property lines? Land ownership? Mining rights? Environmental danger? They were more labyrinthine and harder to follow than watching Chinatown all over again. ("My sister! [slap] My daughter! [slap] My nose!") I wish the villain could have been seen to suffer a little comeuppance for committed misdeeds instead of cutting to the last chapter featuring Daisy recovering from her adventure remarking on that person's inevitable incarceration. You want to see the bad guys suffer a little, even if it's only from embarrassment.
Most importantly, I wish that our heroine could have saved herself without an unexpected (and unlikely) white knight coming to her rescue. I would have even settled for Daisy saying something to the effect of, "Thanks for the able assist, but I'll take it from here."
All that said, I did like the character of Daisy McGovern. And though there was plenty of romantic tension between her and Agent Ethan, I liked the dynamic more between her and bad boy Rick. So I may well check out the second book in the series, A Nip of Murder, if only to see whether Carol Miller can do better the second time around.
August 9, 2024
“Read a book set in your hometown/state. -Miranda”
My inspiration for reading this book...a random pick from my book suggestion jar.
I will definitely read more from this author!!
My inspiration for reading this book...a random pick from my book suggestion jar.
I will definitely read more from this author!!
January 22, 2014
Daisy has a lot of responsibilities for a young waitress--her ailing mother, the sad past that lost them the family mansion. When a man walks into the diner where she works and keels over, Daisy doesn't realize that her whole life is about to change. First, an agent from the group she most hates--the ATF--walks into the diner asking for directions, then it seems like she's out of a job when there's another death. The local bad boy--a friend of the husband who deserted her--wants something, but Daisy doesn't care to find out what. You'll enjoy this one.
July 23, 2017
Title: Murder and Moonshine - Moonshine Mystery Book 1
Author: Carol Miller
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Published: 12-17-2013
Pages: 305
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub-Genre: Women Sleuths; Cozy Mystery; Amateur Sleuths
ISBN: 9781250019257
ASIN: B00DA79V3C
Reviewed For NetGalley and St Martin's Press
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.5 Stars
A fun read for mystery lovers of all kinds. Quick and fun to read. "Murder and Moonshine" moves at a fast pace and holds reader's interest easily. Well developed characters and plot show the talent of the author in writing an intriguing novel and a fantastic start to a new series.
My rating of "Murder and Moonshine - Moonshine Mystery Book 1" is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DA79V3C/...
B&N Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murd...
Books-A-Million Link: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Murder...
Kobo Link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/murd...
GoodReads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
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Author: Carol Miller
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Published: 12-17-2013
Pages: 305
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub-Genre: Women Sleuths; Cozy Mystery; Amateur Sleuths
ISBN: 9781250019257
ASIN: B00DA79V3C
Reviewed For NetGalley and St Martin's Press
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.5 Stars
A fun read for mystery lovers of all kinds. Quick and fun to read. "Murder and Moonshine" moves at a fast pace and holds reader's interest easily. Well developed characters and plot show the talent of the author in writing an intriguing novel and a fantastic start to a new series.
My rating of "Murder and Moonshine - Moonshine Mystery Book 1" is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DA79V3C/...
B&N Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murd...
Books-A-Million Link: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Murder...
Kobo Link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/murd...
GoodReads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
The Reading Room Link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...
October 17, 2018
Maybe 3.5 stars. This book starts off slowly, and it is not clear in the beginning exactly when it is set. But eventually it becomes clear that it takes place in the present. Our main character, Daisy, has some secrets in her past — secrets everyone in town knows, but outsiders don't. After a local recluse dies dramatically at the diner where Daisy works, a stranger arrives. A stranger from the dreaded ATF, who were responsible for some of Daisy and her mother's problems. But Daisy decides to help Ethan — the sooner he finds what he's looking for, the sooner he will leave. But nothing turns out quite as expected, and Daisy and Ethan end up right smack dab in the middle of a very dangerous situation.
January 27, 2026
3.5 at best. It just was a super slow burn once again with every book I seem to be picking up lately. Once it started getting interesting it was easier to want to keep reading. The complete plot twist at the end of the murder mystery was so unexpected though and the cliffhanger sort of ending definitely makes me wanna pick up the next book in the series.
Definitely can tell this was this author's first book though. The writing was definitely wonky and I feel like a lot of key details were left out.
Definitely can tell this was this author's first book though. The writing was definitely wonky and I feel like a lot of key details were left out.
June 18, 2017
Not the best start for a first in a series. To many inaccuracies for me. I felt like the author did not know much about southern life or moonshine. Seems like she just searched on Google for some stuff and took that as fact. Being the great-granddaughter of a moonshiner I do know about it. Being a person who drinks 'shine I know a lot about it. Just because 'shine is brown does not mean it is aged. Even clear 'shine can be aged.
October 2, 2017
Fun read! I started and finished it easily within one weekend. The characters were good and the story kept me guessing and engrossed the whole time. This novel is set in Pittsylvania County, VA, which the county to the east of mine. It reads, though, like it is further west - closer to the mountains, like in Patrick County. Regardless, loved the characters and the references that make it genuine for the area overall. Fun read! It's a keeper. I can see reading it again in a few years.
July 20, 2018
So it started out a little rocky. I thought there should have been a novella prequel or something that told a little bit about the backstory of Daisy (aka Ducky). They were explained throughout the story. SPOILER ALERT
I would like to have know how Ethan was recused from the "grave." It kind of just jumped a few weeks after Rick helped Daisy. I will be reading book 2, A Nip of Murder.
Overall a very good book for a debut novel.
I would like to have know how Ethan was recused from the "grave." It kind of just jumped a few weeks after Rick helped Daisy. I will be reading book 2, A Nip of Murder.
Overall a very good book for a debut novel.
October 10, 2021
It was very slow and annoying that the main character kept draggin out what the big "disaster" was that happened on the land ..
it dragged and i agree using the same phrases again and again is so bloody annoying
And then she joined the other 5445656 female lead characters in mysteries (who arent in any type of law ) who always ignoring those in investigations who know more..they always end up in trouble and nearly dead /killed.. ie get really stupid .
i wont be continuing it
it dragged and i agree using the same phrases again and again is so bloody annoying
And then she joined the other 5445656 female lead characters in mysteries (who arent in any type of law ) who always ignoring those in investigations who know more..they always end up in trouble and nearly dead /killed.. ie get really stupid .
i wont be continuing it
August 20, 2019
I picked it up quite by accident in the Los Gatos library and read straight through it because it is set in my childhood hometown area. It was a good page turner, but I feel it could have been fleshed out a little bit more with the plot and not hurried up so, but the characters and story line were believable and enjoyable.
March 8, 2018
The book keeps you turning the pages, but it ended very abruptly and was so odd. I’ve never seen the word ‘grunt’ used so many times in a book. It was also pretty obvious at points that she decided to break out the thesaurus unnecessarily to interject a few big words.
November 9, 2021
I enjoyed the book and the characters. Some were somewhat over-the-top, but it was a fun read. The protagonist, Daisy, was a little too headstrong for me, but I liked her. I look forward to reading the next two books in the series.
December 6, 2024
A very good mystery. I'm ready to read the next book in this series. Daisy, her mom, Ethan, Rick, etc. - all good characters. Of course, Aunt Emily is a "character" herself! Read and enjoy some down home time!
October 27, 2017
Great start to a new series.
Read
April 25, 2020The beginning didn't grip me and reading felt like a chore, so I'm setting this aside. There are just too many books on my tbr list.
December 5, 2020
A quick, entertaining read. Didn’t blow me away, but I enjoyed it.
April 28, 2022
OK little book. Interesting in that we have friends who grew up in The SW corner of VA.
July 1, 2022
Very good read. I nice cozy mystery that wasn't corny. Great story line amd plot twist
May 5, 2023
Found this at my local library & thought it might be good. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next in the series. It's not the best mystery I've ever read but is good light reading.
December 29, 2024
A good read
The characters were interesting, the plot held attention, and the conclusion was satisfactory. Will enjoy the next in the series.
The characters were interesting, the plot held attention, and the conclusion was satisfactory. Will enjoy the next in the series.
February 20, 2025
What am I missing? The point?
April 9, 2025
3.5
Better than I expected
Better than I expected
October 19, 2022
Cool idea but not executed too well
December 17, 2013
Carol Miller serves up a big dose of Southern hospitality in her debut novel, Murder and Moonshine. This murder mystery is quite puzzling but it is the delightfully appealing cast of quirky characters that kept me glued to the pages of this compelling story.
Daisy McGovern has her hands full with her ill mother and gun-toting honorary Aunt Emily when local recluse Fred Dickerson unexpectedly passes away in the diner where she is a waitress. This spunky independent young woman is struggling financially in the wake of her husband's disappearance and the unfair seizure of the family farm by the ATF. So she is not all happy when ATF agent Ethan Kinney shows up to investigate Fred's death. Deciding there is some truth to the old adage "keep your friends close and enemies closer", Daisy reluctantly joins forces with Ethan to uncover the truth behind Fred's demise. A second death hits close to home and puts Daisy in danger as she and Ethan close in on the killer.
A series of misdirects and lack of clear motive keep the plot of Murder and Moonshine moving at a brisk pace as Daisy and Ethan investigate Fred's death. Inside information about the intricacies of the moonshining business provides valuable insight into how Fred was murdered but they are left wondering why anyone would kill the elderly man. The pair are equally mystified by the sudden interest in who owns Daisy's old family homestead. But it is Daisy's preoccupation with new owner's identity that obscures a vital clue and puts Daisy, her mom and Ethan in harm's way.
Murder and Moonshine has an interesting and well-developed storyline that is full of twists and turns. The eclectic cast of characters is three-dimensional and quite entertaining. Carol Miller perfectly captures all of the complicated nuances of Southern living and she brings the small town vividly to life. While most of the novel's mysteries are solved, I am desperately hoping the next installment will answer the question of what happened to Daisy's husband!
Daisy McGovern has her hands full with her ill mother and gun-toting honorary Aunt Emily when local recluse Fred Dickerson unexpectedly passes away in the diner where she is a waitress. This spunky independent young woman is struggling financially in the wake of her husband's disappearance and the unfair seizure of the family farm by the ATF. So she is not all happy when ATF agent Ethan Kinney shows up to investigate Fred's death. Deciding there is some truth to the old adage "keep your friends close and enemies closer", Daisy reluctantly joins forces with Ethan to uncover the truth behind Fred's demise. A second death hits close to home and puts Daisy in danger as she and Ethan close in on the killer.
A series of misdirects and lack of clear motive keep the plot of Murder and Moonshine moving at a brisk pace as Daisy and Ethan investigate Fred's death. Inside information about the intricacies of the moonshining business provides valuable insight into how Fred was murdered but they are left wondering why anyone would kill the elderly man. The pair are equally mystified by the sudden interest in who owns Daisy's old family homestead. But it is Daisy's preoccupation with new owner's identity that obscures a vital clue and puts Daisy, her mom and Ethan in harm's way.
Murder and Moonshine has an interesting and well-developed storyline that is full of twists and turns. The eclectic cast of characters is three-dimensional and quite entertaining. Carol Miller perfectly captures all of the complicated nuances of Southern living and she brings the small town vividly to life. While most of the novel's mysteries are solved, I am desperately hoping the next installment will answer the question of what happened to Daisy's husband!
November 6, 2013
3.5 stars for this one!
The setting for this story is Pittsylvania County, VA, a small town in the southwest portion of the state. Pittsylvania is full of lively characters, moonshine, and the best peach cobbler in the state. WARNING – If you are a peach cobbler fan, be sure to have a helping (make it a big bowl) before you start reading this book, I promise, you will not regret it.
Daisy (Ducky) McGovern is a recently separated young woman. Her husband, Matt, just left for work one morning and never came home. Ducky’s father and Matt’s Father both died in a propane tank explosion several years ago and Ducky has moved back home to take care of her ailing mother. The only job Ducky could find that would accommodate the schedule needed to take care of her mother was the H&P Diner. H&P was started by her deceased father and his best friend, Hank, years ago. Things are peaceful at the H & P until one morning Frank Dickerson walks in, orders a burger, and dies right in the middle of the Diner. Daisy, Hank, Brenda, Rick, and Bobby are all unsure of exactly what to make of the situation. While it's a very small town in Virginia and everyone knows everyone, no one has a clue as to the why, when, where and how of Frank’s untimely parting. Frank’s death brings in handsome ATF agent, Ethan Kinney. Unfortunately in these parts of Virginia, the ATF and its agents are not appreciated. Ducky quickly finds herself in a bit of a pickle. Should she help the ATF agent and send him along the way or ignore him and hope he goes away on his own? Ducky finds herself in the middle of multiple murders, a little romance, a home she once loved, family secrets, and a little moonshine thrown in just for good measure.
Carol Miller created lively characters and her book displays small town life especially the friendliness towards each other, long standing relationships, and resentment of outsiders. Murder and Moonshine was a fun fast read that leaves you wanting more (hopefully in books to come).
The setting for this story is Pittsylvania County, VA, a small town in the southwest portion of the state. Pittsylvania is full of lively characters, moonshine, and the best peach cobbler in the state. WARNING – If you are a peach cobbler fan, be sure to have a helping (make it a big bowl) before you start reading this book, I promise, you will not regret it.
Daisy (Ducky) McGovern is a recently separated young woman. Her husband, Matt, just left for work one morning and never came home. Ducky’s father and Matt’s Father both died in a propane tank explosion several years ago and Ducky has moved back home to take care of her ailing mother. The only job Ducky could find that would accommodate the schedule needed to take care of her mother was the H&P Diner. H&P was started by her deceased father and his best friend, Hank, years ago. Things are peaceful at the H & P until one morning Frank Dickerson walks in, orders a burger, and dies right in the middle of the Diner. Daisy, Hank, Brenda, Rick, and Bobby are all unsure of exactly what to make of the situation. While it's a very small town in Virginia and everyone knows everyone, no one has a clue as to the why, when, where and how of Frank’s untimely parting. Frank’s death brings in handsome ATF agent, Ethan Kinney. Unfortunately in these parts of Virginia, the ATF and its agents are not appreciated. Ducky quickly finds herself in a bit of a pickle. Should she help the ATF agent and send him along the way or ignore him and hope he goes away on his own? Ducky finds herself in the middle of multiple murders, a little romance, a home she once loved, family secrets, and a little moonshine thrown in just for good measure.
Carol Miller created lively characters and her book displays small town life especially the friendliness towards each other, long standing relationships, and resentment of outsiders. Murder and Moonshine was a fun fast read that leaves you wanting more (hopefully in books to come).
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