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Orchard Mystery #7
Golden Malicious
BEETLE MANIA
While orchard owner Meg Corey dreads the labor of manual irrigation to stave off a drought, her boyfriend, Seth, couldn’t be more excited about doing historic renovation on one of Granford’s oldest houses. Tagging along as he picks up supplies is supposed to give Meg a much-needed break, but the trip turns rotten when she almost trips over a dead body at an old saw mill’s forest reserve.
But the body isn’t the only frightening discovery she makes. A mysterious insect infestation seems to have migrated to the area—one that could bring serious harm to local woodlands. And it's up to Meg to find out what’s behind this sudden swarm of trouble.
Includes Delicious Recipes
A New York Times bestseller!
While orchard owner Meg Corey dreads the labor of manual irrigation to stave off a drought, her boyfriend, Seth, couldn’t be more excited about doing historic renovation on one of Granford’s oldest houses. Tagging along as he picks up supplies is supposed to give Meg a much-needed break, but the trip turns rotten when she almost trips over a dead body at an old saw mill’s forest reserve.
But the body isn’t the only frightening discovery she makes. A mysterious insect infestation seems to have migrated to the area—one that could bring serious harm to local woodlands. And it's up to Meg to find out what’s behind this sudden swarm of trouble.
Includes Delicious Recipes
A New York Times bestseller!
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2013
114 people are currently reading
843 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Connolly
65 books1,389 followersSheila Connolly taught art history, structured and marketed municipal bonds for major cities, worked as a staff member on two statewide political campaigns, and served as a fundraiser for several non-profit organizations. She also managed her own consulting company providing genealogical research services.
She was a member of Sisters in Crime-New England (president 2011), the national Sisters in Crime, and the fabulous on-line SinC chapter, the Guppies. She also belonged to Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Sheila was Regent of her local DAR chapter, and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. She was also the grandchild of Irish immigrants. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loved restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling.
She was a member of Sisters in Crime-New England (president 2011), the national Sisters in Crime, and the fabulous on-line SinC chapter, the Guppies. She also belonged to Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Sheila was Regent of her local DAR chapter, and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. She was also the grandchild of Irish immigrants. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loved restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
April 2, 2019
I have loved every book in this series and this one was no exception!
March 20, 2018
Meg and Bree are having to water every tree every two days (luckily they have a spring near the orchard but even so it is hard manual work for them both!), the drought is also meaning wildfires could happen so everyone is looking out for that, but madness seems to be in the air, Seth ends up with a major renovation project after someone careers off the road and into a Colonial era house. On one of her rare days off Seth suggests to Meg they head to the local saw mill, she can get a few ideas of what she will need for her house whilst Seth discusses what he needs for the renovation.
Whilst they are taking the tour, however, Meg finds a dead body ... and near it a strange insect - are the two linked? How did the body die? and what does all this mean for Granford and for the Saw Mill?!
Whilst they are taking the tour, however, Meg finds a dead body ... and near it a strange insect - are the two linked? How did the body die? and what does all this mean for Granford and for the Saw Mill?!
October 8, 2013
I started reading Sheila Connolly's orchard mysteries last summer when I 1st started reading cozy mysteries. I immediately liked Meg, Seth and the rest of the characters (except Bree) in the town of Granford, MA. Meg is an incredibly likable character who after getting laid off from her finance job in Boston (another cozy cliche) decides to take over her aunts' old house and revive the apple orchard business on it.
The 1st 6 books were good. I like the character development and Meg and Seth's growing relationship. I don't particularly love the character of Bree, Meg's young orchard manager who I find harsh and oftentimes disrespectful of Meg. Now book 7, I expected more plot progression, a sort of complicated murder where Meg and her friends get involved and nice resolution at the end with a few good recipes thrown in.
This one for me was only so-so. I thought that there was WAY too much information on the irrigation process and I thought there was WAY too much information on the infestation of the ALB bugs. I have complained in the past that some of the cozy mysteries don't incorporate enough of their theme in the book but this one was a bit overdone.
The conversations between all parties, didn't matter who was talking, felt stiff and formal. It might have been Connolly conveying the heat of the season and how dry and hot it was outside but it felt stiff and it made me wish the book was about 50 pages shorter. It was hot out, we get that. Meg doesn't have money. She can't buy another a/c unit. But really, just talking about sweating over and over and dousing yourself with water and drinking water...it got to be kind of a drag between that and all that bug talk.
Also, Seth's good guy will do anything for the town act, almost goody two-shoes was a bit much for me this time around. He did get a little irritated throughout the novel but he was starting to definitely wear thin on me.
I will say I now need to get book 8 because Meg and Seth's relationship is moving forward in a good way and I would like to see how that ends up. For now I will keep reading the series but I hope that the author gets a little less technical.
The 1st 6 books were good. I like the character development and Meg and Seth's growing relationship. I don't particularly love the character of Bree, Meg's young orchard manager who I find harsh and oftentimes disrespectful of Meg. Now book 7, I expected more plot progression, a sort of complicated murder where Meg and her friends get involved and nice resolution at the end with a few good recipes thrown in.
This one for me was only so-so. I thought that there was WAY too much information on the irrigation process and I thought there was WAY too much information on the infestation of the ALB bugs. I have complained in the past that some of the cozy mysteries don't incorporate enough of their theme in the book but this one was a bit overdone.
The conversations between all parties, didn't matter who was talking, felt stiff and formal. It might have been Connolly conveying the heat of the season and how dry and hot it was outside but it felt stiff and it made me wish the book was about 50 pages shorter. It was hot out, we get that. Meg doesn't have money. She can't buy another a/c unit. But really, just talking about sweating over and over and dousing yourself with water and drinking water...it got to be kind of a drag between that and all that bug talk.
Also, Seth's good guy will do anything for the town act, almost goody two-shoes was a bit much for me this time around. He did get a little irritated throughout the novel but he was starting to definitely wear thin on me.
I will say I now need to get book 8 because Meg and Seth's relationship is moving forward in a good way and I would like to see how that ends up. For now I will keep reading the series but I hope that the author gets a little less technical.
May 24, 2016
This was one of the better entries in the series or maybe I'm just partial to what was going on in the characters personal lives in this one. The mystery was interesting. I did get kind of tired about hearing about how they had to go water the trees since there was a drought going on. That's the hard part about writing a book I'm sure, combing all the day to day boring parts of life with the stuff that people actually want to read about. Looking forward to the next entry.
February 6, 2017
Amazing, simply amazing. I absolutely loved this book, and will eagerly read the next one! (Which has been sitting on my pile for awhile!) The only problem was I guessed the perpetrator about half way through, but it worked well in the end and Ms. Connolly went a completely different way than I expected.
February 18, 2018
Another winner from the Orchard series. I am so enjoying this story line and would recommend it to all cozy lovers, but as with most series...read it from the beginning.
March 25, 2018
Golden Malicious by Sheila Connolly is the 7th book in the Orchard Mystery series. Apple orchard owner, Meg Corey accompanies her boyfriend Seth to a sawmill and while waiting at a nearby forest comes across another dead body as well as a dead insect pest which could threaten local trees. An interesting mystery with the town experiencing the dangers of hot weather and drought. A nice surprise at the end and recipes are included.
August 31, 2019
Trees
Joyce Kilmer - 1913
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
I usually enjoy this series with the setting and characters, however there were too many braih farts in the story plot for me to agree with in this one to ignore especially allowing
Joyce Kilmer - 1913
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
I usually enjoy this series with the setting and characters, however there were too many braih farts in the story plot for me to agree with in this one to ignore especially allowing
September 8, 2018
Avevo avvistato da tempo questa serie, ma alla fine ho comprato questo libro perché superscontato e perché mi serviva per un paio di challenge. Mi è piaciuto subito, fin dalle prime pagine, ma non mi meraviglio di ciò, visto che sto seguendo già un'altra serie di questa autrice. Morale della favola: prima o poi leggerò anche gli altri...
La storia mi è piaciuta, i personaggi sono tutti interessanti e ho scoperto il colpevole solo una decina di pagine prima della protagonista; ho pure imparato qualcosa su, in ordine sparso, il restauro di case antiche, la coltivazione delle mele e l'infestazione di insetti asiatici. Istruttivo, direi...
La storia mi è piaciuta, i personaggi sono tutti interessanti e ho scoperto il colpevole solo una decina di pagine prima della protagonista; ho pure imparato qualcosa su, in ordine sparso, il restauro di case antiche, la coltivazione delle mele e l'infestazione di insetti asiatici. Istruttivo, direi...
August 28, 2023
One of the fun things about cozy mysteries is that you often learn lots of random stuff. Since this series involves a city girl who inherits an apple orchard in Massachusetts, we are learning all about farming along with her. It's been an interesting ride & this curve takes us into foreign insect infestations. A seemingly harmless dead bug found by Meg next to a dead body in the woods takes Meg & Seth along a road they had no idea they would be traversing. The town of Granford now faces a clean-up by the feds, a local sawmill may be run out of business, & the drought is requiring Meg & Bree to hand-water the orchard. Interesting details, & the characters remain interesting.
April 2, 2018
I love this series I am looking forward to reading more soon.
January 16, 2016
Remember last summer when the country went through such a terrible drought. Well Granford, Massachusetts suffers through one just like that in this installment of the Apply Orchard Mysteries. To add insult to injury a mysterious beetle has appeared in the wooded areas around town and that could mean a lot of trees coming down.
Meg learns a lot more about her Granford when she tags along with her boyfriend Seth. He is doing some repairs to an historic home and he needs some supplies he can’t just find at Home Depot. Repairing a house built in the 1700′s and staying true to the period is extremely complicated when today’s building codes need to be followed as well.
She visits a local sawmill and the forest reserve where they get their lumber. While taking a short break from hiking in the woods she not only finds the corpse of the strange insect but she finds a decomposing body too. Not again! Now she feels obligated to find out if these two dead things are connected by more than their deadly location.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
One of the reasons I love these books is because one picks up right where the last one leaves off. The reader feels like they have never left or our fictional friends have awaited patiently for our return to them.
In this story we also learn something. Connolly has done a great deal of research to not only explain the origin of this mysterious insect and the devastation it could cause, she blends it into the story in such an entertaining way that it is just part of the evolving mystery. She also brings us many details about restoration of historic homes.
There is a lot packed into these pages. An intriguing mystery or two mysteries? Fabulous characters, a bit of romance, and we get a little wiser about some unusual topics. Plus Meg and Bree toil to keep the apples trees properly watered, Seth and Meg hit a bump in their relationship, Seth’s sister has exciting news, and don’t forget the yummy recipes Sheila Connolly always includes.
She also leaves us begging for more as I didn’t want this book to end. So next year you will find me here again talking apples, Seth and Meg, and everything new happening in Granville!! I can’t wait!!
Meg learns a lot more about her Granford when she tags along with her boyfriend Seth. He is doing some repairs to an historic home and he needs some supplies he can’t just find at Home Depot. Repairing a house built in the 1700′s and staying true to the period is extremely complicated when today’s building codes need to be followed as well.
She visits a local sawmill and the forest reserve where they get their lumber. While taking a short break from hiking in the woods she not only finds the corpse of the strange insect but she finds a decomposing body too. Not again! Now she feels obligated to find out if these two dead things are connected by more than their deadly location.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
One of the reasons I love these books is because one picks up right where the last one leaves off. The reader feels like they have never left or our fictional friends have awaited patiently for our return to them.
In this story we also learn something. Connolly has done a great deal of research to not only explain the origin of this mysterious insect and the devastation it could cause, she blends it into the story in such an entertaining way that it is just part of the evolving mystery. She also brings us many details about restoration of historic homes.
There is a lot packed into these pages. An intriguing mystery or two mysteries? Fabulous characters, a bit of romance, and we get a little wiser about some unusual topics. Plus Meg and Bree toil to keep the apples trees properly watered, Seth and Meg hit a bump in their relationship, Seth’s sister has exciting news, and don’t forget the yummy recipes Sheila Connolly always includes.
She also leaves us begging for more as I didn’t want this book to end. So next year you will find me here again talking apples, Seth and Meg, and everything new happening in Granville!! I can’t wait!!
September 19, 2013
Golden Delicious is the seventh book in An Orchard Mystery series.
I really love all of Sheila Connolly's books, but this series in particular. I like the way Connolly weaves a bit of interesting information to give the reader something to ponder, in addition to solving the murder. Two points of interest that Connolly delves into and ties into the story are home restoration and the use of period type material. I particularly enjoy this as I have visited the Studebaker family mansion and am always in awe of the intricate woodwork that had to be made by hand. Our main character, Meg Corey's boyfriend's profession is home restoration/renovation. One of residents of Granford has had his late 1700's house hit by a speeding teenager and has hired Seth to do the repairs. And Donald can be a stickler for using the correct materials. The second is information that centers around the Asian longhorned beetle. This insect has no known predators and is very invasive to trees and forest.
Meg goes with goes with Seth to visit Jonah Nash the owner of woodland and a sawmill where Seth will be getting the materials for the restoration work. But before they have a chance to Jonah, Meg finds the body of David Clapp who used to work for Nash cutting down trees and also finds the remains an Asis longhorned beetle. The question for the Meg is whether the death was independent from the finding of beetles. With the help of Seth and Christopher, who works in the agriculture department at the local university, they are determined to find the answer. On top of this, Meg has concern herself with the drought that has hit the area and Bree, her orchard manager, is keeping her busy watering the apple orchard.
So looking forward to the next book to see what kind of dilemma will be facing Meg, I will also want to see how Meg Seth's relationship goes.
I really love all of Sheila Connolly's books, but this series in particular. I like the way Connolly weaves a bit of interesting information to give the reader something to ponder, in addition to solving the murder. Two points of interest that Connolly delves into and ties into the story are home restoration and the use of period type material. I particularly enjoy this as I have visited the Studebaker family mansion and am always in awe of the intricate woodwork that had to be made by hand. Our main character, Meg Corey's boyfriend's profession is home restoration/renovation. One of residents of Granford has had his late 1700's house hit by a speeding teenager and has hired Seth to do the repairs. And Donald can be a stickler for using the correct materials. The second is information that centers around the Asian longhorned beetle. This insect has no known predators and is very invasive to trees and forest.
Meg goes with goes with Seth to visit Jonah Nash the owner of woodland and a sawmill where Seth will be getting the materials for the restoration work. But before they have a chance to Jonah, Meg finds the body of David Clapp who used to work for Nash cutting down trees and also finds the remains an Asis longhorned beetle. The question for the Meg is whether the death was independent from the finding of beetles. With the help of Seth and Christopher, who works in the agriculture department at the local university, they are determined to find the answer. On top of this, Meg has concern herself with the drought that has hit the area and Bree, her orchard manager, is keeping her busy watering the apple orchard.
So looking forward to the next book to see what kind of dilemma will be facing Meg, I will also want to see how Meg Seth's relationship goes.
September 9, 2018
This is book 7 in the series. I have read some, but not all, of the prior books.
Meg owns an apple orchid, and this year is a dry year. She and Bree, her orchard manager, have to resort to manual irrigation to keep the trees healthy and the crop viable. It's hard and dirty work. So when boyfriend Seth suggests Meg accompany him to a sawmill for a restoration project, she jumps at the chance. Along the way, she sees a very strange and large dead insect. Like many of us it gives her the willies, and as she moves around it, she stumbles on a dead body.
This book has a few elements - first, the insect. It's an Asian Longhorn beetle and it's an invasive insect that causes much harm to hardwood trees. Where did it come from? Are there more?
Then there's the dead body. Was he murdered? By whom? Why?
And Seth's restoration. The homeowner wants everything to be of the period, not just period -like. This causes stress.
And the relationship between Meg and Seth has it's ups and downs.
I liked the book ok. Lot's sprinkled in about the beetle and restoration which made my eyes glaze over from time to time. And I wanted to smack both Meg and Seth as well. And I'm not sure I liked the ending. So, 3 stars but no more.
Meg owns an apple orchid, and this year is a dry year. She and Bree, her orchard manager, have to resort to manual irrigation to keep the trees healthy and the crop viable. It's hard and dirty work. So when boyfriend Seth suggests Meg accompany him to a sawmill for a restoration project, she jumps at the chance. Along the way, she sees a very strange and large dead insect. Like many of us it gives her the willies, and as she moves around it, she stumbles on a dead body.
This book has a few elements - first, the insect. It's an Asian Longhorn beetle and it's an invasive insect that causes much harm to hardwood trees. Where did it come from? Are there more?
Then there's the dead body. Was he murdered? By whom? Why?
And Seth's restoration. The homeowner wants everything to be of the period, not just period -like. This causes stress.
And the relationship between Meg and Seth has it's ups and downs.
I liked the book ok. Lot's sprinkled in about the beetle and restoration which made my eyes glaze over from time to time. And I wanted to smack both Meg and Seth as well. And I'm not sure I liked the ending. So, 3 stars but no more.
January 5, 2014
I have never read a book in which I want the main character to die. However while reading this book, I was okay with that happening. Everything in this book....the mystery and the characters have gotten to be dull. It only took 7 books for Meg and Seth to realize their feelings for one another. And that was only after Seth's mom paid meg a visit to inform her Seth wants kids. Really? How many grown men have their mommies come talk to their girlfriend about babies and the future. Once I got done rolling my eyes at that part of the story, I trudged through reading the rest of the lackluster mystery in this book. I have debated if I will read any other books in this series. I might just because the author was born not too far from where I am located and I like supporting "local authors". Hopefully, the next book picks up a little.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2023
The mystery is more low-key, less emphasized, than in the other books in this series.
In some ways I enjoyed Golden Malicious more than the others, I think the mystery is actually better integrated into the other events of the novel.
I'm not very impressed with Connolly's character development. Considering Golden Malicious is the 7th book in the series the characters should be more rounded, more fleshed out than they are. But I'm still reading the series so I guess Connolly is doing something right. (I do think Connolly did a pretty good job invoking the feel of a hot drought.)
In some ways I enjoyed Golden Malicious more than the others, I think the mystery is actually better integrated into the other events of the novel.
I'm not very impressed with Connolly's character development. Considering Golden Malicious is the 7th book in the series the characters should be more rounded, more fleshed out than they are. But I'm still reading the series so I guess Connolly is doing something right. (I do think Connolly did a pretty good job invoking the feel of a hot drought.)
February 1, 2017
What if he feels threatened again and does something similar? Next time a bug could escape and could wipe out an entire species of tree in an area. Something similar happened in real life during the 20th century in New England where almost all of the Elm Trees were wiped out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2016
I love this series. I live in western Ma so I recognize all the areas. I love all the characters in this book.
December 20, 2023
This is another of my favorite series, but I know there won't be more books beyond #12 so I've been pacing myself to make the books last longer :)
A favorite family elder maintained her own orchard until she was well into her 90s, and my parents had quite a few apple trees on their property, so I'm well acquainted with the running of an orchard, but certainly not on this scale. I learn more about apples and orchard maintenance with every book, which is an added bonus.
I have enjoyed watching different relationships grow and change as the series has progressed, and I loved the surprise at the end of this particular book. I like Meg's willingness to admit she doesn't know something but doesn't hesitate to ask for help or an expert's opinion - and she listens to what they say!
It took a while to get to the unexpected death in the book, then a bit longer to figure out if it was a murder or simply an accident. One character stood out to me as most likely to be behind everything that was going on, which was correct, although the motive wasn't quite what I'd expected.
I'm eager to read the next book in this series to find out what follows some of the events near the end of this book, but I'll try to hold off a while, just to make the series last longer :)
A favorite family elder maintained her own orchard until she was well into her 90s, and my parents had quite a few apple trees on their property, so I'm well acquainted with the running of an orchard, but certainly not on this scale. I learn more about apples and orchard maintenance with every book, which is an added bonus.
I have enjoyed watching different relationships grow and change as the series has progressed, and I loved the surprise at the end of this particular book. I like Meg's willingness to admit she doesn't know something but doesn't hesitate to ask for help or an expert's opinion - and she listens to what they say!
It took a while to get to the unexpected death in the book, then a bit longer to figure out if it was a murder or simply an accident. One character stood out to me as most likely to be behind everything that was going on, which was correct, although the motive wasn't quite what I'd expected.
I'm eager to read the next book in this series to find out what follows some of the events near the end of this book, but I'll try to hold off a while, just to make the series last longer :)
August 18, 2020
Orchard Mystery #7
When Meg agrees with her young orchard manager that planting 1000 new trees on three acres leased from Seth, neither had anticipated a prolonged drought and sustained high heat in western Massachusetts that would require backbreaking watering to allow the young trees to survive and put down roots.
A kid plows into a 1700s Colonial home, Seth is hired to do the authentic restoration. Seth takes Meg to met the sawmill owner replicating the boards and trim needed for the restoration and she discovers a huge invasive Asian long horned beetle and a dead body, both of which upset the law and Christopher Ramsdell, the Ag professor who had run Meg’s orchards for years who has to notify state and federal agencies, precipitating disastrous consequences or both the town of Granville and the family that has owned and operated the sawmill and acres of forestland.
Meg and Seth, both exhausted by the heat, their jobs and all the stress are at odds with one another.
Love this series.
When Meg agrees with her young orchard manager that planting 1000 new trees on three acres leased from Seth, neither had anticipated a prolonged drought and sustained high heat in western Massachusetts that would require backbreaking watering to allow the young trees to survive and put down roots.
A kid plows into a 1700s Colonial home, Seth is hired to do the authentic restoration. Seth takes Meg to met the sawmill owner replicating the boards and trim needed for the restoration and she discovers a huge invasive Asian long horned beetle and a dead body, both of which upset the law and Christopher Ramsdell, the Ag professor who had run Meg’s orchards for years who has to notify state and federal agencies, precipitating disastrous consequences or both the town of Granville and the family that has owned and operated the sawmill and acres of forestland.
Meg and Seth, both exhausted by the heat, their jobs and all the stress are at odds with one another.
Love this series.
September 12, 2018
Meg Corey is suffering through a drought which requires her and her orchard manager to irrigate her orchard, practically by hand. Her boyfriend, Seth, is doing historic renovation on one of Granford’s oldest houses after it was struck by a car. While running work-related errands with Seth, Meg finds a dead and frightening-looking insect. She also discovers a body in the woods. Meg and Seth begin to learn of strange circumstances surrounding the body and the bug. While nothing points to a crime, it is all curious.
First let me say I have enjoyed this series. This book, however, was a little hard to get through. It was like an unscripted reality show, book style. There were a lot of details that didn’t seem to relate to the mystery. The last one hundred pages went by quickly. Everything was finally pulled together. If you enjoy this series you may want to read this for continuity purposes. I will read the next book and hope that it will be more interesting than this one.
First let me say I have enjoyed this series. This book, however, was a little hard to get through. It was like an unscripted reality show, book style. There were a lot of details that didn’t seem to relate to the mystery. The last one hundred pages went by quickly. Everything was finally pulled together. If you enjoy this series you may want to read this for continuity purposes. I will read the next book and hope that it will be more interesting than this one.
April 15, 2021
Another good entry in the Orchard series, this story sees Meg and her assistant Bree dealing with a drought that is threatening to kill off her orchard. That is a very real theme for farmers, and then there is more. Meg goes for a walk with her boyfriend Seth and discovers a dead body, and also a strange insect near it. The ecological theme of an invasive species is very relevant to today's world, and when it is tied into a murder, the story gets nicely complex. As Meg and Seth try to figure out what is happening with both the murder and the insects, things just get more and more complicated until their own lives are in danger. This is another very good entry in the cozy mystery series that has more depth than many similar books because of the ecological theme. It is definitely a good read.
June 26, 2018
Meg and Bree are laboring to keep the apple orchard irrigated during a drought. Meg's boyfriend Seth is repairing a historic house that was damaged by an idiot driver, and he takes her along to the sawmill. Of course, while Meg is wandering around in the nearby forest, she finds a body - and also a strange bug. The bug turns out to be a beetle that is dangerous to many varieties of trees, and if it has infested trees in the area, they will all have to be destroyed. So Meg decides to find out how the bugs got there, and whether there is any connection with the body; but both she and Seth end up in danger. The bug infestation adds a new dimension to the usual murder mystery - I learned a lot more about this beetle than I really wanted to know, but it all fit in with the story.
February 9, 2019
I liked this book and look forward to more in the series. And yes, Meg discovers another body. But UGH! Bugs, and an invasive species at that.
February 3, 2018
It's summer time in the orchard and a heat wave has hit. Meg is worried about her trees surviving all the warm weather. She goes with Seth to check out the local mill and of course she finds another dead body along with a rare beetle that will now prove to be problematic for the town.
I really enjoyed this book. It was nice to see Seth and Meg's relationship continue to grow through this book. The mystery was really good. I figured this one out quick but it was nice to see how Meg processed everything. I would really recommend this series.
I really enjoyed this book. It was nice to see Seth and Meg's relationship continue to grow through this book. The mystery was really good. I figured this one out quick but it was nice to see how Meg processed everything. I would really recommend this series.
April 29, 2019
GOOD GRIEF! What can go wrong next? After last year's hard-but-successful growing season, Meg isn't quite prepared to face drought, fires, a possible murder (again) AND an invasion of Asian long-horned beetles who delight in gnawing to death many native woods...although not apple, thankfully! But there's something odd about this invasion of beetles, something not quite right, and Meg is determined to get to the bottom of it! And
August 30, 2022
I have read this series before, and this was a good read but not one of my favorites in the series. I enjoy there are so many different characters, and all their personalities are diverse and reflect the character the author is trying to convey.
This was just a tad slower with the story; it's hot. We heard that many times, every day, they have to water the trees. We hear that quite a bit, and the ending seemed to have crept up on you. It just felt like something was missing, a chapter, an explanation, something.
This was just a tad slower with the story; it's hot. We heard that many times, every day, they have to water the trees. We hear that quite a bit, and the ending seemed to have crept up on you. It just felt like something was missing, a chapter, an explanation, something.
July 15, 2020
Ignore the fact that cops and a professor would never keep inviting Meg to so many events, or telling her so many things, and it's another nice story. It's fun reading about what it takes to farm, and the author does a nice job with that education.
This time she adds forestry, as a dead man is found near an invasive species. The mystery is really no surprise, but it's another well written entry in the series.
This time she adds forestry, as a dead man is found near an invasive species. The mystery is really no surprise, but it's another well written entry in the series.
March 21, 2022
Read as part of my March Madness readathon to work on my TBR pile.
Another winner in the Orchard series!
One of the reasons I enjoy this series as much as I do is how well-drawn the characters are. These are people who could step from the pages and actually be real. Enjoyed how some issues were touched in this book: the daily issues farmers go through (this book has a drought), harmful insect infestation, economy downturns, etc.
Halfway through this series and am eager to read the others.
Another winner in the Orchard series!
One of the reasons I enjoy this series as much as I do is how well-drawn the characters are. These are people who could step from the pages and actually be real. Enjoyed how some issues were touched in this book: the daily issues farmers go through (this book has a drought), harmful insect infestation, economy downturns, etc.
Halfway through this series and am eager to read the others.
February 10, 2023
This is one of my favorites in the series. I like the non traditional way of finding the suspect. But, I find it a little hard to believe that everyone was ok with letting him go. Love where the personal relationship finally went. But Bree, can we just make her a killer and lock her up? Or fire her already. Who talks to their employer like that? Looking forward to the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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