Something Borrowed, Something Bleu

Home Crafting Mystery #4

by Cricket McRae

Love—and smelly cheese—are in the air. Sophie Mae has accepted Barr’s marriage proposal, and they’re trying to keep her mother, Anna Belle, from taking over their no-fuss, no-muss wedding plans. But when Mom finds a cryptic suicide note that Sophie Mae’s brother wrote two decades earlier, Sophie Mae reluctantly makes a trip back to her hometown of Spring Creek, Colorado, to suss things out.  As she pokes around in other people’s business while learning the finer points of artisan cheese making, a murderer strikes—with a glass bottle of milk. Soon, Sophie Mae discovers that aging cheese isn’t the only thing in Spring Creek that doesn’t pass the smell test. Includes cheese-making tips! Complete recipes on author’s website: www.cricketmcrae.com

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Chick Lit, Mystery Thriller, Crafts

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2010

About the author

Cricket McRae enjoys home crafts like food preservation, cheese making, candle making, and fiber arts. She writes the Sophie Mae Reynolds Homecrafting Mystery Series. As Bailey Cates, she also writes the Magical Bakery Mysteries.

For two years Cricket managed her own soap making business, including all product design, manufacturing and marketing. The recipes included in her first book, Lye in Wait, are all Cricket's original formulations. She has also worked in a variety of other fields ranging from drivers license examiner to program manager for a major software firm. This fulfills her mothers warning that shed never have a regular job if she insisted on studying philosophy in college.

The sixth Home Crafting Mystery, Deadly Row to Hoe, released November, 2012. Her books are also available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Ibooks and Google E-books.

Series:
* Home Crafting Mystery

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. These books are a lot of fun and this one was no exception. I liked getting to visit Sophie Mae's parents and the town where she grew up. This involved a cold case which is always a bonus for me and I enjoyed seeing how everything came together in the end. Those last 40 pages were pretty exciting and the it all ended so sweetly.

[Allison Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was worried that a series I really like would be ruined by the family/wedding drama that this book promised. In a way, it was. I didn't enjoy the book as much as the others. There was almost no bath product making. The mystery was sad. And why must every single cozy mystery wedding have an overbearing mother and a daughter who can't tell people to back off because it is her wedding (and presumably the groom's, though we don't seem to worry much about them). But the cheesemaking was interesting and the food descriptions made me desperately hungry. And the MCs dad was pretty awesome. All in all a good book, but I'll be glad to get back to Cadyville and soap next time.

[Spuddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the very VERY few cozy mystery series that I enjoy...it's not as cozy as some--there is some element of edginess and actual reality to it, unlike a lot of cozies I've tried (I really HAVE tried!) to read. This particular entry started walking down that incredulous lane, though...I had to suspend my disbelief a few times. A good series to drift off to at bedtime.

One of the reasons I enjoy this series is that I usually learn a few things, and in this case, it was about cheese making....so it's not just the usual 'crafty' things like knitting and candle making or tea shops. I also like that the author doesn't shy away from delicate or difficult topics. In this book, she returns home to visit her parents in part to finalize her upcoming wedding plans, and in part to dig 18 years into the past to her brother's suicide. Her mother receives a letter that Bobby wrote to his girlfriend a couple of days prior to hanging himself marked as "return to sender." Where has it been all this time? And the letter hints at a dark secret that may unlock the mystery as to why he chose to end his own life.

The series is kind of hard to come by--I think there's only 2 left til the end with the last one being published about 5 years ago so I have to assume it's done with now--so I generally order them from my library. It seems like the cozies I have enjoyed tend to die out after just a few books and the ones I can't stand just keep going forever. LOL

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

18 years ago, Sophie Mae's brother (Bobby Lee) killed himself. And just now, Sophie Mae's mother receives a letter that Bobby Lee had written to his girlfriend, marked return to sender. In the letter, Bobby Lee hints at something that he could not live with. Sophie Mae's mother wants her to help figure out what that action was.

This means Sophie Mae has to go home, and home an the 'investigation' takes her to Bobby Lee's old girlfriend Tabby, who now runs a dairy and holds cheese making classes. And seems up to her neck in some sort of cover-up. While Sophie Mae is there for a second cheese class (this one for blue cheeses) Tabby's husband Joe is murdered. What the heck is going on, and is it related to whatever happened 18 years ago. Add in Sophie Mae's impending nuptials, and you have a full story.

So I liked the premise, although it is a bit dark. I feel this is on the border of a cozy. This book is part of the home crafting series, and is new to me. I'd certainly read another in the series, as this one was very well crafted and engaging. Kept my attention throughout, And while I figured the bad guy was the bad guy, I really didn't know why, or who else was involved and it all came together in the end.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Sophie Mae gets a call from her mother saying she needs to come home to Colorado, she is thinking her mom wants to get involved in her wedding plans. Sophie Mae is shocked to discover the reason is a note from her brother who killed himself 18 years ago. When she get to Colorado they try to understand what it means. In the research of the papers to what happened back then a major hornets nest of problems turn up including a murder.

[Jennifer Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was pretty interesting, learning more about Sophie Mae's background and family. The cheese stuff was somewhat interesting too. And I'm glad they explored more about Erin's thoughts and feelings about all the changes.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute bubble gum read. I was interested in the characters and the mystery they were trying to solve with the backdrop of preparing for a wedding. Good twist at the end. Perfect read for taking on vacation to the beach!

[Lisa Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book name has cheese in it, description has cheese in it, book cover has cheese on it... she makes soap.

Ok cozy but better ones out there... especially ones named after cheese where the character actually makes cheese.

The main character did end up taking some cheese making lessons and at the end says she end up making it but it was misleading. I'm all about a cheesy cozy!

The authors other series, the Magical Bakery is sooooo much more fun in my opinion!

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast read, good plot twists.

[jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

probably the least engaging mystery so far but not bad!

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Library find!
And the adventures continue!
Don't miss!

[Tove R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie is traveling back home to Colorado because the cryptic letter her brother wrote before his suicide two decades ago has been found. Something fishy is going on. She wants to know what happen back then, and then a man gets murdered almost under her nose... Recommended! My fave in the series. Sometimes a cozy mystery is all you need to take you away from everything going on in this world.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

And yet again another excellent addition to this series. I loved the very personal nature of this mystery, out of all the cozy mysteries I've read this one made the most sense for our heroine to be in the middle of.

I love how the author weaves continuing plot threads throughout her books without making them feel obvious or that they may become major plot points in the future. From the very first book it was established that Sophie Mae's brother committed suicide and how that had shaped a large part of her life. In this book we go back to her childhood home to revisit and solve this mystery.

As usual I found myself engaged in the characters and the story and it was great to meet her parents and have them be likeable characters as well. I did find myself highly annoyed with the subplot about he mother interfering with her wedding plans, especially with the way that storyline ended, it didn't feel consistent with the characters and pulled me out of the story whenever it cropped up but other than that the story was wonderfully paced and suspenseful in a way that cozy's usually aren't.
I can't wait to get my hand on the next one.

[Donnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay mystery novel. The plot centered around the main character solving the mystery of her brothers suicide, 18 years earlier, while learning to make cheese... all in a week. Yes, it was as "cheesy" as it sounds! This story was as predictable as a Scooby-doo mystery, don't get me wrong I love Scooby-doo! I just couldn't help having mental images of Velma saying "jinkies" when a tornado hits while the main character is being chased by the villains, and the end did not seem complete with out "and we would have gotten away with it, if it weren't for you meddling kids" or in this case lady! The writer took her time to explain the details of cheese making with a lot more detail then she did the main characters emotions, which came off as more annoyed then caring when trying to find out information about her dead brother. And it all ended in a wedding, with of course... bleu cheese! All and all though it was a nice lazy day read, not mental challenging or over stimulating, which sometimes you just need so you can get other things done.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. I found it a bit less interesting to me because, as in a Grand Opera, The main mystery ended in sadness. As to the other elements of the story, I really enjoyed learning about homemade cheeses and butters. I wish a recipe and equipment needs for the butter and Mozzarella had been included for us amateur cooks. I enjoyed meeting Sophie Mae's parents and wish we had learned more. I would have enjoyed meeting Barr's parents too. Perhaps the next book out.

The relationships between the the regular cast was realistic and I liked seeing them grow together and in their own relationships. What I did enjoy was seeing the forward motion in the series. It makes you want to continue reading and knowing Sophie Mae and Barr and Kelly, Meghan, and Erin.

[Grey853 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sophie Mae is called home by her mother who's found an 18-year-old suicide note left by her brother. She investigates where it's been and what her brother meant when he talks about feeling guilty for something he and his girlfriend did.

I didn't care for the whole premise of the book, but what was worse was the lack of any kind of real emotion from the main the character about the loss of her brother. She might as well been investigating the loss of a shoe. The mystery was totally predictable and lame.

The writing and the characters were less than believable. I was disappointed all around and won't be bothering with the rest of the series.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series. I love the crafting info and cooking info. They garden, have their own chickens, go to the farmer's market and in this book she is taking cheese making class and I am at a part where she is learning about making Kefir, the dairy she goes to is organic/pastured, etc

Refreshing to see a book that values these skills and way of procuring food, etc.



I loved that the author talks about raw milk, real food, etc. This book was interesting in plot although a bit predictable, because she was investigating her own brothers suicide 18 years ago.

I still like this series, nice light reading with fun info.

[Melodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series and this one is the best so far, IMHO. Sophie Mae comes home to Spring Creek (Ft.Collins), Colorado, when her mother calls to tell her that a letter has turned up that her brother wrote to his girlfriend the day before he committed suicide. She wants Sophie to see if she can find out what the cryptic message means. When a person Sophie talks to turns up dead, the heat gets turned up on a couple of unsolved cases from 18 years ago. Really good read! I give this one a 9 on my grading scale!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Sophie Mae's mother demands that she visit her hometown in Colorado, Sophie is ready to say no--until her mother reveals that she's just received a note that Sophie's brother wrote before he killed himself decades ago. Unfortunately, the note is not really clear about what drove Bobby to take his own life, so Sophie decides to ask his old girlfriend, now married to Bobby's best friend Joe. When a killing follows, Sophie realizes that she's on the trail of something that's still dangerous to a lot of people.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a previously unknown letter from her deceased brother is found, Sophie goes to Colorado and her parents to see if they can finally unravel the mystery of why Bobby Lee committed suicide at age 18. Sophie gets tangled up in old mysteries and secrets all intertwined with plans for her wedding to Barr.

There are lots of tips on how to make your own cheeses and of course most of Sophie's extended family from Washington state are involved.

I love this series and will keep watching for more.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie Mae does it again - solves that murder without getting herself killed! This time we meet her family from Colorado as she goes home to help her mother with a clue to why her brother may have killed himself 18 years ago. Nothing is ever simple when Sophie Mae starts to investigate. It seems she has a knack for being around when a dead body turns up and this investigation is no different.
She of course, solves the crime, which is no surprise in the end, but her agreeing to follow the lead of Barr Ambrose and her mother - well, see if you are surprised!

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad that I gave this cozy series a try. I have one or two free on my Kindle, and my library has a couple more available for free download. This one came from the library. I think I skipped one in the middle, before this one, but I know the characters and the setup now, and like a good, well-written cozy, I was able to jump right in. This one takes place in Colorado, as opposed to the others in the Pacific Northwest. Very good, and I love a nice little cozy mystery. I think my library has one more in this series that I plan to borrow soon.

[Mystereity Reviews · Rating 1 out of 5]

This might've had a really good story in there somewhere, but I just couldn't get past the banality of the characters. Honestly, how can one book cram so many tired stereotypes into one convoluted story? Let's see: overbearing and annoying mother? Check. Sweet, solid as a rock father? Check. Sexy cop boyfriend? Check. Bratty kid who needs a swift kick in the butt? Check. Nosy know-it-all-but-yet-ditzy-as-hell amateur sleuth showing up the local police department? Check. Yep, it's all there. I read the first third of the book, skimmed the second third, then gave up completely.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3. 5 Stars

A solid cozy with a nice cast of secondary characters. Although I love them when well-pulled off, I was a little concerned about the crafting aspect of this book. (The main character has a company that makes soaps and lotions; the title refers to the cheese-making classes she took.) It doesn't fall into the trap of others like it, though, and instead has this aspect running enough through the book to keep me entertained and interested, but not in an overwhelming way. I will definitely be seeking out the others in the series.

[ChrisGA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie Mae interrupts her wedding plans to go home to Colorado to help her parents unravel the mystery surrounding her brother's suicide 10 years previously. Her efforts open up old wounds and long-held secrets. I enjoyed this one of the four the best, maybe because I really felt I had come to know the characters so well and the family dynamics are easily related to.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the different setting and plot for this book. It was such a quick and easy read, that I actually had to check the number of pages, thinking I had been cheated out of something good. Great series and I like the progression of the characters, from the budding romances to the moody teenager with insecurity issues. Enjoyed learning about cheese without the details overtaking the story.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent cozy, interesting story and characters. This volume in the Home Crafting series featured cheese making, and although the descriptions of the processes were interesting, I wish the author had included some simple recipes or maybe a bibliography of sources for more information.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Ms. McRae's writing is improving with each book - this was, IMHO, the best of her work thus far. But I'm still only giving it 3 stars, cuz I save the 4s and 5s for what I consider to be justshyoflifechanginginglyawesome books :)

[Nan Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been skipping around in the Home Crafting Mystery series, reading them when I find them, no matter they're all good and can stand alone. Love the ones in Washington state, but it was nice to visit Colorado in this one.
Looking forward to the next one.