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Fiona Fleming #1
Bed and Breakfast and Murder
A Poo Poo Kind of Morning
I tried not to look down the mouth of hell staring back at me from inside the glaringly pristine outer ceramic shell of the white throne, my throat catching, stomach doing half flips and a rather impressive rollover routine that would have gotten at least a 9.5 even from the Russian judges. Instead, I forced myself to smile and swallow and remind myself the elbow length yellow rubber gloves grasping the handle of the standard issue plunger were all that stood between me and Pooageddon.
Suck it up, Fee. Big girl panties and adulting and all that.
“At what point,” I waved the dripping plunger, wincing as droplets of yuck flew, “did I think owning a bed and breakfast was going to be glamorous and romantic?”
Fiona Fleming hasn’t lived in Reading, Vermont in over a decade, her escape from small town living leading her to New York City and a life of adventure. An adventure that has left her with no career, an ex who cheated on her and zero plans for the future. Her grandmother’s death grants her a new chance—inheriting Petunia’s, Iris Fleming’s bed and breakfast, seems like the ideal fresh start. But when Fee finds out ownership of the property Iris willed her might be in question, she’s drawn into the seedy underbelly of the cutest town in America after being singled out as the main suspect in a murder.
I tried not to look down the mouth of hell staring back at me from inside the glaringly pristine outer ceramic shell of the white throne, my throat catching, stomach doing half flips and a rather impressive rollover routine that would have gotten at least a 9.5 even from the Russian judges. Instead, I forced myself to smile and swallow and remind myself the elbow length yellow rubber gloves grasping the handle of the standard issue plunger were all that stood between me and Pooageddon.
Suck it up, Fee. Big girl panties and adulting and all that.
“At what point,” I waved the dripping plunger, wincing as droplets of yuck flew, “did I think owning a bed and breakfast was going to be glamorous and romantic?”
Fiona Fleming hasn’t lived in Reading, Vermont in over a decade, her escape from small town living leading her to New York City and a life of adventure. An adventure that has left her with no career, an ex who cheated on her and zero plans for the future. Her grandmother’s death grants her a new chance—inheriting Petunia’s, Iris Fleming’s bed and breakfast, seems like the ideal fresh start. But when Fee finds out ownership of the property Iris willed her might be in question, she’s drawn into the seedy underbelly of the cutest town in America after being singled out as the main suspect in a murder.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 28, 2017
5208 people are currently reading
3422 people want to read
About the author
Patti Larsen
301 books547 followersI write a lot of paranormal books for someone who is afraid of the dark. And I wonder why I have to sleep with the lights on. Sometimes life is a teenaged B horror movie and I'm the one who investigates when the scary music is playing. But the voices are calling and resistance is… Yes. I am a Star Trek geek, too. And a fan of RPG’s. With a slight coolness factor since I've been told I'm allowed to join the pops.
Naw. I like being a nerdy girl :)
Naw. I like being a nerdy girl :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 556 reviews
July 16, 2017
Enjoyable cozy mystery.
Fiona Fleming came back to her little town Reading, Vermont to operate the B & B, her grandmother left it for in her will. But finds out somebody else claims, her grandmother signed the B & B to him before her death in the nursing home. Now he's death in her back yard. Her father was sheriff of this town, and she has his blood in her veins. Going to investigate by herself and find out who and why. Finds many town secrets, nursing home wrong doings, drugs and secret lovers. This was a perfect book, for this very hot Sunday afternoon in TX.
Fiona Fleming came back to her little town Reading, Vermont to operate the B & B, her grandmother left it for in her will. But finds out somebody else claims, her grandmother signed the B & B to him before her death in the nursing home. Now he's death in her back yard. Her father was sheriff of this town, and she has his blood in her veins. Going to investigate by herself and find out who and why. Finds many town secrets, nursing home wrong doings, drugs and secret lovers. This was a perfect book, for this very hot Sunday afternoon in TX.
January 21, 2025
Bed and Breakfast and Murder is the Fiona Fleming series opening novel written by Patti Larsen. The story is prototypical of most cozy mystery novels with a standard small-town setting connected with a business (cafe, bookstore, hotel, or bed and breakfast as in this case). Another thing that is pretty standard for cozy mysteries is the busy body investigator. Such is the flaw in this book and probably the series (although I can only speak to this book) Fiona is not such a great protagonist.
Here, Fiona Fleming is the owner of a Bed and Breakfast that she received when her grandmother died called Petunia's, named after her grandmother's dog and hotel mascot. Fiona feels privileged to have the place. It gave her the excuse to leave New York City, after finding out that her ex was cheating, and doors were closing. She returns to Reading, Vermont, the town of her childhood where Mom and Dad still live.
Owning Petunia's seems like the perfect place to turn the page on previous failures. However, when her inheritance is questioned by a local developer, and that developer turns up dead, Fiona learns that moving to Reading may not be the fresh start that she envisioned. Especially worrisome is not just the dead body on her property, but the fact that the prime suspect turns out to be Fiona. Can she clear her name, figure out who else wanted the developer dead, and why?
I like cozies when they are well done, but I really hate that the main character (usually the novice, non-professional armchair investigator) is usually a nosy neighbor. I've read some very good ones (cozies, I mean) where the MC is involved due to very organic story elements. Bed and Breakfast and Murder starts that way, but when Fiona is cleared early on, she has no business pursuing a resolution. Most people would consider their names cleared AS resolution. That is where my presumption of believability ended. So, my rating is just good as opposed to something better,
Here, Fiona Fleming is the owner of a Bed and Breakfast that she received when her grandmother died called Petunia's, named after her grandmother's dog and hotel mascot. Fiona feels privileged to have the place. It gave her the excuse to leave New York City, after finding out that her ex was cheating, and doors were closing. She returns to Reading, Vermont, the town of her childhood where Mom and Dad still live.
Owning Petunia's seems like the perfect place to turn the page on previous failures. However, when her inheritance is questioned by a local developer, and that developer turns up dead, Fiona learns that moving to Reading may not be the fresh start that she envisioned. Especially worrisome is not just the dead body on her property, but the fact that the prime suspect turns out to be Fiona. Can she clear her name, figure out who else wanted the developer dead, and why?
I like cozies when they are well done, but I really hate that the main character (usually the novice, non-professional armchair investigator) is usually a nosy neighbor. I've read some very good ones (cozies, I mean) where the MC is involved due to very organic story elements. Bed and Breakfast and Murder starts that way, but when Fiona is cleared early on, she has no business pursuing a resolution. Most people would consider their names cleared AS resolution. That is where my presumption of believability ended. So, my rating is just good as opposed to something better,
June 18, 2017
A cozy mystery; first in the series.
It was o.k. The mystery was not bad . . . the book as a whole was well written. As is the case with many cozies, however, it's written in first person which is not my favorite. I'm not a huge fan of tons of introspection which is what you so often get that way.
For me, though, the main problem was the bathroom humor. The opening scene has the main character (Fiona Fleming) plunging a toilet with continued reference to the disgusting mess that was in it and how it was splashing around and getting on her clothes, etc. Really? I almost stopped reading right there. The chapter closed with the description of the stinky flatulence of her dog, a pug.
I almost stopped reading right there, honestly, but I felt like I should try to get to at least 20% or so. The story got better, if somewhat predictable, but the dog fart jokes continued, and I didn't really much like Fiona so her doing foolish things because she didn't trust the authorities didn't work for me. It wasn't quite 'too stupid to live', but not far off.
Supporting characters pretty much had no depth, either. The twist at the end did work well; it was logical and there had been clues, but it didn't make up for the rest of the book. Further, there were a few strands left hanging as an obvious ploy to entice people into the next book, which I find annoying. Anyway, I likely won't be continuing with the series.
It was o.k. The mystery was not bad . . . the book as a whole was well written. As is the case with many cozies, however, it's written in first person which is not my favorite. I'm not a huge fan of tons of introspection which is what you so often get that way.
For me, though, the main problem was the bathroom humor. The opening scene has the main character (Fiona Fleming) plunging a toilet with continued reference to the disgusting mess that was in it and how it was splashing around and getting on her clothes, etc. Really? I almost stopped reading right there. The chapter closed with the description of the stinky flatulence of her dog, a pug.
I almost stopped reading right there, honestly, but I felt like I should try to get to at least 20% or so. The story got better, if somewhat predictable, but the dog fart jokes continued, and I didn't really much like Fiona so her doing foolish things because she didn't trust the authorities didn't work for me. It wasn't quite 'too stupid to live', but not far off.
Supporting characters pretty much had no depth, either. The twist at the end did work well; it was logical and there had been clues, but it didn't make up for the rest of the book. Further, there were a few strands left hanging as an obvious ploy to entice people into the next book, which I find annoying. Anyway, I likely won't be continuing with the series.
July 15, 2017
Annoying, immature, juvenile....waste of time
Actually, I am annoyed with myself for bothering to finish this book. Stick with Young Adult genre because that is what this is. The constant references to canine flatulence are juvenile in the extreme. There is no mystery as to the identity of the murderer, the victim is too one dimensional, the peripheral characters not at all well developed. The main character is written as a spoiled, self serving,irresponsible, arrogant pain in the butt. Complete waste of this adult's time...all 75 minutes of it.
Actually, I am annoyed with myself for bothering to finish this book. Stick with Young Adult genre because that is what this is. The constant references to canine flatulence are juvenile in the extreme. There is no mystery as to the identity of the murderer, the victim is too one dimensional, the peripheral characters not at all well developed. The main character is written as a spoiled, self serving,irresponsible, arrogant pain in the butt. Complete waste of this adult's time...all 75 minutes of it.
January 20, 2021
Freebie at the time of download. The opinions in my review are not affected by the giveaway.
I think these notes are all I'm going to write except for saying AVOID THIS if you like smart, sensible, mature heroines who don't act like toddlers. Not even Petunia the Pug could save this, especially because the gross jokes come from her lactose intolerance issues. If you know your dog has lactose intolerance as most of them do, TELL PEOPLE NOT TO FEED THE DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Post signs. Make it a rule.
Here's a simple list of all the things I hated about this book, keeping in mind I only skimmed it.
The first chapter is gross. Who wants to read about unclogging the toilet and why does this woman have sex on the brain? She seems to think the motion of unclogging the toilet is phallic and then moves on to lusting after the angry, mean sheriff.
Fee is judgmental, childish, too stubborn and a really awful person. She's even hateful towards the dog and the staff at first. She invades the sheriff's investigation after he tells her not to- more than once, she gets involved with some pretty nasty stuff that's bigger than the murder and withholds evidence from the police. Way to go Fee!
The men are sexist and testosterone filled. Her father and the new sheriff are two of a kind. It's never explained why Fee's father didn't want her to go to the police academy. Is it because he
fears the job is unsafe for his only child or is he a sexist pig? He's not sentimental and a truly awful husband. I don't know why Fee's mom, who is lovely, puts up with him. The sheriff, at least, seems to unbend a little and his temperamental outbursts are justified but he must be singularly stupid to NOT figure out who the murderer was right away. It was SOOO obvious! At least the motive was a surprise. The murder victim was a cartoonish bully who pretty much deserved what he got.
There were many many grammatical errors and typos. Jones family, Jones'. Simple grammar. Look it up.
I did like the joke about Russian judge but that is a crazy dated reference a 28 year old wouldn't make! I also like the newspaper page at the end. It is is cute but also crazy hard to read the tiny print.
I won't be reading any more of this series.
I think these notes are all I'm going to write except for saying AVOID THIS if you like smart, sensible, mature heroines who don't act like toddlers. Not even Petunia the Pug could save this, especially because the gross jokes come from her lactose intolerance issues. If you know your dog has lactose intolerance as most of them do, TELL PEOPLE NOT TO FEED THE DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Post signs. Make it a rule.
Here's a simple list of all the things I hated about this book, keeping in mind I only skimmed it.
The first chapter is gross. Who wants to read about unclogging the toilet and why does this woman have sex on the brain? She seems to think the motion of unclogging the toilet is phallic and then moves on to lusting after the angry, mean sheriff.
Fee is judgmental, childish, too stubborn and a really awful person. She's even hateful towards the dog and the staff at first. She invades the sheriff's investigation after he tells her not to- more than once, she gets involved with some pretty nasty stuff that's bigger than the murder and withholds evidence from the police. Way to go Fee!
The men are sexist and testosterone filled. Her father and the new sheriff are two of a kind. It's never explained why Fee's father didn't want her to go to the police academy. Is it because he
fears the job is unsafe for his only child or is he a sexist pig? He's not sentimental and a truly awful husband. I don't know why Fee's mom, who is lovely, puts up with him. The sheriff, at least, seems to unbend a little and his temperamental outbursts are justified but he must be singularly stupid to NOT figure out who the murderer was right away. It was SOOO obvious! At least the motive was a surprise. The murder victim was a cartoonish bully who pretty much deserved what he got.
There were many many grammatical errors and typos. Jones family, Jones'. Simple grammar. Look it up.
I did like the joke about Russian judge but that is a crazy dated reference a 28 year old wouldn't make! I also like the newspaper page at the end. It is is cute but also crazy hard to read the tiny print.
I won't be reading any more of this series.
November 26, 2018
When Fiona Fleming finds a body floating in her inn's fish pond, she's drawn to investigate.
Larsen gives us an intriguing story with numerous sub-plots and plenty of twists and turns. Her protagonist is strong, witty and likable. Her secondary characters are quirky.
A delightful read.
Larsen gives us an intriguing story with numerous sub-plots and plenty of twists and turns. Her protagonist is strong, witty and likable. Her secondary characters are quirky.
A delightful read.
April 6, 2018
THIS is the Amazon blurb:
DEAD MAN FLOATING!
Fiona Fleming is in so much trouble. Her recently inherited bed and breakfast might not actually be hers thanks to the underhanded misdealings of the local real estate bully. Despite her grandmother's last will and testament, Fee might be out of luck and on the street before she even gets settled. But when her new enemy floats belly up in her koi pond, she's the prime suspect in his murder!Can she uncover who the real killer is before the smoking hot new sheriff puts her behind bars instead of asking her out on a date?
Had I read the Goodreads blurb first I would NEVER have downloaded this book -
I tried not to look down the mouth of hell staring back at me from inside the glaringly pristine outer ceramic shell of the white throne, my throat catching, stomach doing half flips and a rather impressive rollover routine that would have gotten at least a 9.5 even from the Russian judges. Instead, I forced myself to smile and swallow and remind myself the elbow length yellow rubber gloves grasping the handle of the standard issue plunger were all that stood between me and Pooageddon.
Suck it up, Fee. Big girl panties and adulting and all that.
"At what point," I waved the dripping plunger, wincing as droplets of yuck flew, "did I think owning a bed and breakfast was going to be glamorous and romantic?"
To put it bluntly -
CRAP. I utterly loathe reading accounts of unblocking a toilet. It’s one of the few things, along with farting dogs and descriptions of bowel movements and periods that is guaranteed to make me Dnf a book. It had no purpose in the story and served only to make me feel utterly nauseated. All I can say is..... WHY?
Why do authors feel it necessary to write long descriptions of cleaning out a blocked toilet? Its not pleasant, its not humorous and its certainly not something *I* want to read about. I can deal with reading about people vomiting, dying, bleeding. I can read about gruesome injuries and grisly deaths but reading about someone's experiences when cleaning a blocked toilet is not only utterly boring and pointless, but it just turns my stomach.
No thank you. DNF after about 5 pages
DEAD MAN FLOATING!
Fiona Fleming is in so much trouble. Her recently inherited bed and breakfast might not actually be hers thanks to the underhanded misdealings of the local real estate bully. Despite her grandmother's last will and testament, Fee might be out of luck and on the street before she even gets settled. But when her new enemy floats belly up in her koi pond, she's the prime suspect in his murder!Can she uncover who the real killer is before the smoking hot new sheriff puts her behind bars instead of asking her out on a date?
Had I read the Goodreads blurb first I would NEVER have downloaded this book -
I tried not to look down the mouth of hell staring back at me from inside the glaringly pristine outer ceramic shell of the white throne, my throat catching, stomach doing half flips and a rather impressive rollover routine that would have gotten at least a 9.5 even from the Russian judges. Instead, I forced myself to smile and swallow and remind myself the elbow length yellow rubber gloves grasping the handle of the standard issue plunger were all that stood between me and Pooageddon.
Suck it up, Fee. Big girl panties and adulting and all that.
"At what point," I waved the dripping plunger, wincing as droplets of yuck flew, "did I think owning a bed and breakfast was going to be glamorous and romantic?"
To put it bluntly -
CRAP. I utterly loathe reading accounts of unblocking a toilet. It’s one of the few things, along with farting dogs and descriptions of bowel movements and periods that is guaranteed to make me Dnf a book. It had no purpose in the story and served only to make me feel utterly nauseated. All I can say is..... WHY?
Why do authors feel it necessary to write long descriptions of cleaning out a blocked toilet? Its not pleasant, its not humorous and its certainly not something *I* want to read about. I can deal with reading about people vomiting, dying, bleeding. I can read about gruesome injuries and grisly deaths but reading about someone's experiences when cleaning a blocked toilet is not only utterly boring and pointless, but it just turns my stomach.
No thank you. DNF after about 5 pages
February 27, 2017
If you are looking for a new cozy mystery series, the Fiona Fleming Mysteries is exactly what you are looking for. Patti Larsen will have you mezmerized from the first page to the last....
The main character, Fiona, moves back to her home town when she inherits the Bed & Breakfast her grandmother owned. However only a few weeks into owning the B & B, she is delivered papers stating that her grandmother signed over ownership to a Construction company and she is given 48 hours to vacant. Before she can even process this new information the owner of the Construction company is found dead in the koi pond in Fiona's backyard. Seeing as Fiona's dad is the retired Sheriff of the town, she tries to solve the case. Unfortunately Fiona is unsure of her father's innocence.
While running the B & B Fiona tries to find out who killed Pete and why in her backyard. And why would her grandmother sign over ownership of the B & B after it was willed to Fiona. As Fiona tries to get answers for all her questions, she uncovers a lot more than she bargained for....... And when all the questions are answered, you will be blowed away at who was actually the mastermind of it all !!!
The main character, Fiona, moves back to her home town when she inherits the Bed & Breakfast her grandmother owned. However only a few weeks into owning the B & B, she is delivered papers stating that her grandmother signed over ownership to a Construction company and she is given 48 hours to vacant. Before she can even process this new information the owner of the Construction company is found dead in the koi pond in Fiona's backyard. Seeing as Fiona's dad is the retired Sheriff of the town, she tries to solve the case. Unfortunately Fiona is unsure of her father's innocence.
While running the B & B Fiona tries to find out who killed Pete and why in her backyard. And why would her grandmother sign over ownership of the B & B after it was willed to Fiona. As Fiona tries to get answers for all her questions, she uncovers a lot more than she bargained for....... And when all the questions are answered, you will be blowed away at who was actually the mastermind of it all !!!
June 8, 2021
Fun Read
This book was a fun read! I like that that author killed off someone we didn't like anyway. Daisy is a great character and this story had so many possible suspects it kept me completely in the dark. I never ever suspected the actual killer.
Petunia cracked me up. I would highly recommend this book .
This book was a fun read! I like that that author killed off someone we didn't like anyway. Daisy is a great character and this story had so many possible suspects it kept me completely in the dark. I never ever suspected the actual killer.
Petunia cracked me up. I would highly recommend this book .
May 1, 2017
I always love reading new cozy series to see if they can match the mark left by so many authors before them. This series has a good mix of humor and mystery all rolled into one. There is even a little bit of potential romance brewing that I expect will be explored in future books.
The mystery itself - who killed Pete - was a total shocker when the killer was revealed. I catch myself saying this a lot when it is someone totally unexpected - but I did not see that reveal coming! The details fit and explain a lot but I don't think there were any clues to point me in the direction of this character. I suspected other people, and while they were guilty of other things, murder was not one of them.
I think this series is going to be a hoot and look forward to reading more about Fee and this cozy little town in Vermont.
The mystery itself - who killed Pete - was a total shocker when the killer was revealed. I catch myself saying this a lot when it is someone totally unexpected - but I did not see that reveal coming! The details fit and explain a lot but I don't think there were any clues to point me in the direction of this character. I suspected other people, and while they were guilty of other things, murder was not one of them.
I think this series is going to be a hoot and look forward to reading more about Fee and this cozy little town in Vermont.
August 2, 2017
This was a glorious find among a bunch of freebies I downloaded from Kindle Australia, and if there's one thing I love it's an exceptionally well written cosy packed with giggles.
Who couldn't love a warm character like Fiona, especially when she's been saddled with a stench producing pug with digestion problems? Farts are still funny, even at my age! Throw in the requisite murder of a disliked character that everyone seems to applaud, more that a few taciturn old biddies, an old high school arch nemesis and a new sheriff with a particularly scrumptious bum, and you have a more than entertaining quick read that holds you riveted. Can't wait to read more of this author's Fiona Fleming series.
Who couldn't love a warm character like Fiona, especially when she's been saddled with a stench producing pug with digestion problems? Farts are still funny, even at my age! Throw in the requisite murder of a disliked character that everyone seems to applaud, more that a few taciturn old biddies, an old high school arch nemesis and a new sheriff with a particularly scrumptious bum, and you have a more than entertaining quick read that holds you riveted. Can't wait to read more of this author's Fiona Fleming series.
December 29, 2017
I hated this book, but finished it hoping it would get better. For starters, the main character was so negative. I should enjoy a book, not want to take antidepressants. Throughout the whole book she was always so down and negative. The second thing I did not like was all about the dog. I got it the first 25 times that the dog farted a lot and snorted, but I didn't need to know this the other 500 times it was mentioned. The book had potential, but I couldn't get past the two problems.
August 17, 2017
The premise was so cute and I wanted to like this book, but the writing was terrible. It felt as though it's a rough draft, and no editor had taken a stab at it. The poor writing was distracting from the story itself.
July 8, 2023
Okay, now this is a cozy mystery plot twist that I did not see coming!!!!! Like at all. Even if it would have smacked me in the face. Would not have seen it. I’m honestly impressed.
Other than the fact that Pug farts were brought up at least once a chapter, and the book opens with 4 pages of the main character unclogging a toilet, this book was pretty good! I’m not necessarily sure I’ll read the others in the series, but if someone was asking me for a cozy mystery rec, I could see myself suggesting this one.
Another bonus is that I got this on stuff your e-reader day for free!💕 Happy to know that stuff your kindle day does have some good ones on the list and I’ll be sure to partake in it every year.
Other than the fact that Pug farts were brought up at least once a chapter, and the book opens with 4 pages of the main character unclogging a toilet, this book was pretty good! I’m not necessarily sure I’ll read the others in the series, but if someone was asking me for a cozy mystery rec, I could see myself suggesting this one.
Another bonus is that I got this on stuff your e-reader day for free!💕 Happy to know that stuff your kindle day does have some good ones on the list and I’ll be sure to partake in it every year.
November 10, 2019
Well what can i say. The pug is hilarious. There is good humor throughout the book. The mystery is good you think it's someone and then bam something else is discovered and the finger points at someone else. I never guessed who did it. Fee saves her B and B and stops a corrupt family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2018
Intriguing plot
This is my first book by this author and it didn’t disappoint. Excellent and intriguing plot, lots of suspects to choose from. Loved the humour too, great read.
This is my first book by this author and it didn’t disappoint. Excellent and intriguing plot, lots of suspects to choose from. Loved the humour too, great read.
May 9, 2022
Even though cozy mysteries aren't really my thing, and I guessed the murderer at the first few chapters, it was still a nice, lighthearted and entertaining book.
August 16, 2023
This was the easy read I needed, but I'm a little worried about Petunia the pug's digestive system.
July 22, 2018
Read my full review at http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blog...
I am in love with cozy mysteries!!
The characters were amazing. I absolutely fell in love with Fiona Fleming and her farting pug, Patunia. The emotions flowed from the pages of this book and kept me wanting to put this book down.
The story-line was incredible. I loved the comedy in this story. I found myself cracking up and laughing out loud enough to scare my cat. When not reading this book, I was constantly daydreaming about everything that was happening within the story. I was always trying to figure out the murder and finding out that in the end I was wrong. I never saw the ending to this mystery coming either until the very end. I was completely fallen in love with this author's style of writing and I highly recommend it!! This author has a new follower!!
I am in love with cozy mysteries!!
The characters were amazing. I absolutely fell in love with Fiona Fleming and her farting pug, Patunia. The emotions flowed from the pages of this book and kept me wanting to put this book down.
The story-line was incredible. I loved the comedy in this story. I found myself cracking up and laughing out loud enough to scare my cat. When not reading this book, I was constantly daydreaming about everything that was happening within the story. I was always trying to figure out the murder and finding out that in the end I was wrong. I never saw the ending to this mystery coming either until the very end. I was completely fallen in love with this author's style of writing and I highly recommend it!! This author has a new follower!!
March 30, 2020
I liked this story. Fiona has inherited her grandmother's B&B and overall her life has taken a turn for the better. Then she finds out that her inheritance is in question and someone is murdered in the garden. Having grown up with her recently retired Sheriff father, Fee knows a bit about investigations. Of course the new Sheriff is a very nice looking man. With all the components for a good cozy mystery in place, I was delighted that the culprit wasn't who I expected. So much fun!
November 11, 2019
This was a good read. Fee is trying to run the B&B her grandma left her. Pete shows up trying to take it away. This is when things got crazy. We found out so much about the people in this town. Which made it hard to know who the killer was.
May 3, 2018
A really enjoyable light hearted mystery.
I really love Pertunia. She is so pug like & reminds me of mine.
A lovely read
I really love Pertunia. She is so pug like & reminds me of mine.
A lovely read
April 26, 2022
I loved this cozy mystery novel. Fiona Fleming has just found out her boyfriend was cheating on her and she's just inherited her grandmother's B&B in a small town in Vermont and her grandmother's dog, a pug named Petunia. Most novels would start with the character's heartbreak and deciding to make a change, especially as she's just been granted a great opportunity. But not this one - it starts with Fiona desperately plunging a toilet and we find out she's new to the Bed and Breakfast world through brief bits of backstory. So the novel starts quickly and has a lot of humor to it.
Later that day, as Fiona is in no mood for any disruptions a man shows up at the B&B, shoves papers in her face, and tells her he now owns the Bed and Breakfast. The next day, Fiona finds the same man dead in her garden Koi Pond. To make matters worse, the first sheriff's deputy on the scene is the guy who bullied her in school (this is, after all, her hometown). The new sheriff doesn't listen to anything Fiona says either and her father, the former sheriff, seems to be hiding secrets and doesn't want her to investigate anything.
Fiona continues to investigate though, asking questions, following people, putting two and two together, though she also loops in the new sheriff - it's not her fault he seems to ignore her. The victim turns out to be involved in a number of scams - property grabs like the one against Petunia's B&B where he claims the original elderly owner signed over the property on their deathbed, blackmail against most of the small town, and a prescription drug scam where he's working with other family members to steal prescription drugs from a local nursing home and sell them. So yep, the victim is a slime ball.
But I really liked how Fiona gradually uncovers everything going on in her small town. She's a competent investigator who's neither too good, considering her lack of experience, nor too awful and unbelievable. The book moves at a fast pace as well. And there's a lot of humor in the book too. Fiona's constant companion is a pug, named Petunia, who has a flatulence problem and she just adds to the fun.
The final reveal was a bit unexpected but I liked how it played out.
I recommend Bed and Breakfast and Murder and I've ordered a Kindle version of the next book in the series.
Later that day, as Fiona is in no mood for any disruptions a man shows up at the B&B, shoves papers in her face, and tells her he now owns the Bed and Breakfast. The next day, Fiona finds the same man dead in her garden Koi Pond. To make matters worse, the first sheriff's deputy on the scene is the guy who bullied her in school (this is, after all, her hometown). The new sheriff doesn't listen to anything Fiona says either and her father, the former sheriff, seems to be hiding secrets and doesn't want her to investigate anything.
Fiona continues to investigate though, asking questions, following people, putting two and two together, though she also loops in the new sheriff - it's not her fault he seems to ignore her. The victim turns out to be involved in a number of scams - property grabs like the one against Petunia's B&B where he claims the original elderly owner signed over the property on their deathbed, blackmail against most of the small town, and a prescription drug scam where he's working with other family members to steal prescription drugs from a local nursing home and sell them. So yep, the victim is a slime ball.
But I really liked how Fiona gradually uncovers everything going on in her small town. She's a competent investigator who's neither too good, considering her lack of experience, nor too awful and unbelievable. The book moves at a fast pace as well. And there's a lot of humor in the book too. Fiona's constant companion is a pug, named Petunia, who has a flatulence problem and she just adds to the fun.
The final reveal was a bit unexpected but I liked how it played out.
I recommend Bed and Breakfast and Murder and I've ordered a Kindle version of the next book in the series.
April 10, 2021
Fiona Fleming has returned home after breaking up with her cheating boyfriend in NYC. She also had had a good excuse. Her grandmother had left her the B&B that the grandmother ran, so Fiona decided that it was time for a change.
John Fleming used to be the Sheriff of the small town of Reading in Vermont. Fiona grew up learning a lot about police procedures and law enforcement. Her father even taught her how to use a gun in a safe manner. Fiona's dream was to become a law enforcement officer when she grew up.
But in High school, for whatever reason, John Fleming made it clear that he did not support the idea of his daughter becoming a law enforcement officer, thereby ruining Fiona's dream. So Fiona ran away. She moved to NYC.
Now she is back. She begins running the B&B that she inherited. But less than 1 week after she returned home, a man named Peter Wilkins showed up and told her that her grandmother has signed off the deed of the B&B to him and that she had 48 hours to vacate the premises. The very next day Pete Wilkins is found dead in the fish pond in the front yard of the B&B, and naturally Fiona is the main suspect.
This is told in first person POV which is a little hard to get used, but the more I read, I more I became used to how Fiona thinks. Fiona's problem is that she desperately needed to find the murderer, clear her name and get her B&B back.
Just a cautionary word. This novel opens with some pretty salty language!! No swearing, but there other words that one would not want to hear coming out of a young ladies mouth!!
One other thing. The "Sidekick" in this novel is not a human. Rather it is a dog. A Pug dog named Petunia. A very LAZY pug dog named Petunia. I am not a fan of dogs.
But once you get past the salty language and the dogs bad habits, this turned out to be a great read.
I gave this 4 stars because I had to deduct one star for the dog.
John Fleming used to be the Sheriff of the small town of Reading in Vermont. Fiona grew up learning a lot about police procedures and law enforcement. Her father even taught her how to use a gun in a safe manner. Fiona's dream was to become a law enforcement officer when she grew up.
But in High school, for whatever reason, John Fleming made it clear that he did not support the idea of his daughter becoming a law enforcement officer, thereby ruining Fiona's dream. So Fiona ran away. She moved to NYC.
Now she is back. She begins running the B&B that she inherited. But less than 1 week after she returned home, a man named Peter Wilkins showed up and told her that her grandmother has signed off the deed of the B&B to him and that she had 48 hours to vacate the premises. The very next day Pete Wilkins is found dead in the fish pond in the front yard of the B&B, and naturally Fiona is the main suspect.
This is told in first person POV which is a little hard to get used, but the more I read, I more I became used to how Fiona thinks. Fiona's problem is that she desperately needed to find the murderer, clear her name and get her B&B back.
Just a cautionary word. This novel opens with some pretty salty language!! No swearing, but there other words that one would not want to hear coming out of a young ladies mouth!!
One other thing. The "Sidekick" in this novel is not a human. Rather it is a dog. A Pug dog named Petunia. A very LAZY pug dog named Petunia. I am not a fan of dogs.
But once you get past the salty language and the dogs bad habits, this turned out to be a great read.
I gave this 4 stars because I had to deduct one star for the dog.
March 31, 2020
Fiona "Fee" Fleming is the new owner of her late grandmothers bed and breakfast. Just as she's finally getting into the swing of things, a very rude man shows up throwing papers in her face claiming ownership. The next day he's back, but this time face first in her koi pond! Fee always wanted to follow her father's footsteps to become a cop and solve crime. Well, now is her chance to become that detective in order to prove her innocence! Wait till the end... can you guess who the murderer is?
I have to admit, when I first started this book I was wondering if it was ever going to get to a point. It took a little bit to really get into the story because spent a lot of time talking about cleaning a clogged toilet and dog farts to bring in humor. (which I get, farts are funny!) But, I gave it a chance and pushed on through the tired fart jokes. It's a short read, so it didn't take long to get there. The characters start to get more humanized and the story begins to unfold. You get to feel angry, scared, and empowered with Fee as she runs around the city of Reading on her quest to catch a killer!
I have to admit, I was pretty excited and proud of myself for figuring out the murderer half way in! (of course I wasn't 100% sure until they revealed the person at the end) It was a small hint, but I got it! Ha!
I have to admit, when I first started this book I was wondering if it was ever going to get to a point. It took a little bit to really get into the story because spent a lot of time talking about cleaning a clogged toilet and dog farts to bring in humor. (which I get, farts are funny!) But, I gave it a chance and pushed on through the tired fart jokes. It's a short read, so it didn't take long to get there. The characters start to get more humanized and the story begins to unfold. You get to feel angry, scared, and empowered with Fee as she runs around the city of Reading on her quest to catch a killer!
I have to admit, I was pretty excited and proud of myself for figuring out the murderer half way in! (of course I wasn't 100% sure until they revealed the person at the end) It was a small hint, but I got it! Ha!
December 23, 2020
When Fiona “Fee” Fleming inherits her grandmothers Bed and Breakfast, she never imagined it would be taken away from her before she got the hang of things. Pete Wilkinson claims Fiona’s grandmother signed the B&B over to him when she was dying and he’s got the papers to prove it. Only Fiona is devastated and goes right to her dad for help (he’s the ex sheriff). Only the next day Fiona takes her hilarious pug which she inherited from her grandmother out to the garden, she discovers Pete’s body. Of course Fiona jumps right in to help try and solve the mystery of who killed Pete but also lands herself in trouble with the new sheriff too. An interesting story a little slow at times but I like these books.
May 1, 2022
Bed and Breakfast and Murder follows Fee Fleming who's recently inherited a B&B from her late grandmother. While she's struggling to adjust to hotelier life in small town Vermont, she's visited by a creep who claims he's legally the owner of her B&B. Before Fiona can verify his claims, said creep winds up dead in her backyard.
I'm new to the cozy mystery genre but this was an enjoyable and comforting audiobook that made me laugh out loud more than once! I fell in love with Fiona and her gassy pug, Petunia, and quickly became invested in the murder and mayhem here.
I felt the mystery and its resolution were believable, and the characters in this small town all felt very distinct and real. The author does a great job at balancing murder and misconduct with fart humour and flowers. Fee is an amateur sleuth in every sense of the word and makes lots of mistakes along the way, but I found her funny and endearing rather than annoying.
My only real issue was that a queer character was handled.....weirdly. Nothing wildly offensive, but their reveal/coming out was shoehorned in at the end in a slapdash manner. Parts of it made sense and parts of it didn't, and the way it tied in with the mystery could've been handled with more care and nuance.
Regardless, I'd be keen to pick up the next book in this series and it hasn't tainted my experience!
I'm new to the cozy mystery genre but this was an enjoyable and comforting audiobook that made me laugh out loud more than once! I fell in love with Fiona and her gassy pug, Petunia, and quickly became invested in the murder and mayhem here.
I felt the mystery and its resolution were believable, and the characters in this small town all felt very distinct and real. The author does a great job at balancing murder and misconduct with fart humour and flowers. Fee is an amateur sleuth in every sense of the word and makes lots of mistakes along the way, but I found her funny and endearing rather than annoying.
My only real issue was that a queer character was handled.....weirdly. Nothing wildly offensive, but their reveal/coming out was shoehorned in at the end in a slapdash manner. Parts of it made sense and parts of it didn't, and the way it tied in with the mystery could've been handled with more care and nuance.
Regardless, I'd be keen to pick up the next book in this series and it hasn't tainted my experience!
January 24, 2021
Wow, this was unexpected! I loved the story and I'm very curious if Fiona and Crew wind up together, Vivian or no Vivian.
A very very very unexpected ending to the book, the whodunnit was somebody I'd never would've guessed. Well done Patti! Just a shame the book ended on a high note leaving you wanting for more, but I guess it's going to make you buy the second book in the series haha.
Some sleuthing going on by Fiona, even when her parents and the sheriff tell her to mind her own business. But being the daughter of an ex-sheriff, she just can't help herself. Specially when her livelyhood is on the line.
Highly recommend!
A very very very unexpected ending to the book, the whodunnit was somebody I'd never would've guessed. Well done Patti! Just a shame the book ended on a high note leaving you wanting for more, but I guess it's going to make you buy the second book in the series haha.
Some sleuthing going on by Fiona, even when her parents and the sheriff tell her to mind her own business. But being the daughter of an ex-sheriff, she just can't help herself. Specially when her livelyhood is on the line.
Highly recommend!
June 29, 2019
This was my first cozy mystery. It was assigned in a book club and also met a challenge prompt for "food or drink on the cover". It was enjoyable enough and I can definitely see why people would like books like these. The main character in this cozy mystery was relatable and the story flows well, making it a super easy read. The whodunnit aspect is pretty fun too, reminding me a bit of books I read and really enjoyed as a kid. However, I doubt I will be reading any more cozy mysteries anytime soon, just due to how many other books already are on my "to be read" list.
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