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Harley and Davidson #1

The Farmer's Slaughter

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Book 1 - The Farmer’s Slaughter
A Harley and Davidson Mystery

The Texas Hill Country promises to be anything but ordinary when bestselling mystery writer, Agatha Harley, begins researching her next novel. What she doesn't expect is for her research to lead her to her newly retired neighbor, Hank Davidson. She recognizes a cop when she sees one, and Hank doesn't look like her idea of retired, despite the black socks, sandals, and manicured lawn.

Hank needs a place to forget his past, but Agatha needs his past to secure her future.

As an FBI trained profiler, Hank Davidson sees right through most people. But Agatha isn’t most people. She's as seasoned as any cop he knows and just as mouthy. It doesn't take long for him to get caught up in the cold case Agatha's using for research, but small town roots run deep, and loose lips will tell you anything you want to know--except who the killer is.

Other Books In The Series:
Book 1
The Farmer’s Slaughter
Book 2
A Tisket A Casket
Book 3
I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus
Book 4
Get Your Murder Running
Book 5
Deceased and Desist

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
The dynamic husband and wife writing duo of Liliana Hart and Scott Silverii combine their love of adventure and storytelling into the Harley and Davidson Mystery Series. While they've discussed a team writing effort for years, when it came time to actually develop their characters, both admit to being stumped.

Why not write us they laughed.

Liliana, a 24-time NY Times and USA Today bestseller and author of over 52 titles,enjoys this labor of love with her husband. Scott, a former Chief of Police and law enforcement professional has over 25 years of banging down doors and busting bad guys. An author of 10 titles, he says this by far is his favorite mission.

Together, they have created a lovable tandem of adventure seeking, mystery-solving heroes that you'll get to know and love. You might even catch a glimpse of Liliana and Scott in each story. Well, probably much more than a glimpse.

122 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 20, 2018

804 people are currently reading
655 people want to read

About the author

Liliana Hart

202 books3,294 followers
Liliana Hart spent five years teaching music in the public education system. She molded America’s youth, busted kids for smoking pot in the restrooms, and broke up illicit affairs behind the stage on a regular basis. (Liliana’s Addison Holmes Mystery Series, about a small town teacher who gets into a whole lot of trouble, is somewhat autobiographical, but she won’t confess to which parts).

Liliana began reading romance novels with all her new found free time, and when she ran out of things to read, she decided to write her own novels. The result was a 150,000 word thriller—a dazzling adventure—where the heroine was a thirty-year-old virgin assassin (Yes, you read that right). She couldn’t imagine why people weren’t knocking down her door to read it, but she persevered and began writing a second book. She finally got the hang of things, and eventually learned that losing one’s virginity wasn’t all that romantic after all. All of her books involve some kind of suspense (she just can't help herself), laughter, and a lot of steamy sex.

Since the failure of her first attempt, Liliana’s books have won awards such as: The Daphne Du Maurier, The Suzannah, The Linda Howard Award of Excellence, The Maggie, and many others. Her affiliations include Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.

Liliana loves to cook, and is addicted to reading, Internet Boggle, kickboxing, and Bones. She lives in a big, rambling house in Texas with a couple of cats to keep her company. She loves to get emails from readers.

Enjoy the Adventures!

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5 stars
532 (39%)
4 stars
482 (35%)
3 stars
266 (19%)
2 stars
50 (3%)
1 star
16 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
Profile Image for Becki Willis.
Author 44 books541 followers
March 26, 2018
This book was well on its way to a 5-star review. Good plot, good setting, talented writer. Good introduction into interesting characters -- a forced-into-retirement cop who's far from ready to retire, a non-pretentious bestselling author who turns cold case crimes into fictional accounts (while solving the case), plus the hint of a relationship between the two, yet to come. All the hallmarks of a great new series!

The duo teams up and finds their first big clue. The mystery begins... and ends.

Just like that, the book was over. More time was devoted to the husband-collecting best friend and wardrobes than to the mystery itself. If the story had progressed as promised in the set-up, it would have undoubtedly been a winner, worthy of 5 stars. Too bad it stopped at 3.
Profile Image for Lise.
1,067 reviews
November 3, 2021
Agatha Harley has a writer's block of the most unusual kind - she is unable to finish her book because she doesn't know the killer. This is a problem because Agatha writes true crime and needs to solve a murder in order to lay the plot to rest. Enter Hank Davidson. Agatha immediately notes two things about him: he's a cop and he's retired. He'd be the perfect partner in crime - if only she can convince him.

As the introduction to a new series, this little book had a lot of work to do. We meet Agatha and Hank for the first time and see the formation of their relationship as well as Agatha's connection to the community. Then we add in a murder to solve and things get tricky! Kudos to the authors for getting all of this to succeed. But while this did all bloom nicely, I just didn't enjoy the dynamic of the two. Hank, being retired and in his 50s, behaved rather immaturely when Agatha went to meet with him for the first time. And Agatha, herself, didn't act age-appropriate when her friend Heather was smitten upon first sight. Do not get me started on Heather. I'll circle back to this series in due course and see how things progress when the newness of a series plus the shortness of the story are not at odds with the storytelling.

Profile Image for Clare O'Beara.
Author 25 books371 followers
July 12, 2019
For a cosy mystery this short book has characters who spend a lot of time discussing how many marriages and divorces certain ladies have had, speculating on newcomers to town and even though it's so very quiet, carrying handguns. The setting is a warm May in Texas, in a rural town with an unsolved crime and too many high school girls of the past who were prey to men.

The central characters are an author of mystery novels and a retired police detective. As this is the first book in the series, I appreciate that a lot of space was taken by the characters getting to know each other and the next books will move faster. The tale contains some good details and for all I know, maybe in Texas divorces are the main topic of conversation. I would read more in the series.
This is an unbiased review.
Profile Image for Emmalynn.
2,938 reviews29 followers
March 17, 2023
This was a quick and easy intro to the series. The mystery was building and then it just ended and that was the only downfall to the book. The characters are great, they seem to mesh well and hopefully it will get better.
Profile Image for Lindap.
1,496 reviews
March 12, 2020
4.25 / 4 Stars

This was a nice little book that satisfies the need for a short story without having to concentrate on huge details. A very satisfying literary snack! I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

What do you have when put a cold case author, who has writer's block, with a retired murder cop? A new partnership. Both Agatha (the author) and Hank (the retired cop) have a great sense of humor and work well together. Agatha is trying to figure out who killed a small town girl, that lived not far from them. With Hank's help they're out to find the truth.

Second time: Audio 3.11.20
Profile Image for Mari.
1,529 reviews10 followers
March 27, 2018
This was an excellent evening read. The series is definitely more cozy mystery than romance. Agatha is a mystery writer who's having trouble finishing her latest book. Hank is a retired homicide detective who isn't very good at being retired. They team up to solve a local cold case. I liked Agatha and Hank. They're funny, smart and work well together. The secondary characters are interesting and fun as well.

This is one of those books I really wish Goodreads allowed half stars.

4.5 ***
6 reviews
April 1, 2021
Slow start

Started out really slow and I was about to not finish it. The characters were first presented as silly frivolous with no substance. The plot was good as it went along and a nice surprise ending I still can't get over how dumb the first 2-3 chapters were.
Profile Image for Jess.
1,225 reviews15 followers
November 21, 2020
Pretty good first mystery for a series. I really enjoyed the dynamic and I'm excited to see where the series goes.

Very short but still satisfying
Profile Image for Elisa.
3,227 reviews40 followers
April 13, 2018
An engaging and enjoyable read, a brilliant collaboration by 2 of my favourite authors.

Aggie and Hank are just awesome together, both quick thinking, quick witted and both brilliant but in vastly different ways that they compliment each other perfectly to make great working partners.

The Farmer's Slaughter was a really good first in a new series it made me laugh, the main character's became instant favourites for me as they are both really lovable and engaging I want to know more about them, the mystery was great i love the idea of them teaming up to solve cold cases.

I'm really looking forward to more.
Profile Image for Jessica Woods.
1,287 reviews24 followers
August 17, 2018
At under 150 pages, The Farmer's Slaughter was a nice way to pass a couple hours. The chemistry between the main characters lightens the mood and brings some highly enjoyable humor. The case is interesting and moves quickly. While it ends fairly abruptly, the book keeps a steady pace and kept me flipping through the pages for a good mystery that left me wanting more Agatha and Hank stories.
Profile Image for Rachel Hartmann.
231 reviews17 followers
March 13, 2018
I absolutely loved this mystery! What a great story with hilarious characters. I can’t wait for the next one! 5 Stars all the way!
Profile Image for Ellen Anderson.
1,251 reviews
March 20, 2018
Terrific

What a great start for a new series. Agatha Harley and Hank Davidson are a fun pair in this new mystery solving series.
Profile Image for Sandy Bartles.
1,395 reviews37 followers
April 3, 2018
This is the first novella in the Harley & Davidson Mystery series, following an author who writes about cold cases and a retired cop who has problems with the word "retired". The two together have the potential to set off fireworks, as I am hoping they do as this series continues. I highly recommend this story.
Profile Image for Lauren.
1,397 reviews24 followers
October 26, 2018
3.5 i like the premise of a mystery writer and a retired cop working together to solve cold cases. but it was short.
Profile Image for Jamie.
866 reviews32 followers
December 31, 2022
The Farmer's Slaughter is only the second book I've read by Liliana Hart but turned out to be the perfect cozy mystery.

Summary:
Agatha Harley is stuck. After penning multiple books, she's seen a bucket load of success with her mysteries, but her current WIP just isn't flowing. She needs inspiration, clues, and a partner? Agatha is observant, and she knows when her new neighbor moves in that there’s more than meets the eye to the overly casual man. It's obvious Hank Davidson is well-versed in law enforcement, and Agatha is determined to use that as the boon it is. Aggie has dug up an old cold case that she knows can be solved with just a little help from her observant writer’s brain and Hank’s investigative skills. The challenge? Talking Hank into putting forth his skills. Hank wants to forget his past and all of the horrific things he’s seen. But Aggie needs his past to ensure justice and help with her book. Can she get the reluctant FBI-trained profiler on board? And if she can, what will they find? The cold case is old, but small-town roots run deep, and a killer could still be in the area.

This was a pretty short Cozy Mystery read. If I could have sat uninterrupted and read, I'm certain it would have only taken me a day to read, if that. Of course, the mystery is what drew me in, but the banter between the main characters is what had me sticking with it and wanting to read more in the series. Agatha was a fun heroine. I loved her profession as a writer, her sense of humor, and her determination to ensure justice was served. Her past seemed to have an immense effect on the path her life took, though, so I wish we had gotten a bit more on the situation and how it was handled. Hank was a bit of a surprise for me. I had guessed he wasn't in his twenties, but I also hadn't expected him to be in his fifties, either. It was a surprise, but not a bad one. I did object to his tendency to wear socks with his sandals. 😫 It's a pet peeve of mine. Lol. Hank could be very intense, serious, and evasive, and I'm hoping that future books expand on the reasons behind his strong emotions. Obviously, he's seen a lot, but I want details. Especially about the things he was particularly tense about. I'm also interested to see what he ends up doing in his retirement. As partners, I adored Aggie and Hank together. Their banter was light, fun, and witty. They also worked well together as an investigative team. Aggie is extremely observant, but Hank's focus and expertise can't be denied, and he brings a new angle to the cases. It looks like some romantic interest could develop if given the chance, as well, and I'm so hoping it does. 🙏🏾 Overall, this was an interesting read. It fascinates me, watching a cold case be reopened and worked to a resolution. I do wish there was more meat to the mystery aspect of the story. While it was nice to see justice served, I think I was hoping for more of a process with more clues to track down. As I said above, Aggie and Hank have great chemistry, and I'm looking forward to seeing what other pursuits they get up to. ♡
Profile Image for Annette.
1,768 reviews10 followers
April 28, 2020
This is actually two novellas. The first story is the title work. The second is about the same two characters in another mystery.

Agatha is an extremely successful author who writes true crime, cold cases or fiction. I was confused about this by different information that was provided. She lives in a small town in central Texas. It is the town where she has always lived. Although she is writing under an assumed name, everyone in town knows who she is and what she writes. I did not understand why at times she acted as though that was a surprise to her.

Right now she is stuck on a book. Writer’s block has set in in a big way.

A new man has moved in near her home and she knows through the grape vine that he is a former policeman from Philadelphia. Hank has retired from being a super cop at a very young age. He has moved to Texas because he needs to remove himself from the darkness he has faced in his job. For Hank, retirement is very difficult.

Agatha wants to ask Hank for some input and ideas about her recent book. Hank agrees to help because he is bored and Agatha is an author he has admired.

These two characters are very entertaining. When they begin to work together, each of them is bringing their individual talents to the table. They work well as a team.

I enjoyed this story. This cold case is the murder of a teenager who Agatha knew. She was a young girl who had a difficult life. And years later, the murderer has never been found.

The second novella is about a man who is in prison for a murder he did not commit. Hank is first approached for help from the father of the victim. Hank and Agatha are drawn into this because it is evident that when the crime was prosecuted, the law was not in evidence during any of the process.

I enjoyed both these stories.

Agatha is a strong woman. She is intelligent, with a good sense of humor. She does appear to have little connection with average people who live in her world. She writes to help the victims, but I did not get the feeling she was particularly close to many people who are alive.

Hank is a difficult man to read. It is nearly impossible for him to relax. Putting a mystery in front of him is like putting a rabbit in front of a greyhound. He is smart and funny and he has tunnel vision when it comes to crime and justice. Until he doesn’t.

There are many interesting characters in both stories. The plots are interesting and there are no slow spots.

Fun books and I am going to need to find some more in this series.


764 reviews3 followers
September 21, 2020
Agatha Harley is living a quiet, anonymous life in the Texas Hill Country, in the town of Rusty Gun, in the house she grew up in. Under the pseudonym A.C. Riddle, she writes best-selling mystery novels, based on real cold cases, cases she helped solve. The whole town knows who she is, but protects her from outsiders. Her new neighbor, Hank Davidson, is a retired profiler (“the best of the best, both revered and hated”) and she thinks he might be just the thing to help her over her writer’s block. After getting off on the wrong foot (twice), they decide they can work together to solve the murder of a local 16-year-old girl.

This was an entertaining, fun read. I liked the fast pace of the writing, the snappy dialogue, the well-described small-town setting, and the relationship between Agatha (don’t call her “Aggie”) and Hank. They butt heads a lot, but they both ultimately want the same thing – justice for the victims of crime. I also liked the relationship between Aggie and Heather, Aggie’s bff. The book was a nice mix of mystery, day-to-day-life, possible romance, character development, and an ending that took me by surprise.

I like the premise of a mystery writer with her own secrets and a Yankee cop with stories to tell. I look forward to reading more in this series and seeing how the relationship between Agatha and Hank grows.
Profile Image for Lisa Millett.
298 reviews10 followers
September 9, 2018
Wonderful mystery

This is the first book in the series of mystery writer Agatha Harley and retired detective Hank Davidson. Agatha is in the middle of a new book and she is having writers block about the cold case involving the death of a 16 year old girl. Agatha actually writes about cold cases and she has assisted police by solving several over the years. When she discovers that her new neighbor, Hank Davidson is a retired cop, she decides to enlist his help in solving her new case. Their first meeting is comical and Hank has the nerve to call her Aggie, which she hates, as well as sprays her with his garden hose. Even though they have a bad introduction, they finally come to terms with each other after Hank discovers that Agatha is actually one of his favorite authors. The two of them make a great team as they begin interviewing people who knew the murdered girl and they discover missing information not originally included in the case file. Will they find the killer and bring him or her to justice? You will have to read this great debut in this series to find out. Filled with southern charm, gritty detective work and loveable yet eccentric and quirky characters, this book is a must read.
Profile Image for J.L. Smith.
Author 3 books9 followers
February 15, 2019
What I liked?

This is the start of a series involving Harley, an author whose writings often surround cold cases, and Davidson, an somewhat retired FBI profiler.

This was a great start to a continuation of books. There wasn’t a dull moment. It reminded me a little of Murder She Wrote with Harley as the “Jessica Fletcher” of the story, except her focus is on cold, unsolved cases rather than current unsolved ones.

One of my favorite aspects of this story is the dialogue. Agatha Harley is the author who grew up in the southern town in which she lives and Hank Davidson is new in the same town. Their dialogue illustrated that well, mixing the perfect combination of bite and budding friendship.

What I didn’t like?

Too short. I wanted more and was eager to get a jump on what happens next. This was over much too fast.

Overall?

This is a great short that builds a great deal of interest for the rest of the series. I’m looking forward to reading the others. It was lit to me and I recommend it if you like mysteries with a small-town, Murder She Wrote esque feel.
Profile Image for Alayne.
2,444 reviews7 followers
April 14, 2021
The story of the cold case was only really a minor part of this story. The interactions between "Harley" and "Davidson" were the main part of the story, and they appalled me. The lack of respect shown by Davidson to Harley was awful, but pretty typical of men's communications with women. The characterisation of Heather, Harley's best friend, as a man-hunting virago was just too cliched. But the worst part was the thing Americans have with guns. Pulling a gun seemed to be the first course of action in this story whenever the slightest possibility of danger presented itself. Reading this on the day of yet another school massacre in the US was horrifying. If the representation in this book is any true guide, it's a wonder than anyone is still alive there! This book may have been written humorously but if so, it didn't work for me.
Profile Image for Beth.
2,905 reviews26 followers
June 8, 2021
A quick, fun read

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by one of my favorite authors which is a drastic departure from her other works. It is an impressive talent to be able to excel in such radically different genres.

This introduction to the Harley and Davidson cozy mysteries sets up the series well. We get enough background on the main characters to feel like we are getting to know them and to keep us intrigued and wanting more. The mystery is a cold case and allows for some red herrings but after some elements are established most devoted mystery readers will latch on to the killer and make some of the connections. That doesn’t diminish the entertainment value in the read at all though.

I enjoyed the book so much that I’m starting a binge read now and immediately moving on to book two and having already purchased all the books in the series.
Profile Image for Margie.
1,714 reviews26 followers
March 7, 2018
This honest review is in exchange for an advanced copy.

The Farmer's Slaughter is book #1 in the new cozy mystery series, Harley and Davidson Mysteries, by Liliana Hart and Scott Silverii. This story starts out with the introduction of the two main characters, mystery writer Agatha Harley and retired big city homicide cop, Hank Davidson. I enjoyed their initial meeting where a garden hose got a little frisky and Agatha and Hank got off to a bit of a rough start. Thankfully they managed to get past their initial meeting and developed a great partnership. They both contributed to solving a cold case murder mystery.

I really enjoyed the writing style of the two authors. They entertained with humor and serious sleuthing. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
1,769 reviews23 followers
February 26, 2019
A Cold Case Revived

A teenage girl has been murdered, eight years have passed, now Agatha a cold case writer has decided to find the truth in steps a new man in town Hank a retired cop from the big city.Hank is trying to find his way in the life of retirement and finding it difficult from fast hard and dangerous , to very small town water your flowers for passing the time kind of slow,until Agatha walks into his life asking for help. The two forge a pact and life becomes a challenge once again. Pick up a copy of The Farmer's Slaughter and find out what happens when two sharp minds come together. Kat
Profile Image for Colleen N.
367 reviews
December 15, 2020
I found Liliana Hart by accident about 8 or 9 years ago when I saw the cover to her first JJ Graves book and that book blew me away. I'm a bit behind on the series, but every book I have read has been loved. So, when I was looking for a quick cozy mystery book I came across this one and let me tell thank goodness i did! The setting is perfect, I love that it's light but has mystery and I love the connection between Agatha and Hank. I would have liked to see a little more build up and suspense in the book like she writes in the JJ Graves series, but I'm hoping that will happy as the series progresses. If you are looking for a light cozy mystery that is a quick read then grab this book!
25 reviews
May 20, 2021
Action with Experience

This book kept my attention throughout the read. I loved the characters and enjoyed the mystery of their lives which shall be revealed at another time I hope. The attention to detail regarding law enforcement by Mr. Scott is most certainly part of the fascination of this book. Liliana gives us the feminine perspective of a damaged but strong woman that wants to make a difference by solving cold case files. Then writes best sellers about them. A good twist from a writer's point of view. I liked this book and will continue reading more from these authors!
Profile Image for Neena Christianson Martin.
1,185 reviews11 followers
March 23, 2018
Nobody knows who I am.....Not!

Agatha thinks no one in town who she really is as an author but that's the worst kept secret in town. She's hit a huge wall of writers block, but she thinks her new neighbor Hank, a retired big city cop can solve her problem. However he sees her as the problem!! She makes the bored ex-cop a deal that he agrees to out of boredom and the fun is on. I think this will be a really good new series and I look forward to reading more from this husband and wife combo.
Profile Image for Dallass.
2,232 reviews
March 13, 2019
Over way too quickly

I can’t believe how quickly I flew through this book. I found the characters of Agatha and Hank to be quirky, quick witted, intelligent and compassionate. The scenarios regarding their first interactions were fun, and the learning curve they both go through as they start to work together promises more good books in this series.

Really enjoyed myself, only letdown was the lack of interaction with characters such as Heather when she proved to be such an interesting foil for Agatha.

3 stars ⭐️

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