Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies

A Very Cherry Mystery #1

by Darci Hannah

Crime with a Slice of Cherry Pie

Cherry enthusiast Whitney Bloom is furiously baking her way into the heart of Chicago with her fabulous cherry pies when she receives a desperate call from her mother. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival has just kicked off at the Cherry Orchard Inn in Door County, Wisconsin, and the manager of the Bloom family orchard has been found dead beneath the cherry blossoms. Worse yet, all evidence points to Whitney's father as the killer. After she races home to help, things really land in the pits for Whitney when she discovers that Jack MacLaren, her old high school nemesis, is Cherry Cove's only police officer. Putting her cherry-tastic treats on hold, Whitney matches wits against Jack. But will she have what it takes to clear her father's name and sift out the real Cherry Cove killer?

"The first in an amusing new series features a fearless, reckless sleuth who unravels a complicated mystery while juggling her sex life and her future plans."--Kirkus Reviews

"Whitney is a well-drawn, sympathetic character, and the small-town frame, with a close-knit community and a cherry orchard, will appeal to cozy readers who enjoy Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen mysteries."--Booklist

"Hannah displays... talent."--Publishers Weekly

"Great fun and extremely well-written. The crime, the characters--everything comes together...an extremely "tasty" story you will definitely devour in one sitting."--Suspense Magazine

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, Food

384 pages, Paperback

First published June 8, 2018

About the author

Cozy mystery author, Darci Hannah, is a native of the Midwest and currently lives in a small town in Michigan. Darci is a lifelong lover of the Great Lakes, a natural wonder that inspires many of her stories. When Darci isn't baking for family and friends, hiking with her furry pals, Ripley and Finn, or concocting her next cozy mystery, she can be found wandering around picturesque lakeside villages with her hubby, sampling baked goods, and breaking for coffee more often than she should.

In addition to cozy mysteries, Darci's other passion is writing historical fiction. She is the author of The Exile of Sara Stevenson
(Ballantine Books, 2010, 2nd edition by Piffle & Bombast 2016) and The Angel of Blythe Hall (Ballantine Books, 2011)

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies by Darci Hannah is the first book in the new cozy A Very Cherry Mystery series. Whitney Bloom grew up on her parent’s cherry orchard in Door County, Wisconsin but has been living and working in Chicago. After being fired from her advertising job Whitney took up baking cherry treats but when she gets a phone call from home that a murder has occurred at the orchard she immediately heads back.

Guests at the the Cherry Orchard Inn had gone out into the orchard when they came across the body of the orchard manager. As bad as the discovery was it became even worse for Whitney’s family when her father’s croquet mallet was also found at the scene and suspected to be the murder weapon.

Whitney doesn’t expect there to be much in the way of investigating with the evidence pointing at her father and the only police officer in the two being Jack MacLaren her old high school foe. But much to Whitney’s surprise Jack seems to be on her side but Whitney still doesn’t trust their fate to anyone else and decides to do whatever she can to help find the killer.

Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies was a fun opener to this new cozy series with likable characters and a cherrytastic setting. I have to admit the whole mystery in this one started reminding me a bit of an episode of Scooby Doo so it may not be for everyone but that reminder made me like it all the more. I can’t possibly imagine what the author could come up next but it seems it will be a lot of fun to find out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Release Date: June 8, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

I have been on a cozy mystery kick lately. I am scrambling to find new series that are releasing and this book was one of them. Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies is the first book in the Very Cherry Mystery series. While I enjoyed the book as a whole, the sleuths constant use of things like "Holy Guacamole" started to get on my nerves. It sort of felt like a 10 year old was talking when in fact, it's a grown woman. Other than this, I liked Whitney, and of course the setting. I will continue on in the series in hopes that the way Whitney speaks will diminish.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read book two first, this book gives more of the background of how Whitney got back to cherry Orchard inn. The book wasn’t as good as book two, it seemed to bog down and drag on. The annual cherry Blum festival has just started with the manager of the orchard is found dead and they think Whitney’s father did it. When Whitney gets to town she finds that her old high school boyfriend is the town’s only police officer. While trying to clear her father’s name another attempted murder takes place, boats are stolen and she almost loses her life.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas's Thoughts

Whitney Bloom returns to Door County, Wisconsin, after she receives a frantic phone call from her mother. The body of the manager of their family orchard, Jeb Carlson has been found dead under a cherry tree. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival has just started and their Cherry Orchard Inn is fully booked. But the real kicker is that her dad is the prime suspect in the murder. Cherry Cove's only police officer happens to be the scourge of her high school existence, Jack MacLaren. She sure doesn't have much faith in him finding the real killer so decides to do some investigating on her own.

Can Whitney save her dad and the orchard and catch the killer? Or has she baked her last cherry pie?

____

Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies is set in one of my favorite parts of Wisconsin complete with plenty of cherries and goats on the roof too. Yes, that is a real thing. They are at a different location in the book but they are there. 

Whitney is an interesting protagonist. Her life in advertising hit a major snag with a Super Bowl ad that got her fired. She wanted to stay in Chicago so she started an online business selling baked goods but she could do that from anywhere. So her return to Cherry Cove was really a no-brainer. Her mother is a little all over the place trying to keep the festival going. She didn't even tell her husband she had called Whitney to come home. Her dad, Baxter, is firm in his position that he didn't kill anyone but Jack MacLaren has never investigated a homicide so he is going to need help. Her parents are putting their trust in Whitney to crack the case.

We also meet Whitney's former boyfriend Tate, and her best friends since childhood, Hannah and Taylor. Her former assistant Giff also makes a grand appearance in Cherry Cove. The characters were introduced well but they have a lot of room to develop in book 2 and beyond.

The mystery was quite good with some nice twists and turns. Whitney did have some moments that would have been better with more thought and a plan but they led to some exciting times. Others were led by emotions too but it sure ended up with a dramatic showdown. Jack really did need all the help he could get on this case and he got it from several individuals including Whitney. I at least had the right person on my personal list of suspects but I didn't understand the motive until it was spelled out before my eyes.

Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies is a fun mystery set in a beautiful locale. It is filled with characters I enjoyed and want to know better, an intriguing mystery, an abundance of cherries, and yes, a few goats. The descriptions of the pies will have you craving the tasty treats and there are recipes at the end of the story for you to try. Cherry Scones & Broken Bones is awaiting me on my Kindle and I hope to read it soon.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies by Darci Hannah is a first in a new series.

Whitney Bloom has returned home to Wisconsin because her father has been accused of murder.
The story line itself was good but the love of all thing cherry was a bit over the top,

Cherry Blossom Festival has just kicked off at the Cherry Orchard Inn in Wisconsin and now that her father has become a suspect in a murder, Whitney feels she needs to solve the mystery on her own.

This is a hard book to review, I enjoyed the story and the mystery was interesting, but there was nothing that grabbed my attention. Nothing about the story screamed unique.
I will read the next book, sometimes it is easier to re read a first in a new series, there is a lot of information that an author needs to include.

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

[Cat Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a lot of fun! It's a little edgier, a little more risque, than your average cozy. But I liked that about it. It's definitely still not more than PG-13, though. And boy did it make me crave cherry pie. I need to search some out to get rid of the obsession!

The writing was well done and the characters were awesome. I particularly enjoyed the relationship that developed between Whitney and Jack. I thought it was absolutely adorable and I loved seeing them see each other differently than they did in high school.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one and recommend it highly to anyone who loves a good slice of cherry pie, or just a good mystery!

*5 Stars

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies by Darci Hannah is the 1st book in A Very Cherry Mystery series, and a great beginning. Whitney Bloom is a baker in Chicago, but she returns home to help her family get ready for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Door County, Wisconsin. Her parents own the Cherry Orchard Inn, along with the cherry orchard. When the orchard's manager is found dead, and Whitney's father is the prime suspect, she vows to solve the murder. I loved this book, and can't wait for the next book in the series. I found this book to be a quick and fun read, with a well developed plot and characters. If you love fun cozy mysteries, which are my favorite, you will love this book. Strongly recommended.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[PugMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun first in series cozy mystery! The setting of the cherry orchard was unique and I enjoyed the likable characters. The well planned mystery had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end! I thought there might be the beginning of a love triangle (which I think is overdone in cozy mysteries) but I was pleased to find out this was not the case!
I am eager to read the next book in this series.

[Patrizia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stelle e mezza
La storia non è male, ma la protagonista mi ha un po' urtato i nervi, soprattutto quando si comporta da femmina in calore non appena vede un rappresentante dell'altro sesso. In più ci sono un paio di situazioni un po' troppo fantozziane per i miei gusti. Alla fine ho tolto almeno mezza stella per questo motivo. Peccato, perché per il resto il libro mi è piaciuto.

[Tari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book last year and wanted to be sure I read it before reading the second book in the series which just came out. It was a good murder mystery, and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters. I had part of the mystery figured out, but there was a great twist that I hadn't seen coming. The showdown was pretty awesome, but remember that looks can be deceiving. I was glad that there was closure to everything and it was all explained at the end. It does look like Whit will be having trouble deciding between two guys she cares a lot about, which I guess is a mystery for the next book! Not being a fan of triangles, I do hope it's resolved in the next book.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies by Darci Hannah is the first story in A Very Cherry Mystery series. Whitney Bloom lives in Chicago, Illinois where after creating a disastrous Superbowl commercial, she finds herself blacklisted by ad agencies as well the laughingstock of the advertising world. To make ends meet, Whitney has started the online business Bloom ‘n’ Cherries! selling her baked cherry creations. She has been corresponding with a man online who calls himself C-Bomb and seems to know Whitney from home town of Cherry Cove, Wisconsin. Whitney gets a frantic phone calls from her mother. The manager of their orchard, Jeb Carlson has been murdered and her father, Baxter is the prime suspect. Whitney rushes home where the annual Cherry Blossom Festival is in full swing and is dismayed when she finds that Jack MacLaren, her old high school nemesis, is in charge of the investigation. Not trusting Jack, Whitney declares that she will find out who killed Jeb. Whitney will have to deal with her past while sifting through the clues to identify Jeb’s killer. Someone, though, is intent on destroying her families’ inn and reputation. Can Whitney track down the culprit before it is too late?

Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies has a cute cover and I like the setting of Door County, Wisconsin. The town sounds charming and the acres of cherry trees in bloom sounded beautiful (I would be sneezing up a storm with my allergies). It was interesting to learn more about cherries and the running of an orchard. To get through Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies, though, you need to suspend your disbelief (from beginning when we find out the content of the commercial to the end when Whitney shoots off a gun with no clue who she is shooting at). The world in the book is not one in which normal people live. My mother can enjoy these types of books, but I find myself annoyed, rolling my eyes and becoming exasperated (my mother states I lack a sense of humor). I thought there was an absence of character development and the story rambles. When Whitney is with her friends, she tends to act like a nincompoop. She is told to keep certain key details about the murder to herself, and, within a short time, Whitney is telling her friends. Whitney could be categorized as TSTL. In the story, there is the cliché high school nemesis and, of course, the men who appeal to Whitney are “hunky”. I found many items repeated throughout the book and speculation abounds. The mystery is the best part of the book, but identifying the guilty party is a no brainer. Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies needs rewriting and editing as well as proofreading. As you can tell, I did not enjoy reading Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies (I had a rough time finishing this time and there was skimming involved). I highly suggest that you pick up a sample for your e-reader and judge Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies for yourself.

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

What a cute cozy! The Cherry theme was consistent without being over the top. I enjoyed reading the story from Whit's perspective, although she tends to find super obnoxious men attractive. Like seriously? there are at least four men she's interested in, and two out of the four are bad guys, and the third cheated on her and is a ratbag.

There are a few formatting/spelling errors on the copy I read, but hopefully they get picked up before publishing. All in all I enjoyed the story and the writing very much. Four stars!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in a new series featuring Whitney Bloom. Whitney lives in Chicago and is a former advertising executive who was the creator of “that ad” which was aired during the Super Bowl for a feminine hygiene product which basically ruined the company. I find this highly unbelievable but you have to suspend belief a little bit to continue with the rest of the story. She is running her own online business Bloom N Cherries and although she is trying to get back into advertising is holding her own. She receives a call from her Mother to tell her Father is the suspect in the murder of Jeb Carlson their family orchard manager. Whitney heads home to Cherry Cove and the annual Cherry festival. To help save her Dad and the family business she decides she is going to help clear her Father’s name. The police officer in town is a high school classmate who she used to butt heads with. They work together reluctantly because Whitney is going to investigate whether Jack wants her to or not. Jack and Whitney also have some chemistry that is hard to ignore. Throw in her former boyfriend Tate, an online admirer named Cbomb (on her business site) and she seems to have lots of romance options. Loved the characters in this story including Jenn her Grandma, Tay and Hannah as her best friends along with Giff who comes to judge the pie contest from Chicago. There is a lot going on in this story. Perhaps a bit too much but it is the first in a series. I also cringed when Whitney shares all the investigation details with this unknown online friend/flirtation. She definitely makes mistakes that most people would do so that part is believable. I did enjoy the mystery, the setting and the characters. This is a good new series and I look forward to the next installment.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming mystery set in a small, lakeside Wisconsin town of Cherry Cove that LOVES cherries! I do, too, which is what drew me to this book initially, but the story, setting, and characters got me hooked 'til the end. Protagonist Whitney is realistic, loyal, and funny. When she finds her family inn at the center of a murder investigation, she's determined to find the murderer. While she pokes around for clues, she makes several foolish mistakes. As does Jack, Cherry Cove's only police officer. To be fair, he mostly has to work alone and doesn't have experience with homicide in town. The supporting characters - namely Whit's family and close friends - are likeable and I hope to learn more about them in future books. The mystery is layered and a bit complex, with several suspects and motives, so it kept me thinking and guessing to the very end. The story takes place during the Cherry Blossom Festival and there's no shortage of cherry-filled treats around town. I actually went to the store to get a cherry pie because all the foods sounded so tasty! I'm drawn into this series, and look forward to reading the next one when it comes out!

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Siusan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies by Darci Hannah was a hilariously fun, cozy murder mystery. Whitney Bloom, former ad exec turned cherry pie baker, works intensely to prove her father innocent and solve who killed family friend Jeb. She leaves Chicago behind and heads to her hometown of Cherry Cove. There she runs into her old frenemy turned cop who she “assists” and her best friends from high school who add to delightful mix of characters. The description of the town makes me want to move to Wisconsin and the description of the pastries makes my mouth water for cherries. The delicious wit and the humorous, scary, slightly romantic scenes makes this book all that better. I seriously cannot wait for the next book to see what happens with Whitney’s romantic life and who gets murdered. If you love humorous mysteries with spectacular scenery, both men and food included, this book is right up your alley.

[Ann Busbey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was drawn to the lovely cover and the excitement of a new cozy author but I was sorely disappointed. After about 50 pages I was ready to give up on this one but I hate not to finish a book so I trudged on. The heroine of this book was not very likeable and seemed a very bad friend. She was also fairly stupid in her behaviors and despite my suspense of disbelief, her actions made the story less than enjoyable. I was also a bit distracted by the errors - grammar, typos, omitted words, and using the wrong name of a character - and I was reading the actual published book. That said, I loved the idea of the town and the cherry themes. I may give Darci Hannah another shot but I'm not committing just yet.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was immediately drawn to the attractive cover, catchy title and the setting. Plus, summer is finally here and so are the cherries! When Whitney Blooms returns home to Cherry Grove to help her family run the Cherry Orchard Inn, she almost immediately is plunged into a murder mystery in which her father is the chief suspect. She also has to face her high school rival who is now the town's police officer investigating the crime.

That's where the book's charm ended for me. From the very beginning, there were numerous spelling and grammatical errors. While I understand that this is an advance review copy, I can't see how it made it this far without a better proofreading for some of these mistakes. The word repetition also was grating; I just got sick of reading over and over that they were having mimosas for brunch! The mystery was less than convincing and I found it hard to stay engaged. I am hoping these issues can be ironed out because I really wanted to like this book. I think the series has very good potential.

** Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. My review is voluntary.

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhhh

[Laura Salas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please note that I was reading an uncorrected proof, so maybe these problems will all be fixed by publication. I sort of doubt it, but it's possible.

I only made it 6% in before I couldn't take it anymore. The constant problems with spelling, usage, and grammar were enough to set my teeth on edge. ("base" instead of "bass," "rout forty-two," and "You're folks are in the family quarters," for instance) But there were bigger concerns with plot, character, and scenework. And cliches. When I got to, "Her chin quivered and her eyes glistened with unshed tears," I gave up.

Review copy provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The openness of Whitney's personality and the use of slang makes it feel fun & homey. I did feel like cringing at certain of her actions, (like telling her anonymous email pal all about the investigation when she knew there was a chance he was in the area) but I admire her stick-to-itness. The ending was perfect & I definitely didn't see it coming. I was given the opportunity to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley and the publisher.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

I disliked this book very much. There was a lot of swearing, a lot of vulgarity and the story-line was very tepid. I read 100 pages and just couldn't continue. So I went to the last 4 chapters and read the end [with the reveal]. Which was ridiculous. And unbelievable. And the end? WHAT. THE. HECK. That certainly doesn't make me want to read the second one. Meh.
I cannot recommend this book at all.

[Deborah Almada · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had it's moments

This book was just too over the top for me. Just too many unbelievable things going on from fires, the Main Character being thrown into the water with an anchor tied to her and surviving and boats blowing up, just too over the top. Good premise, lovely setting, potential but just too everything.

[Darci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book so naturally I think it's pretty cool. Also, the cherry pie recipe is delicious! I've made it quite a lot and it's a family favorite. Was so happy to get to share it with my readers. Oh, and you readers are the very cherry best!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies by Darci Hannah is the first book in A Very Cherry Mystrery series and is off to a good start.

Whitney, after a very bad ending of marketing career is selling pies through her internet site when she gets a call from her mother that long time co-worker and friend has been murdered, and to make this even worse her father is a suspect.
She heads home immediately only to find out that her former school mate is now a police officer working on the case. She coerces him into letting her help with the investigation. Her two best friends try to help out as well as her former colleague. They have to work swiftly as Cherry Blossom Festival is taking place and many guests who are possible suspects as well will leave.
I enjoyed this book. It is easy to follow and entertaining. With lots of humor. I liked how she has never been involved in anything similar nor does she like mysteries at all. She is realistic enough to suspect even the loved ones which is usually not the case. I enjoyed easy banter between friends and how close knit they all are.
The story is well told and amusing. It is fun with lots of laugh aloud moments and also has a lot of romantic scenes.
I would highy recommend this book to all mystery lovers.

[Laura M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in the new Very Cherry Mystery series. Whitney Bloom is living in Chicago in vain to restore her place in the advertising world after an ad placement debacle when she receives a call from her mother in Wisconsin. The manager Whitney’s parents’ orchard has been found dead and the suspected murder weapon is a croquet mallet belonging to her father. Whitney arrives home to help – not only to clear her father of charges, but also to assist with the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. While at homes she visits old haunts and sees old friends (and some fr-enemies) she hasn’t seen since high school. Can this ex-ad exec put a spin on this story to free her father and find a killer?

I loved this book. It might partly be because I live near Wisconsin and I can relate to some of the folksiness of it, but the characters are fun and relatable and the scenes are set expertly. I had some issue with what a couple of the male characters say – I just didn’t find it believable, but they are still enjoyable. The author left me wanting more of these characters and their town. I can’t wait for the next installment. I received an ARC from NetGalley to read.

[Alice Liu · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. Whitney is a funny heroine and I was easily invested in the concerns for the family business. The action scenes were riveting and plentiful. The book lost a star, though, because much of the action was driven by Whitney's ego or her superficial attraction to men. There were times when she acted as if hypnotized by good looking men which made me think that she had been drugged when she was not. The murderer's motivations were thin and the final climax felt rushed. The good, however, far outweighed these concerns and I look forward to the next book. (review based on an ARC)

[The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

I am less than 100 pages to the end of this book and I have been really struggling with it. It was really slow going at the beginning and then it started to get interesting for a little bit. Now it is just getting a bit too ridiculous. Also, there are so many typos and spelling mistakes that it just adds to my frustration. Not for me, unfortunately.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3.5 stars out of 5 stars read.

Did I enjoy the book and story? Yes.

However, I felt like I was on a teeter totter with the pace of the book. It was a little slow going in the beginning, then it would take off then then pace would slow again. Back and forth.

I did enjoy the story enough to continue on in the series.

[Sheila Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good! This is the first book in the Very Cherry Mystery series by Darci Hannah. It was well written and well paced, very entertaining and incredibly hard to put down. Much better than expected, and very well worth the time to read.

[Rhiannon Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, it was cute and fun. The murder mystery kept me going. I became rather annoyed with all the “holy cobblers” and “fudgescicles” though. The main character, Whitney, was also slightly annoying by trusting everyone and not really knowing exactly what she wants.