Murder at the Mushroom Festival

Kelly Jackson Mystery #4

by Janet Finsilver

There’s a corpse among the chanterelles!
 
Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast manager Kelly Jackson is hosting a cooking class during the Week of the Mushroom festival to attract guests, not drama. But soon after she finishes foraging for an edible mushroom species on sacred Native American land, a local newspaper reporter gets shot dead at the same site. With suspicions spreading like fungi in the quaint Northern Californian community over the culprit’s identity, Kelly and a savvy gang of sleuthing seniors known as the “Silver Sentinels” must uncover the truth about the secluded property before a tricky killer prepares another lethal surprise . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Audiobook, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

Published April 17, 2018

About the author

Janet Finsilver and her husband reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. She worked in education for many years as a teacher, a program administrator, and a workshop presenter. Janet loves animals and has two dogs—Kylie and Ellie. She has ridden western style since she was a child and was a member of the National Ski Patrol. One of the highlights of her life was touching whales in the San Ignacio Lagoon. Her debut mystery, MURDER AT REDWOOD COVE, released in October 2015. MURDER AT THE MANSION and MURDER AT THE FORTUNE TELLER'S TABLE followed. MURDER AT THE MUSHROOM FESTIVAL is scheduled for April 17, 2018.

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This turned out to be well written cosy, though rather heavy on information about a variety of topics. Mushrooms were obviously high on the agenda and I found out things about them that I never knew before. Of course they are also an obvious way of poisoning someone you wish to do away with, and murder occurred in very short order.

I enjoyed the story but there were so many characters! By the end I really only remember the mushrooming pig as a stand out. And the main character Kelly of course who, in the true style of amateur detective novels, kept trying to get herself killed as well. Not intentionally of course but the effect was the same.

This was my first book by this author and it was an entertaining read. I will be happy to try another of her books in the future.

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 stars. DNF at Page 165.

SYNOPSIS: "Bed and breakfast manager Kelly Jackson is hosting a cooking class to celebrate Redwood Cove’s annual Mushroom Festival. But along with attracting guests, she also attracts some drama. After foraging for edible mushrooms in a nearby forest, a local newspaper reporter is found murdered at the same site—which also happens to be sacred Native American ground.

As suspicions spread like fungi in the quaint Northern Californian community, Kelly and a savvy gang of sleuthing seniors known as the “Silver Sentinels” must uncover the truth about the secluded property. And they’d better identify the killer quick, before someone else gets planted in the ground.!

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Mushrooms, Murder and a bit of Mayhem! It’s the Week of the Mushroom and many fun events have been planned. Cooking classes and various mushroom hunting tours. Kelly Jackson, manager of the Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast is participating in everything she can but it is not completely for her pleasure. No, she is tracking a murderer to clear her friend Daniel off the suspect list and the “Silver Sentinels” are helping her. Kelly finds herself in a little cold water but she and her friends are not giving up until they find the killer.

All my favorites were back for this new adventure but there was a new character that absolutely stole my heart. Priscilla, the mushroom/truffle-sniffing pig with a big pink bow. 🙂 Seriously though, Ms. Finsilver has created a wonderful cast of characters. The recurring characters are a tightly knit bunch and the new characters added several dimensions to the story. Several holding high places on the Sentinels suspect list. I really do enjoy the way this active group of senior citizens gets involved in the community and solving murders. I wish I was as active as they are.

The backdrop of the story is the illegal harvesting of Redwood trees and redwood sinker logs that have rested underwater for years. I found the information and description of the sculptures created from the redwood and sinker logs very interesting. The sinker logs are rare and there is a lot of red tape to obtain them legally. We also see how protective mushroom gatherers are of their foraging sites. In this story, one site is on sacred Indian land. I love learning new things while reading a cozy mystery. Plus the descriptions of the items and the places they were found created great imagery.

The author has given readers a solid mystery with plenty of twists. The Silver Sentinels had their lists on the board but finding someone with motive, means and opportunity just wasn’t lining up. Kelly was pulling out all the stops to figure it out. Readers like me will figure it out right before Kelly has her “aha moment”. Thankfully the woman can think on her feet.

At the end of Murder at the Fortune Teller’s Table, I thought there was a romance budding for Kelly, that part of her story is moving very slowly book wise but in the timeframe of the series is unfolding at the right pace.

I have enjoyed this entire series and excited about where the characters are headed and eager to read about their next story.

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The community of Redwood Cove is getting ready for the annual mushroom festival. It includes a mushroom hunting contest that is bring out the worst in some of the residence. Kelly Jackson witnesses several fights, including between the people attending a mushroom class she is hosting at her bed and breakfast. However, she is still surprised when a dead body is found. As she and the Silver Sentinels, a group that works to solve problems in the community, start to investigate, they find motives beyond the mushroom festival. Can they figure out what is happening?

It was nice to get to reconnect with Kelly and her friends. They make a great group of characters, and I love seeing their relationships grow in this book. It was also interesting to watch the suspects evolve as the book progressed. The book managed to surprise me as to who the victim was going to be, something that doesn’t often happen. It kept me guessing on the killer until Kelly figured it out, too. If you are looking for a light cozy, this is the book for you.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 4th book of the Kelly Jackson mysteries covers multitude issues making an extraordinary story. Among the issues, the cover is a cooking class on mushrooms, public lands, sinker logs, Indian sacred grounds, problems with redwood and a mushroom hunting dog and pig.à
Redwood Cove is a B&B hotel situated along California northern coast. As the name implies the redwood grow there in large numbers. The town is hosting its annual mushrooms festival. Kelly has just been named manager of the hotel. The Silver Sentinels is a group of senior citizens that meet at the hotel.
A dislike reporter is found dead on Indian sacred grounds. The reporter has been selling information on mushrooms locations on public lands that some natives feel The locations belong to them. The area overlooks a huge sinker log that is holding the creek in place. The environment protection agency has refused all requested to salvage the log. Daniel had challenged the reporter is considered a person of interest in the shooting. Kelly and the Silver Sentinels begin to prove the facts to clear Daniel. Kelly managed to put herself in danger. I HIGHLY recommend this book and series.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Lyrical Underground for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Linda Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy visiting the regular characters in the Kelly Jackson mystery series. They have established a family-like closeness which contributes to the charm in each new book. Book 4 is a light mystery dealing with illegal redwood logging. A reporter’s life is cut short when he’s researching and planning to do an expose on mushroom patches. Is he killed because mushroom hunters want the locations of their private patches kept secret, or because he stumbles upon more high stakes secrets in his investigation? Kelly, Daniel, and the Silver Sentinels are on the hunt for clues!

The book was a little slow-paced for me, and I admit I’m not a fan of mushrooms. I also thought it was obvious who the culprits were fairly early on in the book due to their actions. Nonetheless, MURDER AT THE MUSHROOM FESTIVAL is a pleasant addition to the series and fans should enjoy it.

I reviewed a digital arc from NetGalley and Kensington.

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly, the manager at Redwood Cove B&B, is happy to host a cooking class during the Mushroom Festival. Visitors are arriving to the festival, and plenty of mushroom related activities are on the schedule. During festival week, a local newspaper reporter is found shot dead. Kelly and some sleuthing seniors look into who is behind his death.

The 4th book in the Kelly Jackson Mystery series. This is the first book in the series that I have read, but I plan on reading the first three too. A cute cozy mystery with a charming bed and breakfast in a small town.

I received a digital copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had only read the first book in this series but when this one was released I couldn't resist jumping ahead. Just like the first, this mystery was well-written and plotted out. I did somewhat guess the killer (although I was second guessing myself at one point) but there were a couple of smaller mysteries going on that I didn't really have any idea who was behind those.

Kelly jackson was still sort of new at her job as manager of the Redwood Cove inn and she was looking forward to the upcoming Mushroom Festival featuring a mushroom hunt and other outdoor activities. The meals at the inn were being put together by a woman named Elise running a class on mushrooms. Everything was going great until a local reporter (who a couple of people had had issues with) covering the event turned up murdered and someone else in the group was nearly poisoned. Kelly was worried that her friend Daniel who worked at a neighboring inn was going to be charged with the murder.

This was another job for the Silver Sentinels, a group of senior citizens who had formed in the first book to look into crime in the area and help the police with many extra sets of eyes. Kelly was an honorary member since her inn provided their meeting space. In fact, her boss had even named the conference room after them since he was so impressed by their previous crime solving attempts. I really enjoy each and every one of this special group. They all have their own special talents to contribute to the group and everyone discusses what they find out and assigns themselves to another aspect of the case.

I remembered the main characters from the first book and it was fun to go back and visit with Daniel, Helen and her son Tommy. A cute side story in this had Tommy trying to teach Fred the basset hound how to roll over. I really love that there were a couple of little side mysteries along with the extra real life touches such as the veterans with PTSD that were receiving service dogs trained at the community center that Scott ran, or just receiving a home at the community center. There was a nice shout-out to diabetes trained dogs as well as those dealing with their own diabetes. It was refreshing that Deputy Stanton wasn't one of the grumpy cops I read about so much in these mysteries. He was kind, hard-working and genuinely interested in having the Silver Sentinels help with cases. He gave them respect and I really respected him for that.

I do want to go back and read the books that I missed. Redwood Cove is such a fun place to visit!

[Cozybooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Mushroom Festival by Janet Finsilver is a light cozy mystery. Fans of this author will be pleased with this addition.

It's time for the Mushroom Festival in Redwood Cove.
Kelly, beginning her new position as manager, is hosting a cooking class at the Redwood Cove Inn. It's all about the mushrooms until tempers flare up due to a nosy reporter.
When the reporter winds up dead, Kelly is on the case, her friend Daniel stands accused of this dreadful crime.
With the help of the Silver Sentinels, a group of elders keen on solving mysteries, Kelly begins poking into people's lives, putting a huge target on her back.
In the meantime, it seems someone is involved in illegal redwood logging and Kelly finds herself in the path of a murderer.

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

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining series that has a charming setting, good characters and solid mysteries. This fourth book continues to build on the previous three books in terms of the characters growth. Kelly Jackson is settling into her new life in Redwood Cove. She has a good sense of self and is level headed. When she and the Silver Sentinels are solving a case, she doesn't purposely or blindly put herself in jeopardy. The mystery is solid in this latest installment. As with the other books, there are a couple of mysteries that are woven throughout the book and in the end come together so the reader can see how they are intertwined or related. One of the things that keeps me coming back to this series is the diverse cast of characters. There is someone for everyone in this group. We are also getting a glimpse into a potential romance for Kelly - another sign that she is growing and settling in Redwood Cove.

This is a series that always leaves me entertained and I continue to enjoy. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.

[Jessica Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

What a cute new addition to this wonderful series. Kelly is fairly settled by this point and highly involved in the tight knit community. There is a mushroom festival going on that sounds like great fun if it wasn't for the dead body that was found. When a friend ends up the main suspect she starts asking questions with the help of the Silver Sentinels who are a hoot I must say. Add Tommy, his dog, and a pig to get a cozy that you won't want to put down. The mushroom info was just an added bonus. I really enjoyed so I give it 4/5 stars and I highly recommend it to fans of the genre.

[JoAn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the Mushroom Festival by Janet Finsilver is the fourth book in this series and the best one yet.

Kelly has settled into Redwood Cove now and loves joining into the local festivals and celebrations. Ms. Finsilver's writing is so descriptive that I always feel like I am right there with Kelly as she travels around Redwood Cove. I really appreciated the in-depth research of mushrooms. I learned a lot regarding the different types of mushrooms and all of the different ways to use them in food preparation. The Silver Sentinels are such a great group of quirky seniors. I really admire them as they strive to help within their community. The mystery was swiftly plotted with plenty of suspects and enough twists that I never guessed the identity of the murderer until the reveal and that was scary. I found myself on the edge of my seat as I read. I am already anticipating the next book in this series

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading book 3 in this series I was determined to get caught up with this series again and not much later I picked up book 4 and started reading it. Murder at the Mushroom Festival is another great installment in this series. While the mystery didn't grip me as strongly, it was a lot of fun to be back in this town with the familiar group of characters.

I can't fully pinpoint why, but the mystery in this book wasn't gripping me as much. It wasn't as int interesting and I never really got invested and tried to guess the murderer. There are a bunch of suspects from the start and while the main characters make some progress throughout the book it felt very slow going and then toward the end suddenly everything came to light. There was an interesting twist toward the end that I liked. I also liked how Daniel being a suspect got the main character involved and made her try harder to solve it. She also doesn't really solve the mystery, but the killer reveals themselves to the main character.

While I like the writing style, at times some scenes can feel a tad rushed, like they are wrapped up too quickly. I feel like some of those could just be skipped and summarized or given a bit more attention. But luckily this only happened a few times.

The theme of this book was a fun one with the mushroom festival going on. There is a lot of focus on the mushrooms, mushroom hunting and some activities that are going on in and around the town. There is also a bit about the redwood trees, involving sinker logs and the characters explore the surrounding area's a bit during the mushroom hunt. I didn't know a lot about these topics, so it was fun to learn a bit more about them.

What I liked most about this book was spending some time with the by now familiar characters. I like the main character and how she has found a new home in this place and enjoys running the inn. I like her very slowly developing romance with Scott. This is very much a side plot line, but so far I like them together. Scott seems to worry and care about her, but not tell her what to do.

And then there are the side characters ofcourse. This book has a big group of side characters, but I have no trouble by now remembering who is who. From the sheriff to the silver sentinels who help her solve the mysteries to Helen and Daniel who both work close by and they both have a kid Tommy and Allie. Then there is Andy and Philip who do the whine and cheese for the inn. This book involved all of these characters again and more. The professor's brother is in town with a friend. And there is a characters helping with the mushroom festivities. I like reading about these characters and seeing them interact.

To summarize: Another great read in this cozy mystery series. The mystery in this one didn't grip me as much, but there was an interesting twist at the end. I liked learning more about the redwood trees, mushrooms and mushroom hunting. My favorite part is following the familiar group of characters along. This series has a huge amount of side character,s but they all add to the story and are great to read about. All in all another fun read and I look forward to the next one.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Mushroom Festival is the fourth installment in the A Kelly Jackson Mystery series set in Mendocino County, CA and featuring Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast manager, Kelly Jackson. Mushroom hunters are descending upon the area for the Week of the Mushroom Festival and Kelly is letting down on her luck Elise Jenkins hold a cooking class at the B&B.

Always looking to learn more about her new hometown Kelly immerses herself in the activities planned around the area for the mushroom hunters and quickly discovers that the foragers are very secretive about where they find their treasures. When Ned Blaine, reporter for the Redwood Cove Messenger, is rumored to be writing a book giving up all the best locations and is also publishing articles on the Internet, it's really no surprise when he's found murdered in the midst of a mushroom patch.

Kelly also begins to learn more about the black market for Redwood lumber, specifically the sinker logs. Harvesting Redwood trees is now illegal without a permit and someone is sneaking around cutting down trees and retrieving the sinker logs from the river.

Daniel Stevens, manager of a neighboring property, becomes a person of interest in the murder. The lumber thieves have destroyed his tribe's sacred land and Ned's body was found on the site too. Determined to help her friend, Kelly calls on the Silver Sentinels to hunt down a killer.

Another great plot, the return of many well developed main characters and pets, this series gets better with each new addition. With the hint of romance in the air, readers will be looking forward to the next adventures of Kelly and her band of Senior Citizens.

I received an advanced copy of Murder at the Mushroom Festival from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

[RO G'ma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the Mushroom Festival is the fourth book in Janet Finsilver’s Kelly Jackson Mystery series. The series takes place in a small town on the coast of Northern California with caring, well developed, and affable characters and a well-plotted story line that flows at a steady pace. As with the other books, there are multiple mysteries woven throughout the book and in the end, they all come together and the reader can see how they are related. I enjoyed the twists and turns and didn’t guess who the bad guy/guys are until the reveal. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series and recommend it to readers who enjoy a clean, well-crafted mystery.

Kelly Jackson is the manager of Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast and loves her job, the people she works with, and the community she lives in. During the course of a mushroom festival, Kelly learns about various species of mushrooms, Redwood sinker logs, and the illegal harvesting of Redwood trees. Local harvesters of mushrooms are very protective of the locations of their best mushroom sites and big money is involved with cutting down trees and retrieving the sinker logs from the river. Ned Blaine, a reporter for the Redwood Cove Messenger, has upset quite a few people with his articles, so when his body is discovered on sacred Native American land, there is no shortage of suspects. When Daniel Stevens, manager of a neighboring property, becomes a person of interest in the murder, Kelly is determined to help her friend and calls upon the Silver Sentinels, a group of wonderful seniors who enjoy solving mysteries, to help her investigate. When Kelly and the Silver Sentinels are solving a case, she doesn't purposely put herself in jeopardy, yet it always happens.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the Mushroom Festival is Janet Finsilver's very enjoyable fourth entry in her Kelly Jackson cozy mystery series, and it was a pleasant return to Redwood Cove. Kelly and the Silver Sentinels are investigating another murder, and also an attempted murder, during the annual Mushroom Festival, but they're drawn into the theft of a very rare piece of sunken redwood lumber as well. When Daniel, one of Kelly's closest friends, is suspected of the murder, she enlists the help of her boss, Michael Corrigan, who immediately swoops into town to help. One of the things that I enjoy most about cozy mysteries is the continuing and developing relationships between the main and recurring characters, and it was so nice to spend time again with them! All in all, a very pleasant and quick read, like a visit with dear friends. I recommend starting the series from the beginning, but this book works well as a standalone. A+

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mushrooms and toxic fungi are to the forefront, but don't forget most fungi grow in wooded areas, so the redwood forest is also a feature of this book.
I enjoyed the nature settings and the food ideas, as well as the lively variety of characters and interests. I hadn't read any earlier books in the series and found it simple to pick up the threads.

The main sleuth is running her B&B in a small California town which is about to hold a mushroom festival. (We don't see her doing much of the admin, but we do not need to see every detail of her day.) She is joined in investigation by a friend who is from the local Native tribe, when a reporter is found shot dead on tribal land. We see some historical background and meet a truffle-hunting dog and pig. Great fun. The read is suitable for anyone from teens to adults.

I downloaded an e-ARC from Net Galley and Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Mushroom Festival by Janet Finsilver is fourth installment in A Kelly Jackson Mystery series. Kelly Jackson, the manager of the Redwood Cove Bed-and-Breakfast, is looking forward to the Mushroom Festival in Redwood Cove, California. She has agreed to let Elise Jackson teach her mushroom class in the multipurpose room. Elise will be teaching the participants how to identify various mushrooms, how to cook with mushrooms and provide maps on where to find the fungi in the local area. One of the highlights of the festival is the mushroom hunting contest. Ned Blaine, reporter for the Redwood Cove Messenger, is attending Elise’s class and manages to anger a few people before it disperses. The next morning Deputy Sheriff Bill Stanton arrives to speak with Kelly. Ned Blaine was found shot dead (I’m so shocked) on sacred tribal land in Mallory National Park. When Daniel ends up the prime suspect, Kelly and the sleuthing seniors known as the Silver Sentinels dig into the case. Ned was investigating illegal redwood logging which included the stealing sinker logs and writing a book on places to locate mushrooms in Redwood Cove. Both items stirred up dark feelings and could have gotten Ned murdered. Someone is not happy with Kelly’s snooping and attempts to take her out of commission. It is up to Kelly and the Silver Sentinels to find the wrongdoer before they strike again.

Murder at the Mushroom Festival can be read alone. Everything you need to know about Kelly is included in Murder at the Mushroom Festival. I thought the book contained good writing and had a steady pace. Janet Finsilver has a conversational writing style that makes the story easy to read. I thought the characters were well established. Kelly’s coworkers, friends and the Silver Sentinels are friendly, welcoming characters. They are the type of people I would like to know and have as my friends. I appreciate that there is a diverse group of people. I especially enjoy the younger characters as well as the dogs. They provide levity and humor to the story. Kelly is friendly, caring, smart and level headed. I like the setting of Redwood Cove. It sounds like a great place to live with the water and forests (I have always wanted to life in the Pacific Northwest). It was interesting to learn about mushrooms. I had no idea there were so many varieties and how easy it is to find them. People do need to be careful since there are numerous poisonous varieties (great weapon for a killer). I would never have thought of using mushrooms in a dessert. The mystery had a couple of different components that all come together in the end with the loose ends wrapped up. Identifying the guilty, though, is a piece of cake. I really like that Kelly actively investigates. She asks clever questions while being subtle. Kelly does not blindly dive into dangerous situations (hooray). There are many cozy moments in the book (cooking, chatting, mushroom hunting, cookie baking and decorating, horseback riding, traversing down the river in a canoe) that aid in making Murder at the Mushroom Festival a delight to read. My rating for Murder at the Mushroom Festival 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). This is my favorite book so far in A Kelly Jackson Mystery series.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly jackson is still learning about the town of Redwood Cove and her relatively new job as manager of the Redwood Cove Inn. The Upcoming Mushroom Festival featuring a mushroom hunt and other outdoor activities has her excitedly trying out new activities to share with her guests. Elise, is running a cooking class using mushrooms at the inn and will be providing some of the other food. There is a mystery involving the disappearance of "sinker logs", old-growth redwood logs that were submerged in the rivers. They were on indigenous lands and were not allowed to be taken, but some were disappearing as well as the land being torn up. When a local reporter is shot in the woods, Daniel, Kelly's friend, is a suspect due to an altercation he had with the reporter. There are also a lot of other people who has issues with the reporter so Kelly and friends are determined to find out who killed Ned.

I enjoy this series, especially the "Silver Sentinels" Even though Kelly is the main protagonist, the sentinels are a group of local seniors who are able to dig out information that always comes in handy. They each have their own special talents to contribute to the group and weekly or daily meetings are held to discuss what they find out and what the next steps will be. This story had a lot of suspects, but I was pretty sure who the murderer was pretty early in the story. I was correct, but there were a lot of twists in the plot along that way that had me second guessing myself. Add in the second mystery and I was along for the ride. The clues were ferreted out by the team and the showdown once again has Kelly in trouble. I am enjoying the development of the characters as this series goes on, especially the relationships between Kelly and some of the locals. There is a tiny bit of romance happening, but it is subtle and fits in with the mysteries well. It was interesting to learn not only about mushroom hunting, but about sinker logs, their value and uses. I can't write this review without mentioning the animals. There are a couple of dogs that play an important role in the story and a mushroom sniffing pig, so I got my animal fix in as well. I definitely recommend this story and series to those who enjoy a well-written cozy mystery. I was able to listen to the audiobook of this story, narrated by Reba Buhr. I enjoyed listening to this one. Reba Buhr uses various accents and inflection to voice the various characters which makes it easy to identify who is speaking. I am looking forward to listening to the next in the series.

[Terry Ambrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Mushroom Festival puts a different twist on the cozy mystery formula by adding a group of sleuthing seniors to the protagonist Kelly Jackson's crime solving repertoire. Not that Kelly really needs any help, she's a pretty good sleuth herself and turns up plenty of clues all on her own.

There are a number of twists in this tale that will keep you guessing as to who the real killer is. There's also plenty of information about mushrooms. We're not just talking plain, old, everyday button shrooms, we're going for the good stuff, including culinary delicacies like truffles—which are found with the help of trained dogs.

For those who like their cozies with a culinary bent, there are plenty of ideas for using mushrooms in recipes—everything from appetizers to dessert, even ice cream! There's a steady pacing throughout the story and a bunch of quirky characters, from the Silver Sentinels to the contestants vying for to win the mushroom festival.

Murder at the Mushroom Festival is a fun culinary cozy that will keep you entertained and make you wonder, "how come I never tried that with mushrooms?"

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. :)

[Allie York · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has quickly become one of my favourites. This fourth in the series exceeded my expectations.
These characters are among my all time favourites. Pair this with a first rate whodunit and you have a true gem of a series.
I hope there are more books in this series to look forward to!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just loved this book! Having a setting that is almost in my own backyard of the Bay Area made it that much more fun to read! The characters were fun and interesting and I loved all of the activities the characters participated in while attending the Mushroom Festival (horse back riding, hiking, canoeing!) And let's not forget to mention the tiny piece of the puzzle, a murder to solve - and a well thought out one that had me to the end! I found the mushroom facts to be interesting and the storyline fast paced. I don't usually start a series in the middle, but made the exception on this one and I can't wait to go back and catch up on the earlier escapades of these characters! Thank you for allowing me to review this NetGalley edition in exchange for my honest review.

[Denise Spicer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 173 page quick, cute read features the amateur sleuths of Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast in Northern California. Innkeeper Kelly, her Native American friend, and some “senior” sleuths investigate murder during the Annual Mushroom Fest. Lots of interesting outdoorsy descriptions – canoeing, hiking, foraging, and some mushroom information - - as well as llamas, cute dogs and A Pig.

[Mac Daly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kelly Jackson and the Silver Sentinels are again on the case when a visitor is found dead during the annual mushroom festival. It seems like everyone has a reason to want fellow out of the way, it not dead. Along with the engaging mystery, this novel provides interesting info on good and dangerous mushrooms and the illegal logging industry.

[Stanley McShane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Mushroom Festival is the fourth in the Kelly Jackson series and my first experience with the series or the author. In this installment, Kelly Jackson has been named permanent manager of the rustic Redwood Cove B&B and is gearing up for the festivities by bringing in Elise Jenkins to host a cooking class featuring mushrooms.

Among the town's guests are Ned Blaine, a reporter who is creating a lot of animosity as he noses into secret mushroom locations that he plans to disclose on the internet. Some of the locations are on reservation land and off limits. Also among the redwoods and on reservation land are "sinker logs," an extremely profitable result of old growth logged last century, some of which found their way into lakes and streams. Ned has a confrontation with Daniel Stevens, one of the local Native Americans and is found murdered on sacred reservation land.

Kelly gets the Senior Sentinels involved and I enjoyed the way they go about solving the mystery and the different personalities involved. While this book may function as a standalone, it's possible protagonist Kelly was more fully developed in previous episodes. The little redwood community sounds disarmingly quaint and the seaside location is described well enough to taste the salt air and feel the heavy mist.

The well-plotted storyline keeps a steady and engaging pace introducing many interesting facts along the way regarding our beautiful northern California redwood coast. Kelly seems to be a missing manager for most of the activity, focusing on the whodunit and there seemed to be an abundance of character tension and a wide choice as to who might have done it.

The dialogue flowed naturally and the well-crafted plot came to a satisfying conclusion, wrapping up loose ends, but the culprit was not a surprise having been a strong suspicion from introduction. I was allowed this ebook download by Kensington Publishing Corp/Lyrical Underground and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Recommended for fans of cozy mysteries, those who love our northern California coastal area, or anyone who loves to learn about the unique assets of our beautiful country. 3.5/5 stars

See my full review at https://rosepointpublishing.com/2018/...

[Jennifer Ritter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the Mushroom Festival is the fourth book in Janet Finsilver’s Kelly Jackson Mystery series. As the new manager of Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast, Kelly is immersing herself in the culture of her new small town on the northern California coast. Part of her responsibilities is to help with the various festivals, the latest of which is the yearly mushroom festival. The B&B is hosting mushroom cooking classes to which attendees are both locals and out of towners, including the Professor’s brother Tim and his competition buddy, Clarence. Also attending one of the meals is Redwood Cove Messenger reporter Ned Blaine who is known for his unorthodox ways of getting his stories.

Throughout the festival, Kelly joins in on many of the finding excursions, even accompanying fellow manager at a sister resort, Daniel Stevens, to a special mushroom area on his tribal lands. When the reporter’s body is found the following day on these lands, Daniel ends up as the prime suspect due to an earlier altercation with Ned.

Kelly refuses to allow her friend to be railroaded for a crime he didn’t commit, so gathers her friends the Silver Sentinels to assist by doing their own investigation. When Kelly is pushed into a swift moving river and Clarence is fed poison mushrooms it is apparent that they have each gotten too close to the truth. But when Kelly is tricked into the path of the murderer, she must use her long held ranch skills to save herself.

Another well constructed story in this different cozy series. Interesting characters, lovely setting, and twisting tale come together in a fast paced book. I have enjoyed the books in this series and do recommend this one.

[Paula Ratcliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has Kelly Jackson whose all geared up to be hosting a cooking class on Mushrooms to go with the week of mushroom festival. Of course not is as it seems. Peter is determined that only humans hunt for mushrooms when the arrival of a dog and pig add to the mix the mood changes. Kelly also learns about Redwoods being impossible to take as there are laws about the removal of Redwood trees. With reporter Ned involved it's not long before someone winds up dead and it's up to the Silver Sentinels to determined who killed Ned the reporter and why? Was it someone who had a grudge against Ned? Or was it someone else he burned in a older article? So many possibilities the sentinels definitely have their work cut out for themselves. Will Kelly solve the murder in time or will she be capped as well?

This book had everything from missing redwood trees to people conspiring over mushrooms and finds Kelly and the sentinels in the middle of it trying to figure out who committed the crimes. When pressure gets put on Daniel a Native American gets caught up in being a suspect Kelly is determined to find out what is going on and why.

I love this series as one of it's characters has Asperger's syndrome which is rare to see. It's great to incorporate various things in a book. This one definitely has it with Native American's, Asperger's, and so much more I really enjoyed it!

[LittleRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

The annual Mushroom Festival is ready to kick off in Redwood Cove, CA and it looks to be an interesting weekend. for Kelly Jackson, manager of the Redwood Cove B&B, she’s looking forward to participating in the activities as one of the newest residents. Things kick off with a mushroom class hosted at the B&B where a local report seems to have raised the ire of several local participants. The next day as the festival kicks off, the day begins with the murder of the local reporter…and her friend Daniel, manager of Redwood Cove B&B sister Inn is the primary suspect.

Knowing that Daniel could never harm someone, Kelly and the Silver Sentinels, a group of local seniors who solve crimes in Redwood Cove are hot on the case. Soon Kelly is a potential next target when she is warned to stop asking questions, is threatened by another suspect , and is pushed into the river. Will the Silver Sentinels and Kelly find the murdered before Daniel is taken away or Kelly comes to harm?

This book kept me engaged and had me struggling to put the book down and go to sleep…I HAD to find out who did it and why. Well developed characters and well written. While it is the fourth in the series, I had not read any of the other books and was able to settle right in. I can’t wait to read the first three books in the series!