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Aloha Chicken Mysteries #1
Nest Egg
Saffron Skye has inherited a little piece of Hawaiian paradise. Only it’s filled with the leftovers of her late uncle’s life and overrun with his enormous flock of chickens. When her new friend, the oldest man in town, dies, no one else finds it suspicious. But as the town’s newest poultry keeper Saffron recognizes fowl play when she sees it.
Saffron is a tetrachromat and can see colors nobody else can see. If only she could do the same with killers.
To find the culprit--and the victim’s hidden fortune--Saffron will have to look in some surprising places. Even her new flock will lend a wing.
With scrumptious island food galore and two handsome men vying for her attention, Saffron has to focus, crack a few eggs . . . and crack the case.
Saffron is a tetrachromat and can see colors nobody else can see. If only she could do the same with killers.
To find the culprit--and the victim’s hidden fortune--Saffron will have to look in some surprising places. Even her new flock will lend a wing.
With scrumptious island food galore and two handsome men vying for her attention, Saffron has to focus, crack a few eggs . . . and crack the case.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2019
723 people are currently reading
523 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
January 13, 2023
I loved this book because, well, chickens but also because, honestly, it's the first thing I've read about Hawaii that makes me want to visit. I'm not a beaches and tropical islands person, but I am a person who loves a rich culture and interesting community. This book shows that part of Hawaii, and now I can't wait to go.
Plus, if you love to binge read, this is a great one because there are 16 more books in the series. :)
Plus, if you love to binge read, this is a great one because there are 16 more books in the series. :)
May 1, 2020
DNF. Got through 40%.
Good things: setting in Hawaii is nice, I like the cultural touches. The chicken farm is a fun idea. I'm not a chicken person but several friends and family are so I get the appeal. The protagonist's vision thing is interesting- that and her cleanliness add some character to her.
Bad: Wow. I should've known from the very first sentences that this book badly needs an editor.
The book opens with:
It shouldn't have been such a surprise for Saffron to see a chicken in a pot.
But the chicken was alive, and the pot was filled with straw, and the sound the chicken was making made Saffron doubt that anyone had told it that Uncle Beau had left the Hawaiian house it was nesting in to her.
I'm not an editor of any sort or an expert on grammar but even I can see that:
1) This doesn't need to be two paragraphs.
2) The second run-on sentence/paragraph is a doozy! It should be split up.
3) Word choice and sentence structure is bad. Things like "making made" can be avoided.
4) There are more thats and hads than are necessary.
Here's one way this could've been edited, "It shouldn't have been such a surprise for Saffron to see a chicken in a pot, but THIS chicken was alive and the pot was filled with straw. The sound coming from the chicken made Saffron doubt that anyone told it Uncle Ben had left the Hawaiian house it was now nesting in to her." (It's still a bit clunky, but whatever.)
I know when I had to write for school, my beginnings were always the most difficult. Once I got into the story, my writing smoothed out. So I put that troublesome start aside and tried to read with an open mind... then I noticed the repetitions.
Not only are names used more often than necessary (Saffron this and Saffron that when "she" would work just as well and still make sense), but words are used and reused right after each other, giving the writing a stuttering, almost glitchy flow. For instance, "This was chaos. Saffron didn't do chaos." And a paragraph later, "This was chaos upon chaos." Some of this repetitive usage is fine. Sometimes when you make a point you really want to drive it home, but the author does this A LOT. Like, a lot a lot (see what I did there 😉). Soon after the "chaos," the author talks about a "perfect little compartment... It was a secret compartment... An empty secret compartment." Only about two paragraphs later, we get more of this with, "She hadn't contacted him since... She was glad that they’d had absolutely no contact... She didn’t even have his contact information anymore."
But I pressed on. Then a whole sentence is seemingly cut off, "Saffron could tell by his heavy
The little man glanced at Bernadette. "
She could tell what by his heavy what???
Okay, editing issues happen, so I just tried to move on. I did fairly well ignoring most of these issues until chapter six. Then it seems all pretense of editing just flew out the window. The author tries to describe an important scene. Within two pages "wheelbarrow" is used 19 times, "back" is used 13 times, "shed" is used 8 times, "path" is used 8 times, and many other words are repeated. Yes, you have to talk about the "props" of a scene to describe the scene, but not to this extent. There are many times when "it" would have sufficed instead of "wheelbarrow" and "the building" or "the structure" could be used instead of "shed" because "approached the shed," "corner of the shed," "against the shed," and "behind the shed" are used in quick succession.
Here's a section wherein some of the numerous uses of "back" appear: An old question pushed its way back (1) into her mind. What had *spoiler* been doing around the back (2) of the shed? From the looks of the tracks, it had taken a lot of effort to move the wheelbarrow back (3) there, and there was no feeder back (4) there that she could see.
(1) "back" can be removed altogether
(2) "rear" could be substituted
(3) remove "back" here too
(4) delete "back there" (oddly repeated twice in one sentence) and replace with "in the area."
I'd like to stop there- I know this review is getting tedious- but I can't because the repetitions occur in the dialogue, too. 😩 A character says, "I would have kept him here if I could, but he has gone on, and I have to let him go. We say, 'Hoʻokuʻu.' We let them go, set them free, and in turn, we are set free, and we can go on. You must let him go and go on, too. You couldn't have stopped him from working, and you couldn't have stopped him from dying."
And here's another, "Bernadette was delighted to receive the eggs. 'If you have enough, I'd buy five dozen a day.' Five dozen? Saffron couldn't imagine..."
And a few paragraphs later, "Keahi seemed to know what she was thinking. 'Laki means lucky,' he said. 'Lucky Luau.' Saffron was feeling pretty lucky to be there."
So even character's speech and thoughts are repetitive!
I had to give up at that point.
Good things: setting in Hawaii is nice, I like the cultural touches. The chicken farm is a fun idea. I'm not a chicken person but several friends and family are so I get the appeal. The protagonist's vision thing is interesting- that and her cleanliness add some character to her.
Bad: Wow. I should've known from the very first sentences that this book badly needs an editor.
The book opens with:
It shouldn't have been such a surprise for Saffron to see a chicken in a pot.
But the chicken was alive, and the pot was filled with straw, and the sound the chicken was making made Saffron doubt that anyone had told it that Uncle Beau had left the Hawaiian house it was nesting in to her.
I'm not an editor of any sort or an expert on grammar but even I can see that:
1) This doesn't need to be two paragraphs.
2) The second run-on sentence/paragraph is a doozy! It should be split up.
3) Word choice and sentence structure is bad. Things like "making made" can be avoided.
4) There are more thats and hads than are necessary.
Here's one way this could've been edited, "It shouldn't have been such a surprise for Saffron to see a chicken in a pot, but THIS chicken was alive and the pot was filled with straw. The sound coming from the chicken made Saffron doubt that anyone told it Uncle Ben had left the Hawaiian house it was now nesting in to her." (It's still a bit clunky, but whatever.)
I know when I had to write for school, my beginnings were always the most difficult. Once I got into the story, my writing smoothed out. So I put that troublesome start aside and tried to read with an open mind... then I noticed the repetitions.
Not only are names used more often than necessary (Saffron this and Saffron that when "she" would work just as well and still make sense), but words are used and reused right after each other, giving the writing a stuttering, almost glitchy flow. For instance, "This was chaos. Saffron didn't do chaos." And a paragraph later, "This was chaos upon chaos." Some of this repetitive usage is fine. Sometimes when you make a point you really want to drive it home, but the author does this A LOT. Like, a lot a lot (see what I did there 😉). Soon after the "chaos," the author talks about a "perfect little compartment... It was a secret compartment... An empty secret compartment." Only about two paragraphs later, we get more of this with, "She hadn't contacted him since... She was glad that they’d had absolutely no contact... She didn’t even have his contact information anymore."
But I pressed on. Then a whole sentence is seemingly cut off, "Saffron could tell by his heavy
The little man glanced at Bernadette. "
She could tell what by his heavy what???
Okay, editing issues happen, so I just tried to move on. I did fairly well ignoring most of these issues until chapter six. Then it seems all pretense of editing just flew out the window. The author tries to describe an important scene. Within two pages "wheelbarrow" is used 19 times, "back" is used 13 times, "shed" is used 8 times, "path" is used 8 times, and many other words are repeated. Yes, you have to talk about the "props" of a scene to describe the scene, but not to this extent. There are many times when "it" would have sufficed instead of "wheelbarrow" and "the building" or "the structure" could be used instead of "shed" because "approached the shed," "corner of the shed," "against the shed," and "behind the shed" are used in quick succession.
Here's a section wherein some of the numerous uses of "back" appear: An old question pushed its way back (1) into her mind. What had *spoiler* been doing around the back (2) of the shed? From the looks of the tracks, it had taken a lot of effort to move the wheelbarrow back (3) there, and there was no feeder back (4) there that she could see.
(1) "back" can be removed altogether
(2) "rear" could be substituted
(3) remove "back" here too
(4) delete "back there" (oddly repeated twice in one sentence) and replace with "in the area."
I'd like to stop there- I know this review is getting tedious- but I can't because the repetitions occur in the dialogue, too. 😩 A character says, "I would have kept him here if I could, but he has gone on, and I have to let him go. We say, 'Hoʻokuʻu.' We let them go, set them free, and in turn, we are set free, and we can go on. You must let him go and go on, too. You couldn't have stopped him from working, and you couldn't have stopped him from dying."
And here's another, "Bernadette was delighted to receive the eggs. 'If you have enough, I'd buy five dozen a day.' Five dozen? Saffron couldn't imagine..."
And a few paragraphs later, "Keahi seemed to know what she was thinking. 'Laki means lucky,' he said. 'Lucky Luau.' Saffron was feeling pretty lucky to be there."
So even character's speech and thoughts are repetitive!
I had to give up at that point.
May 5, 2019
Eggcellent - loved it
Okay I've never been a fan of live chickens but this has certainly changed my outlook. Obviously written by someone who not only understands their care but also loves them in all their different shapes and sizes. Plus it also conveys a rich knowledge of Hawaii. Great plot that is very understated and although it does have murder in it it also is a journey of self discovery by our main character. Warm, vibrant characters that such you into the story almost against your will.
She has inherited the egg farm and has come down from New York to see to the sale. The place is a shambles, a hoarders paradise. Treasure, murder, break-ins, greed and mayhem ensue as she tries to make the place fit for viewing and to enable her OCD nature some respite. Learning about the chickens running wild and trying to corral then back into their pens I'd a learning experience. Is she able to find the killer when no-one, especially the lone policeman, is looking? Will she sell the farm?
Okay I've never been a fan of live chickens but this has certainly changed my outlook. Obviously written by someone who not only understands their care but also loves them in all their different shapes and sizes. Plus it also conveys a rich knowledge of Hawaii. Great plot that is very understated and although it does have murder in it it also is a journey of self discovery by our main character. Warm, vibrant characters that such you into the story almost against your will.
She has inherited the egg farm and has come down from New York to see to the sale. The place is a shambles, a hoarders paradise. Treasure, murder, break-ins, greed and mayhem ensue as she tries to make the place fit for viewing and to enable her OCD nature some respite. Learning about the chickens running wild and trying to corral then back into their pens I'd a learning experience. Is she able to find the killer when no-one, especially the lone policeman, is looking? Will she sell the farm?
June 5, 2025
This book is probably more of a 3.5 for me, but I really did enjoy it. It could be that I read it immediately after a book I despised, but it was a quick, fun little mystery that I really did like reading. It’s not your typical Hawaii setting, and I enjoyed that. The setting reminded me of 50 First Dates in that it was more everyday life in a beautiful place than expensive beach resort. Not high brow literature, but a fun read to kick off the summer!
October 1, 2019
Great mystery, fun read
This was a fun book. The descriptions of the foods make me want to go to Hawaii just to eat. Some inconsistencies in the book were annoying, though. When Saffron walked through the lava tube she had on boots, but afterwards she took off sandals while sitting on the beach. Keahi said the boy that died was five, then on the next page he was six. Saffron used the term slippah when she bought the flip flops, then later was surprised by Keahi to refer to them using that word. Editing missed a few. Overall though, lovely read, will continue the series.
This was a fun book. The descriptions of the foods make me want to go to Hawaii just to eat. Some inconsistencies in the book were annoying, though. When Saffron walked through the lava tube she had on boots, but afterwards she took off sandals while sitting on the beach. Keahi said the boy that died was five, then on the next page he was six. Saffron used the term slippah when she bought the flip flops, then later was surprised by Keahi to refer to them using that word. Editing missed a few. Overall though, lovely read, will continue the series.
June 13, 2020
Lots of fun!
Big city girl Saffron heads to Hawaii for a few weeks to clean out and sell the house her uncle left her when he passed. Turns out it’s not just a house but an egg farm, that’s been badly neglected. While cleaning and organizing she meets several friend of her uncle who offer to help out. Things are starting to look up when one of them winds up dead on her property. Let the sleuthing begin.
This was a fun, light read with lots of great tidbits about Hawaii along the way. Definitely recommend for cozy mystery fans!
Big city girl Saffron heads to Hawaii for a few weeks to clean out and sell the house her uncle left her when he passed. Turns out it’s not just a house but an egg farm, that’s been badly neglected. While cleaning and organizing she meets several friend of her uncle who offer to help out. Things are starting to look up when one of them winds up dead on her property. Let the sleuthing begin.
This was a fun, light read with lots of great tidbits about Hawaii along the way. Definitely recommend for cozy mystery fans!
June 20, 2025
This series has promise, but this first book could have done with a good overhaul by an editor to catch the inconsistencies and filter out the repetition (names especially), along with the bits that were moved around and then didn't make sense (our MC discovered a few things more than once)
On the plus side, the location was a new setting for me in more ways than one - egg farm + Hawaii, and there were a few twists and turns in the mystery.
On the plus side, the location was a new setting for me in more ways than one - egg farm + Hawaii, and there were a few twists and turns in the mystery.
May 6, 2022
I was intrigued by this book because of the great combo of Hawaii and chickens! I love them both and this book did both of these favorites of mine justice. It was a nice beginning to a series I will be definitely continuing.
January 3, 2023
I enjoyed the characters and they were developed well for the circumstances they experiences. The dialog was somewhat repetitive at times but the story was interesting enough that I want to continue to read the series.
May 7, 2019
NEST EGG, the first book in the Aloha Chicken Mystery series by Josi Avari, is a delightful start to a charming series! Set in Hawaii, protagonist Saffron Skye intends to stay for a few weeks, at most, to settle her deceased uncle’s estate. She plans to then head back to the hectic pace of her east coast life where her OCD is a tremendous help in running a successful event planning business. But the laidback magic of Hawaii starts to grow on her, along with the adorable chickens running around her uncle’s property. From there the reader is treated to a charming story that captured and held my attention for the entire read. I enjoyed watching Saffron unwind and allow herself to get to know the locals and even become good friends with them. The chickens…I didn’t know I could like chickens until I read NEST EGG! Ms. Avari provides personalities for them and they stole the spotlight of each scene they were in. It also gave her opportunities for creating some humorous situations which had me chuckling.
Along with the mystery of who would want to murder one of her uncle’s womanizing friends (who’s close to 100 years old!) there are also subplot mysteries. Where could the missing local young woman be? Along with the mystery of Saffron’s own father’s abandonment and disappearance when she was very young. Ms. Avari does an effective job of weaving the threads of the plots together and provides several interesting suspects to keep the reader hunting for clues. NEST EGG is an entertaining cozy mystery that captures the magic of Hawaii and makes the reader think about the melting pot of characters long after the last word is written. I look forward to reading each book in this delightful new series!
Along with the mystery of who would want to murder one of her uncle’s womanizing friends (who’s close to 100 years old!) there are also subplot mysteries. Where could the missing local young woman be? Along with the mystery of Saffron’s own father’s abandonment and disappearance when she was very young. Ms. Avari does an effective job of weaving the threads of the plots together and provides several interesting suspects to keep the reader hunting for clues. NEST EGG is an entertaining cozy mystery that captures the magic of Hawaii and makes the reader think about the melting pot of characters long after the last word is written. I look forward to reading each book in this delightful new series!
September 16, 2024
This book was just not for me. I started enjoying the book but by the time we got to the middle I was losing interesting. The story took too long to get anywhere, maybe it would have been better as a shorter story. I know the author wanted to set the location as Hawaii but with all the food talk, far to much information on chickens and the love interests, I lost interest and struggled to finish the book. Which is a shame because I did like the characters and the location, just maybe not quite in so much detail. I liked Saffron as a main character and the bond she had with the chicken and rooster but two men falling over her got annoying, especially as it didn't stop her from think of them as the killer. The mystery was slow, with setting up the scene, but it did have a few twists at the end.
After her estranged uncles death Saffron heads to Hawaii to settle up his estate before returning back to her life. The problem is when she gets there the property is over run with chicken and in badly neglected. Before she can sell it she has to fix it up and not knowing the first thing about chicken or island life she turns to her uncles two best friends for help. Before she can do more than catcher a few chickens one of the old men dies. He was nearly a 100 and despite his clean bill of health no body is surprised , except Saffron. She can't believe it was natural causes and set sets out to prove it. When somebody breaks into her uncles house, it feels like the two incidents are connected. Can she prove that she isn't just a city girl ruffling feather over nothing?
I liked the narrator. She helped with the island feel to the book with her paid back approach to the story.
After her estranged uncles death Saffron heads to Hawaii to settle up his estate before returning back to her life. The problem is when she gets there the property is over run with chicken and in badly neglected. Before she can sell it she has to fix it up and not knowing the first thing about chicken or island life she turns to her uncles two best friends for help. Before she can do more than catcher a few chickens one of the old men dies. He was nearly a 100 and despite his clean bill of health no body is surprised , except Saffron. She can't believe it was natural causes and set sets out to prove it. When somebody breaks into her uncles house, it feels like the two incidents are connected. Can she prove that she isn't just a city girl ruffling feather over nothing?
I liked the narrator. She helped with the island feel to the book with her paid back approach to the story.
August 8, 2023
A year after his death, Saffron hears the news that she's inherited her uncle's house and chicken farm in Hawaii, so she travels to the little island to clean things up, hoping to make enough money to enrich her wedding planning business. Saffron has always had an eye for color and organization, so when she finds that the house is heaping with clutter and hasn't been cleaned since her aunt's death nearly twenty years earlier, she has to race against time to get the property presentable before the scheduled open house. But when she's awakened by a rooster alerting her to a string of break ins in her home and a dead body by the shed, she discovers that there's a lot about her uncle she never thought to wonder about.
This is everything I'm hoping for in a cozy mystery. The setting is serene, and it has just the right level of romance and danger to keep things exciting without taking away from the decorating and small farming elements, not to mention the mystery and relationships. The ending was thrilling, leaving me with a taste for more. This book was a gift, but I won't hesitate to pick up more books in this series.
This is everything I'm hoping for in a cozy mystery. The setting is serene, and it has just the right level of romance and danger to keep things exciting without taking away from the decorating and small farming elements, not to mention the mystery and relationships. The ending was thrilling, leaving me with a taste for more. This book was a gift, but I won't hesitate to pick up more books in this series.
December 22, 2023
I'll admit it - this book caught my eye simply because of the cover art :) Add Hawaii, an N title and recommendations from several GR friends, how could I not want to read it?
Initially, I didn't care much for Saffron, the MC, mostly due to her attitude toward the island and even the people who live there. As she got to know them, though, that attitude changed, so I give her character props for being open-minded in the long run. It was fun to learn about chickens too, even though I have no desire to raise them myself :)
The culprit in this story was obvious almost from the start, so it was just a matter of watching Saffron learn more about the situation, then piece it all together. Even her decision at the end of the book wasn't a surprise, but I was still glad to read it.
I will definitely continue this series and look forward to learning more about chickens and how Saffron adapts to life in small town Hawaii.
Initially, I didn't care much for Saffron, the MC, mostly due to her attitude toward the island and even the people who live there. As she got to know them, though, that attitude changed, so I give her character props for being open-minded in the long run. It was fun to learn about chickens too, even though I have no desire to raise them myself :)
The culprit in this story was obvious almost from the start, so it was just a matter of watching Saffron learn more about the situation, then piece it all together. Even her decision at the end of the book wasn't a surprise, but I was still glad to read it.
I will definitely continue this series and look forward to learning more about chickens and how Saffron adapts to life in small town Hawaii.
February 25, 2020
I loved this first book in a new mystery series. It takes place in Hawaii and I felt like I was truly back there with the fantastic descriptions written. I love the main character Saffron and all of the cast of fun and sometimes quirky characters found in this book. Nest Egg is easy to read and I felt like I wanted the book to never end. I was so happy to see a second book is coming soon with the same characters on the same island. I also loved the fresh take on chickens and seeing them from a different perspective. I also like how the main character got a new chance at life and understanding her family that she really never knew that well. The mystery was intriguing and I enjoyed along with Saffron, trying to figure out who was behind everything. Give this book a chance and I know you'll be a fan.
May 1, 2019
The characters and setting in this book are charming. I thought the mystery was accessible for younger readers as well as adults and not overwhelming. I spent all last summer reading Agatha Christie and I'm fairly selective about the mysteries I read, but I loved this introduction to a new solver of mysteries. My only complaint, and this is a small one, is that I wish Saffron Skye had been a bit more proactive at finding clues. A few times too often she stumbled on conversations and put the pieces together accidentally, rather than figuring out where to find answers and seeking them out. However, I love this series and will read it over and over again. The ways the mysteries are put together is clever and original.
January 4, 2023
A body in the yard
Saffron has left her two assistants in charge of her event planning business in Washington, DC, to go to Hawaii. Her uncle had left her his egg farm in his will and, being the organized person she is, she planned to evaluate the farm to prepare it for sale. As it happened, the legacy had need of her attention to detail, having been left for quite some time without an occupant.
Join Saffron as her to-do list gets longer and longer. You'll want to join her and the chickens of Hawaii as she is drawn into the community that was her uncle s and welcomes her with open arms,
Saffron has left her two assistants in charge of her event planning business in Washington, DC, to go to Hawaii. Her uncle had left her his egg farm in his will and, being the organized person she is, she planned to evaluate the farm to prepare it for sale. As it happened, the legacy had need of her attention to detail, having been left for quite some time without an occupant.
Join Saffron as her to-do list gets longer and longer. You'll want to join her and the chickens of Hawaii as she is drawn into the community that was her uncle s and welcomes her with open arms,
March 15, 2023
Eggciting
I liked this colorful, bright, brilliant wash of color story that moved with the ease of an Hawaiian paradise. The allure of intrigue and comparison of city life to a laid back life of paradise where secrets, and death couldn't diminish the sense of island serenity.
The story hatched a path of hardboiled mystery and cracked character s that lead to an eggciting story of family, love and secrets. Drawing the reader to discover, explore and fall in love with the beauty of Hawaii and it wild, and domestic beauty. Can you see with the brilliance of a protective mother hen or crow of a rooster. This is an eggcellent read!
I liked this colorful, bright, brilliant wash of color story that moved with the ease of an Hawaiian paradise. The allure of intrigue and comparison of city life to a laid back life of paradise where secrets, and death couldn't diminish the sense of island serenity.
The story hatched a path of hardboiled mystery and cracked character s that lead to an eggciting story of family, love and secrets. Drawing the reader to discover, explore and fall in love with the beauty of Hawaii and it wild, and domestic beauty. Can you see with the brilliance of a protective mother hen or crow of a rooster. This is an eggcellent read!
April 7, 2025
Nest Egg by Josi Avari is the first book in the Aloha Chicken Mysteries series. Saffron Skye, a wedding planner in Washington DC, inherits a chicken farm in Hawaii from her uncle and starts to clean it up to sell only to come across the body of one of her uncle's friends dead in a wheelbarrow near the hen house. An interesting mystery. Saffron is a tetrachromat which makes her able to see colours others can't, and it was interesting to learn about her condition and how it affects her. We learn a lot about chickens and running an egg farm along with Saffron as well as a little about Hawaii and some of it's culture. A laid back, relaxed cozy mystery.
April 8, 2023
I liked this book. It is the first book that I am reading that is set in Hawaii and the descriptions of the scenery conjured my imagination. Great characters, Saffron is a winner, she grows on you, definitely not the usual excitable heroine seeing every new male as a future husband.
The story of her doings in Hawaii could have been the complete story, the murder only added a little more to it. Saffron, apparently, has her own secrets.
Watch out for the surprise ending. Go ahead and read especially if you like chickens and want to learn new words to describe colour.
The story of her doings in Hawaii could have been the complete story, the murder only added a little more to it. Saffron, apparently, has her own secrets.
Watch out for the surprise ending. Go ahead and read especially if you like chickens and want to learn new words to describe colour.
June 18, 2023
The first half of this book looked like it was heading into Hallmark movie territory, with a young woman traveling to Hawaii to inherit her uncle's egg farm. There, she meets an eclectic local population and a strong candidate for a love interest. But then it turned into a satisfying murder/mystery. The strongest part of the book was the description of the setting, I felt like I was right there in Hawaii with the characters. Once the murder/mystery portion of the book started, I got sucked in.
January 16, 2024
Chicken or the egg?
I had mixed feelings about how this mystery unfolded. The plot had enough twists to make sure I kept reading. The characters were placed to keep the story moving. The dialog was realistic enough. But...Saffron showed a love interest in Keahi. Saffron showed a love interest in Nik. Why both?
Greed, unrequited love, jealousy, community, family secrets, misplaced loyalty, friendships, adventure. Is that too much or just enough?
I kinda liked Nest Egg, kinda, but I'm not committed to reading any more in this series.
I had mixed feelings about how this mystery unfolded. The plot had enough twists to make sure I kept reading. The characters were placed to keep the story moving. The dialog was realistic enough. But...Saffron showed a love interest in Keahi. Saffron showed a love interest in Nik. Why both?
Greed, unrequited love, jealousy, community, family secrets, misplaced loyalty, friendships, adventure. Is that too much or just enough?
I kinda liked Nest Egg, kinda, but I'm not committed to reading any more in this series.
April 21, 2025
Chicken Scratches
An unexpected Hawaiian inheritance, a house of hoarded secrets, a small town of interesting characters, a murder mystery, romantic intrigue, and quirky characters. Big-city girl Saffron Skye is ready to quickly settle her uncle’s estate and get back to her business in Washington, D.C. She’s organized, detail-oriented and in control. What could possibly go wrong? The reader will be swept along as the plot twists and turns its way to the final page. A solid 4.5 stars.
An unexpected Hawaiian inheritance, a house of hoarded secrets, a small town of interesting characters, a murder mystery, romantic intrigue, and quirky characters. Big-city girl Saffron Skye is ready to quickly settle her uncle’s estate and get back to her business in Washington, D.C. She’s organized, detail-oriented and in control. What could possibly go wrong? The reader will be swept along as the plot twists and turns its way to the final page. A solid 4.5 stars.
August 15, 2025
3.9 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fun enough book club pick! The plot was okay. Easy to follow and I couldn’t figure out where it was going until it unfolded, which isn’t a bad thing. In other words, it wasn’t the most predictable plot line. Romance was very subtle and wasn’t the center or driver of the plot, which I appreciated. At the end of the day, the chicken farm was the best part.
Was it the best thing I’ve ever read? No. Was it insufferable? Nope. It was an easy listen (audiobook) although I didn’t love the narrator choice.
Fun enough book club pick! The plot was okay. Easy to follow and I couldn’t figure out where it was going until it unfolded, which isn’t a bad thing. In other words, it wasn’t the most predictable plot line. Romance was very subtle and wasn’t the center or driver of the plot, which I appreciated. At the end of the day, the chicken farm was the best part.
Was it the best thing I’ve ever read? No. Was it insufferable? Nope. It was an easy listen (audiobook) although I didn’t love the narrator choice.
February 15, 2021
Wonderful series
I enjoy book series that intertwine the books together. However a series that just repeats the same plot is boring. This series is WONDERFUL. Each book can stand on its own but reading them in order gives more of a flow. Absolutely worth reading and enjoying. In fact you also learn about chickens and our Aloha state. (I am reading the last book of this series right now )
I enjoy book series that intertwine the books together. However a series that just repeats the same plot is boring. This series is WONDERFUL. Each book can stand on its own but reading them in order gives more of a flow. Absolutely worth reading and enjoying. In fact you also learn about chickens and our Aloha state. (I am reading the last book of this series right now )
January 7, 2023
When I found a series of books with chickens, I knew I had to read it. I absolutely loved this story. I feel like I spent time in Hawaii with Saffron and the others, and I want to live on an egg farm like hers in Hawaii. I loved how the chickens and the farm had a role in everything, and it felt appropriate, not forced. I know my fluffy girls would approve completely. I look forward to reading more of these books!
January 12, 2023
Enjoyable cozy mystery series
I waited to write this review until I had read more of the books in the series and found myself enjoying each one. The plot premise is unique, the descriptions of Hawaii tantalizing and the characters interesting. The main character does make stupid decisions at times but that’s not enough to derail my enjoyment of the books. Definitely worth reading!
I waited to write this review until I had read more of the books in the series and found myself enjoying each one. The plot premise is unique, the descriptions of Hawaii tantalizing and the characters interesting. The main character does make stupid decisions at times but that’s not enough to derail my enjoyment of the books. Definitely worth reading!
July 4, 2024
I picked this title for a new (to me) book club. It's a quick read but it's not hastily written. The author appreciated the culture she was writing about and that care is shown in the descriptions. I'm curious to see where the series goes. I've read other cozy mystery series and this hasn't always been the case. There are parts of Saffron's own backstory that are left unanswered. I do like the final twist. I didn't see that coming.
July 2, 2025
This is a niche book. If you like Hallmark mysteries, HGTV, and chickens then I think you will really enjoy this one. It is extremely formulaic, but there were a couple of twists. Overall, it’s a very easy and wholesome read. I appreciated that you could give this to a middle schooler who could feel very “adult” reading this without explicitly graphic scenes or foul language (there is one simple kiss in the end). The details about Hawaii are a nice addition.
March 10, 2019
Such a fun story. It has everything you want in a good cozy mystery: interesting characters, an amazing setting, and a mystery that will keep you turning the pages. I’ve always wanted to visit Hawaii and this book made me want to even more. Plus, Avari’s food descriptions have me dreaming of a full Hawaii’s feast.
March 10, 2021
The book is riddled with typos, the ending is too fast, and I didn't connect as much with the main character as I wanted to. Still, this was a light, fluffy read and I enjoyed it; I loved the setting and the other characters. Will read more in the series.
(PS, Josi Avari, call me, I'll copyedit these for you!)
(PS, Josi Avari, call me, I'll copyedit these for you!)
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