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Small Town Minnesota #1
Halloween Hayride Murder
Earl wanted to stop the Halloween Hayride. Someone ran him over with it. Can the Hayride get back on track before Halloween is ruined?
Tessa is back in her hometown, picking up the pieces of her life as a young widow. Besides passing the time by working at the B&B that her parents own, Tessa joined the Halloween Hayride Committee to help give back to her small town. Plans are going great but then Earl whisks into town, threatening to shut down the beloved Hayride and someone takes it upon themselves to run him down with the tractor.
Now Tessa’s gotten herself tangled up in the mess, tripping over clues and getting more and more involved. Someone has to get the Hayride back on track and she has decided that someone has to be her. It is the only way she can think of to take charge of her life and thank her hometown for welcoming her back when her life fell apart.
The only problem is that while Tessa is trying to solve the case, the murderer is keeping an eye on her. Can Tessa figure out who ran over Earl before the tractor-riding killer strikes again?
Buy Halloween Hayride Murder to help save the hometown tradition today.
Tessa is back in her hometown, picking up the pieces of her life as a young widow. Besides passing the time by working at the B&B that her parents own, Tessa joined the Halloween Hayride Committee to help give back to her small town. Plans are going great but then Earl whisks into town, threatening to shut down the beloved Hayride and someone takes it upon themselves to run him down with the tractor.
Now Tessa’s gotten herself tangled up in the mess, tripping over clues and getting more and more involved. Someone has to get the Hayride back on track and she has decided that someone has to be her. It is the only way she can think of to take charge of her life and thank her hometown for welcoming her back when her life fell apart.
The only problem is that while Tessa is trying to solve the case, the murderer is keeping an eye on her. Can Tessa figure out who ran over Earl before the tractor-riding killer strikes again?
Buy Halloween Hayride Murder to help save the hometown tradition today.
293 pages, Paperback
Published January 4, 2019
625 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
September 22, 2024
Tessa was so sassy I loved her.
April 3, 2020
I really enjoyed this book a lot! It wasn't super long, but I feel like the author did a good job making me like the main characters and what made them tick. For once, the main character wasn't blamed for the murder that happened. One of Tessa's boyfriends was a police officer, so she seemed to be cut a little slack in investigating, even though he made sure he warned her a lot. I felt sorry for Tessa having lost her husband so young, but she seemed very much at peace with returning to her hometown and working at her parents' B&B. She had some sweet memories of her husband that she'd pull out at different times.
Just when I didn't think I'd figure this out, some great clues started appearing, and I knew who the killer was, but I didn't know why they did it. I loved this small town and their Halloween Hayride. It sounded like tons of fun, and now I'm anxious to read the next one about Christmas in Shady Lake, Minnesota.
Just when I didn't think I'd figure this out, some great clues started appearing, and I knew who the killer was, but I didn't know why they did it. I loved this small town and their Halloween Hayride. It sounded like tons of fun, and now I'm anxious to read the next one about Christmas in Shady Lake, Minnesota.
October 30, 2021
Book 1 I knew who the killer was before I found out. This book in series was kinda boring. It was about a man Earl that was trying to early the Halloween Hayride event. It was on his property and did not want it there. Ronald the mayor was very kind hearted but he could not stand Earl. His bodyguard Ralph really did not like him at all. His cousin Sussi was trying to get the property from Earl because he was not ruining things right and his girlfriend Candy thinks he was cheating on her. Earl got ran over by a tracker. And it was a long haul of the book 1 from there. I probably will not read anymory . But I might I don't know yet
November 6, 2021
Red and orange leaves were swirling down Main Street, pushed by a chilly October wind that made me shiver even though I was safe and warm in The Donut Hut.
Tessa is a recent widow who has returned to her hometown to work in her family's B&B. She is part of the committee for the annual Halloween Hayride. She and boyfriend number one discover the body of the landowner when she goes to practice driving the tractor for the hayride.
This book as difficult to read and I almost did not finish it. The only reason I continued was because I needed it for a challenge.
Tessa seems to spend most of her time eating donuts and drinking coffee. She has also created a love triangle by dating her high school sweetheart who is now on the police force and the new teacher at the high school. I loathe love triangles. The fact that Tessa intentionally dates both men and promises to go to the annual festivities with both really bothered me.
The murder plot was pretty obvious from the beginning. The victim was not well liked and the culprit was presented fairly early in the story.
I don't know that I would continue reading this series.
Tessa is a recent widow who has returned to her hometown to work in her family's B&B. She is part of the committee for the annual Halloween Hayride. She and boyfriend number one discover the body of the landowner when she goes to practice driving the tractor for the hayride.
This book as difficult to read and I almost did not finish it. The only reason I continued was because I needed it for a challenge.
Tessa seems to spend most of her time eating donuts and drinking coffee. She has also created a love triangle by dating her high school sweetheart who is now on the police force and the new teacher at the high school. I loathe love triangles. The fact that Tessa intentionally dates both men and promises to go to the annual festivities with both really bothered me.
The murder plot was pretty obvious from the beginning. The victim was not well liked and the culprit was presented fairly early in the story.
I don't know that I would continue reading this series.
March 31, 2021
Very interesting twist to town fun! I liked that you thought the plot was going on one direction but was twisted around to keep you engrossed from start to finish!
May 24, 2024
You know that main character you wish the tractor would run over instead of the victim I. The story? Well it’s this one!!! Wow, she is so unlikeable. Condescending, I mean she literally tells the cops they suck and had no brains and she was better at investigating than they were!!!!! sadly they didn’t arrest her 😒😒
September 18, 2020
A nice cozy mystery.
I enjoyed this mystery. I like the plot and the main characters. It wasn't hard for me to figure out who was the murderer, but I enjoyed Tessa shifting through clues and working at her parents' B & B. She also has two men who are interested in her.
I enjoyed this mystery. I like the plot and the main characters. It wasn't hard for me to figure out who was the murderer, but I enjoyed Tessa shifting through clues and working at her parents' B & B. She also has two men who are interested in her.
November 6, 2020
Tessa is 30 and recently lost her husband in a car accident so she decided to leave her marketing career in the city to return home and work the desk of her parent's B&B. She also gets invited to join the town's Halloween Hayride committee to organize the big fundraising event of the year. The local bad guy is causing problems for the Halloween Hayride and ends up dead at the wheels of the hayride tractor. Tessa based on her love of true crime podcasts can't help but involve herself. There are a lot of coffee and donuts being consumed, way too much giggling and seems odd that a 30 year old recent widow's biggest personal struggle is which boy to join in a couple costume and choosing the costume. The writing was great and characters are not fully there but it was short and I appreciate the love for fall and donuts. Not sure I would read more from this author but we will see.
September 14, 2025
Halloween Hayride Murder had potential with its cozy fall setting, but it didn’t work for me. The mystery was far too predictable, and the characters often felt inconsistent—especially Tessa, who didn’t always act her age. The constant reminders of her grief, repeated references to donuts and coffee, and the distracting love triangle made the story feel repetitive rather than engaging.
On top of that, the writing style was uneven, with awkward dialogue and overused phrases that pulled me out of the narrative. I went in hoping for a fun, suspenseful Halloween read, but instead found it unpolished and frustrating.
On top of that, the writing style was uneven, with awkward dialogue and overused phrases that pulled me out of the narrative. I went in hoping for a fun, suspenseful Halloween read, but instead found it unpolished and frustrating.
October 29, 2020
A cozy mystery
I always turn to cozy mysteries when I need something fun and easy to read, and this was just that. I did find it a bit predictable, and repetitive. I solved The Who Dunnit really early on, and wished there was a lot more Halloween infused into the story rather than mentions of a few Halloween donuts and a hayride.
Minor complaints aside it was a fun quick read and if you are a fan of cozy mysteries I would definitely recommend this one!
I always turn to cozy mysteries when I need something fun and easy to read, and this was just that. I did find it a bit predictable, and repetitive. I solved The Who Dunnit really early on, and wished there was a lot more Halloween infused into the story rather than mentions of a few Halloween donuts and a hayride.
Minor complaints aside it was a fun quick read and if you are a fan of cozy mysteries I would definitely recommend this one!
December 24, 2024
After losing her husband in an accident, Tessa has moved back to her hometown and is living and working with her parents in their B&B. In an effort to acclimate back into the town she joins the Halloween Hayride Committee.
The committee has everything ready to go when the new owner of the farm used for the hayride, Earl, threatens to revoke his permission to use his land. Within days there is more to worry about than the loss of the hayride, when Earl is found dead, run over by a tractor, on the farm. Tessa finds the man when there to check on the venue.
Tessa begins to look for clues to find the killer and quickly develops a list of suspects.
This is the first book in the Small Town Minnesota series. I will not recommend this book to anyone. There are some realistic elements scattered throughout the book, but overall I was not engaged.
The committee has everything ready to go when the new owner of the farm used for the hayride, Earl, threatens to revoke his permission to use his land. Within days there is more to worry about than the loss of the hayride, when Earl is found dead, run over by a tractor, on the farm. Tessa finds the man when there to check on the venue.
Tessa begins to look for clues to find the killer and quickly develops a list of suspects.
This is the first book in the Small Town Minnesota series. I will not recommend this book to anyone. There are some realistic elements scattered throughout the book, but overall I was not engaged.
September 12, 2022
Terrible writing in need of major editing
It read like one of those story books you get in language classes in high school in which everything is said three times so you can understand the difference in grammar. Sadly, you don't actually learn anything from this book except to appreciate other authors.
The only saving grace of this book is that it was short. I could live with the predictable plot if the writing hadn't been so hard to get through. It reads like someone's first draft (a bad one).
Honestly I wish I could get the last 3 hours of my life back. Maybe this is the authors first work and she didn't have any help, hopefully she has a better proofing team going forward, I will not be bothering to find out.
It read like one of those story books you get in language classes in high school in which everything is said three times so you can understand the difference in grammar. Sadly, you don't actually learn anything from this book except to appreciate other authors.
The only saving grace of this book is that it was short. I could live with the predictable plot if the writing hadn't been so hard to get through. It reads like someone's first draft (a bad one).
Honestly I wish I could get the last 3 hours of my life back. Maybe this is the authors first work and she didn't have any help, hopefully she has a better proofing team going forward, I will not be bothering to find out.
November 21, 2020
Rated 3.5 stars
It was a slow start but as the story progresses it was actor a bad story. The characters are a bit familiar with each other's business but I guess a small town will do that.
It was a slow start but as the story progresses it was actor a bad story. The characters are a bit familiar with each other's business but I guess a small town will do that.
September 30, 2020
Halloween Hayride Murder book review
I really enjoyed this book. The action kept going and the characters were all fun. I would read the story again and refer it to others.
I really enjoyed this book. The action kept going and the characters were all fun. I would read the story again and refer it to others.
October 31, 2019
Disappointed, but glad I checked it out
Initially, I searched Kindle for stories about small towns to serve as inspirational fodder for NaNoWriMo this year. I came across this book, and if not for morbid curiosity, I would have dropped it.
The writer lists on her description a college degree in English. While her copy is not rife with typos, it could used a thorough proofreading by a second set of eyes (besides the author's).
Additionally, this author could use coaching on the art of writing which requires more than knowledge of parts of speach and correct grammar. Passive voice dominates the first, I believe, three chapters. My attention wandered too much to read more than that in depth. Redundancy is another consistent flaw in this novel including sentences back-to-back saying the same thing, re-use of the same phrase or prominent word within a paragraph and/or same sentence.
This author, while I understand the majority of her life/work experience has been around children, greatly needs to spend time studying real people, and if she continues to write for adults, learn how to write how and adult wants to read both in sentence structure and character development. More than once, I found myself wondering if this was a work of juvenile liturature. With some work, I think it could fit well into that category (and I do mean that in the best sense). I did not find the characters believable because their expression and actions did not match what the reader is being told. For instance, Tessa acts as new to the world as a junior high/high school student, yet she is a widow who lost her husband in a tragic accident. Maybe the idea behind a "cozy" mystery is removing all trace of coflict except for the black-hat bad guy, but character still needs to be believable.
The story line and concept was a good start. This serves as the only reason for the second star. In my opinion, it needed a lot more fleshing out as a mystery. It read like a dramatic story which the author tried to force into a murder mystery. While these elements can work well together, this needed a lot more development.
I'd recommend this book to those who don't get too hung up on details and just want a simple, laid-back story to kill a few hours on.
And to the author, sorry for being a jerk, but you have not yet reached your potential. Keep at it! And thank you for inspiring me for a new story!
Initially, I searched Kindle for stories about small towns to serve as inspirational fodder for NaNoWriMo this year. I came across this book, and if not for morbid curiosity, I would have dropped it.
The writer lists on her description a college degree in English. While her copy is not rife with typos, it could used a thorough proofreading by a second set of eyes (besides the author's).
Additionally, this author could use coaching on the art of writing which requires more than knowledge of parts of speach and correct grammar. Passive voice dominates the first, I believe, three chapters. My attention wandered too much to read more than that in depth. Redundancy is another consistent flaw in this novel including sentences back-to-back saying the same thing, re-use of the same phrase or prominent word within a paragraph and/or same sentence.
This author, while I understand the majority of her life/work experience has been around children, greatly needs to spend time studying real people, and if she continues to write for adults, learn how to write how and adult wants to read both in sentence structure and character development. More than once, I found myself wondering if this was a work of juvenile liturature. With some work, I think it could fit well into that category (and I do mean that in the best sense). I did not find the characters believable because their expression and actions did not match what the reader is being told. For instance, Tessa acts as new to the world as a junior high/high school student, yet she is a widow who lost her husband in a tragic accident. Maybe the idea behind a "cozy" mystery is removing all trace of coflict except for the black-hat bad guy, but character still needs to be believable.
The story line and concept was a good start. This serves as the only reason for the second star. In my opinion, it needed a lot more fleshing out as a mystery. It read like a dramatic story which the author tried to force into a murder mystery. While these elements can work well together, this needed a lot more development.
I'd recommend this book to those who don't get too hung up on details and just want a simple, laid-back story to kill a few hours on.
And to the author, sorry for being a jerk, but you have not yet reached your potential. Keep at it! And thank you for inspiring me for a new story!
October 30, 2022
Halloween Hayride Murder is my first book by Linnea West. I picked it up on a whim since it helps out on a Spooky Reads Challenge I’m doing this month.
Summary:
After about a decade of being gone, Tessa Schmidt is back in her small Minnesota town that she loves. Unfortunately, she wished she wasn’t back because she was widowed and needed to be back home to pick up the pieces of her life. That part at least seems to be coming together, and she’s got enough on her plate to keep her mind off her grief. Not only is Autumn a beautiful and exciting time of year for their small town, but she’s also joined the Halloween Hayride Committee, and is looking forward to helping her town raise the money needed with the hayride and assorted Halloween activities. Planning is underway and moving smoothly when trouble barges in, in the form of greedy, troublesome Earl Stone. Earl’s determined to shut the Hayride down for good, but someone shuts Earl down first. It’s not long before Tessa’s stumbling onto Earl’s dead body after being run over by the hayride tractor. With multiple suspects, Tessa makes it her mission to get the hayride back on track even if that means solving the murder. But has Tessa gotten in over her head? While Tessa’s eyes are on the clues she unearths and keeping the hayride plans going, the murderer is keeping their eye on her. Can she uncover the culprit before the deadly tractor driver strikes again?
This was just an okay book for me. The blurb and premise of the story were promising but failed to fully deliver on the anticipation and thrills I think I was looking for. Our heroine, Tessa was a little too TSTL sometimes and her often juvenile speech and actions quickly got on my nerves. I think her story is interesting, and I love the idea of her coming home after so long, and butting into issues she shouldn’t, but everything else just did not work for me. For being a woman of thirty, widowed, and a college graduate, she often seemed much younger. I did enjoy the flashes of her life with her deceased husband. They were sweet and made for a bit more of a connection to Tessa and where she was at in life. I absolutely detested the love triangle that seemed to be in full swing. Not only did Tessa harp on just how unready she was for a serious relationship (her husband passed a year before), but one of her suitors didn’t seem to fit her at all. To me, he was an arrogant a$$ and Tessa couldn’t be or explore the quirkier parts of her personality. I definitely preferred the other suitor. They had history and just felt more comfortable and real when in each other’s company. I do hope the triangle doesn’t continue throughout the series. I don’t feel it’s needed or brings anything to the story other than unremarkable conflict. In the end, I finished Halloween Hayride Murder in a lot more time than I thought it should have taken me. It was a slower read, but I was determined since it contributed to a challenge I am doing. The mystery wasn’t all that hard to figure out, if I’m honest. Even without reading the blurb, I could have pinpointed the future murder victim as soon as he was introduced. I had also figured out the murderer well before the end of the book when it was revealed. I spent the majority of the end of the book wondering how Tessa didn’t see it or at the very least suspect anything about the culprit. I also spent it shaking my head at the absolute craziness of some of her actions. While this book wasn’t an epic mystery read that will have me thinking about it long into the future, it did provide enough world-building to intrigue me about where Tessa will ultimately end up. I can only hope that her character isn’t quite so juvenile or unthinking in her disregard for the law and chain of evidence in future books. I’m not positive I’ll continue on in this series, but I do like the fact that the books are set during specific times of year and may again work for me to pick up for a challenge. For that, I will keep it in the back of my head for the future. ♡
Summary:
After about a decade of being gone, Tessa Schmidt is back in her small Minnesota town that she loves. Unfortunately, she wished she wasn’t back because she was widowed and needed to be back home to pick up the pieces of her life. That part at least seems to be coming together, and she’s got enough on her plate to keep her mind off her grief. Not only is Autumn a beautiful and exciting time of year for their small town, but she’s also joined the Halloween Hayride Committee, and is looking forward to helping her town raise the money needed with the hayride and assorted Halloween activities. Planning is underway and moving smoothly when trouble barges in, in the form of greedy, troublesome Earl Stone. Earl’s determined to shut the Hayride down for good, but someone shuts Earl down first. It’s not long before Tessa’s stumbling onto Earl’s dead body after being run over by the hayride tractor. With multiple suspects, Tessa makes it her mission to get the hayride back on track even if that means solving the murder. But has Tessa gotten in over her head? While Tessa’s eyes are on the clues she unearths and keeping the hayride plans going, the murderer is keeping their eye on her. Can she uncover the culprit before the deadly tractor driver strikes again?
This was just an okay book for me. The blurb and premise of the story were promising but failed to fully deliver on the anticipation and thrills I think I was looking for. Our heroine, Tessa was a little too TSTL sometimes and her often juvenile speech and actions quickly got on my nerves. I think her story is interesting, and I love the idea of her coming home after so long, and butting into issues she shouldn’t, but everything else just did not work for me. For being a woman of thirty, widowed, and a college graduate, she often seemed much younger. I did enjoy the flashes of her life with her deceased husband. They were sweet and made for a bit more of a connection to Tessa and where she was at in life. I absolutely detested the love triangle that seemed to be in full swing. Not only did Tessa harp on just how unready she was for a serious relationship (her husband passed a year before), but one of her suitors didn’t seem to fit her at all. To me, he was an arrogant a$$ and Tessa couldn’t be or explore the quirkier parts of her personality. I definitely preferred the other suitor. They had history and just felt more comfortable and real when in each other’s company. I do hope the triangle doesn’t continue throughout the series. I don’t feel it’s needed or brings anything to the story other than unremarkable conflict. In the end, I finished Halloween Hayride Murder in a lot more time than I thought it should have taken me. It was a slower read, but I was determined since it contributed to a challenge I am doing. The mystery wasn’t all that hard to figure out, if I’m honest. Even without reading the blurb, I could have pinpointed the future murder victim as soon as he was introduced. I had also figured out the murderer well before the end of the book when it was revealed. I spent the majority of the end of the book wondering how Tessa didn’t see it or at the very least suspect anything about the culprit. I also spent it shaking my head at the absolute craziness of some of her actions. While this book wasn’t an epic mystery read that will have me thinking about it long into the future, it did provide enough world-building to intrigue me about where Tessa will ultimately end up. I can only hope that her character isn’t quite so juvenile or unthinking in her disregard for the law and chain of evidence in future books. I’m not positive I’ll continue on in this series, but I do like the fact that the books are set during specific times of year and may again work for me to pick up for a challenge. For that, I will keep it in the back of my head for the future. ♡
September 5, 2021
Tessa moved back home to her small Minnesota town when her husband was killed in an accident. Now she's a young widow who works at her parents' B&B. She's also joined the Halloween Hayride committee, glad to be part of the community again. But one morning when the committee is meeting, a strange man enters and makes demands of them or he'll shut it down. Tessa later learns that Earl inherited everything from his late uncle, and wants to charge them an exorbitant fee to use the land for the hayride, that they've used forever for free.
When Tessa and her friend Clark go to the shed where the tractor is kept, it's missing. They soon discover that someone has used it to run over Earl, and now the police are looking for someone with a motive -- like the mayor. Tessa takes it upon herself to find out who killed Earl, but he wasn't well-liked in the community. With too many suspects and too many motives, she needs to find a killer who just might be someone she never expected...
I love 'reading the season,' and since Halloween isn't too far away, I thought I would start with this book, since it sounded promising. Soon enough I discovered that it wasn't. Tessa, who only lost her husband a little over a year ago, is now making goo-goo eyes at two bachelors in town: Clark, a high school teacher; and her ex-boyfriend Max, who's a police officer. She's "casually dating" them both, meaning they can see other people and so can she. As she reminds us often (too often), it's 'just fun and games'. But they both pretty much make her knees weak, and I find that odd since her husband hasn't been gone that long and she professes her grief for him often, too. Not that I'm saying people shouldn't move on. But it's one thing to profess grief and another in the next sentence for two men to make you all giggly like a teenager.
Unfortunately, I also abhor love triangles. So much so I avoid them if possible. Then there's the idea of 'couples costumes' which inhabits her mind, and which I found odd, since it seemed a big decision of which 'boy' to go to the festival with based on a costume. (Tessa also ate a lot of donuts, stressed or not. Her body and skin must love her for it.)
There was a lot of repetition. So, so much. Like how much she loved her husband. How she is only casually dating these two men. We get it. You don't want a commitment and neither do they, but we don't need to be told that constantly. It was taking away from the mystery portion of the book, and it was almost as if Tessa was trying to convince herself that she was still mourning her husband. Sorry, but that's just how I saw it.
I really do love to try new authors, but this book got on my last nerve, and I just wanted it to end. When the ending comes and the killer is revealed, I didn't find it too believable at all; and I wish I did. I hate dinging new authors, and because of that, I will read the next in the series and see if it improves. Hopefully, the characters will have some depth by then. Sorry.
When Tessa and her friend Clark go to the shed where the tractor is kept, it's missing. They soon discover that someone has used it to run over Earl, and now the police are looking for someone with a motive -- like the mayor. Tessa takes it upon herself to find out who killed Earl, but he wasn't well-liked in the community. With too many suspects and too many motives, she needs to find a killer who just might be someone she never expected...
I love 'reading the season,' and since Halloween isn't too far away, I thought I would start with this book, since it sounded promising. Soon enough I discovered that it wasn't. Tessa, who only lost her husband a little over a year ago, is now making goo-goo eyes at two bachelors in town: Clark, a high school teacher; and her ex-boyfriend Max, who's a police officer. She's "casually dating" them both, meaning they can see other people and so can she. As she reminds us often (too often), it's 'just fun and games'. But they both pretty much make her knees weak, and I find that odd since her husband hasn't been gone that long and she professes her grief for him often, too. Not that I'm saying people shouldn't move on. But it's one thing to profess grief and another in the next sentence for two men to make you all giggly like a teenager.
Unfortunately, I also abhor love triangles. So much so I avoid them if possible. Then there's the idea of 'couples costumes' which inhabits her mind, and which I found odd, since it seemed a big decision of which 'boy' to go to the festival with based on a costume. (Tessa also ate a lot of donuts, stressed or not. Her body and skin must love her for it.)
There was a lot of repetition. So, so much. Like how much she loved her husband. How she is only casually dating these two men. We get it. You don't want a commitment and neither do they, but we don't need to be told that constantly. It was taking away from the mystery portion of the book, and it was almost as if Tessa was trying to convince herself that she was still mourning her husband. Sorry, but that's just how I saw it.
I really do love to try new authors, but this book got on my last nerve, and I just wanted it to end. When the ending comes and the killer is revealed, I didn't find it too believable at all; and I wish I did. I hate dinging new authors, and because of that, I will read the next in the series and see if it improves. Hopefully, the characters will have some depth by then. Sorry.
May 18, 2021
I love reading novels that are set in different locations and could not recall a previous setting in Minnesota. It appeared from the titles in the series that holiday and seasonal celebrations were ahead so I was ready for some fun!
Then I started reading and I was so distracted by the multiple errors (e.g. grammar, missing text) that at one point I didn’t know if I could even finish the book. I persevered as I was hopeful for improvement. At the conclusion of the story I read, "About the Author." I was stunned to read that the author began writing at an early age including on her high school newspaper and continued her education with a concentration in English and Elementary Education as the errors didn’t convey this type of experience and formal training.
The character of Tessa Schmidt was given a backstory as a young widow returning to her hometown. But Tessa’s behavior of constantly eating donuts at her girlfriend’s business whether stressed or not, whether hungry or not, and her immaturity in the romance segments simply do not match her personal story.
I’m going to concentrate on two (2) quotes in the cozy that I enjoyed so I have something positive to remember about this book.
It appears that the author independently publishes her work so there is not an editing team at her disposal. Many authors publish independently without errors. It must be stated again that spell check is not the beginning and end of editing. Surely there is a family member or friend willing to read the book prior to publication. If not available or not a preference to receive editing suggestions or an informal critique from someone in a close relationship an author can invite an individual(s) to be a beta reader(s). There are many more options for assistance than I suggested. I remain disappointed with this selection and will not continue reading this author.
Then I started reading and I was so distracted by the multiple errors (e.g. grammar, missing text) that at one point I didn’t know if I could even finish the book. I persevered as I was hopeful for improvement. At the conclusion of the story I read, "About the Author." I was stunned to read that the author began writing at an early age including on her high school newspaper and continued her education with a concentration in English and Elementary Education as the errors didn’t convey this type of experience and formal training.
The character of Tessa Schmidt was given a backstory as a young widow returning to her hometown. But Tessa’s behavior of constantly eating donuts at her girlfriend’s business whether stressed or not, whether hungry or not, and her immaturity in the romance segments simply do not match her personal story.
I’m going to concentrate on two (2) quotes in the cozy that I enjoyed so I have something positive to remember about this book.
"Birds were amazing to watch sometimes. They were beautiful creatures and if everyone would just take a few moments out of their day to watch them and listen to them sing, I think it would solve a lot of problems in the world."
"…even the burden of grief that sometimes feels like a heavy suitcase, felt small enough to fit in my pocket tonight."Otherwise, I simply can’t recommend this book.
It appears that the author independently publishes her work so there is not an editing team at her disposal. Many authors publish independently without errors. It must be stated again that spell check is not the beginning and end of editing. Surely there is a family member or friend willing to read the book prior to publication. If not available or not a preference to receive editing suggestions or an informal critique from someone in a close relationship an author can invite an individual(s) to be a beta reader(s). There are many more options for assistance than I suggested. I remain disappointed with this selection and will not continue reading this author.
October 15, 2020
If this is how all small towns are....I never want to visit one!
I know the guy wasn't liked, but....a human being died and all everyone in this town seemed to care about was getting the Halloween Hayride off without a hitch. They were even going to--and I believe did--use the same tractor that killed the guy to conduct the hayride! Talk about disturbing. There was no compassion for a life lost....except from the person that killed him! And the main character was rather juvenile. She went through a big loss--her husband died--and yet....it didn't seem to help her mature or grow at all. She was thirty years old but it felt like she was a teenager. And the rationale for some of these characters' actions was absurd! A man was sent to prison and he didn't tell the cops where something that would free him was....because it would prove he cheated on his diet and he didn't want to disappoint his wife? Are you kidding me? I think she'd be more concerned with you going to prison for a crime you didn't commit.....or believing you actually did commit a crime! And the main character hid a key piece of evidence and acted like it was no big deal. This was all sorts of absurd.
Also, there were a few editing errors that disrupted the flow. There were missing words, the wrong word was used (for example: the author was trying to say something about coordinating costumes but instead used the word 'customer'). I'm sorry, but I am a bit of a stickler for grammar errors and, since there were also tense shifts....this was not a pleasant experience and I will not be continuing on with this series.
I know the guy wasn't liked, but....a human being died and all everyone in this town seemed to care about was getting the Halloween Hayride off without a hitch. They were even going to--and I believe did--use the same tractor that killed the guy to conduct the hayride! Talk about disturbing. There was no compassion for a life lost....except from the person that killed him! And the main character was rather juvenile. She went through a big loss--her husband died--and yet....it didn't seem to help her mature or grow at all. She was thirty years old but it felt like she was a teenager. And the rationale for some of these characters' actions was absurd! A man was sent to prison and he didn't tell the cops where something that would free him was....because it would prove he cheated on his diet and he didn't want to disappoint his wife? Are you kidding me? I think she'd be more concerned with you going to prison for a crime you didn't commit.....or believing you actually did commit a crime! And the main character hid a key piece of evidence and acted like it was no big deal. This was all sorts of absurd.
Also, there were a few editing errors that disrupted the flow. There were missing words, the wrong word was used (for example: the author was trying to say something about coordinating costumes but instead used the word 'customer'). I'm sorry, but I am a bit of a stickler for grammar errors and, since there were also tense shifts....this was not a pleasant experience and I will not be continuing on with this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2025
Okay I found this book hard to get into. The plot seemed like it took a really long time to get to the end. Tessa has moved back home after her husband died in a car crash and is now dating two guys and on the committee for the Halloween hayride when the man who was trying to sabotage the event is murdered the suspects are numerous.
Tessa is a nice main character and tries to do the right thing. Her best friend was a character who I just didn't warm up to. She tends to come across as disapproving a lot and more a mother figure than a girl friend you get drunk with and whisper about sexy guys with. The two men in her life just kind of acted childish around each other and Clark just wasn't my cup of tea.
I did really like the small town atmosphere, the descriptions of the mayor and I think the side characters and their stories actually made the book an okay read.
I might try a second book in the series.
Tessa is a nice main character and tries to do the right thing. Her best friend was a character who I just didn't warm up to. She tends to come across as disapproving a lot and more a mother figure than a girl friend you get drunk with and whisper about sexy guys with. The two men in her life just kind of acted childish around each other and Clark just wasn't my cup of tea.
I did really like the small town atmosphere, the descriptions of the mayor and I think the side characters and their stories actually made the book an okay read.
I might try a second book in the series.
November 9, 2025
3.5/5 ⭐️
Picked this one up to read for a reading challenge spot 🍁
This was cute and cozy! Halloween Hayride Murder had everything I wanted for a seasonal mystery — small town charm, hayrides, pumpkins, and just the right amount of murder.
Tessa is back in her hometown after losing her husband, helping with her family’s bed and breakfast, and trying to get back on her feet. Then a local troublemaker ends up dead, and she finds herself tangled up in the investigation. It’s got that small town gossip, festival chaos, and cozy everyone knows everyone vibe that I love in mysteries like this.
Was it predictable? Yes. But honestly, I didn’t mind. The story moved quickly, the setting felt super atmospheric, and it just gave me that comforting fall feeling I was hoping for.
If you’re looking for a quick, cozy Halloween read with light mystery vibes and a dash of romance, this one definitely hits the spot. Perfect for curling up with a blanket, some apple cider, and a candle burning. 🍂
Picked this one up to read for a reading challenge spot 🍁
This was cute and cozy! Halloween Hayride Murder had everything I wanted for a seasonal mystery — small town charm, hayrides, pumpkins, and just the right amount of murder.
Tessa is back in her hometown after losing her husband, helping with her family’s bed and breakfast, and trying to get back on her feet. Then a local troublemaker ends up dead, and she finds herself tangled up in the investigation. It’s got that small town gossip, festival chaos, and cozy everyone knows everyone vibe that I love in mysteries like this.
Was it predictable? Yes. But honestly, I didn’t mind. The story moved quickly, the setting felt super atmospheric, and it just gave me that comforting fall feeling I was hoping for.
If you’re looking for a quick, cozy Halloween read with light mystery vibes and a dash of romance, this one definitely hits the spot. Perfect for curling up with a blanket, some apple cider, and a candle burning. 🍂
April 5, 2022
When Tessa's husband dies suddenly she decides to return to her hometown and help her parents run their B&B until she can figure out what she wants to do. She also joins the Halloween Committee to help out her community and keep herself busy. Everything seems to be going great until Earl comes back to town and his mission is to make sure the hayride doesn't happen. When Earl is run over by a tractor in the hayride field everyone is a suspect since Earl was not that well liked. In order to keep the hayride part of the Halloween program, Earl's murderer needs to be found and Tessa decides she needs to do some investigating but is she putting herself in danger? Is the murderer keeping an eye on her? Great characters and interesting story/mystery. I love a mystery that takes place in a small town where everyone knows everyone. Looking forward to the 2nd book in the series.
October 30, 2022
Not a bad halloween read for people who dont like scary
I'll admit I dont usually read books like this. I'm more of a fantasy or romance type of reader, but since it's close to Halloween I wanted a more Halloween type book. I picked this one up because it sounded like it would be okay. And it was. It wasn't scary at all. it was very much a cozy mystery story like the title says. I was kept in suspense of who the murderer actually was until close to the end. Once I had an idea of who it was, I kinda figured everything wasn't black and white. I'm sure people who love cozy mystery books would give this a higher rating, but for me it's more of a 3.5 and I rounded up to 4stars to be nice. Would i read it again? Probably not , but am I upset I gave it a shot? No. It was at least entertaining enough to keep my attention and well worth a read if you're bored
I'll admit I dont usually read books like this. I'm more of a fantasy or romance type of reader, but since it's close to Halloween I wanted a more Halloween type book. I picked this one up because it sounded like it would be okay. And it was. It wasn't scary at all. it was very much a cozy mystery story like the title says. I was kept in suspense of who the murderer actually was until close to the end. Once I had an idea of who it was, I kinda figured everything wasn't black and white. I'm sure people who love cozy mystery books would give this a higher rating, but for me it's more of a 3.5 and I rounded up to 4stars to be nice. Would i read it again? Probably not , but am I upset I gave it a shot? No. It was at least entertaining enough to keep my attention and well worth a read if you're bored
November 8, 2021
Halloween and Jealousy Does Not Mix Well.
5 gold stars for this book because it captures you in the first few chapters and keeps you there until the very end. What I liked about this story is that the character Tessa came back home to grieve the loss of her husband Peter; were she has a great support system of her family and friends to help her. I can relate to her because I list my husband to not an accident but of cancer we both have a great support system in place. I would recommend this book to anyone that ever or has lost a spouse, I know its a Mystery but I think they can relate to Tessa. Any age can read this series good and clean.
5 gold stars for this book because it captures you in the first few chapters and keeps you there until the very end. What I liked about this story is that the character Tessa came back home to grieve the loss of her husband Peter; were she has a great support system of her family and friends to help her. I can relate to her because I list my husband to not an accident but of cancer we both have a great support system in place. I would recommend this book to anyone that ever or has lost a spouse, I know its a Mystery but I think they can relate to Tessa. Any age can read this series good and clean.
February 27, 2022
I wanted so badly to love this series. Everything about it ticked my boxes but it was a no go. I got to about chapter 6 and had to call it quits. A 30 year old RECENTLY widowed woman moves back to her home town to help her parents at their B&B. In chapter one you find out she's already dating a teacher and by chapter 6 you find out she's ALSO dating a local cop that she used to date in High School. Her "Heart Races" when they talk to her or she "blushes" when they look at her. Some times she "Giggles". GAG!! Are you serious???? She talks and acts like she's 12 and has TWO "Suitors". Did I mention that she's 30 years old and RECENTLY widowed!! Ridiculous!!!
October 18, 2023
Tessa moves back to a small town after her husband dies. She's working at her parent's B&B and helping out with town's annual Halloween Hayride. When she goes to learn how to drive the pulling tractor, the town's rich guy, who was known to oppose the hayride, is found dead under the tractor. Tessa and ex-boyfriend Max, a local LEO, set out to find the killer.
I liked the relationship between Tessa and BFF Mandy, but Tessa showed a lot of TSTL tendencies. There were only 4 suspects, and it was pretty easy to figure out who was the killer. I do have the next book in the series and will give it a chance to see if gets better.
I liked the relationship between Tessa and BFF Mandy, but Tessa showed a lot of TSTL tendencies. There were only 4 suspects, and it was pretty easy to figure out who was the killer. I do have the next book in the series and will give it a chance to see if gets better.
February 26, 2021
Wow
A wonderful murder mystery. Tessa Schmidt runs a Bed and breakfast inn at Shady Lake. She is one of the committee members for organizing Halloween Hayride. Earl Stone objects to the festival but ends up getting killed. Tessa and Clark who are dating each other stumble upon the body. She finds some clues that points towards Ralph, Earl's Assistant and a watch that is similar to the one worn by Mayor Ronald. Catch Tessa in this hide and seek game of nabbing the actual murderer. Wow. What an amazing climax!
A wonderful murder mystery. Tessa Schmidt runs a Bed and breakfast inn at Shady Lake. She is one of the committee members for organizing Halloween Hayride. Earl Stone objects to the festival but ends up getting killed. Tessa and Clark who are dating each other stumble upon the body. She finds some clues that points towards Ralph, Earl's Assistant and a watch that is similar to the one worn by Mayor Ronald. Catch Tessa in this hide and seek game of nabbing the actual murderer. Wow. What an amazing climax!
October 27, 2021
Fun Halloween read
This was a great story and I read while on vacation over Halloween. The characters are all very likeable and some a bit quirky. The story moves at a fast pace; no boring extra details that aren't really relevant to the story line. Will Tessa ever figure out who the real killer is? The small town means most everyone is friends but Earl wants to stop the town's hayride event before he ends up dead on his own field. Is that why someone killed him? Lots of suspects for different reasons and no clear answer till the end.
This was a great story and I read while on vacation over Halloween. The characters are all very likeable and some a bit quirky. The story moves at a fast pace; no boring extra details that aren't really relevant to the story line. Will Tessa ever figure out who the real killer is? The small town means most everyone is friends but Earl wants to stop the town's hayride event before he ends up dead on his own field. Is that why someone killed him? Lots of suspects for different reasons and no clear answer till the end.
November 7, 2021
As far as cozies go, this was pretty typical. You can tell that the author is a new author, and the writing reflected that. I thought that the characters focused more on the hayride than on the fact that someone was murdered, and that was a bit odd. The police seemed like they were very ineffective. At least twice, the main officer said, "I can't believe we missed that" to something that should have been pretty obvious. I will probably read the next one in the series. I'm hoping that the main character matures a little in the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2023
Halloween / Cozy Mystery / Love triangle
⭐⭐⭐/5
This was a cute holiday cozy mystery. It took a few twists and turns, some were expected, some weren't.
I didn't love the love triangle aspect of it all. It annoyed me that you have this widowed woman, who obviously has a lot of strength, investigating this murder without thinking of what can happen to her. But, when it comes to saying no to a man, has a problem,? That irked me. I did love the flashbacks she had during the story remembering her husband. I thought that was fabulous.
⭐⭐⭐/5
This was a cute holiday cozy mystery. It took a few twists and turns, some were expected, some weren't.
I didn't love the love triangle aspect of it all. It annoyed me that you have this widowed woman, who obviously has a lot of strength, investigating this murder without thinking of what can happen to her. But, when it comes to saying no to a man, has a problem,? That irked me. I did love the flashbacks she had during the story remembering her husband. I thought that was fabulous.
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