Apples and Alibis

Down South Café Mystery #4

by Gayle Leeson

That's the last time Amy agrees to do a favor for a stranger...

Down South Cafe owner, Amy Flowers is in over her head. Operating a cafe while hosting the first Farmers' Market in Winter Garden has her swimming in apples. And when an elderly woman calls the cafe, pleading for a delivery for her upcoming party, Amy relents, feeling compelled to help the desperate customer.

But when she arrives, the woman is slumped over her kitchen table, and Amy is catapulted into the middle of a small-town crime. Guilt-ridden for not arriving earlier to save the woman, she sets out to unravel the mystery surrounding her death. Now, between running the cafe and dealing with the chaos of the farmers' market, Amy is squeezing in a murder investigation, a run-in with her boyfriend's mom, and her own mother's quirky life decisions. Life can't get any worse...or can it? This cafe owner needs a break--in the case.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Ebooks, Audiobook, Fiction

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 13, 2019

About the author

Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. I also write as Amanda Lee. As Gayle Trent, I write the Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series and the Myrtle Crumb Mystery series. As Amanda Lee, I write the Embroidery Mystery series.

The cake decorating series features a heroine who is starting her life over in Southwest Virginia after a nasty divorce. The heroine, Daphne, has returned to her hometown of Brea Ridge to open a cake baking and decorating business and is wrestling with the question of whether or not one can go home again. She enjoys spending time with her sister, nephew, and niece, but she and her mother have a complicated relationship that isn’t always pleasant. Daphne has also reconnected with her high school sweetheart and is pursuing a rekindled romance while desperately trying to put her past behind her.

Kerry Vincent, Hall of Fame Sugar Artist, Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show Director, and Television Personality says the series is “a must read for cake bakers and anyone who has ever spent creative time in the kitchen!”

Says Dean Koontz, #1 New York Times bestselling author, “One day I found myself happily reading . . . mysteries by Gayle Trent. If she can win me over . . . she’s got a great future.”

The Embroidery Mystery series features a heroine who recently moved to the Oregon coast to open an embroidery specialty shop. Marcy Singer left her home in San Francisco, along with the humiliation of being left at the altar, in order to move to Tallulah Falls and realize her dream of owning her own shop. She takes along her faithful companion, a one-year-old Irish wolfhound named Angus O’Ruff. She makes many new friends in Tallulah Falls, but she also makes a few enemies. Thankfully, her best friend Sadie MacKenzie and her husband Blake run the coffeehouse right down the street from Marcy’s shop, the Seven-Year Stitch; and Detective Ted Nash always has her back.

Publishers Weekly says, “Fans of the genre will take kindly to Marcy, her Irish wolfhound, Angus O’Ruff, and Tallulah Falls. This is a fast, pleasant read with prose full of pop culture references and, of course, sharp needlework puns.”

Pat Cooper of RT Book Reviews says, “If her debut here is any indication, Lee’s new series is going to be fun, spunky and educational. She smoothly interweaves plot with her character’s personality and charm, while dropping tantalizing hints of stitching projects and their history. Marcy Singer is young, fun, sharp and likable. Readers will be looking forward to her future adventures.” (RT Book Reviews nominated The Quick and the Thread for a 2010 Book Reviewers’ Choice Award in the Amateur Sleuth category)

I live in Virginia with my family, which includes her own “Angus” who is not an Irish wolfhound but a Great Pyrenees who provides plenty of inspiration for the character of Mr. O’Ruff. I'm having a blast writing this new series!

Reviews

[beachbum bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the fall!!! It’s my favorite season! What better time for a first time visit to the Down-Home Cafe. Amy and the cafe are lovely. She was in the middle of telling me about herself including the new farmers market she started when she got a call for a food delivery. Only the Down-Home Cafe doesn’t do deliveries. Amy doesn’t have the heart to refuse the older woman Gladys Pridemore and agrees to help out just this one time. Amy, her cousin Jackie, and I head out to the woman's house. We found Gladys unconscious, and what smells like a gas leak in the house. When all the action was over, we headed home...worried about Gladys. We should have been she didn’t make it, and the three of us wonder if there was something else, we could have done to save her? We couldn’t save Gladys, but after finding out there was foul play the three of us vowed to bring her justice...


My thoughts:

I listened to the audio version of this book for my “hooked on books” feature. The narration for this book was pretty good...better then most.

This book is 3 very enthusiastic stars. This book has everything I love in cozies! The characters are well developed and quirky (which is just the way I like them). I really enjoyed Homer the cafe guest who came in everyday at the same time and had the same meal. It felt very comfortable...like an old friend. I loved his “hero of the day” and the nuggets of knowledge he gave about the person. I also really enjoyed Aunt Bess...she is a real hoot! Her obsession with crime Pinterest boards was entertaining and laugh out loud funny. Amy is smart, funny, loyal, and didn’t do anything over the top….that can initiate the eye rolling in these books. The get together of the women in this book for a card/girl's night was a nice touch, and one I particularly enjoyed. I’m always a sucker for camaraderie. The corn maze was a welcome fall addition adding to the idyllic setting, and liked how it was cleverly used in the end. The mystery kept me guessing from start to finish...no again I didn’t figure out the killer...shocking I know. Although this may say more about my deduction skills then the writing. Lol. Despite all of these great things...why did the book get a three-star rating? The truth is I don’t know. In full disclosure I haven’t read all the books in this series, and that may be influencing my rating. I do plan on reading the other books in this series and look forward to visiting Down Home Cafe again!

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[Jennifer Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This one didn't suck me in as fast as the other ones. The story was still good though, just not as engaging. I hope I like the next one better.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apples and Alibis by Gayle Leeson is the fourth A Down South Café Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you have not read the previous three books in this series. I like Gayle Leeson’s relaxed writing style which makes for a lovely, easy to read story. Amy Flowers is a kindhearted character who has good friends, a boyfriend, close to her family, and sweet pets. Amy has organized a farmer’s market to take place every Saturday in her parking lot for six weeks which has caused an increase in customers into the café. When Amy receives a call asking for food to be delivered after closing that day, she does not have the heart to refuse Gladys Pridemore. Jackie, Amy’s cousin, tags along and the pair discover Gladys slumped over in her kitchen with a faint pulse. Gladys does not survive, and Amy wants answers despite being warned off by several people. Apples and Alibis is a lighthearted, humorous cozy mystery. It is a character driven story. There are a variety of quirky characters which include Homer and Aunt Bess. Aunt Bess and her zany antics provide many laugh-out-loud moments. Her Pinterest boards are unique especially the one featuring local crime scenes. There is a new doctor in town who Jackie and Amy believe is a good match for Amy’s mother, but another female has her eye on him as well. Amy gets to meet Ryan’s parents after an explosive day at the farmer’s market. The mystery provides a variety of suspects, a red herring or two plus direct clues. This entertaining story has charming cozy moments including the ladies enjoying an evening with Aunt Bess. There are recipes at the end for a couple of Amy’s dishes. I wanted to share one of Homer’s saying with you “curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect.” Apples and Alibis is a witty cozy mystery with an absconded automobile, delectable dishes, a pompous Pridemore, a bothered boyfriend, a spooky corn maze, fiery altercations, and one curious café owner.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I have read in the series and I really enjoyed the mystery! Likeable characters. I love Aunt Bess! What a hoot! Looking forward to reading the rest in the series.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Amy Flowers has an amazing idea for the community of Winter Garden and to bring more business to her Down South Cafe – A Farmer’s Market. She just didn’t realize how much added work it would be for her.

Then she receives a phone call for a food delivery, something the cafe doesn’t have enough staff to offer. The woman sounded desperate so Amy agrees to this one-time delivery. She also persuades her cousin Jackie to come along. But when they arrive they find the woman unconscious at the kitchen table. The police arrive but Amy can’t leave the investigation to them. She feels responsible, in that she hadn’t arrived in time to save Gladys Pridemore.

So she has the Farmer’s Market on her plate where a special vendor gets her nose out of joint, plus a murder case. Add to that a new man in town she thinks is perfect for her mom, an AWOL employee, her Aunt Bess trying to add more pictures to her Crime Board on Pinterest, and dinner with her boyfriend’s parents.

A girl can only juggle so many things . . . good thing Amy is becoming an expert juggler.

Amy Flowers is just so darn nice which is important when you own a customer-driven business. This time her kindness lands her right in the middle of a murder case. She is surrounded by great friends and a few off-the-wall patrons and family members. They are all wonderfully developed and it is easy to get invested in their lives. Homer’s Heroes of the day always make me smile and most times I learn something too. He is a quirky character that has shined in every book in this series.

The mystery had quite a few suspects, twists and complex clues. Like Amy, I try to see the best in people and I think that muddled my thinking. Thankfully, it didn’t muddle Amy’s. I was totally surprised when all was revealed. The author plotted this one out so well.

Oh, I can’t forget to mention the food, so deliciously described, it always leads to at least one dish in an upcoming meal at our house.

I zoomed right through this book. It had a fantastic flow and was totally entertained beginning to end!

This series is a must-read for culinary cozy lovers.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am enjoying this series. But this book wasn’t as good as the others, for me. Will still read the next one. Just hope it will be better than this one.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series and I just found out the author also writes under the name of Gayle Trent, so I am going to check those books out as well.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is so enjoyable. I like the characters and the cafe, it’s a quick read and the mystery was good. Recipes are included at the end.

[Mary Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apples and Alibis
A Down South Cafe Mystery Series, Book #4
Gayle Leeson
5 Stars

Synopsis:

That's the last time Amy agrees to do a favor for a stranger...

Down South Cafe owner, Amy Flowers is in over her head. Operating a cafe while hosting the first Farmers' Market in Winter Garden has her swimming in apples. And when an elderly woman calls the cafe, pleading for a delivery for her upcoming party, Amy relents, feeling compelled to help the desperate customer.

But when she arrives, the woman is slumped over her kitchen table, and Amy is catapulted into the middle of a small-town crime. Guilt-ridden for not arriving earlier to save the woman, she sets out to unravel the mystery surrounding her death. Now, between running the cafe and dealing with the chaos of the farmers' market, Amy is squeezing in a murder investigation, a run-in with her boyfriend's mom, and her own mother's quirky life decisions. Life can't get any worse...or can it? This cafe owner needs a break--in the case. (Goodreads)

Review:

The writing style flows smoothly and is a quick easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning and pulled me along for a thrilling ride. At times I felt like I was a customer at the Down South Cafe, listening in on conversations (some would say eavesdropping) and watching all the action taking place.

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Any time I get to spend with Amy, Jackie and Aunt Bess is time well spent. You can tell how much everyone cares about each other and is willing to go the extra mile to help each other.

The mystery is well plotted and not easily solved. There were numerous clues to sift through and suspects to consider, and you will have to call on your inner sleuth if you want to solve it.

I would recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Whenever I read a book by this author, I know I’m in for a treat.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by BookFunnel, which I greatly appreciate.

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gayle Leeson has crafted another tale of misdirection and murder!

Amy Flowers has agreed to run a Farmers' Market on her parking area for a few weeks (well Saturdays at any rate!), this means the parking lot is full, her cafe is swamped and she and her staff are shattered! In the midst of this she takes a phone call from a frantic elderly lady who needs some food for a small gathering the next day, against her better judgement Amy agrees to this (meaning less time to get ready for a meal with her boyfriend Ryan and his mother), but when she and Jackie arrive at the house there is no answer, they go to the back of the house only the find the owner slumped over the kitchen table!  Mrs Pridemore luckily was alive when they arrived but unfortunately she died later that day in hospital.  The problem is she turns out not to have had a stroke or heart attack and now Amy is going against every one else to try and find out the truth.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book in A Down South Cafe Mystery Book that I read. I now need to go back to read the first three in this series.
Amy runs a cafe and now is overseeing a market outside of her cafe on Saturdays.
She gets drawn into a murder and can’t stop her digging until she gets answers.
This was a fun read and enjoyed my time in Virginia.

I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it. Opinions are my own.

[Sue Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

A first for me

While this isn't the first book in the Down South Cafe series, it's the first one I've read and I loved it. When you have cousins working together in a cafe who find a dead woman what could go wrong? Lots of stuff. You meet the only family the dead woman had and the family who lived on her property. This was a great way for me to be introduced to this series. Now ill go back and start at the beginning.

[Melissa Castor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and charming series set in a small town in Virginia. Amy runs the Down South Café and business is booming as they host a farmers market on Saturdays. When Amy gets a desperate call for food from an elderly woman, she can’t say no. When she and her cousin Jackie arrive at the woman’s house, they find her unconscious and it appears that maybe there has been a gas leak. The woman later dies at the hospital and Amy is convinced it was murder especially after she discovers that it most likely was not the woman who died who placed the order for food in the first place. Suspicions fall on the woman’s brother-in-law and the Ostermann family, who have been living on the woman’s property and are currently running a corn maze. Amy feels as if she needs to find justice for the woman, though it causes problems with her deputy boyfriend and cousin. The characters in this series are delightful, such as Amy’s spunky Aunt Bess and café customer Homer, who always has a hero of the day. A new doctor is also in town and starts dating Amy’s mother as well as Shelly, a waitress at the café, making Amy wonder if the doctor has secrets to hide or is just playing the field. I hope to see more books in this fun series and see more of Amy and Ryan’s relationship. Delicious recipes included!

[VICTORIA STEWART · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!! Very well written story that had me guessing. The characters are great, from the main characters to sun characters to those who may just be passing through. It all worked well together and as the other books in this series, I was pulled in and held captive to the story. I gasped, I felt annoyed, I felt frustration, I felt excitement, I held my breath and I laughed. A rollercoaster of emotions…just like a good book should provide!!

I have really enjoy this series. The strong family angle, the close bond of a small cafe and town, the developing relationships…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I enjoy a good mystery that isn’t overly graphic, no bad language and isn’t heavy on romance. While there are some romantic elements present they don’t overshadow the mystery.

I look forward to the next book in this series!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the setting and plot of Apples and Alibis. Amy Flowers and her cousin/best friend Jackie Fonseca are hosting the first Farmer's Market in Winter Garden. It is keeping their Down South Cafe and other vendors busy. Resident Mrs. Gladys Pridemore calls and requests a food delivery and Amy reluctantly agrees to do it. When Amy and Jackie arrive at Mrs. Pridemore's house that afternoon, they find her dead! Amy's boyfriend, deputy Ryan, wants her to keep out of the investigation, but she feels guilty for possibly arriving too late to save her. I liked that this book was different from other books I've read lately. I felt like I was actually in Winter Garden with all the likable characters whether they were slightly wacky or not! I look forward to reading future books in this series.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story the main character, Amy Flowers, is not only running her cafe, but also hosting the first Farmer's Market in Winter Garden. Needless to say, she is extremely busy. However, when an elderly woman calls the cafe begging for food for an upcoming party, Amy feels compelled to help her. Unfortunately, when she arrives, she finds the elderly woman dead. Due to feeling guilty about not arriving in time to save her, Amy starts to investigate.

I really enjoy this series and this story is no exception. I got pulled into the story and had trouble putting the book down. I enjoy Amy and the secondary characters. I also enjoy the romance. I enjoy figuring out the mystery and I love that recipes are included in the back of the book.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd forgotten how much I enjoy this series.

Amy and Jackie are back at the Down South Cafe. New characters are introduced and I hope they are around for the next in the series. Of course Amy finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation. She is able to discover so many interesting tips to help with the investigation. Thankfully she's friends with the Sheriff and her boyfriend Ryan is a cop. Of course we can't forget about Aunt Bess and her antidotes she brings to the story line.

Really great series! Be sure to check it out.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the down south cafe series. It has been a while since I have visited this series and I am so glad I returned to it. Amy Flowers runs the down south cafe and decides to do a favor for an elderly customer and deliver her order to her. When Amy and her cousin go to drop off the food they find her passed out over her kitchen table. She later dies at the hospital. Amy feels the need to investigate. I really enjoy this series. I love the characters. Amy's Aunt Bess is a loveable character and I love her and her pinterest boards. The mystery was good. I am really looking forward to reading more.

[Kellene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really don't know why I like these books as much as I do. Amy is one of those MCs that normally irritate me to no end- naive and way too nice. But I really enjoy the characters in this series. This was another good entry in the Cafe adventures, a quickly moving story that kept me interested from the beginning. And one of the more creative methods of murder I have encountered (I actually had to check it out to cure my curiosity). I did have the culprit pegged, but it was still a nicely laid out plot.

[Angela Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar cozy reading!!!

This is everything I want in a cozy mystery: Amy, the main character, is charming, as are her cousin Jackie and boyfriend Ryan; the secondary characters are fully realized (Aunt Bess leads the town's lovable eccentrics); more than competent law enforcement leads the investigation of a mystery that is presented well, with numerous logical suspects and false trails to navigate; and, the climactic reveal has tension and excitement. There's even a bit of sweet heat as well as the normal hiccups in the romance between Amy and Ryan! Well done, Gayle Leeson!

[Anna DeHaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gayle Leeson does it again! Every book in every one of her series is one of those books I just can't put down. Even though it had been almost a year and a half since I read book three in this series, I was immediately drawn back to the characters and their stories. And this new mystery was very interesting, with just the right amount of background and side activities. Thankfully, I have the next book in the series and have already started it. This book was well written.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gator Leeson writes very good mysteries. I enjoyed this and it kept me entertained. Great characters and I love the working ma of the cafe. I’m branching out to her other books because and we’ll as continuing to read this series. I listened to this on audiobook. The orator does a good job - only criticism I have is that her. Voice doesn’t vary from series to series and because of this, I confuse the different series she reads on (especially since they are in similar setting. This is too bad.)

[Emily Higgins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amy Flowers and her cousin operate a cafe in their hometown. Adding a farmers market for a few weekends in the fall generates more business than they expected. Then they make a rare home delivery only to find the lady of the house severely ill. When the lady dies, Amy can’t resist trying to identify the killer, even though the local police ask her to leave it alone.

[Indie Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this a solid 3.
Not as good as the first 3 books of the set, very sad about that..
AND I have read the first 3 books twice already now because that is how much I liked Winter Garden and it’s residents !

However I felt the characters had changed in unexpected ways a little bit..and just the overall writing …

I hope the rest of the books don’t disappoint!

[Sharon Helfrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very disappointed when I couldn't find any paper copies of this title, only ebooks. That's is usually the kiss of death for a series, when publishers relegate it to an etitle. I like the characters, setting and plots of these titles, I hope there will be a Book 5.

[K mpervm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite of this series. The plot twists were predictable, the climax felt rush and un thought through. That said, I still did enjoy it and will read the next one. I hope we get more back story for the new "dude".

[Veronica Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book

This was a great book in this series. I really like Amy’s character. I also enjoyed continuing to read about the characters in the previous books and the new characters in this book. It was a great mystery and ending.

[Amary Chapman]

Fun culinary rural cozy

Working hard in thecthe cafe, they get a call for delivery, unusual but they go and find an unpleasant surprise. Well crafted mystery. Who killed her, how and why? Don't miss this enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.

[Beverly Marshall-Goodell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read

Looking for a quick cozy mystery? I recommend Apples and Alibis by Gayle Leeson. It's a murder mystery with lots of suspects. Can you solve the mystery before all.is revealed? Just keep reading!

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the Down South Cafe series!

Keep them coming, please! I enjoy this cozy mystery series and get impatient for the next, lol. Enjoy the characters in the series a lot.