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Oregon Honeycomb Mystery #2
A Matter of Hive and Death
When a bee wrangler is bludgeoned, Let It Bee honey shop owner Wren Johnson makes it her beeswax to solve the crime in Nancy Coco’s second Oregon Honeycomb Mystery…
For the picturesque town of Oceanview on the Oregon Coast, May brings blossoming fruit trees and the annual UFO festival. As Aunt Eloise tries out alien costumes on their Havana brown cat Everett, Wren is off to meet with a bee wrangler, her go-to guy for local fruit tree honey.
But when she arrives, Elias Brentwood is lying on the ground amidst destroyed hives and a swarm of angry bees. The bees didn’t kill him, a blow to the head did. As blue-eyed Officer Jim Hampton investigates and the town is invaded by its own swarm of conspiracy theorists and crackpots, Wren and Aunt Eloise decide the only way to catch the bee wrangler’s killer is to set up a sting…
For the picturesque town of Oceanview on the Oregon Coast, May brings blossoming fruit trees and the annual UFO festival. As Aunt Eloise tries out alien costumes on their Havana brown cat Everett, Wren is off to meet with a bee wrangler, her go-to guy for local fruit tree honey.
But when she arrives, Elias Brentwood is lying on the ground amidst destroyed hives and a swarm of angry bees. The bees didn’t kill him, a blow to the head did. As blue-eyed Officer Jim Hampton investigates and the town is invaded by its own swarm of conspiracy theorists and crackpots, Wren and Aunt Eloise decide the only way to catch the bee wrangler’s killer is to set up a sting…
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 29, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
March 28, 2022
A Matter of Hive and Death by Nancy CoCo is the second book in the cozy An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series the An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series will feature a new mystery to be solved in each new installment so they can be read as a standalone if choosing to do so. There will be of course character development carrying over from book to book for those who follow the series from the beginning.
Wren Johnson lives in Oceanview, Oregon near the beach in the Pacific Northwest with her Havana Brown cat, Everett. Wren owns the Let It Bee boutique that specializes in all things honey and even has a glass wall with an actual bee hive inside for customers to view. Wren would prefer spending her time running her shop instead of chasing down murderers but got the hang of it after she was accused herself.
Now Wren is busy preparing for the annual UFO festival in Oceanview with a big sale day coming up in her shop when she goes to visit Elias Brentwood. Elias is a bee keeper himself and helped train Wren before she got her hive located in her shop and now he’s Wren’s supplier of local fruit tree honey. When Wren arrives though she finds Elias on the ground and injured with his bees angry and swarming. When Elias doesn’t make it Wren is determined to find out who is behind the attack.
I really enjoyed returning to the An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series in this second book of the series. The author has done a great job with this charming town and bringing Wren and her shop right to life where I’d love to visit, if the murder rate goes down of course! Another fun mystery with some laughs and a few twists along the way had the pages turning once again too. Looking forward to more of this series in the future.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Wren Johnson lives in Oceanview, Oregon near the beach in the Pacific Northwest with her Havana Brown cat, Everett. Wren owns the Let It Bee boutique that specializes in all things honey and even has a glass wall with an actual bee hive inside for customers to view. Wren would prefer spending her time running her shop instead of chasing down murderers but got the hang of it after she was accused herself.
Now Wren is busy preparing for the annual UFO festival in Oceanview with a big sale day coming up in her shop when she goes to visit Elias Brentwood. Elias is a bee keeper himself and helped train Wren before she got her hive located in her shop and now he’s Wren’s supplier of local fruit tree honey. When Wren arrives though she finds Elias on the ground and injured with his bees angry and swarming. When Elias doesn’t make it Wren is determined to find out who is behind the attack.
I really enjoyed returning to the An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series in this second book of the series. The author has done a great job with this charming town and bringing Wren and her shop right to life where I’d love to visit, if the murder rate goes down of course! Another fun mystery with some laughs and a few twists along the way had the pages turning once again too. Looking forward to more of this series in the future.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
February 24, 2021
An intricately woven plot highlights with a swarm of suspects and plenty of clues to entertain cozy mystery readers. Protagonist, Wren Johnson runs a nifty shop near the beach—Let It Bee—and all her stock is made with local honey, or beeswax. Wren and her Aunt Eloise have Havana Brown cats as their precious pets.
When a nearby bee wrangler dies amidst a swarm of ferocious bees; it’s a prickly rescue situation to get to his body; secure the crime scene; and try to save the vandalized bee hives. Elias, the deceased, left information for his friend Wren telling her he was investigating bee hive vandals and was close to discovering the identity of the fiends. What follows is an absorbing mystery that is very intriguing and educational. Author Nancy Coco skillfully reveals the flight of Eli’s bees and why someone wanted his hives bad enough to kill.
I completely enjoyed this complex story, and I never would have imagined anything like this actually happening. Reader’s will see why the scenario is thought-provoking. It was also an eye-opener how Wren’s wanna-be beau, Travis, was up to no good with one of Aunt Eloise’s cats. Finally, as the author makes a beeline to the exciting killer set-up sting and reveal; it was a shocker for me! Don’t miss this mesmerizing story. Author also includes recipes and honey tips. A Barnes and Noble Exclusive Release.
I honestly reviewed an un-edited galley (arc) provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. All opinions are my own. Thank you.
When a nearby bee wrangler dies amidst a swarm of ferocious bees; it’s a prickly rescue situation to get to his body; secure the crime scene; and try to save the vandalized bee hives. Elias, the deceased, left information for his friend Wren telling her he was investigating bee hive vandals and was close to discovering the identity of the fiends. What follows is an absorbing mystery that is very intriguing and educational. Author Nancy Coco skillfully reveals the flight of Eli’s bees and why someone wanted his hives bad enough to kill.
I completely enjoyed this complex story, and I never would have imagined anything like this actually happening. Reader’s will see why the scenario is thought-provoking. It was also an eye-opener how Wren’s wanna-be beau, Travis, was up to no good with one of Aunt Eloise’s cats. Finally, as the author makes a beeline to the exciting killer set-up sting and reveal; it was a shocker for me! Don’t miss this mesmerizing story. Author also includes recipes and honey tips. A Barnes and Noble Exclusive Release.
I honestly reviewed an un-edited galley (arc) provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. All opinions are my own. Thank you.
February 26, 2022
While a gift shop isn't a unique setting or career for a cozy mystery character, a gift shop with a real beehive on display behind glass and having bees be a central theme is unique. It is so interesting and educational while being murderously entertaining! Great characters, wonderful dialogue and intriguing interactions make this series the one to be reading! This book takes it to a new level as it seems someone is out to disrupt the bee world by destroying beehives of local farmers, but is there something more sinister behind this activitiy.....well, you'll have to read to find out. You could potentially read this book as a standalone, but you would be missing out on vital backstory as each book develops the characters and their interactions a bit more each time. Not to mention the hours of fabulous entertainment!
March 12, 2022
Each layer of the mystery drew me in further until I couldn't put the story down. All sorts of bad things are happening in the Oceanview, Oregon area and Let It Bee shop owner, Wren Johnson, ends up in the thick of it. For the sake of her friends and associates Wren gets involved in trying to figure out what is going on and soon finds herself in trouble too.
An interesting multilayer mystery that kept me guessing on who to trust until near the end. There is a great cast of characters that I look forward to getting to know better in future books in the Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series. Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
An interesting multilayer mystery that kept me guessing on who to trust until near the end. There is a great cast of characters that I look forward to getting to know better in future books in the Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series. Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
May 17, 2023
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February 26, 2022
While a gift shop isn't a unique setting or career for a cozy mystery character, a gift shop with a real beehive on display behind glass and having bees be a central theme is unique. It is so interesting and educational while being murderously entertaining! Great characters, wonderful dialogue and intriguing interactions make this series the one to be reading! This book takes it to a new level as it seems someone is out to disrupt the bee world by destroying beehives of local farmers, but is there something more sinister behind this activitiy.....well, you'll have to read to find out. You could potentially read this book as a standalone, but you would be missing out on vital backstory as each book develops the characters and their interactions a bit more each time. Not to mention the hours of fabulous entertainment!
February 15, 2022
This is book 2 (my fingers are crossed that there will be more). I really enjoyed it!! I can just imagine how cool having a bee hive in the wall would be. I thought the mystery was great and it was fun to "visit" these characters again.
October 5, 2022
Wow! This was an INCREDIBLE cozy mystery. I love the way this mystery unfolded. The slice-of-life moments, especially the ones with Everett, were amazing.
May 23, 2021
I read Nancy Coco's first book in this series titled Death Becomes Her and was left very disappointed in the book giving it only one star. I decided that maybe it was just a rough start so I picked up A Matter Of Hive And Death, her second book in this series, and once again was disappointed. But in the end the book did move up one star from the first and ended up being rated two stars. And I sit here now trying to figure out what to write in this review. Sighs. This book just seems to be a mess with the writing and believability of the story and in both books it's the same pattern. Messy writing, contradicting storylines and events happening within moments of each other, and sometimes very cheesy comments being made, which just left me groaning and throwing my head back and shaking it back and forth.
An example of the messy writing is the main protagonist is standing on the bumper of a truck loading things into the bed because it is so high, and then in the next sentence they are shutting the tailgate of the truck. If the tailgate is down then why and how is the character standing on the bumper to load? The other thing that was annoying is the author had the main protagonist point out the truck tire tracks in the dirt of a crime scene where the police and forensics team was standing close to. Like they aren't going to notice the tire tracks right next to them at the crime scene in dirt. With all these mistakes and messy writing continuing into the second book I feel that I sadly won't be reading anymore of this series.
The only few things I enjoyed about this book were the characters, the theme, and the plot. Nancy Coco does an decent job with the characters and I found myself warming up to some of them that I didn't care for in her first book in the series. The storyline also seemed to be good and flowed well enough where it kept my interest, even with the messiness. And finally the theme of this series I loved and is why I am so disappointed in the fact I can't enjoy her writing. I love the whole small town honey store and beekeeping aspect of the story.
An example of the messy writing is the main protagonist is standing on the bumper of a truck loading things into the bed because it is so high, and then in the next sentence they are shutting the tailgate of the truck. If the tailgate is down then why and how is the character standing on the bumper to load? The other thing that was annoying is the author had the main protagonist point out the truck tire tracks in the dirt of a crime scene where the police and forensics team was standing close to. Like they aren't going to notice the tire tracks right next to them at the crime scene in dirt. With all these mistakes and messy writing continuing into the second book I feel that I sadly won't be reading anymore of this series.
The only few things I enjoyed about this book were the characters, the theme, and the plot. Nancy Coco does an decent job with the characters and I found myself warming up to some of them that I didn't care for in her first book in the series. The storyline also seemed to be good and flowed well enough where it kept my interest, even with the messiness. And finally the theme of this series I loved and is why I am so disappointed in the fact I can't enjoy her writing. I love the whole small town honey store and beekeeping aspect of the story.
January 11, 2022
I received an advance copy through NetGalley.
A Matter of Hive and Death is the second book in the Oregon Honeycomb mystery series. I hadn't read the first book but I found this easy-breezy to get into, and a delight all the way through! This is really the epitome of a cozy mystery. Wren runs a honey-themed shop in downtown Oceanview along the Oregon coast. When she finds a mentor dead, his hives vandalized, suspicion falls on another member of the local bee community. Wren is certain of his innocence and starts investigating on her own despite the disapproval of the handsome local cop who was certain of her guilt during a previous incident. Meanwhile, an old flame has wandered into town and takes an interest in the beloved Havana brown cats of her family--and in Wren. She might develop a new romance--if she can stay alive.
This book was sheer fun. I don't know a lot about beekeeping, but it really felt like the author did her research and the information throughout the book was fascinating. Plus, every chapter began and ended with info on using honey and included recipes--I'm all about that! The mystery packs in danger and plentiful twists and turns, and the ending contained some nice surprises. The whole thing also left me yearning for the Oregon coast. This is a setting and series I would gladly read more of--you could say that I'm sweet on it!
A Matter of Hive and Death is the second book in the Oregon Honeycomb mystery series. I hadn't read the first book but I found this easy-breezy to get into, and a delight all the way through! This is really the epitome of a cozy mystery. Wren runs a honey-themed shop in downtown Oceanview along the Oregon coast. When she finds a mentor dead, his hives vandalized, suspicion falls on another member of the local bee community. Wren is certain of his innocence and starts investigating on her own despite the disapproval of the handsome local cop who was certain of her guilt during a previous incident. Meanwhile, an old flame has wandered into town and takes an interest in the beloved Havana brown cats of her family--and in Wren. She might develop a new romance--if she can stay alive.
This book was sheer fun. I don't know a lot about beekeeping, but it really felt like the author did her research and the information throughout the book was fascinating. Plus, every chapter began and ended with info on using honey and included recipes--I'm all about that! The mystery packs in danger and plentiful twists and turns, and the ending contained some nice surprises. The whole thing also left me yearning for the Oregon coast. This is a setting and series I would gladly read more of--you could say that I'm sweet on it!
April 3, 2022
I was disappointed in this book. Unnecessary redundancy, overly descriptive sections, conflicts between chapters, and stilted dialogue made reading this book a chore. There was other ridiculousness-- such as a jacket stopping a bullet leaving a hole in the fabric, and only a bruised which hurt when walking downstairs. Does that make sense to anyone? That escapade left me speaking out loud to the book wondering if someone should have been kind enough to tell Nancy Coco that is not how things work. Also, they don’t give you medication before you go into surgery to help you forget what happened. Once again, that is not how things work. Nor does a bladder infection cause dementia, it might exacerbate the condition, but it does not cause it. I am beginning to wonder how she came up with this stuff. Oh, and how does she make enough product in her tiny apartment kitchen to supply her shop with candles, balms, and creams? Pretty sure the fire and health departments would have a few questions for her.
I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, or the absurdity, which surprises me since I enjoy her Candy Coated Mystery Series. Needless to say, I will not be revising the Oregon Honeycomb series which is disappointing since I did enjoy the science of bees.
I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, or the absurdity, which surprises me since I enjoy her Candy Coated Mystery Series. Needless to say, I will not be revising the Oregon Honeycomb series which is disappointing since I did enjoy the science of bees.
April 10, 2022
A MATTER OF HIVE AND DEATH is the second book in the Oregon Honeycomb Mysteries by Nancy Coco. While it’s the first I’ve read (much to my chagrin) I easily picked up the necessary backstory and characters without feeling lost. I’ll be reading the first book right away to catch up with the charming protagonist, Wren Johnson, and her delightful Let It Bee shop set along the Oregon coast. Ms. Coco uses the educational backdrop of the plight of honey bees and what their destruction can do to our environment and food sources, for the murder mystery. I adored that Wren’s shop has a glass-walled working bee hive to educate visitors. I had the opportunity to see one on vacation long ago and was fascinated by the industrious bees. Wren is heartbroken when she arrives at a local farm to find the beekeeper murdered and several of his hives vandalized. The author’s descriptive voice brought the sound of the angry, swarming bees and the panic of those trying to rescue the downed man to life. Her attention to detail made me feel like I was right there throughout the story.
When another local beekeeper, and a friend of Wren’s, becomes the main suspect, she can’t help but try to find the culprits who have been destroying hives up and down the Oregon coast. Her investigation brings her into contact with quirky characters attending the annual UFO festival, to conspiracy theorists, and Bigfoot enthusiasts, providing a swarm of suspects. Ms. Coco also introduces the most unique of crimes, which is both eye-opening and thought-provoking for our modern times. It is obvious she’s done her research and she expertly weaves it into the tightly plotted mystery, right through to the edge-of-your-seat reveal.
In addition to a complex, well-written mystery, the author has created a cast of characters that will bring readers back for each new book. Wren is one of those people who I’d like to become friends with, and spend hours in her shop trying all of her products. Wren’s Havana brown cat, Everett, and her quirky Aunt Eloise, bring some lighthearted humor to the story as well as a sounding board for her investigation. Her good friend and employee, Porsche, is a great sidekick, and I admired the way she juggles being a mother to two young sons, working at Let It Bee, and helping in the investigation.
I was delighted to find that not only are there honey-based recipes sprinkled throughout the book, but there are also tips using honey for a variety of beauty and health conditions.
When another local beekeeper, and a friend of Wren’s, becomes the main suspect, she can’t help but try to find the culprits who have been destroying hives up and down the Oregon coast. Her investigation brings her into contact with quirky characters attending the annual UFO festival, to conspiracy theorists, and Bigfoot enthusiasts, providing a swarm of suspects. Ms. Coco also introduces the most unique of crimes, which is both eye-opening and thought-provoking for our modern times. It is obvious she’s done her research and she expertly weaves it into the tightly plotted mystery, right through to the edge-of-your-seat reveal.
In addition to a complex, well-written mystery, the author has created a cast of characters that will bring readers back for each new book. Wren is one of those people who I’d like to become friends with, and spend hours in her shop trying all of her products. Wren’s Havana brown cat, Everett, and her quirky Aunt Eloise, bring some lighthearted humor to the story as well as a sounding board for her investigation. Her good friend and employee, Porsche, is a great sidekick, and I admired the way she juggles being a mother to two young sons, working at Let It Bee, and helping in the investigation.
I was delighted to find that not only are there honey-based recipes sprinkled throughout the book, but there are also tips using honey for a variety of beauty and health conditions.
March 29, 2022
A Matter Of Hive And Death is the second book of the An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series by Nancy Coco.
Wren Johnson owns Let It Bee, a shop that carries fruit-flavored honey and bee-related products, such as lip balms and hand creams. Let It Bee’s second anniversary is a few days away. She plans to have a big sale; there’s a UFO festival in a nearby community, so she needs plenty of inventory. Wren needs to visit her mentor Elias. Elias also designed the beehive on her store wall with a glass window so everyone could watch the activity in the hive. Wren arrives at Elias’s home to pick up more of his honey, and she gets no response when she knocks on the door. Wren heads for the back yard figuring he is caring for his hives. Instead, she finds Elias’ prostate body and thousands of bees swarming around it. Wren notices that the majority of Elias’ hives have been damaged. Wren first calls a bee wrangler, Klaus, and asks if he can come and try to contain the swarming bees, knowing that recovering his body can’t be done until the bees calm down. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, Elias passes away, having been severely beaten about the head.
Wren feels the need to investigate Elias’ murder and begins asking questions. She soon learns that several beekeepers in the area have experienced having had their hive sabotaged. Shortly after, Wren questions a neighbor of Elias if he had seen anything the day Elias was killed, and the next day the neighbor is assaulted, requiring hospitalization. As Wren visits Paul, another beekeeper she gets beeswax from, shots ring out, and a bullet hits Paul, and another grazes Wren. Wren now knows that she is getting close to learning the killer's identity and hopes that she will learn the identity before anyone else is injured or killed.
Wren is also surprised when her ex-boyfriend arrives in town and seems to want to rekindle their relationship. He looks mysterious about why he wants to pick up where their relationship ended suddenly.
This book is a wonderful addition to this fascinating new series. The book is well-written, plotted, and flows at a good pace. I found the characters to be well-developed and very believable. The book had enough red herrings and twists and turns that I was kept guessing until the end as to who the killer was. The book also contains delicious-sounding recipes, interesting facts, and beneficial uses of honey.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this exciting series.
Wren Johnson owns Let It Bee, a shop that carries fruit-flavored honey and bee-related products, such as lip balms and hand creams. Let It Bee’s second anniversary is a few days away. She plans to have a big sale; there’s a UFO festival in a nearby community, so she needs plenty of inventory. Wren needs to visit her mentor Elias. Elias also designed the beehive on her store wall with a glass window so everyone could watch the activity in the hive. Wren arrives at Elias’s home to pick up more of his honey, and she gets no response when she knocks on the door. Wren heads for the back yard figuring he is caring for his hives. Instead, she finds Elias’ prostate body and thousands of bees swarming around it. Wren notices that the majority of Elias’ hives have been damaged. Wren first calls a bee wrangler, Klaus, and asks if he can come and try to contain the swarming bees, knowing that recovering his body can’t be done until the bees calm down. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, Elias passes away, having been severely beaten about the head.
Wren feels the need to investigate Elias’ murder and begins asking questions. She soon learns that several beekeepers in the area have experienced having had their hive sabotaged. Shortly after, Wren questions a neighbor of Elias if he had seen anything the day Elias was killed, and the next day the neighbor is assaulted, requiring hospitalization. As Wren visits Paul, another beekeeper she gets beeswax from, shots ring out, and a bullet hits Paul, and another grazes Wren. Wren now knows that she is getting close to learning the killer's identity and hopes that she will learn the identity before anyone else is injured or killed.
Wren is also surprised when her ex-boyfriend arrives in town and seems to want to rekindle their relationship. He looks mysterious about why he wants to pick up where their relationship ended suddenly.
This book is a wonderful addition to this fascinating new series. The book is well-written, plotted, and flows at a good pace. I found the characters to be well-developed and very believable. The book had enough red herrings and twists and turns that I was kept guessing until the end as to who the killer was. The book also contains delicious-sounding recipes, interesting facts, and beneficial uses of honey.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this exciting series.
April 2, 2022
"A Matter of Hive and Death ” the 2nd instalment in the "Oregon Honeycomb" Mystery series by Nancy Coco. I LOVE this series! When a bee wrangler is bludgeoned, Let It Bee honey shop owner Wren Johnson makes it her beeswax to solve the crime . . .
I love visiting the Oregon Coast even if only in a book. I really enjoyed this story, and loved that it features a cat named Everett. Throw in a UFO festival as well as bee hive vandalism you have the makings of a great whodunnit! Plus the bonus of honey recipes at the end of each chapter was a nice addition.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters of Wren, Porsche, Aunt Eloise and Officer Jim Hampton. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I think there is a definite romance blooming too.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have also purchased a paperback copy for my collection.
I love visiting the Oregon Coast even if only in a book. I really enjoyed this story, and loved that it features a cat named Everett. Throw in a UFO festival as well as bee hive vandalism you have the makings of a great whodunnit! Plus the bonus of honey recipes at the end of each chapter was a nice addition.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters of Wren, Porsche, Aunt Eloise and Officer Jim Hampton. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I think there is a definite romance blooming too.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have also purchased a paperback copy for my collection.
March 18, 2022
I really enjoyed this visit with Wren, Aunt Eloise and Porsche, not to mention Jim who Wren might be letting get a bit closer. She kind of annoyed at me times when she'd get mad at Jim just for doing his job and not being able to share info with her. But I loved her passion for the bees and the cats her aunt loves so much. Wren, Eloise and Porsche make good sleuth buddies, and I did have to hand it to Wren for asking Jim to come along on trips that otherwise could have been dangerous.
I had no idea whodunit and was totally surprised at the reveal. There was a side mystery as well, and that perp didn't surprise me much at all, lol. I got the biggest kick out of Aunt Eloise holding her rifle over a perp and not budging until Jim got his gun drawn and held on the person. She cracks me up, and I just love her character!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from Kensington Publishing, and my opinions are my own.
I had no idea whodunit and was totally surprised at the reveal. There was a side mystery as well, and that perp didn't surprise me much at all, lol. I got the biggest kick out of Aunt Eloise holding her rifle over a perp and not budging until Jim got his gun drawn and held on the person. She cracks me up, and I just love her character!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from Kensington Publishing, and my opinions are my own.
June 2, 2022
I received this as a goodreads giveaways which in no way influenced my review. This was a tough one to review because I did like parts of it but a) I wondered was the editor asleep at the switch b) had anyone done even 1 minute of research which really did ruin this for me and that 3 star review seems generous.
things I liked, officer Hampton, Aunt Eloise, Porsche and Wren (our point of view character is mostly okay). So we're off to a rocky start if our sleuth is only mostly okay. Wren and her aunt rescue Havana Brown cats and her cat Everett is a fun part of the story. Wren owns the Let it Bee boutique and somehow in between raising her own hive of bees in the store and making all the lip balm, salves and candles all night and working the shop all day still has time to solve cases. Now I didn't read book one (at this point I prefer to go to book 2 in a cozy series because we know how the first one goes, the amateur sleuth is blamed (or a close friend/relative) for a crime and that's how they start on the path. I would love to see one start in media res one of these days.
Wren's friend Elias is collapsed by his hives when Wren arrives and another bee wrangling friend, Klaus comes under suspicion. Confident Jim Hampton, the town detective will mess it up,Wren involves herself and thinks maybe this is tied into a rash of vandalized hives up and down the Oregon coast. In the middle of this is a UFO festival (that I wish had been more prominent the build up to it ended up fizzling into a lot of noise about nothing) and the return of Wren's ex fiancee (because it wanted to hint at a love triangle which also fizzles out in this book so if you hate those no worries)
My problems were this, it needed editing. I'm not just talking correctly spelled but wrong words (It's vial not vile) but actions that were very distracting like at one moment Wren is standing on the bumper of the truck but in the next the tailgate is down (you can't stand on the bumper then). Porsche had to take a day off because the kids had the stomach bug but in the space of a couple paragraphs, Wren is like I hope you had fun on your day off and then Porsche is joking about pretending the kids are sick next time. Another time another bee keeper reminds her that hives are warm and humid (more on that in moment) but then she suddenly realizes in the next chapter oh hey hives are warm and humid, no you didn't realize it. You were literally told that just three pages ago. Someone should have caught this stuff and didn't.
I was also not impressed with how petty Wren can be in regards to Officer Hampton. I get that he gave her a hard time last book but she goes off on childish tantrums when he won't tell her things because it's literally illegal or ill advised to do so (Even Porsche comments on how unfair Wren is being). For me I can only do cozies one way, if the amateur sleuth is dating/married/related to the actual cops because otherwise what's stopping them from imprisoning them for interfering with the investigation. this looks like it will go to her and Hampton dating but still her attitude is like a cheese grater on skin.
But what killed it for me was the motive behind the crime. Pure one star there. Non-spoilery let's just say what happened could not possibly happen and literally 2 minutes work on the internet proves that which I did to write the review (I knew these things but I wanted to see how readily available it was. Answer, very) If I can destroy your climax in 90 seconds of Googling you've failed as a story teller. If you want to know more, look at the spoilers
So Wren figures out they're hiding something in the hives and that's why they're being vandalized. Setting aside how dumb it would be to vandalize your hiding spot and call attention to it, let's say that is what they're doing. At first Wren thinks it's drugs which at least would be more plausible. No it's cat semen for cloning pets for the rich and famous. Let's assume this elaborate ploy of hiding the vials in the hives is necessary, it could never happen. semen for artificial insemination MUST be frozen. There is no ands ifs or buts about that and seriously all CoCo had to do was type in artificial insemination for cats into a search engine to find this out before deciding it was plausible. It must be kept at 32 degrees or lower. The optimal temperature for the inside of a beehive is 80 degrees. Needless to say it would destroy the semen specimens. I mean how hard was that to find out. Editing the spoiler because in the back of my head it might not be semen but rather somatic cells for cloning but that changes nothing. They must be frozen too. So given how easy it was to research the impossibility of this crime I felt the author and editors find the readers to be gullible at best.
Would I read another? Free from the library maybe. I wouldn't pay for this not after that breach of trust.
things I liked, officer Hampton, Aunt Eloise, Porsche and Wren (our point of view character is mostly okay). So we're off to a rocky start if our sleuth is only mostly okay. Wren and her aunt rescue Havana Brown cats and her cat Everett is a fun part of the story. Wren owns the Let it Bee boutique and somehow in between raising her own hive of bees in the store and making all the lip balm, salves and candles all night and working the shop all day still has time to solve cases. Now I didn't read book one (at this point I prefer to go to book 2 in a cozy series because we know how the first one goes, the amateur sleuth is blamed (or a close friend/relative) for a crime and that's how they start on the path. I would love to see one start in media res one of these days.
Wren's friend Elias is collapsed by his hives when Wren arrives and another bee wrangling friend, Klaus comes under suspicion. Confident Jim Hampton, the town detective will mess it up,Wren involves herself and thinks maybe this is tied into a rash of vandalized hives up and down the Oregon coast. In the middle of this is a UFO festival (that I wish had been more prominent the build up to it ended up fizzling into a lot of noise about nothing) and the return of Wren's ex fiancee (because it wanted to hint at a love triangle which also fizzles out in this book so if you hate those no worries)
My problems were this, it needed editing. I'm not just talking correctly spelled but wrong words (It's vial not vile) but actions that were very distracting like at one moment Wren is standing on the bumper of the truck but in the next the tailgate is down (you can't stand on the bumper then). Porsche had to take a day off because the kids had the stomach bug but in the space of a couple paragraphs, Wren is like I hope you had fun on your day off and then Porsche is joking about pretending the kids are sick next time. Another time another bee keeper reminds her that hives are warm and humid (more on that in moment) but then she suddenly realizes in the next chapter oh hey hives are warm and humid, no you didn't realize it. You were literally told that just three pages ago. Someone should have caught this stuff and didn't.
I was also not impressed with how petty Wren can be in regards to Officer Hampton. I get that he gave her a hard time last book but she goes off on childish tantrums when he won't tell her things because it's literally illegal or ill advised to do so (Even Porsche comments on how unfair Wren is being). For me I can only do cozies one way, if the amateur sleuth is dating/married/related to the actual cops because otherwise what's stopping them from imprisoning them for interfering with the investigation. this looks like it will go to her and Hampton dating but still her attitude is like a cheese grater on skin.
But what killed it for me was the motive behind the crime. Pure one star there. Non-spoilery let's just say what happened could not possibly happen and literally 2 minutes work on the internet proves that which I did to write the review (I knew these things but I wanted to see how readily available it was. Answer, very) If I can destroy your climax in 90 seconds of Googling you've failed as a story teller. If you want to know more, look at the spoilers
So Wren figures out they're hiding something in the hives and that's why they're being vandalized. Setting aside how dumb it would be to vandalize your hiding spot and call attention to it, let's say that is what they're doing. At first Wren thinks it's drugs which at least would be more plausible. No it's cat semen for cloning pets for the rich and famous. Let's assume this elaborate ploy of hiding the vials in the hives is necessary, it could never happen. semen for artificial insemination MUST be frozen. There is no ands ifs or buts about that and seriously all CoCo had to do was type in artificial insemination for cats into a search engine to find this out before deciding it was plausible. It must be kept at 32 degrees or lower. The optimal temperature for the inside of a beehive is 80 degrees. Needless to say it would destroy the semen specimens. I mean how hard was that to find out. Editing the spoiler because in the back of my head it might not be semen but rather somatic cells for cloning but that changes nothing. They must be frozen too. So given how easy it was to research the impossibility of this crime I felt the author and editors find the readers to be gullible at best.
Would I read another? Free from the library maybe. I wouldn't pay for this not after that breach of trust.
July 10, 2022
Didn’t like this one as much as the first book, but still enjoyed it uh to read it within a day. Some of the plot points were a little out there for me, but it’s always fun reading a Nancy Coco book. I loved all the additions of the cats in this one.
June 28, 2021
Even though this is only book two in the “An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery” series, I have come to love the characters, including the Havana Browns that are lovingly described and cared for by the characters. Wren and Aunt Eloise have great personalities, quarks, and funny little habits that make readers want to spend as much time with them as possible. A Matter Of Hive and Death shows how excellent a writer Ms. Coco is. Making something as ordinary as honey and bees into a motive for murder is intelligent and humorous.
When a bee wrangler is murdered, not by bees but by a blow to the head, Wren jumps in to help find the killer. But the honey that flows from the suspects isn’t sweet. When another wrangle ends up dead as well, and his hives destroyed, Wren and Eloise know the motive can’t be professional jealousy or about honey. Evidence begins to build as they get closer to the truth, and the killer decides they have gotten too close. Putting their lives on the line once again, Wren and Eloise track down the killer and make sure no one else gets stung.
The writing in A Matter Of Hive and Death is flawless, the locations are described in-depth, the characters are developed, and the plot in this book is original and compelling. The bees are topical in our world today as they are vanishing. Honey is beloved the world over, and if we lose the bees, there will be many products that we use every day that will no longer exist. This is a timely series that also happens to be very compelling. I am happy to recommend this book to readers who enjoy character-driven series.
When a bee wrangler is murdered, not by bees but by a blow to the head, Wren jumps in to help find the killer. But the honey that flows from the suspects isn’t sweet. When another wrangle ends up dead as well, and his hives destroyed, Wren and Eloise know the motive can’t be professional jealousy or about honey. Evidence begins to build as they get closer to the truth, and the killer decides they have gotten too close. Putting their lives on the line once again, Wren and Eloise track down the killer and make sure no one else gets stung.
The writing in A Matter Of Hive and Death is flawless, the locations are described in-depth, the characters are developed, and the plot in this book is original and compelling. The bees are topical in our world today as they are vanishing. Honey is beloved the world over, and if we lose the bees, there will be many products that we use every day that will no longer exist. This is a timely series that also happens to be very compelling. I am happy to recommend this book to readers who enjoy character-driven series.
April 21, 2022
I really like this author's Fudgy Mysteries. I have tried both of the Oregon Honeycomb books and I just am not as big a fan. There were some inconsistencies, which made it tough to follow. The characters are not very well defined at this point; I am not solidly in the corner of Wren, Jim, Aunt Eloise, or Porsche. Overall, the story was okay. The recipes look and sound good. Because this is a book where bees provide the livelihood, all recipes involve honey.
March 4, 2022
A simple visit to a local bee keeper turns Wren Johnson's world upside down. A Matter of Hive and Death is the second book written by Nancy Coco.
Wren owns Let it Bee, a unique gift shop located in Oregon. Behind a glass wall, Wren has a bee hive, where visitors can observe them with creating a disturbance.
While making a trip to visit Elias, a local bee keeper, Wren stumbles upon angry bees and Elias, on the ground, not moving.
Who would want to hurt Elias or the bees?
Wren is determined to prove another local bee keeper is innocent, putting herself and others in the line of fire.
I read this book in one sitting. I was glued to my kindle and found the story to be interesting and exciting.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series by one of my favorite authors.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
#AMatterofHiveandDeath #NetGalley
Wren owns Let it Bee, a unique gift shop located in Oregon. Behind a glass wall, Wren has a bee hive, where visitors can observe them with creating a disturbance.
While making a trip to visit Elias, a local bee keeper, Wren stumbles upon angry bees and Elias, on the ground, not moving.
Who would want to hurt Elias or the bees?
Wren is determined to prove another local bee keeper is innocent, putting herself and others in the line of fire.
I read this book in one sitting. I was glued to my kindle and found the story to be interesting and exciting.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series by one of my favorite authors.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
#AMatterofHiveandDeath #NetGalley
May 3, 2021
J enjoyed several things about Nancy Coco’s newest whodunit, the second in her new series. Most of the characters are fresh and fun, even the reclusive Mr. McGregor. Descriptions of the scenic location in Oregon were so good that I could almost feel the ocean spray. It is the first time I have read about bees and Havana Brown cats in a cozy mystery. While Wren’s Aunt Eloise used to be a breeder, I enjoyed seeing how she now rescues Havana Browns. This complex mystery, including a murder, extensive vandalism, and various other crimes, was a challenge to solve, and the motive is not something I could have guessed on my own.
It doesn’t seem like two years since Wren opened her shop, Let It Bee, selling all kinds of locally sourced or handmade bee products. It has become successful, both locally and online. When deciding to work with bee products, Wren spent a year after college learning how to be a bee wrangler from Elias, one of the best in town. She is rarely involved with wrangling now outside of the working beehive safely behind glass at her shop. Elias is her go-to guy for many products; he is well-liked in the community.
As she prepares to make more product for her anniversary sale, she goes to Elias’s to purchase supplies. When going behind his home, she saw his hives damaged, one possibly ruined. Swarms of angry bees filled the yard. She went inside the house to find Elias and saw through one of the back windows that he was lying on the ground near the hives and bees. She called first responders and the nearest bee wrangler that she knew, Klaus, to come help with the bees so Elias could get up. It was later determined that Elias had been murdered. Since there had been several beehives in town and up the coast vandalized in recent months, some wonder if the vandals went too far this time, or if the hives were damaged to hide any evidence of who murdered Elias.
Several people ask Wren if she is going to help solve this murder as she had helped solve one in the recently, but Wren has too much going on. When Millie, his fiancé, brought Wren a letter from Elias, it indicates that he had been tracking the vandals and was very close to knowing whodunit; would she help resolve it? When Klaus is taken in as the person of interest in Elias’s murder, then other incidents happen, Wren is ready to find a killer, and, hopefully, some vandals.
This delightful cozy mystery invited me in to Oceanview, Oregon and Wren’s Let It Bee store and kept my interest throughout. The pace was steady until the last several chapters, when events occurred one after the other in rapid succession. There is a growing assortment of suspects that the police have seemingly not yet considered, but the officer who seems interested in Wren, James, is willing to listen when Wren learns something that could be related – even if she is secretive about the plans that she and Eloise hatch to catch whodunit. There are surprises at the end, and even though I had guessed part of the solution, there was one whopper of a surprise! The end is satisfactory with all loose ends tied up. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries, bees or bee products, recipes, and cats.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
It doesn’t seem like two years since Wren opened her shop, Let It Bee, selling all kinds of locally sourced or handmade bee products. It has become successful, both locally and online. When deciding to work with bee products, Wren spent a year after college learning how to be a bee wrangler from Elias, one of the best in town. She is rarely involved with wrangling now outside of the working beehive safely behind glass at her shop. Elias is her go-to guy for many products; he is well-liked in the community.
As she prepares to make more product for her anniversary sale, she goes to Elias’s to purchase supplies. When going behind his home, she saw his hives damaged, one possibly ruined. Swarms of angry bees filled the yard. She went inside the house to find Elias and saw through one of the back windows that he was lying on the ground near the hives and bees. She called first responders and the nearest bee wrangler that she knew, Klaus, to come help with the bees so Elias could get up. It was later determined that Elias had been murdered. Since there had been several beehives in town and up the coast vandalized in recent months, some wonder if the vandals went too far this time, or if the hives were damaged to hide any evidence of who murdered Elias.
Several people ask Wren if she is going to help solve this murder as she had helped solve one in the recently, but Wren has too much going on. When Millie, his fiancé, brought Wren a letter from Elias, it indicates that he had been tracking the vandals and was very close to knowing whodunit; would she help resolve it? When Klaus is taken in as the person of interest in Elias’s murder, then other incidents happen, Wren is ready to find a killer, and, hopefully, some vandals.
This delightful cozy mystery invited me in to Oceanview, Oregon and Wren’s Let It Bee store and kept my interest throughout. The pace was steady until the last several chapters, when events occurred one after the other in rapid succession. There is a growing assortment of suspects that the police have seemingly not yet considered, but the officer who seems interested in Wren, James, is willing to listen when Wren learns something that could be related – even if she is secretive about the plans that she and Eloise hatch to catch whodunit. There are surprises at the end, and even though I had guessed part of the solution, there was one whopper of a surprise! The end is satisfactory with all loose ends tied up. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries, bees or bee products, recipes, and cats.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
March 26, 2022
A Matter of Hive and Death by Nancy Coco is the second An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. I enjoyed my visit to Oceanview, Oregon where it is time for the annual UFO Festival. Wren Johnson is gearing up for the second anniversary of her shop Let It Bee. Wren is off to meet Elias Brentwood, a bee wrangler. She arrives to find Elias dead with bee’s swarming around him because someone destroyed his hives. It is not a cut and dried case. Someone bludgeoned Elias and then tossed his house. When Officer Jim Hampton zeroes in on Klaus, another bee wrangler, as the prime suspect, Wren digs out the murder board. She knows that Klaus did not harm Elias and she intends to prove it. Someone, though, is not happy with her snooping and attempts to warn her off. Wren sets up a sting to catch the killer. She needs to be careful, or she could end up the one being stung. Nancy Coco has an engaging writing style. It makes for an entertaining and enjoyable book. I like Wren, Aunt Eloise, Porsche, Jim Hampton, and the sweet Everett. I even like the grumpy Mr. McGregor. There are great characters in this series. The author made them friendly, realistic, and relatable. I like the descriptions of Let It Bee with its various honey related products and an active beehive. It was interesting learning about bees and their habits. I was unaware of the various products that can be made from honey and the wax. The dialogue is realistic and engaging. The mystery was a fun one to solve. There are different layers to the whodunit. It is a well-plotted mystery. There are good clues to help readers solve the mystery before the reveal. I enjoyed the reveal and the wrap up. I was, though, left with a couple of unanswered questions at the end (I would say what they are, but they are spoilers). There is humor sprinkled throughout the book. We also get to learn about Havana Brown cats, and I loved Everett, Wren’s cat (I love how he answers her when she talks to him). There is some romance in the story. I like that it is not at the forefront of the story and that it is progressing slowly. There is information on honey as well as honey related recipes before or after different chapters. I can tell the author has done her research on bees and related products. A Matter of Hive and Death had me longing for the Oregon coast. I wanted to stop by and visit Let It Bee where I could have tea with Wren. I am looking forward to the next An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery. A Matter of Hive and Death is the bee’s knees with a bludgeoned bee wrangler, a swarm of suspects, shattered hives, buzzing bees, a special sale, a perplexing puzzle, a concerned officer, and a nosy store owner.
March 27, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
A Matter of Hive and Death is the second book in the Oregon Honeycomb small-town cozy mystery series by Nancy Coco. Due out 29th March 2021 from Kensington, it's 320 pages and will be available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.
This is the follow-up "small town" shop cozy mystery by a very well-loved veteran author. For fans of the genre, this one ticks all the boxes including a punny title, recipes included, clean language, not-terribly-gory murder, a likable female amateur sleuth, a foreshadowed slow-burn romantic interest, and a cat "sidekick" & adorable elderly aunt who help her solve the mystery. If it is, admittedly, trope-y and formulaic, it also has everything that fans of these series (including me) love. The pacing is good and doesn't drag. The dialogue can be a bit over the top and unnaturally stilted occasionally, but all in all, it's a fun and undemanding read with a satisfying denouement and resolution. I also found it a little odd that the recipes were scattered throughout between chapters instead of being gathered into an appendix at the back. It affected the continuity of reading for me more than I would have expected. (Not a huge deal, but noticeable). I tried the honey-blueberry muffins and the recipe works quite well as written and the addition of honey makes the muffins very moist (and even better the next day!).
Four stars. A strong follow-up to a promising cozy series with a likeable protagonist and the expected small-town eccentric characters and vibe. Real-life beekeepers might notice a questionable factoid or two in the story, but overall, I was impressed with the level of background research on beekeeping on the part of the author. I also really liked it that the main character's shop "Let it Bee" also incorporates a glass walled observation hive. Bees are fascinating and deserve all the good PR they can get.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
A Matter of Hive and Death is the second book in the Oregon Honeycomb small-town cozy mystery series by Nancy Coco. Due out 29th March 2021 from Kensington, it's 320 pages and will be available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.
This is the follow-up "small town" shop cozy mystery by a very well-loved veteran author. For fans of the genre, this one ticks all the boxes including a punny title, recipes included, clean language, not-terribly-gory murder, a likable female amateur sleuth, a foreshadowed slow-burn romantic interest, and a cat "sidekick" & adorable elderly aunt who help her solve the mystery. If it is, admittedly, trope-y and formulaic, it also has everything that fans of these series (including me) love. The pacing is good and doesn't drag. The dialogue can be a bit over the top and unnaturally stilted occasionally, but all in all, it's a fun and undemanding read with a satisfying denouement and resolution. I also found it a little odd that the recipes were scattered throughout between chapters instead of being gathered into an appendix at the back. It affected the continuity of reading for me more than I would have expected. (Not a huge deal, but noticeable). I tried the honey-blueberry muffins and the recipe works quite well as written and the addition of honey makes the muffins very moist (and even better the next day!).
Four stars. A strong follow-up to a promising cozy series with a likeable protagonist and the expected small-town eccentric characters and vibe. Real-life beekeepers might notice a questionable factoid or two in the story, but overall, I was impressed with the level of background research on beekeeping on the part of the author. I also really liked it that the main character's shop "Let it Bee" also incorporates a glass walled observation hive. Bees are fascinating and deserve all the good PR they can get.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
March 24, 2022
A Matter of Hive and Death is the second in Nancy Coco's Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series following Wren Johnson and her Havana Brown cat, Everett. Wren is the proud owner of Let It Bee honey boutique a speciality shop in the tourist town of Oceanview, selling items such as candles, body scrubs and lotions, all made with fresh honey. It's May and the annual UFO festival is looming. While Aunt Eloise busies herself with alien outfits, Wren has a meeting with Elias Brentwood, her local fruit tree honey supplier, but when she arrives she finds him dead.
I jumped into A Matter of Hive and Death unrestrainedly; this thrilling series has a wonderful, engaging main character in Wren who is smart and determined and her Aunt Eloise is also entertaining. All of the characters have something to offer, be it wit, charisma or intelligence and most are well-rounded. I was right there alongside Wren and her helpers as they deciphered the clues and the blend of suspense, humour and romance is spot on. The murderer's motive was a surprise to me and of course, I enjoyed Everett's part in the proceedings. I'm already looking forward to the next instalment!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
I jumped into A Matter of Hive and Death unrestrainedly; this thrilling series has a wonderful, engaging main character in Wren who is smart and determined and her Aunt Eloise is also entertaining. All of the characters have something to offer, be it wit, charisma or intelligence and most are well-rounded. I was right there alongside Wren and her helpers as they deciphered the clues and the blend of suspense, humour and romance is spot on. The murderer's motive was a surprise to me and of course, I enjoyed Everett's part in the proceedings. I'm already looking forward to the next instalment!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
December 19, 2021
A Matter of Hive and Death by Nancy Coco is a great cozy mystery that is the second book in the adorable and promising An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series.
I really enjoyed this second book. Not that I didn’t like the first, because I most certainly did, but I definitely think that the characters really come out of their shells in this second book.
Here we can see more of Wren, Porsche, Aunt Eloise, Jim, and the adorable Havana Browns.
We get to learn more about beekeepers and the art of beekeeping in this one. Of course it is also sprinkled with lovely recipes and tidbits including honey. Oh yes, and there is also an impressive murder/mystery present as well…which definitely kept me on my toes. A few twists were thrown in to help deter my own “sleuthing skills”, and I was surprised at the actual culprit.
This is developing into a great series and I am looking forward to the next installment.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/29/22.
I really enjoyed this second book. Not that I didn’t like the first, because I most certainly did, but I definitely think that the characters really come out of their shells in this second book.
Here we can see more of Wren, Porsche, Aunt Eloise, Jim, and the adorable Havana Browns.
We get to learn more about beekeepers and the art of beekeeping in this one. Of course it is also sprinkled with lovely recipes and tidbits including honey. Oh yes, and there is also an impressive murder/mystery present as well…which definitely kept me on my toes. A few twists were thrown in to help deter my own “sleuthing skills”, and I was surprised at the actual culprit.
This is developing into a great series and I am looking forward to the next installment.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/29/22.
January 26, 2022
The second book in the Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series, this book did not disappoint. Nancy Coco’s mystery is full of humor, quirky characters, cats, and romance. When Wren, the owner of the Let It Bee store goes to pick up some supplies, she finds instead a dead beekeeper. This starts her on the trail for the murderer of her friend. Along the way, she is joined by her friend Porsche, her aunt Eloise, and of course, her cute Brown Havana cat, Everett. More people are hurt and time is of the essence to find the killer or killers.
I so enjoyed this book, that I just hope it’s not another two years before we see the next book in this series. Thank you to NetGalley, he publisher, and the author for a digital ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
I so enjoyed this book, that I just hope it’s not another two years before we see the next book in this series. Thank you to NetGalley, he publisher, and the author for a digital ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
March 3, 2022
The bees didn't kill Elias, a person did. And Wren doesn't think it was Klaus, another beekeeper. Elias was on the trail of someone who had been vandalizing bee hives but who is it? Wren, along with her aunt Eloise set off to find the truth. And then Wren's ex turns up and he's messing with Everett, her Havana Brown cat. What about Officer Jim? Love interest? This is a fun cozy where you'll learn about beekeeping and honey, as well as cats (I know). The characters are good (I'm a fan of Eloise in particular) and the mystery just twisty enough. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read with recipes!
April 1, 2022
I am such a sucker for any books that are bee related, maybe because it helps me appreciate them more and be less afraid when I see them buzzing around. I love how we learned more about the beekeeping process as it was integrated into the story. I am happy to say that Wren is more careful in this book; she still investigates, but she takes more precautions and tells people / police where she is going and mostly what she is doing. I also appreciate that Jim seems to be more respectful and not treat Wren like a child, but listening to her and helping keep her safe as opposed to just yelling at her. Wren has a big heart for both humans, cats, and the bees and it really shines in this story. The mystery had a unique twist, more complicated than some typical cozy mystery motives, which I really appreciated. I enjoyed the small recipes and other uses for honey at the start of each chapter. I really enjoyed it, even more than the first, and can't wait for more.
March 28, 2022
This is the second in the Oregon Honeycomb Mystery and this promises to become an excellent series.
A fast paced plot full of twists and action that kept me turning pages and entertained.
Wren is an interesting character: she's clever, doesn't suffer from a death wish, and she work hard even if she's investigating.
I loved the feline sidekick and the cast of characters as they are relatable and fleshed out.
A cozy mystery can be a bit formulaic at time but the author avoided the traps and wrote a fresh and compelling story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
A fast paced plot full of twists and action that kept me turning pages and entertained.
Wren is an interesting character: she's clever, doesn't suffer from a death wish, and she work hard even if she's investigating.
I loved the feline sidekick and the cast of characters as they are relatable and fleshed out.
A cozy mystery can be a bit formulaic at time but the author avoided the traps and wrote a fresh and compelling story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
August 21, 2025
This is the second in the Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series. I read the first and thought it was okay, but said I wouldn't seem out any more. Well, the second one wandered into the store, so I decided to give it a go. It's just a mess. The characters are fine and the story was okay, but this book is a mess of contradictions and made up facts that are decidedly not true. I'm pretty sure I'm done with this series.
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