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Rosalie Hart Mystery #3
Mystery at Windswept Farm
In Wendy Sand Eckel's much-anticipated third book in the Rosalie Hart Mystery Series, Rosalie's hard-earned organic farm certification is threatened by a toxic neighbor who is about to crop dust his winter wheat. When their impulsive farm hand decides to confront him, she finds his lifeless body inside the door of his home on Windswept Farm. In the midst of the mayhem, Rosalie's beloved Day Lily Café hosts a 5-day cooking school. Marco Giovanelli, a celebrated Italian chef, arrives in Cardigan and a sumptuous situation ensues. When one of the students falls ill with the same poison that killed the farmer, Rosalie and her best friend and head waiter, Glenn, take matters, and homemade pasta dough, into their own hands. With Mystery at Windswept Farm, Eckel once again brings the fictional town of Cardigan to life and delights with suspense, humor, and mouth-watering menus.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 9, 2022
7 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Sand Eckel
8 books50 followersI grew up in a small Ohio town, but decided while studying the states and their capitals in the fourth grade that I would one day live in Maryland. I really liked the flag. Maryland has been my home for almost thirty years.
The first story I ever wrote was about a discarded vacuum cleaner that makes its way back home. When I later saw the movie, The Brave Little Toaster, I was flabbergasted. They stole my idea!
In high school I worked in the shop rack of my father’s Pontiac dealership where I ran parts and prepped new cars. In my leisure time, I learned to play a pretty mean front man on a foosball table.
I majored in Social Work in both graduate and undergraduate school with concentrations in criminology and family therapy. I have spent my career learning how relationships effect our thoughts, emotions, desires, and inhibitions, or in some cases, lack thereof.
Writing mystery is a way to combine my love for the written word with the knowledge I’ve gained about the workings of the human heart. It is a dream realized.
The first story I ever wrote was about a discarded vacuum cleaner that makes its way back home. When I later saw the movie, The Brave Little Toaster, I was flabbergasted. They stole my idea!
In high school I worked in the shop rack of my father’s Pontiac dealership where I ran parts and prepped new cars. In my leisure time, I learned to play a pretty mean front man on a foosball table.
I majored in Social Work in both graduate and undergraduate school with concentrations in criminology and family therapy. I have spent my career learning how relationships effect our thoughts, emotions, desires, and inhibitions, or in some cases, lack thereof.
Writing mystery is a way to combine my love for the written word with the knowledge I’ve gained about the workings of the human heart. It is a dream realized.
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January 10, 2023
“There is craziness everywhere. It’s random. Not in our control”
..
When Meryl Moss Media group offered me a complimentary copy of this new cozy mystery, in exchange for a review, I was in two minds about accepting their kind invitation, as I found myself jumping into the series with book #3, knowing none of the backstory and nothing about the characters. I need not have worried however, as author Wendy Sand Eckel did an amazing job at filling in any gaps succinctly, without causing a non-series reader to feel they have missed out on something vital. In practically no time at all, I felt comfortable and right at home, with Rosalie and her friends, especially when someone mentioned Italian food, which I adore.
It seems as though Rosalie has been a thorn in the side of Sheriff Joe Wilgus, almost from the day she arrived in the small town of Cardigan, Devon County, Maryland, as she appears to have the knack of besting him in many of his major investigations, much to his chagrin. So let’s see how they are getting along these days and if relations might be about to thaw a little…
..
Rosalie inherited Barclay Meadow Farm from her Aunt Charlotte some time go. However it is only recently, following the breakdown of her twenty year marriage and having seen her daughter Annie safely off to university, she decided to kick the city dust of DC from her heels and make a fresh start in her own little quiet corner of paradise. At least that was the plan… Hitherto, the farm had been leased by her neighbour Tyler Wells and had been more than ably managed by him, with the help of Bini Katz.
Being very like-minded, the three of them decide to register Barclay Meadow as a sustainable venture and they are in the final stages of achieving certification when their crochety neighbour Ronnie Kline, who owns Windswept Farm, decides to spray his fields with a particularly noxious chemical which is sure to leach into Barclay Meadow land, scotching any hope of Rosalie attaining sustainability status. When Bini decides to take matters into her own hands and sets off to appeal to Ronnie’s better nature, she finds Windswept deserted and Ronnie’s body led in the hallway of the farmhouse. Murder is soon established and the cause of death would not have been pleasant. Rosalie once again finds herself locking horns with Sheriff Joe Wilgus, as in his usual inimitably laid back style, he is looking to solve the case in the fastest time possible and with the minimum amount of fuss and inconvenience to himself. The tension is ramped up a notch when Ronnie’s family turn up, only to find he has made some strange and not very palatable decisions in his will, which sets his nephew and nieces at each others throats.
With her brother Oliver’s financial help, Rosalie is also the owner of the Day Lily Cafe, which she has just finished renovating, along with her septuagenarian head waiter and fellow amateur sleuth, Glenn Breckinridge. Knowing how much Rosalie would like to expand her culinary skills, fellow businesswoman Alessi, arranges for her visiting Italian celebrity chef cousin, Marco Giovanelli, to hold a week long cookery school, if Rosalie can find five other people to join her. Things are going well, although Marco is becoming more than a little smitten with Rosalie, a feeling which is not reciprocated and which Rosalie knows she will need to deal with sooner rather than later, until fellow cookery class participant and local businessman Kevin, almost meets his end by the same foul means as Ronnie Kline, only this time it happens inside the cafe and appears to be a case of mistaken identity, but who was the intended victim?
A distressed Oliver arrives, seeking solace and comfort from Rosalie. A visiting Russian reality TV star, Sonja, also adds some unforeseen glamour to events, until her real reason for picking sleepy Cardigan for a break come to light and Windswept Farm is once more the centre of unwanted police attention. Does Sonja’s arrival also have anything to do with the Russian Secret Service men seen coming and going from a rented house in the town, where among their regular visitors are Ronnie Kline’s two thuggish nephews. Lets face it, a cantankerous Ronnie had made so many enemies over the years, that no one really knew what went on in his life, or on his property.
Add to the mix, the tentatively growing romantic relationship between Rosalie and Tyler and it’s easy to see how Marco’s Italian recipes for love might become a little toxic. You’ll need to read this one for yourself to find out if there are any happy endings and if there is any sign of a warming in the cold relationship between Rosalie and Sheriff Wilgus!
..
This multi-layered, nicely textured cozy mystery storyline, narrated almost completely by Rosalie herself, is broken down into bite-sized chapters, which keeps the pace of the story moving along nicely, in an ever-evolving and changing situation, where there was never a dull moment. Just as well in a scenario where, amongst a veritable shopping list of suspects and a laundry list of crimes, I was never able to spot the real villain of the piece for the many twists and turns and multiple red herrings, perfectly placed and just waiting to trip me up, which they did most soundly. So many threads which were drawn together in a final denouement I hardly noticed, so skilfully did Rosalie manage things.
Some excellent ‘in kitchen’ scenes, only added to the flavour of the storyline, with their delicious ingredients, heady aromas and spontaneous moments which made me smile. Whilst I enjoy eating good food, I have to confess to not being a particularly competent or adventurous cook. However, many of Rosalie’s fellow participants were also complete novices, so I picked up a few good tips from Marco’s lessons, although whether shall ever venture down the road of preparing my own pasta from scratch is anyone’s guess!
Author Wendy Sand Eckel gathered together a large cast of multi-faceted and well defined characters, who made this story very much their own. The time was taken to describe and draw them authentically and in great detail. They were an evolving, complex jigsaw of human emotions, often unreliable, vulnerable and volatile; yet always raw, passionate, genuine and believable in the roles to which they had been cast, which made them totally addictive, if not easy to connect with.
My favourite character was, as you might expect, Rosalie herself. Her enthusiasm to make a success of her business ventures; her determination to win over Sheriff Wilgus, even if it does end up costing her a fortune in lost profits from all the free coffee and cakes he seems to expect; her new and growing deep connection with her brother in his obvious time of need; and her stubborn resilience in not making the same mistake twice and allowing her emotions to be rode over roughshod by Tyler as much as she has feelings for him, even though I am already itching to give the pair of them a good shove in the right direction.
In this story, revenge was definitely a dish best served stone cold and with calculated malintent.
Albeit that Wendy paid great attention to descriptive and detailed qualities, as she painted the physical location of the storyline, it was a shame that the place names, with the exception of the State of Maryland, were fictional. Not knowing the area made it almost impossible for me to second-guess where Cardigan might actually be, which as a confirmed ‘armchair traveller’ was a little frustrating. I can however, envisage this storyline featuring in a television series similar to ‘Murder She Wrote’, as all the ingredients are there… Wendy managed to strike just the right balance between the seriousness of the crimes, the heady first flushes of romance, and the amazing Italian recipes, to keep me entertained and engaged from the very first page, to the final word. Who could ask for a better journey than that!
I decided to mark my review down a little at four stars, simply because of the formatting, spelling and grammatical bloopers, which peppered the text of my Kindle download. Whilst this didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of the story in any meaningful way, I do hope the final draft was edited once more before release!
..
When Meryl Moss Media group offered me a complimentary copy of this new cozy mystery, in exchange for a review, I was in two minds about accepting their kind invitation, as I found myself jumping into the series with book #3, knowing none of the backstory and nothing about the characters. I need not have worried however, as author Wendy Sand Eckel did an amazing job at filling in any gaps succinctly, without causing a non-series reader to feel they have missed out on something vital. In practically no time at all, I felt comfortable and right at home, with Rosalie and her friends, especially when someone mentioned Italian food, which I adore.
It seems as though Rosalie has been a thorn in the side of Sheriff Joe Wilgus, almost from the day she arrived in the small town of Cardigan, Devon County, Maryland, as she appears to have the knack of besting him in many of his major investigations, much to his chagrin. So let’s see how they are getting along these days and if relations might be about to thaw a little…
..
Rosalie inherited Barclay Meadow Farm from her Aunt Charlotte some time go. However it is only recently, following the breakdown of her twenty year marriage and having seen her daughter Annie safely off to university, she decided to kick the city dust of DC from her heels and make a fresh start in her own little quiet corner of paradise. At least that was the plan… Hitherto, the farm had been leased by her neighbour Tyler Wells and had been more than ably managed by him, with the help of Bini Katz.
Being very like-minded, the three of them decide to register Barclay Meadow as a sustainable venture and they are in the final stages of achieving certification when their crochety neighbour Ronnie Kline, who owns Windswept Farm, decides to spray his fields with a particularly noxious chemical which is sure to leach into Barclay Meadow land, scotching any hope of Rosalie attaining sustainability status. When Bini decides to take matters into her own hands and sets off to appeal to Ronnie’s better nature, she finds Windswept deserted and Ronnie’s body led in the hallway of the farmhouse. Murder is soon established and the cause of death would not have been pleasant. Rosalie once again finds herself locking horns with Sheriff Joe Wilgus, as in his usual inimitably laid back style, he is looking to solve the case in the fastest time possible and with the minimum amount of fuss and inconvenience to himself. The tension is ramped up a notch when Ronnie’s family turn up, only to find he has made some strange and not very palatable decisions in his will, which sets his nephew and nieces at each others throats.
With her brother Oliver’s financial help, Rosalie is also the owner of the Day Lily Cafe, which she has just finished renovating, along with her septuagenarian head waiter and fellow amateur sleuth, Glenn Breckinridge. Knowing how much Rosalie would like to expand her culinary skills, fellow businesswoman Alessi, arranges for her visiting Italian celebrity chef cousin, Marco Giovanelli, to hold a week long cookery school, if Rosalie can find five other people to join her. Things are going well, although Marco is becoming more than a little smitten with Rosalie, a feeling which is not reciprocated and which Rosalie knows she will need to deal with sooner rather than later, until fellow cookery class participant and local businessman Kevin, almost meets his end by the same foul means as Ronnie Kline, only this time it happens inside the cafe and appears to be a case of mistaken identity, but who was the intended victim?
A distressed Oliver arrives, seeking solace and comfort from Rosalie. A visiting Russian reality TV star, Sonja, also adds some unforeseen glamour to events, until her real reason for picking sleepy Cardigan for a break come to light and Windswept Farm is once more the centre of unwanted police attention. Does Sonja’s arrival also have anything to do with the Russian Secret Service men seen coming and going from a rented house in the town, where among their regular visitors are Ronnie Kline’s two thuggish nephews. Lets face it, a cantankerous Ronnie had made so many enemies over the years, that no one really knew what went on in his life, or on his property.
Add to the mix, the tentatively growing romantic relationship between Rosalie and Tyler and it’s easy to see how Marco’s Italian recipes for love might become a little toxic. You’ll need to read this one for yourself to find out if there are any happy endings and if there is any sign of a warming in the cold relationship between Rosalie and Sheriff Wilgus!
..
This multi-layered, nicely textured cozy mystery storyline, narrated almost completely by Rosalie herself, is broken down into bite-sized chapters, which keeps the pace of the story moving along nicely, in an ever-evolving and changing situation, where there was never a dull moment. Just as well in a scenario where, amongst a veritable shopping list of suspects and a laundry list of crimes, I was never able to spot the real villain of the piece for the many twists and turns and multiple red herrings, perfectly placed and just waiting to trip me up, which they did most soundly. So many threads which were drawn together in a final denouement I hardly noticed, so skilfully did Rosalie manage things.
Some excellent ‘in kitchen’ scenes, only added to the flavour of the storyline, with their delicious ingredients, heady aromas and spontaneous moments which made me smile. Whilst I enjoy eating good food, I have to confess to not being a particularly competent or adventurous cook. However, many of Rosalie’s fellow participants were also complete novices, so I picked up a few good tips from Marco’s lessons, although whether shall ever venture down the road of preparing my own pasta from scratch is anyone’s guess!
Author Wendy Sand Eckel gathered together a large cast of multi-faceted and well defined characters, who made this story very much their own. The time was taken to describe and draw them authentically and in great detail. They were an evolving, complex jigsaw of human emotions, often unreliable, vulnerable and volatile; yet always raw, passionate, genuine and believable in the roles to which they had been cast, which made them totally addictive, if not easy to connect with.
My favourite character was, as you might expect, Rosalie herself. Her enthusiasm to make a success of her business ventures; her determination to win over Sheriff Wilgus, even if it does end up costing her a fortune in lost profits from all the free coffee and cakes he seems to expect; her new and growing deep connection with her brother in his obvious time of need; and her stubborn resilience in not making the same mistake twice and allowing her emotions to be rode over roughshod by Tyler as much as she has feelings for him, even though I am already itching to give the pair of them a good shove in the right direction.
In this story, revenge was definitely a dish best served stone cold and with calculated malintent.
Albeit that Wendy paid great attention to descriptive and detailed qualities, as she painted the physical location of the storyline, it was a shame that the place names, with the exception of the State of Maryland, were fictional. Not knowing the area made it almost impossible for me to second-guess where Cardigan might actually be, which as a confirmed ‘armchair traveller’ was a little frustrating. I can however, envisage this storyline featuring in a television series similar to ‘Murder She Wrote’, as all the ingredients are there… Wendy managed to strike just the right balance between the seriousness of the crimes, the heady first flushes of romance, and the amazing Italian recipes, to keep me entertained and engaged from the very first page, to the final word. Who could ask for a better journey than that!
I decided to mark my review down a little at four stars, simply because of the formatting, spelling and grammatical bloopers, which peppered the text of my Kindle download. Whilst this didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of the story in any meaningful way, I do hope the final draft was edited once more before release!
April 8, 2023
Rosalie Hart is working really hard to get an organic farm certification when she learns that her neighbor is about to use a toxic crop dust that could jeopardize her certification. Her farm hand decides to go over and ask if they could wait until they do the soil sample to find him dead. Not only that, he was poisoned. The sheriff points fingers quickly to the farm hand. Then before anyone knew it, another member of the community is sick and was poisoned with the same poison. That's when Rosalie takes it upon herself to clear her farm hand's name as well as her own and solve the mystery of what happened at Windswept farm and the town of Cardigan. Decent read but a lot of extra fluff in the book. There was a lot of filler information about the restaurant that she owns and a cooking class and all of the socials of the town... I like my mysteries a little more to the point, but if you don't mind small town gossip and a little murder and a little mystery then this will be right up your alley.
October 28, 2022
Thank you to @katieandbreypa, @meryl_moss, and @booktrib for an ebook of Mystery at Windswept Farm. This is the third book in the Rosalie Hart series, but you don't need to read the first two to read this one (although I recommend them!)
Rosalie Hart owns and operates an organic farm with her boyfriend Tyler Wells, and is awaiting sustainable certification. But their neighbor is getting ready to spray chemicals on his crops, which could hinder their certification if any gets on their farm. Bini, a worker on Rosalie's farm, goes to the neighbor's house to ask him to hold off on spraying, but finds him dead in the parlor. Now, it's a race to find out who did it, or Sheriff Wilgus is going to arrest Bini for Ronnie Kline's murder.
While investigating Ronnie's murder, Rosalie is also having an Italian cooking class at her cafe with a REAL Italian chef, but on the first day one of the students is poisoned, just like Ronnie. Rosalie isn't going to let someone get away with poisoning her friend, and now she's more determined than ever to find the culprit.
This was a fast read, and all the characters are likeable. Rosalie isn't your normal twenty-something cozy mystery female protagonist. She's a little bit older, divorced, and missing her daughter who's away at college. Her best friend, Glenn, is a seventy-something retiree, and he's always ready to help her solve a crime. It's set in a cute little town on the banks of a river, and who doesn't love a good small town mystery? There were many suspects, and any of them could have easily had a strong motive to kill Ronnie Kline...but can Rosalie figure it out in time?
The only problem I found was some typographical errors but other than that, the book was great. It flowed well and everything seemed consistent.
All in all, this a fast cozy mystery read. There are likeable characters, a little romance, strong connections between characters, plot moves at a good pace, and things wrap up nicely. If you like the Grilled Cheese Mysteries or the Hannah Swensen books, then you will probably like this series.
Rosalie Hart owns and operates an organic farm with her boyfriend Tyler Wells, and is awaiting sustainable certification. But their neighbor is getting ready to spray chemicals on his crops, which could hinder their certification if any gets on their farm. Bini, a worker on Rosalie's farm, goes to the neighbor's house to ask him to hold off on spraying, but finds him dead in the parlor. Now, it's a race to find out who did it, or Sheriff Wilgus is going to arrest Bini for Ronnie Kline's murder.
While investigating Ronnie's murder, Rosalie is also having an Italian cooking class at her cafe with a REAL Italian chef, but on the first day one of the students is poisoned, just like Ronnie. Rosalie isn't going to let someone get away with poisoning her friend, and now she's more determined than ever to find the culprit.
This was a fast read, and all the characters are likeable. Rosalie isn't your normal twenty-something cozy mystery female protagonist. She's a little bit older, divorced, and missing her daughter who's away at college. Her best friend, Glenn, is a seventy-something retiree, and he's always ready to help her solve a crime. It's set in a cute little town on the banks of a river, and who doesn't love a good small town mystery? There were many suspects, and any of them could have easily had a strong motive to kill Ronnie Kline...but can Rosalie figure it out in time?
The only problem I found was some typographical errors but other than that, the book was great. It flowed well and everything seemed consistent.
All in all, this a fast cozy mystery read. There are likeable characters, a little romance, strong connections between characters, plot moves at a good pace, and things wrap up nicely. If you like the Grilled Cheese Mysteries or the Hannah Swensen books, then you will probably like this series.
October 27, 2022
This book has all the ingredients for a perfect cozy mystery ☕️
🔎nosy neighbors
🔎suspicious death
🔎small town cafe
🔎lots of yummy cooking
🔎endearing characters
𝙼𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚝 𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝙵𝚊𝚛𝚖 is a very cute whodunnit story with lots of descriptive and decadent Italian meals woven in. I loved the brief interludes of the cooking class at the cafe where more and more characters become involved in the mystery.
Cozy mysteries are great reads for cold fall days, and this book is no exception.
𝙌𝙊𝙏𝘿: 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙮. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙄𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙝? 🍝
𝘈𝘖𝘛𝘋: 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳
✨𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘴✨
Rosalie Hart owns the Day Lily Cafe and family farm she inherited in rural Cardigan, Maryland. When the grumpy, anti-social neighboring farm owner is found dead by one of Rosalie’s farmhands Bini, the town sheriff concludes that she must be the murderer.
Ronnie Kline, the owner of Windswept Farm had a reputation for being rude and difficult. So when Bini stormed over to his farm to confront him about crop dusting toxic pesticides, it’s no surprise the sheriff thinks she may have been the one to poison him.
As it so happens, the cooking class Rosalie set up at the cafe with Italian chef Marco, appears to attract Ronnie’s family members who have flocked to Cardigan for the curious reading of Ronnie’s will.
Rosalie and her longtime best friend Glenn (who is also head chef at the cafe) decide to take matters into their own hands to figure out who really poisoned Ronnie.
🔎nosy neighbors
🔎suspicious death
🔎small town cafe
🔎lots of yummy cooking
🔎endearing characters
𝙼𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚝 𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝙵𝚊𝚛𝚖 is a very cute whodunnit story with lots of descriptive and decadent Italian meals woven in. I loved the brief interludes of the cooking class at the cafe where more and more characters become involved in the mystery.
Cozy mysteries are great reads for cold fall days, and this book is no exception.
𝙌𝙊𝙏𝘿: 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙮. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙄𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙝? 🍝
𝘈𝘖𝘛𝘋: 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳
✨𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘴✨
Rosalie Hart owns the Day Lily Cafe and family farm she inherited in rural Cardigan, Maryland. When the grumpy, anti-social neighboring farm owner is found dead by one of Rosalie’s farmhands Bini, the town sheriff concludes that she must be the murderer.
Ronnie Kline, the owner of Windswept Farm had a reputation for being rude and difficult. So when Bini stormed over to his farm to confront him about crop dusting toxic pesticides, it’s no surprise the sheriff thinks she may have been the one to poison him.
As it so happens, the cooking class Rosalie set up at the cafe with Italian chef Marco, appears to attract Ronnie’s family members who have flocked to Cardigan for the curious reading of Ronnie’s will.
Rosalie and her longtime best friend Glenn (who is also head chef at the cafe) decide to take matters into their own hands to figure out who really poisoned Ronnie.
December 17, 2022
Mystery At Windswept Farm: Wendy Sand Eckel, author
Although this is the third book in the Rosalie Hart series, the reader will do fine jumping in right here. As the characters are introduced, they are described and blend in easily. In addition, this mystery, complete with a theme of murder and espionage, can stand alone, as well.
Rosalie Hart had inherited the house and farm in Cardigan, located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, from her Aunt Charlotte. Her property slopes down toward a river of the same name. The atmosphere in this sleepy little town seems as pastoral as the description of its surroundings. So, when her marriage to Ed failed, Rosie (also known as Rose Red), moved to Cardigan to regroup. She opened up the Day Lily Café and embarked on a new chapter in her life, running a restaurant. She always loved to cook, and this was the perfect avenue to pursue her avocation.
Her farm land was leased to Tyler Wells. He and Bini Katz, who worked with him, nurtured it and worked hard toward getting it certified as a sustainable organic farm. Does it not sound like the perfect place to settle down? Already, she and Tyler were enjoying a budding romance. Suddenly, into the mix came the fly in the ointment. When the farm was due for an inspection, Rosalie’s neighbor, Ronnie Kline, known mostly for his unpleasant personality, planned to spray his land with toxic material, material that might contaminate her farm land. She, Tyler and Bini were a bit frantic about it. If any of that chemical were to touch Rosalie’s property, they would fail to pass the organic inspection.
Bini stormed over to his farm, hoping to persuade him to halt, or at least delay, his plan to spray. She discovered his body. When it was learned that he did not die from natural causes, but was poisoned, suspicion fell on Bini. Something Rosalie had mentioned to Sheriff Joe Wilgus in passing, sparked his interest in her. Bini and Tyler were so angry with Rosalie for having loose lips, that Tyler stormed out of Rosalie’s place, leaving her distraught. He wouldn’t even let her offer an explanation. She was forced to question the strength of their romantic relationship. With Glenn Breckenridge, her head waiter and best friend, she quietly began to investigate in order to clear Bini’s name. She had already acquired a reputation for successfully unraveling and solving other mysterious incidents.
At the same time as all this is taking place, Rosalie’s long absent brother, Oliver, makes an appearance and they begin bonding, once again. Cardigan and Rosalie welcome him warmly, and in need of a respite, he begins to mellow. When Rosalie’s friend Alessa, the local owner of a winery, offered up Marco Giovanelli, a renowned chef from Italy, to conduct a cooking class at the Day Lily Café, Rosalie was ecstatic. Although the restaurant was closed for renovations, it was almost ready to be reopened, and the kitchen was in perfect order and could be used. She gathered a small group of people to help her defray the cost. Kevin, one half of a gay couple about to be married, Brandon Hitch, an odd professor whose surname is attached to the history of Cardigan, Jojo Bennet, the sole heir to the Kline Estate, Janice Tilghman (also known as Snow White), an old and dear childhood friend, Oliver, and Rosalie, of course, get ready to enjoy the experience of a lifetime. She and Marco hit it off immediately. He recognizes her natural talent and is impressed with her ability and creativity in the kitchen. As Marco grows more and more impressed with Rosalie’s natural skill and creativity, the reader will wonder if the cooking class will remain his main interest? However, when one of the students almost dies from poisoned salt, the continuation of the class may be in jeopardy. Even worse is the idea that this incident will destroy her restaurant’s reputation. Rosalie hopes it doesn’t ring its death knell.
Rosalie felt forced to fly into action. She and Glenn began to more fully investigate the sudden, strange catastrophes striking Cardigan. Rosalie made a connection with Cliff, the Private Investigator hired by her friend Janice. Janice suspected that her husband Trevor was having an affair with Bonnie Tucker. When Cliff, the private investigator discovered an odd development, he shared it with Rosalie. Barty Bennet, Jojo’s brother, who ran the farm for Ronnie Kline, and Michael, her sister Phoebe Parker’s husband, a gambler, had been meeting with the Russians in the house next door to Bonnie Tucker’s to negotiate the purchase of the Kline property before it passed to Jojo, the sole heir. They wanted a piece of the inheritance. As this plot thickened, Oliver was developing a fortuitous friendship with Sonja Volkov, who had been seen around town driving her red Porsche. She was a famous television actress. Since Sonja was a Russian, too, it was a cue for Rosalie to grow more curious about her. Why had she come to Cardigan? It turned out she was looking for her father who had been visiting Ronnie Kline. Why would the rich Mr. Volkov have anything to do with Ronnie Kline?
The story grew more complicated, although it was still manageable because of the easy conversational style of the author. What was disrupting the idyllic atmosphere in Cardigan? Why do the Russians even want property in Cardigan? Is Trevor having an affair with Bonnie? Will Bini and Tyler make up with Rosalie? Will the murderer be found? Will Rosalie be able to prevent further mayhem? All of these questions become ingredients in this Rosalie Hart mystery. Do they mix together well? I will answer with a resounding YES! However, if it sounds confusing to you, just relax. Let the story pique your interest, because the story will embrace you and quietly and easily work itself out, providing you with hours of reading pleasure. All of the ingredients in this recipe will blend together perfectly.
How often have you read a book that nourished and embraced you, welcoming you into its warm atmosphere? Well, this mystery novel invites you in and asks you to stay awhile. This book, like the farm that Rosalie Hart, Tyler and Bini nurture together, like the name of the town and the river, Cardigan suggests, grasps your shoulders like a sweater and takes you into its arms. Although most of the characters are a bit quirky, they have qualities that you would like in a friend. You want to stay awhile in this place. It reminded me of the Sue Grafton alphabet series with Kinsey Millhone, and Louise Penny’s Three Pines, another place in another novel with quirky but lovable characters, a place you wish was real. Let Cardigan gently embrace you and put out the welcome mat.
Although this is the third book in the Rosalie Hart series, the reader will do fine jumping in right here. As the characters are introduced, they are described and blend in easily. In addition, this mystery, complete with a theme of murder and espionage, can stand alone, as well.
Rosalie Hart had inherited the house and farm in Cardigan, located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, from her Aunt Charlotte. Her property slopes down toward a river of the same name. The atmosphere in this sleepy little town seems as pastoral as the description of its surroundings. So, when her marriage to Ed failed, Rosie (also known as Rose Red), moved to Cardigan to regroup. She opened up the Day Lily Café and embarked on a new chapter in her life, running a restaurant. She always loved to cook, and this was the perfect avenue to pursue her avocation.
Her farm land was leased to Tyler Wells. He and Bini Katz, who worked with him, nurtured it and worked hard toward getting it certified as a sustainable organic farm. Does it not sound like the perfect place to settle down? Already, she and Tyler were enjoying a budding romance. Suddenly, into the mix came the fly in the ointment. When the farm was due for an inspection, Rosalie’s neighbor, Ronnie Kline, known mostly for his unpleasant personality, planned to spray his land with toxic material, material that might contaminate her farm land. She, Tyler and Bini were a bit frantic about it. If any of that chemical were to touch Rosalie’s property, they would fail to pass the organic inspection.
Bini stormed over to his farm, hoping to persuade him to halt, or at least delay, his plan to spray. She discovered his body. When it was learned that he did not die from natural causes, but was poisoned, suspicion fell on Bini. Something Rosalie had mentioned to Sheriff Joe Wilgus in passing, sparked his interest in her. Bini and Tyler were so angry with Rosalie for having loose lips, that Tyler stormed out of Rosalie’s place, leaving her distraught. He wouldn’t even let her offer an explanation. She was forced to question the strength of their romantic relationship. With Glenn Breckenridge, her head waiter and best friend, she quietly began to investigate in order to clear Bini’s name. She had already acquired a reputation for successfully unraveling and solving other mysterious incidents.
At the same time as all this is taking place, Rosalie’s long absent brother, Oliver, makes an appearance and they begin bonding, once again. Cardigan and Rosalie welcome him warmly, and in need of a respite, he begins to mellow. When Rosalie’s friend Alessa, the local owner of a winery, offered up Marco Giovanelli, a renowned chef from Italy, to conduct a cooking class at the Day Lily Café, Rosalie was ecstatic. Although the restaurant was closed for renovations, it was almost ready to be reopened, and the kitchen was in perfect order and could be used. She gathered a small group of people to help her defray the cost. Kevin, one half of a gay couple about to be married, Brandon Hitch, an odd professor whose surname is attached to the history of Cardigan, Jojo Bennet, the sole heir to the Kline Estate, Janice Tilghman (also known as Snow White), an old and dear childhood friend, Oliver, and Rosalie, of course, get ready to enjoy the experience of a lifetime. She and Marco hit it off immediately. He recognizes her natural talent and is impressed with her ability and creativity in the kitchen. As Marco grows more and more impressed with Rosalie’s natural skill and creativity, the reader will wonder if the cooking class will remain his main interest? However, when one of the students almost dies from poisoned salt, the continuation of the class may be in jeopardy. Even worse is the idea that this incident will destroy her restaurant’s reputation. Rosalie hopes it doesn’t ring its death knell.
Rosalie felt forced to fly into action. She and Glenn began to more fully investigate the sudden, strange catastrophes striking Cardigan. Rosalie made a connection with Cliff, the Private Investigator hired by her friend Janice. Janice suspected that her husband Trevor was having an affair with Bonnie Tucker. When Cliff, the private investigator discovered an odd development, he shared it with Rosalie. Barty Bennet, Jojo’s brother, who ran the farm for Ronnie Kline, and Michael, her sister Phoebe Parker’s husband, a gambler, had been meeting with the Russians in the house next door to Bonnie Tucker’s to negotiate the purchase of the Kline property before it passed to Jojo, the sole heir. They wanted a piece of the inheritance. As this plot thickened, Oliver was developing a fortuitous friendship with Sonja Volkov, who had been seen around town driving her red Porsche. She was a famous television actress. Since Sonja was a Russian, too, it was a cue for Rosalie to grow more curious about her. Why had she come to Cardigan? It turned out she was looking for her father who had been visiting Ronnie Kline. Why would the rich Mr. Volkov have anything to do with Ronnie Kline?
The story grew more complicated, although it was still manageable because of the easy conversational style of the author. What was disrupting the idyllic atmosphere in Cardigan? Why do the Russians even want property in Cardigan? Is Trevor having an affair with Bonnie? Will Bini and Tyler make up with Rosalie? Will the murderer be found? Will Rosalie be able to prevent further mayhem? All of these questions become ingredients in this Rosalie Hart mystery. Do they mix together well? I will answer with a resounding YES! However, if it sounds confusing to you, just relax. Let the story pique your interest, because the story will embrace you and quietly and easily work itself out, providing you with hours of reading pleasure. All of the ingredients in this recipe will blend together perfectly.
How often have you read a book that nourished and embraced you, welcoming you into its warm atmosphere? Well, this mystery novel invites you in and asks you to stay awhile. This book, like the farm that Rosalie Hart, Tyler and Bini nurture together, like the name of the town and the river, Cardigan suggests, grasps your shoulders like a sweater and takes you into its arms. Although most of the characters are a bit quirky, they have qualities that you would like in a friend. You want to stay awhile in this place. It reminded me of the Sue Grafton alphabet series with Kinsey Millhone, and Louise Penny’s Three Pines, another place in another novel with quirky but lovable characters, a place you wish was real. Let Cardigan gently embrace you and put out the welcome mat.
November 5, 2022
ARC Book Review
Mystery at Windswept Farms
A Rosalie Hart Mystery Book 3
A Novel Written By Wendy Sand Eckel
Fiction - Mystery
Published 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
What I liked about this book:
- older main characters
- cozy mystery
- Murder She Wrote vibe
- Italian cooking school subplot
- small town setting
Rosalie Hart is the main character and narrator. She is recently divorced and living in her aunt’s farmhouse which she has inherited in a small town in Maryland. She leases the farm land to Tyler Wells, who she has recently started dating. Rosalie also runs the Day Lily Cafe in town.
Ronnie Kline who owns the farm adjacent to Rosalie’s farm has been found dead killed by poisoning.
Rosalie and her coworker, Glenn, have become amateur sleuths. They try to uncover clues to reveal Glenn’s killer. Is Rosalie putting her life in danger?
As Rosalie tries to uncover the murder mystery, she is hosting an Italian cooking school at the cafe. A chef visiting from Italy is the teacher. I enjoyed reading about the different dishes the students were cooking and the techniques he taught his students.
This book is a cozy murder mystery that was fun to read. Although, it is the third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. I liked it so much I requested the first two books from my local library.
“At the table with good friends and family, one does not grow old.”
Mystery at Windswept Farms
A Rosalie Hart Mystery Book 3
A Novel Written By Wendy Sand Eckel
Fiction - Mystery
Published 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
What I liked about this book:
- older main characters
- cozy mystery
- Murder She Wrote vibe
- Italian cooking school subplot
- small town setting
Rosalie Hart is the main character and narrator. She is recently divorced and living in her aunt’s farmhouse which she has inherited in a small town in Maryland. She leases the farm land to Tyler Wells, who she has recently started dating. Rosalie also runs the Day Lily Cafe in town.
Ronnie Kline who owns the farm adjacent to Rosalie’s farm has been found dead killed by poisoning.
Rosalie and her coworker, Glenn, have become amateur sleuths. They try to uncover clues to reveal Glenn’s killer. Is Rosalie putting her life in danger?
As Rosalie tries to uncover the murder mystery, she is hosting an Italian cooking school at the cafe. A chef visiting from Italy is the teacher. I enjoyed reading about the different dishes the students were cooking and the techniques he taught his students.
This book is a cozy murder mystery that was fun to read. Although, it is the third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. I liked it so much I requested the first two books from my local library.
“At the table with good friends and family, one does not grow old.”
February 9, 2025
Mystery at Windswept Farm is the third book in the Rosalie Hart Mystery series.
In this book, the protagonist Rosaline Hart is about to confront her toxic neighbour who is about to crop dust his winter wheat. Her farm hand finds him dead inside his home. At the same time, Rosaline's Day Lily Cafe hosts a 5-day cooking school. A celebrated Italian chef is invited. When one of the students collapses similar to the case of her neighbour, Rosaline decides to find the culprit.
I didn't know this book belong to a series😅 But it can be read as a stand-alone.
In the beginning, I didn't like Rosaline. I found the main character annoying sometimes 😅. But as the story progressed I started to like her. I found myself trying to solve the mystery 😅 . I like Oliver. Rosaline is really persistent about finding the culprit.
Read this if you like
🔎 Cozy mystery
🔎 Persistent female character
🔎 Cooking
🔎 Solving mysteries
🔎 Easy read
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review
In this book, the protagonist Rosaline Hart is about to confront her toxic neighbour who is about to crop dust his winter wheat. Her farm hand finds him dead inside his home. At the same time, Rosaline's Day Lily Cafe hosts a 5-day cooking school. A celebrated Italian chef is invited. When one of the students collapses similar to the case of her neighbour, Rosaline decides to find the culprit.
I didn't know this book belong to a series😅 But it can be read as a stand-alone.
In the beginning, I didn't like Rosaline. I found the main character annoying sometimes 😅. But as the story progressed I started to like her. I found myself trying to solve the mystery 😅 . I like Oliver. Rosaline is really persistent about finding the culprit.
Read this if you like
🔎 Cozy mystery
🔎 Persistent female character
🔎 Cooking
🔎 Solving mysteries
🔎 Easy read
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review
September 20, 2022
Maybe this would have been better if I read the first two books in the series, but it left me wanting a bit more in some areas. Overall it was a decent read with a decent whodunit. I really did enjoy the setting though.
December 18, 2022
Mystery at Windswept Farm is the third in the cozy Rosalie Hart mystery series which is set on America's east coast. Organic versus conventional farming interests me as I worked for an organic certification agency and grew up on a farm. The pressure of the process is relatable.
After riling up neighbours and nearly all his acquaintances, cantankerous conventional farmer Ronnie Kline is found dead. He was about to spray his crops with toxins which places organic certification in immediate jeopardy. Farmers Rosalie and her boyfriend Tyler anxiously await the renewal letter from the certification agency but shudder when they discover Ronnie's plans. The list of suspects wishing harm to Ronnie is long. Rosalie and her waiter friend do some sleuthing and cooperate with the sheriff who (unrealistically) shares information with them.
Meanwhile, a celebrated Tuscan chef who is an acquaintance of Rosalie's friend Alessa arrives to teach cooking classes at the Day Lily Café to a range of eager students. But one shows mysterious symptoms which raises suspicions. Is this somehow linked to the murder of Ronnie Kline?
Cozy Mystery readers will find this rural murder mystery delectable. My favourite aspects as a regular visitor to Italy and food lover are the lovely food descriptions and menus. Though somewhat predictable, Mystery at Windswept Farm is a fun and light escapist read.
My sincere thank you to Meryl Moss Media Group and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this charming book.
After riling up neighbours and nearly all his acquaintances, cantankerous conventional farmer Ronnie Kline is found dead. He was about to spray his crops with toxins which places organic certification in immediate jeopardy. Farmers Rosalie and her boyfriend Tyler anxiously await the renewal letter from the certification agency but shudder when they discover Ronnie's plans. The list of suspects wishing harm to Ronnie is long. Rosalie and her waiter friend do some sleuthing and cooperate with the sheriff who (unrealistically) shares information with them.
Meanwhile, a celebrated Tuscan chef who is an acquaintance of Rosalie's friend Alessa arrives to teach cooking classes at the Day Lily Café to a range of eager students. But one shows mysterious symptoms which raises suspicions. Is this somehow linked to the murder of Ronnie Kline?
Cozy Mystery readers will find this rural murder mystery delectable. My favourite aspects as a regular visitor to Italy and food lover are the lovely food descriptions and menus. Though somewhat predictable, Mystery at Windswept Farm is a fun and light escapist read.
My sincere thank you to Meryl Moss Media Group and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this charming book.
January 23, 2023
This book tells the story of Rosalie Hart who moves back to the small town of Cardigan, Maryland on the Eastern Shore. she starts over after a devastating divorce and soon opens the Day Lily Cafe, a farm to table restaurant. She is also seeking to have her farm certified as an organic farm.
She finds that her neighbor is planning to crop dust with a questionable poison. This will blow over her crops and ruin her certification. Her worker, Bini Katx, goes over to talk with the man and finds him dead. The sheriff declares that Bini is the murderer.
Rosalie strives to find out who murdered her neighbor. In the meantime, she is asked to host a cooking class in her cafe. She agrees and soon has five students signed up to learn Tuscan cooking from an international chef, Marco Giovannielli. The first day of class, one of the students is poisoned by tasting seasoned salt Rosalie had prepared and was drying on the counter.
The mystery is not a difficult one to solve but this book has its share of quirky characters and other plots. Oh, and the Russians are coming!
This was a fun read and I look forward to the next book in this series.
She finds that her neighbor is planning to crop dust with a questionable poison. This will blow over her crops and ruin her certification. Her worker, Bini Katx, goes over to talk with the man and finds him dead. The sheriff declares that Bini is the murderer.
Rosalie strives to find out who murdered her neighbor. In the meantime, she is asked to host a cooking class in her cafe. She agrees and soon has five students signed up to learn Tuscan cooking from an international chef, Marco Giovannielli. The first day of class, one of the students is poisoned by tasting seasoned salt Rosalie had prepared and was drying on the counter.
The mystery is not a difficult one to solve but this book has its share of quirky characters and other plots. Oh, and the Russians are coming!
This was a fun read and I look forward to the next book in this series.
December 5, 2022
***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review
In the third book in the Rosalie Hart Mystery Series Rosalie's hard-earned organic farm certification is threatened by a toxic neighbor who is about to crop dust his winter wheat. When their impulsive farm hand decides to confront him, she finds his lifeless body inside the door of his home on Windswept Farm. In the midst of all of this chaos, a celebrated Italian chef arrives in town and offers to give cooking lessons at the Day Lily Cafe for Rosalie and a few others. When one of the students falls ill with the same poison that killed the farmer, Rosalie and her best friend and head waiter, Glenn, take matters into their own hands.
This book seems to have been well received, so I think it just wasn't the book for me. While I loved reading the descriptions of the foods they were making, I never really connected with any of the characters and felt like the dialogue sounded awkward and forced. Ultimately, I think this book and I just weren't well matched.
In the third book in the Rosalie Hart Mystery Series Rosalie's hard-earned organic farm certification is threatened by a toxic neighbor who is about to crop dust his winter wheat. When their impulsive farm hand decides to confront him, she finds his lifeless body inside the door of his home on Windswept Farm. In the midst of all of this chaos, a celebrated Italian chef arrives in town and offers to give cooking lessons at the Day Lily Cafe for Rosalie and a few others. When one of the students falls ill with the same poison that killed the farmer, Rosalie and her best friend and head waiter, Glenn, take matters into their own hands.
This book seems to have been well received, so I think it just wasn't the book for me. While I loved reading the descriptions of the foods they were making, I never really connected with any of the characters and felt like the dialogue sounded awkward and forced. Ultimately, I think this book and I just weren't well matched.
February 21, 2023
The third Rosalie Hart Mystery is arguably the best. This time, murder hits closer to home than ever. The cantankerous owner of the neighboring farm plans to spray a dangerous chemical on his fields, threatening Rosalie's organic farm status. But before he can do so, he is poisoned, and Bini Katz, one of Rosalie's helpers, finds him. Suspicion immediately falls on Bini. From there, things go from bad to worse. Rosalie's investigation threatens friendships and her own budding romance, and even the 5-day cooking school she hosts under the tutelage of an Italian chef is threatened when a second poisoning occurs right there in the restaurant. The resolution is complex and stunning.
What's best about this series, and this book in particular, is how Eckel marries (to use a culinary term) the flavors: Eastern Shore life, friendships, love affairs, family feuds, and intrigue. This place feels so real, you'll swear you're right there with Rosalie, sharing her experiences.
I'm looking forward to a fourth installment in the series, but it looks like I'll have to wait a few months.
What's best about this series, and this book in particular, is how Eckel marries (to use a culinary term) the flavors: Eastern Shore life, friendships, love affairs, family feuds, and intrigue. This place feels so real, you'll swear you're right there with Rosalie, sharing her experiences.
I'm looking forward to a fourth installment in the series, but it looks like I'll have to wait a few months.
August 4, 2023
Mystery at Windswept Farm is the third book in the Rosalie Hart mysteries and I have enjoyed reading all of them. The main character in this series, Rosalie Hart, is a likable person. In the third book, she is hosting a five day cooking school at her Day Lily Cafe in Cardigan, Maryland. Her fellow students are: Oliver Finnegan--her older brother, her friend--Janice Tilghman, Brandon Preston Hitch--professor at John Adams College, Jojo--Ronnie Kline's niece, and Kevin--another one of Rosalie's friends. Other returning characters are Glenn Breckinridge--Rosalie's best friend and head waiter, Sheriff Joe Wilgus, and Tyler Wells who leases Rosalie's farmland. When Ronnie Kline (Rosalie's neighbor at Windswept Farms) is found murdered, Rosalie and Glenn have some more sleuthing to do. This story has secrets, danger, mystery, suspense and some romance. I look forward to reading the next book.
December 14, 2022
I was easily nabbed by the title because I'm a sucker for sustainable/organic farms, farm-to-table and cozy little towns, especially those on the East Coast! Wendy Eckel's book did not disappoint. The main character Rosalie Hart has a lot going on in her life from reopening her cafe, to reconnecting with her brother, Oliver, to guy troubles. Yet somehow she managed to ensnare herself in a mystery at the farm next to hers all while hosting a week long Italian class taught by a famous Tuscan chef. The suspects are all over the board...is it the Russians, a family member, her boyfriend's farm employee or someone with a vendetta? I truly enjoyed watching the relationships build amongst the characters as they cooked and drank their way through the twists and turns of life's every day problems. I recommend reading this book...chop chop and preferably with a glass of wine in your hand!
January 2, 2026
Rosalie's organic farm certification is being threatened by a self-centered neighbor who is about to crop dust his winter wheat. Unfortunately, one of the farm hands goes to confront him and discovers his body, making her a prime suspect. Along with this, Rosalie is hosting a 5-day cooking school at her Day Lily Cafe with celebrated Italian chef, Marco Giovanelli.
I enjoyed spending time with Rosalie and the secondary characters. I enjoyed hearing about all the different dishes being created. It made me hungry. I would have loved if some recipes had been included. That was my only disappointment. The mystery was interesting, and I did not guess the killer right away. It had the right touch of romance, and I enjoyed the dynamics between the characters.
I enjoyed spending time with Rosalie and the secondary characters. I enjoyed hearing about all the different dishes being created. It made me hungry. I would have loved if some recipes had been included. That was my only disappointment. The mystery was interesting, and I did not guess the killer right away. It had the right touch of romance, and I enjoyed the dynamics between the characters.
February 8, 2023
Mystery at Windswept Manor by Wendy Sand Eckel is the third book in the Rosalie Hart series. Although I haven’t read the first two, I wasn’t deterred from jumping right in. I don’t read many cozies and this made me question why not. I never felt any gaps from information I was missing and the tightly woven story flowed at an excellent pace. The characters were more seasoned and their actions made for a very interesting story.
February 17, 2023
The recipes and fresh ingredients will make you drool. The organic field to table cafe is being updated so Rosalie has free time and the Italian cooking class is a good idea. The class has interesting students and a gorgeous Italian Chef as the teacher. Each student has their story. One is the gal that inherited the farm next to Rosalie's farm. Her Uncle has died of questionable circumstance. It is this death that perks the interest of Rosalie. She is a nosy one. What a good story!
December 24, 2022
Review of eBook
After her marriage disintegrated, Rosalie Hart moved to Cardigan, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, to the house and farm she’d inherited from her Aunt Charlotte. With an assist from Bini Katz, Tyler Wells runs Barclay Meadow as a sustainable organic farm while Rosie runs the Day Lily Café [currently closed for renovations, but soon to open again].
But trouble is on the horizon. Their farm is up for recertification and the neighboring farmer, Ronnie Kline, is preparing to dust the crops of Windswept Farm with pesticides. And if the wind were to carry any of that pesticide over onto Barclay Meadow, they would lose their certified organic certification. Concerned and worried, Bini heads over to Windswept Farm, hoping to persuade the none-too-friendly Ronnie to delay [or abandon] his plan to spray the pesticide.
She found Ronnie Kline . . . dead.
With the help of her best friend/head waiter, Glenn Breckenridge, Rosie sets out to clear Bini’s name and find the person who murdered Ronnie. And, at the same time, she hosts a cooking class led by a renowned Italian chef, Marco Giovanelli.
Soon there are many questions despite the fact that Ronnie had a reputation for being mean and unpleasant; certainly he had many enemies. Was Ronnie truly ready to sell Windswept Farm to the Russians? Why was the Hollywood actress in Cardigan?
Can Rosie find the answers? And what will happen when she gets too close to identifying the murderer?
=========
Although this is the third book in the author’s Rosalie Hart series, readers will have no problem reading this as a standalone. Interesting, well-developed characters, an absorbing mystery, and delectable food descriptions all work together to keep the pages turning in this cozy mystery. The camaraderie between the characters feels authentic, creating realism in the telling of the tale.
Along with the murder mystery and the cooking classes, there’s a budding romance, a misunderstanding, the reuniting of a brother and sister, and an unexpected threat creating multiple plot points with the murder investigation being the overarching plot that brings them all together.
Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries are sure to find much to appreciate here.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Meryl Moss Media Group and NetGalley
#MysteryAtWindsweptFarm #NetGalley
After her marriage disintegrated, Rosalie Hart moved to Cardigan, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, to the house and farm she’d inherited from her Aunt Charlotte. With an assist from Bini Katz, Tyler Wells runs Barclay Meadow as a sustainable organic farm while Rosie runs the Day Lily Café [currently closed for renovations, but soon to open again].
But trouble is on the horizon. Their farm is up for recertification and the neighboring farmer, Ronnie Kline, is preparing to dust the crops of Windswept Farm with pesticides. And if the wind were to carry any of that pesticide over onto Barclay Meadow, they would lose their certified organic certification. Concerned and worried, Bini heads over to Windswept Farm, hoping to persuade the none-too-friendly Ronnie to delay [or abandon] his plan to spray the pesticide.
She found Ronnie Kline . . . dead.
With the help of her best friend/head waiter, Glenn Breckenridge, Rosie sets out to clear Bini’s name and find the person who murdered Ronnie. And, at the same time, she hosts a cooking class led by a renowned Italian chef, Marco Giovanelli.
Soon there are many questions despite the fact that Ronnie had a reputation for being mean and unpleasant; certainly he had many enemies. Was Ronnie truly ready to sell Windswept Farm to the Russians? Why was the Hollywood actress in Cardigan?
Can Rosie find the answers? And what will happen when she gets too close to identifying the murderer?
=========
Although this is the third book in the author’s Rosalie Hart series, readers will have no problem reading this as a standalone. Interesting, well-developed characters, an absorbing mystery, and delectable food descriptions all work together to keep the pages turning in this cozy mystery. The camaraderie between the characters feels authentic, creating realism in the telling of the tale.
Along with the murder mystery and the cooking classes, there’s a budding romance, a misunderstanding, the reuniting of a brother and sister, and an unexpected threat creating multiple plot points with the murder investigation being the overarching plot that brings them all together.
Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries are sure to find much to appreciate here.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Meryl Moss Media Group and NetGalley
#MysteryAtWindsweptFarm #NetGalley
December 20, 2022
I received a free copy of, Mystery At Windswept Farm, by Wendy Eckel, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a Rosalie Hart Mystery. This is a short but quirky mystery. Alcohol, and love is involved.
June 27, 2023
A good cozy mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. Rosalie has Italian Chef Marco doing a cooking school and one of them is poisoned and no one is safe a real page turner.
September 6, 2023
This is the third book of the series and the first for me. Good story to keep you interested and likable characters.
August 8, 2024
this organic farmer is worried the neighbors spraying their fields, might blow onto her organic crops.
A neighboring organic farmer is found dead.
A neighboring organic farmer is found dead.
December 27, 2024
Enjoyed the story. I need to read the first two in the series to catch up on the characters.
December 28, 2022
Cutely woven mystery tying the participants of a weeklong Italian cooking class with the murder of a local rancher. Everyone is a suspect. It takes the wiles of restaurant owner Rosalie and her partner Glenn to investigate while causing headaches for the local sheriff.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 24, 2022
This is a great story that certainly grabbed my attention. Wendy Eckel has done a great job with not only an interesting and entertaining plot, but a diverse range of characters as well. The cooking and recipes were a nice touch, who doesn’t like great food. I loved Rosalie, and would love to have her as my neighbor. Overall I quite enjoyed this. 5/5 Star Rating.
December 21, 2022
I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
I don't really like start reading books in a series if I haven't read the previous ones, but this one is pretty good about not dwelling on the past too much. The main character is pretty likeable and smart as a character so it kept my attention as she tries to solve a murder in her small town while juggling a love life and a business.
I don't really like start reading books in a series if I haven't read the previous ones, but this one is pretty good about not dwelling on the past too much. The main character is pretty likeable and smart as a character so it kept my attention as she tries to solve a murder in her small town while juggling a love life and a business.
October 6, 2023
I liked this book but I just couldn't get into the story. I didn't like the writing style but overall the story was good.
October 30, 2022
Mystery at Windswept Farm
Things I Loved:
🚜 Mature characters,
🚜 Warm family and friend relationships,
🚜 Cozy mystery,
🚜 The café and farm locales,
🚜 The Italian food!
Mystery at Windswept Farm is the third in a series. It can definitely be read as a stand alone though.
This story definitely had some suspense to it. I was able to follow along with our amateur sleuthers and had a good guess on the suspect. This book had a little of that classic Murder She Wrote feel. Where our amateur sleuth figures out who committed the crime and ends up in danger.
I love to cook, so I loved the cooking school aspect of this story. The descriptions of the food and the commraderie amongst the participants made me want to be there too. I am definitely going to try and make an authentic Italian red sauce now.
Only minor complaint I might have, and this is purely a personal thing, is the miscommunication trope between the main character and her love interest. It always makes me so mad, just talk to each other! Although I can appreciate with their complicated pasts that might be difficult.
If you love cozy mysteries, you will really enjoy this book. I loved cuddling up with my cozy blanket, a hot latte and this book!
🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜
Rosalie Hart is the owner of a farm that is trying to get organic certified. The neighboring farm, Windswept Farms, is about to spray dangerous chemicals on their farm. The winds might blow some chemicals onto Rosalie's farm, jeopardizing her certification. But, then Windswept Farms curmudgeonly owner is found dead.
Rosalie also owns a café which has been under renovation. She has decided to host a cooking school with a famed Italian chef as the instructor. She puts together a somewhat unlikely group for the cooking school, but when one of her students and good friends, falls ill from the same thing that killed the owner of Windswept Farms, she is determined to figure out who did it and why! And there are lots of likely suspects in town, including in her own cooking school.
I was so pleased to have the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you @meryl_moss
@katieandbrey and @booktrib.
Things I Loved:
🚜 Mature characters,
🚜 Warm family and friend relationships,
🚜 Cozy mystery,
🚜 The café and farm locales,
🚜 The Italian food!
Mystery at Windswept Farm is the third in a series. It can definitely be read as a stand alone though.
This story definitely had some suspense to it. I was able to follow along with our amateur sleuthers and had a good guess on the suspect. This book had a little of that classic Murder She Wrote feel. Where our amateur sleuth figures out who committed the crime and ends up in danger.
I love to cook, so I loved the cooking school aspect of this story. The descriptions of the food and the commraderie amongst the participants made me want to be there too. I am definitely going to try and make an authentic Italian red sauce now.
Only minor complaint I might have, and this is purely a personal thing, is the miscommunication trope between the main character and her love interest. It always makes me so mad, just talk to each other! Although I can appreciate with their complicated pasts that might be difficult.
If you love cozy mysteries, you will really enjoy this book. I loved cuddling up with my cozy blanket, a hot latte and this book!
🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜
Rosalie Hart is the owner of a farm that is trying to get organic certified. The neighboring farm, Windswept Farms, is about to spray dangerous chemicals on their farm. The winds might blow some chemicals onto Rosalie's farm, jeopardizing her certification. But, then Windswept Farms curmudgeonly owner is found dead.
Rosalie also owns a café which has been under renovation. She has decided to host a cooking school with a famed Italian chef as the instructor. She puts together a somewhat unlikely group for the cooking school, but when one of her students and good friends, falls ill from the same thing that killed the owner of Windswept Farms, she is determined to figure out who did it and why! And there are lots of likely suspects in town, including in her own cooking school.
I was so pleased to have the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you @meryl_moss
@katieandbrey and @booktrib.
November 10, 2022
A RECIPE FOR ENJOYMENT
Mystery at Windswept Farm is the third book in the Rosalie Hart series from Wendy Sand Eckel. Rosalie, as readers of Eckel's earlier works know, is an amateur detective and restaurateur in a small Maryland town called Cardigan. She also owns a farm that she hopes to have certified organic, meaning that the crops she raises and that she plans to use in her restaurant will be pesticide-free. But there’s a problem, namely that the owner of a neighboring farm, a man named Kline, is planning to have his winter wheat crop dusted, with the likely result that enough of the pesticide will be blown by the prevailing winds onto Rosalie’s land to upend her chances for certification. When Rosalie’s friend and hired hand Bini Katz takes it upon herself to confront Kline, she finds him dead on the floor of his home from what turns out to be hemlock poisoning. Kline’s death, and the subsequent investigation is the arc that holds the story together, which also includes a five-day cooking seminar conducted by an internationally renowned Italian chef at Rosalie’s Day Lily Café (recipes included), suspected Russian agents hoping to purchase Kline’s farm land for nefarious purposes, a stubborn county sheriff whose stock-in-trade seems to be suspecting the wrong people, a blossoming romance between Rosalie and her boyfriend, Tyler. In the end, however, this is a well-crafted novel that keeps the reader guessing “whodunit” right up until the satisfying conclusion. Readers familiar with Wendy Eckel's earlier novels, as well as those new to the series, will find this a fun and entertaining read.
Gregory Stout, author of Gideon’s Ghost, Connor’s War, Lost Little Girl and The Gone Man.
Mystery at Windswept Farm is the third book in the Rosalie Hart series from Wendy Sand Eckel. Rosalie, as readers of Eckel's earlier works know, is an amateur detective and restaurateur in a small Maryland town called Cardigan. She also owns a farm that she hopes to have certified organic, meaning that the crops she raises and that she plans to use in her restaurant will be pesticide-free. But there’s a problem, namely that the owner of a neighboring farm, a man named Kline, is planning to have his winter wheat crop dusted, with the likely result that enough of the pesticide will be blown by the prevailing winds onto Rosalie’s land to upend her chances for certification. When Rosalie’s friend and hired hand Bini Katz takes it upon herself to confront Kline, she finds him dead on the floor of his home from what turns out to be hemlock poisoning. Kline’s death, and the subsequent investigation is the arc that holds the story together, which also includes a five-day cooking seminar conducted by an internationally renowned Italian chef at Rosalie’s Day Lily Café (recipes included), suspected Russian agents hoping to purchase Kline’s farm land for nefarious purposes, a stubborn county sheriff whose stock-in-trade seems to be suspecting the wrong people, a blossoming romance between Rosalie and her boyfriend, Tyler. In the end, however, this is a well-crafted novel that keeps the reader guessing “whodunit” right up until the satisfying conclusion. Readers familiar with Wendy Eckel's earlier novels, as well as those new to the series, will find this a fun and entertaining read.
Gregory Stout, author of Gideon’s Ghost, Connor’s War, Lost Little Girl and The Gone Man.
November 5, 2022
"The sun is a fickle thing. Planets spin and orbit and eventually those warm rays are illuminating someone else while the others grow cold."
Blurb: Rosalie’s hard-earned organic farm certification is threatened by a toxic neighbor who is about to crop dust his winter wheat. When their impulsive farm hand decides to confront him, she finds his lifeless body inside the door of his home on Windswept Farm. In the midst of the mayhem, Rosalie’s beloved Day Lily Café hosts a 5-day cooking school. Marco Giovanelli, a celebrated Italian chef, arrives in Cardigan and a sumptuous situation ensues. When one of the students falls ill with the same poison that killed the farmer, Rosalie and her best friend and head waiter, Glenn, take matters, and homemade pasta dough, into their own hands.
My thoughts: First! This is the 3rd book in The Rosalie Hart Mysteries and not once did I feel like I was missing anything! (This can be read as a stand alone) and now i must read the other ones, because this is a cozy, feel good, Virgin River type bologna I live for. I must immerse myself into more of these characters lives!! The mystery of a couple murders and an attempted murder really kept you intrigued, and the fun Italian food classes just made me so happy! Also being in the middle of Colorado, raised around farms my whole life, I know what hard work it is for a farm to be completely sustainable and I love that the author threw in that gem too! This book was just a great one and I can't wait to read more of this authors works! Thanks @katieandbreypa for another good one!
I give Mystery at Windswept Farm by Wendy Sand Eckel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Blurb: Rosalie’s hard-earned organic farm certification is threatened by a toxic neighbor who is about to crop dust his winter wheat. When their impulsive farm hand decides to confront him, she finds his lifeless body inside the door of his home on Windswept Farm. In the midst of the mayhem, Rosalie’s beloved Day Lily Café hosts a 5-day cooking school. Marco Giovanelli, a celebrated Italian chef, arrives in Cardigan and a sumptuous situation ensues. When one of the students falls ill with the same poison that killed the farmer, Rosalie and her best friend and head waiter, Glenn, take matters, and homemade pasta dough, into their own hands.
My thoughts: First! This is the 3rd book in The Rosalie Hart Mysteries and not once did I feel like I was missing anything! (This can be read as a stand alone) and now i must read the other ones, because this is a cozy, feel good, Virgin River type bologna I live for. I must immerse myself into more of these characters lives!! The mystery of a couple murders and an attempted murder really kept you intrigued, and the fun Italian food classes just made me so happy! Also being in the middle of Colorado, raised around farms my whole life, I know what hard work it is for a farm to be completely sustainable and I love that the author threw in that gem too! This book was just a great one and I can't wait to read more of this authors works! Thanks @katieandbreypa for another good one!
I give Mystery at Windswept Farm by Wendy Sand Eckel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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