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Orchard Mystery #1
One Bad Apple
Meg Corey has come to the quaint New England town of Granford, Massachusetts, to sell her mother's old colonial home and apple orchard. Instead, she becomes embroiled in development plans that include her land and her former flame from Boston. When he's found dead in the new septic tank on her property, the police immediately suspect Meg, whose only ally in town is the plumber Seth Chapin. Together, they'll have to peel back the layers of secrecy that surround the deal in order to find the real murderer and save the orchard.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2008
About the author
Sheila Connolly
73 books1,409 followersSheila Connolly taught art history, structured and marketed municipal bonds for major cities, worked as a staff member on two statewide political campaigns, and served as a fundraiser for several non-profit organizations. She also managed her own consulting company providing genealogical research services.
She was a member of Sisters in Crime-New England (president 2011), the national Sisters in Crime, and the fabulous on-line SinC chapter, the Guppies. She also belonged to Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Sheila was Regent of her local DAR chapter, and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. She was also the grandchild of Irish immigrants. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loved restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling.
She was a member of Sisters in Crime-New England (president 2011), the national Sisters in Crime, and the fabulous on-line SinC chapter, the Guppies. She also belonged to Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Sheila was Regent of her local DAR chapter, and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. She was also the grandchild of Irish immigrants. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loved restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 355 reviews
August 12, 2009
A satisfying and well-written cozy mystery. Meg Corey relocates to rural Massachusetts from Boston to remodel the family’s colonial home. The setting was ideal for a cozy mystery: a beautiful old home set on a great tract of land with an apple orchard. Needless to say, a murder occurs and Meg gets involved in the mess. Meg was extremely likable and her involvement in the mystery didn’t seem too forced (which is sometimes a problem in these kinds of books). The novel had everything I want in a cozy mystery: interesting, likable characters, a comfortable setting, and all kinds of cozy fun like remodeling and baking. The book even contains a few great apple recipes that I can’t wait to try out. The mystery felt like it developed a touch too slowly in the beginning and then wrapped up much too quickly in the last 25 pages. Still, I liked the fact that the romance in the book was very subtle and that Meg’s salvation came through herself rather than a man. Overall, a light and enjoyable read.
October 22, 2017
One Bad Apple was an interesting opening to the small town of Granford, Massachusetts and our heroine, Meg Corey. Her mother had inherited a money pit but she was clueless as to its condition. Around the same time, Meg was let go from her financial position when she was downsized out of her job in Boston. Unaware of the house beforehand, Meg became co-owner and agreed to fix it up before selling. Her goal was to sell it for a profit, share the proceeds with her parents and establish a new life elsewhere.
If only it was this simple.
The murder of a former lover, her septic tank and an engaging group of townspeople/suspects provided motive, means and opportunity. Meg needed to connect the dots since the detective in charge placed her at the top of the list of perpetrators. Apples, a plumber and some biting cold weather affected her thoughts and choices.
This was a pleasant who-done-it with a solid conclusion to the mystery but enough open ends for more things to come. I look forward to reading the second story in this mystery series.
If only it was this simple.
The murder of a former lover, her septic tank and an engaging group of townspeople/suspects provided motive, means and opportunity. Meg needed to connect the dots since the detective in charge placed her at the top of the list of perpetrators. Apples, a plumber and some biting cold weather affected her thoughts and choices.
This was a pleasant who-done-it with a solid conclusion to the mystery but enough open ends for more things to come. I look forward to reading the second story in this mystery series.
July 23, 2019
It was cute. Although I had a hard time getting into it. I'm not a fan of apples so I think that made it harder for me. I will not be reading the rest of the series.
I did figure it out right after my last update too. :) It was a nice twist.
I did figure it out right after my last update too. :) It was a nice twist.
January 20, 2020
This is another series I'd been wanting to start. I quickly got interested in Meg and her new friend Seth and the situation they had with finding a body on her property. I really liked the character of Christopher, the man from the university working with agriculture students. Police chief Art seemed like a decent guy too. He was stuck not being able to help with the case due to it being turned over to the state police.
Meg learned quite a bit about the guy she used to date when she lived in Boston and his connections to a development project in her new home of Granford, MA. Mainly she was learning what a user he was of other people. I had an idea of who was behind it but it was fun to see it play out. The showdown was a little nail biting at first, but the killer was found and justice wheels started to roll. I read all the rest of the book blurbs just to get an idea of what was coming up in future installments, and now I can't wait to continue!
Meg learned quite a bit about the guy she used to date when she lived in Boston and his connections to a development project in her new home of Granford, MA. Mainly she was learning what a user he was of other people. I had an idea of who was behind it but it was fun to see it play out. The showdown was a little nail biting at first, but the killer was found and justice wheels started to roll. I read all the rest of the book blurbs just to get an idea of what was coming up in future installments, and now I can't wait to continue!
July 20, 2014
After Meg loses her job in Boston, she moves to the small rural New England town of Granford with plans to fix up an old house she owns with her mother to sell. But she quickly discovers the house is in need of some serious attention and a big city bank has eyes on the land the house sits on to make way for a mall.
And then her ex-boyfriend who worked for the bank turns up dead in her septic tank and she's the number one suspect. With the State Police not really interested in looking further than her she needs to find the killer and clear her name.
One Bad Apple is kind of obvious, I had pretty much figured out who the killer was before the guy was even killed. There were a few surprises along the way and I found myself quite enjoying the author's little digressions into the world of growing apples, a subject which she is quite obviously passionate about. As a cozy mystery it was pretty good and I bought book two for no other reason than I enjoyed this one. I'm not really sure how many people can die in Meg's back yard before I give up on the series but for now I'll continue.
And then her ex-boyfriend who worked for the bank turns up dead in her septic tank and she's the number one suspect. With the State Police not really interested in looking further than her she needs to find the killer and clear her name.
One Bad Apple is kind of obvious, I had pretty much figured out who the killer was before the guy was even killed. There were a few surprises along the way and I found myself quite enjoying the author's little digressions into the world of growing apples, a subject which she is quite obviously passionate about. As a cozy mystery it was pretty good and I bought book two for no other reason than I enjoyed this one. I'm not really sure how many people can die in Meg's back yard before I give up on the series but for now I'll continue.
February 4, 2017
This quintessential cozy mystery was a charming read that didn't take much emotional commitment which makes it perfect as a pleasant February distraction from the dreary realities of a cold, grey reality. This first book in Sheila Connolly's Orchard series offers a pastoral setting with Colonial American tones, a likable amateur sleuth, a budding romance, and the introduction of several endearing and potentially recurring characters--all without graphic violence, profanity, and explicit sex--what more could anyone ask from a "cozy"?
Don't miss the apple recipes in the back of the book.
Don't miss the apple recipes in the back of the book.
September 13, 2026
3.55/3.75 stars rounded up
After losing her job and getting dumped by her boyfriend, Meg Corey leaves Boston for bucolic Granford, a tiny rural town in the western part of the state to fix up and sell the historic farmhouse Meg's mom inherited from some distant aunts. The Warren place, as the locals know it, is rustic to say the least. The real estate agent Meg has hired has a laundry list of things to do to make the house saleable. Meg isn't working right now and her severance pay will only go so far. First things first, a stranger on her property reveals the existence of an apple orchard people barely remember except that it's pretty in spring. A group of researchers from UMass is studying pest control and management in Meg's orchard. She doesn't know anything about apples other than what she buys at the grocery store but biting into one of her own apples is certainly an experience. Next, get the plumbing fixed. Easier said than done when the plumber announces the house needs a new septic system. He gets right on it and fixes the water issue but the trench remains open until the guy can fill it in. Then, Meg's ex, a Boston banking exec, arrives on her doorstep uninvited and unexpected. He's working on a new development project putting in a new strip mall right and parking lot in Meg's orchard and the property next door where the plumber's family has lived for generations. The project is dividing the town and Chandler wants Meg to be his mole revealing who is for the project and who needs to be worked on. When Meg refuses, she asks Chandler to take her home. That's the last she sees of her ex - alive. The plumbing backs up again even after the new septic system has been installed and this time it's due to a dead body in the trench. As a newcomer to the area, Meg is the prime suspect but she had no reason to want Chandler dead. Meg is determined to clear her own name and also help the handsome plumber escape past prejudices that place him as her accomplice in the eyes of the detective.
I enjoyed this story. It's not super fast paced, Meg's investigation doesn't get going for awhile and sometimes the plot takes a backseat to details about historic home renovation and apples. The villain was a little obvious but there were so many suspects and additional characters no one was considering that I wasn't really sure until the very end who the murderer actually was. Even though the author lives in Western Mass. the small town setting feels generic New England, more Connecticut than Mass. I think. I don't know about the western part of the state but the eastern and northern parts of the region know apple orchards. Many orchards have pick-your-own and hayrides and farmstands. They sell at farmer's markets and larger farms have corn mazes and pumpkin patches, flowers, berries and other things besides apples. This orchard was never for public consumption apparently and everyone seems to have forgotten about it except for it was pretty in the spring. The tenants sold the apples to a co-op to resell and local bed and breakfast owner Rachel uses them in her muffins. Meg acts like she's never seen or heard of an apple orchard before. Even in Boston they have farmers markets. That's my only real complaint about the setting. It just seems implausible for a New Englander not to know anything about apples. I liked Granford and want to know more about the history. Meg learns a little bit about the Warren place but she still has to learn more and how she's connected to the family that built it.
Meg is a likable character for all she is a number cruncher. She's smart but a little naive about how bank mergers work. She lost her job through no fault of her own and it's not easy to find a new job in banking right now. I think she really doesn't have the personality to be a higher up. She's driven and motivated, kind and hospitable. I did not like how she kept offering coffee to everyone who came to the house and how everytime someone asked her to go somewhere she's say no and then they'd persuade her so she said I guess and then she had to go get ready and asked whoever it was to give her a minute. In short, she can be easily persuaded at times but she's low maintenance. Meg not only lost her job but her boyfriend. Meg's heart wasn't in the relationship and she's not upset over the breakup. She knows Chandler has a type and has probably moved on and that's fine. She's busy with the overwhelming task of renovating a historic house. Too bad she's west or I know a few people who could help. HGTV bring back Houses With History. She hasn't given Chandler a second thought since moving. Until now.
Chandler WAS a slimeball. He was ambitious and greedy, smug and egotistical. I don't think he ever cared for anything except money and power. Not even any of the women he dated, certainly not Meg. He used people for what they could do for him and them dropped them when they were no longer useful. It wasn't just Meg. Now he has brought corporate development to the sleepy town of Granbury. Others are worried about tearing down historic properties or orchards. Chandler managed to persuade a lot of people this development was a good idea. He could be charming when he wanted to be. The town does need something to bring in tax revenue but those whose families have lived on the land for generations are not too thrilled. Some people are worried about traffic or litter or noise and light pollution. I think it's a difficult choice. Can't they scale back the project, does the parking lot have to be in the orchard and does the strip mall have to be right outside the front door? Chandler and his bosses don't seem interested in compromise. I get the impression this project is a chance for Chandler to prove himself and when he's successful in convincing the local yokels to let the bank take their land and build a strip mall, he'll be up for bigger and better things. He doesn't seem like Meg's type. She sees both sides of the issue and isn't sure what she thinks yet. She's keeping an open mind and won't turn on the neighbors even for Chandler. She has no illusions about what he's like or will do but that doesn't mean she killed him. Why would she? She didn't love him, her heart wasn't in the relationship, she doesn't have an ego to be hurt when he dumped her and likely moved on.
I would take a closer look at his assistant, Lucinda "please call me Cinda" Patterson. She's dressed for the city and not outdoors in the country and gives off a mean girl vibe. I didn't like her from the outset. She is Chandler's type. Cinda may be blond but she's smart and ambitious. I think she is clever enough to get what she wants without anyone realizing what she did to get there - lie, manipulate, cheat - whatever. She's just like Chandler, maybe more ruthless because she has to battle sexist men to get ahead. She is dismissive of the small town and the history, more than Meg who hasn't actually had time but is trying to learn what she can. Cinda simply doesn't care. Pave it. Who cares? Next. It's all about her and her ambition and her ego. Is she merely Chandler's assistant, his flunky or his latest paramour? They seem well-suited if either of them has a heart anyway. Yet, Cinda tries to befriend Meg and isn't exactly the catty witch I expected. I would put her at the top of my suspect list but that seems too obvious. Or maybe not.
The locals all seem so nice. I hate for any of them to be murderers. They all care deeply for the town and the town's history. They have long memories and are mistrustful of outsiders but once Meg starts to make an effort, they seem to accept her well enough. Time will tell. I am not sure I trust Frances Clark of Valley Realty. She will get a huge commission from the sale of the house if it's fixed up right. She has a long list of things that need to be done and sees the house as rustic. Rustic is never a good word. I get the impression gut job or tear down is more likely the scenario she's thinking here. Sell the land to the developers though and she doesn't get a commission. I am not sure she has the town's best interests at heart, she doesn't live in Granford.
I especially adore Christopher, the UMass professor whose passion is apples. He's sweet and kind, knowledgeable and passionate about apples. He studies them yes but the trees are special, they have names and stories - not like pets but the history and significance of apple varieties. He knows them all and loves the orchard like it is his ancestor. What will he do if the strip mall parking lot replaces the orchard? I think it would break his heart. How far would he go to save his beloved apple trees? Oh no! It can't be him. I like Christopher so much and don't want him to be the murderer. Of course I also really like Seth, the handsome plumber. He's lived next door his whole life and his family for generations. He left for college but came back to help his dad when his dad was no longer able to handle his plumbing business on his own. Seth is all about family. Family first and foremost and then work. He doesn't do it for the money. Seth befriends Meg and helps her out. His enthusiasm for the old house and the town seems to infect Meg a little as they become more friendly. Unfortunately, an incident from his past may be coming back to haunt him and he's a suspect in the murder investigation. Another preposterous theory. He and Meg just met, why would he fight Chandler over her? He's just friendly and neighborly. Seth is a town selectman. He takes his job seriously. He's on the fence about the strip mall. He understand the need for it but hates to have it outside his mom's front door. I don't see him as a killer. Unless Chandler was conning the townspeople and especially Seth's mother. That could be a possibility.
His brother, Stephen, on the other hand, is lazy and is in it for the money. He would rather drive a sports car and go out on the town at night than help Meg fix her house, her septic system - fix anything - or help her learn about the town government and history. His attitude is very bad. I think he has some kind of deal going with the bank behind the project and is hand in glove with Chandler and Cinda somehow. Chandler was a user and cut loose those no longer of use to him. Could Stephen have gotten to Chandler first? I don't want him to be the killer because I like Seth and their sister Rachel. Rachel runs a bed and breakfast in Andover. She has a husband and a couple of crazy kids but manages to run the business pretty much on her own. Rachel is very friendly and eager to befriend Meg. Rachel wants Meg to spill the tea on the murder and Meg does since everyone else seems to know. Rachel seems to mean well and she's a loyal sister and friend. Also Rachel is an amazing baker and I want to try those muffins, with oatmeal not bran flakes. EW. I would feel so bad for Rachel and Seth if their brother was a murderer.
Gail is the town historian and Jill of all trades. She's supposed to give a lecture for the Historical Society the night after Meg sees Chandler for the last time. Gail gets a phone call and has to leave partway through the meeting. Is the call legit? Did she just give herself a fake alibi so she could go off and murder Chandler? Gail loves Granbury and wants Meg to keep the house that's been in her family for several hundred years. How much does Gail not want this strip mall deal to take place? What would she do to protect her town and the history they cherish? She seems practical and no nonsense to me though. She doesn't seem the type that would bash someone on the head in an argument. But we only see her a few times and don't really get to know her that well.
The murder investigation is out of local hands. The local police chief, Art Preston, seems nice and willing to listen but the Northampton police are another story. Detective Marcus is a bully. He's not too bright either and eager to pin the blame on Meg since she's a newcomer and the only one who knew Chandler. Sure but what about his assistant? Have you talked to her? Does she have an alibi? Detective Marcus won't share information with Meg, which is right since this is an ongoing investigation but he doesn't seem to be doing anything or looking at other suspects and that frustrates her. He's not even sympathetic that her ex-bf was found in her new septic system. Plus he lets personal feelings get in the way. He has a history with Seth and since Seth is friendly with Meg, Meg is guilty by association. Seth's past should have no bearing on this investigation. What happened then vs. now is nowhere near the same thing. What he did in the past wasn't quite right but his motive was a good one. Detective Marcus should have focused more on matters closer to home back then than painting Seth as a troublemaker. Detective Marcus even seems to ignore evidence Meg brings him.
Meg's friend Lauren back in Boston still works at the bank and she spills the tea about Chandler. She can think of several people who would want to hurt him. Did someone follow him from the city, someone attached to the project? Then there's Seth's ex-wife, Nancy. She thought she would be married to an academic living in a college town or city as a VIP. She doesn't like country life and plumber is not on her list of acceptable occupations for her husband. Then a motive is revealed and perhaps another. Does she need a motive other than to get Seth back or get back at Seth? I don't think she's very nice so I hope she's involved in the murder. I like Nancy or Cinda for the killer.
Meg's mother is horrible. She's been an absentee landlady since the 1980s and hasn't set foot on the property she inherited since Meg was a small child. She doesn't even know how she's related to the Warren sisters or even seem to care. She cared even less about the house and maintaining it. While she did feel like she was doing the tenants a favor charging minimum rent, she didn't do them any favors by not at least replacing the septic system, the plumbing, the electricity, the roof, the windows... Or you know maybe she could have donated the house to the historical society and let them deal with it. She doesn't even want to hear about the house and Meg knows not to tell her mom about anything that's been going on. Mom seems to want Meg and Chandler to end up together forever so she's not only a terrible landlady, she's a terrible mother who values a partner for her daughter based on what he seems on paper - handsome and rich. She never actually met him but still... Meg also suggests her mom will show up in spring, move a few items around just before the house goes on the market and consider that her contribution.
I liked this book well enough to want to read the sequel. It's too old to be in digital or audio so I have to wait impatiently for next weekend. I want to try some of the recipes too but it's early in the season and apples haven't quite reached their peak to be harvested yet.
After losing her job and getting dumped by her boyfriend, Meg Corey leaves Boston for bucolic Granford, a tiny rural town in the western part of the state to fix up and sell the historic farmhouse Meg's mom inherited from some distant aunts. The Warren place, as the locals know it, is rustic to say the least. The real estate agent Meg has hired has a laundry list of things to do to make the house saleable. Meg isn't working right now and her severance pay will only go so far. First things first, a stranger on her property reveals the existence of an apple orchard people barely remember except that it's pretty in spring. A group of researchers from UMass is studying pest control and management in Meg's orchard. She doesn't know anything about apples other than what she buys at the grocery store but biting into one of her own apples is certainly an experience. Next, get the plumbing fixed. Easier said than done when the plumber announces the house needs a new septic system. He gets right on it and fixes the water issue but the trench remains open until the guy can fill it in. Then, Meg's ex, a Boston banking exec, arrives on her doorstep uninvited and unexpected. He's working on a new development project putting in a new strip mall right and parking lot in Meg's orchard and the property next door where the plumber's family has lived for generations. The project is dividing the town and Chandler wants Meg to be his mole revealing who is for the project and who needs to be worked on. When Meg refuses, she asks Chandler to take her home. That's the last she sees of her ex - alive. The plumbing backs up again even after the new septic system has been installed and this time it's due to a dead body in the trench. As a newcomer to the area, Meg is the prime suspect but she had no reason to want Chandler dead. Meg is determined to clear her own name and also help the handsome plumber escape past prejudices that place him as her accomplice in the eyes of the detective.
I enjoyed this story. It's not super fast paced, Meg's investigation doesn't get going for awhile and sometimes the plot takes a backseat to details about historic home renovation and apples. The villain was a little obvious but there were so many suspects and additional characters no one was considering that I wasn't really sure until the very end who the murderer actually was. Even though the author lives in Western Mass. the small town setting feels generic New England, more Connecticut than Mass. I think. I don't know about the western part of the state but the eastern and northern parts of the region know apple orchards. Many orchards have pick-your-own and hayrides and farmstands. They sell at farmer's markets and larger farms have corn mazes and pumpkin patches, flowers, berries and other things besides apples. This orchard was never for public consumption apparently and everyone seems to have forgotten about it except for it was pretty in the spring. The tenants sold the apples to a co-op to resell and local bed and breakfast owner Rachel uses them in her muffins. Meg acts like she's never seen or heard of an apple orchard before. Even in Boston they have farmers markets. That's my only real complaint about the setting. It just seems implausible for a New Englander not to know anything about apples. I liked Granford and want to know more about the history. Meg learns a little bit about the Warren place but she still has to learn more and how she's connected to the family that built it.
Meg is a likable character for all she is a number cruncher. She's smart but a little naive about how bank mergers work. She lost her job through no fault of her own and it's not easy to find a new job in banking right now. I think she really doesn't have the personality to be a higher up. She's driven and motivated, kind and hospitable. I did not like how she kept offering coffee to everyone who came to the house and how everytime someone asked her to go somewhere she's say no and then they'd persuade her so she said I guess and then she had to go get ready and asked whoever it was to give her a minute. In short, she can be easily persuaded at times but she's low maintenance. Meg not only lost her job but her boyfriend. Meg's heart wasn't in the relationship and she's not upset over the breakup. She knows Chandler has a type and has probably moved on and that's fine. She's busy with the overwhelming task of renovating a historic house. Too bad she's west or I know a few people who could help. HGTV bring back Houses With History. She hasn't given Chandler a second thought since moving. Until now.
Chandler WAS a slimeball. He was ambitious and greedy, smug and egotistical. I don't think he ever cared for anything except money and power. Not even any of the women he dated, certainly not Meg. He used people for what they could do for him and them dropped them when they were no longer useful. It wasn't just Meg. Now he has brought corporate development to the sleepy town of Granbury. Others are worried about tearing down historic properties or orchards. Chandler managed to persuade a lot of people this development was a good idea. He could be charming when he wanted to be. The town does need something to bring in tax revenue but those whose families have lived on the land for generations are not too thrilled. Some people are worried about traffic or litter or noise and light pollution. I think it's a difficult choice. Can't they scale back the project, does the parking lot have to be in the orchard and does the strip mall have to be right outside the front door? Chandler and his bosses don't seem interested in compromise. I get the impression this project is a chance for Chandler to prove himself and when he's successful in convincing the local yokels to let the bank take their land and build a strip mall, he'll be up for bigger and better things. He doesn't seem like Meg's type. She sees both sides of the issue and isn't sure what she thinks yet. She's keeping an open mind and won't turn on the neighbors even for Chandler. She has no illusions about what he's like or will do but that doesn't mean she killed him. Why would she? She didn't love him, her heart wasn't in the relationship, she doesn't have an ego to be hurt when he dumped her and likely moved on.
I would take a closer look at his assistant, Lucinda "please call me Cinda" Patterson. She's dressed for the city and not outdoors in the country and gives off a mean girl vibe. I didn't like her from the outset. She is Chandler's type. Cinda may be blond but she's smart and ambitious. I think she is clever enough to get what she wants without anyone realizing what she did to get there - lie, manipulate, cheat - whatever. She's just like Chandler, maybe more ruthless because she has to battle sexist men to get ahead. She is dismissive of the small town and the history, more than Meg who hasn't actually had time but is trying to learn what she can. Cinda simply doesn't care. Pave it. Who cares? Next. It's all about her and her ambition and her ego. Is she merely Chandler's assistant, his flunky or his latest paramour? They seem well-suited if either of them has a heart anyway. Yet, Cinda tries to befriend Meg and isn't exactly the catty witch I expected. I would put her at the top of my suspect list but that seems too obvious. Or maybe not.
The locals all seem so nice. I hate for any of them to be murderers. They all care deeply for the town and the town's history. They have long memories and are mistrustful of outsiders but once Meg starts to make an effort, they seem to accept her well enough. Time will tell. I am not sure I trust Frances Clark of Valley Realty. She will get a huge commission from the sale of the house if it's fixed up right. She has a long list of things that need to be done and sees the house as rustic. Rustic is never a good word. I get the impression gut job or tear down is more likely the scenario she's thinking here. Sell the land to the developers though and she doesn't get a commission. I am not sure she has the town's best interests at heart, she doesn't live in Granford.
I especially adore Christopher, the UMass professor whose passion is apples. He's sweet and kind, knowledgeable and passionate about apples. He studies them yes but the trees are special, they have names and stories - not like pets but the history and significance of apple varieties. He knows them all and loves the orchard like it is his ancestor. What will he do if the strip mall parking lot replaces the orchard? I think it would break his heart. How far would he go to save his beloved apple trees? Oh no! It can't be him. I like Christopher so much and don't want him to be the murderer. Of course I also really like Seth, the handsome plumber. He's lived next door his whole life and his family for generations. He left for college but came back to help his dad when his dad was no longer able to handle his plumbing business on his own. Seth is all about family. Family first and foremost and then work. He doesn't do it for the money. Seth befriends Meg and helps her out. His enthusiasm for the old house and the town seems to infect Meg a little as they become more friendly. Unfortunately, an incident from his past may be coming back to haunt him and he's a suspect in the murder investigation. Another preposterous theory. He and Meg just met, why would he fight Chandler over her? He's just friendly and neighborly. Seth is a town selectman. He takes his job seriously. He's on the fence about the strip mall. He understand the need for it but hates to have it outside his mom's front door. I don't see him as a killer. Unless Chandler was conning the townspeople and especially Seth's mother. That could be a possibility.
His brother, Stephen, on the other hand, is lazy and is in it for the money. He would rather drive a sports car and go out on the town at night than help Meg fix her house, her septic system - fix anything - or help her learn about the town government and history. His attitude is very bad. I think he has some kind of deal going with the bank behind the project and is hand in glove with Chandler and Cinda somehow. Chandler was a user and cut loose those no longer of use to him. Could Stephen have gotten to Chandler first? I don't want him to be the killer because I like Seth and their sister Rachel. Rachel runs a bed and breakfast in Andover. She has a husband and a couple of crazy kids but manages to run the business pretty much on her own. Rachel is very friendly and eager to befriend Meg. Rachel wants Meg to spill the tea on the murder and Meg does since everyone else seems to know. Rachel seems to mean well and she's a loyal sister and friend. Also Rachel is an amazing baker and I want to try those muffins, with oatmeal not bran flakes. EW. I would feel so bad for Rachel and Seth if their brother was a murderer.
Gail is the town historian and Jill of all trades. She's supposed to give a lecture for the Historical Society the night after Meg sees Chandler for the last time. Gail gets a phone call and has to leave partway through the meeting. Is the call legit? Did she just give herself a fake alibi so she could go off and murder Chandler? Gail loves Granbury and wants Meg to keep the house that's been in her family for several hundred years. How much does Gail not want this strip mall deal to take place? What would she do to protect her town and the history they cherish? She seems practical and no nonsense to me though. She doesn't seem the type that would bash someone on the head in an argument. But we only see her a few times and don't really get to know her that well.
The murder investigation is out of local hands. The local police chief, Art Preston, seems nice and willing to listen but the Northampton police are another story. Detective Marcus is a bully. He's not too bright either and eager to pin the blame on Meg since she's a newcomer and the only one who knew Chandler. Sure but what about his assistant? Have you talked to her? Does she have an alibi? Detective Marcus won't share information with Meg, which is right since this is an ongoing investigation but he doesn't seem to be doing anything or looking at other suspects and that frustrates her. He's not even sympathetic that her ex-bf was found in her new septic system. Plus he lets personal feelings get in the way. He has a history with Seth and since Seth is friendly with Meg, Meg is guilty by association. Seth's past should have no bearing on this investigation. What happened then vs. now is nowhere near the same thing. What he did in the past wasn't quite right but his motive was a good one. Detective Marcus should have focused more on matters closer to home back then than painting Seth as a troublemaker. Detective Marcus even seems to ignore evidence Meg brings him.
Meg's friend Lauren back in Boston still works at the bank and she spills the tea about Chandler. She can think of several people who would want to hurt him. Did someone follow him from the city, someone attached to the project? Then there's Seth's ex-wife, Nancy. She thought she would be married to an academic living in a college town or city as a VIP. She doesn't like country life and plumber is not on her list of acceptable occupations for her husband. Then a motive is revealed and perhaps another. Does she need a motive other than to get Seth back or get back at Seth? I don't think she's very nice so I hope she's involved in the murder. I like Nancy or Cinda for the killer.
Meg's mother is horrible. She's been an absentee landlady since the 1980s and hasn't set foot on the property she inherited since Meg was a small child. She doesn't even know how she's related to the Warren sisters or even seem to care. She cared even less about the house and maintaining it. While she did feel like she was doing the tenants a favor charging minimum rent, she didn't do them any favors by not at least replacing the septic system, the plumbing, the electricity, the roof, the windows... Or you know maybe she could have donated the house to the historical society and let them deal with it. She doesn't even want to hear about the house and Meg knows not to tell her mom about anything that's been going on. Mom seems to want Meg and Chandler to end up together forever so she's not only a terrible landlady, she's a terrible mother who values a partner for her daughter based on what he seems on paper - handsome and rich. She never actually met him but still... Meg also suggests her mom will show up in spring, move a few items around just before the house goes on the market and consider that her contribution.
I liked this book well enough to want to read the sequel. It's too old to be in digital or audio so I have to wait impatiently for next weekend. I want to try some of the recipes too but it's early in the season and apples haven't quite reached their peak to be harvested yet.
January 9, 2018
The start of a new (to me) series (although I read the prequel Novella a few days back!), Meg has lost her job at a bank following a merger and her Mum suggests she takes some time out to plan what to do next and at the same time refurbish a house they have been left ready for sale. A month in and Meg is finding things are not really going smoothly! Every time she starts to do something in the house it seems to kick off another few jobs and then to add insult to injury the plumbing goes wrong, leading to the replacement of the septic tank. Add in that on the same day her old boyfriend turns up on her doorstep and all signs lead to panic!
January 14, 2012
One Bad Apple was my first read from Sheila Connolly. This cozy mystery is set in a small rural Massachusetts town. The cast of characters are likable, and the plot is entertaining. Overall I enjoyed the book. My only complaint is that I found some of the parts to be redundant. Besides murder, this book has a little something for any cozy fan -- taking care of an orchard, renovating a house, antiquing, and cooking. The apple recipes sound yummy! I would read more from this author. 3 stars
I certainly did not expect to find words I did not know the meaning of in a cozy, but I was pleasantly surprised: moribound, bucolic, and bellwether. Always glad to learn a new word or three.
Favorite passages:
The main character, Meg, describes feeling sorry for the house she is renovating because of some of the tacky thing people had done to it. Seth, her plumber, replies "If you can tell that, you can see what lies beneath. And the place has good bones." I just liked the idea of being able to see beyond what's there.
When Meg was showing the house she is renovating to someone she mentions that she always sees the flaws and everything that needed to be fixed or updated. She implied she wished she was someone who could see the potential and see the beauty that could come from the renovation. I just found that this was a good antidote for life. Try and see beyond what's there. Try and see the positive.
I certainly did not expect to find words I did not know the meaning of in a cozy, but I was pleasantly surprised: moribound, bucolic, and bellwether. Always glad to learn a new word or three.
Favorite passages:
The main character, Meg, describes feeling sorry for the house she is renovating because of some of the tacky thing people had done to it. Seth, her plumber, replies "If you can tell that, you can see what lies beneath. And the place has good bones." I just liked the idea of being able to see beyond what's there.
When Meg was showing the house she is renovating to someone she mentions that she always sees the flaws and everything that needed to be fixed or updated. She implied she wished she was someone who could see the potential and see the beauty that could come from the renovation. I just found that this was a good antidote for life. Try and see beyond what's there. Try and see the positive.
August 17, 2016
From the book jacket - When Meg Corey unexpectedly finds herself out of a job, an apartment, and a relationship, she seizes the opportunity to renovate the Massachusetts colonial house her mother has inherited and to sell it quickly for a share of the profits. But Meg gets more than she bargained for when she learns that renovating a two-hundred-year-old house is no easy task and that the gorgeous fifteen-acre apple orchard on the property is in danger of being paved over by developers. And she definitely isn’t expecting to run into her ex-boyfriend … floating dead in her new septic tank.
My reactions
This is a strong opening for a cozy mystery series. I like Meg; she’s intelligent, relatively self-sufficient, and not easily intimidated. I also like that she doesn’t immediately jump into the arms of the first handsome guy to show up to fix the plumbing. On the other hand, the way she jumps to conclusions and her awkward efforts to clear her name seem a little over-the-top to me.
I figured out the culprit long before Meg or the police, and I thought the ending was less than satisfying. Still, we have a likable lead character, and I like the way Connolly is developing Meg’s relationships with the town’s residents. And there are some delicious recipes featuring apples at the end. I’d be willing to read more of this cozy series.
My reactions
This is a strong opening for a cozy mystery series. I like Meg; she’s intelligent, relatively self-sufficient, and not easily intimidated. I also like that she doesn’t immediately jump into the arms of the first handsome guy to show up to fix the plumbing. On the other hand, the way she jumps to conclusions and her awkward efforts to clear her name seem a little over-the-top to me.
I figured out the culprit long before Meg or the police, and I thought the ending was less than satisfying. Still, we have a likable lead character, and I like the way Connolly is developing Meg’s relationships with the town’s residents. And there are some delicious recipes featuring apples at the end. I’d be willing to read more of this cozy series.
April 29, 2018
Awww I loved this book! Great start! I enjoyed the premise and the characters and really loved how it ended. Glad I got some more in this series
May 4, 2020
In Sheila Connolly's first Orchard Mystery novel 'One Bad Apple', we are introduced to Meg Corey. She's a former banker, downsized out of her job and recently dumped by her boyfriend. She's come to small town Granford, Massachusetts to recharge and rethink as she renovates an old house that's been in her family for years.
What she doesn't realize is the scope the renovation job will be, the magnitude of which seems to grow each time she starts a project. What she never realized is the house and property comes complete with an apple orchard (thus the central premise of the series).
Granford is a town in flux. While trying to retain the small town ethos, they are caught with a shrinking tax base and when a bank comes to town with designs on developing business there, the down is divided by those for and those against progress.
Meg has been focused on the house so she is relatively unaware of what's going on around her. But when her old boyfriend shows up on her doorstep, she's unwillingly dragged into the middle of the controversy. That would be bad enough, but when the old boyfriend turns up dead in her recently installed septic tank (Kudos to the author on a new way to dispose of a body!), she instantly becomes the prime suspect.
Small town attitudes would seem to want an "outsider" guilty of the crime rather than any of the townsfolk. Meg ends up having to work at solving the murder in order to clear her name, particularly when it doesn't appear that the police are making any progress in finding the real killer.
Along the way, Meg starts to make inroads into Granford's citizenry. There's Seth Chapin, the local plumber who is also her neighbor and a member of the town government. They commiserate over being seen as suspects because Seth would be affected personally if the project gets the go-ahead.
But as Meg digs deeper, she learns a lot about her ex-boyfriend and the ins and outs of what the deal could mean to the town, for both the good and the bad. But the question becomes can Meg clear her name before the killer targets her next.
I have read Sheila Connolly's County Cork series but hadn't yet started the Orchard Mysteries. The author's passing gave me the kick in the pants to get started and I really found myself enjoying 'One Bad Apple' a lot. Meg herself was an instant draw as a character. I liked how she started off wanting to fix the house up and get the hell out of Granford as soon as possible but then kind of softened to the slower pace in town. Obviously that had to happen in order for the series to continue, but they way Connolly developed this change over the course of the book was fantastic.
I enjoyed the introduction of the supporting cast. Seth is the obvious love interest but his sister Rachel is primed to be "the best friend" and she's got her own life in the plot too. Some of the other characters may only be around here and there but they do make an impression.
Though I am not a baker, even the recipes in the book (apple centric, of course) sound great and boy would I love to taste some of them.
In the end, it may have been a long time getting to this series but going off this first book I think apples are about to play a huge role in my choice of mystery reading material.
What she doesn't realize is the scope the renovation job will be, the magnitude of which seems to grow each time she starts a project. What she never realized is the house and property comes complete with an apple orchard (thus the central premise of the series).
Granford is a town in flux. While trying to retain the small town ethos, they are caught with a shrinking tax base and when a bank comes to town with designs on developing business there, the down is divided by those for and those against progress.
Meg has been focused on the house so she is relatively unaware of what's going on around her. But when her old boyfriend shows up on her doorstep, she's unwillingly dragged into the middle of the controversy. That would be bad enough, but when the old boyfriend turns up dead in her recently installed septic tank (Kudos to the author on a new way to dispose of a body!), she instantly becomes the prime suspect.
Small town attitudes would seem to want an "outsider" guilty of the crime rather than any of the townsfolk. Meg ends up having to work at solving the murder in order to clear her name, particularly when it doesn't appear that the police are making any progress in finding the real killer.
Along the way, Meg starts to make inroads into Granford's citizenry. There's Seth Chapin, the local plumber who is also her neighbor and a member of the town government. They commiserate over being seen as suspects because Seth would be affected personally if the project gets the go-ahead.
But as Meg digs deeper, she learns a lot about her ex-boyfriend and the ins and outs of what the deal could mean to the town, for both the good and the bad. But the question becomes can Meg clear her name before the killer targets her next.
I have read Sheila Connolly's County Cork series but hadn't yet started the Orchard Mysteries. The author's passing gave me the kick in the pants to get started and I really found myself enjoying 'One Bad Apple' a lot. Meg herself was an instant draw as a character. I liked how she started off wanting to fix the house up and get the hell out of Granford as soon as possible but then kind of softened to the slower pace in town. Obviously that had to happen in order for the series to continue, but they way Connolly developed this change over the course of the book was fantastic.
I enjoyed the introduction of the supporting cast. Seth is the obvious love interest but his sister Rachel is primed to be "the best friend" and she's got her own life in the plot too. Some of the other characters may only be around here and there but they do make an impression.
Though I am not a baker, even the recipes in the book (apple centric, of course) sound great and boy would I love to taste some of them.
In the end, it may have been a long time getting to this series but going off this first book I think apples are about to play a huge role in my choice of mystery reading material.
May 30, 2017
Meg Corey has come to the small but quaint Granford, MA. She's been downsized from her Boston Bank and dumped by her boyfriend. She and her mother own a 3 Century old Home and an orchard, and Meg thought she'd ready the old Colonial to sell. But the old home needs a lot of TLC. Can any one say, money pit? So consumed is she with the renovation to-do-list, she hasn't kept up with the local news, nor has she bothered making friends in the small town. But that begins to change when she's forced to put in a new septic tank.
Local plumber and Selectman Jake Chapmin comes to her rescue. At first Meg is grateful, but before the long narrow trench can be filled in, dark icky water is again backing up into her kitchen sink. Seth rushes over to see just what is going on with the new tank and a bit green around the gills tells Meg that he knows what the problem is - the dead body of Chandler Hale is clogging up the works.
Meg's first thoughts are "What's a dead body going to do to the resale value of her house?" But the State Police Detective has both Meg and Seth in his sights. Chandler is Meg's ex-boyfriend and the bank's point man for the development plans that will affect Granford in not a good way. And both Meg and Seth seem to have good motives for wanting Hale dead. They must peel back the layers of motives to catch the real killer before one or both of them are in jail for a murder they didn't commit.
Sheila Connolly spins a nice cozy mystery that will entertain fans of this genre. The back story of the main characters are developed as the investigation is progressing rather than up front. The murder is committed early and that is a plus. The recipes at the back of the novel? I copied them down, of course.
But one thing did bother me a little. Meg's constant whining about her to-do-list and what she wants to do with her life. Some musings were indeed funny, but it did old after a while. And Seth broke the stereotype of what a plumber looks and acts like. I wish I had a plumber like Seth :)
Local plumber and Selectman Jake Chapmin comes to her rescue. At first Meg is grateful, but before the long narrow trench can be filled in, dark icky water is again backing up into her kitchen sink. Seth rushes over to see just what is going on with the new tank and a bit green around the gills tells Meg that he knows what the problem is - the dead body of Chandler Hale is clogging up the works.
Meg's first thoughts are "What's a dead body going to do to the resale value of her house?" But the State Police Detective has both Meg and Seth in his sights. Chandler is Meg's ex-boyfriend and the bank's point man for the development plans that will affect Granford in not a good way. And both Meg and Seth seem to have good motives for wanting Hale dead. They must peel back the layers of motives to catch the real killer before one or both of them are in jail for a murder they didn't commit.
Sheila Connolly spins a nice cozy mystery that will entertain fans of this genre. The back story of the main characters are developed as the investigation is progressing rather than up front. The murder is committed early and that is a plus. The recipes at the back of the novel? I copied them down, of course.
But one thing did bother me a little. Meg's constant whining about her to-do-list and what she wants to do with her life. Some musings were indeed funny, but it did old after a while. And Seth broke the stereotype of what a plumber looks and acts like. I wish I had a plumber like Seth :)
January 17, 2022
A simple cozy mystery ... not a great deal of literary value, but it is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading! A good cozy, also the typical bit of romance, maybe ... an old house to renovate ... and a quaint little New England town. And an apple orchard! I'm anxious to read more in this series!!!
January 3, 2021
This is the first book in a fun little series. Super easy reading about a woman who moves to a small town in Massachusetts and ends up in the middle of a crime that takes place on her property. She's immediately involved in the drama of small town life and learns some more about the apple orchard on her property while the crime is being solved. A nice way to kick off the year and get back into some quick reads.
June 15, 2010
This book seems about 20 pages too long, not because it drags, but because it is very repetitive. The same points of self-reflection were gone over and over and over... It was also not edited very well, as there were unintentionally repeated phrases, giving the prose a stilted feeling. The descriptive narrative was lacking. I don't even remember the color of the main character's hair, and I'm not certain her age was ever discussed. We are let assume she is an attractive, white twenty-something.
In disappointment, I knew when the murderer was first introduced, before the murder had even occurred. It was very telegraphed, like watching "Murder, She Wrote" or knowing which Star Trek red-shirted ensign would die on the away team.
Some readers of light mysteries would probably enjoy this book, and despite all my negatives, I actually stuck with it and finished it out, so it couldn't be all bad.
In disappointment, I knew when the murderer was first introduced, before the murder had even occurred. It was very telegraphed, like watching "Murder, She Wrote" or knowing which Star Trek red-shirted ensign would die on the away team.
Some readers of light mysteries would probably enjoy this book, and despite all my negatives, I actually stuck with it and finished it out, so it couldn't be all bad.
February 9, 2012
Sheila Connolly has done it again-good characters, excellent mystery story with a lot of research regarding small town government in Massachusetts and growing apples. Informative and very well written. Meg has been dumped by her boyfriend, lost her big bucks job in Boston due to downsizing. She decides to go to a small town to fix up a house that her mother had inherited from maiden aunts. The more she does in the house the more problems she faces, including finding a body in her new septic tank. The body happens to that of her ex-boyfriend-that's how the mystery begins-read it and enjoy-looking forward to her next story.
December 2, 2014
If it wasn't for the amount of coffee being made, poured out and drunk, this book would have been a good 30 pages shorter. Better for it too. But then, there was hardly anything going on by way of sleuthing in this book and the pages needed to be filled somehow. The coffee, and a lot of repetitive introspection made up the pages. In most cozies I do not like, there is some spunk (wrong-headed or not) to the heroines. This Meg was very wishy-washy. Even her big scene, where she goes off on a woman she doesn't like in a public forum, spectacularly stupid though it was, was very flat. Oh well. I'll probably read another book in this series to see if it improves.
May 3, 2016
Slow slow slow
Unemployed financial exec moves to small Mass. town to gussy up neglected old house to sell. Former boyfriend, trying to ram a strip mall development through town, shows up dead on her land. The next few hundred pages go nowhere, but take forever. All is resolved in the last couple dozen pages, and our heroine finds herself at last. Huzzah. Or maybe just zzzzzzz.
Unemployed financial exec moves to small Mass. town to gussy up neglected old house to sell. Former boyfriend, trying to ram a strip mall development through town, shows up dead on her land. The next few hundred pages go nowhere, but take forever. All is resolved in the last couple dozen pages, and our heroine finds herself at last. Huzzah. Or maybe just zzzzzzz.
November 19, 2024
One Bad Apple by Sheila Connolly [Sarah Atwell]
Orchard Mystery #1
310-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Featuring: Opening Preview Highlight Before Title Page, Inheritance Trope, 200-Year-Old House, Acreage, Western Massachusetts, Orchardist, Scientists, Agricultural Science, Genealogy, Bankers, Boston, Massachusetts; January, Scienct Ex-Boyfriend, Development Trope, Home Renovations, Plumber, Northampton, Massachusetts; Springfield, Massachusetts; Murder Investigation, Sex- Off-Camera, Detectives, World of Apples, Apple Recipes (5)
Rating as a movie: PG-15 for sexual innuendos
Books and Authors mentioned: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, Apples by Roger Yepsen
My rating: ⭐️⭐️🏦🍎🍏🌳
My thoughts: 🔖Page 38 of 310 [8 pages into] [Chapter] 3 -Only stopped because of a phone call. This woman is on my nerves but there's a story here.
🔖69 [Chapter] 7 - Finally! I was starting to think this was a different type of cozy. The dead body finally showed up and it was just who I hoped it would be.
🔖212 [Chapter] 23 - I won't be continuing this series. The plot is thin the MC is dull and I'm thinking of moving on this late in the game.
This is not the kind of cozy mystery you read with your family, they spent a lot of time talking about who was sleeping with who, and who was "good in bed." There wasn't much of a mystery here, the suspects pop up before the murder occurs, and the killer is so obvious I knew who it was the moment they showed up. The motive was thinner than the plot. It's a no for me.
Recommend to others: Honestly, nope.
Orchard Mystery
0.5. Called Home (2011)
1. One Bad Apple (2008)
2. Rotten to the Core (2009)
3. Red Delicious Death (2010)
4. A Killer Crop (2010)
5. Bitter Harvest (2011)
6. Sour Apples (2012)
7. Golden Malicious (2013)
8. Picked to Die (2014)
9. A Gala Event (2015)
10. Seeds of Deception (2016)
11. A Late Frost (2017)
12. Nipped in the Bud (2018)
Orchard Mystery #1
310-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Featuring: Opening Preview Highlight Before Title Page, Inheritance Trope, 200-Year-Old House, Acreage, Western Massachusetts, Orchardist, Scientists, Agricultural Science, Genealogy, Bankers, Boston, Massachusetts; January, Scienct Ex-Boyfriend, Development Trope, Home Renovations, Plumber, Northampton, Massachusetts; Springfield, Massachusetts; Murder Investigation, Sex- Off-Camera, Detectives, World of Apples, Apple Recipes (5)
Rating as a movie: PG-15 for sexual innuendos
Books and Authors mentioned: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, Apples by Roger Yepsen
My rating: ⭐️⭐️🏦🍎🍏🌳
My thoughts: 🔖Page 38 of 310 [8 pages into] [Chapter] 3 -Only stopped because of a phone call. This woman is on my nerves but there's a story here.
🔖69 [Chapter] 7 - Finally! I was starting to think this was a different type of cozy. The dead body finally showed up and it was just who I hoped it would be.
🔖212 [Chapter] 23 - I won't be continuing this series. The plot is thin the MC is dull and I'm thinking of moving on this late in the game.
This is not the kind of cozy mystery you read with your family, they spent a lot of time talking about who was sleeping with who, and who was "good in bed." There wasn't much of a mystery here, the suspects pop up before the murder occurs, and the killer is so obvious I knew who it was the moment they showed up. The motive was thinner than the plot. It's a no for me.
Recommend to others: Honestly, nope.
Orchard Mystery
0.5. Called Home (2011)
1. One Bad Apple (2008)
2. Rotten to the Core (2009)
3. Red Delicious Death (2010)
4. A Killer Crop (2010)
5. Bitter Harvest (2011)
6. Sour Apples (2012)
7. Golden Malicious (2013)
8. Picked to Die (2014)
9. A Gala Event (2015)
10. Seeds of Deception (2016)
11. A Late Frost (2017)
12. Nipped in the Bud (2018)
October 17, 2012
#1 in the Orchard series. This was OK, not bad enough to not continue the series, not good enough to jump right into the next book. I liked the main character, although Meg could be a little whiny at times. Seth, next-door neighbor and plumber, seemed a little hot and cold--usually friendly but sometimes giving her a bit of a cold shoulder. In this cozy mystery, Meg finds the body of her ex-flame hidden in her septic system--yuck. Since she's under a cloud of suspicion, she decides to "help" the police by finding the real killer. And she also feels responsible because the town is considering a vote on a new business plan, which Chandler was heading until his death. She doesn't spend a lot of time going around and detecting--just thinking about things and making a phone call or two. And I suppose a lot of detecting is just that--low key. I liked that she didn't go off half-cocked like so many cozy heroines do. But I didn't like that she didn't bother to find out much about the building project, even when she knew her orchard would be directly affected. Nor did she try to get to know any of the townspeople, she just complained that they'd consider her guilty since she's an outsider. Well, maybe that's true, but she didn't make any attempt to change that. I found it unrealistic that the historical society was in such a lamentable condition. I've been associated with small-town organizations like this, and although there's a lot more that could be done with more money, there are generally a number of people who get involved on a volunteer basis and keep records, get things organized, raise money. I don't think they would have let the holdings get so out of control, nor would they have let Gail handle it all on her own. Even Meg offered to help, after having lived there only a short time. The mystery was good, the story moved forward well, and I will continue with this series but not right away.
September 25, 2016
I have a new cozy series to follow. I thought this was a good beginning to a cozy mystery, I was in the mood for something autumnal and this worked perfectly. I'm not going to give up the spoilers but I will say if you want a quick, fun, seasonal light mystery with well hewn characters & setting, pick this one up. I'll be getting back to my harder murder thrillers soon enough but this was a nice three day jaunt on the lighter side of murder yarns. And there were recipes too!
October 5, 2015
Terrific first entry in a series. Some annoying typos or grammar errors in a couple of places.
Perhaps the result of the software used to convert things the E-book format. I'll be buying more books in this series.
Perhaps the result of the software used to convert things the E-book format. I'll be buying more books in this series.
April 2, 2023
Sto leggendo questa serie saltando da un libro all'altro senza seguire un ordine e a un certo punto mi sono accorta che già sapevo chi fosse il colpevole proprio per questo motivo, ma sono comunque riuscita ad apprezzare la storia. Confesso che mi sono piaciuti di più alcuni libri successivi, però.
August 28, 2019
While reading this great cozy this song line kept buzzing around in my head.
"They paved paradise to put up a parking lot" Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell
"They paved paradise to put up a parking lot" Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell
March 31, 2021
After losing her boyfriend and her job, Meg decides a change of pace is in order. She agrees to move into the old colonial home that's been in her family for generations so that she can get it ready to sell. Meg soon realizes the house is in worse shape than her mother led her to believe, but she's committed to seeing the project through. Another thing Meg didn't count on was running into her ex, Chandler Hale, who's in Granford to promote a new development that would mean the destruction of the small apple orchard on the family property. Meg isn't sure how she feels about that, especially when she learns that the citizens of Granford are somewhat split on going ahead with the development. When the plumber Meg hired finds Chandler's body in her new septic tank, she finds herself at the epicenter of a murder investigation. The state police seem keen on pinning the crime on her--the woman scorned. However, Meg soon discovers that there were plenty of other people who had reason to kill Chandler, including a string of women he'd charmed and dumped. As Meg becomes more embroiled in the investigation, she's also becoming more fond of the small town that she thought would only be a temporary home. Thinking of putting down roots of her own makes Meg all the more determined to clear her name and find out who really killed Chandler.
This story was a bit of a departure from most of the cozies I've read, in that Meg's employment background was in banking, and the erstwhile romantic interest was NOT someone in law enforcement. It was refreshing. Characters were portrayed well, although I wish the plot had been a tad more smooth. The ending sort of threw me when SPOILER! Meg attended the Town Meeting and basically used the forum to publicly accuse someone of murder. Er...that seemed quite outlandish. It was a cringe-worthy moment.
Entertaining enough. I'd love to award it 3 1/2 stars, but I'm bumping it down to a three for that ending.
This story was a bit of a departure from most of the cozies I've read, in that Meg's employment background was in banking, and the erstwhile romantic interest was NOT someone in law enforcement. It was refreshing. Characters were portrayed well, although I wish the plot had been a tad more smooth. The ending sort of threw me when SPOILER! Meg attended the Town Meeting and basically used the forum to publicly accuse someone of murder. Er...that seemed quite outlandish. It was a cringe-worthy moment.
Entertaining enough. I'd love to award it 3 1/2 stars, but I'm bumping it down to a three for that ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2021
After working my way through Connolly's County Cork series, I'm starting the Orchard series that I have on my shelf & kindle. It also has a plucky heroine thrown into a new place & trying to figure out her future. Meg Corey is fixing up an inherited colonial to sell off while she's between jobs, but finds more than she bargained for: a dead body in her septic tank who used to be her boyfriend. There's a helpful neighbor with a friendly sister, a university professor who does research in her orchard, & a host of town characters. It was a fun story with an interesting plot & setting, so more in my future.
January 9, 2026
I saw so many positive comments about this series. It is well written. The conversations flow naturally and seem realistic. The author gives you a sense of the characters emotions. However, this book was dull and unexciting to me. The characters just sat around drinking coffee in almost every scene. There were no action scenes. Perhaps the series gets better but this one did not make me want to continue. 2.5 stars.
April 30, 2019
Slow start, but picked up and was a great read. I look forward to reading more in this series
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