Buzz Off

Queen Bee Mystery #1

by Hannah Reed

After her mentor in the honey business is found suspiciously stung to death in his apiary, beekeeper Story Fischer must sort through a swarm of suspects, including her ex-husband.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Contemporary, Ebooks, Romance

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 29, 2010

About the author

Bestselling, award-winning author Deb Baker writes the hilarious Gertie Johnson mystery series set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A native Yooper herself, Deb brings her blend of humor and sass to everything she writes, including mysteries written under her pen name Hannah Reed.

In addition to the Yooper mysteries, Deb/Hannah also penned a doll collecting series, beekeeping mysteries, and a Scottish Highland trilogy.

Reviews

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd actually give this book 3.5 stars if I could. I liked the story, and the characters and the author did a very good job describing the setting. But what almost killed this book for me were the bullet points the author used throughout the story and the protagonists mother. Every heroine needs a nemesis, but it shouldn't be her mother. This mother was just nasty and her part in the book only made me angry. The bullet points were almost always annoying and I skipped over them completely.

I might read the next book in the series, but only if the bullet points are nixed. I can hope her mother is the next victim, though I don't think I'll get that lucky.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

What makes a good cozy?
* A likable and witty main character
* Kooky characters
* An annoying character
* A good looking man
* Twists and turns
* A dead body or two
* A surprise ending
* Bullet points
You find all of this and more in this cozy

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't fully engaged by this novel. While the concept of the bee farmer was a bit different from others I've read, the characters seemed shallow and the story never developed any momentum. One of my biggest complaints against the writing was the authors insistence on having her main character occasionally break out into 'bullet point' speech. It's one thing to say that the character is known for laying out her plans/ideas/arguments in bullet point fashion, to actually WRITE them out in this style is jarring and frankly, annoying. The second complaint is that the main characters sister insists on speaking in internet 'chat room' abbreviated dialog. Having a character who insists on using letters such as 'brb', 'IMHO' and 'SRLSY' in her everyday verbal communications which then need to be explained in parenthesis if annoying verging on frustrating. Finally, the author gave too much space (in bullet point fashion!) to the wonders of Wisconsin history, agriculture, Harley, and its natural beauty. I was chosen to recv bk 2 in this series from the Good Reads giveaway, so I'll make the attempt and see if the author 'grew' any between writings.

[Heidi Prockish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book!! I have struggled to read this year and this book brought me back. I was sucked in from the start and really enjoyed every part of the story. Beekeeping is so cool to read about. I loved learning about it. I felt I could relate to Story a number of ways and was totally invested. I did have an idea of who the murderer was, but I wasn't sure why. I bought book 1 on a whim but I will definitely be getting book 2.

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when I thought I had more than enough cozy mystery series I was interested in reading, along comes a brand new one that I just love. Story Fischer is a character with lovable quirks - like a foot fetish and a passion for bullet points. She seems to have been somewhat of a princess in high school, and in her small town that is still bearing some consequences and hard feelings. There's not much maliciousness in Story, but some youthful decisions and unintended slights have given her a couple of enemies that still seem to be trying to get even. Does any of this have to do with the murder that takes place? I'll not divulge the answer to that!

Add to the mix a beautiful setting and the very interesting pursuit of raising honey bees, and I found myself totally unwilling to put the book down once I started reading it. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment from Hannah Reed.

[Melanie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had this book on my tbr pile for many a day. This has been a very cold winter in Mississippi and when I spotted the bright yellow book, I said "self, we need some sunshine."
Bees really are not my thing. I do not know a thing about them, except they make honey, buzz, and can cause pain. I learned a great deal about bees while reading this cozy.
The book was really good. I enjoyed the characters and I regret not picking it up earlier. I cannot say that I did not figure out who did the deed, but I can say I did not figure out the how. It held my interest and I found myself hurrying up to get to the end to see.
I will be reading more books in this series and giving you the "buzz" on what I think.

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay, but nothing special. The main character is okay, but the "hostile cop" is so hostile as to be a stereotype, and it just annoyed me. I probably won't bother reading any more of the series.

I also just wasn't convinced that anyone in a semi-rural community, which is how the setting is portrayed, would decide to stage a campaign to kill honeybees as they were dangerous. Surely anyone in a rural setting would know how important they are to agriculture.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story Fisher runs a honeybee business with her mentor, Manny. He is found dead out by his hives with the bees on top of him. Everyone thinks the bees are what killed him. The town wants Story to get rid of her hives so no one else gets hurt. Story knows the bees weren't responsible so she sets out to prove it.
This was an okay book for me. I liked the concept but the characters felt a little flat to me. I didn't really connect to any of them. The mystery didn't feel well put together and there were certain characters and things that I could have done without. Probably won't read anymore in this series.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I tried getting into this book... but even at the very end, I found myself caring very little about any of it's characters. The heroine, Story, has an annoying habit of using "bullet points" while she's talking, and her sister Holly uses text abbreviations throughout her conversations, which was also grating. The mystery itself was very clumsy. I knew who the culprit was by the second or third chapter, while Story led the plot around on several "wild goose chases". There were a few funny moments, and just a bit of snappy dialogue, but overall not enough, so the book was just ok for me. Don't think I'll be reading book 2 in this series because I just wasn't interested enough at the end.

[Book Concierge · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the back cover - It’s September – national Honey Month – in Moraine, Wisconsin, and things are looking up for Story Fischer. Her messy divorce is final, the honey from her beekeeping business has been harvested and the market she owns is thriving. Life seems pretty sweet … until Manny, her mentor in the honey business, is found stung to death in his apiary. Story is still trying to explain to the panicked locals that her honeybees had nothing to do with Manny’s death, when another body is found floating in the Oconomowoc River. This time the evidence points to Story’s ex. Sure, he’s a womanizer – but a murderer? Desperate to save her bees and her business, it’s up to Story to find a way out of a very sticky situation.

My reactions
This has all the hallmarks of a successful cozy mystery: a likeable main character, a budding romance, an interesting backstory (beekeeping), and a plausible reason for our amateur detective to get involved. On the other hand, Reed uses several devices that completely irritated me. Story’s need to put everything into bullet-points made me think only that Reed couldn’t figure out a way to turn her outline into prose. The book includes the stereotypical incredibly wealthy sidekick (in this case Story’s younger sister, Holly), who speaks in text-speak. That little quirk was cute the first time Holly uttered a sentence, but quickly GA (got annoying). I had identified the killer early on, despite the many suspects Reed included.
I did like that the budding romance with K-9 handler Hunter Wallace is nice and slow, leaving lots of room for future plot developments.

While I liked the basic premise for this series, the irritations in the dialogue and style tipped the scales and I’m giving it only 2 stars.

[Lorna Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story Fischer is just as industrious as her colony of bees when it comes to investigating the death of her mentor and the theft of his beekeeping manual. Action, adventure, a touch of romance, and a cast of delightful characters fill Hannah Reed’s debut novel. BUZZ OFF is one honey of a tale

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book! I really liked the characters and the story was interesting. I didn't figure out the killer until near the end. I'd definitely read more in this series. :)

[Jennifer Oberth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent and fun story.
I loved the bee info and how it was seamlessly woven throughout the tale.
I loved the bullet points.
I did NOT care for the sister speaking in text because in the dialogue, the translation would be in parenthesis, and it was quite annoying.
The characters were a hoot - even the unlikable ones.
I've already started reading the second book in this series!

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A decent read as cozies go. This one features a small-town small business owner who is newly divorced. She runs a grocery store and was apprenticing in bee keeping. During her divorce celebration she gets dragged out to her mentor's bee yard where he is lying dead, seemingly killed to death by his bees. She knows it wasn't the bees and sets out to prove it before the town attacks the two hives in her yard. Danger and more mysteries ensue.

I will definitely read a couple more titles in the series as they are published, as this was not a bad first installment. I enjoyed the supporting characters and the portrayal of the small town gossip mill, having grown up in a small town. The information on bees and beekeeping was interesting, especially given all the news about colony collapse and its possible causes.

The main character likes to prove things in bullet point statements. To back up that character trait, there are a lot of non-conversational bullet points. I found it to be heavy handed and a disruption to the flow of the book. I'm hoping that is curtailed a bit in any following books.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

My four-sentence or less take on the plot: Story Fischer is shopowner who is also dabbling in beekeeping. Her beekeeping mentor is murdered, honeybees are implicated, and Story and her ex-husband are both potential suspects.

Rating: 6

What worked: I liked the beekeeping concept--it was different, which is saying quite a bit in the cozy mystery world.

What didn't: I hated (HATED) the bulleted points that are sprinkled throughout the book. It also felt like I was reading a guidebook about Wisconsin at times. I expect to learn during a cozy mystery but I don't expect it to be so obvious. I know the character of Story's mom was supposed to be off-putting but she was so incredibly unlikeable it was distracting. The cheating ex-husband in a small town trope is getting pretty played out in cozy mysteries.

Keep reading? I will give the next book a chance.

Notalwaysthebutler.blogspot.com

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyable cozy mystery! Loved the characters. The main sleuth character in cozy mysteries can sometimes be way too pushy and nosy. This one was definitely nosy, but not so pushy. The plot was really good. I had an idea of who the bad guys were but didn't figure out why, with all the details, until right at the end. I would have given it four stars but I felt like it was a little long. I like my cozy mysteries to be a little quicker reads, but I will definitely put the rest of series on my "to read" list.

Also, I loved the main character's need to "bullet point" her life. Nice and neat. It made for very efficient reading and gave insight into the character's own thought processes.

And the whole "lover of feet" thing just cracked me up because I actually am a complete "hater of feet"!

[Cataluna6 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at work, first because I liked the cover, then the blurb got me. This sounded like a fun read and it was to a certain extent. I loved the beekeeping side of things and enjoyed the tourist side of Wisconsin. What I didn't really like the bullet points, I understand this is how story thinks, but it got old fast. I liked even less how her sister talks in abbreviated speech, BRB, OMG, TTYL - ugh! Annoying. I did love the relationship between Story and her beau, they were high school sweethearts and are slowly getting it back together. I've started the next one, something I'd like to see as the series progresses is more of the mystery side of things. Overall, an easy weekend read.

[Bonnie Drummond · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book Buzz Off is really a great book to read. Put you're self into the book as the characters them selves and you get a feeling of who they are. I find myself being Story, the way she feels and what she has to go through all the time. I rated this book with 5 GOLD STARS because the plot holds you until the very end as to the KILLER is revealed. It also gives good insight into how bees live and behave. I have a little about bees, my Uncle Harry is a Bee Keeper in Texas. He give me some books to read and then quizzed me on what i know. I passed with flying colors. The information that Story is telling about the bees in the story well help people around bees. They shouldn't be afraid of them.

Bonnie Drummond

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read for the holidays--beekeeping mystery, late summer, set in rural Wisconsin. Story's a local girl who owns the grocery store and is a dedicated beekeeper. When her mentor dies under suspicious circumstances and then her ex-husband's girlfriend shows up dead in Story's kayak. . . well, it doesn't look good. Reed is setting up her series (we meet the meddling mother, quirky grandmother, hunky K9 sheriff, etc.) with this promising debut and I would recommend for those who like Midnight Ink's Jess Lourey's series, e.g. or perhaps Margaret Grace's (Camille Minichino) miniatures mysteries. Honey-based recipes included. Mass market pb.

[Spuddie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ended up DNF'ing after 3 or 4 chapters...was looking for something light and quick to read before bed, but this was your typical formulaic cozy mystery...main character has a small crafty business, is single and available, there's a hunky cop that she's already making eyes at by the time we barely learn her name, and someone close to her ends up dead...and of course she has to prove that either she didn't do it or someone close to her didn't. (In this case, that the honeybees are innocent.) The only redeeming factor may have been learning good stuff about beekeeping, but really...I can just use Google, thanks.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great beginning to a new mystery series. When a couple of townspeople wind up deceased, Story Fischer, local business owner and beekeeper, sets out to learn the truth about what is happening in Moraine, Wisconsin. All of the hallmarks of a good cozy are here--quirky townspeople, relatives (love them or hate them), reticent/angry law enforcement and a lot of interesting facts about honeybees! I look forward to reading more about Story and her friends.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit the book started off a little slow and I thought I'd have a hard time finishing. But the story definitely picked up and went to a satisfying solution. For the most part, I liked Story Fischer, although her behavior at the town hall meeting was pretty immature. I liked all the bee and honey tidbits. I'm always fascinated with the 'background theme' of cozy mysteries - I always learn something!

I'll definitely check out the next book in this series.

[Melodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was okay. I've not liked previous Deb Baker projects that I've read all that much. The bullet points thing was beyond annoying for me and really turned me off. I'll pass on this series in the future.

[Alyssa White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is SUPER cute! I love honey and we have honey stores in my area and this mad me want to go out and buy the honey sticks that you can suck on some sweet honey with! This author has an interesting style of writing, not one I was use to reading - but it was well worth it!

[Heather L · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book! Great writing, good characters, and the author really seems to know Wisconsin.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

hilarious. favorite skunk scene everrrr

[Dawn Frazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! Excellent book!

[Krystyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are bees killer's?

A great plot that gave you enough suspects and motives to keep you busy. Great characters that are believable, real and likeable from the muck raking Patti to the never say die hero. But the real winners are the bees.
When she hears that her friend and mentor has been hurt she is shocked to find his body covered in honey and bees. However when they are cited as the murderers she is up in arms. Honey bees die after stinging but wasps don't and there where no dead bees around the body. With everyone up in arms and gossip of scandalous affairs hitting the locals they try to get rid of all the bees including her two hives. Then when the body of her newly divorced ex turns up dead it just gets more complicated. Especially as the local police chief has a grudge against her and isn't afraid to make it known publicly. Break-ins, a missing journal, missing bee hives, snide whisper abound now that she has renewed her relationship with an old high school boyfriend. Can they find the killer and the missing hives?

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed this series beginning. There are a lot of characters introduced in the beginning, so it's hard to keep them straight. There are also some subplots I thought took away the momentum of the mystery. Other than that, though, I liked this book, and I'm eager to start the rest of the series. I've always been interested in bees and and honey. Story many seem dramatic and whiny when she's trying to stop the other townsfolk from killing the bees, but they are an essential part of any farming community like the one portrayed. Also, honeybees aren't necessarily in danger of extinction, but this was published right around the time it was becoming public knowledge that other species of bees were in danger of a mass extinction. Over 80 hives of bees dying would have an effect on the local wildlife, which wouldn't be getting pollinated in the way it was used to. I also liked that Story was a bit corny. When she talked about how fashionable black clothes were as she was doing a B&E, I had to laugh.

[Mella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another cozy mystery series. I mostly liked it. I did find it a little bit long and somewhat overly involved for a cozy mystery. I hated the bullet point lists - I understood the point but I felt like it disrupted the flow - it was like I was always jarred out of the story at that point. I liked the inclusion of the newsletter at the end. The romance was a little odd - kind of just appeared out of nowhere. I didn't entirely love Story but she grew on me as the story went on and as there was less of Clay. But I liked Holly and Grams. I hated Holly's text speech. It didn't make sense and it was annoying af. No one over the age of eighteen speaks like that. Ever.
I don't know, it didn't feel as light and connected if that makes sense - as normal cozy mysteries do. Felt like it lacked some sort of spark, warmth of characters. That being said the beekeeping was an interesting inclusion and the information about bees was fascinating. I'll continue the series for sure.