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Celebration Bay #1
Foul Play at the Fair
Every day is a holiday in Celebration Bay . . .
but unfortunately death doesn’t take a holiday.
As more and more tourists flock to Celebration Bay, New York, to enjoy their seasonal festivals, the town is in need of a professional coordinator. Enter Manhattan event planner Liv Montgomery, tired of big-city stress and looking for an idyllic spot where she and her Westie terrier, Whiskey, can put down roots. The Harvest by the Bay Festival is Liv’s first chance to prove herself, and everything from apple bobbing to pumpkin painting goes perfectly—until the body of an itinerant juggler is discovered stuffed into an antique apple press.
With a murderer on the loose, town leaders threaten to shut down the upcoming Halloween and Christmas festivals. But the town’s livelihood is at stake, and there is no way Liv is going to let that happen, even if she has to solve the murder herself. No matter how many balls she needs to keep in the air, Liv is determined to find a killer who’s rotten to the core . . .
but unfortunately death doesn’t take a holiday.
As more and more tourists flock to Celebration Bay, New York, to enjoy their seasonal festivals, the town is in need of a professional coordinator. Enter Manhattan event planner Liv Montgomery, tired of big-city stress and looking for an idyllic spot where she and her Westie terrier, Whiskey, can put down roots. The Harvest by the Bay Festival is Liv’s first chance to prove herself, and everything from apple bobbing to pumpkin painting goes perfectly—until the body of an itinerant juggler is discovered stuffed into an antique apple press.
With a murderer on the loose, town leaders threaten to shut down the upcoming Halloween and Christmas festivals. But the town’s livelihood is at stake, and there is no way Liv is going to let that happen, even if she has to solve the murder herself. No matter how many balls she needs to keep in the air, Liv is determined to find a killer who’s rotten to the core . . .
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 4, 2012
27 people are currently reading
1399 people want to read
About the author
Shelley Freydont
24 books276 followersaka Gemma Bruce
Shelley Freyont is the author of the Lindy Haggerty Sudoku mysteries. She attended the University of Utah majoring in philosophy and dance. Shelley Freydont has also toured as a professonal dance with Twyla Tharp Dance and Americal Ballroom theater. She has appeared and choreographed in television, film, and Brodway.
Series:
* Lindy Haggerty Mystery
* Kate McDonald Mystery
Shelley Freyont is the author of the Lindy Haggerty Sudoku mysteries. She attended the University of Utah majoring in philosophy and dance. Shelley Freydont has also toured as a professonal dance with Twyla Tharp Dance and Americal Ballroom theater. She has appeared and choreographed in television, film, and Brodway.
Series:
* Lindy Haggerty Mystery
* Kate McDonald Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
September 30, 2017
Great first in series! Looking forward to the next book.
September 28, 2017
Liv Montgomery is a Manhattan event planner who has pretty much seen it all. For a change of pace, she's relocated to Celebration Bay, NY where it's more peaceful and laid back than the big city. She doesn't feel quite like she's one of the locals especially since the woman who had the job before her when it was an unpaid volunteer position treats her nastily. The biggest festival of the fall is underway and all seems fine with the world until Liv gets a call from her assistant Ted to hurry over to one of the farms. It seems one of the town's most unliked people was back and had managed to get murdered.
Everyone wants to blame the traveling Romanian acrobats and sort of just sweep this away but Liv wants the killer found so she can safely go about the business of planning the rest of the year's festivals. She doesn't get much support in the way of the town either and she really feels like an outsider when they shun her as the murder topic or the murdered man's name comes up. So she, at times a little dangerously, proceeds to sleuth it out on her own and comes to the startling truth.
There was a really interesting side story and twist as well which involved one of the Zoldolsky acrobat brothers. I was totally surprised and didn't see this coming at all!
This book didn't take very long to get sucked into! I could barely put it down because I was just so interested in the people of the town and the mystery at hand. I really enjoyed the older ladies who lived next to Liv and rented her their carriage house. They were so sweet and took care of her little dog. And that dog Whiskey was such a character! He wasn't just a story dog, the little guy had a very cute personality and even though he was a stranger to no one he definitely knew which people he really liked once he met them. I loved how he would run back under the bed when Liv got out his leash!
Ted, Liv's assistant, was another favorite character of mine. At times he could be moody but he always seemed very happy and was kind of a father figure to Liv even though she was his boss. I'm interested in seeing how the rest of the series evolves with Liv and the newspaper editor, Chaz. She didn't act interested in him at first because he comes off as disinterested and lazy. But she dug into his background a little and could sort of see why he might be that way. He softened up a little and was friendly to her eventually but nothing too extreme.
I'll definitely be continuing this series eventually as I'm anxious to visit Celebration Bay again.
Everyone wants to blame the traveling Romanian acrobats and sort of just sweep this away but Liv wants the killer found so she can safely go about the business of planning the rest of the year's festivals. She doesn't get much support in the way of the town either and she really feels like an outsider when they shun her as the murder topic or the murdered man's name comes up. So she, at times a little dangerously, proceeds to sleuth it out on her own and comes to the startling truth.
There was a really interesting side story and twist as well which involved one of the Zoldolsky acrobat brothers. I was totally surprised and didn't see this coming at all!
This book didn't take very long to get sucked into! I could barely put it down because I was just so interested in the people of the town and the mystery at hand. I really enjoyed the older ladies who lived next to Liv and rented her their carriage house. They were so sweet and took care of her little dog. And that dog Whiskey was such a character! He wasn't just a story dog, the little guy had a very cute personality and even though he was a stranger to no one he definitely knew which people he really liked once he met them. I loved how he would run back under the bed when Liv got out his leash!
Ted, Liv's assistant, was another favorite character of mine. At times he could be moody but he always seemed very happy and was kind of a father figure to Liv even though she was his boss. I'm interested in seeing how the rest of the series evolves with Liv and the newspaper editor, Chaz. She didn't act interested in him at first because he comes off as disinterested and lazy. But she dug into his background a little and could sort of see why he might be that way. He softened up a little and was friendly to her eventually but nothing too extreme.
I'll definitely be continuing this series eventually as I'm anxious to visit Celebration Bay again.
September 11, 2017
I needed to read this for the Facebook Cozy Group I am in and then they moved the darn discussion date and I was already into the book. So even though I cannot participate, I decided to finish the book.
Ugh. I am so sorry that I wasted my time.
This was a tepid, slow, boring and tedious cozy mystery. I didn't care about any of the characters [until the end and you were supposed to care about this person and it is written that way, even though he factors into the story very little] and thought that the "sexy" banter that was supposed to be happening between Liv and the newspaper man [who's name escapes me because I didn't care for him and always forgot about him as soon as the conversations with him were finished] was so forced and ridiculous that I almost laughed out loud at several of the encounters. And the end was so tidy [and therefore fake feeling] and SO completely unprofessional [you really cannot let criminals go like that just because you "feel bad for what happened"] and so not how it would ever be handled in the "real" world that I just was disgusted and threw the book into my "sell these books now" bag and walked away. Ugh.
I did not like this, will not be reading any more and would never ever recommend this book to anyone. Meh.
Ugh. I am so sorry that I wasted my time.
This was a tepid, slow, boring and tedious cozy mystery. I didn't care about any of the characters [until the end and you were supposed to care about this person and it is written that way, even though he factors into the story very little] and thought that the "sexy" banter that was supposed to be happening between Liv and the newspaper man [who's name escapes me because I didn't care for him and always forgot about him as soon as the conversations with him were finished] was so forced and ridiculous that I almost laughed out loud at several of the encounters. And the end was so tidy [and therefore fake feeling] and SO completely unprofessional [you really cannot let criminals go like that just because you "feel bad for what happened"] and so not how it would ever be handled in the "real" world that I just was disgusted and threw the book into my "sell these books now" bag and walked away. Ugh.
I did not like this, will not be reading any more and would never ever recommend this book to anyone. Meh.
November 12, 2019
Liv has just recently moved from New York city to Celebration Bay, a small town upstate to be the events planner for the town. She's been on the job for 6 weeks when a body is discovered during the Harvest festival and the Major as given her two weeks to figure out who did it if not there might not be a Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas events this year. Which will effect the towns people and Liv's job.
The deeper she get's the more the secrets of the people she so wants to be accepted by as one of them will start to come out. We have big personalities, murder, blackmail, frustrating yet lovable people, and a cute dog named Whiskey.
I really enjoyed this first book, if the library has a copy I will for sure continue on.
The deeper she get's the more the secrets of the people she so wants to be accepted by as one of them will start to come out. We have big personalities, murder, blackmail, frustrating yet lovable people, and a cute dog named Whiskey.
I really enjoyed this first book, if the library has a copy I will for sure continue on.
September 25, 2015
I really liked this book. A great start to a series.
The town, the descriptions are a place most of us would like to live. Located in upstate New York, lies the town of Celebration Bay. It is the Autumn season and the descriptions of the fall leaves, the trees, the fair, the town are breathtaking.
The main character, Liv has left the busy life of New York City to adapt to the slower country life of this town as an event planner. When a murder occurs this puts a big damper on the beloved town fair, one that she is responsible for, in maintaining and making sure everything goes right.
I look forward to book two. Liked the characters, especially Liv and her dog. Cant wait for more adventures or rather misadventures.
The town, the descriptions are a place most of us would like to live. Located in upstate New York, lies the town of Celebration Bay. It is the Autumn season and the descriptions of the fall leaves, the trees, the fair, the town are breathtaking.
The main character, Liv has left the busy life of New York City to adapt to the slower country life of this town as an event planner. When a murder occurs this puts a big damper on the beloved town fair, one that she is responsible for, in maintaining and making sure everything goes right.
I look forward to book two. Liked the characters, especially Liv and her dog. Cant wait for more adventures or rather misadventures.
September 3, 2023
What worked for me:
I LOVE the setting, so cozy, had me craving caramel apples and cider.
The MC, she’s very likable and relatable.
Edna and Ida, they were a hoot
Whiskey the dog.. so cute ❤️🐶
The murder/story/background. Very enjoyable. There was something a little different that I thought was a cool touch
What I didn’t love: ALL the characters. There were at least 30. I had some issues remember who was whom. I liked many of them but really struggled to keep them straight
The guy who will probably be the love interest… gonna be enemies to lovers… not a fan
I personally don’t like romance in a cozy but the jerk to lover is my least fav.
I will continue to the next one, I liked it enough to do so.
I LOVE the setting, so cozy, had me craving caramel apples and cider.
The MC, she’s very likable and relatable.
Edna and Ida, they were a hoot
Whiskey the dog.. so cute ❤️🐶
The murder/story/background. Very enjoyable. There was something a little different that I thought was a cool touch
What I didn’t love: ALL the characters. There were at least 30. I had some issues remember who was whom. I liked many of them but really struggled to keep them straight
The guy who will probably be the love interest… gonna be enemies to lovers… not a fan
I personally don’t like romance in a cozy but the jerk to lover is my least fav.
I will continue to the next one, I liked it enough to do so.
January 16, 2016
This was a great start to this series. We were introduced to several characters and a new mystery that connected to an old one. I was impressed with the way the author kept a great solid pace with a very interesting twist.
I will be squeezing Silent Knife into my reading schedule before reading Independence Slay (A Celebration Bay Mystery) to review for Shelley’s visit on June 25th. Independence Slay (A Celebration Bay Mystery)hits stores on June 3rd.
I will be squeezing Silent Knife into my reading schedule before reading Independence Slay (A Celebration Bay Mystery) to review for Shelley’s visit on June 25th. Independence Slay (A Celebration Bay Mystery)hits stores on June 3rd.
May 16, 2022
3.5 stars. Pretty good book. I enjoyed the characters and am looking forward to reading more about them. The story was good and kept me turning pages to see how it all unraveled. #readforkimberly
September 17, 2017
I have to say I didn't go into this one with any expectations and it wasn't a book I came across on my own. I'm so glad I picked it up though! It was a great read for fall. Also, I love a cozy that keeps me guessing, and this one certainly did. Not just about the whodunnit but about the characters as well. The more I read the more I got to know everyone in the town. Definitely not predictable and kept me guessing, which I love. Can't wait to pick up the next one and see what everyone in town gets up to next.
September 29, 2020
A cozy read, with a West Highland White Terrier!
The story was good, but, the main character left her Westie home or with caretakers way too much. I thought the character development was a little lacking when it came to Whiskey. Just why the name Whiskey? How did Whiskey come to live with Liv? He was a rescue pup. A little of his back story would have been appreciated. I like the town and folks that live there. It was a lighthearted fun story.
The story was good, but, the main character left her Westie home or with caretakers way too much. I thought the character development was a little lacking when it came to Whiskey. Just why the name Whiskey? How did Whiskey come to live with Liv? He was a rescue pup. A little of his back story would have been appreciated. I like the town and folks that live there. It was a lighthearted fun story.
September 29, 2024
3.5 Not quite good enough for 4 star. I loved the atmosphere but wish we had more of it. After the body is found we lose all the festival vibes. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and some of them are not likable. I really enjoyed the discovery of the crime/mystery that happed years prior. Didn’t love the small town “we’ll handle our own business” aspect, but I had a pretty good time and will continue in the series.
February 8, 2015
I guess what I didn't like about this book was that it felt like a book the whole time I was reading it. is that a legitimate complaint?? it's like there was a formula, and so stuff had to be introduced whether it was valuable to the story or not. there's the obligatory love interest, who is irritating but so handsome and charming that you have to forgive him. (or resign yourself to his continued presence.) there's also a lady rival who has no good qualities and offers no credible threat (relationship-wise, professionally etc) but creates complications (does she have feelings or reasons for doing what she does? wow definitely not, she's just awful, so she should be shamed and punished). there were weird antagonists, like these two police officers sent in because some local folks thought the local dude wouldn't be able to deal with it? and so I guess the state cared enough to intervene, but only by sending two officers who are on probation (for being incompetent?) to investigate a murder... without supervision...? I don't know, it just felt like no one could be bad without being an unredeemable scumbag. I also am not sure that being an event planner actually prepares you to solve crimes? I think it was supposed to be appealing in a folksy way that Liv, the main character, wanted to get away from her fast big-apple life of catering to spoiled brides' unreasonable demands, but like, I don't know, what else is an event planner supposed to do? that is LITERALLY what you are paid to do, maybe you should have gone to a police academy if you wanted to solve crimes.
October 8, 2012
A first in a new series, I liked this book. First books can often times be the weakest, but if that's the case here, I look forward to a very good series.
The story centers on Celebration Bay, a tourist town in NY. While I didn't get a very strong sense of the town itself, it's inhabitants were very well drawn and it was very easy to 'see' the individual personalities. There's a hint of future tension (of the good kind) between the main character, Liv and the newspaper editor.
The mystery, I thought, was very well done. Lots of suspects, as nobody liked the victim, and a few twists here and there. A red herring or two and a really good ending, to my way of thinking. It didn't feel like the tried and true used in so many cozies.
My only real beef with the book was the same one I have with a lot of mysteries - the over abundance of internal dialogue/speculation. I realise it's a device used to summarize the story to that point for the readers, but to me it's all a lot of very boring repetition. At one point, I actually skipped almost 3 pages and it was all internal dialogue meant to assist readers who I can only imagine must not have very strong reading comprehension skills.
I look forward to reading the next book.
The story centers on Celebration Bay, a tourist town in NY. While I didn't get a very strong sense of the town itself, it's inhabitants were very well drawn and it was very easy to 'see' the individual personalities. There's a hint of future tension (of the good kind) between the main character, Liv and the newspaper editor.
The mystery, I thought, was very well done. Lots of suspects, as nobody liked the victim, and a few twists here and there. A red herring or two and a really good ending, to my way of thinking. It didn't feel like the tried and true used in so many cozies.
My only real beef with the book was the same one I have with a lot of mysteries - the over abundance of internal dialogue/speculation. I realise it's a device used to summarize the story to that point for the readers, but to me it's all a lot of very boring repetition. At one point, I actually skipped almost 3 pages and it was all internal dialogue meant to assist readers who I can only imagine must not have very strong reading comprehension skills.
I look forward to reading the next book.
October 4, 2012
This new series was skillfully written to draw the new reader along with the new character of Liv Montgomery, who has just accepted the new position of professional event planner for the town of Celebration Bay, New York.
We are introduced as Liv is busy running her first event in town, The Harvest By The Bay. Liv and her pup, Whiskey are finding living in their new home a joy after the crazies she had to endure while in New York City. All is going great until...until a body is found in the Antique Apple Press of one of the town's vendor's farms.
On top of it, the jealousies of one of the former Trustee's is tainting the future of Liv and all other events in the future. Liv is thrown into town politics, lives, secrets, and more as she tries to be accepted and solve this mystery.
Liv is in danger and so are others, unless, she can figure out...who killed the clown in the Apple Press. Who can she trust and who wants to harm her?
I did enjoy this new debut series. I liked the characters and find I want to know more about life in Celebration Bay.
We are introduced as Liv is busy running her first event in town, The Harvest By The Bay. Liv and her pup, Whiskey are finding living in their new home a joy after the crazies she had to endure while in New York City. All is going great until...until a body is found in the Antique Apple Press of one of the town's vendor's farms.
On top of it, the jealousies of one of the former Trustee's is tainting the future of Liv and all other events in the future. Liv is thrown into town politics, lives, secrets, and more as she tries to be accepted and solve this mystery.
Liv is in danger and so are others, unless, she can figure out...who killed the clown in the Apple Press. Who can she trust and who wants to harm her?
I did enjoy this new debut series. I liked the characters and find I want to know more about life in Celebration Bay.
November 14, 2015
I'm always on the lookout for a new cozy mystery series, so I read this first book in the Celebration Bay Mystery series. It's set in upstate New York. The protagonist is an events coordinator who left a big job in New York City to move to Celebration Bay, a small town in upstate New England. Her new job has Liv Montgomery planning the many big tourist events that are held in Celebration Bay every year. Live and her West Highland terrier Whiskey love their new home. When murder comes to town, she wants to figure out what happened. Liv refuses to let anyone take the safety and security she feels in her new town with her new friends away from her. This is a promising new series that I will continue to read. I love cozy mysteries that have interesting, but eclectic characters and this series appears to have this.
October 6, 2012
Disappointing!
It angers me when a book jacket has reviews that inaccurately describe the story. The review of this does that. This is listed as a Halloween book in the cozy-mystery website I use. It does take place then but it really isn't a Halloween book. Somehow she manages to steer clear of the festivals that the book is supposed to be about. It was disappointing and I may never read her books again.
It angers me when a book jacket has reviews that inaccurately describe the story. The review of this does that. This is listed as a Halloween book in the cozy-mystery website I use. It does take place then but it really isn't a Halloween book. Somehow she manages to steer clear of the festivals that the book is supposed to be about. It was disappointing and I may never read her books again.
July 12, 2013
not a bad 1st book--new series about an "event planner" transplanted from Manhattan. The behavior of the townspeople was a bit "sinister", not sure I like that--people willing to cover up a murder for the sake of "their own?" I will reserve a decision of whether to continue to read this series until the next book....only because this could just be my take on the storyline of this particular book.
September 22, 2013
Another first in series for me! I really enjoyed this one :) Liv was an event planner in manhattan and decided she had enough of crazy brides in the big city and moved to Celebration Bay, New York to become the event planner for this close-knit, quirky small town. And she soon finds herself (and her adorable little Westie, Whiskey) smack dab in the middle of a murder and a lot of town secrets!
Fun start to a series and I'm looking forward to reading the next one soon :-)
Fun start to a series and I'm looking forward to reading the next one soon :-)
September 19, 2013
I really enjoyed this book- the small town feel, the fall/harvest setting, the unique mystery and the main character's Westie all came together to make this a really fun read. I'm looking forward to the next installment, which is Christmas theme!
March 2, 2016
It was pretty good. I felt a lot of sympathy for the main character as she was going around in circles, feeling pushed around and locked out of the happenings in town due to her newcomer, or "outsider", status. Unfortunately, those aspects made the pacing of the mystery uneven, in my opinion.
Read
August 14, 2015Meh...
November 4, 2017
The Harvest By the Bay Festival is New York City's former even planner Liv Montgomery's first festival of her new life in Celebration Bay and goes well until a juggler is found murdered. With the Halloween and Christmas festivals now in jeopardy, Liv goes sleuthing to catch a murderer. I chose this book due to it's Fall theme but it didn't interest me enough to continue reading the series. Liv and the storyline were likable enough, I just have better cozy mysteries to read!
October 2, 2023
Finished but DNF
This book started out so strong for me. Unfortunately not even halfway through everything clicked for me. Usually I don’t mind that in a cozy but I was already struggling to stick with this one. I think this could’ve been a great story if it had been about a hundred pages shorter. I did skip to the end just to read how it played out but that was so exhausting and annoying I almost wished I’d DNF’d after I figured it all out. I had high hopes for these characters and this series but honestly I can’t see myself returning to it.
This book started out so strong for me. Unfortunately not even halfway through everything clicked for me. Usually I don’t mind that in a cozy but I was already struggling to stick with this one. I think this could’ve been a great story if it had been about a hundred pages shorter. I did skip to the end just to read how it played out but that was so exhausting and annoying I almost wished I’d DNF’d after I figured it all out. I had high hopes for these characters and this series but honestly I can’t see myself returning to it.
June 23, 2018
This is a new author and series for me, and I really enjoyed this book!! It was well written, and I really loved Liv, the concept of her job and the town of Celebration Bay!!!! The book also had a very good mystery which I could quite figure out to the end. I will definitely read the next book in the series!!!!!
August 16, 2025
This was a fun book to read. Liv Montgomery is the newly hired event planner for Celebration Bay. A murder disrupts the Festival. Ahe, along with others in the town, try to solve the murder. I liked the fact that Liv did not commit crimes herself while searching for answers, which some cozy mysteries have allowed.
September 6, 2017
LOVED IT! This was well written, a great protagonist in Liv, charming setting, lovable characters. The author obviously knows what life is like in a small town. Very much looking forward to the next Celebration Bay mystery!
June 9, 2017
3.5 stars. Quick and light mystery. Not entirely plausible, but enjoyable enough.
August 22, 2018
I really enjoyed this one though Liv did annoy me at times. I really enjoyed the mix of characters. Mystery was interesting as well.
August 20, 2019
An extremely enjoyable cozy. By the end, I realized it had went in a direction that caught me off guard. I like when a mystery can do that.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews