Pulp Friction

by Julie Anne Lindsey

Nothing’s sweeter than a fruitful family business, and for Winona Mae Montgomery and her Granny Smythe, that means Smythe Orchards in Blossom Valley, Virginia. But this year’s apple crop is especially juicy—with scandal . . .

SEEDS OF DANGER

Thanks to Winnie's new cider shop, Smythe Orchards is out of the red and folks can get their fix of the produce and other delectable products they love all year round. The locals are even booking the shop for events, including a June wedding! Winnie couldn’t be happier to see the barn filled to the rafters for the big bash—until her doting ex, Hank, is caught in a heated argument with the groom. Winnie plans to scold Hank after the party, but spots him running off instead. And when the groom turns up dead, apparently hit by the honeymoon getaway car, Hank is the main suspect. Now Hank is on the lam, and it’s up to Winnie to get to the core of the truth—before the real killer puts the squeeze on her . . .

Genres: Mystery

256 pages, Paperback

Published August 5, 2025

About the author

Julie Anne Lindsey- Hatcher is an award-winning and bestselling author of cozy mystery and romantic suspense. She’s published more than sixty novels as herself & under the pen names, Bree Baker, Jacqueline Frost & Julie Chase, for various publishers, including Kensington, Harlequin, Sourcebooks and Crooked Lane Books. When she's not writing the stories that keep her up at night, Julie stays busy in Kent, Ohio with her three amazing kids and shamelessly enabling friends. Today she hopes to make someone smile. One day she plans to change the world.

Be sure to check out NOT QUITE BY THE BOOK, Julie's latest work of contemporary fiction, written under her birth name, Julie Hatcher.

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, cozy. This is book two; while you don't have to read book one first, I think it's always better to do so. I didn't figure out the killer. I'm excited to read book three!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was an lucky winner of this book. It's the 2nd book in a series, but I had no trouble catching up on the main characters and the West Virginia setting. I enjoyed the mystery and thought that solving it was enough of a challenge. The only habit that bugged me (and happens a lot in this type of mystery) was keeping information from the police. I will release it soon - probably into my Little Free Library.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so hard to put down! This was book 2 in the series and even without reading book 1 I had no issues following the story but I do plan on going back to read book 1 before continuing the story because I am loving the relationship that seems to be building and would like to see how it started.

This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and I'm very excited to read the next book.

I won a copy through a goodreads giveaway and these options are my own.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounding up to Goodreads 5.

I received this as a Goodreads Giveaway and was pleasantly surprised. It had a good mix of cozy and thriller murder mystery, but was never too scary. I guessed who the killer was about halfway through, but it was still an entertaining novel overall.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 star read. Book 2 in the series but I read it without reading the first and it was fine. A good cozy mystery read!

Thank you to Kensington for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Lsilberman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable, but I identified the murderer before the main character did.

[Joan Waite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute cozy mystery. It's the second book in the series, but can be read as a standalone. I won my copy in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Sweetpea4me · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute mystery involving a wedding, cider shop, and the de@th of a key character. Causes much suspicion in the town of Blossom Valley

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

[Jacklyn Perkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through god reads it was a cute cozy murder

[BookwormBraggings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet cozy mystery, felt like a breath of fresh air. Didn't guess the murderer. Really enjoyed myself with this one. Cozy mysteries can be hit or miss depending on how engaging they can be while maintaining the "coziness". This one kept me going.

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