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Mysteries of Blackberry Valley #13
The Mandolin Mystery
The Mandolin Mystery is the thirteenth book in The Mysteries of Blackberry Valley fiction series.
After a decades-long hiatus, Blackberry Valley's bluegrass festival is making a comeback. The community is excited to renew a long-standing tradition that previously came to a bitter end. The founding musical duo split up after an heirloom mandolin vanished along with the proceeds from the celebration. Hannah Prentiss can't wait to join in the festivities and reconnect with her childhood friend, musician Monroe Taylor.
But when Hannah and Monroe discover a damaged mandolin in a crate of instruments loaned to the library, they are astonished to discover that this is the missing mandolin that belongs to Monroe's grandfather.
Who took the mandolin all those years ago, and how did it end up in that crate? And where's the stolen money? Hannah fears her efforts to find the truth may do more harm than good…unless she can bring a closing note to the past.
After a decades-long hiatus, Blackberry Valley's bluegrass festival is making a comeback. The community is excited to renew a long-standing tradition that previously came to a bitter end. The founding musical duo split up after an heirloom mandolin vanished along with the proceeds from the celebration. Hannah Prentiss can't wait to join in the festivities and reconnect with her childhood friend, musician Monroe Taylor.
But when Hannah and Monroe discover a damaged mandolin in a crate of instruments loaned to the library, they are astonished to discover that this is the missing mandolin that belongs to Monroe's grandfather.
Who took the mandolin all those years ago, and how did it end up in that crate? And where's the stolen money? Hannah fears her efforts to find the truth may do more harm than good…unless she can bring a closing note to the past.
Paperback
Published May 5, 2026
About the author
Cate Nolan
20 books27 followersCate Nolan lives in New York City, but she escapes to the ocean any chance she gets. A devoted mom, wife and teacher, Cate loves to leave her real life behind and play with the characters in her imagination. She’s got that suspense writer gene that sees danger and a story in everyday occurrences. Cate particularly loves to write stories of faith enabling ordinary people to overcome extraordinary danger. To learn more about Cate, visit her website at www.catenolanauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 6, 2026
3.5 stars, personally ⭐️ Christian Fiction - Cozy Mystery
About this book:
“After a decades-long hiatus, Blackberry Valley's bluegrass festival is making a comeback. The community is excited to renew a long-standing tradition that previously came to a bitter end. The founding musical duo split up after an heirloom mandolin vanished along with the proceeds from the celebration. Hannah Prentiss can't wait to join in the festivities and reconnect with her childhood friend, musician Monroe Taylor.
But when Hannah and Monroe discover a damaged mandolin in a crate of instruments loaned to the library, they are astonished to discover that this is the missing mandolin that belongs to Monroe's grandfather.
Who took the mandolin all those years ago, and how did it end up in that crate? And where's the stolen money? Hannah fears her efforts to find the truth may do more harm than good…unless she can bring a closing note to the past.”
Series: Book #13 in the “Mysteries of Blackberry Valley” series. Reviews of Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, Book #6, Book #7, Book #8, Book #9, Book #10, Book #11, and Book #12!
Spiritual Content- Colossians 3:13 at the beginning; A Scripture is read during a devotional; Prayers; Church going; Talks about God, His will, & trusting His timing; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God & His will; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, devotionals, & those and events in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, blessings over food, & thanking and praising God; Mentions of church, church going, pastors, & services; Mentions of hymns & gospel songs; A few mentions of blessings & being blessed; A couple mentions of angels; A mention of sinners;
*Note: Hannah is told she’s worked a miracle when solving the mystery; Mentions of luck & being lucky; A couple mentions of someone’s music being called “magical”; A mention of someone looking like he saw a ghost.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’ and a ‘dumb’; Eye rolling; Being caught in a flash flood & surrounded by water (up to semi-detailed); All about & many mentions of stolen items, stealing, thieves, crimes, & criminals; Mentions of deaths (including Hannah’s mother & a husband/father being killed in action); Mentions of fires & arson; Mentions of blackmail & threats; Mentions of arrests & jails/prisons; Mentions of family feuds & someone trying to escape her family by any means (including illegal); Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A couple mentions of hatred; A couple mentions of a horror movie & a serial-killer clown;
*Note: Mentions of singers, bands, & songs (Osborne Brothers, Bill Monroe, Loretta Lynn, Elvis, Alison Krauss, Rhiannon Giddens, Flatt and Scruggs, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, ‘Wayfaring Stranger’, ‘Footprints in the Snow’, ‘Blue Moon of Kentucky’, ‘Rocky Top’, ‘Every Times You Say Goodbye’, ‘Cluck Old Hen’, ‘I’m Working on the Road to Glory Land’, & ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’); Mentions of car brands; Mentions of a struggling marriage (due to the husband always being away with work), but it improving.
Sexual Content- a forehead kiss, ten not-detailed kisses, and three barely-above-not-detailed kisses; Some touches, embraces, hand holding, nearness, & noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple winks; Mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends, dates, & dating; A few mentions of flirting; A couple mentions of kisses & kissing; A couple mentions of jealousy; Very light love, being in love, & the emotions.
-Hannah Prentiss
P.O.V. of Hannah & a couple others in prior scenes
Four scenes from 1966, 1970, 1973, & 1975.
272 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
I’ve never been one for country music (and by default of assuming they are similar, bluegrass music as well), but I found myself interested in this mystery regardless and curious about who the culprit or culprits were. I really liked the sweet light romance between Hannah and her fella (they are so sweet and cute together!), but also message of forgiveness at the end of the book.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“After a decades-long hiatus, Blackberry Valley's bluegrass festival is making a comeback. The community is excited to renew a long-standing tradition that previously came to a bitter end. The founding musical duo split up after an heirloom mandolin vanished along with the proceeds from the celebration. Hannah Prentiss can't wait to join in the festivities and reconnect with her childhood friend, musician Monroe Taylor.
But when Hannah and Monroe discover a damaged mandolin in a crate of instruments loaned to the library, they are astonished to discover that this is the missing mandolin that belongs to Monroe's grandfather.
Who took the mandolin all those years ago, and how did it end up in that crate? And where's the stolen money? Hannah fears her efforts to find the truth may do more harm than good…unless she can bring a closing note to the past.”
Series: Book #13 in the “Mysteries of Blackberry Valley” series. Reviews of Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, Book #6, Book #7, Book #8, Book #9, Book #10, Book #11, and Book #12!
Spiritual Content- Colossians 3:13 at the beginning; A Scripture is read during a devotional; Prayers; Church going; Talks about God, His will, & trusting His timing; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God & His will; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, devotionals, & those and events in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, blessings over food, & thanking and praising God; Mentions of church, church going, pastors, & services; Mentions of hymns & gospel songs; A few mentions of blessings & being blessed; A couple mentions of angels; A mention of sinners;
*Note: Hannah is told she’s worked a miracle when solving the mystery; Mentions of luck & being lucky; A couple mentions of someone’s music being called “magical”; A mention of someone looking like he saw a ghost.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’ and a ‘dumb’; Eye rolling; Being caught in a flash flood & surrounded by water (up to semi-detailed); All about & many mentions of stolen items, stealing, thieves, crimes, & criminals; Mentions of deaths (including Hannah’s mother & a husband/father being killed in action); Mentions of fires & arson; Mentions of blackmail & threats; Mentions of arrests & jails/prisons; Mentions of family feuds & someone trying to escape her family by any means (including illegal); Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A couple mentions of hatred; A couple mentions of a horror movie & a serial-killer clown;
*Note: Mentions of singers, bands, & songs (Osborne Brothers, Bill Monroe, Loretta Lynn, Elvis, Alison Krauss, Rhiannon Giddens, Flatt and Scruggs, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, ‘Wayfaring Stranger’, ‘Footprints in the Snow’, ‘Blue Moon of Kentucky’, ‘Rocky Top’, ‘Every Times You Say Goodbye’, ‘Cluck Old Hen’, ‘I’m Working on the Road to Glory Land’, & ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’); Mentions of car brands; Mentions of a struggling marriage (due to the husband always being away with work), but it improving.
Sexual Content- a forehead kiss, ten not-detailed kisses, and three barely-above-not-detailed kisses; Some touches, embraces, hand holding, nearness, & noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple winks; Mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends, dates, & dating; A few mentions of flirting; A couple mentions of kisses & kissing; A couple mentions of jealousy; Very light love, being in love, & the emotions.
-Hannah Prentiss
P.O.V. of Hannah & a couple others in prior scenes
Four scenes from 1966, 1970, 1973, & 1975.
272 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
I’ve never been one for country music (and by default of assuming they are similar, bluegrass music as well), but I found myself interested in this mystery regardless and curious about who the culprit or culprits were. I really liked the sweet light romance between Hannah and her fella (they are so sweet and cute together!), but also message of forgiveness at the end of the book.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
March 24, 2026
Another great addition to the Mysteries of Blackberry Valley! I enjoyed the ongoing friendships between the main characters, along with the new characters who showed up in this book. Having several authors does not detract from these stories either- they all do a great job with the mysteries and solving them. This book got a bit exciting with a flash flood. I look forward to the next one!
April 1, 2026
3.75 stars.
A nice installment to the series but the main mystery was easy to guess. I was surprised by the other mysteries though so that was fun. I hope Hannah and Liam’s relationship progresses in the next installment and we have a wedding! 😁
A nice installment to the series but the main mystery was easy to guess. I was surprised by the other mysteries though so that was fun. I hope Hannah and Liam’s relationship progresses in the next installment and we have a wedding! 😁
May 13, 2026
This was one of my favorite from the series so far.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews