No Farm, No Foul

Farmer's Daughter Mystery #1

by Peg Cochran

First in the Farmer’s Daughter mystery series set on a picturesque farm in Michigan, where Shelby McDonald runs a popular lifestyle and cooking blog, from the national bestselling author of the Cranberry Cove Mysteries.
 
On her blog, The Farmer’s Daughter , Shelby McDonald is growing her audience as she posts recipes, gardening tips, and her experiences raising two kids and running Love Blossom Farm in the small western Michigan town of Lovett.
 
Working the farm is demanding but peaceful—until that peace is shattered when the minister’s wife is murdered on Shelby’s property during a fund-raiser for a local church. But the manure really hits the fan when Shelby’s good friend veterinarian Kelly Thacker emerges as the prime suspect. Shelby decides to dig in and find the murderer by herself. As more suspects crop up, she’ll have to move fast—before someone else buys the farm. . . .

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 6, 2016

About the author

Mystery writing lets Peg indulge her curiosity under the guise of “work” (aka research). She put pen to paper at age seven when she wrote plays and forced her cousins to perform them at Christmas dinner. She switched to mysteries when she discovered the perfect hiding place for a body down the street from her house.

When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading, cooking, spoiling her granddaughter and checking her books' stats on Amazon.

A former Jersey girl, Peg now resides in Michigan. She is the author of the Open Book Series (written as Margaret Loudon), the Murder, She Reported series, the Cranberry Cove Series, the Farmer’s Daughter series, the Gourmet De-Lite series, the Lucille series, and the Sweet Nothings Lingerie series (written as Meg London.)

Reviews

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Reader,

I really enjoyed the blog entries at the beginning of each chapter of the first in the Farmer's Daughter Mysteries by Peg Cochran. So I tried to think outside the box and include it in my review how Farmer and gardener of Love Blossom Farm and mom and new ameture sleuth, Shelby MacDonald did in No Farm, No Foul. And how the entries to Dear Reader snuck in to the story.

Shelby MacDonald is a farmer,gardener of Love Blossom Farm, blogger, chronicling her families life on the farm and a mom of Amelia, a budding teenager and Billy. She sells her fresh Yogurt Cheese Spread to Matt at the Lovett, Michigan General Store, everyone raves about it. St, Andrews Church that Shelby and her family attend are having a church potluck at Love Blossom Farm. Dear Reader...You just know something is going to go down.

Reverend Daniel just recently joined the congregation of the church from another fictional town, of Cranberry Cove that Peg Cochran readers should know well and his wife, Prudence who is found strangled by Shelby with her own slow cooker cord in she brought her contribution of meatballs in.Prudence has a mean streak underneath her hoity-toity exterior. Shelby's best friend, Kelly may know something about the murder.

Shelby wants to find the truth when a piece of evidence is found in her mudroom. But someone within the congregation may have a burning desire to want Prudence dead.Dear Reader...a possible affair, theft and a long lost son ...Possible motives for murder...could be? And with Shelbys cheese making class eager to talk about it instead of making cheese and someone coming after Shelby and her family she needs to find a killer.

Shelby MacDonald is a relatable character,as a mom of a teenager, I feel like she does. A light, fun and entertaining mystery perfect for a foodie. Although this story is set in modern day it somehow reminded me of "Little House on the Prarie" a T.V show I treasured. Lovett, Michigan is a small farming town that has the setting of everything cozy from the farm to the food to the murder.

FTC Disclosure: Thank you to the publisher and/or author or Net Galley for providing us with a copy of this book for review.This did not influence our thoughts in any way. All the opinions of the book are our own.

[Linda Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-1/2 Stars! Running Love Blossom Farm isn't easy for widow Shelby McDonald. She gardens, cooks and sells homemade wares, and keeps an online blog sharing her delicious recipes and gardening tips. All the while coping with a rebellious teenage daughter and 8 year old son. An old calico barn cat, a Westie, a mastiff, and the barn animals complete the family.

A church potluck fundraiser is going smoothly until the reverend's wife, Prudence, meets her demise in Shelby's mudroom. Author Peg Cochran picks a peaceful country setting and skillfully scatters seeds of doubt amongst a variety of suspects who disliked the preacher's wife. With appealing, down-home main characters and an ending that's unpredictable; the showy reveal may flabbergast you! It did me! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one.

FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of every one of author Peg Cochran’s series. So, to say I was excited that she had a new one coming out would be an understatement. As wonderful as I knew it would be, NO FARM, NO FOUL has ensured the Farmer’s Daughter Mysteries a place on my favorite’s list!

NO FARM, NO FOUL is a delightful story with a great cast of characters. Protagonist Shelby McDonald is a strong, independent, widowed mother of two young children. From Shelby’s blog, to the calm, sometimes humorous way she handles stressful situations, author Cochran has written this character in such a way, that I know she is someone I could become fast friends with.

Engaging from the very first page, this book was a quick read that was over way to soon. I was totally invested in every part of this story, from everyday life on Love Blossom Farm, where Shelby and her children live, the excitement of murder and other mayhem, through the investigation and thrilling reveal, I adored every single word! I especially loved the author’s shout out to her Cranberry Cove Mysteries!

If NO FARM, NO FOUL is any indication, the Farmer’s Daughter Mystery series is destined to be one of Peg Cochran’s best.

When you do read NO FARM, NO FOUL, make sure to check out the back of the book for some yummy recipes!

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Release Date: September 6, 2016
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Actual Rating: 5 stars

Recommended Read

I loved this cozy mystery! I always get super excited when I find a new cozy series to fall in love with and this book is one of them! No Farm, No Foul is the first book in the Farmer's Daughter mystery series. It takes place in Michigan, on a farm, where the murder of the reverends wife occurs (GASP). Once just a mother of two and specialized farmer and gardener, now Shelby is putting on her sleuthing cap! She doesn't want her friends going down for a murder they didn't commit and she certainly doesn't want a killer to go unpunished. Will Shelby find the killer before it's too late? Or will she find herself on the wrong side of the pitchfork?

Cozy mystery lovers and those who enjoy stories that are rich in detail will love this one! I found my mouth watering for the organic vegetables described in this book and I also wanted to dig out my own gardening tools just as Shelby does in this book. I enjoyed it immensely, read it in one sitting (or floating as I was in my pool lounging with this amazing read), and fell hard for the series. I can't wait to read the next installment.

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first in a new cozy that has an element of mystery. I found easy reading, but it didn't engage my emotions. There is almost no police procedural of the murder and it is very predictable. Shelby MacDonald lives on Love Blossom Farm and writes a blog sharing her life and recipes with others. She is noted for her homemade cheeses. The farms offer vegetables, cheeses, and jams for sale. She is raising two children by herself. Shelby's church is holding a fundraiser event on the farm. Late in the day, the pastor's wife goes into her mudroom and later she is found strangled to death. The sheriff's department is called and starts exploring the death. At that point, Shelby's preteen daughter is seeing a boy behind her Mother's back. We are treated possible love interest of three different men. Oh, yes the murder is solved before the book's end and the why is different. I recommend this book for a relaxing read.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Berkeley Publishing Groups through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.




s


grows vegetables and has jams for sale on line

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peg Cochran has a new series for you to enjoy with a very interesting way to tell the story and mystery that happens on her character Shelby McDonald's Love Blossom Farm. This story and mystery is read and experienced as if you were reading part of the mystery on line from Shelby's blog. I found I really enjoyed the blog aspect of the story as well as how widower and mother Shelby manages not only her farm but her cozy life in the aftermath of the death of her husband. This is an inspired cozy with a great concept and cover art.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Shelby McDonald has a farm, ee-I-ee-I-o,

[AngryGreyCat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peg Cochran’s series concerns a widow, who runs an organic farm and writes a cooking/lifestyle blog whilst raising her children and being heavily involved in her local church in the small town of Lovett. In this, the first in the series, a church event is held on her property and is going well until one of the congregation ends up dead with an unexpected amount of cash on her person. Shelby investigates the murder, in between farming, cooking, blogging and dealing with the drama of raising children, especially one that is a teen. There are hints of possible future romantic interests and plenty of interesting characters for recurring roles. A fine start to a new series, particularly for fans of cozies with more of a church based focus.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read a lot by this author and have enjoyed previous books. I could not get into this book or really connect to the characters. The story did pick up towards the end but I had a difficult time with this one.

The addition of the blog to the chapters makes no sense. If it's for her business page, it seems very gossipy. And why give information on who you consider suspects on your blog?

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/no...


Synopsis:

On her blog, The Farmer’s Daughter, Shelby McDonald is growing her audience as she posts recipes, gardening tips, and her experiences raising two kids and running Love Blossom Farm in the small western Michigan town of Lovett.

Working the farm is demanding but peaceful—until that peace is shattered when the minister’s wife is murdered on Shelby’s property during a fund-raiser for a local church. But the manure really hits the fan when Shelby’s good friend veterinarian Kelly Thacker emerges as the prime suspect. Shelby decides to dig in and find the murderer by herself. As more suspects crop up, she’ll have to move fast—before someone else buys the farm.

Review:

Shelby McDonald has a lot on her plate. She is a widowed mother of two children, a blogger, a farmer, and she also makes goods that are sold at the local farmer’s market and general store. Busy, busy, busy. She even allows her church to hold its fundraising potluck at the farm. Everything goes well until Shelby finds Prudence, the new reverend’s wife, dead on her mudroom floor. Shelby feels connected to the crime since it happened in her house, but also because her best friend Kelly is a suspect for a bit. Through her own curiosity, information from her detective brother-in-law Frank, and good old-fashioned small town gossip, Shelby finds that Prudence was not the model minister’s wife, and there are quite a few locals that have reason to want Prudence dead. The more she investigates, the more dangerous things become. Can she unearth the truth without leaving her children orphans?

I liked No Farm, No Foul. It is a promising start to the new Farmer’s Daughter mystery series. The bucolic setting is perfect for the down to earth protagonist Shelby. I admire Shelby’s work ethic and ingenuity. I must confess, though, that I became increasingly annoyed with her almost thirteen year old daughter Amelia and how Shelby failed to deal with her attitude and rebelliousness. I know raising balls of hormones is taxing, but I want to read more about the actual mystery at hand than how difficult it is to deal with an almost teenager. I found every scene with Amelia distracting to my enjoyment of the story. That said, there is also lots of emphasis on the daily minutiae that goes into running a farm. Personally, I feel this added to the story (but some readers may find it boring or tedious).

The supporting characters lean toward caricatures, but they are well enough developed to be interesting and add to the story. I particularly like Matt, Kelly, and Bert. I find it interesting that we do not see more of Rev. Mather, considering it is his wife that is the victim. I am afraid that a love square, yes – not just the standard triangle, is brewing. Honestly, can any character be so great that she has three potential suitors?

The mystery itself is somewhat predictable, and I am afraid that I figured out whodunit rather early in the story. However, I did not fully realize their motives until almost when Shelby made the discovery. I do not understand why Shelby chose not to tell Frank information pertinent to the case when she had the opportunity. Also, I do not follow how the police knew when and where to arrive at the big climax. Perhaps I am being too picky, but I had high expectations for Cochran. On a lighter note, I will definitely never look at my crockpot the same way again.

Overall, I really did enjoy my time in Lovett, Minnesota, and the cameo of a character from Cranberry Cove (where Cochran’s Cranberry Cove series is set). I also like the prominent role the animals play in the story’s resolution. I also like the blog posts that are featured at the beginning of each chapter. I will definitely read the next book in the series when it comes out. I recommend No Farm, No Foul to any reader who enjoys cozy mysteries. No Farm, No Foul has a bit of everything – food, animals, small town, country life, and a likable protagonist.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*

[Mary Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Farm, No Foul
Farmer’s Daughter Mystery, Book #1
Peg Cochran
5 stars


Synopsis:

First in the Farmer’s Daughter mystery series set on a picturesque farm in Michigan, where Shelby McDonald runs a popular lifestyle and cooking blog, from the national bestselling author of the Cranberry Cove Mysteries.

On her blog, The Farmer’s Daughter, Shelby McDonald is growing her audience as she posts recipes, gardening tips, and her experiences raising two kids and running Love Blossom Farm in the small western Michigan town of Lovett.

Working the farm is demanding but peaceful—until that peace is shattered when the minister’s wife is murdered on Shelby’s property during a fund-raiser for a local church. But the manure really hits the fan when Shelby’s good friend veterinarian Kelly Thacker emerges as the prime suspect. Shelby decides to dig in and find the murderer by herself. As more suspects crop up, she’ll have to move fast—before someone else buys the farm. . . . (Goodreads)


Review:

Shelby is one tough woman who has a lot on her plate. She is a single mom (after the death of her husband) raising two children and running the Love Blossom Farm by herself. She is also the creator of a lifestyle and cooking blog. When a dead body is found in her mudroom/gardening room, she decides she has to help with the investigation because she takes it personally that the victim was found on her farm. She knows her brother-in-law will not be happy with her interfering, since he is the detective on the case, but that does not stop her from snooping.


The characters are well rounded, well developed and three dimensional. I feel like I have really gotten to know Shelby, her children, her friend Kelly, and her brother-in-law, Frank, very well. I really enjoyed reading about the interaction between all of them. I like the fact that Shelby is an older woman with two children, I felt like she was easy to relate to. She has problems with her children like every other mother has had and I thought this made the book seem more realistic.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching the action and festivities going on all around me. That is another thing I really enjoyed about the book. The mystery was carried on well throughout the entire book. There were enough suspects to consider and twists and turns to keep even the most experienced arm chair detective guessing.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. I enjoyed the blog entries that were interspersed throughout the book and thought this was a clever way to allow the reader to know what Shelby was thinking. At the end of the book there are recipes to try and some of them sound really delicious.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. This is a great start to a new series, and I am looking forward to reading more books as they are published.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in Exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Farm, No Foul is the first book in the A Farmer’s Daughter Mystery series.

And an interesting and enjoyable series it looks to be.

Shelby McDonald, a widow, is busy raising her two children, writing a blog of her daily activities, making homemade cheeses and tending to her vegetable garden.

Volunteers from the St. Andrews Church are at Shelby’s farm, putting on a fundraiser for much-needed repairs to the church’s roof. As the successful fundraiser is winding down, Prudence Mather, the minister’s wife asks Shelby if she can rinse out her slow-cooker and Shelby directs her to the mudroom. When Shelby is done in the house she starts to pass through the mudroom when comes across the lifeless body of Prudence.

Shelby’s best friend, the local vet, Kelly Thacker feels that she might become a suspect. But as Shelby begins to look into the mysterious death, she soon finds other people who might have wanted Prudence dead.

Once again, Cochran has provided the reader with a wonderful and believable cast of characters. Amelia and Billy, her 12 and 8-year old children provided considerable entertainment for this reader. They are at that age where will giving their mother gray hairs. Shelby wouldn’t have the time to investigate if it weren’t for her lovable neighbor Bertha, who helps watch the kids and helps out around the house. And for a possible romantic interest in the future, there are a Jake, her neighbor and dairy farmer and Matt Hudson, owner of the local general store

Every chapter includes experts from Shelby’s daily blog posts. These are a lot of fun to read and often provide interesting about gardening and food preparation.

Recipes are also included in the book.

Will definitely be watching for the next book in this enjoyable series.

[Teri-K · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is definitely a case of the cover being a lot better than what's between the pages. Too bad. The mystery story itself wasn't terrible, but it stretched my credulity too far. I just can't believe that, in the smallish rural area it encompassed, a man could have two wives in two different towns and no one would notice. The thing is, in rural areas there aren't lots of people or lots of choices for services and such, so someone will see you at a restaurant or store in a town 40 minutes away. And they'll blab.

The other big problem was the MCs blog. She has a public blog that advertises her farm and produce, and her blog posts include accusations of who she thinks is the murderer - including her pastor! Who's going to put that stuff online? There were small little paragraphs within the story that were clearly created only in her head, but it was never shown that she didn't post the ones at the beginning of each chapter and after a while it became too much to shrug off.

Then there are the smaller annoyances, like the fact that a woman who supports herself and two kids with a farm hardly ever did any work. And having feelings for your married brother-in-law just because he looks like your dead husband? ick I'm a widow, so I get missing him. But that made my skin crawl.

All in all I'm sorry to say you can't judge this book by it's cover.

[Sue Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another new series

Peg Cochran is one of the authors I always read and this series will be on my list. Peg creates characters that are pleasant and friendly. Her location is always somewhere I'd like to visit. Can't wait for the next book in the series.

[Shelby Bagby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best cozy of the year!!! Ill be reading all this author's books

This book captured me from the beginning. I loved the characters and the organic farm!!! All the townsfolk just added to the charm as the mystery was finally solved.

[Moondance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shelby McDonald stood in the midst of row upon tidy row of lettuces, a woven willow garden basket over her arm.

Shelby took over Love Blossom Farm a decade ago after her parents retired. She shares her farm life on a blog that brings in a little money for her. Shelby becomes an amateur sleuth after a local pastor's wife in murdered in her mudroom during a fund raiser for the church.

Shelby is a likeable character who shares recipes and gardening tips. She struggles to raise her two children after she was widowed. Her daughter is experiencing teenage angst that contributes to her stress. Shelby is also in the midst of what may be not just a triangle but a quadrilateral. Dairy farmer, Jake, is interested as is store owner, Matt. Then we round out the crew with her deceased husband's brother, Frank, who is also the lead detective on the murder.

Shelby is an incredibly nosey investigator and I was surprised that it took till the end of the book for someone to come after her. She didn't annoy me as much as I would have thought but there were times that I wanted to smack her.

I enjoyed the recipes and the tips about gardening and canning. Bert was one of my favorite characters. She always seemed to be available when Shelby needed her.

I appreciated that Ms. Cochran tied in her Cranberry Cove series even though I have not started it. It's always nice to see a little crossover.

I pretty much figured out the murderer early on. It just took a few more clues to explain why. A quick enjoyable read for a lazy afternoon.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of this author. I thought this was a very entertaining first book in a new series. It has everything I look for in a cozy mystery from Peg Cochran- quaint, charming small town setting, with fun, interesting characters and a solid mystery. The main character, Shelby, runs her own blog in addition to running Love Blossom Farms. I enjoyed he blog entries the author wrote at the start of each chapter. As with all her other series, I am hooked and will be back for the next book in the series to see what is happening at Love Blossom Farms.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a good mystery. This was a little hard to solve. Shelby is an interesting woman. I like the fact that she is making it on her own.. She just needs to get a little tougher with her brat of a daughter. Now on to the next

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good start to a new series. The pacing felt a little slow at times, but it did give a good feel for who the characters are. The mystery was pretty good. I had an idea of what was going on, but the ending surprised me.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Widow Shelby McDonald has a busy life working on her farm in rural Lovett, Michigan, writing a cooking blog, and raising two children. She's not quite ready to date, but is happy with her life on Love Blossom Farm. Shelby agrees to host a fundraiser for the local church and is shocked when the minister's wife is murdered. Shelby is trying to get over this terrible event, but then her best friend, veterinarian Kelly Thacker becomes the prime suspect in the murder, Shelby adds "catch a killer" to her already full to-do list.

This book is the first in a new series and there are things I really liked about the book and think the series has promise. However, with a few minor changes, future books could be a lot more enjoyable. Shelby writes a blog with recipes and stories about her life on the farm, reminiscent of television's and cookbook author "The Pioneer Woman." Including the blog entries is a nice touch and the descriptions of Shelby's everyday farm chores, from feeding the chickens to tending her crops, are excellent and make Shelby come alive as a character. However, I was often confused over the things written as blog entries and wondered if they were really supposed to represent what Shelby posted online for the whole world to see. On day she mentioned how her friend Kelly was acting strange and later when she is investigating Prudence's death, she speculates on the various murder suspects on what seems to be her blog.

The investigation is another part of the book that is well-done. Kelly mentions that people confide in Shelby, so once she starts digging, she is able to get a lot of information about Prudence, who isn't the innocent pastor's wife she first appears. Unfortunately, Kelly does too good of a job and discovers a major clue, but doesn't share this information with the authorities, which puts her life in danger.

There are a few inconsistencies in the narrative, such as stating she had been riding horses since she was a young girl and then turning right around and saying she didn't know anything about them), but those I could overlook. One of my major complaints about the book is how Shelby's not quite thirteen-year-old daughter behaves and how Shelby reacts. Amelia repeatedly lies and sneaks off to meet a boy and nobody seems to think there is anything wrong with this. In fact, some accuse Shelby of over-reacting when she becomes concerned. When she finally addresses the situation by grounding her daughter, Amelia leaves the house anyway. The situation with Amelia became so irritating, it distracted me from the main plot of the mystery and what Prudence had done to make so many enemies. I was able to guess part of the solution of the murder, but there were still some surprises, which was good. Overall, this is a good cozy mystery that could be the start of a new fun series.

This review was originally written for Smitten by Books site and blog. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun, new, cozy series I happened upon while at my local library. I love getting to know a new group of characters. The main character is a widowed mother of two who runs a family farm and writes a blog. The son is cute and typically boy. The daughter, yowza!! A very high-drama 12 year old who would give even the most patient adult gray hair. Of course a lovely, church fundraiser at their home ends with a mysterious death. The pastors, busy-body wife meets an untimely death. There are no lack of possible suspects. There are a few love interests, including a seemingly shared tension of sorts with her law enforcement brother-in-law, who just happens to take on the case. There are two more installments sitting on my coffee table at home. I look forward to a few more easy reads.

[Silvara Wilde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my other reviews, discussions and link ups at Fantasy of the Silver Dragon.

I received this book for free from Berkley Prime Crime in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This looked interesting, but wasn't one of my top pics from the batch I had been sent for review. And then I started reading it! I read the entire thing from cover to cover in one day, and loved it!

The blog entries are interesting, and make for a unique touch. I liked reading about Shelby and her kids, and the characters were really well fleshed out. I had an inkling of who the killer was by around the half-way point, but it turned out I was only half-right. I liked the way the clues were scattered through the book, as well as the little bits of info about gardening and cooking. None of it was over-done, there was just enough to make things feel real.

The only slight irk I had was how all the men in Shelby's life seemed to want to date her. She had not one, not two, but three different possible love interests. Other than that, I can't think of a single thing that bothered me about the book. Except for the fact that I almost didn't read it! This has totally made my keepers shelf, and I can hardly wait to see what the next book has in store.


Recipes Included: Homemade Meat Loaf, Love Blossom Farm Beet Salad, Homemade Slow Cooker Yogurt, Yogurt Cheese Spread.

This review was originally posted on Fantasy of the Silver Dragon

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Living in the Midwest, I enjoy reading cozies that take place in the area, so finding a new series that takes place in Michigan, was definitely one I was going to be checking out. I saw a lot of potential with the series, but unfortunately the first book didn’t really wow me.

Shelby’s friend, Bertha, and Shelby’s daughter were very well developed characters, but not so much the rest of them. And for me, when the main character isn’t one of the best developed, I have a problem getting into the series, since they are mainly the ones that it is supposed to be about.

I did really enjoy Bertha, or Bert, though. She was constantly over at the farm house helping with preserving food, doing chores, and watching the kids. Without her, there is no way Shelby would have been able to run around trying to solve the mystery.

And while Shelby was elsewhere, her 12 year old daughter, was basically running around unsupervised. Once Shelby realized this, and basically did nothing about it, that situation really turned me off. I imagine Cochran added this to the story, to show camaraderie with readers who are having difficulties with their own children.

As for the mystery itself, it was pretty easy to solve, even though Cochran laid out numerous red herrings. While I really do appreciate a harder mystery to solve, I can look past it, as long as the characters engage me.

This is not one that I am going to say you need to rush out to read. If you’re feeling adventurous, and want to try a new series, or really enjoy Cochran’s Cranberry Cove Mystery series, then you may want to give this one a try.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series, The Farmer's Daughter. I loved every minute of it and hated to see it end. I fell in love with the characters and the small town of Lovett, MI. Peg Cochran just drew me right into the story with the characters. Filled with twists and turns that keep you reading wondering what will happen next. Loved the cover of the book too! Looking forward to the next book in the series!

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars Top Pick

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was a S L O W read for me. It didn't capture the imagination and it didn't stir any sort of emotions. There was nothing really wrong or negative, but I just didn't enjoy it. In my opinion the description on the back cover did not match the story well and the ending felt abrupt. That said, the plot was tied in a bow before the abrupt halt - perhaps the author felt that she had said all that there was to say. I also felt some descriptions were unnecessarily repeated. Maybe that works as a writing style for some, but it doesn't work for me.

I would rate this a middle of the road 3 of 5, but a three is enough to factor into future "recommended for you" books and this is not what I am looking for.

[Linda C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shelby McDonald runs a small organic lettuce and herb farm in Michigan. She has a 13 year old daughter and eight year old son and has been widowed for 4 years. At her Church's potluck fund raiser held on her farm the Pastor's wife is murdered. She has alienated several people so there are a few suspects. In order to help a friend Shelby goes asking questions. A typical cozy set up with a bit of family drama thrown in. Shelby is also a blogger and each chapter starts with a partial blog. If these were real blogs she would have been sued with all the accusations and rumors she writes. Also annoying were the bits of italicized asides throughout that started Dear Reader. Not sure that I will read any more of this series.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the constant asides to "Dear Reader" annoying. Sometimes they were actually blog entries other times apparently streams of consciousness, either way they broke up the flow of the story. My other complaint about this book is that this is billed as a recipe mystery, the heroine frequently makes cottage cheese pie but the recipe in the back is for a meatloaf that never appeared in the story. In the heroine's blog she mentions several recipes that she is including links for most of these are also conspicuously absent. It was an okay mystery.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got cranky at the foolishness of the narrator. First all, speculating on who murdered whom at the church picnic on her public blog seems a bit of social gaff. Then wondering if she should speak to her twelve year old daughter about her habit of lying about where she goes and sneaking off during a grounding to hang out with her boyfriend seems like feeble parenting at best. And her actions at the climax of the story strain credibility as well. I felt like whenever the author built up her character, it would be discarded for plot reasons on the next page.

[Sandra Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not gonna lie at first this book was hard to read for some reason I could just not get into it but finally today I was able to read the whole book and actually enjoy it I don't know if in the past I was just distracted but Shelby became a good character and I can relate to having kids some of it I feelcould be better I feel part of this book is cliché like her relationship with her kids. Overall I'm interested in her love life and what happens next