Books 4-6 in the Apple Orchard Cozy Mystery Series from USA Today Bestselling Author Chelsea Thomas.
Murder is a problem in the small town of Pine Grove, NY.
Miss May is the solution. She's got a purse full of pies. A brain full of questions. And an insane attention to detail she learned during her days as a New York City prosecutor.
If you've read books 1-3 in this series, you know these stories are suspenseful, edge-of-your seat mysteries. You also know they can be SILLY and FUN and that they're clean as a whistle still in the box from the store.
Readers LOVE Teeny's crazy antics. Remember that time she thought everyone in town had been replaced by look-a-like Russian spies?
And EVERYONE loves the food in these books... Crispy hashbrown lasagna. Baked oatmeal that'll make your mouth water. And the most luscious, gooiest apple pie in America. (Of course!)
So what are you waiting for?
Grab this box set today and kick of days of fun, exciting sleuthing.
(Bet you can't solve these mysteries before Miss May.)
If you love cute cozy mysteries with smart, determined sleuths, you'll NEED this box set.
...Chelsea Thomas is technically two people, married writing team Chelsea and Matthew Thomas.
Matt and Chelsea write cozy mysteries set on an apple orchard in upstate New York. They also write television and film. As screenwriters, they have worked with several studios, including Nickelodeon, SONY and CBS.
Chelsea and Matt are graduates of Duke University and they are members of the Writers Guild of America. And they are USA Today Bestselling authors.
Chelsea enjoys spending time with animals and practicing yoga. Matt loves playing music. They both enjoy spending time near the water.
Want a free novella PLUS a free cozy mystery cookbook?
Developer Hank Rosenberg is determined to build a Massive Mart in tiny Pine Grove, no matter how opposed or organized the citizenry. But just hours before construction is scheduled to begin, Chelsea and Miss May find the demon developer dead in the site’s construction trailer, face down in one of the Every Berry pies Miss May handed out a few hours earlier at a tense public meeting.
While sorting through Rosenberg’s briefcase, the trio finds several interesting documents, such as a ledger with an entry for every politician the developer ever bribed, including $300,000 to Pine Grove mayor Linda Delgado, and divorce papers served by his wife, Susan, but never signed by Hank.
The ladies also discover that Hank had a sibling who was literally cut out of the family’s life, and now Hank was invading their privacy in a show of pure nastiness.
And while Detective Wayne has been in New York City for months testifying in a trial, he doesn’t call Chelsea during most of his absence, which renders her receptive to the nerdy charms of Germany Turtle, the only child of the recently-murdered Reginald and Linda Turtle. Unlike his parents, he’s a nebbishly charming young man, and Chelsea finds him refreshingly open and honest, unlike a certain police officer with whom she shared a slow dance a few months earlier.
Unlike the vast and endless aisles of a Massive Mart, Chelsea, Miss May, and Teeny discover that Hank’s murderer is close to home and hearth, hidden in plain sight where no one, not even the killer, expected to be disturbed.
Granny Smith is Dead
When hated Pine Grove busybody Dolores “Granny” Smith is found dead in a tunnel under an historic house, finding a suspect proves hard, because their numbers are countless. Just about everyone in town is considered, including her ex-husband, son, former friends, several business owners, and quite a few local families.
Several town residents who were on Granny Smith’s bad side provide alibis to Chelsea and Miss May as exoneration, but these pose as many questions as answers. One particular suspect stands out, although when the obnoxious oaf is found stabbed in the same tunnel, the duo is baffled.
After turning to Teeny’s new crush, mechanic Big Dan, for help, they think they’ve solved the murders, but soon realize the evidence was a crystal-clear set up. Acknowledging that this particular crime involves two killers, Chelsea and Miss May finally connect the clues hidden in plain sight and apprehend both murderers.
Detective Wayne still doesn’t take Chelsea’s dismissal serious, so she’s delighted when Germany Turtle turns up at the right time and proves that devoted swains don’t have to be tall, dark, and handsome. Let’s hear it for the nerds!
Candy Slain
Hours after her sister, Dee Dee, is spotted arguing with the town’s new Santa, Miss May finds Orville Starr, said Santa, stabbed to death in the park gazebo … with a candy cane speared through his neck. Dee Dee has been sucking candy canes like there going out of business, so she’s an instant suspect and is immediately arrested, so if course Miss May and Chelsea have to step in.
Then Lincoln, a tiny man with a loooong beard, shows up in town, angrily grieving Orville’s death. He claims they worked together as Santa and his elf.
But that’s not what Linda, Orville’s wife, says. She and Orville were Mr & Mrs Claus, and they never worked with an elf.
As confusion swirls, another murder occurs, adding credence to Dee Dee’s plea that she’s not a killer. But who is?
Plus Detective Wayne keeps pursuing Chelsea as a “friend,” even though she and Germany are inching toward … something.
With this box set, I’ve rounded out my collection of Apple Orchard cozy mysteries. I’ve read each one so far… and all have been fun reads.
Here are my reviews of two of the books in the collection.
Berried Alive: Going Toes Up in the Berry Pie This installment of the Apple Orchard Cozy series starts off with a mini mystery! Who is behind the Post-it caper at the Brown Cow? But things soon take an ominous turn. Local business owners are up in arms about the developer who has come to Pine Grove with plans to open up a Massive Mart. When he is found face-down, murdered, in a berry pie, Chelsea and Miss May are ready to step in to help local law enforcement figure out what's going on.
Who is behind the developer’s death? Will Chelsea pursue the relationship with her favorite detective? What about Germany Turtle, son of the victims of the previous crime that Chelsea and Miss May helped with?
This was a light, fun read. The author has set up a quirky female amateur sleuth team in Chelsea and Miss May. As often happens in cozy mysteries, there is a lot of humor here, and it is well done. In this book, I particularly enjoyed the little moments with Germany Turtle. I am a massive Jane Austen fan, and Germany Turtle reminded me in his interesting mix of pomposity and servility of Mr. Collins. I like him better than Mr. Collins, though; Germany just comes across as very sweet and perhaps not comfortable around people. His speeches were rather humorous.
Granny Smith is Dead: Sour Granny is Murdered The book starts when Chelsea gets reacquainted in the orchard bakeshop with Granny Smith, the town's most annoying curmudgeon. Soon, though, Granny Smith is dead—as the title suggests—and Chelsea and her aunt, Miss May, are the ones to discover her! They want to figure out why.
This book has all the elements that I like in a cozy mystery—interesting family relationships, quirky characters in a small town, red herrings, and a murder that is only the tip of the iceberg compared to the twists and turns that will happen in the full plot. I really enjoyed the relationship between Chelsea and Miss May. They make a good team. I also appreciated that we see this town and its residents from someone who has returned to it; she can see the town and its people with fresh eyes. The author describes the setting well—I particularly enjoyed the chapters on the discovery of the body—making you feel like you can see what the characters are seeing.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, this is a solid one with good writing, good characters, and enough intrigue and plot twists to keep you turning the pages.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
The following reviews are copied and pasted from the reviews I left on the single book pages…
Berried Alive: Book 4_Mystery plus romance is on the menu. For a small town, they are a hotbed for murder. With so many of the townspeople looking particularly guilty in this story, it is not an easy case to solve. What is crazy is that the police don’t even think a murder was committed! Thank goodness Chelsea and her aunt, Miss May, are determined to expose the killer. Of course, I cannot ignore the third member of their sleuthing team, Teeny. She is one person who goes to extraordinary lengths for others to take notice. Has Wayne, the local police detective ignored Chelsea for too long? Another suitor is on the scene and trying exceptionally hard to win Chelsea’s attention. I love a bit of romance along with a good mystery. This story was extremely entertaining and fun to read. If you love reading a well-told story weaving mystery and romance, then this book is one you must add to your to-be-read list.
Granny Smith is Dead: Book 5 The characters in this book, and series, and so much fun. Most of the characters are a little over the top, but that makes the story so much more entertaining. The fact is this is just a case of good old fiction. An escape from the seriousness of reality. There are a couple of mysteries, a triangle of romance, a few red herrings, and a lot of drama in this well-written, fun, and easy read. The Chelsea Thomas writing duo are very imaginative storytellers. I think using their pen name for the main character is cute. Naming the victim (who happened to be of a somewhat sour disposition and murdered at an apple orchard) “Granny Smith” is hilarious. In case you have never had the pleasure of eating a Granny Smith apple; it is very tart, to the point of being sour. This book is perfect for those who enjoy an entertaining means of escape into the world of fiction.
Candy Slain: Book 6 Another great story from the Chelsea Thomas writing duo. Sometimes I have trouble picturing how a scene would play out and then I laugh at myself and remember, this Is fiction. Extremely entertaining fiction from some gifted, highly imaginative storytellers. The trio of zany (sometimes ditzy) amateur detectives, Miss May, Chelsea, and Teeny, are on another case. I am glad that the little town they live in is fictional. With its high rate of murder per capita, I would be afraid to walk down the street. The story is filled with red herrings, romance, and of course mystery and intrigue. This was an enjoyable, well-written, fun, and easy read.
Berried Alive, Book 4 When a local developer works to change the face of the quaint small town of Pine Grove with a new, massive store the citizens stand up in protest. The only supporter seems to be the mayor. At the same time, a rise in burglaries alarms the town, but the new police chief brushes off everyone’s concerns. She appears to have her own agenda. After a town meeting, Chelsea and her aunt, Miss May attempt to return a briefcase to the developer. Instead, they find a dead body. When the Police Chief claims the man died of natural causes, Chelsea, Miss May and the entire town believe a murderer is in their midst. Since the police are not investigating, the local sleuths begin a new case.
Granny Smith is Dead, Book 5 Chelsea and her aunt, Miss May are entering apple season and there is a lot of work to be done. It isn’t long before conflict erupts in the orchard store and the duo, plus their friend Teeny, are involved in another sleuthing mission.
Granny Smith is Dead, Book 6 It’s Christmas time in Pine Grove, New York. The town is ready for the annual tree lighting and a new Santa Claus has been hired to be a part of the ceremony. Thank to Miss May’s sister, there is no tree to light. Dee has convinced the mayor that cutting down a tree is a bad idea. The dominoes begin to fall and stop with a dead Santa with a Candy Cane shaped stab wound.
I love this series! The books are well written and entertaining. The setting is typical of cozies, a lovely small town where everyone knows each other. The plots move at a steady pace that keeps the reader engaged. They are always hard to put down. The characters are well-developed. Each of these books could stand alone.
This is an entertaining cozy series centered on a group of women including the narrator, Chelsea, her aunt, Miss May, and May's close friend, Teeny, who live in the small town of Pine Grove, New York. It has taken awhile, but the Chelsea character seems to be coming into her own. In the first few books of the series she was mostly ditzy and contributed very little to the mystery solving. She did have an occasional karate move to help get the ladies out of trouble, but beyond that...not much.
Now, she is starting to contribute more. And that is a big improvement for the books overall.
Pine Grove can be a dangerous place to live, but the crime-solving ladies are doing their best to bring assorted killers to justice. Since they seem to mess with evidence (going so far as to remove pieces of evidence before law enforcement sees it), I'm not sure any of the killers will be convicted, but that doesn't seem to be the primary concern in this series of mysteries.
This box set has added the Germany Turtle character and he is just a hoot. Overall the cast of characters is fun and enjoyable. And so is this box set.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love the Apple Orchard Cozy Mystery series, and having books 4-6 in one download is so handy.
Berried Alive (Book 4) finds the town fighting with a developer who wants to bring in a big box store. No one wants the new development except for the mayor. Chelsea and Aunt May go to return a brief case to the developer following a town meeting, but find him face down in a piece of berry pie. Soon, they jump in and help solve the murder.
Granny Smith Is Dead (Book 5) takes place during apple season on the orchard. Chelsea and Miss May find Granny Smith dead in the bakeshop. Once again they begin sleuthing to find the killer.
Candy Slain (Book 6) finds Pine Grove in the midst of Christmas preparation. Chelsea and Miss May once again must solve a murder, this time to clear Miss May's sister DeeDee. This story has lots of twists and great characters. A great addition to the series with a holiday theme.
Each of these books can stand alone, however, the characters keep getting more and more developed over each story. They are all fast reads with twists and turns that will keep you turning the page and guessing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Miss May, her niece Chelsea and their friend Teeny are the town super sleuths after having solved a few murders in the previous episodes 1-3 and now have become a thorn in the side of the local police chief Flanagan. With the deputy Wayne wanting to date Chelsea and Germany Turtle a very eccentric and sweetly strange guy also wanting to date Chelsea we have a very humorous love triangle with Chelsea not sure she wants any of it. All three books in this set have the wonderful twists, turns and red herring the author loves to dish up! In book 5 we have a little more of Big Dan who gets involved driving around the three women. It is apparent Teeny has a big crush on Big Dan and it is so funny the way she flirts with him! Also in Granny Smith is Dead with Big Dan as a wheel man, when they have to confront a potential murderer he and Teeny opt to stay in the truck! Big Dan although looking formidable, he is a softy bear who does not like confrontation, it makes him nervous! All three of these books in the set will keep you turning pages until you are finished! I received and ARC from booksprout but the opinions expressed here are Strictly my own!
This family-friendly, three-book box set will fill a long weekend or provide evening entertainment for most of a month. Berried Alive: A nice, family-friendly cozy that can be read in one very long day, set around Pine Grove, New York and featuring berries. Granny Smith Is Dead: "I used tools, mostly." and "But it is always worthwhile to love." are neck and neck for my favorite quote from Granny Smith Is Dead, which is family-friendly although taking a VERY long day to read (or maybe I just had too many interruptions). Candy Slain: This family-friendly episode from Pine Grove, New York takes place in December and takes about a day to read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I so love the writing style of this series. It has an ease to it which immediately pulled me in. And thoughout the books there were lots of humorous moments, and that’s one of the many, many reasons why I love cozies so much. Chelsea is a lovely person, and flawed, which is a good thing! I dislike main characters who are flawless, but Chelsea is real. Self-deprecating. Relatable. I love her and also Miss May, her aunt. I even loved the little chapter titles; sometimes funny and always on point. The mysteries were clever too. Enough attention for the case, while still keeping that cozy feel. I’d give ten stars if I could! I enjoyed it immensely! Exactly the right mix of cozy, lightheartedness, fun, mystery, puzzle-solving that I LOVE!
This is a collection of books 4-6 of this cozy mystery series. The stories are exactly what you would expect from cozy mysteries, including small towns populated with a odd mix of people and a slightly nutty amateur female sleuth. The stories are well written and easy to read, even if the mysteries themselves take a bit of effort to unravel. The characters are fun, although some of them will occasionally get on your nerves with their quirky behavior. All part of the service! Overall, a fun collection of stories that provides plenty of entertainment
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
I throughly enjoyed this second box set. Highly entertaining with captivating characters who evolve with each book. Chelsea is gaining confidence in herself...and I like the relationship angle. One thing you discover is that although Chelsea may babble when shes forced into a position to try to think on her feet, she is smart and follows clues.
The authors are good at building suspense and dropping clues. Looking forward to indulging in the third boxed set tomorrow. Will he relationship grow? Are they going to really look into the death of her parents in a car accident? Will GT become part of the sleuthing team? I can't wait to find out!
This wonderful box set full of yummy goodness and mystery contains 3 of the books in this series, Books 4-6. Titles included are: Berried Alive, Granny Smith is Dead, and Candy Slain.
These little cozy mysteries are so much fun! You’ll love meeting the characters – because you’ll be seeing much more of them in books to come. There is just enough added into the box set to peak your interest, get you laughing, and prepare you for the next book! And if you haven’t read Box Set 1, grab that too while you enjoy these great mysteries.
These books continue the story of Miss May, Chelsea, and Teeny as they end up solving murders no matter where they go! These stories are light-hearted, and fun to read. There are also recipes at the end of each story that is wonderfully tasty!!! So grab yourself a copy of this box set and sit back and enjoy the antics and crazy things that happen in Pine Grove a small town. I still have not figured out how Miss May keeps pulling out apple pies from her bag! I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this box set from Booksprout.
Another great box set of some great cozy mysteries from Chelsea Thomas. Entertaining story lines, great characters you can't help but love by the end and great cozy mysteries you'll love reading while curled up in your favorite reading spot. Choose to read one or read them all but my choice for you is to read them all. You won't be disappointed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It's a cute cozy mystery series! I like the characters. There are a lot of funky personalities in the series - usually, there's one maybe, two. I like the fact that the lead character isn't the main talented sleuth. And, there is some mystery to who actually done it! A lot of times, in cozy mysteries, it's fairly obvious. It would be better if each book had the one or 2 recipes that are prominent in each book. That's always a plus!
I enjoyed this box set very much. The books are well written and fun to read. I would recommend this box set to anyone who enjoys mysteries. I look forward to reading more of their books. I received a free copy of this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Chelsea and Mae and Tiny! The humor, the unbelievable situations they find themselves in. Who said life in a small town is boring!? Add romantic choices to be made - just to add a little more confusion. Love this series, love the quirky characters, . Nice to bundle them up for a continuous fun read
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a fun cozy mystery series! Murders at the orchard keep the ladies busy investigating. The writing is fresh and skillful. The plot is tight and multi-layered, and the characters are well drawn and believable. These delightful mysteries are enjoyable reads and I’m looking forward to future installments. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.
Included in this set is books 4-6 of the Apple Orchard Cozy Mystery Series. This is a great series. Books 4-6 are well written with a storyline that grabs your interest. The characters are enjoyable and well developed. I recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Miss May and Chelsea are great characters. They run an apple orchard and solve crimes in their not so spare time. You will fall in love with their quirky and loveable personalities, but let’s not forget about Teeny. Teeny is a huge part of the fun you will have while reading this series. If you like snarky older women who do not give up, this is the book for you.
The Apple Orchard Mysteries are light and amusing reading, and totally unpredictable. Excellent character and relationship development of Chelsea and Miss May; intriguing mystery and plot that kept me engaged and guessing to the end. Highly recommended for a quick, distracting and thoroughly enjoyable read! I look forward to reading more Apple Orchard Mysteries.
This a great series. The character growth and development and mysteries get better with each book. They are best read together but are easy enough to follow separately. I can't wait to see what trouble... I mean excitement come next!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was such a fun mystery series. Yes there is murder involved. But, there is much more. The characters are just great. Chelsea, Miss May, even Teenie the self proclaimed investigators are quite fun. I loved this series and am ready for the book! Thank you
I enjoyed this box full of fun mysteries. This small town has the most entertaining characters. These mysteries kept me guessing and laughing the whole way through. I received an arc of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A great set of reads dealing with the people from Pineville and Miss May and the apple orchard. They are short reads that are real attention getters. There is humor in these reads also. A recommended read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Chelsea, Miss.May, and Teeny are such fun characters. The Apple Orchard Mystery books are so fun to read. The books grab your attention from the beginning until the very end when they solve the mystery.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have enjoyed all 6 of the series so far. Miss May, Chelsea and Teeny are great characters and tells the story. I like the small town feeling and the farm. Good books.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.