Sour Apples

Apple orchard owner Meg Corey is finally feeling settled into her new life in Granford--she's made friends, and her relationship with Seth Chapin is heating up--when her old Boston coworker Lauren Converse comes barreling into town, running the Congressional campaign for a former hometown football hero. But Meg doesn't have time to worry about why Seth seems reluctant to back Lauren's campaign when her neighbor, local dairy farmer Joyce Truesdell, is found dead from an apparent kick to the head from one of her cows.

When an autopsy shows that the fatal blow actually came from a weapon, Meg is even more troubled. Popular opinion points to Joyce's husband as the culprit, but Meg can't help wondering if someone wanted the outspoken dairy farmer out of the way--but why? She'll have to find out who had a beef with the victim, before she's the next one to get creamed...

My Review: This is one of my favorite long-running cozy series, with a cast of characters that have grown to become old friends that I get to spend time with every now and then. In this sixth book of the series, Meg's busy spring contemplating a new expansion/business partnership with Seth is interrupted by a former co-worker now working on a political campaign and the murder of a nearby dairy farmer. This book had special meaning to me because my father grew up on a dairy farm, which was in operation until a tragic fire in 2001, so I really appreciated all of the insight on the extremely hard work it entails. This is a very timely book centering around politics and environmental issues. A very enjoyable read best accompanied by a slice of apple pie.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher with the request for a review.