"A Pumpkin Spice Killing" Farm-to-Fork Mystery Novella By Lynn Cahoon: Review/Giveaway

Review by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of this novella and a link to purchase it.

Farm to Fork to...Murder?

Angie Turner, with her partner/BFF Felicia Williams, has made quite a name for herself successfully leaving behind the disappointment from the closure of her San Francisco restaurant. Now she is enjoying the popularity of The County Seat, a farm-to-fork restaurant in River Vista, Idaho, which allowed her to reinvigorate her late Nona’s farm along with showcasing fresh ingredients from other local farms, but it is creating a friend-to-family atmosphere that seems to be her greatest accomplishment. From the kitchen crew to the wait staff, they have all become very important, and to reward their loyalty, often in the face of mayhem and murder, a quarterly team-building experience is organized. This time Hope Anderson, the restaurant’s new line cook, is in charge of making all arrangements. Let’s hope this turns out less murderous than the last one.


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Image Source Lyrical Press
A Pumpkin Spice Killing
Earns 5/5 Cuddly St. Bernards…Intriguing Mystery!

The last team trip was planned by Matt Young, but the trip to the Old Idaho State Penitentiary, rumored to be haunted, ended in murder, so now that it is Hope’s turn to organize, she planned a bit of a prank. Matt is led to believe the trip is a knitting weekend with balls of yarn and a pair of needles to set the stage. The truth is the group is volunteering to help clean up a Veteran’s Home and have it up to code for new residents. Although a bigger project than they thought with most-needed repairs, painting, and gardening, some surprises pop up and the owner Mrs. Carol Stewart’s attitude begins to cast worrisome suspicions. She explains two Vietnam vets are already in residence, but it’s her description that their health in serious decline, the menu appearing wholly inadequate, and the residents seeming ill at ease that puts Angie’s “Spidey sense” on alert. Randy Owens, one of the two residents, seems fine and has taken a shine to Angie and her friendly St. Bernard Dom, but Felicia says Kendrick Trickle was nervous and leery to talk to her. Before Randy laid down for his afternoon nap, he asks Angie to come back; he has a thirty-year-old “regret” he hopes to rectify and is more confident asking for Angie’s help than Mrs. Stewart. But, Angie’s efforts to find the information Randy needs are met with some roadblocks, Mrs. Stewart has turned antagonistic suggesting the group should leave, and they just discovered a suspicious death occurred a month ago. Angie’s nose for news is on overdrive…What’s going on?

Brilliant! Lynn Cahoon has added another exciting novella to her Farm-to-Fork Mystery series incorporating a fascinating good deed turns mysterious element. Cahoon’s novellas are shorter than the regular books, easily read in one sitting, but not short on drama and always with a clever mystery to solve. She doesn’t add a lot of extraneous events, but includes basic background to keep newbies engaged and, to inform all readers, additional insights into the core characters are often related to things that pop up in the mystery. However exciting the final solution was with its bit of peril thrown in [sic ‘em, Dom], I was so engaged that it crept up too quickly. Cahoon’s writing is descriptive adding food talk to the mix and building on the relationships and connections, and animal lovers with enjoy Dom, the St. Bernard. I, personally, enjoy all the references to towns in Idaho (Nampa, Meridian, and Boise), all of which I have a connection to relatives and have spent time. Great series!

Bonus! Baking can often be a team effort. For me, as a child, it was baking banana bread with my grandmother. I like smushing the bananas and licking the mixer blades. Lynn shared that her team baking treat was donuts. Her Baked Apple Cider Muffins is reminiscent, but “no deep fryer required.”

 Farm-to-Fork Mystery

Who Moved My Goat Cheese? (2018)

Killer Green Tomatoes (2018)

One Potato, Two Potato, Dead (2019)

Have a Deadly New Year novella (2019) KRL Review HERE

Deep Fried Revenge (2020) KRL Review HERE

Penned In novella (2020) KRL Review HERE

Killer Comfort Food (2020) KRL Review HERE

A Pumpkin Spice Killing novella (2021)

Be a Big Lynn Cahoon Fan!

First, a big shout out to this fellow spud, Lynn Cahoon! Along with this five-book and three-novella Farm-to-Fork Mystery series, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Lynn Cahoon pens the Tourist Trap Mystery series with twelve-books and six-novellas highlighting a particularly fun holiday or season. Along with these two popular series, she also writes the seven-book Cat Latimer series set in small town Aspen Hills, Colorado, and the new magically entertaining two-book/two novella Kitchen Witch series. Both have an entertaining writing style and delightful set of characters.

Facebook—Lynn Cahoon Author

Website—Lynn Cahoon Be sure to sign up for her newsletter.

To enter to win a copy of A Pumpkin Spice Killing, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "spice,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 31, 2021. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you if you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode goes up next week.

You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Comments

  1. This looks so good. Would love to win a copy.
    3labsmom(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds interesting! Count me in!

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  3. I enjoy this series. Thank you for the contest. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great cover! Really makes me want to read the book.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sure hope I win a copy. jacksonopoku(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm a fan of Lynn Cahoon and always anticipate the next book to come. Thank you for including her
    on your blog. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Really neat cover! Sounds so interesting and fun to read. Thank you for the chance Donakutska7@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

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