Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies is the debut of the A Very Cherry Mystery series set in the small town of Cherry Cove, Wisconsin and featuring advertising executive and baker, Whitney Bloom. Having recently been fired from her job in one of Chicago's big advertising firms thanks to a feminine hygiene ad that run during the Super Bowl, Whitney has turned to running an online bakery featuring yummy cherry treats, Bloom 'n Cherries.
Whitney receives a phone call from her mother saying that the manager of the family's cherry orchard, Jeb Carlson, had been been bludgeoned to death and the weapon has been identified as a croquet mallet belonging to Whitney's father. Desperate to help clear her father's name, Whitney heads to Cherry Cove to track down a killer.
It turns out that the lead Detective on the case is Whitney's high school nemesis, Jack MacLaren. Jack has no experience investigating a murder and although he's a little over his head, he resents Whitney's interference. Tatum "Tate" Vander Hagen, her ex boyfriend, has managed to infiltrate his way into her family's good graces and Whitney's not sure if he's trying to win her back or simply distract her from finding the real killer.
A fast paced plot with plenty of twists, turns and suspects, a bit darker than a traditional cozy. A likable cast of characters although Whitney is a little too self-absorbed and man crazy. Delicious sounding and mouthwatering cherry treats will have you running to the store. Signs of the dreaded love triangle surface and I hope that the author doesn't drag it on in future installments.
Whitney receives a phone call from her mother saying that the manager of the family's cherry orchard, Jeb Carlson, had been been bludgeoned to death and the weapon has been identified as a croquet mallet belonging to Whitney's father. Desperate to help clear her father's name, Whitney heads to Cherry Cove to track down a killer.
It turns out that the lead Detective on the case is Whitney's high school nemesis, Jack MacLaren. Jack has no experience investigating a murder and although he's a little over his head, he resents Whitney's interference. Tatum "Tate" Vander Hagen, her ex boyfriend, has managed to infiltrate his way into her family's good graces and Whitney's not sure if he's trying to win her back or simply distract her from finding the real killer.
A fast paced plot with plenty of twists, turns and suspects, a bit darker than a traditional cozy. A likable cast of characters although Whitney is a little too self-absorbed and man crazy. Delicious sounding and mouthwatering cherry treats will have you running to the store. Signs of the dreaded love triangle surface and I hope that the author doesn't drag it on in future installments.
Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies by Darci Hannah is the first story in A Very Cherry Mystery series. Whitney Bloom lives in Chicago, Illinois where after creating a disastrous Superbowl commercial, she finds herself blacklisted by ad agencies as well the laughingstock of the advertising world. To make ends meet, Whitney has started the online business Bloom ân' Cherries! selling her baked cherry creations. She has been corresponding with a man online who calls himself C-Bomb and seems to know Whitney from home town of Cherry Cove, Wisconsin. Whitney gets a frantic phone calls from her mother. The manager of their orchard, Jeb Carlson has been murdered and her father, Baxter is the prime suspect. Whitney rushes home where the annual Cherry Blossom Festival is in full swing and is dismayed when she finds that Jack MacLaren, her old high school nemesis, is in charge of the investigation. Not trusting Jack, Whitney declares that she will find out who killed Jeb. Whitney will have to deal with her past while sifting through the clues to identify Jeb's killer. Someone, though, is intent on destroying her families' inn and reputation. Can Whitney track down the culprit before it is too late?
Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies has a cute cover and I like the setting of Door County, Wisconsin. The town sounds charming and the acres of cherry trees in bloom sounded beautiful (I would be sneezing up a storm with my allergies). It was interesting to learn more about cherries and the running of an orchard. To get through Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies, though, you need to suspend your disbelief (from beginning when we find out the content of the commercial to the end when Whitney shoots off a gun with no clue who she is shooting at). The world in the book is not one in which normal people live. My mother can enjoy these types of books, but I find myself annoyed, rolling my eyes and becoming exasperated (my mother states I lack a sense of humor). I thought there was an absence of character development and the story rambles. When Whitney is with her friends, she tends to act like a nincompoop. She is told to keep certain key details about the murder to herself, and, within a short time, Whitney is telling her friends. Whitney could be categorized as TSTL. In the story, there is the cliché high school nemesis and, of course, the men who appeal to Whitney are âhunkyâ. I found many items repeated throughout the book and speculation abounds. The mystery is the best part of the book, but identifying the guilty party is a no brainer. Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies needs rewriting and editing as well as proofreading. As you can tell, I did not enjoy reading Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies (I had a rough time finishing this time and there was skimming involved). I highly suggest that you pick up a sample for your e-reader and judge Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies for yourself.
Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies has a cute cover and I like the setting of Door County, Wisconsin. The town sounds charming and the acres of cherry trees in bloom sounded beautiful (I would be sneezing up a storm with my allergies). It was interesting to learn more about cherries and the running of an orchard. To get through Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies, though, you need to suspend your disbelief (from beginning when we find out the content of the commercial to the end when Whitney shoots off a gun with no clue who she is shooting at). The world in the book is not one in which normal people live. My mother can enjoy these types of books, but I find myself annoyed, rolling my eyes and becoming exasperated (my mother states I lack a sense of humor). I thought there was an absence of character development and the story rambles. When Whitney is with her friends, she tends to act like a nincompoop. She is told to keep certain key details about the murder to herself, and, within a short time, Whitney is telling her friends. Whitney could be categorized as TSTL. In the story, there is the cliché high school nemesis and, of course, the men who appeal to Whitney are âhunkyâ. I found many items repeated throughout the book and speculation abounds. The mystery is the best part of the book, but identifying the guilty party is a no brainer. Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies needs rewriting and editing as well as proofreading. As you can tell, I did not enjoy reading Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies (I had a rough time finishing this time and there was skimming involved). I highly suggest that you pick up a sample for your e-reader and judge Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies for yourself.
