Dollycas's Thoughts
In the follow up to The Final Reveille, we visit the Barton Farm in the winter just in time for maple sugar season. Kelsey Cambridge may have a long term deal running the farm but she still needs to make it as profitable and self sustaining as she can. She plan the 1st Maple Sugar Festival at the farm featuring a maple sugar expert to teach the adults and a maple syrup demonstration for both the adults and kids too, complete with pancakes. A few Civil War reenactors will be traveling the grounds talking about maple sugar collection in history. Dr. Conrad Beeson, the hired expert, never gets a chance to share is knowledge. He is found dead on the grounds and while Kelsey is hoping it was from natural causes we quickly learn the man was murdered. Then we learn how disliked the man was by almost everyone he met. Meaning plenty of suspects and a very sticky situation for Kelsey.
Amanda Flower doesn't just write a very intriguing mystery, she teaches us all about maple sugar/syrup collection and processing. So much work goes into the natural treat we pour on our pancakes and waffles. She does this by introducing interesting characters that we follow through the story. The Barton Farm has its own sugarhouse and their is another one close by in a local park. Kelsey even ventures into the all male Sap and Spile group in her efforts to eliminate and find suspects. She doesn't receive a warm welcome from all the members. Maple sugar is a major thing in this area of Ohio.
The mystery was well written and flowed syrup smooth. I was caught by surprise at the end. The guilty party was way off my radar.
In addition to the drama at work Kelsey has drama at home. She is sharing custody of her son, Hayden, with her ex and he is threatening to take her to court to change their agreement. Too many dangerous things happening at the farm aren't really his main concern. He seems to be bent out of shape that Kelsey may be getting into a romantic relationship of her own. He seems to forget he left her for Krissie and they are engaged to me married. This story line is ongoing and I know things are really going to get good in book #3.
Characters that continue to evolve, a fabulous setting, and a top notch mystery. I recommend this one highly.
In the follow up to The Final Reveille, we visit the Barton Farm in the winter just in time for maple sugar season. Kelsey Cambridge may have a long term deal running the farm but she still needs to make it as profitable and self sustaining as she can. She plan the 1st Maple Sugar Festival at the farm featuring a maple sugar expert to teach the adults and a maple syrup demonstration for both the adults and kids too, complete with pancakes. A few Civil War reenactors will be traveling the grounds talking about maple sugar collection in history. Dr. Conrad Beeson, the hired expert, never gets a chance to share is knowledge. He is found dead on the grounds and while Kelsey is hoping it was from natural causes we quickly learn the man was murdered. Then we learn how disliked the man was by almost everyone he met. Meaning plenty of suspects and a very sticky situation for Kelsey.
Amanda Flower doesn't just write a very intriguing mystery, she teaches us all about maple sugar/syrup collection and processing. So much work goes into the natural treat we pour on our pancakes and waffles. She does this by introducing interesting characters that we follow through the story. The Barton Farm has its own sugarhouse and their is another one close by in a local park. Kelsey even ventures into the all male Sap and Spile group in her efforts to eliminate and find suspects. She doesn't receive a warm welcome from all the members. Maple sugar is a major thing in this area of Ohio.
The mystery was well written and flowed syrup smooth. I was caught by surprise at the end. The guilty party was way off my radar.
In addition to the drama at work Kelsey has drama at home. She is sharing custody of her son, Hayden, with her ex and he is threatening to take her to court to change their agreement. Too many dangerous things happening at the farm aren't really his main concern. He seems to be bent out of shape that Kelsey may be getting into a romantic relationship of her own. He seems to forget he left her for Krissie and they are engaged to me married. This story line is ongoing and I know things are really going to get good in book #3.
Characters that continue to evolve, a fabulous setting, and a top notch mystery. I recommend this one highly.
The Final Tap by Amanda Flower is the second book in A Living History Museum Mystery series. Kelsey Cambridge is the director of Barton Farm in Ohio. Barton Farm (which has a farm and a village) strives to represent how life was in 1863. To help make Barton Farm self-sustaining, Kelsey has organized the Maple Sugar Festival. There will be classes, exhibitions, pancake meals, and visiting school children. Kelsey has hired Dr. Conrad Beeson, a maple sugar expert, to teach a workshop (she has reservations because of his grouchy personality but it is too late to find a replacement). The first person she hired, Robert Stroud, had to bow out (or so she is led to believe). Kelsey and her assistant, Benji are showing Dr. Beeson the maple trees. He is not happy with the weather (it is too cold for the sap to run). Dr. Beeson takes off to check out some red maples in a different area. When Kelsey goes to check on him, she finds him on the ground with a hand drill sticking out of his chest. Someone was careful to wipe away their footprints. Just what Barton Farm does not need is another incident. Kelsey sets out to find out what happened to Dr. Beeson especially when her Director of Education, Gavin Elliot ends up being the number one suspect. Kelsey does not trust Detective Candy Brandon to look any deeper (the detective does not like Kelsey especially since Kelsey is dating Candy's former fiancé, Chase Wyatt). Kelsey is also dealing with her ex-husband, Eddie and his new fiancé. Eddie (with fiancé's manipulating) has decided he wants to see their son, Hayden more often (which means altering the custody agreement). Just what Kelsey does not want. Life is never dull on Barton Farm.
I like the setting of The Final Tap. Can you imagine a beautiful village and farm in northeastern Ohio? I can (especially since I am from Ohio). The book is nicely written, easy to read, and a good pace (nothing worse than a slow book). This is the second book in the series, but you can read it alone (if you have not read the first book yet). I give The Final Tap 4 out of 5 stars. I liked the story, but I wanted a more difficult mystery. I was able to figure out the killer before I was halfway through the book. There are quite a few characters and it is a little hard to keep them all straight (there is an all-male maple sugaring group, college professors, college students, Barton Farm employees, Kelsey's friends and family). The good characters (the main ones) are likeable and the bad guys you want something to befall them (especially Eddie's fiancé). Overall, The Final Tap was an enjoyable cozy mystery, and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of The Final Tap from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review of the novel.
I like the setting of The Final Tap. Can you imagine a beautiful village and farm in northeastern Ohio? I can (especially since I am from Ohio). The book is nicely written, easy to read, and a good pace (nothing worse than a slow book). This is the second book in the series, but you can read it alone (if you have not read the first book yet). I give The Final Tap 4 out of 5 stars. I liked the story, but I wanted a more difficult mystery. I was able to figure out the killer before I was halfway through the book. There are quite a few characters and it is a little hard to keep them all straight (there is an all-male maple sugaring group, college professors, college students, Barton Farm employees, Kelsey's friends and family). The good characters (the main ones) are likeable and the bad guys you want something to befall them (especially Eddie's fiancé). Overall, The Final Tap was an enjoyable cozy mystery, and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of The Final Tap from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review of the novel.
