The dynamics of this multi-level story blew me away as it kept me guessing until the very end. The main characters are likeable, quirky, and smart. They are not perfect, however, and that is what makes it half the fun. I mean, we meet Wren as her aunt is sharing her cat's alien costume. Nor are all those about them what they seem. The basic plot seems simple enough, who killed Elias and tore up his bee hives? Is this event related to similar vandalism that has been going on elsewhere? Elias is found dead, surrounded by hoards of angry, confused bees. Bee "wranglers", as I discovered they're called, have to be called in to help recover the body. Wren, who trained under Elias, then helps soothe the bees, getting most back into hives. We quickly learn not only how much Wren cares for the bees but how valuable they are to us all as the book progresses. Given how endangered bee survival is in this day and age, kudos to author Nancy Coco for helping spread the world in such a unique, intriguing way.
That chaotic, unusual murder scene is only the beginning. This is a brown multi-layer story involving not just bees and murder but Havana Brown cats, which I'm embarrassed to say I knew little of aside from their unusual name. I learned a great deal about them in the reading of this book and that, combined with the multiple layers of info shared about bees and beekeeping, was fascinating. Wren even has a large glass bee hive inside her shop, which would be a fascinating sight in real life. Wren also has the Havana brown cat loving Aunt Eloise in her life and I found myself loving Eloise--and I'm a dog person. What a feisty lady. Do not, I repeat, do not mess with her cats.
True, I'd have been happier if Wren and Eloise arranged for true backup after coming up with their "sting" operation but it was worth it just to see it unfold. Fortunately, police officer Jim has their backs whether they want him to or not. Hmm, is there a romance brewing there for Wren? I guess I'm going to have to read the next book in the series to find out. In the meantime, if you love interesting, quirky characters in picturesque settings and intriguing, multi-layer mysteries, give this one a read. You won't "bee" disappointed.
Thank you #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for introducing me to Wren and her circle of friends, not to mention her cats and bees. I'll be on the lookout for the next adventure!
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