Ah, life in small town Vermont in the fall. That immediately conjures up images of bright, colorful fall foliage, cooler evenings, fireplaces, and, well, maple syrup. Murder is unexpected.
Her father's murder throws Leila Khoury for a loop. She arrived home from her job and life in Florida thinking her beloved father had been killed in a robbery gone wrong. That was hard enough to accept but, murder? She thought everyone liked her father. I mean, she obviously adored him and was very much a Daddy's Girl, so the idea of anyone deliberately murdering him stuns her.
Her initial reaction of disbelief is quickly replaced by a fixed, unswerving conviction that she knows who did it, her father's right-hand-man, Noah. This emotional swing made me wary of her upfront, I must admit, and it took awhile for me to get past that initial reaction. I mean, she hadn't even met this Noah yet, not to mention she has no evidence, but she's already convicted him in her mind.
That said, the mystery was an intriguing one. Who knows what secrets are hidden behind closed doors of even the most scenic small town? Who had reason to kill Victor, Leila's father? Why was she so determined that Noah was guilty? Why had her father changed his will? Why is her reporter brother arrested? Did he do it or was he set up? But, by who? He did sorta try to wave Leila away from taking over the farm, after all. What's going on at the farm? How did Toast get that name? Is money an issue? Is it true that anyone is capable of murder? Who.....oh, okay, enough teasers. This just scratches the surface of an intriguing plot that, quite frankly, I didn't guess until the big reveal at the end. In addition, once Leila calmed down, I gradually came to like her and her family and friends.
Thanks #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress for inviting me to Vermont to see the fall colors. The recipes sound sweet and yummy, too.
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