Berried Grievances, by Peg Cochran

 

This was a new series and author to me but it didn't matter. I figured out who was who and relationships easily and felt right at home. It was also serendipity that Alaska has just moved into berry season, so the cranberry focus was perfect. 

Monica and Greg, who are expecting their first child just any day now, are invited to watch the fireworks from a local inn. They expected a fun, festive event with good friends. What they didn't expect was to find someone dead after the fireworks ended. Who killed the elderly Violet? Why? How? The suspects are numerous and red herrings flourish. Monica, whose energy level amazed me -- heck, it'd tire the average person to keep up with her, let alone someone due to give birth any day now -- doesn't want to be drawn into to investigating but, well, she is who she is. After all, what trouble can asking innocent questions make? You already know the answer to that one. And, yikes, old bones at the pond?

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, even the ones annoying Monica with never ending questions about when IS that baby coming. Monica's character is shown at her reluctance to shut down plans from two different people to give her a baby shower, not to mention her persistence in asking questions. Husband Greg seems loving and supportive tho' his role here was more of the supportive husband than active player, tho' laughed at his mild panic near the end. Even the pets are memorable. Mittens the cat is pure cat while Hercule the dog is, well, a waggy tailed wonder who plays a big role here. Cranberry Cove, on Lake Michigan, sounds like a lovely small town, well, if you accept that everyone will know and discuss your business. There's a great deal going on, too, from farming troubles to suspected romance bumps along the road, not to mention, dang, will it be a boy or a girl?

Bottom line, I'm delighted to have found a new-to-me author to add to me "must look for list" as well as a new series to binge on. That cookie recipe sounds like the perfect thing for binge reading. Thanks #NetGalley and #BeyondThePagePublishing for introducing me to Monica's world. My dog sends a wag and doggie kiss to Hercule.