AUDIO: Deadly to the Core (A Cider House Mystery), by Joyce Tremel

 Available Jan. 16,2024    AUDIO: 6h 19m     Narrator Hillary Huber

This is a strong intro for a new series. As usual with audio books, I found myself listening somewhat on the go, so didn't take many notes, so this review will largely focus on my reactions. Obviously, I liked it. I like Hillary Huber as a narrator and had no trouble differentiating between voices. The chapters were simply announced, then right into the next chapter with no long pause. The narration nicely captured the action and subtle humor of the story. The pacing seemed solid and moved the story right along. Overall, an excellent listening experience. Oh, and there's a cat, Blossom.

As for the plot, it did take it awhile to get started but, as will any new series,  the characters and set-up had to be revealed. Once the murder happened, the pace definitely picked up. I found myself liking main character Kate, although she seemed a bit pushy and assumed others should reveal everything about themselves without prompting, which seemed unrealistic. She's a widow, surviving the accident that killed her late husband and left her seriously injured, and is finally starting to feel alive again, but is reluctant to accept help. Neighbor Daniel doesn't seem put off by her, however. Kate's background definitely comes in handy although it's not fully explained upfront unless I simply missed it. It's more fully shown later in the book, however, and it's obvious she's had experience at not only operating a cider house, including how the machinery involved is set up and works. She's pretty handy with a nail gun, too. 

Unfortunately, what she doesn't know is how to care for an actual orchard. That is a worry after the orchard manager, Carl Randolph, is killed. Who'd kill Carl? And, why? She's determined to bring justice to Carl and fortunately has the help of Daniel and, although they get off to a prickly start, earns the trust of Scott, the police officer in charge of the investigation. One thing I noted was that despite going around asking questions of possible suspects, she doesn't seem to appreciate that she may be putting herself in danger. Complications ensue. How Kate and Daniel pull it all together was fun to watch but, I have to admit, I wasn't quite sure whodunit until the big reveal given the multiple, seemingly unconnected clues. It was great to see her overcoming her past and finding new purpose with the cider house, not to mention connecting with both new and old friends.

Throughout the story, I came to admire Kate's pluck, impulsive as some of her theories were, and the calm, solid support offered by Daniel. Heck, she even suspects him initially. Thanks #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for allowing me this sneak peek into this new series. I'll definitely be back, hopefully with some cider handy to sip as I visit next time. Love the ol' red barn, btw.