Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC. Full review to be found on Goodreads and on my website.

This book is much like a rocking chair - it’s slow, it’s steady but you’re never really gonna go anywhere. Now, that I say that, it’s probably a bit harsh. It was a good read; just lacked that “vaavavoom” this girl needs.

Below the Tree Line is a slow, comfortable, easy to read mystery. I guess, I found myself getting a bit lost in the trees (witty pun included)- due to the overwhelming amount of details that the author provided about just that: the trees and land. 3 stars for this one.

The story was interesting and the main character was a lot like your everyday neighbor. Very believable. If you like a book that has a nice, even rythym to it, this is the book for you.

“Below the Tree Line” earns 5/5 Secrets…Unique, Engaging, Clever!

The previous night’s disturbing events led to a 9-1-1 call and a visit from a concerned boyfriend with the gift of a “fur” companion in tow. While discussing various ways to handle the possibility of intruders and the past trauma of the rescue dog, they both see a car, driven erratically, turning away from her driveway, and slamming into a tree. Clarissa Jenkins dies at the scene, and later her cousin Sasha Glover is sure she was going to see Felicity. She needed to tell her something. What? Unknown. But, as things usually happen in threes, it is not surprising that Sasha is later found propped up against a tree…dead. Felicity tries to use her gift to save her, and despite a single sharp pain in her hand, it was too late for Sasha. Oops! Fours? Felicity’s dad has gone missing…and his ramblings are cause for concern.

Wow! There is so much to unpack, and every bit of it engaging, clever, and sometimes intense. Secrets, deceit, a mysterious man, property deals, and a few dead bodies? It seems family secrets, or secrets in general, may need to be kept at any cost, even if it means murder. It's a good sized book at 312 pages, so Susan is able to delve deep into characters, background, connections, and relationships. She’s been a writer for awhile, so I wasn't surprised to see a detailed storyline with well-developed characters, excellent descriptions, and entertaining banter to keep me totally engaged. Beyond the engaging mystery, I was fascinated with discussions about caring for the sheep, managing the woods, and felling trees… I enjoyed the story and recommend it for thriller fans, but I am more partial to the first-person narrative. The “she” perspective is popular, but my engagement increases when an author uses the “I.” It’s just a word, but often I become more invested placing myself in the drama.

Title was archived before I could review it sadly. Guess I will have to buy it if I would like to read it. I am new to the Galley and was not aware of the fact that the archival date meant that I could not access the title anymore. Too bad

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of BELOW THE TREE LINE in exchange for an honest review.

Felicity is hearing strange sounds outside her house, and then people begin dying near her house. As she gets suspicious about the causes of death and begins investigating on her own, she finds herself in a strange web of lies and deceit. Will she be able to uncover the truth behind the strange man in town who wants to buy her land, as well as find the truth about the deaths near her house? Are they connected or purely a coincidence?

This was an interesting twist on a mystery. It had a bit of a cozy mystery feel, had some interesting and unexpected twists, and involved some creative and unique characters. There were small things thrown in, like Felicity's ability to heal with her hands, that I never fully understood. If you removed her healing ability altogether, I don't think it would have changed the story one way or another, so it felt like an added afterthought to some extent. That said, overall, the story took a few unforeseen turns, involved likable characters and had a well thought out story line. If you enjoy light mysteries, this is one for the to be read shelf.

Felicity O’Brien farms land in western Massachusetts that her family had owned for generations. She and her land are both threatened when 2 dead bodies appear and strange happenings occur in the woods.

I loved the descriptions of the land and the forest. I am from New England, so I could completely relate. I also found myself looking up a few terms, such as overwintering of vegetables and an overgrowth forest. The author clearly knows what she is talking about about and I found myself transported to the farm. The mystery was good and different. There were no twists or “aha” moments but I definitely enjoyed this and am hoping that there will be a sequel.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Midnight Ink and Susan Oleksiw for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A tale of old & new, reclaiming of parents property and secrets, Little does Felicity know what this all means, and how to unravel the secrets, entwined with mysterious deaths, and new age greed, within a sleepy, quiet small town.

A mystery in a small town but not a cozy. Felicity finds herself caught up in trying to untangle the whys and who's of the murder of two women near her family's farm. This is a very low key tale, with some emphasis on the farm itself and mystery within. I liked that Felicity has the ability to heal and her relationship with her friends. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a quiet one.

The visually descriptive narrative spoke for itself as the author wove a tightly-drawn mystery filled with intrigue as it kept my interest and suspense as I did not know what was being done to whom. Little did I know the author spared no expense in how this drama was documented from the first shot to the wayward car being driven to the young women sitting by the tree to the words spoken by Felicity’s father to nefarious doings that lead to the actions perpetrated by unknown forces where the land and the trees hold a secret left to be discovered. The tempo increased as the story came to its conclusion with a surprising twist at the person responsible. I liked how it ended with new opportunities and adventures for Felicity. This was an enjoyable tale and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Below the Tree Line has an interesting mystery at its core and the writing is good. Felicity's healing hands add a nice touch to the story, as do the many interesting characters throughout this one. However, the pacing is very slow and the story gets a bit bogged down with all the information about the land. I prefer a faster pace and a bit of grit where this one feels more laid-back cozy mystery than gripping suspense novel. In the end, the story was interesting enough, and I kept hoping it would pick up, but the slow pace made it a little too easy to set aside for later.

This book is much like a rocking chair - it’s slow, it’s steady but you’re never really gonna go anywhere. Now, that I say that, it’s probably a bit harsh. It was a good read; just lacked that “vaavavoom” this girl needs.

Below the Tree Line is a slow, comfortable, easy to read mystery. I guess, I found myself getting a bit lost in the trees (witty pun included)- due to the overwhelming amount of details that the author provided about just that: the trees and land. 3 stars for this one.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Below the Tree Line by Susan Oleksiw. This appears to be the first book in a series and I think it is a good start.
A young woman lives in a remote farm area in Massachusetts and she joins forces with a local policeman after a murder occurs not far from her home.
She knows that something is not right and has seen an intruder that may have something to do with these murders. There is something wrong and she must protect herself and her land to find out what is going on. Good Read. I really like the descriptive writing the author has done in explaining the area - very vivid. Good mystery.

Excellent story line which was gripping from start to finish. Great characters. I would highly recommend this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Midnight Ink. Thanks!

This book was a pleasant read. It is a mystery story set in a small farming community in Massachusetts. The characters were all quite likable, and I did not guess the killer’s motive ahead of time.

Personally, however, I tend to like mysteries with a bit of a harder edge than this one, which falls more into the “cozy mystery” realm, which is why I only gave it three stars.

A bit slow to start, but interesting enough to keep reading. Wasn't an edge of my seat type of story, but well written with enjoyable characters.

A slow, comfortable mystery. No great twists or surprises but interesting characters and enough intrigue to keep the reader guessing until the end. I will be looking for more books from this author.

I enjoyed reading this book. I liked the characters and was interested from the start. I did learn a lot about endangered flora and trees

Below the Tree Line is an engrossing and tense mystery thriller about the greed, encroachment and attempted theft from individuals, conmen and professional developers within a small, close-knit rural community. Following a series of highly suspicious incidents, Felicity, a lone small-holder, decides to find out what is really going on! Although a little slow to start, the book soon earned its 5 stars! A thoroughly good read!

Felecity lives in rural forested area in MA. She tends for her familie's farm since her mom has passed away and her dad is in a nursing home. She also tends artist's sheep at her farm. When a stranger comes to town trying to buy up everyone's farms and land she and the other farmers become suspicious. 3 strange deaths in such a small area don't add up either-two of the victims cars were tampered with. Who is this stranger and what does he want the land for? Who is killing 3 of their townspeople? Sometimes I felt there was too much detail about the land/trees etc. but I guess it was needed for the plot of the story. Otherwise a good mystery.