Nina Fleet is a 41-year-old divorceé who bought an old Victorian home just outside Atlanta, Georgia in small-town Cymbeline. She'd like to turn it into a B&B, but the mayor won't let her. One day she receives a knock on her door and answers it, seeing a six-foot-tall penguin standing there. Well, actually it's a man in a penguin suit, and he eventually tells her she's living in his house and demands she give it back. He has a letter from his great-aunt, the former owner, that states an intent to leave the house to him in her will, but she died before she could change it.

Nina refuses to give the home back, and Harry Westcott, an out-of-work actor, threatens to take her to court. Not a good start. Later the mayor shows up with a bus full of nuns and tells her she'll fast-track her request to open the B&B if she takes in a group of nuns who have been evicted from their convent. Faced with not much of a choice, she agrees.

She finds out that Gregory Bainbridge, a developer, has evicted the nuns so that he can build homes on their land. When she starts talking to people, it's apparent that everyone hates Bainbridge. But it's even more apparent when she's called to help someone who's been stabbed in the chest - and seeing the penguin suit, she thinks it's Harry. But it's Bainbridge, and now she has an entire stable of suspects - namely almost everyone in town.

But then Harry tells her that he was the intended victim, and he has a stalker that's trying to kill him. But the situation gets out of control when Nina realizes that there's more at stake than a stalker, and she needs his help to find a killer...

I guess I was expecting more from this book than I received. Firstly, the title is disappointing. You'd think Peach Clobbered would mean something like someone dying by having a truckload of peaches fall on them. In fact, the only peaches mentioned in the book is peach cobbler, and trust me, no one dies from eating it. (A better title would have been Death of a Penguin). Anyway...

I got tired of her telling everyone her name was Nine-ah, not Neen-ah. So why didn't her parents name her Nyna? Then she wouldn't have to keep correcting anyone. It got annoying after awhile. I also thought it was pretty stupid to open a B&B if you can't cook. Wouldn't catering in breakfast eat into your profits? Plus, eating quiche every day of the week? Half the fun is the different choices for breakfast each day. Cereal? Seriously? When no children were staying there? Who goes to a B&B and eats cereal? Coffee and tea but not milk nor juice? My suggestion is that she learns to cook so she can actually make money, not spend it. Details, people.

THIS IS HIDDEN IN A SPOILER AND CAN ONLY BE SEEN BY CLICKING ON IT:

But here's the biggie: While Harry may not like the fact Nina has his great-aunt's house, she bought it legally and holds the deed. He can't sue her for that. He can't demand she give the house to him. He has a letter, not a writ of execution that states the house belongs to him. He has a letter that states she's going to it, but no will stating the fact; and, the opposing attorney could claim that perhaps she changed her mind and decided not to give him the house after all. Poor Harry doesn't have much of a claim after all.

Now, if he were to sue anyone, he could sue his father - the legal executor of the will. If his father knew about the letter and sold the house out from under him, then he might have a case. But a letter saying, "yes, you can have it" probably wouldn't hold up in the long run. It would, of course, depend upon whom the judge was; but I can't see basing an entire series around an improbability - and the story line will get old fast with Nina and Harry 'helping' each other solve cases and then him threatening to take her house every chance he got. Why doesn't he get a real job and buy a house instead of expecting someone to just give it to him for free?

No, thanks. Harry is a taker - he's not a likable person; he wants things given to him but isn't willing to do anything just because it's the right thing to do. He's not willing to see that she bought the house fair and square; he wants her to give it to him merely because he thinks he deserves it. I saw nowhere where he told her he spoke with either his father or the attorney who wrote the will before confronting Nina. He derides her and even blackmails her if she doesn't do what he wants. Harry's the worst society has to offer and I'd be happy never to see or hear from him again.

Sorry, but as long as there's a chance Harry might be in this series again, I think I'll skip this one.

END OF SPOILER

Is murder black and white?
Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard is an exciting start to a new cozy mystery series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. I was transported to Georgia and felt like I was part of Nina’s new life.

Nina Fleet
Our amateur sleuth and B&B owner is Nina Fleet. She is the ex-wife of the famous golfer, Cameron Fleet. Nina comes to Cymbeline for some antique shopping and ends for buying a huge home. She and her Australian Shepard, Matti are making a beautiful home for themselves.

Things I liked about Nina: She has a great sense of humor (her penguin jokes). Nina isn’t afraid of hard work. She knows what she is good at and what she needs help with. Nina has some great Star Trek references, and she reads cozy mysteries. She is also great with Matti, who is well trained and friendly.

However, Nina can also be stubborn, is always second-guessing herself, and seems to be attracted to men whom she shouldn’t be.

Mystery
You have to love it when the worst person in town gets his comeuppance. The hard part was that Nina hasn’t lived on Cymbeline long and doesn't know many people. She is having a hard time getting the town gossips to trust you when you are such a newbie.

Things about the book that I liked:
• There are lots of subplots
• The mayor isn’t afraid to wheel and deal for her constituents.
• Harry, the actor, has numerous jobs instead of waiting for the next audition or gig, like the penguin for the ice cream shop and the pizza delivery person. He does them all with the extreme pizzazz and costumes.
• The nuns are great. I adored there different personalities and quirks.
• Harry and his claim on the house gave us that what-if factor to keep us guessing.

My only question for the next book is: What did Harry say to Jill on his first day in their employment about Nina and her house?

5 Stars for Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard
My rating for Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard is five stars. I don’t feel like I put it down. The story is superbly written, and the characters are perfect. I love all the differences, and the setting with the Shakespearean references is fabulous.

This book is a lovely start to a new cozy mystery series, and I highly recommend this book.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard.

Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
Happy Reading

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Welcome to Cymbeline Georgia. A place Nina Fleet and her Australian Sheepdog, Mattie now call home. She bought a historic Queen Anne house therwat the spur of the moment following her divorce and loves it. Harry Wescott the great nephew of the previous owner believes the house should be his and shows up at her door to tell her so, dressed in a penguin suit. Seems he is working as a mascot for the local ice cream shop to make ends meet.

Nina had big hopes of opening it as a B&B but zoning regulations have held up her plans. That is until the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty were evicted from their convent when the landlord refused to renew their lease. The mayor came to Nina personally promising to cut through all the government’s red tape if she allows the sisters to stay with her until their new orders come through.

After the nuns are all settled they tell Nina of their plan to protest their former landlord’s business. Nina goes along hoping to keep the nuns out of trouble, but during a lunch break, she hears a scream. She rushes into an alley to find a man in a penguin suit has been stabbed. But it isn’t Harry Wescott in the suit this time, it is the sister’s landlord, Gregory Bainbridge! Could one of the nuns have done the deed or did the killer think it was Harry in the suit? Nina finds herself right in the middle of The Murder of the Man in the Penguin Suit! What a way to start her new life.

______________

Penguins, Nuns, and Murder, Oh My!

What a great start for this series! I loved Nina (Nine-ah) immediately. She is smart and savvy, ready to live life on her own terms. The nuns were fantastic, feisty, mostly elderly women who have been together for over 50 years. They become fast friends with Nina and enjoy checking out all the take-out meal options now available to them. Nina does her best to keep these vital and active women busy as they await to see what the future hold for them. Harry is a conundrum, an out of work actor who wants to take her house away who is not the most likable person. Nina’s dog Maddie is precious. She is empathetic when needed and a wonderful watch dog too.

Ms. Gerard has twisted together a terrific mystery plotline with very interesting subplots as we get to know our protagonist and the residents of Cymbeline. The pacing was perfect and each chapter drew me right into the next. I was engaged by the characters completely and was anxious to see how everything in this novel panned out. She brought in a surprise item that turned my thinking totally around but I was still taken aback by the big reveal.

The setting of the story was just peachy. A Georgia B&B is absolutely ripe for many more mysteries too. I am excited to see who checks in next!

This was a marvelous mystery and I highly recommend it for all cozy mystery fans!

Peach Clobbered
A Georgia B&B Mystery, Book #1
Anna Gerard
5 Stars

Synopsis:

What’s black and white and dead all over? Georgia bed and breakfast proprietor Nina Fleet finds out when she comes across a corpse in a penguin costume.

Nina Fleet’s life ought to be as sweet as a Georgia peach. Awarded a tidy sum in her divorce, Nina retired at 41 to a historic Queen Anne house in quaint Cymbeline, GA. But Nina’s barely settled into her new B&B-to-be when a penguin shows up on her porch. Or, at least, a man wearing a penguin suit.

Harry Westcott is making ends meet as an ice cream shop’s mascot and has a letter from his great-aunt, pledging to leave him the house. Too bad that’s not what her will says. Meanwhile, the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty have lost their lease. Real estate developer Gregory Bainbridge intends to turn the convent into a golfing community, so Cymbeline’s mayor persuades Nina to take in the elderly nuns. And then Nina finds the “penguin” again, this time lying in an alley with a kitchen knife in his chest.

A peek under the beak tells Nina it’s not Harry inside the costume, but Bainbridge. What was he doing in Harry’s penguin suit? Was the developer really the intended victim, or did the culprit mean to kill Harry? Whoever is out to stop Harry from contesting the sale of his great-aunt’s house may also be after Nina, so she teams up with him to cage the killer before someone clips her wings in Peach Clobbered, Anna Gerard’s charming first Georgia B&B mystery. (Goodreads)

Review:
Sometimes when you read a book, something just clicks and you really enjoy it. That is what happened when I started reading this book. I really enjoyed the characters, the setting was great and the mystery was intriguing.

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Nina is spunky, smart and feisty. I enjoyed getting to meet her and spend time with her. The nuns that stayed in the Bed and Breakfast added so much to the story, they were funny and quirky. The jury is still out on Harry, I am not really sure if he is a good guy or not. Hopefully I will find out in future books.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I was drawn into the book from the very first page. The mystery was well plotted and carried on well throughout the entire book. There were a lot of clues to sift through and suspects to consider and it was not easily solved. I was surprised at who the culprit was, I was sure it was someone else.

This book is a great start to a new series. I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books , and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

I want to know where Cymbeline is – because it sounds like a great place to visit that would only be a hop, skip and a jump from my home in the Atlanta exurbs. And we all need a quiet place to escape to every once in a while.

Not that things are really quiet in tiny Cymbeline – especially not for Nina Fleet.

Nina would love to open a B&B in her newly acquired Victorian house, but there are roadblocks a-plenty in her way, including plenty of B&Bs that beat her to the punch. As much of a tourist mecca as Cymbeline has become, no place needs an infinite number of inns – until a sudden influx of displaced nuns gives the mayor a reason to fast-track Nina’s application.

Opening an instant B&B isn’t the only problem that Nina has to contend with. She bought her house legally, fair-and-square, cash on the barrel-head, etc., etc., etc. And she absolutely loves it. But Harry Westcott, the nephew of the late owner of Nina’s house, believes that he is the rightful owner of the property – and he’ll see her in court.

The worst part for Nina is that he might be. He probably isn’t, but there’s an off chance. Not that Nina did anything wrong in her purchase, but that the seller might not have had the right to sell in the first place. She’d get all her money back, but she really, really, really just wants the house. In a few short months, it’s become home.

Between Harry and the nuns, Nina seems to have her hands full. They only get fuller when a local property developer is killed while wearing Harry’s penguin suit. How that translates to Harry becoming a suspect in his murder is anybody’s guess, considering that Harry may be one of the few people in town who didn’t have a motive.

Including the nuns.

Nina can’t resist poking her curious nose into the affairs of her neighbors, and the murder of the least liked among them. And she can’t help but band together with Harry and the nuns when they are all under threat.

When they set a trap to catch the killer, the tables get turned. It’s up to the nuns to save the day!

Escape Rating A-: This was just a load of fun from beginning to end, from Harry’s first appearance in the penguin suit right up to his driving off into the sunset at the end, with the murder resolved but the ownership of the B&B still very much up in the air – along with Nina and Harry’s completely unresolved potentially romantic and currently contentious relationship.

Their “relationship” begins with a fairly twisted meet cute. Harry arrives on Nina’s doorstep, suffering from heat stroke (all too plausible with our hot, muggy Georgia summers) while wearing a penguin costume. Which isn’t helping with the heat stroke. Clutching an envelope in his hand that he believes proves his rights to own Nina’s house.

Watching the ebbs and flows of their always just-one-tick-away-from-mutually-assured-destruction relationship is always fun. They want to like each other. They want to trust each other. It’s entirely possible that they have the hots for each other. And they want to destroy each other’s claim to the house they both love.

And they need each other to solve the murder, just adding to the fraught possibilities.

The nuns, on the other hand, are surprisingly delightful from beginning to end. They are the perfect opening guests for Nina’s B&B, even if their reason for landing in her lap (so to speak) is pretty awful. And directly relates to their possible motive for killing that hateful real estate developer.

He’s the one who evicted them from their home and business. Most of the nuns have been together, making excellent cheese and saying their prayers, for 50 years together. With the loss of their convent and fromagerie, the archdiocese plans to retire them to separate communities. They are broken-hearted at the thought of losing their family-of-choice.

And absolutely perfect guests. Also surprisingly with the 21st century for a group of elderly semi-cloistered nuns. Their customers have kept them firmly rooted in the now – to Nina’s surprise, and to the detriment of the killer stalking Cymbeline.

This is definitely a cozy mystery, as it’s wonderfully light-hearted – even if it does feature a dead body – albeit a dead body in a borrowed penguin suit.

Nina’s exploration of the town in her process of eliminating would-be suspects introduces readers to all of the residents of this quirky little place. Even if she does go off the track of whodunnit on more than one occasion. Or perhaps especially because. And I went right there with her. I didn’t guess this one at all.

As Peach Clobbered reads like the first book in a series, I’m looking forward to reading Nina’s (and hopefully Harry’s) future adventures. And definitely getting to know the denizens of Cymbeline a whole lot better.

Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard is the first book in Georgia B&B Mystery series.

It features Nina Fleet recent divorcee, who has received a fair share of her philandering husband's assets after the divorce and has decided to move to a charming little town in Georgia where she has purchased a lovely historic house.
She is slowly settling in and immensely enjoying her house until Harry Westcott, aspiring actor claims that the house is rightfully his as the house belonged to his great aunt who has promised it to him.
The Sisters of Perpetual Poverty have lost their lease due to the notorious local developer and need place to stay. Hence Nina's speedy licence to open her B&B as a favor to the mayor.
Sisters are enjoying their stay and Nina is having fun doing the job she loves until the said developed ends up dead.
To make matters worse it appears that the intended victim was no other than Harry. So they team up to solve this mystery and save both of them.

I really enjoyed this book. I like all the characters, both main and side ones. Many delightful and quirky people are featured in it.
There are also many funny moments. I particularly liked the chemistry between Nina and Harry and I am looking forward seeing how it will develop further.
As well as this I can't wait to read how the house issue is going to be resolved and how the final decision is going to affect main character.
Although the book had a steady pace at times I felt that it could have moved along slightly faster. And even though I guessed the murderer it didn't ruin the pleasure of reading for me.
All in all, a very good start with a great potential for character development and many more mysteries to come.

PEACH CLOBBERED begins the Georgia B & B Mystery series with a fun, sometimes deadly look into the quirky residents of Cymbeline, Georgia – and the not so nice ones as well. Nina is the newest resident, and her newly purchased home (which she plans to turn into a B & B) seems right at the heart of all the action. Or it would be if she can get the Mayor to cut through the silly red tape, a great-nephew of the deceased former owner didn’t claim that the house was meant to be his or that a shady character isn’t stirring up mischief that brings an entire convent of nuns as her first unofficial guests of that not yet B & B. Yeah, welcome to Cymbeline, Georgia indeed. Oh, and then there is the dead guy – but was it meant to be him or someone else with the same penguin suit?

I had fun with PEACH CLOBBERED. And since it’s a Cozy Mystery, and I don’t give away spoilers willingly then there isn’t much I can say about the plot – but the characters were such fun. From the nuns and their enjoyment of being away from the halls of their convent to the oily nasty real estate developer, every single one was well defined and added to this story. Some I got angry at and others gave me some laugh out loud moments, but all entertained me and keep me turning pages as their story unfolded.

There is groundwork laid for the continuing series, but I didn’t find that overwhelming simply part of discovering this new world. Overall, I had a good time with this story and will definitely continue the series. If you love getting in on the beginning of a new Cozy Mystery series, then I’d not hesitate to recommend PEACH CLOBBERED.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

You will giggle, gasp and then giggle some more with this peach of a cozy!

Nina Fleet has divorced her philandering pro-golf husband and after a few months in a soulless condo she bought (on a whim!) a large house in Cymbeline, there are just a couple of niggling problems, the first - she hopes to open it as a B&B but the zoning people say no, and secondly someone is claiming that the house is rightfully his! When a (currently) out of work actor dressed in a VERY warm penguin costume starts by saying he has the proof that the house is his and then collapses, that it just the start of Nina's troubles, all of a sudden the "no you can't open a B&B" is turned into "yes you can if you take this group tomorrow" the group being some misplaced Nuns (I think my favourite bit is where Nina yells NO, realises what she has said and says yes she will take the Nuns but not for another couple of days to make sure the place is ready).

Then the person that everyone loves to hate is killed, whilst the Nun's are quietly protesting outside his office, for some reason though he is wearing the penguin costume that Harry was wearing previously, now Nina has a houseful of Nuns, people creeping round, Harry staying because he has a crazy stalker, so life is peachy in Georgia!

Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard is the first book in the new cozy A Georgia B&B Mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series this first book is a complete story within the book with it’s own mystery so readers don’t need to worry about cliffhangers.

After her divorce Nina Fleet wanted to get away from the city and give herself a fresh start so when she found a historic Queen Anne house in quaint Cymbeline, GA she immediately put in an offer. Nina’s long term plan was to eventually start her own B&B but town ordinances had put a hold on that plan.

Now however, just as Nina is settling into the town and her new home she finds herself opening the door to an angry relative of the home’s former owner who threatens a law suit. And if legal troubles weren’t enough to keep her occupied a member of the town council arrives with Nina’s B&B plan needing the business up and running immediately filling Nina’s home with some displaced nuns.

Whew, this opener of the Georgia B&B Mystery series had a lot going on in it’s opening pages but funny enough it was all easy to follow and become engaged. I really enjoyed getting to know Nina and those around her. The small town setting was of course as charming as ever and when finished with this story I can’t help but wonder what will be in store for readers in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Peach Clobbered was an entertaining cozy mystery. Nina (pronounced Nine-ah) was charmed with the Queen Anne Victorian she stumbled across while looking for antiques in the small town of Cymbeline. She wanted a new start after her divorce from pro-golfer, Cameron Fleet. Nina thought about using the large home for a bed-and-breakfast until Mayor Green turned down her rezoning request. But then Mayor Green finds herself with six nuns and no vacancies in town. Nina gets her home rezoned and immediately has six divine residents. The one fly in the ointment is Harry Westcott who believes the home should be his since his great-aunt, Daisy Lathrop wrote him that she is leaving the turn-of-century home to him. Then greedy developer, Gregory Bainbridge is murdered in the Taste-Tee-freeze Creamery penguin costume which Harry had been wearing earlier in the day. There is plenty of action in the cute story. I liked Nina, but we are not given her complete history. I hope we learn more about her in the next book. The nuns were just delightful. They got to enjoy new experiences and food while staying with Nina plus there was the protest. Harry is an amusing character who I believe we will be seeing more of in future books. He is an actor who travels around in a converted bus. I enjoyed the humor and wit which had me chuckling frequently while reading Peach Clobbered. I thought the story was well-written and it progressed at a nice clip which made it easy to read. I enjoyed the descriptions of Nina’s new home and the quaint town. I can understand why Nina was drawn to Cymbeline and her Queen Anne. The mystery had several suspects, a red herring and subtle clues. The take down was an enjoyable and amusing scene. I was sorry for Peach Clobbered to end. Peach Clobbered is a diverting cozy mystery with Harry the theatrical thespian, a rapacious real estate developer, six saintly sisters, several suspicious suspects, and one inquisitive B&B owner.

I loved this book. Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard is a great start to a new cozy series and a new author to me. .
We meet Nina who has recently moved to Cymbeline, Georgia to open a Bed and Breakfast in her recently purchased historic Queen Ann mansion. Nina finds out fast the quaint, charming town has plenty of secrets. She ends up being rushed to open the B&B by the mayor when a group of nuns have lost their lease and are being forced to leave the convent. On top of that a penguin (Harry Westcott) shows up on her porch claiming he owns the Queen Ann she has fallen in love with. Harry is the nephew of the deceased previous owner.
Before you can say peach cobbler, the penguin is found murdered in an alley by Nina. But it's not Harry! Was Harry the intended victim (He has been being stalked) or was it the victim, Gregory Bainbridge, a real estate developer, who is not well liked in town. He has cheated quite a few of the residents.
Nina and Harry team up to found out who did it and who was really meant to be in that costume.
There are plenty of twists and turns that have you guessing until the end, humor, the closeness of a small town, and even a hidden staircase that opens a whole new door! The ending did cause a jaw drop moment for me which I will not give away. But I will warn you. you may have a craving for peach cobbler.
I am so ready to return to Cymbeline and see what's next for Nina as Gerard has set the perfect stage.
I was given an ARC by Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an honest review.

What a wonderful surprise - a cozy book that is first in a series that didn't make me insane with its triviality and averageness.

I had not heard of this author and knew I was taking a chance, but it sounded good so I requested it from NG and was happy to get it. Then I had a streak of really average to below-average cozy reads and I was not really looking forward to this one. And I was surprised and happy that I picked this one.

Nina [NINE - ah <--that was one point that annoyed me; the MC is obsessive about how people pronounce her name and makes a point of it several times in the book] has moved to a small town to escape all the nastiness that went down from her divorce to a well-known golf pro. She has moved into a love old Victorian house and is all settled in when several things happen - a man shows up claiming the house is his [Harry is a good character and I look forward to their bantering in the next installment of this series], a man in a penguin suit is murdered and the whole town is a suspect. Add a group of nuns needing a place to stay [which enables Nina the opportunity to create a B&B], a secret room and a crazed stalker and you have a pretty decent story. Add to that the fact that I had NO IDEA who the murderer was and that makes for more than just a decent story, it makes for a really enjoyable read. This is well written and at moments, laugh out loud funny and all the characters just seem to click together seamlessly. I am really looking forward to another book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my, I loved this story! I always thought a B&B would be fun, but to have these wonderful nuns as your first guest, would have to be a plus. What a unique group of ladies! I would love to explore Nina’s house. Don’t you just love old houses? Mattie is awesome! I so miss having a 4-legged companion, and she is wonderful. The characters and the story were great and I hope I’m able to visit Cymbeline again so I can see what they are up to. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

I was intrigued by the cover and the description. I thought I had not read any books from this author but was mistaken when I realized she is also Diane Stuckart of Tarot Cats Mystery series.
Nina Fleet heads to Cymbaline, GA for a fresh start after her divorce from a philandering golf pro. She’s 41 and has her heart set on running a Bed and Breakfast. Zoning issues have thrown a wrench into that project until some nuns need temporary housing. The zoning commission then approves her request.

The nuns’, The Sisters of Perpetual Poverty, convent and business, cheese making, are threatened by a not so nice in town real estate developer. He has also recently cheated another set of community home owners. The real estate dude is not well liked in the community due to his shady practices. As it turns out, he winds up dead.
See how this turns out and will Nina be able to keep the house she purchased from the estate of the previous owner? The nephew of the previous owner shows up with a letter of intent from his uncle stating he was going to leave the house to him.

I thought this was a great start to a new series. It’s a great summer read. I could put it down and pick it up without losing track of the characters and story. I look forward to the next installment.

I love Nina's personality for sure, she is headstrong and speaks her mind, no holes barred with her. Oh and the Nun's were the best, they became a big part of Nina and her B&B, so I would love to see them involved in future books in the series too. Harry, he is a whole story in himself, he seems to have many different irons in the fire, literally. I believe Ms. Gerard has got herself a fabulous new series, and Peach Clobbered has been a funny and wonderful new beginning to Nina's life in Cymbeline Georgia. I look forward to reading what is in store at the new B&B in Cymbeline next.

Nina's remaking her life in Cymbeline but circumstances are not making it easy! First there's Harry, who shows up on her doorstep dressed as a penguin (his costume for an ice cream shop) claiming that he is the rightful owner of her B&B, then there are the nuns who she's persuaded to take in, and then (because this is a cozy), there's the murder! You know Gregory Bainbridge, the real estate guy who has pushed the nuns out of their home, is a bad guy but how did he end up in the penguin costume. Seriously! This is the first book in a series so there's some character building. Will Harry become a love interest? What's going to happen to the nuns (who are a hoot)? Who killed Bainbridge? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Not too twisty, it's a good start.

I couldn't wait to read Peach Clobbered, first in a new series written by one of my favorite authors, Ali Brandon who wrote the Black Cat Bookshop mystery series. It was everything I had hoped it would be. Nina Fleet, at age 41, is recovering from a nasty divorce and has had her fill of big city Atlanta. On a drive to get away from it all, she arrives in the small town of Cymbelline, GA. Looking forward to doing the rounds of the local antique stores, she takes a wrong turn and discovers the house of her dreams. It's a lovely three story Victorian complete with a tower room and plenty of yard. Seeing the For Sale sign on the fence, she makes the call, makes the offer and goes back to Atlanta to pack up and move to her new home. Happy over the past several months, sharing her digs with her Australian shepherd perfectly named Matilda (aka Mattie) and trying to get her house zoned so she can open a B&B, a dark cloud descends upon doorstep. It's a 6 foot tall penguin named Harry Westcott. Well, he is wearing a costume - because he is working as a mascot for a local ice cream shop. Guy has to do whatever he can to earn some money. When he shows up at her door, he is ready for a confrontation, hard to do in that costume. His great-aunt was the previous owner of the house and he claims the house is rightfully his and is willing to go to court to get it back.
If that isn't enough to deal with, Nina is having another battle, the powers that be don't want to re-zone her property.......until a group of cheese making nuns suddenly needs a new home, at least temporarily. A local real estate developer owns the convent and has grand plans for it that don't include nuns. They have to go and Nina becomes their hostess when they move in with her. She got her re-zoning and a full house of guests in one go. Harry the penguin wants to move in, too.
As this is a mystery, it comes as no surprise that the required corpse is played by the real estate developer. Why was he dressed in the penguin costume? Was his murder connected to Harry? Might he have been the intended victim? Oh, so much to unravel and done with lots of humor, I hope this series has a very long run. The characters and that lovely house make me want to stay awhile even though I really dislike the hot, muggy climate. Nina has air conditioning, it's all good. How soon will my room be ready?
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Peach Clobbered
A Georgia B&B Mystery
by Anna Gerard

Kindle Edition, 262 pages
Expected publication: July 9th 2019 by Crooked Lane Books





Goodreads synopsis:
What’s black and white and dead all over? Georgia bed and breakfast proprietor Nina Fleet finds out when she comes across a corpse in a penguin costume.

Nina Fleet’s life ought to be as sweet as a Georgia peach. Awarded a tidy sum in her divorce, Nina retired at 41 to a historic Queen Anne house in quaint Cymbeline, GA. But Nina’s barely settled into her new B&B-to-be when a penguin shows up on her porch. Or, at least, a man wearing a penguin suit.

Harry Westcott is making ends meet as an ice cream shop’s mascot and has a letter from his great-aunt, pledging to leave him the house. Too bad that’s not what her will says. Meanwhile, the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty have lost their lease. Real estate developer Gregory Bainbridge intends to turn the convent into a golfing community, so Cymbeline’s mayor persuades Nina to take in the elderly nuns. And then Nina finds the “penguin” again, this time lying in an alley with a kitchen knife in his chest.

A peek under the beak tells Nina it’s not Harry inside the costume, but Bainbridge. What was he doing in Harry’s penguin suit? Was the developer really the intended victim, or did the culprit mean to kill Harry? Whoever is out to stop Harry from contesting the sale of his great-aunt’s house may also be after Nina, so she teams up with him to cage the killer before someone clips her wings in Peach Clobbered, Anna Gerard’s charming first Georgia B&B mystery.

***

4.5 Stars

This is the first book in a new series by Anna Gerard titled Georgia B&B Mystery.

When the book opens Nina Fleet (pronounced Nine-ah) has bought a new Victorian house in Cymbeline, GA. Apparently, prior to the opening of the book there was a bit of controversy about who had the right to the house. The great nephew of the prior owner claimed the house was supposed to be his but it was sold while he was working a gig as an actor. Now two months later he comes knocking at Nina’s door bearing proof of his claim. He is surprisingly dressed in a penguin suit in the summer heat and then proceeds to faint on her doorstep from heat stroke.

And then it is one outrageous thing after another. The mayor practically forces Nina to start the bed and breakfast she had been considering opening after a bunch of Nuns are displaced due to a crooked land owner who wanted to develop the property the church was sitting on. And when the crooked land owner is soon found dead in the alley behind the antique shop Nina tries to discover who is behind it all before Harry, her original nemesis finds himself in jail for good.

When the killer is revealed at the end, I have to say I was flabbergasted. Didn’t see that one coming. I found myself chuckling at all the crazy get ups donned by Harry as he had one new gig after another. I did feel like there was a little chemistry between Harry and Nina but maybe that will be addressed in future books. I mean, why keep putting up with the man if you didn’t have some underlying motive for keeping him around.

This book was fun and I enjoyed every twist and turn. I wonder if Harry Westcot will end up being a recurring character since the whole “who owns the house” remained at the end of the book as up in the air.

If you love a good and fun cozy mystery, definitely check this one out.

Highly recommended.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

A very good start for a new series! It's well written, full of humour and engrossing.
I loved the likable and fleshed out cast of characters, the lovely setting and the entertaining and fund to read plot.
The mystery was good, no plot hole, and it kept me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Crooked Lane and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Divorcee Nina Fleet has left her Atlanta condo for a new start in the small town of Cymberline, Georgia. She impulsively buys a gorgeous historic Queen Anne house and is just settling in when a man wearing a penguin costume appears at her door. Harry Westcott is a C-list actor who has a letter from his late great-aunt who had pledged to leave him the house that Nina has bought but died before making it official. Looks like Nina and Harry are set to have a long legal battle for the property.

Meanwhile, the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty have lost the lease to their convent when nasty real estate developer Gregory Bainbridge evicts them with plans on turning the property into a golfing community. Cymbeline’s mayor persuades Nina to take in the elderly nuns as B&B guests. The next day, Nina agrees to accompany the elderly nuns to the town square where they plan to protest outside Bainbridge's office. Shortly afterward, Nina finds a man in the penguin costume lying in an alley with a kitchen knife in his chest. But the man in the costume is not Harry...it's Bainbridge. So who was the intended victim? Nina teams up with Harry to catch the killer.

This was a good debut with a great setting and well-developed quirky characters.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.