My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

Book 4 of the series.

I was glad to see this series saved. That said, this was not my favorite in the series. It was an okay read, but mostly because I could catch up with Marlee and her friends. And I could gloat a bit that the ex-fiance was out of the picture, since I never liked him, haha. But it was a slow read, and took me a while to get into. I ended up putting it down and reading something else for a bit. Things picked up about halfway through.

I am glad to see Marlee back, and would likely read the next book in the series.

The fourth cozy mystery in the, A Berry Basket Mystery series, this one is about all things mulberries.
The mystery was engaging and well plotted. It kept me guessing all the way to the end. Fast paced, I enjoyed it and the addition of Halloween and a small town setting in Michigan added to it's appeal.
The character's were easy to get to know and like or dislike if the story set them up this way!
I look forward to reading more in this series.

Expected publication: August 27th 2019 by Kensington Publishing Corporation.
I was given a complimentary copy. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Halloween is in full swing in Oriole Point and the Harvest Health fair is currently happening as well. Marlee receives a visit from an eccentric town resident,Leticia, also known as the lake lady, who has come to buy mulberries, enough mulberries to cover her whole house. Leticia believes the mulberries will protect her from imminent danger that is headed her way. While Marlee finds the encounter odd, it is a business opportunity, so she sets out to deliver the mulberries only to find a dead body and a missing Leticia. The body turns out to be none other than Felix Bonaventure who had come to town in search of Leticia, only to turn up dead. As Marlee searches for answers she uncovers some startling information. Leticia has served twenty five years for murdering someone in the past. Could Leticia be at it again? With the assistance of her boyfriend, Kit Holt who works for the sheriff's department, Marlee is determined to not only locate Leticia, but also locate the killer.
This was a fun, Halloween themed cozy full of fun loving characters in the quaint small town. The mystery moves quickly and is full of plenty red herrings and lots of suspects to sift through. I strongly recommend this book, for those looking for a fun, Halloween themed mystery, along with the others in the series that are equally enjoyable.

MULBERRY MISCHIEF, the fourth book in the Berry Basket Mysteries, by Sharon Farrow is a berrylicious addition to an entertaining series. The protagonist, Marlee Jacob, is a sweet young woman who has close friendships with her employees and gives of her time to make the town’s numerous events a success. As owner of the yummy Berry Basket shop, Marlee is well-versed in the properties of a multitude of berries. I enjoyed the bits and pieces of health benefits available by consuming berries that is shared in the story. While facts are woven in, they never detract from the pace of the tale.

The town is gearing up for the Haunted Halloween Harvest Health Fair, showcasing top celebrities in the fields of health and beauty. With the volunteers in costume and the decorations celebrating the spookiness of the season, the author captures the spirit of the holiday and the event. The town’s eccentric woman, Leticia, the Lady of the Lake, requests Marlee to sell her bags upon bags of mulberries to protect her and her “ghost”. This adds an element of Halloween as Marlee tries to find the ghost. As the story unfolds, an influential family and a long ago murder converges with a falsely accused teen and a new murder caused by a mulberry wood arrow. There were plenty of suspects that kept me guessing and plenty of action to keep me turning pages. As Marlee closes in on the identity of the killer, the suspense ratchets up until the final, edge-of-your-seat conclusion is reached.

A very good cozy mystery. It's the second I read in this series and I think it's better than the previous one.
I loved the mystery, well crafted and gripping, the likeable cast of characters and the setting.
It's fast paced, well developed and it kept me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Mulberry Mischief
(A Berry Basket Mystery #4)
by Sharon Farrow

Paperback, 352 pages
Expected publication: August 27th 2019 by Kensington Publishing Corporation


Goodreads synopsis:
Autumn has arrived on the shores of Lake Michigan, but Marlee Jacob, proprietor of The Berry Basket, is feeling a chill for other reasons …

With the Harvest Health Fair in full swing, Marlee makes sure to stock up on elderberry products for cold and flu season. But this year there's also a run on mulberry when an eccentric customer wants to use the dried berries to ward off evil forces. True, it's almost Halloween, but something else seems to be spooking Leticia the Lake Lady, Oriole Point's oddest resident. She believes someone plans to kill her—and the ghost. Only mulberries can protect them. Marlee doesn't take her fears seriously until a man named Felix Bonaventure arrives in the village, asking questions about a mysterious woman.

The next day, Marlee finds Bonaventure dead on Leticia's property—shot through the heart with an arrow made of mulberry wood. And Leticia has disappeared. Marlee soon learns the Lake Lady has a deadly past that is connected to the famous Sable family who are in town for the health fair. A bunch of clues start to come together—and figuring out what's going on puts Marlee in a real jam …


***

4.5 Stars

This is the fourth book in the Berry Basket Mystery series by Sharon Farrow.

Basic premise: Marlee Jacob owns a business called The Berry Basket. She sells all things berry themed: food, baked goods, fruit, etc. When the mysterious Leticia the Lake Lady approaches her one day to buy enough mulberries to cover her entire house, Marlee is intrigued. She is even more intrigued when the lake lady tells her that someone wants her dead. After Marlee delivers the mulberries to Leticia’s house and finds it mysteriously empty, she leaves an envelope of the money she had overpaid on the counter and spied a manuscript called Mulberry Mischief and a Mac laptop. The next day when the dead body of Felix Bonaventure is found in Leticia’s yard, everyone knows something fishy is going on in Oriole Point.

It seemed to take awhile to get all the players on the screen, so to speak, before the reader could get a good idea of who might have dun it. This is the first book I have read in this series so I was playing a bit of catch up when backstory items were mentioned. Nothing too taxing was revealed but I would have liked to know more about Marlee’s breakup. We were only given a vague glimpse into that. I feel I will need to read the previous 3 books in the series to ferret out all the nuances.

It seemed like the story didn’t really hit its groove until the halfway mark. I never felt like I had a good grasp on who the Sables were. There were so many of them and the Peter seemed to be on wife number three. How could I possibly keep up? I really enjoyed Atticus “Kit” Holt (Marlee’s beau) and Old Man Bowman. What a hoot that old due was. That scene at the end with the shotgun was classic!

The characterization of some of Marlee’s friends seemed interchangeable at times. I had a hard time telling some of them apart from each other since they weren’t on the canvas of the story for very long. The mystery gave us a lot of options and suspects galore. It was interesting to hear the symbology and etymology of the different berry plants.

All in all, it was a great mystery that peaked my interest and made me want to read the other books in the series. If you love a good cozy mystery, check this one our for sure.

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.

Berry Basket owner, Marlee Jacob is approached by an eccentric woman named Leticia for bags of mulberries. Leticia is convinced that someone is trying to kill her, and covering her entire house with the mulberries are her only hope for protection. Marlee doesn't take her seriously until a stranger shows up looking for Leticia, only to be found dead on her property the next day. With Leticia missing, and shocking secrets being revealed about her past with a prominent family, Marlee decides to get to the bottom of things. This was a great addition to the series. The plot is well written and fast-paced, with a strong, relatable protagonist. The mystery was difficult to solve as there were so many suspects with motives for the crime. I was very satisfied with the ending and thought the author did a great job of connecting the current murders to a murder that happened two decades ago. This is my favorite book in the series so far, and I look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this digital arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

Autumn has arrived on the shores of Lake Michigan, but Marlee Jacob, proprietor of The Berry Basket, is feeling a chill for other reasons …

With the Harvest Health Fair in full swing, Marlee makes sure to stock up on elderberry products for cold and flu season. But this year there's also a run on mulberry when an eccentric customer wants to use the dried berries to ward off evil forces. True, it's almost Halloween, but something else seems to be spooking Leticia the Lake Lady, Oriole Point's oddest resident. She believes someone plans to kill her—and the ghost. Only mulberries can protect them. Marlee doesn't take her fears seriously until a man named Felix Bonaventure arrives in the village, asking questions about a mysterious woman.

The next day, Marlee finds Bonaventure dead on Leticia's property—shot through the heart with an arrow made of mulberry wood. And Leticia has disappeared. Marlee soon learns the Lake Lady has a deadly past that is connected to the famous Sable family who are in town for the health fair. A bunch of clues start to come together—and figuring out what's going on puts Marlee in a real jam…

This was a very fast read for me. Everything moved very quickly within the plot and the murderer was caught and confessed much faster than I expected.

*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

In this edition, Marlee is involved in a health fair by giving a presentation on her knowledge of berries. The focus is on mulberries. I found it interesting to learn about these berries. They are not a berry that I am familiar with, I don't think they grow in my area. The book includes information on the berries that adds to the story. The book moves at a good pace and never lags. The characters are well written and relatable. The conclusion is well crafted and a surprise culprit. Definitely an enjoyable read.

Everyone in town knows that Leticia is more than a little odd but her request to Marlee for enough mulberries to cover her house in order to protect her- well, that's off the charts. Set in the small town of Oriole, Michigan, this is a classic cozy and while I've enjoyed all the previous books, you'll be just fine with this as a standalone because the characters jump off the page. Felix Bonaventure came to town looking for Leticia, and then was killed- and Leticia went missing. Marlee begins to unravel what happened but she also learns things she didn't expect- including that Leticia allegedly murdered someone years ago. This is clever, with good characters, and a nice sense of style. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Oh, and for the recipes!

Disclaimer: I was given an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mulberry Mischief by Sharon Farrow is a wonderful cozy mystery set in my home state of Michigan. I have not read the first three books in the series but I did not find it hard to jump right in on the third book. The characters were easy like and dislike as the story needed and you couldn't easily guess who the killer was, which is always nice. I really liked all the characters names that had literary links.

I will definitely be putting the first three books from this series on my to be read list!

I liked everything about Sharon Farrow's latest in her A Berry Basket Mystery series. The characters are engaging and real, the mystery was expert, the town is charming and there is a touch of romance that completes the story. In the case of 'Mulberry Mischief' I actually mourned the death of a character and wished it hadn't had to happen. I want to visit Oriole Point, especially at Halloween time. Creating this world I can visit in my mind is my greatest compliment.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one!

Marlee (the mc) becomes involved when the town eccentric wants to use berries for magical protection.

I really liked Marlee as a character. She's smart and quick-thinking.

She tries to help the woman she knows as Leticia and ends up discovering a corpse.

The townsfolk are fully realized. I really liked Theo, Tess, and Natasha.

Marlee Jacobs runs the Berry Basket and somehow gets drawn into murder investigations along side her boyfriend, Kit Holt of the sheriff's department. Ms. Farrow writes a cozy with plenty of colorful characters and a vivid description of the town. An eccentric resident comes to Marlee for help and she desperately tries to help her even as the woman is in hiding....convinced she's in danger.
More than a few suspects and more murders are uncovered before the end of this interesting cozy.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC gratis for my honest opinion.

This was a ‘berry’ delicious cozy mystery. The characters were interesting and the whodunit was well written and kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

The Haunted Halloween Harvest Health Fair is in full swing in Oriole Point, Michigan. Marlee Jacob, owner or The Berry Basket, has been approached by the eccentric "Lake Lady" with an odd, berry-related request. Thus, she becomes embroiled in yet another mystery that both intrigues and endangers her. She has to uncover what happened over 25 years ago without discovering enough about the present day to get herself killed.

This is the fourth Berry Basket Mystery but you don't need to read the first three to follow the plot. The author provides good descriptions of the background of each character. The mystery was hard to solve as there were so many people with solid motives and means. I also liked that the current murders are tied to a murder from the past. Having the crimes interwoven can be tricky but this was done well. I am very interested in the first three books now and will add to my TBR list.

#NetGalley #Reviewathon
#MulberryMischief

Mulberry Mischief by Sharon Farrow is an exceptional addition to this delightful series.
Marley Jacob owns The Berry Basket, a store that caters to all things berry.
When an eccentric resident reaches out to Marley because she is in fear for her life, Marley isn't sure if she should believe her or if she's just paranoid.
When circumstances change, Marley becomes tangled in a web of lies and deceit that puts her own life in danger.
I was engaged from beginning to end while reading this story and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for approving me to read this book.

I have been hooked on this series since the first book, and this latest addition definitely has me hooked even more. The setting is similar to other books of the same genre, small town, mystery, murder, but where the author is really standing above the rest is with really interesting unique, engaging characters, and a writing style that makes it the mystery easy to follow but impossible to guess. This is a series that is something you want to read again and again and this latest installment is perfection.

Halloween festivities have begun in Oriole point and a Harvest Health Fair has come to town, along with several Health and Beauty experts. The Sable family has a huge presence in the health and beauty space and while most people are excited to have them headlining the fair, the town eccentric fears for her life with them in town. When a mysterious man comes looking for this local resident and he is found dead in the woman’s yard, Marlee begins to believe the woman’s fears are valid.

While trying to balance Leticia the Lake Lady’s fear with her conviction for the murder of the Sable family’s old nanny, Marlee finds herself earning the wrath of the Sable family when they believe she is aiding and supporting Leticia, who is harassing their family. Can Marlee find Letiicia before the murderer does, or will she be next herself?

Solid writing and characters with a strong whodunit that leaves you guessing exactly whodunit and why. This is the first book I have read by this author and while it is book four in the series, references to past events do not leave any gaps for a new reader. I’ll be reading the first three books to catch up before the next book in the series is released.

Description
Autumn has arrived on the shores of Lake Michigan, but Marlee Jacob, proprietor of The Berry Basket, is feeling a chill for other reasons …

With the Harvest Health Fair in full swing, Marlee makes sure to stock up on elderberry products for cold and flu season. But this year there's also a run on mulberry when an eccentric customer wants to use the dried berries to ward off evil forces. True, it's almost Halloween, but something else seems to be spooking Leticia the Lake Lady, Oriole Point's oddest resident. She believes someone plans to kill her—and the ghost. Only mulberries can protect them. Marlee doesn't take her fears seriously until a man named Felix Bonaventure arrives in the village, asking questions about a mysterious woman.



The next day, Marlee finds Bonaventure dead on Leticia's property—shot through the heart with an arrow made of mulberry wood. And Leticia has disappeared. Marlee soon learns the Lake Lady has a deadly past that is connected to the famous Sable family who are in town for the health fair. A bunch of clues start to come together—and figuring out what's going on puts Marlee in a real jam …



Includes Berry Recipes!



Rating: 4.5

enjoyable Halloween themed cozy mystery.And I love how the main character always seems to get into stuff even when she's trying not to, also love how at the end of book you get the recipes , and the mystery was well done , with that said I would love to thank Netgalley for letting me read and review it .