Dollycas’s Thoughts

Abby McCree just doesn’t know how or get the chance to say “NO!”. Still filling in for her deceased Aunt Sybil, she is also part of the planning committee for the Halloween Festival and soon will be volunteered by her tenant Tripp to help with another event. With one of the Halloween committee down sick Abby is recruited to pick up the pumpkin order from Ronald Minter’s farm. While searching the farm for its owner she comes upon his corn maze. Thinking he must be in there getting ready for the expected crowds from the festival, she ventures in. She finds the man, but with that knife in his back, he will be of no help with those pumpkins. The prime suspect becomes Kevin Montgomery, a homeless vet that has been living in the woods. Tripp also a veteran has been trying to help the man acclimate and knows he didn’t kill Minter, in fact, he would stake his freedom on it.

There are also some unique creations showing up around town that may tie into the case. Abby along with her sidekick Zeke, for the most part, a Bull Mastiff, a gentle giant, at least most of the time set out to find the real killer. Her friend Police Chief Gage tries to keep her safe knowing she will not back down.

__________

I liked Abby right away in the first book of this series, Death by Committee, I love her now. Check out the way she takes a new detective down on notch with just her words.

Please let me finish. What I was going to say was that I really don’t care who you are, Detective Whatever-Your-Name-Is, or why you’re here. As I’m sure Deputy Chapin told you, I have permission to be here and to stay as long as I like. I’m sure if you want time to talk to Mr. Blackston, Chief Logan will be glad to schedule you an appointment. This particular time slot, however, is already taken.”

She wasn’t sure what her smile looked like at that moment, but Deputy Chapin backpedaled a few feet. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, Mr. Blackston and I were talking. I’m sure you can find something to occupy yourself until we’re done. I’m betting if you kick some money into the kitty in the bullpen, they’ll even let you have a cup of coffee. If not, there’s a nice coffee shop right down the street.” By that point, all three men were looking at her as if they hadn’t understood a single word she’d said. “I’m sorry, do you need me to repeat that, maybe slower this time?”

Strong, smart, sassy, I laughed out loud and gave Abby a “You Go Girl!” Now if only she could stand up to that group of her aunt’s friends that keep volunteering her for everything under the sun. She is getting there but her kind nature I believe she will always be a soft touch especially when she feels is honoring her aunt.

Ms. Morgan has surrounded Abby with a great supporting cast. We are getting to know Tripp Blackston a little better and the connection between him and Abby is getting stronger. He already has a big strong relationship with the lovable Zeke 🙂 Abby has a true friendship with Gage Logan and they are getting to understand each other. The ladies from the quilting group are always there to help, advise or butt in as needed.

The author has written a strong mystery too. I was pulled in many different directions over the course of the novel. I knew in my heart who it couldn’t be but I would be lying if I didn’t tell you I was totally surprised by the big reveal. Alexis Morgan expertly pens a slow build the rachets up at a delightful pace all leading up a dramatic ending. She describes everything so clearly readers can feel like they are right there on the spot.

I really have to applaud the author for the way she addressed homeless veterans and veterans, in general, dealing with veterans with PTSD and finding their way back in the world after surviving horrendous things can be a rough road. Many in Snowberry Creek were on the wrong side of this issue but thankfully there were those willing to help, some veterans themselves. Putting a hot topic issue like this into a work of fiction makes it more real and relevant.

Death by Jack-o’-Lantern is a marvelous addition to this series. I loved the Halloween theme and was totally entertained beginning to end. Bring on Book #3!

This was a fun cozy mystery read. Abby is roped into leading multiple committees as her small town prepares for the annual Halloween Festival. As she's running an errand at a local pumpkin farm, she finds the owner - Ronald Minter, curmudgeon extraordinaire - dead in his corn maze. Meanwhile, pumpkins carved to resemble local residents are appearing around town and causing a bit of trouble for some people, but nobody knows who is carving them. When Abby's tenant is jailed, she knows she needs to solve the case quickly before anyone else gets hurt.

Abby's beloved dog has a large presence in the novel, and I enjoyed that aspect. The characters are quirky and fun, the town is charming, and I found the plot to be fun. It was a little too easy to figure out which characters were lying and which were telling the truth, but it was still an enjoyable story.

I am loving this new cozy series! In this second book in the series, Abby has a Halloween murder to solve. With her friend and tennant, Trip sitting in jail because he refuses to give up a friend’s(and a person of interest in the case) whereabouts, it’s up to Abby to do some sleuthing on her own, to get Trip out of jail. This is a fun mystery. I enjoyed the fall/Halloween time frame of the mystery and it had quite a few surprises along the way. I am definitely keeping this series on my must keep up with list.

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

An unfriendly farmer is found dead in his own corn maze and most of her neighbors suspect the homeless veteran who's been accused of trespassing on the pumpkin farm. This is the first Abby McCree mystery that I've read and it really captures the fall season. I enjoyed the mystery, but I had a lot of questions about Abby and her background that probably would have been answered if I'd started with the first book.

Death by Jack-O’-Lantern: An Abby McCree Mystery
By Alexis Morgan
Kensington
September 2019

Review by Cynthia Chow

After moving to Snowberry Creek, Washington, Abby McCree decided that implementing her ingrained organizational skills in community activities would be the best way to make the new town feel more like her home. That has of course led to her being volunteered to lead an increasing amount of town committees, from the quilting guild that provides comforting quilts for the fire and police departments to being the “temporary” head of the Committee on Senior Affairs. Now, her tenant Tripp Blackston is using no small amount of guilt – he did save her life, after all – to coerce Abby into chairing his veterans group’s Main Street Trick-or-Treating event. As irritated as Abby may be by her undeniably heroic tenant’s tactics, she is also concerned by the late-night walkabouts he’s been taking after donning full combat gear. Her impulsive and rather reckless attempt to follow Tripp leads to the discovery of another veteran camped in the woods, one who has not adjusted well to life back as a civilian.

While Tripp ensures that Abby’s introduction to Sergeant Kevin Montgomery ends peacefully, he’s not around for the confrontation between Kevin and town complainer Ronald Minter. The pumpkin farmer accuses the war veteran of stealing pumpkins from his farm, but despite Mr. Minter’s best efforts Kevin escapes arrest. Unfortunately, that also makes him the top suspect when Abby finds Ronald Minter stabbed to death in his pumpkin farm, looking disconcertingly like a dressed-up scarecrow. When it is Tripp who lands himself in jail protecting Kevin and his roving whereabouts, Abby doesn’t hesitate to hurtle herself in to the investigation despite the stubborn Tripp’s and the chief of police’s protests.

Along with the investigation into the death of a most irritating man, the town is plagued by a talented prankster leaving carved pumpkin portraits on their inspiration’s doorsteps. When combined with descriptions of pie-eating contests, costumes, and decorations, readers will feel as involved in the Halloween events as Abby herself. Abby’s snark and refusal to back down make her a spunky heroine as determined to track down a killer as she is to fulfill her quilt deliveries. While never shying away from the many challenges that war veterans face, the novel delights in the humorous interactions between Abby and the many quirky residents. This follow-up to the debut Death by Committee delivers another fun mystery depicting the exploits of Abby and her guardian mastiff Zeke.

Amateur sleuth Abby McCree is back on the case. While prepping for the Halloween Festival in Snowberry Creek, Abby, on a mission for one her many local committees, heads off to pick up pumpkins from a grouchy farmer, Ronald Minter. Unfortunately, she finds him at the center of his corn maze— dead. Immediately, the police form a case against Kevin, a homeless veteran. But Tripp, who rents Abby’s guest house, knows Kevin isn’t the murderer, and soon he’s arrested while trying to shield him from the investigation. Abby must find the killer, free Tripp, and plan a festival … before anyone else gets hurt.

For fans of the first book in the Abby McCree Mystery series, Snowberry Creek proves just as charming the second time around. Abby, with her commitment to organizing social gatherings and baked goods, proves to also be a shrewd detective. Author Alexis Morgan has infused her with a careful investigative style— mostly keeping her away from unnecessary, ridiculously dangerous situations. And while this does cause the mystery to take its time ramping up, it’s done so in favor of solid world building that lays the groundwork for a seemingly realistic mystery.

Unlike in some cozies, Morgan’s characters and their relationships show some clear development. Abby and Tripp have a natural chemistry that Morgan deliciously plays with. Similarly, Abby’s banter with her friend and police chief, Gage, as well as her interactions with the ladies of the quilting guild provide for plenty of fun moments that build from the previous book. Though Death by Jack-o’-Lantern works completely as a stand alone novel, these characters and their exchanges build from the previous book— there are no cookie cutter scenes here.

Of course, the underlying buildup of tension hinges on the final reveal ending. As Abby doesn’t spend her time bouncing around crime scenes and bumbling through evidence, she relies on a healthy dose of local gossip and inferences. The result is a murderer who might seem obvious, but who is no less entertaining to uncover.

With a light touch and an impeccable attention to characters, Morgan has written a solid followup for Abby.

Since moving to Snowberry Creek, Washington, Abby McCree finds herself “volunteered” for one committee after another. With Halloween coming up, she is even busier than ever. Her most recent good dead is to go to Ronald Minter’s pumpkin farm to pick up an order for the local senior center. Instead of a box of pumpkins, Abby finds Ronald’s body. Her friend police chief Gage Logan warns Abby not to get involved in the investigation, but she can’t help but adding the investigation to her already full to-do list.

This is an enjoyable mystery that has a cozy feel, but still deals with some serious issues. Abby’s tenant and potential boyfriend, Tripp Blackston, is suffering from PTSD from his time in the military. Abby is convinced to help run his veteran’s group’s fundraiser and one of the people Tripp is helping who is also suffering from trauma, becomes one of the main suspects in the murder. Gage is a good investigator, but seems to quick to zero in on one suspect considering Ronald was a vocal complainer at town meetings Other than that, the book is a good mixture of light and heavier topics. The “pumpkin portraits” of local residents being done carved by an anonymous artist are a great touch to set the mood for Halloween and also play a surprising part in the overall plot.

There weren’t any huge surprises in the solution to the murder, but this is still an evenly-paced mystery with interesting characters and small-town setting. Gage isn’t thrilled that Abby keeps putting herself in dangerous situation with her investigations, but besides that, it’s nice to see the amateur sleuth and the town’s police chief getting along. Abby’s romance with Tripp is moving very slowly which is okay except Abby needs to at least admit her feelings for him to herself. I enjoyed how everything turns out in the end and look forward to more books in this series. This book is the second in the series, but is one that new readers can easily enjoy. The series will appeal to fans of Lynn Cahoon or Melinda Mullet.

~ Christine

This is the 2nd installment of the Abby McCree mystery series and this is becoming one of my favorite series. Abby is back trying to determine the next steps in her life as she is finishing up her commitments on various committees in town. She is worried about Tripp her boarder who seems to be going out late at night and it becoming distant. She follows him one night and finds herself “captured” by Sergeant Montgomery who Tripp has been helping out in the forest. Abby agrees never to follow Tripp again and plans to stay clear of Sergeant Montgomery when she witnesses an argument between Ronald Minter (a local pumpkin farmer) and the Sergeant on the street. The Sergeant walks away and Abby is able to defend him to the police. The next day when Abby has to go out to pick up pumpkins at Mr. Minter’s farm for the fall festival she finds him dead in his corn maze. Suspicion immediately falls to Sergeant Montgomery and Tripp ends up in jail for failing to tell the police where he is staying in the forest. The murder is not in Chief Gage Logan’s jurisdiction but Detective Ben Earle who has some funny run in’s with Abby. My favorite is when she asks for the brownies back! Abby is a strong character and does not go out of her way to solve the mystery but just stumbles upon things. The Detective and Gage look out for Abby as she is threatened a couple of times. This is an enjoyable read and this series is now an automatic buy for me. Looking forward to the next installment. Highly Recommend.

This is book two in the "Abbey McCree" mystery series. I loved the first in series and was delighted to receive this for review. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My opinion is my own. The author's writing is flawless and she has created wonderful charcters here that are fun to know. A very Halloween centered story with even mysterious pumpkin carver running amok in town makes this such a fun read.

Abbey McCree is actively volunteering on many different committees and activities for her Snowberry Creek Community. I love that this protagonist is not self involved and cares for others by volunteering. . This is a wonderful aspect of this series. She has been volunteered by her friend and neighbor Tripp for the Halloween Festival’s planning committee. She agrees only if Tripp co-chairs. Tripp is a veteran and acknowledging veterans and their issues is a great addition to this book. Tripp is a important friend to Abbey and she knows he suffers from PTSD.
Abby follows him outdoors one night concerned that he is in fatigues and going out in the dark. All of a sudden one of his friends grabs her who is a fellow vet. Kevin lives outdoors around a corn maze owned by curmudgeon neighbor Ron Minter. Tripp saves her and lightens the moment. When Minter’s dead body is found in the maze, the police assume Kevin is guilty. Both Abbey and Tripp are convinced he is not the guilty one and Tripp covers for him because as a vet he has PTSD. . The situation goes from bad to worse when Tripp is put into jail. Abby commits herself to solving the case and saving both her friend Tripp and Kevin. Soon Abbey is on the right track of a killer and putting herself in harms way . The added aspect of this story is mysterious carved pumpkins are appearing and no one knows who is responsible in town. A romance is slowly developing between Abby and Tripp but is just right for the story and not a focus as they find their way.

I loved this Halloween themed next in series. The issues of PTSD are handled here with respect to our veterans and very appreciated. The author's writing is well crafted and enjoyable to read at a fast pace with multi layered clues to conclusion. A very nice addition to this series and I look forward to the next in series. Very well done to the author with respect to veterans and PTSD issues.

Death by Jack-o'Lantern by Alexis Morgan is the 2nd book in the Abbey McCree Mystery series, and a great addition. I really loved this book and can't wait for the next book in the series. Abby McCree moves to Snowberry Creek, after inheriting her Aunt Sybil home. Abby is ready to start a new life after a bad divorce, so she moved there with her dog, a Mastiff, named Zeke. Abby goes to the pumpkin patch to pick up pumpkins, and finds the owner, Ronald Minter, dead. Ronald was a grumpy man, who was not well liked. Tripp, her renter, is thrown into jail because he refuses to tell where a homeless veteran, accused of murder, is. Determined to help Tripp, Abby want to find the truth. This book is very well written full of great characters, and a well thought out plot. When I started this book, it kept me reading page after page. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I strongly recommend this book. 

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.

Abby McCree has her hands full working on several committees and preparing for the Halloween festival. She goes on an errand to pick up pumpkins for the festival only to find the farmer killed in his corn maze. The police immediately suspect Tripp's friend, a homeless veteran named Kevin, who was seen arguing with the farmer. Tripp, convinced of his friend's innocence, goes to great lengths to protect him from the police, resulting in him being arrested. Abby is determined to find the real killer to get Tripp out of jail. I enjoyed this second installment in the series. The mystery was solid, and I was unable to guess the culprit. The pacing and writing were perfect. Abby is such a fun character. I found myself laughing out loud a couple of times during her conversations with the new detective, and Tripp. There is a wonderful romance brewing between Abby and Tripp and I really look forward to their relationship developing. Overall I highly recommend this series. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this advance copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a fun and interesting story. I really enjoyed the characters and the mystery. There were just enough red herrings to make things really interesting. I haven't read the first book in the series but I plan on checking it out.
On a side note, I'm not a huge fan of love triangles in cozy mysteries. I just think it's been way overdone. I hope the author picks just one love interest for Abby.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or remuneration.

Death by Jack-o’-Lantern is the first of this cozy mystery series I have read written by Alexis Morgan. I had always enjoyed her paranormal series and loved the Sergeant Joe's Boys Series so I was looking forward to reading this one. While it has her excellent writing style, it has a slower pace to the story with only a hint of romance.

While reading it I thought of Murder She Wrote of how how Abby could be the next TV female protagonist. I could see America tuning in each week to see what Abby is up to in Snowberry Creek, Washington. The mystery is a murder who-dun-it which is not unusual. However, there are such strong characterizations with the wonderful secondary characters adding atmosphere and fabric to this small town story so that it is such a pleasure to read.

Having not yet read the first Abby McCree Mystery, I can say that it did not hinder the enjoyment of my reading this one. Still I wanted to know more about how Abby came to live in Snowberry Creek that I purchased Death by Committee to read soon.

Abby McCree has been the committee queen since moving to Snowberry Creek a few months ago. She’s trying to downsize her involvement, but her neighbor, Tripp Blackston, has volunteered her for yet another one, this time as a fundraiser for a veterans’ group. Meanwhile, Abby has her hands full with her other committees including preparations for the Halloween Festival. Murder isn’t on her agenda, but unfortunately she finds the dead body of a local pumpkin farmer while helping out a friend. Worse yet, the suspect favored by most of the town is a homeless veteran that Tripp has been helping. Can Abby uncover who the murderer is before the rumors in town get out of hand?

DEATH BY JACK-O’-LANTERN is the second book in the <i>Abby McCree</i> series and can easily be read as a standalone story. Alexis Morgan provides all the necessary back story we need to enjoy and appreciate Abby’s involvement in the mystery. While we did see the relationship develop between Abby and Tripp in the first book, DEATH BY COMMITTEE, Alexis Morgan does an excellent job at showing their bond, especially with how Abby’s dog, Zeke, reacts to Tripp’ unplanned absence.

And speaking of Zeke… Zeke is my favorite character in DEATH BY JACK-O’-LANTERN! Yes, Abby, Tripp, Gage, and all the others are a lot of fun, but Zeke steals the show with his instinct (read that as nose) for character. I love dogs, so it is heart-warming to see an author incorporate one into the story line in such a way that we see their loyalty, love, and willingness to protect.

I also love that Alexis Morgan touches on the issues surrounding the homeless, focusing mainly on veterans. The town’s immediate willingness to convict a homeless veteran for the murder is unfortunately indicative of a general societal attitude that ignores the underlying issues affecting all of the homeless population, seeing them as criminals rather than as struggling and emotionally wounded. I love Tripp even more for his commitment to helping his fellow veterans, even at his own peril.

Alexis Morgan has long been one of my favorite paranormal romance authors, and she is proving herself to be a strong contender for that status in the cozy mystery genre! JACK-O’-LANTERN is a fun holiday story filled with great characters and a solid mystery. I enjoyed the first book in the <i>Abby McCree</i> series, but Alexis Morgan kicks it up a notch with this latest installment. I can’t wait to see what is in store for us next!

*review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*

When reading the second in a series always think about the sophomore slump. Will the second book be as good as the first? In this case the answer is yes. Abby and her 'lodger' Tripp along with Abby's dog, are people I enjoy reading about. With a touch of romance between them, that's a nice extra story thread. Abby would like to have more time to herself, maybe some time to spend with Tripp would be good but no, not going to happen. She seems to have a 'volunteer me' target on her back and no matter how hard she tries, she ends up on committee after committee. For example, she is delivering handmade quilts to the police department so they can give them to children involved in traumatic situations, to go with a teddy bear. No sooner has she done that when the subject of doing the same service for the fire department. She may want to say no but others are saying yes on her behalf. The latest to volunteer her is Tripp and Abby is none too pleased with him. She demands that he become her co-chair for the project. It's only fair.
If things weren't complicated enough, Abby decides to follow Tripp one night when she sees him leaving, wearing his military fatigues and carrying a pack. That leads to a major scare for her when she is accosted by a homeless vet with PTSD - the person Tripp has been secretly helping at night. Tripp comes to her rescue but all is not going smoothly. It gets really rocky when Abby stumbles upon the owner of the crop maze, very dead. The police are told that the homeless vet was seen arguing with him and their focus turns on him. Tripp refuses to let the police near him and is tossed into jail. Abby then has reason to investigate and, as this isn't her first encounter with homicide, she works to find the real killer. Along the way there is the question of those jack-o'-lanterns.
Now I have to add the third book, Death by Auction, coming out next June, to my ever growing to be read list.

Death by Jack-o'-Lantern
(Abby McCree Mystery #2)
by Alexis Morgan 

Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Expected publication: August 27th 2019 by Kensington



Goodreads synopsis:
Overcommitted committee member Abby McCree gets in a patch of trouble trying to solve the murder of a pumpkin farmer …

The small town of Snowberry Creek, Washington, is gearing up for the Halloween Festival, and naturally Abby is on the planning committee. As part of her duties, she's picking up a pumpkin order from ornery farmer Ronald Minter. But what she finds instead is the farmer in the middle of his corn maze with a knife in his back.

The police suspect a homeless veteran named Kevin Montgomery, who was seen arguing with Minter when the farmer accused him of trespassing and stealing pumpkins. Abby's tenant Tripp Blackston, a veteran himself who’s been helping Kevin, is sure he’s innocent. Together, Abby and Tripp follow the twists and turns of the case to corner the corn maze killer—before someone else meets a dead end …


***

4.5 Stars

This is the second book in the Abby McCree Mystery series by Alexis Morgan.

The book starts out with Abby’s neighbor Tripp offering her up as one of the heads of the Halloween Festival’s planning committee. She agrees only if Tripp co-chairs. She spies Tripp going out at night all dressed up in his combat fatigues and looking like he is ready to go out on patrol like he did when he was in the military. Abby follows him and gets the stuffing scared out of her when she is captured by one of his fellow Vietnam Vet guys (Kevin) who is living around a corn maze owned by curmudgeon Ron Minter. Tripp saves her from the misunderstanding. When Minter’s dead body is found at the center of his maze, they want to question Tripp’s friend Kevin. Tripp refuses to give away Kevin’s location since he has been having issues of PTSD and he didn’t want to spook the man. Tripp is put into jail. Abby makes it her job to discover the real killer before Tripp falls on his own sword and ruin’s his life.

I really enjoyed this book. The mystery was interesting. Not only the mystery of whodunit as far as the killing but who was carving all the very life-like pumpkins being left on people’s porches. The other thing I was digging was how well formed all the cast was. I could immediately tell who was who when they came onto the canvas. You don’t find that a lot with some cozy mysteries.

Abby has three possible love interests in this series and I find that fascinating: Detective Ben Earle, Police Chief Gage Logan, and of course, Tripp Blackston. She shares a kiss with Tripp at the end. And frankly, that is not enough PDA for me. I would have liked to see a tad more romance in this story, but it certainly didn’t lack in anyway without it. It is just a personal preference.

There are a couple of times in the story where you think they might have the culprit and then …. nope, it’s not them. Great red herrings. I like it when the plot surprises me. I wish there had been a bit of foreshadowing giving us that “ah ha” moment about the true killers and their motives. Maybe I just overlooked it when these people came on stage.

All in all it is a great cozy mystery that everyone should enjoy wrapping themselves up in for an afternoon. Definitely check this one out.

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 colorful scarecrow jack-o-lantern invites the reader into book 2 of the Abby McCree Mystery series. Halloween is fast approaching, and an already over committed, Abby seethes a bit when Tripp informs her he has blithely volunteered her to chair a fund raising activity. The nerve! It is a worthy cause, however, Tripp's veteran's group is a fine asset to the Snowberry Creek Community.
First things first. At the moment, Abby is still chairing the Mayor's Committee on Senior Affairs, has just finished helping the quilting guild with their garage sale, and spearheading the Senior's organization of the annual trick or treating event on Main Street. One more event in the future would work, especially as Tripp will be co chairing with her. Or will he?

Her plans for downtime are further derailed when Tripp moves into his hero mode. A shadowy figure, one who has been accused of theft, is also a PTSD burdened war veteran. When the hot headed accuser is found dead in the middle of a corn maze, Tripp's associate is quickly presumed guilty by most of the town. Tripp adamantly refuses to share knowledge of his friend; he is jailed for obstruction of justice. Now the pressure is on Abby's shoulders. She discovered the corpse. Will she be able to find true justice for everyone?

Morgan is able to quickly develop a character, populating Snowberry with colorful people. Our amateur sleuth Abby, is new to the community, and is currently without employment. She is therefore able to spend all her time working on the volunteer projects while still finding time to do some investigation. She is assisted by Zeke, her part mastiff and full time companion.

The potential culprits are logical choices. The author leaves enough clues to make the mystery challenging. This is a good quick seasonal read that invites the reader to look ahead to book 3.

Full disclosure: I received this e copy from netgalley and Kensington Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for the opportunity.

Abby's settled into small town Snowberry Creek and she's developed some nice relationships, including with her tenant Tripp. She's talked into helping more than she might like with the Halloween festival and when she goes to pick up pumpkins she finds the farmer dead, with a knife in his back. Cozy readers know what Roland Mintner had more enemies than friends and that the person the police suspect- Kevin- is not the man who did it, but who did? Tripp, convinced that Kevin is innocent, even ends up in jail. As always, our intrepid heroine investigates and finds the villain! This would have benefited greatly from a polish but it's still a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Classic cozy and you'll be fine with it as a standalone.

The small town of Snowberry Creek, Washington, is gearing up for the Halloween Festival, and naturally Abby is on the planning committee. As part of her duties, she's picking up a pumpkin order from ornery farmer Ronald Minter. But what she finds instead is the farmer in the middle of his corn maze with a knife in his back.

The police suspect a homeless veteran named Kevin Montgomery, who was seen arguing with Minter when the farmer accused him of trespassing and stealing pumpkins. Abby's tenant Tripp Blackston, a veteran himself who’s been helping Kevin, is sure he’s innocent. Together, Abby and Tripp follow the twists and turns of the case to corner the corn maze killer—before someone else meets a dead end…

Unfortunately, the writing of this cozy mystery kind of ruined the book for me. I wasn't able to get past the bad grammar and plot holes.

I love the Abby McCree mystery series! Even though this is the second book in the series, this could be read as a stand alone novel. Abby McCree is relatively new in Snowberry Creek, Washington after inheriting a relative's home. Abby becomes involved with the senior affairs committee, the local quilting guild, and has now been asked to help a veteran's group organize a fund raiser.

Abby is funny and spunky and I enjoy reading about her exploits. In this book, jack-o-lanterns carved into the likeness of local townspeople are mysteriously found around town. When the local pumpkin farmer, a cantankerous, mean man is found dead, the suspects are plenty! It seems like he has had run-in's with several townspeople recently and no one has a kind thing to say about him. When a homeless veteran is accused of his murder, Abby's renter Tripp is arrested for obstruction of justice for not telling police where he is.

It's up to Abby to get to the bottom of things. I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery and I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a great cozy mystery!