This is going to be one of my favorite new series this year. I loved the setting of Blossom Valley West Virginia and the Smythe farm was wonderfully described. I fell in love with Winnie and her grandma. They are both feisty and love their farm and community. Once I started this book I couldn't put it down. The mystery had great twists and I enjoyed all the characters. The ending was unique and I enjoyed how Kenny and Dolly, the most adorable kittens played a role in the end. I am looking forward to the next book coming out this spring. I highly recommend this book

I am so torn as if I liked this or not. I liked the characters but the plot seemed blah in regards to the murder mystery. A lot of focus was on the background of the characters and such. At times I found myself bored reading.

The budding romance between Winnie and Colton seems to be too convenient. Almost like, oh my main character needs a romantic interest. I think it would have been better if the romance was introduced in book two.

I will read book two and see if my thoughts improve. You never know, maybe I was just having a bad reading week while reading Apple Cider Slaying.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is a tasty concoction of a book. Winnie and her Granny are two very strong ladies who are determined to bring back the orchard they took over after the death of her grandfather. Things have not gone very well but Winnie has an idea to start a business that will return her orchard to a healthy balance- that is if she can get some temporary financing to get her craft cider and barn properly launched. It seems every time the local banker she is approaching comes to check it out, something goes very wrong.
The first time her neighbour and her Granny’s nemesis if found crushed in their apple press. Thanks to the cantankerous nature of their relationship, Granny is the prime suspect. Winnie knows she is innocent. If only she could convince the local constabulary. The tension between her and the police is taut but not just for legal reasons. Winnie is convinced if she can find another suspect, Granny will be exonerated but the more questions she asks, the more dangerous it becomes. It is a very tangled web that could cost her dearly.
Great characters and a solid plot with enough twists to keep the reader guessing. Four purrs and two paws up.

In the three years since Winnie’s grandfather passed away, business has been declining. Her Granny Smythe supports her plans to expand the business to keep it open and profitable year round. So, she books several tours for the day the bank official is to come and assess her proposal. After a rocky start, he seems to be coming around, but that all changes when her big reveal ends up being a dead body in the apple press. Turns out the dead woman is someone that Granny Smythe has been at odds with, making her the prime suspect. The business isn’t the only thing in jeopardy now.

I’m a huge fan of cozies. They have such fun titles and cover art. Apple Cider Slaying says fall and the cover is a perfect representation to the story. Including those two adorable kitties, which Winnie adopted.

And they usually have homey settings. The town felt like home. We had a crab apple tree where I grew up. There was nothing I liked more than to climb it and settle on these two branches that made a perfect place to sit and read a book. I suffered many an upset tummy from munching the apples before they were ripe. LOL

And the characters could be your family and neighbors. They are so genuine. Winnie was smart and brave. I thought she was awesome in how she handled the banker. Despite being nervous she really stepped up to the plate. Just like she did when her Granny was suspected of the murder. She dug in and sorted things out while also juggling other issues.

And the mystery kept me guessing. I had two suspects in mind for the murder and didn’t know which one it was until right near the end.

While cozy mysteries usually have a murder to solve, I found myself just as wrapped up in the characters everyday lives. Apple Cider Slaying is a great beginning to a wonderful series and I’d happily read more.

I have waited a very long time to find a good cozy mystery set in my home state of West Virginia. Apple Cider Slaying did not disappoint!! I adored this book.

The story is about Granny Smythe and her granddaughter, Winnie, who live on an apple orchard in Blossom Valley, West Virginia. Smythe Orcchards is struggling financially and Winnie is trying to save the business buy bringing in an additional attraction, a year-round cider shop that would be located in the Mail Pouch barn that is on their property.

While waiting for one of the local bankers to stop by to discuss her business proposal and loan possibilities, one of Granny's neighbors, Nadine Cooper, stops by to speak with Granny. Nadine and Granny have a rocky relationship and Nadine isn't too happy to find out that Granny is too busy to speak with her at this time. Nadine storms off and a short time later, Mr. Sherman, from the bank arrives at the orchard.

Winnie discusses her ideas and offers to give Mr. Sherman a tour of the orchard. Mr Sherman notices that some of the trees don't look healthy, but Winnie is studded to see the unhealthy trees. Mr. Sherman then asks to see the apple processing area. When they approach the building, Winnie notices that the door, that is usually open, has been closed. When she enters, she finds the apple press and a dead Mrs. Cooper.

When Granny Smythe is quickly pegged as the prime suspect, Winnie begins her own investigation to clear the name of her beloved grandmother, even though it begins to put her own live in danger.

I really appreciated the information of the Mail Pouch barns and how they came to be. Even though I was a life long resident of West Virginia, I never new the backstory of the barns.. My other favorite portion of the book was the description of Winnie's house and land. I am ready to move there right now.

The story is filled with so many likable and interesting characters that I feel there is an opportunity for a lot of story lines to come..

Thank you, Netgalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to have early access to the first book in this new series. I am so excited to read additional adventures with Winnie, Granny Smythe, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Smythe.

After the death of her Grampy, Winnie Montgomery has been even more committed to the success of the business she runs with her Granny Smythe. Still, there’s no denying that the orchard is in financial trouble, and unless things turn around—well, she doesn’t even want to consider what would happen. Fortunately, Winnie and Granny have a plan: the First Annual Christmas at the Orchard, a massive festival centered around the pair’s apple-centric products. But after Granny’s sworn enemy is found dead in their apple press and she becomes the number one suspect, Winnie turns sleuth to clear her name.

‘Tis the season for apple cider and murder. Author Julie Anne Lindsey has stirred up a solid series debut, and much of that success rests on her main character—granddaughter extraordinaire and guide to all things apple. Winnie opens the story in the middle of planning a festival and securing a bank loan. She’s someone naturally excited about the quiet community around her, and the bulk of her adult life has been spent aiding her grandparents and bettering their small business. This calmness and loyalty make her immediately endearing.

And when everything goes topsy-turvy—financially and mortally—she’s the first to take control of the situation. Her detective work feels natural. She’s not someone inserting herself into a case. Rather, she feels compelled to solve the murder because of the suspicion cast on her Granny, and it’s highly effective. These two women share a special relationship, and their interactions are a true highlight, whether they’re hosting tour groups or simply sampling ciders. Ultimately, it makes sense that Winnie would do anything to help her—including putting herself in the occasional path of danger.

It helps that Lindsey has spun a compelling mystery that binds everything together. The murder comes quickly and ties directly to Winnie’s cider-making operation. And while Lindsey dips into other aspects of Winnie’s life, including a second job and a complicated history with love, everything ties back to the murder. Twists and turns abound, but it all builds to a truly surprising ending. The result is a well-rounded book that lets Winnie shine as the smart, funny character she is while dropping her into as many predicaments as possible.

Like all good cozies, she’s backed up in her endeavors by a charming cast of secondary characters who populate an almost-idyllic community—there is a murderer on the loose, after all. Lindsey manages to balance some quirky characteristics with restrained realism. A farmer with a secret. A sheriff balancing an investigation with personal feelings. A best friend in need of a feline favor. Altogether, it feels like purely natural fun.

Tightly plotted with expert character work and a strong mystery, Apple Cider Slaying is as satisfying as the apples, ciders, pies, and other delicious goodies that populate its pages.

What a great start to a new cozy mystery series! I loved the storyline and the characters. And the mystery kept me guessing until the end.

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

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Welcome to Smythe Orchards in Blossom Valley, West Virginia. The orchard has been struggling since Grandpa Smythe passed away but Winnie Montgomery has a few ideas to bring her grandparents orchards back into the black. The orchard has never been open year-round and Winnie thinks her plans will bring locals and tourists to the orchard well past Thanksgiving. She decides a “First Annual Christmas at the Orchard” festival is just the thing to kick off her future plans. She also needs the orchard to be full of customers when the loan officer, Mr. Sherman comes to talk about a loan for her future endeavors.

On Mr. Sherman’s first visit to the orchard Winnie’s plans go horribly awry when her Granny’s neighbor and long-time nemesis is discovered squished in the apple press. Because of the ongoing conflicts between the woman, the sheriff quickly picks Granny as his prime suspect. Winnie is not going to stand for that. She is sure she can come up with a bushel basket full of people who could have pressed the cantankerous woman to death. The question is can she do it without getting herself killed in the process.

_____________

This series is off to an excellent start.

Ms. Lindsey has created a protagonist this is smart and persistent. She faces a lot of things that would shake most people’s resolve but she keeps pushing forward to save her family’s orchard. Finding a dead woman in the apple press is horrible but it doesn’t stop there, and yet she remains determined to catch a killer and pursue her dreams. She does have a vulnerable side she tries to keep under wraps but that just adds to the depth of her character. I loved the relationship she had with her grandmother and as we get to know Granny Smythe we see where Winnie gets her strength. That apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

There is one truly rotten apple in the rest of the characters we meet. The author delivers plenty of twists and turns along with intrigue and humor making it very hard to pick the right culprit. As we get to know the people of Blossom Valley my focus was drawn to several suspects That final twist was suspenseful and took me completely by surprise. The person was not even on my list but they were rotten to the core! My heart rate really accelerated as the scene played out. The author got me and I love it when that happens.

I enjoyed the holiday theme and life taking care of an apple orchard and making it profitable. Winnie has great ideas and I really want her to succeed. The author gives us wonderful descriptions, so much so apple cider was immediately added to my shopping list about 2 weeks earlier than normal. I wanted a nice warm taste as I finished reading this book. Thankfully, we have an awesome orchard near where we live, not quite as grand as Winnie’s plans but we love their cider, pies, apples, and other treats.

I found the characters to be fresh and engaging and the mystery was stellar, one you can really take a big bite of and still be wrong. The setting was pure bliss, someplace I would visit often.

Apple Cider Slaying is a great holiday mystery! Fast-paced and hard to put down. It comes with recipes too. Pick your copy up today and pick a bushel to share with your friends, Christmas is right around the corner and this cozy mystery would make an awesome gift.

Pulp Friction, book two in this series will be released April 28. 2020.

Wow! what a great start to what I hope will be a decent length series, Ms Lindsey has the pick of the crop with this book!

Three years ago Winnie's beloved Grandpa Smythe died leaving Winnie working at the local diner and working towards a business degree, and her Granny Smythe running the apple and fruit orchard she and Grampy bought when they were first married, recently Granny has realised that she has no financial ideas (Grampy did all that) and she has come to Winnie to help sort things out, Winnie has the idea of staying open longer than Thanksgiving for various festival ideas and also, if she can get the local bank on board, a cider house that would be a small function area.

All of these ideas come crashing down when the bank manager comes to see what she has planned and the two of them find a dead body in the apple press! That would be bad enough but the body belongs to a neighbour that Granny Smythe has frequent run ins with, and so the new Sheriff is looking a Granny as murderer #1 now Winnie is determined to show that her Granny is no killer, but in doing so puts both herself and her Granny in a killer's sights.

Apple Cider Slaying
A Cider Shop Mystery, Book #1
Julie Anne Lindsey
5+ Stars

Synopsis:

Apples are at the core of the family business run by Winona Mae Montgomery and her Granny Smythe. But this year's crop is unseasonably ripe with murder . . .

ONE ROTTEN APPLE

Blossom Valley, West Virginia, is home to Smythe Orchards, Winnie and her Granny's beloved twenty-five-acre farm and family business. But any way you slice it, it's struggling. That's why they're trying to drum up business with the "First Annual Christmas at the Orchard," a good old-fashioned holiday festival with enough delicious draw to satisfy apple-picking locals and cider-loving tourists alike--until the whole endeavor takes a sour turn when the body of Nadine Cooper, Granny's long-time, grudge-holding nemesis, is found lodged in the apple press. Now, with Granny the number one suspect, Winnie is hard-pressed to prove her innocence before the real killer delivers another murder . . .

Includes Recipes! (Goodreads)

Review:

This is the first book in a new series and I thought it was great. It has everything I look for in a cozy mystery: fantastic characters, a charming setting and a killer mystery.
The characters are well rounded, well developed and three dimensional. I really enjoyed meeting Winnie and her Granny. They have a deep love for each other and they will do anything for each other. The secondary characters added a lot to the story and brought the story to life.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. Each scene was so vivid in my mind and at times I felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book. I think this is a hard thing to do but this author pulled it off perfectly.

The mystery was well plotted and well paced. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. I was very surprised at who the culprit turned out to be, which is how I like my mysteries.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I cannot wait to read the next one. If I could, I would give this book more than 5 stars.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

This was a such an awesome beginning for a new series! I just love the characters of Winnie, Granny, Dot and Colton! What's not to love about Granny, a feisty lady who's not afraid to protect herself, and Dot is just an amazing best friend. I was happy to see that Winnie and Colton eventually hit it off and will be interested in seeing their friendship and hopefully more develop. I could tell that he was interested in Winnie, since he seemed to have incredible patience with her investigating.

I loved how everything came together by Christmas. I definitely hadn't guessed the killer and was fairly surprised at who it was. It was really cool how a little ginger kitten helped save the day! Maybe Dolly was giving back to her new owner for adopting her! ;) I'm super anxious now for the next book in the series, but was happy that this was set at Christmas and came out just now.

4.5 stars. Terrific! I thoroughly enjoyed this book - characters, setting, mystery, all of it! The potential love interest was great (although I hope the distraction person will be out of the series soon). I was way off base in my guessing on the murderer which made for a fun reveal at the end. I loved how the author upped the ante on the suspense and danger as the story developed - the pacing was perfect. I will definitely be sticking with this series!

This is the first book in a new series and it started off wonderfully. I loved the premise of an apple orchard that is struggling to survive. Winona Mae Montgomery, aka Winnie, and her Granny Smythe are hoping to expand their retail side by opening a cider barn that would be open year round as well as being available to hold events. The catch is that they need a loan and the business is already in financial difficulties. When Winnie sets up a visit by the loan officer of the bank, she is set to show off everything they have to offer, not stumble on a dead body in their barn. When Granny is the prime suspect due to the fact that she and the victim did not get along, Winnie sharpens her investigation talents to make sure that the Sheriff doesn't shut down the investigation thinking he has found his culprit.

Winnie and Granny are great characters. They have worked hard to get over their grief after the death of Grampy. They are trying to revive interest in Smythe Orchards, but after a dead body is found, customers seem to be staying away. They support each other constantly and when Granny has to use her shotgun, I was holding my breath. Winnie is still dealing with her breakup the previous year and is not dating, in fact, she doesn't socialize much at all. She is a very busy lady, working at the diner, making cider for the orchard, and helping Granny that is is amazing she has time for anything. I love the addition of the two orphaned kittens that she takes in and nurses. They are adorable and show another side of Winnie. As the story ramps up and Winnie is threatened, I was quickly reading to find out what was going to happen. When Sheriff Wise becomes Colton, I knew that there would be some romance sneaking in. Julie Anne Lindsey does a very good job developing the characters and the romance. I enjoyed this well-written story and the mystery was well done. I followed along with Winnie's investigation and had many different culprits in mind. When the reveal came, I was not surprised as the clues fit, but it was not someone I had on my radar. Overall, a very enjoyable mystery with great characters, a wonderful setting and an interesting mystery. I will definitely be looking for more in this series.

I don't honestly have much to say about this book. It was a very "middle of the road" read for me. There were parts that I enjoyed a lot. The setting, Grammy, Winnie (sometimes). And there were things I didn't like. The "killer" was super obvious. The plot got bogged down at times with too much descriptions. I found Winnie to be annoying at times, and I loathe love triangles in cozy mysteries and this series looks to be heading in that direction. So ya, a mixed bag with this one for sure.

I really liked Apple Cider Slaying! It had all of the beats that I expect of a cosy mystery: a young woman trying to start her own business, a warm and loving family, a town where everyone knows everyone else's business, the prioritising of normality over the details of investigating a murder, and <em>inexplicable heteronormativity</em>.

In this case, the young woman in question is Winnie Montgomery, full of ideas to save her grandmother's near-bankrupt apple orchard, as long as she can convince the bank manager to give her business loan! Which it looks like he might not, considering that on his professional tour of the business, he and Winnie find her grandmother's nemesis dead in the apple press. Winnie, horrified that the town's new sheriff won't immediately rule her grandmother out as a suspect, <em>immediately</em> starts snooping.

I was very fond of Winnie and her grandmother, and of the people that Winnie loves; there's a lot of sweetness and support going on, and there's enough smattering of history that the characters feel rooted in their home. The constant circling of gossip alternates between feeling realistic for a small town, and incredibly convenient for the plot, <em>especially</em> when the narrative expects me to believe <em>no one</em> gossipped about a very public break-up. But I did like that Winnie's reaction to threats and attempts on her life feels very realistic: utter terror, and then phoning the police, instead of hiding it in some way like a lot of amateur sleuths end up doing.

I do not, by the way, understand the trend in cosy mysteries to have the female lead talk about how beautiful and amazing and talented all the women she meets are, and then have the love interest be <em>some guy</em> who intimidates her! Like, I say this as someone who quite liked the sheriff once he found his chill: <em>I don't know why he's the love interest</em>. Nor do I feel entirely sure about Winnie's ex-boyfriend showing back up at the end of the book, because that particular thread of drama felt very pasted on at the end. I'm also not sure about the level of affection between the Sheriff and Winnie; it makes more sense when it's revealed that they've met before, but the fact that she doesn't remember it and he does means that the thread of it feels weird.

But on the whole, it was mostly sweet and fun, and I liked Winnie a lot! I'm looking forward to the next one coming out.

[Caution warning: threats of violence and stalking, off-screen murder, references to neglectful parents, off-screen animal death and on-screen animal peril] [<em>This review is based on an ARC from Netgalley</em>.]

Apple Cider Slaying is the first book that I've read by Julie Anne Lindsey and it's the first book in her new A Cider Shop Mystery series. I have read two of her other books under her pseudonym of Jacqueline Frost, the two Christmas Tree Farm Mystery books and I absolutely adored both of them so I was super excited to pick this one up. I think you can really feel Lindsey's writing style come through in both, so if you've read one, you should like the other.

Quick question: why do so many cozy mystery authors have so many different pseudonyms? I'm not complaining, but it just seems like some authors have a different surname for every series, and that makes it harder for me to find their backlist. Just a thought...

Anyway, Apple Cider Slaying is set in the lead up to Christmas as Winnie and her Granny are getting their orchard ready for the first-ever Winter Fest. They're hoping that an uptake in Christmas traffic and the Cider Shop Winnie's hoping to open, can save Granny's Orchard from being foreclosed.

The three main elements in a cozy (for me) are (in order) the characters, the setting and the mystery.

I will say the investigation in this book felt pretty straight forward to me, in that there weren't an awful lot of red herrings, but at the same time, although I wasn't suspecting anyone in particular, I also didn't suspect the actual perpetrator until just before Winnie herself made the connection. I think that's the perfect time in a cozy for the reader to get it: just moments before the sleuth.

I really appreciated and enjoyed both the characters and the setting. Winnie is fun and bubbly and as almost idiotically stubborn as all the best cozy protagonist are. She's told off a dozen times and yet she still sticks her nose in where it shouldn't be. Sometimes this can put me off a protagonist, but Winnie is so likeable and charming it just made me feel incredibly fond of her.

I would have liked to see a little more of the town itself, and maybe some of the other residents. There were quite a lot of characters touched upon briefly so the story and the town had a really good sense of scale: you believe that there was a living town near with other people getting on with their lives. I think that Lindsey could probably go back and make these characters bigger players in future novels. I really like the level of thought that's gone into setting up a longer running series.

I was a little disappointed when I was looking things up a few months ago that we didn't seem to be getting another Christmas Tree Farm Mystery this year, but Apple Cider Slaying certainly makes up for that! It's a great, fun mystery absolutely perfect for reading just before you get into the really intensively seasonal period.

It's warm, charming and perfect for reading in front of a roaring fire with a hot mug of whatever takes your fancy.

Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey is the debut of A Cider Shop Mystery series. Winnie Montgomery and her Granny Smythe run Smythe Orchards in Blossom Valley, West Virginia. Winnie wants to add a cider shop in the Mail Pouch barn, but she needs a loan from the local bank. Winnie is showing around Mr. Sherman, the local loan manager, around the property when they discover Nadine Cooper, Granny’s longtime neighbor and nemesis, dead on the cider press. Sheriff Colton Wise quickly sets his sights on Granny which sends Winnie on the hunt for the real culprit. Apple Cider Slaying is a cute new cozy mystery that gets off to a solid start. We are introduced to Winona Mae Montgomery and her grandmother, Granny Smythe. They have a close relationship that I admired (so sweet together). I like that the author took the time to establish the main characters and introduce readers to their orchard. The descriptions of the orchard, Blossom Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains were wonderful. It was interesting to learn about the different apple varieties and how cider is made. The mystery had a couple of suspects and there was plenty of action. While it is a snap to identify the killer, I enjoyed following the investigation. I was curious as to why Mrs. Cooper was killed which took longer to come to light. I enjoyed the author’s conversational writing style which made Apple Cider Slaying a breeze to read. There are also two adorable kittens in the story. I could tell the author has experience with kittens from the scenes she wrote. Kittens sharp little claws and how it feels is accurately described (they love to climb up a person’s legs). Winnie also dreams up a Christmas festival for the orchard and spends time getting it organized. She has clever ideas and is a Martha Stewart wannabe. There is romance in the air for Winnie as well. I will definitely be reading Pulp Friction when it comes out next spring. Apple Cider Slaying is a charming new cozy mystery with a strong minded sheriff, cinnamon cider, classic cars, cute kittens, a polluted press and Christmas cheer.

Winnie lives with her grandmother on a fruit farm in West Virginia, and they hope to keep the business running past the traditional harvest season by introducing a Winterfest. When someone is murdered and Granny is a suspect, Winnie is determined to clear her name, as well as to get financing for her idea to make their place a year round destination. But someone who doesn't want Winnie's plan to go forward seemingly will stop at nothing. I enjoyed the small town farm setting and the seasonal ambiance of this novel, and look forward to reading more cozy mysteries by this author. I'm grateful that the publisher and Netgalley provided my with this ARC.

This felt like a fairly standard cozy series starter. Cute setting, lots of characters with some quirk to fill up the small town, and a plucky heroine. I think there is potential in this series to be entertaining, and I enjoyed reading it, but it wasn't a standout.

Apple Cider Slaying is the first book in a new series, A Cider Shop Mystery, written by Julie Anne Lindsey. I previously read a few books by this author (under her pseudonyms) and joined the blog tour to promote this release. I love drinking cider and wanted to get in on a new series right at the beginning. Let's chat about the book.

Winnie has returned to her hometown, Blossom Valley, West Virginia to help Granny turn around the family business. Her fiance dumped her last Christmas, and she's almost done obtaining her college degree, but she is ready to start a new cider business. During the first tour to convince the bank to lend her the money for the larger changes, her Granny's enemy is found in a precarious position. Who killed the neighbor? Winnie investigates while building up her new business. She struggles with the bank and the sheriff, as they worry she had something to do with the murder. Then Winnie's ex comes home to tell her he's sorry for the past. How does it all fit together?

To begin with, if you love fall, apple cider, and cozy mysteries, you will enjoy this book. There is a lot of time spent setting up the background and developing the characters, but that often happens in the first of a series. In some areas, I think there was too much focus on things other than the mystery, yet at the same time, it helped give the book a great ambiance and setting. I don't mind reading a mystery that shares a lot of about the side stories as long as the mystery itself isn't lacking. In this case, it was good, but I think it went off-course a few times--not enough to be a real problem tho.

The writing is good, and I enjoyed the transitions between chapters. There were several potential culprits and red herrings, but I would've liked a little more time spent on analyzing those options. All-in-all, for making a theme and setting pop, I give this one a solid A rating. As a debut, it leaves you a lot to look forward to in the series too. I will read the next one, as I like the author and the possibilities here. I recommend it for anyone who wants a fun fall read and likes their cozies mysteries with an even balance of side story humor and development. Drink some apple cider while reading it too.