Berried in the Past by Peg Cochran is book five in the Cranberry Cove Mystery series. This was the first I have read but was able to get current quickly and plan to read the previous books.
Monica and Greg are relaxing in front of the fireplace during a snow storm when a stranger shows up at their door. She thinks she was ran off the road and someone it trying to kill her. Her car is off the road and no tow truck is going to be able to get it. They put her up for the night in the guest room. The next morning Monica drives her around the area when she recognizes a house. When they go in, they find her sister dead. It doesn't appear suspicious but little things aren't adding up. Who would want her dead and why. Monica sets out for answers.
This easy to read cozy has a great cast of characters and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end. Cochran will have you feeling like you are in Cranberry Cove.
Recipes are included and you might start craving a muffin or cookie.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

I do like it when you get recipes as well as a good story. There is a fine tale here - and a couple of interesting recipes. Winter time on the Sassamanash farm, cold, icy, and with a lake that's frozen round the edges. Not a time to be out and about trying to find a murderer, but needs must for Monica.

Really enjoyed this quick read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read an advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

It’s been 23 months since I last read a book in this series, which was my first. I have since added these books to my reading pile but not yet engaged them. Number five was a natural choice for me as a follow on to the story as I knew it.

The setting is the fictional town of Cranberry Cove , MI. The town is quaint with its charming shops and friendly citizens.

Monica and Greg are newlyweds who live in a cottage on Sassamanash Farm. Monica creates treats featuring cranberries. These treats are sold in the farm store. Monica also does the accounting for the farm. Greg owns Book ‘Em which sells new and used books in town.

As the description states, one evening a stranger, Dana, appears on their door seeking assistance. The following day, her story doesn’t seem so farfetched. Upon further investigation, someone may be trying to kill her.

This story can easily be read as a standalone.

I plan to begin from the start when time permits.

Cranberry Cove –Moved there to assist on Cranberry farm. Monica and Husband Greg, Jeff(brother). Cat, mittens. A woman(Dana Bakker) showed up and claimed that someone was trying to kill her. They found that Dana’s sister had died. At first it seemed natural causes but then things changed as Dana regained her memory. Monica slowly put together all the clues to find the killer. Good characters and plot.

A nice addition to a delightful series. A clever mystery. Lots of cranberries. Good build up to discovering the culprit.

Note to author/publisher. I think blackmail would be a better term for the situation than bribery.

Berried in the Past is an entertaining and well written cozy mystery. Good plo that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Mystery fans will love this book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Love this series. Monica and her half brother run a cranberry farm that he owns When a murder happens. Monica sets out to find the killer while making treats with the cranberry. To hear more read the book

This series has been such fun since the first book, and this latest installment is no different. The characters feel like family, and reading the book feels like catching up. The mystery leaves you guessing, do you know whodunit, or do you think you know. Also, the little side stories are perfection and do such a good job keeping the reader engaged. I hope this series keeps going on and I cannot wait to read more.

Monica lives on a cranberry farm in Michigan along with her newlywed husband, Greg. On a snowy eve, their dinner is interrupted by a strange woman saying someone is trying to kill her. They take her in for the night and listen to her story. The next day Monica tries to help her find where she was fleeing from. They end up at her sister’s home and find her dead.

This is my first book that I’ve read in this series. I enjoyed it very much.

This cute and cozy mystery is the first in this series that I've read, and I wonder if some of my lack of interest in the characters is due to not having the four previous books background on them. I appreciated that the mystery here starts almost immediately and the town of Cranberry Cove definitely feels like an excellent place for a cozy mystery series. There were a lot of characters and multiple story lines that felt like a little too much for one book, which is why I think those who are more invested in the characters already will enjoy this more.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I have really enjoyed the Cranberry Cove series by Peg Cochran. Monica Albertson is a likeable character. This book starts off in that old classic way - a stranger at the doorstep in a snowstorm. That's certainly not something that you see in modern stories all that often. But if you can suspend that disbelief the story is interesting. Monica just can't resist looking into a suspicious death, and the mysterious stranger keeps calling on her to do so.

Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

It has been a few years since we last had a new book in Peg Cochran's Cranberry Cove series. In the fifth book we have newlyweds Monica and Greg enjoying married life and settling nicely into their domestic bliss. One night a car drives up the lane to their cottage and a woman who is obviously in distress and has no memories of what is happening tells Monica that someone is trying to kill her. Never one to turn down someone in need, Monica and Greg invite the stranger to stay the night with them in the cottage. What follows is a mystery involving land developers, family dynamics, potential amnesia, and lots of baking.

The format of the story is interesting. The mystery portion begins immediately, and there are a number of chapters that centre of Monica and the mystery leaving out some of the aspects of a novel that make a cozy. Later in the book we are re-introduced to some of the supporting characters and the town of Cranberry Cove.

The mystery itself was really well laid out. I was apprehensive about the idea of memory loss as a plot device, but Cochran does execute the concept well. The result at the end was unexpected (at least to me, because I am very bad at solving mysteries) and it was an enjoyable ride to get there. I am hoping for many more instalments of the Cranberry Cove series!

On a cold, snowy night in the fictional small town of Cranberry Cove, Michigan, Newlyweds Monica and Gregg are enjoying a quiet night in when there's a knock at their door. A very distraught and confused woman by the name of Dana claims to be in danger however has limited information to offer. Following Dana's sparse clues leads Monica to a house where she makes a disturbing discovery. Dana's sister is dead in an upstairs bedroom. The death is quickly ruled as stemming from natural causes by a busy coroner late for his vacation however Monica is not so sure. Her gut is telling her there is more here than meets the eye and her gut has never steered her wrong before. Monica sets out on a quest of her own for answers and as she slowly uncovers clues, she finds herself edging ever closer to danger.
Cranberry Cove, Michigan comes to life in stunning detail over the course of the story. Populated with interesting characters and plenty of viable suspects, every turn of the page will have you heading in a completely different direction. The mystery had plenty of well placed clues that were easy to follow and fit nicely into the flow of the story. The story was fast paced but easy for those new to Cranberry Cove to follow along. The mystery culminates in a satisfying and climactic ending that is sure to satisfy readers. I highly recommend Berried in the Past as well as the previous novels set in the charming town of Cranberry Cove.

I haven’t read many books in this series, however, Berried in the Past is an excellent story.
Returning from her honeymoon, Monica is looking forward to settling in to married life with her husband Greg.
On a dark, snowy night, a stranger knocks on their door and the whirlwind of events puts Monica in the path of a murderer.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to reading the ones I missed.

This was a new series for me. I enjoyed meeting Monica, her husband Greg, her brother Jeff, her stepmother Gina, and other characters of Cranberry Cove, Michigan. Monica, and her husband Greg are sitting in front of their fire on a cold winter's night, when their doorbell rings unexpectedly, why she answered I still don't understand, it was a stranger, a female named Dana, who had wrecked her car, then announces she believes someone is trying to murder her! Good Cozy Mystery, interesting characters, yes, I do believe Dana and Monica need to have their heads examined for their actions at the end! However, due to not spoiling any plotlines, let me just say, don't get into the boot of someone's car! Do whatever you have to, but don't do it!
I highly recommend! Thank you Netgalley!
carolintallahassee.com

This is the 5th installment in the Cranberry Cove mystery series. I have not read all of the books in the series, however, I was able to follow this story with no issues. The scene is set so vividly, on a cold winter night a woman (Dana) arrives at the door of newlyweds Monica and Greg and says she is in danger. She is confused and Monica eventually gets enough for them to lead them to Dana’s sister Marta who is dead upstairs in a bedroom. A rushed coroner calls it a natural death but Monica does not believe this, she has learned to trust her instincts and she does on this one as well. This was a good solid cozy as Monica works to follow clues and figure out who Marta’s killer is. Is the motive money as a real estate developer wants the woman’s land and Monica learns her own brother may be selling some land as well. I love that this is set in Michigan and the community around Monica is great. This is a good series and I hope to see more and not so long in between books. Recommend.

Baker Monica Albertson has a busy life. She's married and helps her brother, Jeff, with his farm as well as baking for several businesses.
When a distraught woman shows up at her door one evening, claiming amnesia, she decides to help after hearing what the woman, Dana, does remember.
Finding Dana's sister Marta, dead, she adds investigating into her busy days and ends up in danger herself, despite keeping Det. Stevens apprised of her discoveries.
Plenty of suspects with differing reasons does not make her quest easy, but she perseveres and in the ends solves it, barely escaping with her life. Well written and fast paced, this is a great way to spend a few hours.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse and offer my opinion freely.

This review can also be found on my blog www.hookedbythatbook.com

Monica and her husband, Greg, are having a quiet night at home when there is a knock at the door. On the other side is Dana, who claims someone is trying to kill her. Monica quickly becomes involved in Dana’s attempts to find out what had happened to her.

Shortly after, Dana’s sister, Marta, is found dead in her home. There are plenty of suspects and the situation turns out to be a lot more complicated that thought at first. It doesn’t help that Dana can’t remember what happened the night of her car accident.

I liked Monica. She’s level-headed and thinks things through before acting. She was also dealing with some issues of her own in between all the other drama going on. Gina was also a very interesting character.
I did not see the ending coming. Like I said before, there were plenty of suspects, but the real one managed to slip by without notice. There were some questionable actions towards the end by Dana and Monica, but I can’t go into more detail without giving away too much about what happens in the story.

This was an alright read. I haven’t read any of the books prior to this one in the series, and you don’t really have to to still enjoy this one. But I did feel like there was some information about Monica that I missed out on.
I enjoyed Peg Cochrane’s series Murder, She Reported, a lot more.

I received an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was I hooked by this book? Slightly, yes. I might have to go back to the start of Monica’s story.

Although set in modern times the writing in this cozy mystery seems to me very old fashioned, with a 1950’s vibe, “what will the neighbors think of us?”, I like the main characters but the writing about their day to day life seems very monotonous and uninteresting., bake, interview a suspect, bake etc. The mystery had enough red herrings so I wasn’t sure who the killer was but the whole tone of the book seem flat.

4.5 Stars

This is the fifth book in the Cranberry Cove mystery series by Peg Cochran.

This is my first foray into the world of Cochran’s Cranberry Cove. I did wonder here and there why Monica was making so many cranberry dessert items. Then when I realized the title of the series, I had that DUH-moment.

Monica is a baker and works from her brother’s farm in her own little cottage, for lack of a better term. Monica and Greg are visited by a woman who claims to have lost her memory but knows that someone is after her. Of course, the two have to help and this draws Monica into the world of Dana. When they follow the few leads they have, they are drawn to a house where they find Monica’s sister dead in her upstairs bedroom. The coroner is late for his vacation and quickly tells them it was a natural death. But Monica isn’t so sure.

We meet here a complex dynamic friends and family where at many times during the course of the book you wonder if each of them had a motive to kill their sister/friend. At every turn I had a different suspect in mind. That tells of a well-plotted mystery and well-placed red herrings. I was completely thrown off track.

I don’t know why I had never heard of this series considering we are already on book five and this is definitely an above average cozy mystery. I know I bought one of Cochran’s book in this series last year. I plan to pull that one out and do a marathon read of books 1-4.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Such a fun and interesting read.

If you love a good cozy mystery book, you need to pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed. I was hooked all the way through. Good stuff!

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.