Penned In

by Lynn Cahoon

Penned In is a novella in Lynn Cahoon’s excellent Farm-to-Fork series which does not typically contain paranormal references. This novella has a paranormal twist to it, however. The story takes place on the night before Halloween at the old Idaho Penitentiary where the County Seat Restaurant’s staff goes for a team building exercise. The book contains a little history which is interesting. As a novella, neither the plot nor character development are extensive.

My enjoyment of the novella was probably colored by my dislike of both paranormal novels and team building exercises. As a diversion, it was satisfactory, but not something I would ever reread. If you are a fan of locked room mysteries, you would probably enjoy this little mystery!

I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. Would work as a standalone.
2. Includes paranormal, but is not scary.
3. Locked room mystery.
4. Includes a recipe for chocolate chip muffins.

Publication: August 31, 2020—Kensington Books

Memorable Lines:

“Anyone that mean, he has to be the killer. The other people are nice. Tad doesn’t have a nice bone in his body, as my grandmother would say.” Hope leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. No one was going to mess with her logic.

“They said I wasn’t smart enough to sell computers. Hell, I could sell ice to Eskimos.”

It was all just posturing for him. He didn’t want her but he wasn’t sure he wanted her to be happy with another guy.”

Though I found the story a little short I enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to read ,hopefully a little longer, more

When the restaurant staff spend the night in a historic penitentiary as a team building experience, they don’t expect murder to be part of the package. This novella is a fun quick read. I’m looking forward to other books in the series. I received a free copy of this book and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.

I love this series and enjoy all the shorts like this one in between books. I loved the setting in the old prison. I highly recommend this book. Even if you have not read the other books in this series you will enjoy it and probably end up reading the whole series.

Contented employees make for a successful restaurant, which is why the County Seat’s crew goes on a quarterly out of office meeting. This time, the location is the Old Idaho Penitentiary near the Boise Foothills, a prison brimming with ghostly lore. The lock-in features actors role-playing as guards, fascinating prison stories, and an unscripted murder.

Who sentenced one of the faux guards to a very authentic death? Angie, her boyfriend, and the County Seat gang are locked in with a killer, which is excellent motivation for a little sleuthing. Between ghostly apparitions and flesh and blood suspects, Angie’s plate is full, but will her luck, and her life, hold out until the gates reopen at dawn?

The author gives us an intriguing mystery that has a few suspects, plenty of clues, an elusive motive, and plenty of suspense. The reveal almost seems to come out of nowhere and in a way is totally unexpected. The characters are well written and very easy to like or dislike depending on who they are. With the main characters we get to learn a little more about each of them with each book in the series.

I like how the author draws you into the story and makes you want to join Angie and the rest of the crew to solve the mystery and find the killer. I also liked that Dom got to be included in the lock-in, he seemed to help Angie with mystery in his own way. The one thing I didn't like was that everyone had to give up their cell phones, and that the "guards" only have one phone for emergencies then the phone goes missing this is idiotic and stupid. I look forward to reading Killer Comfort Food to see what kind of situations Angie and the other characters get themselves into.

I received an ARC of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley for my honest review.

Who doesn't love a good locked-room mystery? Add in Halloween and a potentially haunted Old Idaho Penitentiary and it's a recipe for success.

Chef Angie Turner takes her restaurant staff to a team-building retreat. They rotate turns selecting the activity, and for Halloween it's a night spent exploring and sleeping in an old prison. The prison "guards" (who are essentially tour guides/actors/historians) seem weird and distracted. There might be a love triangle among them that's causing bad feelings. Angie notices the odd behavior right away, and to make things even stranger, some of the other people touring the prison that night are a bit weird themselves. Between the two newlywed couples spending their honeymoons in the jail and the old guy who seems to disappear periodically, Angie thinks her coworkers are the only "normal" ones there. When a dead body turns up, the guests need to figure out whodunnit before they end up victims themselves.

The prison itself is a great setting and the backstory of a female prisoner who became pregnant by a guard and was forced to give up the baby sets the tone for a spooky and possibly haunted location. Some of the guests are believers in the paranormal and others are definite skeptics. The secondary characters are all the right amount of weird so they all seem capable of murder, but nobody seems like an over-the-top psychopath. I was guessing until the end.

Penned In is a Halloween novella to keep us happy while waiting for the next full length novel in the Farm to Fork mystery series. In this story, Angie and her team are on one of their team building outings. This time, they are spending the night locked in at the Old Idaho Penitentiary, known as The Haunted Prison. Not my idea of a team building activity, but then, they are a lot younger than I am. Of course, there is a murder and being as they are all locked in, it has to be someone spending the night. This is a short, fun, locked room mystery that Angie and her team are able to sort out. As usual with Lynn Cahoon's books, I was unable to figure out who the culprit was. I enjoyed watching the group investigate this murder in a very small and enclosed space. The reveal was great and unexpected. I would have loved this one to be longer, but it was enjoyable and an easy afternoon read.

Although this is book 4.5, this is my first book in this series. I had no problems following the story. This is a fun novella that is perfect for the spooky season. The characters are interesting, and the mystery was full of twists and turns. I wish the story was a little longer since I was enjoying reading it. I will definitely read more of this series.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

I adore this cozy series, and Lynn Cahoon did not disappoint! I loved the characters and their arcs. The mystery was fun, and I didn't want the book to end!

Penned In earns 5/5 Prison Gates & Ghosts...Entertaining Fun!

Lynn Cahoon has penned a delightful cozy for the Halloween season filled with a unique setting, tales of hauntings, and eclectic characters from ex-cons to senior citizen, former MMA fighter to paranormal investigators, skeptics to true believers, and a plethora of chefs. The “chefs” from The County Seat farm-to-fork restaurant enjoy team building activities every quarter for a bit of bonding time. This event coincides with Halloween, so what better locale than the Old Idaho Penitentiary and what better situation than to be locked in for the night! Rumors it’s haunted add to the excitement and reluctance. They aren’t the only ones to be participating since a visiting uncle thought it a fun bonding experience with his niece and nephew and two honeymoon couples who seem more interested in a joint solitary confinement and, oddly, ghost hunting. As the tour begins, Angie has an uneasy feeling made worse as she witnesses a heated argument between two of the role-playing guards: his ex is now the other’s current. Worse yet, a scream and a dead body of one of the arguing guards is found. The only cell phone and the main keys in his possession are missing. There’re not many places for the faux inmates and guards to be, but alibis are in question. And...the story is the ghost of an infamous female inmate haunts the cell blocks at Halloween seeking revenge! Without law enforcement readily available til dawn, Angie and her “chefs” seem the only ones to “locked down” the killer, corporeal or not.

The murder mystery cleverly links on the surface to a sad story from decades past and an accompanying ghost legend making it perfect to whet your Halloween whistle. This book is more a novella (4.5 in the series) easily enjoyed in one sitting, but despite its length, it’s full of fun, a few chills, and a satisfying “Wow!” ending. Lynn’s writing style has made me a fan with descriptive language to illustrate the setting and characters along with dialogue matching emotions and personalities. Angie’s “chefs” are all bold and brave with realistic dreams and ideas, and add well to the series. From one scream to another and one body to a hint of a vengeful ghost this a must read! Bonus! Muffins were the first thing Lynn Cahoon learned to bake in Mrs. Higgin’s Freshman Home Ec. Class. Enjoy this easy-to-follow recipe for Special Chocolate Chip Muffins along with a fun Halloween cozy!

Even though I have only read one other book in Lynn Cahoon's Farm-to-Fork Mystery series set in a restaurant, 'The County Seat' in Idaho, I still jumped at the opportunity to read this one, Penned In as I enjoy a well written cosy, and this looked like it fitted the bill.

Angie Turner runs her own restaurant alongside her best friend, Felicia. In this novella, Angie, believing that her team are in need of a spot of team building, has organised an event which is due to take place at the Old Idaho Prison. The exercise is in the form of a locked-in affair featuring prison anecdotes and role-playing. When a fake prison warden dies under suspicious circumstances, Angie is perfectly placed to look into the murder case herself to find out the identity of the perpetrator, hopefully before (s)he strikes again.

Although there is some character building in these stories I had no difficulties keeping up with characters and events, and this book can be enjoyed as an individual instalment. The plot was fun and lively and some interesting relationships between the wardens and the guests helped to make it a compelling tale. There was some great camaraderie between the restaurant workers, and events moved along at a comfortable pace. The mystery itself was fantastic and whilst the choice of viable suspects was fairly limited, the ending was still a surprise to me. I had a blast reading this highly amusing and entertaining cozy mystery and I'm already looking forward to catching up with Angie and her cohorts in book #5, Killer Comfort Food, as well as grabbing copies of the books I've missed.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

The “A Farm-To-Fork Mystery” restaurant series is one of my favorites. Having a new novella, Penned In, to read in between full-length books and just before Halloween, cements it as a fantastic series and a compelling, enjoyable read at any time of the year. Time spent with these books is never wasted or a disappointment. They are exquisite in every way.

Characters such as Angie, Ian, as well as the County Seat’s crew, are all well defined, easy to like, and keep readers on their toes. The premise of this story and, indeed, all of the books in this series are always easy to understand and follow. The restaurant doesn’t play a big part in this short book, but it is still seen via the crew who keep customers coming back. This is a Halloween, ghost, and team-building exercise for Angie and company, and readers will thrill at the spooky prison, ghostly history, and the murder mystery.

Suspects are limited to those who get locked into the penitentiary and the guards (actors) who keep the feel authentic. The victim was the biggest surprise, the killer was easy to figure out, but the motive was elusive for most of the book. Ms. Cahoon has a way of telling and unraveling a story that makes readers want to join in the investigation, eat at her restaurant, and solve a murder. It comes as no surprise when Angie and her faithful sidekicks find the killer just in time while they are in danger of becoming a piece of the prison’s infamy.

I am ecstatic to recommend Penned In to readers who love a good who-done-it, with engaging characters and situations, restaurant food and recipes that will have them running to the kitchen, and a storyteller who knows how to grab her audience’s attention and keeps it exactly where it needs to be.

Penned In by Lynn Cahoon worried me at first. It seemed to take it's time getting started. Yet, once it was going it kept me guessing the whole time. I always wish that Novellas could be long. And this one is no exception. You'll love the characters and the deep, interesting plot.

I loved the setting in this book. It was a dark and creepy haunted prison. The paranormal aspects of this mystery drew me in and grabbed my attention. I love Angie and her friends. They are so likeable. The clever twists really had me going. This is a fantastic but quick read. You don't want to miss this one. I definitely recommend it.

Title: Penned in

Author: Lynn Cahoon

Ch: 9

Pg: 92

Series: Farm to Fork 4.5

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 3 stars

Publisher: Lyrical Press



This is a novella in the Farm to Fork Mystery series and Angie and the gang are at a haunted historic Prison. When they discover another murder victim. But unlike the times before they are trapped in locked building with a killer. This short little cozy mystery novella gave me a bit of clue feels. This is a quick read in the farm to fork mystery series.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Penned In” A novella from the Farm to Fork series by Lynn Cahoon, is a fast, enjoyable read. I am a huge fan of Lynn Cahoon and was excited to see this Halloween novella on NetGalley.

There were only so many suspects to choose from as they were locked in the old penitentiary, and we could count out Angies staff. So that left us with the jailers and other tour guests. I did not guess who did it for a change so was nice.

I would recommend this novella to all my friends that enjoy cozy mysteries.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Kensington Publishers and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a very quick read. The mystery was good with a little woo-woo. All in all, a good time.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

This short novel is book 4.5 in the Farm-to-Fork Mystery series. Angie and her boyfriend are treating the staff of the County Seat to an overnight stay at the Old Idaho State Penitentiary. The stories abound about the haunted building and when an actor guard turns up dead the team has to separate the facts from the fiction and stay alive until the gates open tomorrow. A cute addition to the series. Can be read as a stand alone. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Penned In by Lynn Cahoon is the second companion novella in the cozy Farm-to-Fork Mystery series. There are also four full length books in the series in addition to the two novellas with this second novella coming after the fourth full length book. Each of the books in the series however could be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so with all containing their own mystery that is solved within. There is always a bit of character building carrying over from book to book though for those who follow from the beginning.

In this series Angie Turner has moved back to her hometown in rural Idaho after her grandmother’s passing and opened up a new restaurant, the County Seat. Angie’s restaurant has really taken off in the small town offering fresh ingredients straight from the surrounding farms. Angie has also gotten pretty good at solving the murders that keep turning up in the area although she keeps hoping to be done with her crime solving.

This time around Angie and her employees of the County Seat restaurant have planned to have their quarterly out of office meeting at the Old Idaho Penitentiary near the Boise Foothills. This team building excursion was said to be full of fun with a lock-in featuring actors role-playing as guards and lots of prison stories. However, what the team did not expect was one of the fake guards to end up really dead by the way of murder so of course being locked in with the latest corpse Angie needs to find the killer fast before they find her or her friends.

I have followed the Farm-to-Fork Mystery series from the very beginning so with that being said it’s probably pretty obvious that I do enjoy these characters and stories. The series is one that has that great combination of quirky fun and small town charm that I like to find in a cozy read. This latest novella also has some eerie scares being set in the old jail while telling some scary tales to bring on a nice fall Halloween feel to it which I loved. I’ll definitely be back for more as long as the series continues too.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Penned In is another great installment in the Farm-to-Fork series. It is a novella, and therefore a quick read, but definitely not to be missed! The prison setting, ghost stories, and eeriness of the story make it an ideal Halloween read.

Penned In finds Angie Turner, owner of restaurant County Seat, and her staff on their quarterly team building event. The event is held at the Old Idaho Penitentiary, reported to be haunted. The event includes an overnight lock-in with Angie, her staff, two couples on their honeymoons, and a brother and sister trying to bond with their elderly uncle. Shortly after participants return to their cells for the evening, one of the "guards" is murdered. Given that all have been locked in, the murderer must be among those present. Angie and her crew use the opportunity to investigate. With the help of one of the resident ghosts, Angie is able to unravel what really happens and identifies the murderer before they are released from the prison.

All of the characters you've grown to love in the series are at the team building event, including Ian and Dom. The additional 'guests' participating in the event provide for interesting dialog and theories around who could be the real killer. The reader is kept guessing till the end.

Review is based upon an ARC received from Kensington and NetGalley.