Rhubarb Pie or Die (A Garlic Farm Mystery #2). By Gin Jones. 2020. Lyrical Press (ARC eBook).

I’m a fan of mysteries, but when it comes cozies, they draw the least of my attention. So I’ve been trying to branch out and read more of this subgenre. However, Rhubarb Pie or Die, never engaged me with the plot, nor characters.

Mabel continues to search for a buyer for the farm she inherited from her aunt. In the meantime she continues to do her best, with the help of her new friends, to keep the farm profitable. That sometimes means gathering grass clippings in neighborhoods around town. Unfortunately the late night clipping collection leads to an argument with a local rhubarb farmer. When that man is found dead in his greenhouse Mabel worries that she may be a suspect. She soon begins to investigate the man and find his real killer.

This is the second book in a series. I had not read the first book and found that this edition was able to stand on its own. I will definitely go back and read book one. I enjoyed the characters. Mabel’s quirkiness is very realistic to me. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Also, as a person that loves rhubarb, I found the farming of the vegetable to be interesting. The setting is also nice. I love rural settings. This book kept me engaged and moved at a nice pace.

Rhubarb Pie Before You Die by Gin Jones is the second installment of the cozy A Garlic Farm Mystery series. As with most cozy series each book of the series will have it’s own mystery that is fully solved within the book so it can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. There will be however the character development that carries over from book to book for those that follow the series from the beginning.

Mabel Skinner got so caught up in her job as an app developer and with life in general that she hasn’t been to visit her Aunt Peggy Skinner in years always falling back on sending the occasional card. It still hits Mabel hard when she gets news of Aunt Peggy’s passing since her aunt had always been in good health working hard on her garlic farm. Mabel had packed a bag and found herself heading to western Massachusetts when it’s found that Aunt Peggy left the Stinkin’ Stuff Farm to Mabel.

Now that Mabel finally found the answers to just what happened to Aunt Peggy and proved it was a killer that took her life Mabel is back to her plan of selling the farm. One harvest at the farm was enough for this city girl but Mabel plans to make sure the farm is only sold to a farmer and not a developer. Since a buyer hasn’t been found Mabel is still attempting to keep it going and ends up in a dispute with another farmer over grass clippings. Unfortunately that same man is found murdered so Mabel needs to sleuth out the killer before she becomes suspect #1.

So being a fan of the fun, humorous and quirky in my cozy mysteries the A Garlic Farm Mystery series fit that bill nicely which brought me back to book two. I never knew people went so crazy for garlic before reading these and now I see that farming can be pretty competitive too. It was great to return to the farm although Mabel is thinking of a name change and I vote to leave it, I mean come on it’s great!!! But everyone was back including the cute critters including the alarm kitty. Complete fun yet again so I’ll definitely be back to this series in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is a cozy mystery, and this is the second book in A Garlic Farm Mystery series. I have to say that the character, Mabel was different then most other cozy heroines. The mystery in this book was well-crafted, and the characters in this book was realistic and well developed. The ending had twist and turns, and I love the ending so much. This book was suspenseful and pulled me in from the beginning. I have not read the first book in this series, but I think this one can be read as a standalone. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Kensington Books) or author (Gin Jones) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Rhubarb Pie Before You Die by Gin Jones is the second book in the Garlic Farm Mystery series. Mabel is trying to sell her late aunt's garlic farm, but in the meantime she must keep it running to attract potential buyers. When she and her friend/farm mentor Rory get into an argument with rhubarb farmer Graham, Mabel decides to go to his farm to smooth things over. She never expects to find Graham dead. The suspects range from a disgruntled neighbor to a rival farmer with Mabel thrown into the mix as well. I did not read the first book in the series, but I had no trouble following along with this one. Mabel is 100% introvert and definitely not the normal cozy heroine. This may put some readers off, but I liked her as a character. The story moved slowly at times, but I expect that might change as Mabel evolves. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

In this second installment in the Garlic Farm Mystery series by Gin Jones, Mabel Skinner is getting used to life on the garlic farm but she is still determined to sell it and move back to her quiet life in Maine. While making a late-night run for organic mulch, she gets into a heated argument with another farmer over who gets to take the mulch. The next day, she goes to his house to smooth things over and finds him dead. As one of the main suspects, she becomes determined to clear her name and find the real murderer.

This series is quickly becoming a favorite. I love the characters, the plot, and the descriptions of farming. As an introvert myself, I feel such a connection to Mabel and see a lot of myself in her. I am rooting for her and can't wait to see how her character and the relationships in her life develop.
All in all, a fun mystery that held my attention until the end. I look forward to the third book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rhubarb Pie Before You Die is the second installment in the “A Garlic Farm Mystery” series. Mabel, the main character, is an introvert who prefers computers to people. Inheriting her aunt’s garlic farm wasn’t in her life plan. Now all she wants to do is find a buyer for the farm and get back to her quiet solo life.

All of the characters in this book and the first book are easy to like. This is especially true for Rory, the neighbor who has helped Mable from the beginning. The most unlikeable character is Mabel. The first book put Mabel on the farm and trying to bring in the harvest, which isn’t easy when you know nothing about farming, garlic, or harvesting. It’s understandable that she is uncomfortable and just wants to go home. But now, in the second book, nothing seems to have changed. She spends most of her time whining about finding a buyer and calling her lawyer, who is smart enough apparently not to answer. The murder of another farmer and one she has a run-in with just the day before throws her for a loop, and she is confident that the police think she is the killer. But it seems all Mabel cares about is that the investigation might get in the way of selling the farm and her going back to her old life.

This is where the story takes on some unlikable traits. First off, at no time does the detective accuse Mabel of being the killer, there is no evidence that leads to her being the killer, and there are plenty of other suspects that are far more viable and believable. The constant whining about going home and selling the farm is just plain irritating. Mabel doesn’t seem to care about the people who have come to like and even love her, the town’s future, or her aunt’s much-loved farm. She comes off as self-centered and selfish. When the killer is revealed, it comes as no surprise and seems evident from the beginning. The motive is weak but acceptable. The best part of Rhubarb Pie Before You Die is the cats and Rory.

All of this said I feel this series still has great potential. If Mabel can somehow get over herself and start caring about something, or even someone, other than her computer or herself, it will make this a series worth reading.

Mabel is getting used to life on the garlic farm, but she is still determined to sell it. She has a run-in with one of the local Rhubarb farmers and when she goes to apologize to him, she finds him dead. Mabel gets caught up in trying to solve the mystery while also fending off developers who want to buy her farm.

I am still loving Mabel as a character. She is so different from other characters and it's really refreshing. I love that she's getting to make friends and that she's slowly accepting that she now owns a farm. I am loving getting to know the other characters in the story as well. I never knew that garlic farming was such a big deal. The ending took me completely by surprise. I had no inkling who the murderer was at all. I can't wait to continue with this series!

An entertaining story and an unusual heroine (for a cozy mystery) made me throghouly enjoyed this book.
Good character development, an interesting setting and a solid mystery that kept me guessing.
I can't wait to read the next installment, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Rhubarb Pie Before You Die is the second installment in the Garlic Farm Mystery series by Gin Jones. Mabel Skinner inherited her aunt’s garlic farm, and because she is an app developer, wants to sell the farm so she can move back home and work on her apps. Apparently it isn’t meant to be, and Mabel has also become a farmer. Although she has had offers to purchase the farm, they have come from shady developers; she knows that isn’t what her aunt would want, so she has to be patient while finding a buyer. Because Mabel has a patch of rhubarb on her garlic farm, she interacts with an eccentric rhubarb farmer, who she later finds dead in his greenhouse. She is, of course, one of the prime suspects, and must investigate to find the real murderer.

While Jones has done a good job of developing her characters and their personalities, the name “Mabel” doesn’t seem to fit a young techie, and for the first time (after reading hundreds of cozies and dozens of cozy series), I have a hard time believing someone named Mabel, who is young, could actually be a viable, believable protagonist in a fun series like this. It just doesn’t fit. Nevertheless, the characters are likeable, and Mabel, who is very private, seems to be coming out of her shell as the series progresses.

The storyline is interesting and quite plausible, and Jones does a good job of storytelling. Jones does build suspense as the story progresses, and the story flows with the scenarios that occur during Mabel’s amateur investigation. One of the bonuses of this series is that each of the installments contain a few good recipes. Culinary mystery readers appreciate the recipes, and some of us actually try them.

Rhubarb Pie Before You Die is a fun novel; readers will enjoy it, and will look forward to reading the subsequent novels.


Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
I’ll be honest, the first thing that attracted me to this book was the word rhubarb in the title. I love rhubarb pie and rhubarb crumble so that grabbed my attention straight away. I also loved the autumnal colours on the front cover as well.
This is the second book in this cozy mystery series but I did not feel lost even though I have not read the first book. It tells the story of Mabel who has inherited a farm from her aunt that mainly grows stinky things like garlic. Mabel is an app designer by profession and becoming a farmer is not a natural progression for her. She is desperate to sell the farm but passionately wants to honour her aunt’s wishes that it remains a working farm and the land is not developed into something else. That in itself provides an interesting story line but add in the fact that Mabel discovers the murdered body of a local rhubarb farmer, and she seems to be number 1 suspect- then you’ve got the ingredients of a really juicy cozy mystery.
I really enjoyed this one, and found the writing style easy and quick to get through. I have to pat myself on the back as I did peg the murderer as a suspicious so and so pretty early on, but there were plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout. Definitely recommend.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Mabel is an unusual heroine. Whereas so many of our cozy heroines are extroverted and interact easily with others, Mabel is an introverted hermit who functions best in her own little womb where she is a computer programmer. When she inherits her aunt’s garlic farm, she is determined to keep it going until she find the right buyer who will continue her aunt’s legacy. What she does not consider are all the locals who befriend her and become part of her life. Her life on the farm is so different from the life she led.

She is also unprepared for the sleazy real estate people who want to buy her farm for redevelopment. It seems every day brings a new set of challenges and the one person on whom she has relied implicitly seems to be MIA. Then she discovers the body of a difficult man whom she just met in a testy confrontation. While she has no connection to him other than wanting to help assure his beloved rhubarb plants don’t die and to take care of the pregnant cat she discovers on site, the local cop decides she is an easy suspect. To put it mildly he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

It is going to take all of Mabel’s skills to sift through the various clues and the other suspects to find out who killed him. She is such an interesting character as she tries to deal with all these people and trials and tribulations. She is smart although she recognizes her inability to
read emotions and people. But in spite of her desires to be left alone, she finds herself opening up. Plus, while she does manage to get herself into precarious situations, she is neither reckless nor foolish. She is someone with whom we can share further adventures.

Four purrs and two paws up.

4.5 stars

This is the second book in the A Garlic Farm mystery series by Gin Jones.

It is always nice to get back to a familiar cast of characters that really stood out to you in the past. This book was that for me. It was so good to see Mabel and her Stinkin’ Stuff Farms. I think the whole garlic farm thing was just too interesting to me in book one that it made it unforgettable.

There was a lot of back and forth in this one. Will she sell the farm, won’t she? Why isn’t her lawyer calling her back? I am just digging this series so much. Can’t wait for the next installment.

The mystery really kept my interest and the whole community aspect was spot on. I just love how all the characters just work together so smoothly.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

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.

This is such a fun series, and I had a great time with this cozy mystery. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, and the characters!

Rhubarb Pie Before You Die by Gin Jones is the 2nd A Garlic Farm Mystery series. It can be read on its own if you have not read Six Cloves Under. I found Rhubarb Pie Before You Die to be easy to read with an interesting cast of characters that includes cats. Mabel is doing her app work as well as keeping the farm running with help from her friends, neighbors, and co-op members. While Mabel likes the nearby town and the friends she has made, she still wishes to return to her regular life. She is thrilled when the local realtor finds a buyer for the farm who assures her that he is going to maintain the farm and is eager to get started. Mabel decides to have her lawyer check out this buyer before signing on the dotted line. The problem is, though, that her lawyer is failing to answer his phone or return her calls. Mabel’s life if further complicated when she stumbles upon the local rhubarb farmer dead in his greenhouse after she had a public altercation with him over grass clippings (they are organic which is desirable for the farmers). Mabel is once again under suspicion which has her donning her sleuthing cap to prove her innocence. I found Rhubarb Pie Before You Die to be lacking in depth and there is too much repetition especially regarding the list of suspects. She calls her lawyer who does not answer, feeds the cats, the one cat meows frequently, and the sale of the farm are some of the repetitive scenes. The mystery was light and can easily be solved by readers. It was interesting to learn about rhubarb and there are recipes at the end. I do like that Mabel is an introvert who prefers to work at night (I am the same way). This gives us a different type of cozy mystery protagonist. For those looking for an escape story (an easy breezy relaxing story), then you will enjoy Rhubarb Pie Before You Die. Rhubarb Pie Before You Die is a lighthearted cozy mystery with clipping chaos, fervent rhubarb farmer, cute cats, a neglectful lawyer, and an eager beaver buyer.

First time reading this author. This was the second book in the series, but it did not feel like I needed to have read the first book. I wasn't sure about this one going in because I don't know anything about plants/farming and I hate rhubarb, but you don't need to know anything about either to enjoy this book. It was a fun read and it was not overwhelmed with too many characters like some cozies are. It kept me guessing on who was the real killer up until the end and I never guessed who the killer was until it was revealed. I also loved all the cats in this one! I'll definitely read more by this author. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book so much more than the first one. I liked the first book, but I didn't like Mabel very much until more toward the end. In this book, she was continuing to become more human and actually interact with people in person. Before, she seemed like a clone or a robot just going through her app work. I believe Rory and Emily had a lot to do with transforming her into someone a lot more likable, and now I can say I do like her a lot better. She was much warmer this time to her friends and even let a feral cat have kittens at her house. Maybe someday she'll realize that letting Charlie into her life wouldn't be such a terrible thing either! ;)

I definitely hadn't guessed the killer, and the showdown was pretty exciting. I think Mabel was finally coming to realize she didn't hate it so much on the farm because during the book, she seemed to really focus herself on the crops and getting the place sold. With her logical thinking, Mabel was turning into quite the amateur sleuth. Now if she'd just realize she needs a sidekick!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

We are at the garlic farm almost immediately after the last visit. Mabel has had one harvest and is hoping not to have to participate in another. Luck is not on her side in this goal, neither are her new community and friends.
I will start off by pointing out the thing that struck me as the oddest here. The quarrel begins strangely without much content, which forms the basis of the rest of the narrative. Throughout Mabel assumes herself to be prime suspect but no one points out the extreme improbability given the utter lack of reason. This irked me throughout the book because nothing anyone said made her more valuable as a suspect! Mabel basis her investigation solely on this point and keeps circling back to it.
Now that I have pointed out the weird part, I want to mention the investigation itself. Despite the inane fear that drives Mabel to investigate, she does a good and thorough job figuring things out.
The case is about the death of a largely disliked man who wanted to start a new trend. I guessed the culprit around the same time as Mabel, so she did a pretty good job of leading me to it. This is a good second book for the series and other less finicky people than I will enjoy because life in this town is always happening.
I will definitely be picking up the next in the series if I get the chance.
I received an ARC of the book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I really loved this second book in a new to my series. Tha characters and location really and to the story. I can't wait to read the next one. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

I was pretty excited to read this one because the premise sounds very interesting. The book turned out to be a bit repetitive and I just really couldn't connect with the main character. I do think that she served as a unique heroine for a cozy mystery being a rather complex antisocial character. I think the mystery was well done though and the writing was good, other than the reptitiveness of the story. Here's hoping the next book is better!