Read other books by this author however this was the first in the series and I loved it. I enjoyed it and the plot kept me hooked and the solid mystery guessing. It had a lovely setting and great characters. Good start for a cozy mystery series

Book wasn't meant for me. Hopefully someone will enjoy it. I will Hopefully rent it from the library in the future

I had high hopes for this book having enjoyed a previous book by the same author, whether it was me not in the best mood or the writing I am not sure but this was not my best reading experience, the action just seemed sluggish.

Adorable little cozy mystery that will keep you entertained and intrigued until the very end. I loved trying to guess the plot in the story in the culprit and overall had a great time reading it I would highly recommend this if you’re into cozy mysteries of any sort and want a quick escape from the real world.

I decided to read this book today because my husband and I are on an anniversary trip traveling the New England states and it seemed pretty appropriate.
This is my first read by this author and I have mixed feelings about the book.

What I liked,
The descriptions of the Vermont scenery and woodsy are really make a person want to go there,walk in the woods,smell the leaves and explore.
I thought it was pretty neat the amateur sleuths in this book are the husband and wife both.
There are a lot of friendly down home characters.
I want to go to the town and explore it in Autumn, it sounds very charming.

What I didn't like,
The husband and wife constantly taking about sex,nothing graphic but the insinuations are there.
The husband saying a lady tripped,grabbed his arm and rubbed it sexily. She has the hots for him he thinks. The couple both talk about the town's people having a thing for each other and sleeping with each other. It was often enough that it was distracting and took away from the validity of the story.

Pub Date 05 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the first book in the Pret’ Near Perfect Mystery series which was originally published about 10 years ago. I enjoyed the setting and one unique aspect of this series is that there is not one, but two sleuths! A married couple digging around to nab the killer! I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more by this author.

Nick and Stella have moved from Manhattan to Vermont but find a dead body on their property. I was a bit put off that the entire property was a crime scene and would remain that way if the murder took 2 days or 20 years to solve. The portrayal of small town people was also a bit annoying. The series does have promise, but it has a long way to go.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

Book 1 in a new, but old series. Confusing, right? Originally released in 2011, this is a re-issue from a new publisher. The author has mentioned that there will be 3 new books in the series as well.

It was good read, especially for a first book in a series, the series has real potential. Knowing that there are at least 4 more books in the series helps, because it means I won't get invested in characters that will quickly disappear, which is sadly all too common in publishing now.

One thing I really like is that the main characters are a married couple. There's no relationship drama, they were likeable and funny. The book was well paced and a fast read.

Looking forward to more.

Nick and Sarah found themselves in a predicament no one wants to get into, finding a dead body in your well. The intrigue level started on a high, but somehow it lost its momentum in the middle. I thought this was on the tame side with mild intrigue, little to no excitement, and a bit low on the captivation level for me, but it makes an entertaining, relaxing story nonetheless.

I absolutely love a cozy mystery, especially when I need a break from hard core thrillers. I enjoyed this one very much! Plus, Autumn is my favorite time of year!

First published in 2011 this series has been updated. This is book 1 in the Pret' near Perfect series. Stella and Nick are moving from New York and are a little out of their element in their new home. When they find a dead body in their well they are relegated to camping until the house is no longer a crime scene. Lots of characters that seem to belong in Vermont will make some interesting events for future books. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A cozy mystery set in the Green Mountains of Vermont, where Stella and Nick relocate from New York City. As they are ready to move into their new farmhouse, a body of a local man is found and they cannot move in until the murderer is found. Stella and Nick begin to investigate, causing a stir among the town’s residents. Quirky characters and appealing main characters contribute to the fun. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Well-Offed in Vermont intrigued me with it's picturesque setting, but I found it was a bit of a let down. The secondary characters seemed like characachures of "small town folk" and the main couple were not always likable. It didn't read like a true cozy mystery - it was a bit harsher and definitely more in line with a classic mystery series. I finished the book because I did want to know who did it and where the story would lead, but I did not find myself wanting to read it every time I put it down. I don't think this is my kind of series, but it may appeal to others.

Well-Offed in Vermont by Amy Patricia Meade is the first book in the A Vermont Country Living Mystery series. I was excited to find a new Cozy series, but I was somewhat disappointed. There were plenty of plot twists and suspects and a great setting. The majority of the characters were likeable. I am on the fence though with the main couple, They sometime came across on the arrogant side. I will propably read this next in the series and give it a second chance.
I was given an ARC by Beyond the Page via NeGalley for an honest review.

I was looking forward to reading a new cozy mystery series. However, I was left with an unsatisfactory experience. The conversations did not flow smoothly and the Vermonters are characterized as poor white trash. If I was from Vermont, I would be offended. The mystery was okay and you could solve it easily enough. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be exploring any more of the town or people in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Midnight Ink for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I read other books by this author but this was the first in this series and I enjoyed it.
I had fun, the plot kept me hooked and the solid mystery guessing.
I loved the lovely setting and fleshed out characters.
A good start for a cozy series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was attracted by the cover: a beautiful autumnal scene, with yellow, orange, and red leaves swirling around a stone well, and an old, clapboard home in the back. Shades of where I'd like to retire. Perfect for the season. So I settled in with some hot cocoa. I was put off by typos in the first chapter, and was really put off buy the main characters shortly thereafter. Bella and Nick have left New York City to move to Vermont for Nick's new dream job with the Forest Service, and after years of apartment living, they have bought a beautiful old house. I liked the opening: Stella's misgivings about moving somewhere so different from where she's always lived are furthered when she finds out on the drive up that she did not get the new job she had applied for. Before they even start to unpack, they find a murdered man in their house. The plot twist that they cannot return to the scene of the crime and literally have just the clothes on their backs and nowhere to stay was a good one, and could have been played a bit more for laughs (or at least, I would have). But the basic premise--that they're going to solve this murder because they are bored and don't want to wait for the sheriff to do his job--annoyed me; I don't care if her father was a cop--investigative smarts are not genetic. Stella is our main protagonist, and the fish out of water trope is a good one; that's why it's so popular. But Stella isn't just a fish out of water--she's a fish who thinks she's superior to her new pond and barely hides it, if at all. We're not given any insight in her emotional state to see if this is just part of her reaction to all the stress; it comes across as just her personality. She and Nick practically insult their new neighbors during many of their conversations. They are both underdeveloped characters with some annoying character traits. She thinks she's always right and smarter than anyone; he's yodeling and cavorting like a middle schooler when he thinks he's solved the murder, crowing about how he's "number one!" She's highly insulted that the sheriff suggested she get a hand knit sweater (has she seen any of the gorgeous hand knit sweaters on Ravelry?) yet her hobby of choice is cross stitch and every time she sits down in the hunting cabin, she starts stitching. I'd argue cross stitch is a lot more old-fashioned, unpopular, and non-trendy a hobby than knitting. The writing and situations are often quite juvenile; for example, in Chapter 13, when, during a conversation with suspect Jake Brunelle, Stella and Jake discuss whether Nick was flirting with Jake's wife Betsy and Stella agrees, setting her husband, who is right there, up to be punched by Jake. The dialogue is like a bad rom com movie, and actually, a lot of the interactions can be read as a the author trying to write a Hallmark mystery television rom com with a dash of mystery. This is the first in a new series, but I doubt I'll read any more. I probably would be able to overlook everything I just wrote, knowing that some authors often need a book or two to hit their stride. But in Chapter 17, Stella says "Don't mind my husband; he's being tested for Tourette's." What? How insulting! How did that get past an editor? I had a friend with Tourette's and this blatant rude and disrespectful comment really angered me. Because of that insult, I won't recommend this book. Those who like clean mysteries--no cussing, no sex, no gore--will enjoy it and may find the married couple repartee amusing. I didn't. Ms. Reade should read some Nick and Nora Charles or Mr. and Mrs. North mysteries if she wants to create a flirtatious, charming married couple and not the prom king and queen solving a murder.

Three stars because overall it's not bad, the pacing is good, there are flashes of humor (the leafpeepers).

Well-Offed in Vermont is the first book in A Vermont Country Living Mystery (previously known as Pret’ Near Perfect Mystery). The author takes the time to introduce us to the central characters and the town. The descriptions of Vermont are beautiful. I can understand why the town is besieged with leaf peepers. Stella is an expert on medieval textiles for which she cannot get a job for in Vermont. She is smart and has good instincts. Stella is a natural born sleuth. There are some great secondary characters that include Sheriff Mills and Alma. The mystery was straightforward. There are several suspects along with a red herring or two. One clue is all that is needed to solve the whodunit. I hope the mystery is more of a challenge in future books. I found the pacing to be a little on the slow side and there was a lot of repetition (we are told at least two dozen times that the Buckley’s drive a smart car). I was also a little put off by the intimate scene in the beginning between Stella and Nick. I do not feel the scene was needed (couple getting cozy in front of the fire). It is a cozy mystery, and we are just getting to know the characters (it could have been written differently). Overall, Well-Offed in Vermont is a cute beginning to this new series. The author definitely captured the flavor of Vermont, and I enjoyed the humor scattered throughout the story. Well-Offed in Vermont is a fun cozy mystery with red water, a sunny smart car, a smitten sheriff, a busy baker, a unique neighbor, a vile victim, and a curious couple.

I'm a big fan of Meade's Tish Tarragon cozy series so I knew I had to try this one out as soon as it was announced. The protagonists Stella and Nick are charming, witty, and absolutely adorable together. and witty. I enjoyed each of the new characters introduced (all as possible suspects of course) and the pacing was totally on-point. The reveal of the killer was clever, I didn't guess it right until nearly the end, and there were plenty of moments that made me chuckle which I love. While I didn't enjoy it as much as the Tish stories, it's definitely an easy recommendation for me to give to other cozy fans.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

Nick and Stella have decided to move from the busy and noisy Murray Hill, Manhattan, New York City to a sleepy small town in Vermont. Unfortunately, their newly purchased house also came with a body in the well! Can they figure out what happened so they could actually move in? Funny and humorously sarcastic dialog throughout, small town secrets revealed, a cast of characters who are quirky to say the least