A cosy mystery on a chilly, spooky time of year is just what the Doctor ordered for me.

Set in Vermont, brilliant. The story itself is well written and fast paced making it enjoyable all round. The main characters were reasonably interesting and likeable, which helps the book immensely. Though the back story I think has slowed down my reading pace and I didn't feel as though it really added that much weight to the story.
The mystery itself wasn't too predictable and provided a great source of entertainment as well as the colourful choice of characters, location and a body in a well with a ton of suspects on the prowl make a good mystery I think.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for a review. Thank you

They have bought a new house and are going to close the deal. Stella hands got dirty so she was going to wash them off. But when she runs the water, there is blood in it....

Beyond the Page Publishing and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It has been published and you can buy a copy now.

The police chief doesn't seem to be making a lot of progress and they can't live in their house because it's a scene of murder. So Stella and Nick start asking questions. There is lots of gossip. Not everyone has an alibi. And the killer is still around.

Will they be able to solve the mystery? Or willl they become the next victims?

This was an enjoyable book. I enjoyed the plot and the characters, as well as the setting in Vermont. However, I felt like the "new" residents were a bit nosy when it came to solving a murder. Good story, though and it will be interesting to read the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Well-Offed in Vermont
A Vermont Country Living Mystery

Description via NetGalley

Turning over a new leaf in bucolic Vermont, Stella and Nick Buckley soon discover that country life comes with its own special kind of pleasures—and perils . . .

Leaving New York City behind for the rustic farmhouse they bought in rural Vermont, Stella and Nick Buckley discover that small-town life isn’t nearly as quiet and peaceful as they might have hoped. No sooner do the two arrive at their new home than they find a dead body in a well on their property, and they’re quickly exiled to a primitive campsite when the sheriff seals off the crime scene.

As if no electricity, no running water, and leaf-peeping tourists weren’t bad enough, the duo must also contend with an endless variety of quirky and eccentric locals. Quickly realizing that the only way they’ll get back into their farmhouse is to solve the murder themselves, the two dig deep into the life of the victim, who’d racked up more than a few enemies. And while they may never be able to shed their city-folk reputation, Stella and Nick just might nab a cunning killer before he can strike again . . .
What I liked about this book
Not much. What draws me into a book are the characters and these characters failed to do that. The main characters, Stella Thorton Buckley and her husband, Graham Nicholas (Nick) Buckley, have moved to rural Vermont from New York City so Nick can pursue a career with the National Park Service.
You can take the characters out of New York City, but it appears it’s difficult to take NYC out of the characters. Other than Nick appearing excited, briefly, at the beginning of the book at his new job (which he never goes to), the two come across as people living in a place neither one really wants to live in. The supporting cast comes across as stereotypical rural people—one dimensional and not too smart. That was disappointing.
The mystery redeemed the book a bit, but not much.
Author information/links
Amy Patricia Mead's website
Publishing information
Cozy Mystery
Beyond the Page publishing
ISBN 978-1954717473
Hashtags for Netgalley

This was a first-time read for me as I had not read the earlier edition and also the first that I've read by this author. This mystery was interesting and I liked the characters that we were introduced to in the first book.

I would have given it 5 stars, but the book started out very slowly to me and it took a few chapters to 'warm up' to the story. I'll be looking for the next book in the series.

The Joys And The Perils…
The first in the Vermont Country Living mystery series finds Stella and Nick newly discovering the joys… and perils of country living. When they come across a dead body, in the well of their property, mayhem ensues. Pushed off to a very basic local campsite by the Sheriff they wonder whether they will ever get back to their new property and they soon come to the conclusion that the only way of doing so is to solve the murder themselves. Entertaining mystery with likeable protagonists and a colourful cast of characters.

Well-Off in Vermont is a reissue of a book first published in 2011. I like the fact it was a couple that was trying to solve the mystery. Stella and Nick Buckley have moved to Vermont for Nick's dream job. They aren't in their new home a few hours before they discover a body. A local shop owner has them stay at a nearby hunting camp since their new home is a now crime scene. New to the area they have no family and friends nearby. Only two books came out in the series. This book in 2011. The second book in 2017. Hopefully, we'll get more books in this series once the previous books have been reissued.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first time I read this author. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. Stella and Nick were great as amateur sleuths. They had just moved to Vermont where they discovered a dead body in their well.. This is a small town and there were so many suspects but it wasn't until the last chapter that I knew who it. was. A GOOD READ

Well-Offed in Vermont by Amy Patricia Meade is the 1st book in the Pret' Near Perfect Mystery series, and my first book by this author. Stella and Nick moved from New York City to a small town in Vermont. Unfortunately when they got there they find a dead man in their well, I love the married couple sleuths, what fun. This book has more twists and turns, that kept me reading. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author. Beautiful fall cover. I highly recommend this book, if you enjoy cozy mysteries.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Instead of moving into their rustic farmhouse in Vermont, Stella and Nick Buckley find themselves staying at a primitive cabin with no electricity, no running water, and a horrible hide-a-bed that's jutting with springs. They won't be allowed in their new home until the sheriff finishes investigating the murder victim they found at the bottom of their well so the two decide to investigate on their own.

I really wanted to like this one. The mystery element was intriguing, but by the end of the book I couldn't stand the protagonists. The banter and chemistry between the two was never quite convincing and they were critical of every other character they encountered. Stella describes everyone as wearing ill-fitting clothes and has a hatred of even the idea of flannel or hand knit sweaters. Nick compares them all to unattractive public figures. I get that the "fish out of water element" was supposed to be interesting, but they came across as mean-spirited.

Well-Offed in Vermont is the first book in a small-town cozy mystery series by Amy Patricia Meade. Originally published in 2011, this reformat and re-release 5th Oct 2021 is 181 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats (other editions in other formats). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is an entertaining and engaging cozy featuring a married couple who have moved to the country in Vermont to get away from big city life and the first thing they find on the first day moving in is a dead man hidden in their well. The local sherriff closes off their home as a potential crime scene and Nick & Stella decide to help investigate.

The pool of suspects is small, and although the denouement and resolution are fairly easy to guess beforehand, they're well written and satisfying. It works perfectly well as a standalone, and is a nice lead-in to the next book in the series. The language is clean, and there's no graphic violence or sexual content. This would be a good choice for lovers of light cozies, the kind with whimsically eccentric small town characters, a town diner, and rural countryside.

Four stars. This will appeal to cozy readers.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Well-Offed in Vermont is a revised edition of the first in a series by Amy Patricia Meade featuring Stella and Nick Buckley. It is my second book by this author as I've read one from her Tish Tarragon series.

Set in rural Vermont, Stella and Nick have bought a new pad - a rustic farmhouse - and are sort of looking forward to the change in their lives; quieter than when they were in New York City. But it isn't to be as they find a dead body on their property hidden in a well.

An extremely enjoyable cosy mystery with two very likeable protagonists in Stella and Nick, I was thoroughly engrossed in this story. The plot was engaging and it sported a colourful cast of supporting characters, including the sweetshop proprietor, Alma and the Buckleys good, extremely helpful neighbour. There were shedloads of great banter from the sleuthing-hatted Buckleys and an exciting, unanticipated finale. A great tale that has left me keen to check out the next instalment in a series with plenty of potential.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

i live in the South, so when I think of anything fall-like, my mind instantly goes to the Northeast and the wonderful fall foliage that dominates that area in the autumn. On that alone, I was instantly drawn to the cover of the cozy mystery Well Offed in Vermont with its colorful colors of oranges and yellows. It just screams cozy to me.

The story didnt disappoint either. I loved the aspect of Nick and Stella, a married couple trying to investigate the murder and mystery that surrounded their new home. The banter bewteen the two was fantastic, how they played good cop- bad cop, I felt it was something only a married couple could pull off. It was also great to see them adjusting to living in the country in Vermont coming from New York City.

The story was light hearted, fun, and it wasn't one that I instantly figured out, infact it took the actual revealing for me to know who had done it, and that I really liked.

Well -offed in Vermont is the first of a series, and I can easily see myself picking up the second one.

Moving to a new state and buying a home should be exciting, right!?! Maybe not as exciting as finding that your new home comes with a dead body and finding out that you'll be stuck living in an extremely rustic hunting cabin until the case is solved! Stella and Nick find that they need to dig into the murder so they can get back to starting life in their new home. I absolutely love that we finally have a husband and wife sleuth team right from the start! The characters are charmingly well developed and I absolutely can't wait to see what the next book has in store for them! The plot was well thought out and definitely draws you in to keep turning pages until you finally reach the end. I will also say that the author has me wanting to visit beautiful Vermont during the changing of the leaves even more than before!

Unlikable local businessman with questionable ethics is murdered, leaving plenty of suspects. Was it Crazy Maggie, convinced that he stole a treasure from her? The ex-con under suspicion of stealing a work truck from him? The real estate agent he recently swindled? The owners of the competing business that he constantly undercut? Or possibly even sweet bakery owner Alma or local law enforcement officer Sheriff Mills himself? As newcomers to a small Vermont town, Nick and Stella find everyone a suspect while they gather clues to solve the mystery, so that they can at last move into their new home.

Since I usually stick with mysteries involving single female protagonists, this book was a new type of cozy for me. Featuring a married couple newly transplanted in rural Vermont from urban NY, Well-Offed in Vermont was a fun read that may have just expanded the scope of what I look for in the future. As an "old" married woman, I found myself definitely enjoying the bantering between Nick and Stella, as I saw much of my husband and myself in it. The supporting characters that the book introduces, including local law enforcement officer Sheriff Mills, bakery owner Alma, and neighbor Crazy Maggie, were just the sort of people that you would expect to meet in a place like this and of course now I want to find out more about them!

Overall, this was a fun book and I look forward to book two!

I think I expected more than the book had to offer. The idea of a book set in Vermont appealed to me. The sleuths did not. Nick and Stella were over the top on the way they went after the locals and broke into houses/businesses. I can’t really believe that native Vermont residents are as backward as they were portrayed.
In truth I skim read most the book. I didn’t feel at all invested in the outcome. I finished reading because I had received an advanced copy from Netgalley and was trying to honor the commitment approval represented.
Other reviewers have had good things to say about the story, so if the description appeals to you give the book a try.

3 1/2 stars

Stella and Nick move from NYC to rural Vermont when Nick gets his dream job as a forest ranger. Within minutes of arriving at their newly purchased home, they discover a body in the well. Barred from their house by the investigation, they take refuge at a deer camp with no running water or electricity and decide to solve the murder so they can unload their moving truck and get settled in their new home.

It was hard for me to rate this book. On one hand, I loved the premise and the setting, but issues with the story detracted from my enjoyment. I call this a fixer-upper book; it needs a little work but it has great bones. There were many elements I enjoyed, from the leaf peepers (that bus had me laughing, I could easily picture the scene!) to the country store that has everything, including gossip. And the premise is what drew me in; making a move to Vermont and discovering a body in your well, yeesh! I just wish the book had lived up to its premise because it had everything it needed to be a great read, but it ended up falling short.

Although the eccentric townspeople gave the story a lot of flavor, I found I didn't connect with the main characters. There wasn't enough of Nick to form a bigger impression of who he is, but he was nice enough. On the other hand, Stella wasn't nearly as engaging; she was condescending and her attempts at witty banter and friendliness felt forced and spurious. The pair of them reminded me of Michael and Stephanie on Newhart, it felt like they elevated themselves as being smarter and less eccentric than the rubes were, a trait I didn't find particularly likeable or neighborly..

As for the investigating, it can be summed up as Stella and Nick annoying several townspeople with their questions, making assumptions, accusing people outright and then stumbling across the clues that solved the whole thing. I’ll say this, the one big clue that was overlooked when it was found and didn’t become relevant until the end was a good twist, but overall the investigation by Stella and Nick was lackluster. It wasn’t so much that anything they did solved it, they just kept guessing until the story fit.

Despite all the detractions, I did like the book. If Stella was more likeable, the story smoothed out and the ending jiggered into something more realistic, this would easily be a 5 star read. A big thank you to Netgalley and Beyond the Page books for the advance copy to read and review.

This is a revised edition of the same title that was originally published in November of 2011. I really like the new cover so much better! It's brighter and way more inviting to read with elements of what's super important to the story itself.

I enjoyed reading about Nick and Stella and them both being main characters. For one thing, I've never read a book that featured the entire married couple as the sleuth. They sleuthed as one, in other words and their banter was sometimes hilarious. They behaved themselves with said banter a little more when they were talking to who they thought were suspects. I had to chuckle at their good cop/bad cop antics during questions they asked, but the sheriff seemed to respect them. I mean, what else do you have to do with your time when a body was found in your new house's well, and you can't live in the new house yet? The whole time I was reading I thought of the light innuendo that was always fun with Hart to Hart's Jennifer and Jonathan (as a married couple example) or with Castle and Beckett.

The characters were quirky and all over the place. I especially liked Alma, sweet shop owner and good neighbor extraordinaire who loved taking care of Stella and Nick when they couldn't get into their house. I got a kick out of how the sheriff always had a crush on her.

I was sure I knew who the killer was, but it was a surprise with a quick, exciting showdown. It'll be fun to explore the next book and see if the sheriff and Agnes make any progress toward a relationship that's more than just friends!

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

Well-Offed in Vermont is a re-issue of a title previously released in 2011. Nick and Stella Buckley are a happily married couple who have decided to leave NYC and buy a house in a small-town in Vermont. Stella has left her job to support Nick in his career as a Forest Ranger. Their new house and living environment is the opposite of what they have experienced in NYC with there closest neighbour being half a mile away. Stella and Nick don't even have the chance to unpack the moving truck when they discover a dead body in the well on their property. Sheriff Mills discovers that the body belongs to Allen Weston a local business man who has the reputation of not always being above board. As a result Nick and Stella rely on the kindness of their new neighbours and have to stay at a hunting camp in the woods with no electricity and no running water while the police figure out who killed Allen.

Overall this was an enjoyable cozy. The husband and wife combination was a fun change from the the popular trope of a main character who moves to a small-town because of a failed relationship. It was refreshing to have a couple that obviously demonstrates love for each other and even in their banter demonstrate a strong relationship.

The town and environment described by Amy Patricia Meade was also enjoyable. I have family that live in an environment similar to the one described in this book and they affectionately refer to tourists as "tree clickers" instead of "leaf-peepers" but the sentiment is the same. Some concerns I have were expressed by other reviewers, especially that it seems that some aspects were stereotypical, but as a someone who has never been to Vermont I can't really get into too much detail there.

As a reader we are introduced to a few enjoyable characters who should definitely return in future instalments.

Another interesting aspect to this novel is that no one is above being considered a suspect, and I enjoy that. I didn't guess the killer and was suspecting all of the characters as having something to do with it.

We learn a little bit about the main characters back story which I hope will be developed in future titles, especially the fact that Stella's dad was a detective, so that would explain why she is so perceptive and just knows how to place all the pieces together.

As a first book in a series it is a good start, and I would definitely read any subsequent titles.

A solid cozy mystery with a great depiction of life in Vermont and great chemistry between husband and wife, Nick and Stella, who are very much out of their element when they move from Manhattan to Vermont and discover a dead man a few hours after arriving. There are some funny scenes of them suffering from culture shock.

The only thing that annoyed me was the sheriff justifying himself to the Nick and Stella. Why would any police officer feel it necessary to justify his investigative procedures to civilians, particularly strangers, and ones who had broken the law in their own unsanctioned investigation.

But overall, I thought it was fun and would read another in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for a copy of an ARC in return for an honest review.