I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

In bucolic small-town Vermont, Stella Thornton Buckley feels out of her element—and not just because she's fresh from Manhattan. Mere hours after moving to maple syrup country, she and her husband, Nick, find a dead man, Allen Weston, in their well. The police investigation forces the couple out of their lovely farmhouse and—since the motels are packed with leafpeepers—into a less than luxurius deer camp. Instead of mourning the loss of electricity and running water, Stella and Nick drive their Smart Car all over the Vermont hamlet to question the quirky locals about Weston, a shrewd businessman who rubbed a lot of folks the wrong way. Stella and Nick may never shed their flatlander reputation, but they just might be able to make a few friends and help Sheriff Mills solve a murder. (Goodreads synopsis)

I’m not sure where I want to even begin with this novel. It started with a lot of promise and then little things made it less enjoyable as I read on.

Things I liked: the plot/mystery, the location, and Stella. Honestly, the murder made a ton of sense. The solution did as well. Everyone knows someone who is charmingly smarmy but turns out to be a worldclass jerk. Just like everyone knows someone who wants to kill said jerk. I felt the mystery made the novel a quick read as I wanted to know exactly who did it and why. I even liked the idea of a husband and wife sleuthing duo, because it was unique compared to other cozy mysteries. However, I only liked half of the duo. I thought Stella was intuitive and asked some great questions. I even thought her explanations were great as well as her empathy towards certain individuals.

While I have never been to Vermont, it is on my bucket list of places to visit. I did not understand how Nick and Stella bought their house without knowing some of the basics, like where their cell phones did and did not work, or how small towns operate. I love to hike and I love mountain sceneries instead of ocean beaches, so I think I would have been very at home here. After living in one small town, this one doesn’t seem too bad.

Things I did not like: Nick, the townspeople, and how the ending came about. While I liked the sleuthing duo, I’m afraid Nick was too much for me. There were points where I left he was condescending towards Stella, that he brushed off the seriosuness of the situation, and that he was very judgemental towards the townspeople. Nick felt more like a “Jersey/New York” personality than he did a Forestry employee. I would think if you works for the Forestry department, he would ahve come into contact with individuals who were “redneck”, but Nick almost always seemed surprised or disgruntled by the townspeoples’ behaviors.

The townspeople were also a problem for me. I felt some of the individuals were played up as naive or plain nuts. I also disliked the comment about Nick and Stella and their future children and grandchildren always being considered outsiders until the fourth generation had lived in the town. I have been on the receiving end of those comments, and they are decidedly bigot considering how the locals don’t participate much with their community versus the “flatlanders” who just moved in.

Finally, the ending was kind of ridiculous. I will never understand why authors think readers want to see the amatuer in a potentially dangerous situation. I would much rather see a commonsense individual say, “hey I solved this. Now to inform the proper authorities,” instead of them trying to capture the murderer themselves. With that said, I was confused as to why the duo went to where they did, especially when they said they were trying to reach the police before they ever left.

Overall I rate this novel 3.5 out of 5 stars. Despite this rating, I am gonna continue to follow Amy Patricia Meade because I think she has some great potential. Plus I want to see where Stella goes from this experience.

Well-Offed in Vermont by Amy Patricia Meade was a treat to read and I kept turning the pages late into the night. It has a Nick and Nora (books by Dashiell Hammett) or Mr. and Mrs. Murder (TV show) vibe to it that was a pleasant change from the usual cozy mysteries that I read.

If you are a purist when it comes to cozies and don’t enjoy a bit of adult banter between husband and wife, along with wry comments, then this series might not be for you… but I really hope it is, or that you at least give it a try.

The chemistry between Stella and Nick was something that I wish every couple had, but so many don’t. They support each other, are sassy to each other, and are not afraid to show their passion for each other. The book is also peppered with quirky characters and ones that have a regional feel to them.Combining all these amazing characters together makes for a great cozy mystery.

Besides the great characters, Meade makes the reader feel as if they are actually in Vermont with her detailed descriptions of the town, food, and countryside. Combine this with a well thought out whodunnit, and I am totally stoked for the next book in the Vermont Country Living Mysteries.

This is a first in the series. This was good for a start to the series but it started off slowly. Much of the back story could be sprinkled throughout the story instead of a large download upfront.

Nick and Stella have moved from New York to Vermont. They find a body in their well. In order to move into their home quicker, they set out to find out how the victim came to be in the well. Of course, this rubs the locals the wrong way but that’s a cozy for you.

I see plenty of potential for this series.
I was given an advanced reader’s copy by Netgalley and am not required to leave a positive review.

Stella and Nick Buckley left New York City for Vermont, it was time for Stella to take a step back and let Nick pursue his dream job. They pulled into their farmhouse that they just closed on, where Nick had set up a surprise for Stella when they were greeted by their nearest neighbor, a half-mile away, handing them a housewarming gift of cupcakes. The cupcakes left Stella's hands sticky so she went to wash up and after getting rust-colored water, they go to investigate their well. There they discover the body of Allen Weston. The owner of a company that was to replace their well pump.

Now, Nick and Stella have to relocate for a short time while an investigation takes place. Alma Deville comes to welcome the Buckley's and ends up offering them a solution for a place to stay at her brother's old hunting cabin.

They've discovered that their nearest neighbor, Maggie, is referred to as Crazy Maggie and Sheriff Mills doesn't seem to be in a hurry to look into Allen Weston's death. An extremely lumpy pullout, an outhouse and lack of electricity have Stella convincing her husband that they need to do some sleuthing. Things don't move as fast as they do in New York, and at the rate, the sheriff is going it'll be months before they can be back in their home. Stella and Nick soon find out that despite the gossip that travels fast, there are a lot of people with secrets and a motive.

The reader gets acquainted with the quirky townspeople as Stella and Nick visit all those that had contact with Allen Weston. It becomes apparent why Maggie is called Crazy Maggie, an elderly gentleman who has no shame about being trigger happy, pret' near most are hiding secrets and a Smart Fortwo is not a good fit for a six-foot-two-inch driver! This was a delight to read, I really enjoyed getting to know the townspeople, although Maggie would scare me, and I loved the Buckleys, who made me laugh out loud many a time. I was surprised and guessed wrong who the murderer was! Great start to a new series!

I received an ARC from NetGalley via Beyond The Page Publishing and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

A cute, small town cozy. Yup. Clever mystery kept me guessing. Anyone normal (whatever that is) live in this town? Nope. Fun couple.

When Grumpy the Iguana, Green Parrot, Mr. Squirrel and Little Mouse set out for a night at the beach, they never expect to spend the night helping baby sea turtles find their father.

Since I have not read the other books in the series, I was not as familiar with the characters as I felt I should have been. I didn't really know much about them or their friendship. However, the story was cute and I enjoyed watching them figure out how to assist their friend with his hatching babies.

I did have a little problem with the fonts. I was reading an advanced e-copy, so perhaps this will be fixed in the final publication, but I noticed the author used different font colors to separate the dialogue from the text. While I liked this concept, it was inconsistent. On one page, it looked as if a different font was used in addition to a different color. At one point, one character's dialogue was one color on one page and another color on another page. Similarly, there was a page where two characters spoke with the same color. I would have liked a little more consistency, perhaps each character having his own color.

Overall, however, my three-year-old enjoyed reading this story with me. I found it cute and will look for others in the series.

Stella and Nick are making a huge move. From Manhattan to small-town Vermont. To their own farmhouse. Stella isn’t quite sure she is cut out for this life, but Nick’s energy is infectious.

When they arrive they stick out like a sore thumb in their little Smart car. With a U-Haul full of their belongings they open their door to find their real estate agent has laid in some bubbly and a blow-up bed. How sweet. Unfortunately, it will be a while before they move in. As Stella gets a glass of water she is pretty sure it isn’t supposed to be red.

When they find a body floating in the well, they meet the Sheriff. Sheriff Mills is a good guy but it seems like everyone they meet is nice but a bit sketchy on the dead guy. Allen has rubbed a lot of folks the wrong way and the suspect list is long.

So while they wait to get back into their house they, and I mean Stella, decides they should solve the murder themselves.

Stella and Nick reminded me of the Nick and Nora series my dad used to watch. They were hilarious and so was this. I do hope this is only the first of many as this couple is a hit!

NetGalley/October 05, 2021, Beyond the Page Publishing

I am a fan of cozy mysteries, and this book's plot and writing were very well in line with the subgenre. But the character's development was a complete turn-off. The dynamic between husband and a wife was painful to read. Nick treats his wife Stella, like some silly 3-year-old little baby who knows nothing about the life. She has portrayed a strong independent woman who goes after what she wants, and yet her closest person, her husband, treats her like she can't take a step without his direction. Instead of thinking about the mystery, I was thinking about the couple.

This book was sent to me on Kindle by Netgalley…a cozy mystery with a murder at the center…I enjoyed reading about Vermont, and the characters with their accents…the couple who bought the home to move out of he city…the man in the well…red herrings…it is all there and is a fun quick read…

What a cozy little mystery! This is my first time reading from this author, and it definitely won't be my last! I loved the atmosphere that was so gently created, that helped me escape the miserable heat where I live, and instead transform my reading nook into a cozy autumnal paradise. I won't say much, because I don't want to give too much away...but I am recommending this book to all my book-loving friends before the Fall season has left us!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this publication.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of WELL-OFFED IN VERMONT (Book 1 of the Vermont Country Living Mysteries), by Amy Patricia Meade, in exchange for an honest review. Stella and Nick Buckley are anticipating big changes and some surprises when they move from New York City to rural Vermont. However, finding a dead body in their well and not being able to actually live in their newly-purchased house was a bit more of a surprise than expected. Stella and Nick are delighted, however, when they are offered local hospitality even if their replacement lodgings has no bed, a pull-out couch with unruly springs, no running water, and out-house toilet facilities. After being told that they can’t take up residence in their much-more-comfortable house until the murderer is identified, Stella and Nick have a new hobby. They are determined to get back into their house even if they have to catch a killer to do it. What a way to meet the neighbors!

I liked the book and thought it was a good start to a new series. I recommend this book to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, rural Vermont, community secrets, small businesses, and life-changing transitions.

#WellOffedinVermont #NetGalley

I am always looking forward to reading new cozy mysteries and discovering my next favorite series to follow.
I liked the mystery behind finding a dead body in the well and small-town gossip. However, the characters were not up to my liking and this kinda ruined the read for me a tad.
Overall, this was an okay read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for my copy of Well-Offed in Vermont by Amy Patricia Meade in exchange for an honest review. It publishes October 5, 2021.
I really wanted to like this, I love books set in Vermont, and this setting delivered. I also loved the relationship between the two main characters. The mystery itself was very well-written and I was very into the finding out the ending.
What I didn't like was how close-minded these characters were about small towns and hunting culture. They acted as if everything in a small town is so behind-the-times, stupid and worthy of being judged. And their attitudes toward hunters was very judgmental and it doesn't seem as if the author had actually spoken to a real hunter before, but just went off of stereotypes that are not true.

Although I felt that some of the characters in Amy Patricia Meade's 'Well-Offed in Vermont' were a little one-dimensional, I thoroughly enjoyed Nick and Stella's foray in to a country life away from New York City. The body that surprised them as they moved into their home revealed many more layers of a mystery involved a supposed rare painting, something within Stella's expertise. The book was humorous, suspenseful and introduced many quirky and likeable characters with potential for future development. I look forward to the next in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is a real hoot! Farce, snarkfest, Lampoon's Move To Vermont Complete With A Murder. All while being a cozy mystery. The setting and characters in this rural small town could have been Anyplace Northwoods (I live in Wisconsin and it is just like here!). There really is a fine sleuthing plot, but the laughs and all the tongue-in-cheek stuff had me ROFL. I highly recommend this one!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!!!

Cozy mysteries are great escape reads for me, one of my favourite genres. Stunning cover, major autumnal vibes that makes me jealous of anyone who gets to live in America/Canada and enjoy all those scenes and lovely autumn colours. Really good Murder mystery

Since I used to live in Vermont, I enjoy reading books that are set there, though they are often filled with cliche. This mystery is no exception. It's well written and I enjoyed it, but some of the lines between the wife and husband were cringe-worthy in the sense that they are overly cute with each other.
I know this is an older book and it would be fun to read more about the adventures of these very new Vermonters. Will they break down and start wearing flannel shirts? I'd bet... yep.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley and Beyond the Page for ARC.

Sparky young couple Stella and Nick arrive fresh from New York City to the farmhouse fixer-upper of their dreams in Vermont. Instead of the new life they'd imagined, their thrown into the thick of the community after a body is discovered on their newly-purchased property.

I wanted to like this. I have a fondness for a cosy mystery when times are hard or my brain needs a rest. I love the idea of married couple banter a la Nick and Nora Charles.
The author has written several other books, so technically knows what she's about.
I hated this - I felt all the characters, including the protagonists, were drawn so sketchily to be a series of cliches, not necessarily consistent with each other. The slapstick humour was forced, the plot was thinner than an autumn leaf. I won't go on.
Some people seem to have enjoyed this very much. Best of luck to Ms Meade.

I  received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

This was an okay story with too many cliches and it dragged a bit. I just couldn't connect to these characters.

Thank you to Beyond the Page Publishing for the gifted digital copy from NetGalley.

This is a wonderful cozy mystery about a couple who relocates from New York City to Vermont. Ironically their first day in Vermont is when they stumble upon a dead body. Years of living in NYC, they never encountered a dead body.

The characters are interesting people.

Yes, I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries.