A charming addition to a cozy mystery series with a mystery that is headscratching but gives you enough clues along the way for it to come to a satisfying reveal.

I really loved this first book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

The book is well-written, plotted, and flows at a good pace. The characters are well-developed and very believable. The mystery had enough red herrings and twists and turns that it will keep you guessing until the end as to who the killer is

Compared to the first book this one fell flat. The mystery was a bit too far fetched and too easily solved. I like the premise of the series and will give the next installment a try.

This is the second book in the series and my favorite of the two books. The main character, Wren is a smart, likable, and passionate female lead. She is passionate about bees, bee education, her store, and her family and friends. She goes out of her way to help those she cares for as well as others who are in need. I really enjoyed how she handled the interactions with the grouchy old gentleman, The mystery is well-plotted with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing whodunit.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I have not been infuenced by anyone.

Release Date: March 29, 2022

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Wren is about to celebrate the second anniversary of her shop ‘Let it bee’ in Oceanview. She goes to see her friend Elias, he’s the person who taught her about bees and bee wrangling. Unfortunately when Wren gets there she sees Elias facedown on the ground and someone knock over his hives and his bees won’t let anyone near Elias. Wrens friendly visit turns into a whodunnit before anymore hives or people get destroyed.

This book is the second book in the Oregon Honeycomb Mystery Series. The first book ended with a huge snafu that the book editor should have caught so I was apprehensive. I enjoyed this book and didn’t guess the killer till the very end. The reason for four stars and non re-readability is that it was chaos. Things were happening that weren’t fully explained and the characters didn’t address it. It was odd. I would and will happily read the next book in the series!

#oregonhoneycombmystery #kensingtonbooks #nancycoco #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #cozymysteryseries #amatterofhiveanddeath

Even though this is only book two in the “An Oregon Honeycomb Mystery” series, I have come to love the characters, including the Havana Browns that are lovingly described and cared for by the characters. Wren and Aunt Eloise have great personalities, quarks, and funny little habits that make readers want to spend as much time with them as possible. A Matter Of Hive and Death shows how excellent a writer Ms. Coco is. Making something as ordinary as honey and bees into a motive for murder is intelligent and humorous.

When a bee wrangler is murdered, not by bees but by a blow to the head, Wren jumps in to help find the killer. But the honey that flows from the suspects isn’t sweet. When another wrangle ends up dead as well, and his hives destroyed, Wren and Eloise know the motive can’t be professional jealousy or about honey. Evidence begins to build as they get closer to the truth, and the killer decides they have gotten too close. Putting their lives on the line once again, Wren and Eloise track down the killer and make sure no one else gets stung.

The writing in A Matter Of Hive and Death is flawless, the locations are described in-depth, the characters are developed, and the plot in this book is original and compelling. The bees are topical in our world today as they are vanishing. Honey is beloved the world over, and if we lose the bees, there will be many products that we use every day that will no longer exist. This is a timely series that also happens to be very compelling. I am happy to recommend this book to readers who enjoy character-driven series.

Nancy Coco is a favorite of mine for her Mackinac Island Cozy Mystery Series (Candy-Coated Mystery), so when she wrote The Oregon Honeycomb Mystery Series I had to give it a shot. I read Death Bee Comes Her last year and while I didn't love it, I thought it was ok. The main character Wren just doesn't pull me in and the quirky nature of a lot of the secondary characters felt off to me. I also don't love Detective Jim Hampton or her other prospects much. I think I'll stick with her Mackinac Series, I just can't get enough of it.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.

I’m not sure how to feel. I really liked the first book in this series, but this one was just okay. The mystery unspooled in fits and starts rather than being a smooth reveal. I wanted more from the plot, which didn’t make a ton of sense. I also was confused by some of the geography - Seattle isn’t 2 hours from anywhere in Oregon.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Oh my gosh I love this author so much and I love the settings of her stories and adorable sidekicks of course.

Another great story in this series. I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was excited to read this one too. I liked the mystery and the additional characters and the writing was great but the whole UFO festival felt a bit out of place. I loved the story adding in the bee keepers and bee hives. I adore that the gift shop setting is so unique and focuses on bees. The story was well done and kept me guessing. I really enjoyed the book!

This is the second book in the Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series. I'm slowly getting into the series. I enjoyed learning about bees and their history (the closest I want to come to bees due to allergies). The characters were engaging and the storyline was intriguing. I'm interested in reading what's next.

Many thanks to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

A MATTER OF HIVE AND DEATH is the second book in the Oregon Honeycomb Mysteries by Nancy Coco. While it’s the first I’ve read (much to my chagrin) I easily picked up the necessary backstory and characters without feeling lost. I’ll be reading the first book right away to catch up with the charming protagonist, Wren Johnson, and her delightful Let It Bee shop set along the Oregon coast. Ms. Coco uses the educational backdrop of the plight of honey bees and what their destruction can do to our environment and food sources, for the murder mystery. I adored that Wren’s shop has a glass-walled working bee hive to educate visitors. I had the opportunity to see one on vacation long ago and was fascinated by the industrious bees. Wren is heartbroken when she arrives at a local farm to find the beekeeper murdered and several of his hives vandalized. The author’s descriptive voice brought the sound of the angry, swarming bees and the panic of those trying to rescue the downed man to life. Her attention to detail made me feel like I was right there throughout the story.

When another local beekeeper, and a friend of Wren’s, becomes the main suspect, she can’t help but try to find the culprits who have been destroying hives up and down the Oregon coast. Her investigation brings her into contact with quirky characters attending the annual UFO festival, to conspiracy theorists, and Bigfoot enthusiasts, providing a swarm of suspects. Ms. Coco also introduces the most unique of crimes, which is both eye-opening and thought-provoking for our modern times. It is obvious she’s done her research and she expertly weaves it into the tightly plotted mystery, right through to the edge-of-your-seat reveal.

In addition to a complex, well-written mystery, the author has created a cast of characters that will bring readers back for each new book. Wren is one of those people who I’d like to become friends with, and spend hours in her shop trying all of her products. Wren’s Havana brown cat, Everett, and her quirky Aunt Eloise, bring some lighthearted humor to the story as well as a sounding board for her investigation. Her good friend and employee, Porsche, is a great sidekick, and I admired the way she juggles being a mother to two young sons, working at Let It Bee, and helping in the investigation.

I was delighted to find that not only are there honey-based recipes sprinkled throughout the book, but there are also tips using honey for a variety of beauty and health conditions.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

The second in the series, this book finds Wren trying to sort out who is harming beekeepers and damaging bee hives. It was really interesting to learn more about bees, such a crucial part of our ecosystem.

I feel like this book wasn't as well done as the first. There were several things that didn't add up from chapter to chapter. And while a good cozy has a plucky and brave amateur sleuth, Wren and her crew seem a bit over the top sometimes. Like hiring their own artist to do a sketch instead of taking the description to the police. That one kind of lost me.

I do think the series still has great potential and I look forward to seeing how the next book goes. Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington for a complimentary digital review copy of this title.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Wren and Everett are back on the trail of another murderer. This time the victim is a fellow beekeeper, Elias. There have been a string of vandalisms of hives lately and it seems he might have been close to cracking the mystery of who is behind it. Since Elias is her friend and mentor and she found the body, she feels compelled to find the killer. But the warnings from Jim, the local lawman who may have feelings for her ,do not discourage her. Nor does the fact that it seems that something bad happens to people after she has spoken to them. And it gets even worse when the threats come closer to home for her.

In the meantime, a blast from her past, shows up in town and he has an interesting proposition- for her Aunt Eloise. It involves her champion Havana Brown cat, Elton. He offers her a million dollars to use Elton’s DNA. This disgusts Wren completely. Then things get even nastier.

I suspected one of the bad guys from the get-go but his partners were a big surprise. Wren had most of the details pegged but even she was caught off-guard when the final piece fell into place. It was a good mystery with characters, especially the cats, whom the reader can enjoy. It is fascinating as well to learn more about bees. They are such an important part of our world. Four purrs and two paws up.

While I did enjoy the mystery, I feel like this one wasn't written as well as the first, and I found myself zoning out at various points in the story. I do like that there was more bee/honey realted content than there was in book 1. Even though I didn't like this one as much as the first, I will continue with the series!

Unfortunately, this book didn’t seem as well written as the first book. But I did still really enjoy the mystery and all of the twists and turns.

And of course, I loved the recipes and honey uses that were included!

This is the 2nd installment in the Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series. Wren Johnson lives in Oceanview Oregon and runs Let it Bee a shop locally sources honey products and Wren even has her own hive in her store. When she goes to get some products she needs for her upcoming anniversary sale from her mentor Elias (he taught Wren about bees she interned with him when she first returned to town), she sees a car leaving and finds Elias lying in the back with the bees swarming around him and the hives destroyed. Wren calls 911 and tells them they need a bee wrangler and they all need protective gear as the bees will not let anyone near Elias. Wren is devastated when Elias later dies and the wrangler she called to help Klaus is later arrested for Elias’s murder. Wren once again gets involved with a murder investigation and detective Jim Hampton is not happy about it. Wren’s ex-boyfriend arrives in town wanting to adopt one of Aunt Eloise’s Havana Browns cats and learns that Wren is her niece. Aunt Eloise is trying to play matchmaker with Wren and her ex but she may have feelings for Jim. Wren is later shot at and is just bruised but another bee keeper is shot. Bee hives are being vandalized up and down the Oregon Coast. Elias was trying to figure out the culprit. Wren’s apartment and store is broken into and her hive wall damaged but the only thing taken appears to be her “suspect board”. She is planning to meet with Aunt Eloise and Porsche (her employee and friend) when the store closes to work on the case when Aunt Eloise goes missing. This adds another dimension to the entire mystery. I love the dynamic of Aunt Eloise, Wren and Porsche (who is Wren’s employee and friend) as they are supporting each other and Jim has opened up and recognizes Wren is going to get involved whether her likes it or not and he is going to take care of her. I really enjoyed this mystery and figured there were a couple things “off” with some of the possible suspects but did not anticipate how this would all come together. I really enjoyed this mystery and really look forward to the next in this series. Highly recommend.

I had really high hopes for A Matter of Hive and Death, because the premise sounded great. And it was fine - I found that the text itself was rather repetitive (we heard the same information over and over again) and that threw off the pacing of the book itself.