“Kill or Bee Killed” is the nicely done second book in Jennie Marts’ Bee Keeping Mystery series (despite the punny title and setup, the language keeps this from quite being a cozy mystery but it is still nicely done). This book is centered on a murder that takes place during Humble Hills, Colorado’s annual Bee Festival. Author Bailey Briggs gets involved in trying to solve the mystery when her best friend Evie becomes one of the suspects. There is a lot to like about this book (and series), starting with Bailey and her large family, her relationship with Sheriff Sawyer Dunn, her best friend Evie, and various townspeople. The Bee Festival is also nicely done and provides a good setting for the murder. The murder is nicely done with just the right amount of suspects and some very surprising twists and turns. It’s not too often that I feel sorry for the murderer in a mystery but at the end of the book in some ways I did feel sorry for the killer. Well done by Marts!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

In this second installment of A Bee Keeping Mystery series, Bailey is busy helping her grandmother and great aunts with the Annual Bee Festival. However, what starts out as a celebration of everything bees turns deadly. Once again author Jennie Marts concludes the tale with a stunning twist, leaving a pivotal question hanging in the air, only to be disrupted by a monumental cliffhanger. I hope we do not have to wait too long for book three.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Kill or Bee Killed is a great second book in A Bee Keeping Mystery series. Bailey and family are a hoot!
Humble Hills is hosting its annual Bee Festival. Granny Bee is of course in charge of most everything, which translates into family and friends being involved with far more tasks that is reasonable.
This year the festival has a bake-off (cook-off) with a celebrity host, Rex. It’s unfortunate that Rex isn’t as nice as his TV persona suggests. Evie is one of three contestants in the bake-off. When Rex winds up dead, Evie is a suspect.
Bailey and Evie investigate and all sorts of interesting things happen.
Who killed Rex wasn’t clear until it was. There were secrets revealed, past history influencing the present and blackmail.
Bailey’s great aunts enter the beauty pageant. The descriptions of that part are excellent.
Bailey and Sawyer grow closer.
This series has just a bit of the ridiculous and just a hint of romance.
I enjoyed reading Kill or Bee Killed. It could be read as a stand-alone but there is quiet s bit of backstory that influences how this second book goes.
Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this book.

This is the perfect book (and series) to read this summer. The honey, food festival & a cooking competition, all in a gorgeous sounding town, makes you long for sunshine & clear skies. Add in a lot of delicious food descriptions & you’ve got a perfect cozy setting.

Bailey is a fantastic lead, smart & down to earth. The supporting cast is what really makes this book so strong. With a bff, daughter, grandmother & two great aunts, Bailey has loads of help when it comes to sleuthing. And that’s just a taste of the side characters! The town is full of them.

This is definitely one of the more enjoyable & well executed new cozy series I’ve read in recent memory. I enjoyed the second book even more than the first. It’s has a fantastic solution/ending. I will happily be looking out for future books.

🐝

Read if you like:
* Ice Cream Shop series by Meri Allen
* Maple Syrup series by Catherine Bruns
* Farm to Table series by Amanda Flower

I loved this second book in the Bee Keeping Mystery series. I really enjoyed the first book and loved how the characters developed in this book.

This was a great mystery in figuring out who done in the visiting misogynist celebrity host Rex Rafferty. There is a culinary contest and some extra heat going on between Bailey and the local sheriff.

Our mystery writing sleuth Bailey along with her great aunts and hunky sheriff/former boyfriend have their hands full trying to find the murder before its lights out for Bailey.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Bailey and the Hive- her posse of crime solvers- know that Eve didn't kill Rex Rafferty, the reality show host who has come to town. Sure the two of them argued but she didn't kill him. So Bailey and company set off to get answers, to the dismay of her law enforcement romantic interest Sawyer. This second installment of the series will be fine as a standalone. Those who read the first book will be pleased to see more character development (and a bit more of Bailey's daughter). It's a classic cozy where honey is always in the picture. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Humble Hills is preparing for their annual Bee Festival, a weekend that includes beekeeping demos, a 3K Bear Run – with participants dressed up as bears! – and the highlight of the festival, a bake-off with a celebrity TV host. Everything is going well until the host is found dead and Bailey’s best friend is the primary suspect in his murder. With help from their friends, Bailey’s daughter Daisy, and The Hive, Granny Bee’s book club, Bailey sets out to prove that Evie is not a killer.

I really liked the first book in this series, so I was excited to get an ARC of this book to read. Luckily, it lived up to my own personal hype :) I like Bailey and her friends, but I adore Granny Bee, the other members of The Hive, and of course, Cooper, the ever so goofy golden retriever. What a wonderful support system for both Bailey and her daughter, Daisy.

The murder victim in this one was a not very pleasant visitor to the area, so there didn’t seem to be many suspects at first. As clues were uncovered, though, that list became longer and longer, including some of Bailey’s nearest and dearest. There were plenty of red herrings along the way, but I was certain I knew who the killer was – until the confrontation scene near the end of the book, when all my theories were blown out of the water. The motive made sense, and I should have considered it sooner.

I’m eager to read the next book in the series, even though that means waiting another entire year to do so.

This was a fun cozy. I haven't read the previous book in this series, but it was easy to figure out who was who. Bailey is back in Humble Hills, Colorado. Her Grandmother is known for her bee keping skills and her honey. The community hosts a Bee Festival and her Grandmother is a sponsor. One of the highlights is a cooking competition when the cooks must use honey. When the celibrity host is found murdered, all eyes turn to the various contstants, including Bailey. A personal article belonging to each contestant is found on the victim. Bailey sets out to discover the true murderer, before she or her best friend are arrested. She also wants to save the Bee Festival.

The characters are fun and crazy. There are lots of suspects to investigate. This is a relaxing and easy read.

Bailey is eagerly anticipating the annual Bee Festival. Granny Bee, who owns the local bee farm, organizes the festival. This year, a celebrity from LA will host the baking contest. Bailey's best friend, Evie, is competing in the cooking show. However, when the celebrity guest is found dead, numerous suspects emerge. Sheriff Sawyer Dunn, Bailey's ex-boyfriend, is attempting to prevent her from getting involved in the murder investigation.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story in this book. After reading the first book, I had high expectations for this one and it certainly did not disappoint.

Culinary Cozy Mystery following a Colorado mystery author who's helping her granny with the annual Bee Festival as she turns sleuth after the bake-off's celebrity host's found dead.

5/5 stars: This is the second entry in Marts' Bee Keeping Mystery series, which is a Culinary Cozy Mystery that takes place in Colorado and features a mystery author who with her teenage daughter lives with her beekeeper granny at her ranch. With plenty of twists and turns, Marts has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Additionally, Marts' writing and character work is stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's a blast catching up with Bailey, her daughter Daisy and her family, Granny Bee and her great-aunts, Marigold and Aster, and the Humble Hills townsfolk. Plus I love her friendship with Evie. I also really like how Bailey's second-chance relationship with her HS boyfriend Sawyer, the town sheriff, continues to bloom. Oh, and one mustn't forget the sweetest dog ever, Cooper, the Golden Retriever. But wait, you'll for sure want to try out the absolutely delicious honey infused recipes that are included. Yummy! Marts tackles some sensitive subjects, so take care and check the CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Take the Honey and Run.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Delightful laugh-out-loud moments throughout the entire book, engaging characters, and a first-rate mystery with lots of clues, plus secrets from the past make this book compulsively readable. I'm excitedly waiting for Book #3!

Kill or Bee Killed is the second book in the Bee Keeping Mystery series.. The story is full of great characters, who live in the tiny town of Humble Hills, Colorado and has laugh out loud moments. If you're looking for a fun read, full of charm, I highly recommend Kill or Bee Killed by Jeannie Marts.

It's time for the annual Bee Festival in Humble Hills. Everyone is busy getting ready for the Bear Run, beauty pageant, and demonstrations. The big draw this year is the Bake Off. Evie is participating and Granny Bee has managed to get a celebrity host. Everyone has come out to watch, but some don't like what they see. Off set Rex Rafferty is no prize, so it's not much of a shock when he turns up dead. It's also not a surprise that Evie is a suspect. Luckily she has Bailey on her side.

This is the second book in A Bee Keeping Mystery series. I was able to jump in and follow without much trouble. The only thing I feel like I was missing out on is the dynamic between Bailey and sheriff Sawyer. I feel like I need to see how things started off or what happened between them in the first book to appreciate their relationship in this one. I also just didn't like some of their scenes.

Otherwise the supporting characters are great, especially Bailey's great Aunts. They provide a lot of humor and add a lot of fun. I also like how involved Evie is in the investigation.

I wasn't always thrilled with the investigation itself. Bailey's reason for getting involved is understandable, but I'm not sure I believe in her and her abilities. Sometimes it just felt like a game.

I enjoyed the first half of the book very much, but the second half dragged as things were explained and discovered about some characters. Too much time was spent talking, and the overall conclusion wasn't satisfying.

There is a lot of promise for this series with some of the characters and the beekeeping element especially. I hope there's more focus on that next time.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198562214-kill-or-bee-killed?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Whtn1GJSGz&rank=1

The Bee Festival is happening in Humble Hills, Colorado. The hive and Granny B are in charge of events. One of the events is a bake off with 3 of the top restaurants in town. Evie, Spike the biker bar, and Charlotte of Sunshine Cafe. They flew in tv personality Rex Rafferty a real sleazeball. He comes onto Evie in his trailer. Evie threatens him if he gets close to her again she will kill him. When he turns up dead in the supply closet. Evie is the top suspect. Bailey decides to investigate.

This book had me laughing out loud numerous times. Especially when Bailey gets stuck in the window. 🎈🍯🐝 I love this series. I keep wondering if he will find out who Daisy's dad is. I loved following the clues with the Hive. This is my new favorite cozy mystery series. I can't wait for more.

A Bee Keeping Mystery #2. I had high hopes for this sequel after absolutely loving the first book. I'm happy to say this one far exceeded my expectations and easily earns another 5 stars from me! It contained everything that makes up a good cozy: great cast, humor, intriguing mystery, shocking twist, action and even a hint of romance.

I adore the characters in this book. Bailey is a fantastic lead and I love the relationship she has with her teenage daughter and feisty grandma. Evie is the perfect bestie sidekick. The one who doesn't hesitate to go sleuthing even when it ends in humorous shenanigans. Then there is Sawyer, the hunky sheriff and high school boyfriend who will leave your swooning with every interaction he has with Bailey. You can't forget about the crazy aunts who enter the local beauty paegant or Copper, the sweetest dog. My favorite character might possibly be the local coroner who is full of clever wit.

The mystery was captivating from start to finish. It had equal parts red herrings, shocking revelations and centered around a heartbreaking story about bullying. I quite honestly had the wrong culprit selected and was shocked when they because victim number two. I didn't see the reveal coming until Bailey uncovered the truth and those last few chapters were pretty intense.

The book concludes with several honey infused recipes and one heck of a cliffhanger that already has me eager to continue the series. Kill or Bee Killed releases June 4, 2024. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books - all opinions are my own.

A delightful cozy mystery. It kept me guessing. Nice resolutions for several of the characters. I am eager to read the next one. Honey of a series. Many exciting moments. Fun references to songs, etc. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Book two of the series finds mystery writer Bailey Briggs Once again investigating a murder. The victim is a celebrity judge in town to host the Bee Festival. There are lots of suspects to choose from and Bailey and her friend Evie are trying to stay one step ahead of the Sheriff the love of Bailey's life. Excellent story.

I wish I could write like Jennie Marts but I'm not that creative. I really enjoyed this book. It has a nice cast of characters (just loved the great aunts) and is well written and very entertaining. The puns and humor were good. I didn't like to put the book down. I enjoyed reading this book so much I just put the first in this series on my wishlist.
I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books and I’m leaving a voluntary and honest review.

The thing about being a cozy mystery fan is that all too often the plots and the characters of different series become interchangeable to the point where none of them are memorable. The thing about Jennie Marts' Bee Keeping Mysteries is that there's no way you can forget this cast of characters and the situations they find themselves in! I was THRILLED to see that Take the Honey and Run was getting a sequel! I adored that book and Kill or Bee Killed is even better!




Bailey, single mother to preteen Daisy, is a mystery book writer and thus naturally becomes the main amateur sleuth in this series. She makes her living off Mysteries! Of course she wants to be involved when they happen in her town, even if her former flame aka the current Sheriff would love her to butt out. But Bailey isn't the only one who would like to sleuth around and that is what truly sets this series apart! Bailey has a unique support system when it comes to life called the Hive. What's the Hive? It's her Grandma's book club and let me tell you that these people are fabulous! I would join their club in a heartbeat! The hijinks this unlikely group get themselves into while solving crimes is absolutely delightful. The poor Sheriff is no match for the force of nature that is 4 elderly women, a former detective, a kid who loves learning, and a best friend who will always have Bailey's back!
As for the mystery itself, it kept me guessing and I was so pleased that I wasn't able to guess whodunit! I love that it took place of the course of a few days during a Bee festival and that the small town vibes were incredibly strong! I felt like I was right there in the middle of everything! I actually read the whole thing in one sitting!

With the up coming annual bee festival sponsored by Bailey’s Granny Bee and Honeybuzz ountain Ranch. The long weekend includes a beauty pageant beekeeping demonstrations a local restaurant bake-off and a 3K Bear-run where everyone dresses as a bear. The bake-off brings a television crew from California to film when the celebrity host ends up deadBaileys best friend ends up being accused and Bailey must uncover the truth. This was a very enjoyable story full of twists and turns I would recommend to everyone.