A charming and engaging cozy mystery in a small Vermont town. I enjoyed following along on Hannah’s investigation into Ezra’s murder. The characters are well developed and relatable, each adding to the story. A very enjoyable read.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a great start to a series! Hannah is a likeable character, and I enjoyed getting to know here. I didn't really care for her sister, Reggie, but by the end I warmed up to her a bit. I really enjoyed this story and the characters that make up the town. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

I really enjoyed this first in series by Ayla Rose. The main character seems to have a good head on her shoulders and I was rooting for her from the beginning. I love cozy mysteries with an "old house" and all the interesting (and murderous!) things that could go on when there's money involved. I did not guess "whodunnit" but this book had a satisfying ending. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

Murder on Devil’s Pond by Ayla Rose is the first book in the new cozy Hummingbird Hollow B&B Mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series each book of the Hummingbird Hollow B&B Mystery will contain it’s own mystery that will be fully solved within the book so they could be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. There will be some character development that will carry over from book to book for those who wish to read the series in order from the beginning.

Hannah Solace returned to her hometown of Jasper, Vermont with the goal of to renovating and reopening the inn in an old Victorian that she owns with her sister, Reggie. During the time spent getting the inn up and running Hannah made friends with her neighbor, eighty year old Ezra Grayson despite their being a fifty year age gape between them.

When Hannah discovers Ezra’s body after he’s murdered she is devastated to lose her friend but matters turn worse when she becomes a suspect in his death too. Hannah then vows that she will find who actually killed her friend clearing her own name while getting him justice.

The Hummingbird Hollow B&B Mystery series did have many of the things that I ask for when it comes to cozy mysteries such as a charming small town location, some quirky and interesting characters, possibly some cute critters to steal the show and a fun mystery to follow and try to solve. With all of that in the mix I did enjoy this first book of the series but with just getting to know the cast of characters and setting I rated this one at three and half stars and hope to get to know them all even more in the second book.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This was a very enjoyable, cozy mystery with a good mystery at its core. I loved the setting of the B&B in a small town, and the characters were likable and engaging. Throughout the story, there were multiple scenarios set up that could have easily been the solution. This made for an entertaining read that kept me guessing until the very end. I will undoubtedly be returning for the next book in this new series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I've always had a soft spot for cozy mysteries and this one is no exception! This is a new to me author along with a BRAND NEW SERIES! So Hannah returns to her hometown to renovate and open an inn with her sister Reggie. Her main goal was to give the Victorian home a new life. While trying to tackle this feat Reggie is always in the middle of everything making sure that she is on budget and having to deal with all the people she left behind 15 years ago however throughout this whole process she finds an unlikely friend with an 80-year-old man Ezra.
Then one day Hannah finds Ezra's body in a questionable situation and she makes it her mission to find out who killed Ezra and why. As she slowly starts to investigate she finds out that she is the sole heir to everything that he has including a house full of stuff and a large bank account. However, his family members circle the house, looking for the will and finding out who he left everything to, like sharks! Then slowly as she's trying to understand Ezra she feels like she does not know him at all secrets start to come out about Ezra's past and situations that would have given more people a motive to murder him. Will Hannah find out what happened to Ezra before they get to her? You should check this book out to find out!
I loved the quirkiness and the spunk of Hannah and Moose! I also adored that it wasn't just one culprit of whodunit there were several who could have and several who would have had the motivation to murder him! This was a fantastic start to this new series and I can't wait until the next one comes out and we get to see more of Hannah's adventures! Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the extraordinary opportunity to read and review this one!

I really enjoyed this first in series. Hannah Solace has returned to Jasper, VT to help her sister run her B&B. Hannah has befriended their elderly neighbor, Ezra Grayson and his old pup, Moose. Hummingbird Hollow (the B&B) sounds absolutely beautiful. Hannah and their landscaper, Ash are working on fixing up the gardens and making it a haven for pollinators.

Hannah guests, who happen to be Ezra's nephews and neice seem to be circling Ezra, waiting for him to die. Hanah finds Ezra dead and can't help but wonder if one of them has sped up the process. The cast of characters are great. It's hard not to like any of the townsfolk.

This is a good mystery, it kept me interested the whole time and I really hope there are more.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

What a great summer read and a book that has all that cosy mystery vibe you would want and expect from a book of this genre. Love the characters, Hannah is a prefect fit for this story, a the Hummingbird B&B is the perfect setting. This is one of those 'Read in a Day' books and that is exactly what I did.

Love the story and the fun, the mystery and the sleuthing. It had everything I wanted and the writing kept me reading. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Returning innkeeper Hannah has befriended an old curmudgeonly man. Her own family has its share of disfunction but it pales by comparison to his family who have descended trying to move him out of his home. He is murdered. His two nephews and niece thought they had much to gain by his death. That is until Hannah discovers it is she who is the heir. She is blindsided by this and because it makes her a suspect too, she wants to get to the bottom of things.

This includes the discovery of his killer and the reasons behind his strange behaviours. The only way she will find out if there is a connection to the murder, is to uncover a lot of secrets that have remained hidden for decades. There were more than a few twists and turns along the way including the villain. It was a gripping read from beginning to end. Five purrs and two paws up.

This is a super start to a new cozy mystery series. The characters are great and I really enjoyed the setting. I am excited to read more from this author.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

This is the start to a great new cozy series. Hannah has moved back to her small town to help her sister run the Hummingbird B&B. Hannah’s got her hands full trying to keep the Inn afloat when the town recluse (and her friend) is found dead. This book is full of wonderful characters and charm as Hannah struggles to unravel the mystery of Ezra’s death.

A perfect whodunit to read this summer. Don’t miss this one if you enjoy an amateur sleuth, small-town setting, and plenty of suspects. Along with the mystery, Ms Rose has set up a great series with interesting characters - I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Hannah and the Inn!

I loved this first book in the Hummingbird Hollow B&B mystery series. Hannah is an endearing protagonist, and I loved following her journey. The setting was great, and I loved Moose!

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest, personal review. This book was fitting of the cozy mystery genre although it took me a minute to find myself invested in the characters. Hannah runs a Victorian Inn with her sister Reggie and Reggie's daughter Peach. She befriends an older man named Ezra Grayson and his dog Moose and when she receives a concerning phone call from Ezra requesting a meeting with her. When he doesn't show and is later found murdered, it is up to Hannah to clear her name and find the real culprit of the crime.

If I have the quote correct, Stephen King said that if an author doesn’t capture your attention in the first 10% of the book, they aren’t doing their job. I gave Wendy Tyson, who is writing as Ayla Rose, that chance with Murder on Devil’s Pond. Unfortunately, the book opens at a snail’s pace. Even though the murder victim is clear from the start, the narrative lacks the spark needed to keep readers hooked and eager to uncover the culprit.

This is a very promising series debut set at an inn in Vermont.

Lots of interesting characters, including sleuth Hannah Solace, who owns the inn, along with her sister, Reggie. A terrific plot, especially since I love mysteries where past events impact the case.

All in all, this is a mystery I would recommend to cozy mystery fans. Very enjoyable.

A good start for a new cozy series featuring interesting and likeable characters. The plot is well developed, the mystery is solid.
I liked the setting and the solution was unexpected.
The narrator added more colour and liked how it was read.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I want thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. I loved all the characters and it was a fun easy read that kept me guessing. Highly recommend! I would read from this author again.

Murder on Devil’s Pond
(Hummingbird Hallow B&B Mystery 1)
Ayla Rose



Hannah Solace has returned to Jasper, Vermont to be a part owner in the newly renamed Hummingbird Hollow B&B, previously the Jasper Inn with her sister, Reggie Solace who received the inn as part of her divorce settlement from Cheating Chad. Hannah is the Bee & Bee Inn manager as well as working on a special garden, with landscaper Ash Kade. Reggie’s daughter Peach and Hannah are friends with Ezra Grayson, an elderly neighbor whose property abuts theirs. He lives in a rundown Victorian with his elderly dog, Moose. One evening she is out by Devil's Pond and she sees Moose on the shore upset. She goes over only to discover Ezra murdered! Noah Booker is the detective working the case.
Who murdered a harmless, lonely old man?


For those who have absolutely no tolerance for profanity of any degree, do not read this book. For those who are ambivalent about characters using mild situational profanity, this will be just fine. I was not bothered by the language as everything was so seamlessly fitted to the events occurring. Ayla Rose’s writing style is quite engaging, I found myself flipping quickly through the story. I have re-read this book multiple times and it holds up. I have a few issues with the murder. I love mysteries and this is pretty fast paced for being a cozy. I enjoyed that, so yes I would give book two a try. For me this book was just not what I was expecting based on the synopsis. It’s not a bad story just completely unexpected. I sadly don’t feel as if I was able to separate the difference between what I thought I would be reading and what I actually read.

For anyone who likes Dale Mayer’s Psychic Vision series (without the paranormal aspics) or Carolyn Arnold’s Madison Knight you should give this book a try.





Thank you to Netgalley, Ms. Ayla Rose, and the publisher for the ARC.

Murder on Devil’s Pond is the first novel in the Hummingbird Hollow B&B series by Ayla Rose. Both Solace sisters, Hannah and Reggie, have had tumultuous past relationships that each is still recovering from. Single mother Reggie is a successful real estate broker raising her six year old daughter Peach. Hannah is successfully running the family inn, Hummingbird Hollow B&B, as well as redoing the grounds to make it an environmentally friendly habitat for pollinators. Her cranky elderly neighbor Ezra Grayson is guiding her as to what to plant and where to plant for the conditions including the marshland that lies by the pond. In fact, Hannah visits Ezra most days and makes sure he has food to eat as well as company.

Both the inn and Ezra’s property are along Devil’s Pond as well as a wildlife area. At one time Ezra owned most of the Devil’s Mountain area on the other side of the pond but in what appears to have been a bad deal on Ezra’s part he sold the land to John Solace, the sisters’ estranged father, who made a fortune developing the ski resort on the mountain. Both Hannah and Reggie are estranged from John for different reasons.

Now Ezra’s nephews and niece, who he calls the vultures, are staying at the inn as they try to convince him to sell his home and go to a senior living center. Ezra has no interest in the idea or the cousins themselves. But the cousins appear to be trying to make deals behind his back for the valuable land. When Ezra doesn’t arrive at the inn when he says he’s coming Hannah finds it unusual but not necessarily worrisome until she finds him face down in the marsh a few hours later. As Hannah is the one who finds him on her land and when other things come to light, she is on the suspect short list.

This is such a well plotted mystery! With multiple twists, well drawn characters, and a mystery that turns into many, I found this book to be a real page turner. I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing what lies ahead in the series. I do recommend this book!