Becca Robins makes her living selling her farm-made jams and preserves at the local farmers' market. A two-times-up- at-bat-and-strike-out in the marriage department, Becca is gun shy about anything to do with wedded bliss. But what can she do when her best friend and fellow farmers' market vendor, Linda McMahon, asks Becca to be her "Number One" ? She agrees, albeit reluctantly. Linda is engaged to Navy Seal Drew Forsyth, whose job description is a very vague one -- very hush hush and top secret.

And then in steps the dreaded mother-in-law from ....well, you know where. Drew's mother, Madeleine Forsyth, is a high-powered banker in town, making enemies left and right by foreclosing on properties just for the fun of it. Her nickname is For-scythe, because she loves cutting people down and ruining their livelihood.

Becca and her new boyfriend, Ian Cartwright are invited to join the extended Forsyth family for a pre-wedding dinner. But the party comes to a screeching halt when Madeleine is found murdered upstairs. Bride-to-be Linda turns to Becca to help get the investigation on the fast track before the Groom-to-Be is shipped off to who-knows-where!

The investigation is only a couple of hours old when Becca is found sneaking through the police station, crawling in and out of windows, walking on ledges, and making her way to the jails cells, only to find her friend Linda waiting for interrogation. With the suspect list ranging from family members to upset bank clients that have been receiving fraudulent foreclosure notices, Becca finds herself in one jam after another as she races to find the killer before the wedding plans reach the boiling point.

FRUIT OF ALL EVIL: A Farmers' Market Mystery is the second book in Paige Shelton's cozy mystery series and is a delightful continuation of the storyline featuring feisty and smart amateur sleuth Becca Robins. The inclusion of delicious recipes for food mentioned in the book are always a welcome treat for readers.

Book Summary

Becca Robbins sells her farm-made jams and preserves at the local farmers' market to make a living. But when a local lovely decides to tie the knot at the same market, someone else decides to make a killing-and only Becca has the down-home know-how to shut the lid on a canny killer.