No one expected the fundraiser to lead to murder! Shelby McDonald hosted the St. Andrews fundraiser on her farm as the church hoped to raise funds for the roof of the church. Instead, the newly appointed rector's wife was found dead, murdered, in Shelby's mudroom. Shelby already has her hands full, raising two kids while keeping her farm going, but she can't seem to avoid the investigation, particularly when her friend, Kelly, begins to worry about her own potential involvement in the murder. Will the real murderer be uncovered or will suspicion continue to haunt Shelby's friend, Kelly?

NO FARM, NO FOUL is the first book in the Farmer's Daughter Mystery series and is very loosely connected to Peg Cochrane's Cranberry Cove series. I have to admit that I want to dive into the other series just to get a further taste of the small town atmosphere that Peg Cochrane creates so well in NO FARM, NO FOUL. However, please note that NO FARM, NO FOUL stands on its own merits entirely and it isn't necessary to have any familiarity with Peg Cochrane's other books to appreciate it.

Each chapter starts off with a tiny snippety from Shelby's blog and I found myself eagerly looking forward to those snippets. Peg Cochrane does a marvelous job at developing Shelby's character through those blog snippets as we see both her struggles and her sense of humor that help sustain her. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Shelby's character and I'm looking forward to visiting with her in future books. My only complaint is that her list of potential love interests appears to be growing a bit too long.

NO FARM, NO FOUL is an entertaining start to a small town cozy mystery series packed full of yummy recipes and clever organic gardening tips. I look forward to seeing how the Farmer's Daughter Mystery series evolves in future books. If you love cozy mysteries with a small town atmosphere, don't hesitate to give NO FARM, NO FOUL a read!

Book Summary

First in the Farmer’s Daughter mystery series set on a picturesque farm in Michigan, where Shelby McDonald runs a popular lifestyle and cooking blog, from the national bestselling author of the Cranberry Cove Mysteries.

On her blog, The Farmer’s Daughter, Shelby McDonald is growing her audience as she posts recipes, gardening tips, and her experiences raising two kids and running Love Blossom Farm in the small western Michigan town of Lovett.

Working the farm is demanding but peaceful—until that peace is shattered when the minister’s wife is murdered on Shelby’s property during a fund-raiser for a local church. But the manure really hits the fan when Shelby’s good friend veterinarian Kelly Thacker emerges as the prime suspect. Shelby decides to dig in and find the murderer by herself. As more suspects crop up, she’ll have to move fast—before someone else buys the farm. . . .

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES