Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Review and Giveaway: Fruit of all Evil by Paige Shelton


Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Berkley (March 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425240223
ISBN-13: 978-0425240229

 Becca and Linda are both vendors at Bailey's Farmer's Market in South Carolina. Becca sells her homemade jams and preserves while Linda sells her spectacular fruit pies. Since they both have a fondness for their careers and have many friends who also work at the market, Linda is determined to hold her upcoming nuptials to Navy Seal, Drew Forsythe, at the market. When Becca agrees to be matron-of-honor at the wedding, she had no idea she would be drawn into a murder investigation.

When  Drew's mother, Madeline, decides to hold a dinner to introduce Linda and Becca to the rest of Drew's family, she breezes into the market place and starts issuing orders of when and where to show up. To say she was a forceful personality is putting it mildly. It seems her reputation preceded her and no one liked her one bit. I guess someone really disliked her more than others because this was the last time anyone saw Madeline alive.

Even though Becca promised Sam Brion, local police officer, that she wouldn't interfere with the investigation, her need to know and be involved got the better of her good sense. Since Madeline was a much disliked foreclosure agent, there was a long list of disgruntled former land owners that the police were concentrating on but  Becca was more intrigued by Drew's complicated family dynamics. Could the motive be professional or is it a lot more close to home? The suspense heightens when one of the farmer's market merchants goes missing. Is there some connection to the investigation or is it just coincidence? Can Becca get all this solved in time for the wedding?

There were quite a few possible suspects all with good motives which always makes for a fun read. I liked the sub plot line of Becca and her beau, Ian. The only thing I would have liked would be a better sense of place. If the author didn't tell me it was South Carolina, I wouldn't have known. There may have been a few references to the warm weather but that was it. Even so, I liked the characters and I'm sure I will be reading the next one in the Farm Fresh series. 3.5***

To celebrate today's release of Fruit of all Evil, Berkley is allowing me to give away 1 copy **of the book-  open to US only - Deadline to enter is March 11th at 5 PM (est) Please be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. If you cannot leave a comment and would still like to enter ( I don't allow anonymous comments) just send me an e mail with Fruit of all Evil entry in the subject line. Include your name and preferred e mail contact. Send to florida982002[at] yahoo.com and I will enter your comment for you.

*** Paige Shelton will be adding another copy to the giveaway. There will be 2 winners now instead of one! Thank you so much Paige for your generosity and kindness. ***


As always, bonus entries can be earned by:

+ 2 being a follower, Tell me under what name you follow
+3 tweeting or posting about and linking to contest (sidebar is ok) Just be sure to give me the link in a comment. Good luck!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley Signet Mysteries in exchange for my honest opinion.

42 comments:

  1. This sounds cute, but I wish it had more details about South Carolina in it!! Please enter me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Another cozy mystery I'd love to read.

    I am also a follower.

    harvee44 at yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would love to read it, it sounds really good.
    I am a gfc follower.
    debbie
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Looks fun! I'd love to win a copy to read.
    +2 follower
    +3 tweet http://twitter.com/#!/chickitsarita/status/42588254188482560

    ericandsarita(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds like a fun read. Please include me.

    +2 follower (DarcyO)

    +3 tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/darcy1956/status/42589653248917505

    dlodden at frontiernet dot net

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great review, Kaye. It sounds like a fun read so please enter me in the giveaway.

    I'm a follower :-)

    meah56 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a nice cozy mystery! Please enter me, and I'm a follower.

    ~DJL
    djlibrarian3@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I hear books make great birthday presents so...pick me, pick me! I am a follower and have shared it through GoogleReader (hopefully it stands out amidst all the protests posts I've been sharing!).

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like the Farmer's Market setting.
    I once sold some of my produce at one. It was fun meeting everyone.

    Please enter me for this cozy.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I follow with Google Friend Connect under the name of Carol N
    Wong.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I twitted:

    http://kayespenguinposts.blogspot.com/ Giveaway of 'Fruit of All Evil'

    My Twitter name is Carolee888.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love cozies and this one sounds intriguing!\
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  13. GFC follower as Karen B.
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love these kinds of mysteries.
    Love & Hugs,
    Pam
    pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  15. I follow your blog via GFC/Pamela Keener
    Love & Hugs,
    Pam

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sounds good. Please count me in.

    +2 GFC follower (Sandy Jay)

    +3 tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/ForWhlz/status/42713985128218625

    forwhlz at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love discovering new cozies. Sounds good!
    JHolden955 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. +2 GFC follower!
    JHolden955 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. You have that uncanny knack in finding these great cozies!!

    I would love a chance to win..is the author giving away a trip to somewhere warm too?? LOL!!

    stacijoreads@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Please enter me. Thanks!

    +2 I am a follower.

    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  21. This sounds good! Please enter me. Thank you!
    + 2 being a follower
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. It does sound like a fun series. I'd love to enter your giveaway! Hope you are doing well, Kaye! Take care!

    lisamos64@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. This sounds like a fun cozy mystery, which is my kind of book. I'd love to read it.

    iowagramma.ann@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. I am a follower.

    iowagramma.ann@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I also have you on my sidebar... I forgot my follower name is Ann.

    iowagramma.ann@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Kaye, this sounds like another fun mystery! I'd love a chance to win. I'm now following (Sugar Creek Cottage)
    Kimberly
    Sugar Creek Cottage
    Mysteries & Cupcakes

    ReplyDelete
  27. I like the sound of this. Thanks for offering the giveaway.
    Ann
    cozyintexas@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Sounds like a good cozy.

    +2 follow as SandyG265

    sgiden at verizon.net

    ReplyDelete
  29. I enjoy culinary mysteries and this one sounds fun. Please enter me.

    +2 GFC(MonaG)

    monagarg@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  30. My daughter absolutely LOVES cozy mysteries.

    webbJM AT verizon DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  31. I would love to read this book.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  32. The book sounds like a fun read. I posted it to my blog:

    http://dancealertreads.blogspot.com/2011/03/giveaway-of-fruit-of-all-evil.html

    I'm a follower.

    dancealert at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  33. Sounds like a fun cozy. I'm seeming to really enjoy them lately. Thanks for the review and the giveaway!

    I'm a follower as Wordsmithonia

    fforgnayr@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  34. Always looking for new cozy.

    Follower : suefitz

    suefitz(at)yahoo (dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  35. Love the premise.

    melydia@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. That sounds awesome, and slightly healthier than my usual culinary cozies :)

    I'm a follower (as Claire).

    nairabellATyahooDOTcoDOTuk

    ReplyDelete
  37. E-Mail entry Anne

    booklady85[at]hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  38. Who could go wrong with a book about food?!!! Yum. Bookstore, here I come.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I read the first in this series and loved it!

    youngandwithit AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  40. now this is an interesting read!

    mfallon@unitedbankcard.com

    mary

    ReplyDelete

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