Town in a Blueberry Jam (Candy Holliday Series #1)

A STICKY SITUATION!

Welcome to the wonderful coast of Maine and to Cape Willington. Candy Holliday has left the rat race of the big city of Boston to come to Maine to work with her Dad on his Blueberry Farm. But even in the small town of Cape Willington, bad things happen. Bad things like murder and not just one murder but two murders back-to back.
An aging local hero takes a plunge off a cliff and the just crowned Blueberry Queen/Gossip Columnist is killed right in her own home.
When a local handyman, Candy's friend, and local town resident who treats his tools better than some people treat their children is accused of the murders, Candy can't help herself from getting involved and starts to investigate to clear her friend's name. The more clues she uncovers, the more secrets that come out, the more people she talks to, the stickier things become. Can Candy get this town out of it's "blueberry jam"?

I LIKED IT!!!!


I enjoyed both of this books from the first page to the last. It took awhile to learn Candy's back story but she really has turned out to be feisty and fun. I felt for her Dad with his issues have how hard farming is and that he admitted to his daughter that he needed her help. Candy's friend Maggie definitely brings in the comic relief needed in this genre. The most important part to this reviewer was that the mysteries in both books were plausible and were well thought out. These books are very well written with flawless continuity which I always worry about when two writers are writing one book. I seem to read a lot of books set in the state of Maine, it seems to be a popular spot for cozy mystery writers to set their stories. The Candy Holiday Mysteries do take on a unique idea focused around yearly events taking place is the fictional town of Cape Willington. It will be interesting to see what major town event the authors draw upon for the next book in this entertaining series.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the second book free from Berkley Prime Crime, a Division of Penguin Publishing. The first book was from my own collection. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not a must-read

Although the mystery itself kept you guessing the main character wasn't likeable. I thought the setting had possibilities but since the regular characters didn't draw me in I wouldn't bother reading the next in the series.

Fantastic Read for a mystry buff

If you are looking forward to a fun read this is the book for you. I couldn't put it down. The characters are believeable from page one right through to the end.

A non interesting story with underdeveloping characters.

A sweet cozy.

This is one of the better cozy series I have read. Simple and sweet and yet with a bite. A good mystery... likeable characters and a wonderful setting. I enjoyed it and will continue to read this series.

Town in a Blueberry Jam knocked this diva's Sketchers flip-flops off!!!

I love mysteries and have since I became addicted to Nancy Drew as a little girl w/ braids and Town in a Blueberry Jam is a reminder of what a solid mystery is all about. Cozy mysteries are one of my favorite genres and it is a guilty pleasure I treasure and don't keep secret. In a genre that is saturated by one hit wonders, Haywood knocks it out of Yankee stadium from the first page & lands that ball in Jersey. Really. I was so impressed, I read it again & did something I DO NOT do - highlighted favorite passages. To my own horror, the sticky notes and flags weren't good enough to capture the essence collected within the pages of Haywood's stellar debut outing. Town in a Blueberry Jam is what a cozy mystery is supposed to be about. Town in a Blueberry Jam knocked this diva's Sketchers flip-flops off!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Subpar

I love cozy books that takes place in Maine and was hoping to find a new series. The book starts off strong but starts to lack about 2/3 through. All of the character devlopment stalls and the authors seem to be putting in a lot lf filler-pointless side trips and dialogue-that adds nothing to the characters or the story. The book starts with promise but that is quickly squandered. I would not suggest this book, its not worth the price.

town in a blueberry jam by b.b.haywood

I thought it was good read. i felt at first it started off little slow but than i got really into the book. the characters were easy to get into.They seem very believeable. The cover of the book was neat in fact it was what caught my eye first.I like the recipes it gave. I may try several of them - my husband loves blueberrys.

This is a charming and amusing Pine Tree State cozy

After her husband lost his job, emptied their savings, and dumped her for another woman; Candy Holliday returns to her hometown, the seaside village of Cape Willington, Maine; where she and her dad "Doc" manage Blueberry Acres. Local hero Olympic Gold medal winning swimmer Jock Larson falls off a cliff with his life flashing by including how he died. The townsfolk are unsure of whether it was an accident, suicide, or homicide. Candy is sad over his death, but happy that the Blueberry Festival will still occur with people coming from across the country to attend.

To the locals, the highlight of the gala is the Blueberry Queen Pageant. Five of the contestants are high school students while the other contender is gossip columnist thirty-seven years old Sapphire Vine, a flaky diva (obvious oxymoron). Everyone expects Haley Pruitt to win because of her poise; performance and responses to questions which are by far superior to that of her rivals. Thus when Sapphire wins, everybody is shocked. Soon after her stunning victory, Sapphire is found dead. The town's handyman Ray is arrested for the murder. Candy knows Ray is innocent and intends to find the real culprit with the help of her BFF Maggie. Their investigation uncovers scandals amongst the pageant judges and other residents, but as they get closer to identifying the perpetrator, the killer watches them in case two more corpses are needed.

This is a charming and amusing Pine Tree State cozy in which Cape Willington is vividly described so that the reader feels they are attending the Blueberry festival. The cast is solid as the residents bring out the ambience of the seaside village. Although the amateur sleuthing is similar in tone to many sub-genre entries, the irony of readers knowing a lot more than the cops or the BFF detectives and the Twitter sight provide a fresh spin to B.B. Haywood's first Candy Holliday whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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