One Bad Apple

Author: Sheila Connolly
Genre: Light Mystery
Type: Paperback
Pages: 262
Series: 1st book in the Orchard mystery series
First Published: 2008
First Line: "Orchard? What orchard?" Meg Corey stared in confusion at the man standing on her doorstep."

Publisher's Description:  Meg Corey has come to the quaint New England town of Granford, Massachusetts, to sell her mother's old colonial home and apple orchard. Instead, she becomes embroiled in development plans that include her land and her former flame from Boston. When he's found dead in the new septic tank on her property, the police immediately suspect Meg, whose only ally in town is the plumber Seth Chapin. Together, they'll have to peel back the layers of secrecy that surround the deal in order to find the real murderer and save the orchard.

My Thoughts:  I realize that this is meant to be a light mystery but it was a little too 'light' for me.  Honestly, there was no excitement or build-up; no suspense that you'd expect from a murder mystery.  

I don't mind if the pace of a book is slow if I have a feeling that the story is leading somewhere.  I started to have my reservations when, at about half way through this book, no one had even died in this murder mystery.  

Usually in a light mystery like this the main character finds a body in the first few chapters.  We're introduced to various secondary characters to complicate things.  Then a few things happen to the main character (someone tries to endanger/kill them) and then we finally find out who the murderer is. 

In this book, besides trying to fix up an old mansion (which doesn't really happen either), nothing happens to Meg. She doesn't even do much sleuthing!  More focus was given to local politics involving a new land development than to plot or introducing secondary characters.  In a cozy mystery you need a good mix of interesting characters to place the blame of the murder.  Unfortunately the 'bad guy' stuck out like a sore thumb and I easily guessed 'who dunnit'. 

In the end I didn't feel a connection with the main character and, honestly, had to push myself to finish the book.  I don't plan on reading more books in this series.

My Rating: 1/5 stars