Sour Apples
An Orchard Mystery #6
Sheila Connolly

Berkley
August 2012 / ISBN 978-0425251508
Mystery
Amazon

Reviewed by Cheryl Green

Meg Correy is back in the sixth Orchard Mystery – Sour Apples. She has lived in Granford for a year now and is planning an expansion of her orchard by leasing several acres from her beau, Seth Chapin. She finds Seth talking to Joyce Truesdell a local dairy farmer. Joyce is very upset because her cows have become sick. Through some testing she has done, she finds out that there is lead in the soil of the land she has leased from the town. She wants Seth, as a town selectman, to check out the town records to see what he can uncover.

Bree Stewart is keeping Meg very busy with the orchard expansion plans. She has trees lined up ready for planting, if Meg will talk to Seth and make leasing his land official. Meg does take time out to go with Seth to the Spring Fling dance at the high school where Seth sees someone from his high school days. Rick Sainsbury, is acting like he is running for office. There is no love lost there. Seth will not say why he dislikes Rick.

The next day Meg hears from her old friend Lauren who is in town. She is working for Rick Sainsbury who is planning to run for office. Meg invites Lauren to stay with her while she is in town. Seth is out of sorts and it is not only because of Rick. Joyce Truesdell is dead – it looks like one of her cows kicked her in the head.

The autopsy reveals that it was not the cow that caused Joyce’s death but a murderer. Why would anyone want to kill her? The first person the police suspect is the husband. Meg just can’t believe that Ethan would do such a thing. Meg will have to dig a little deeper to find out who is behind the murder.

Things to ponder: Will we ever find out why Seth dislikes Rick? Will Meg be able to take time away from her beloved orchard to solve Joyce’s murder? Why does Rick want/need Seth’s endorsement of his campaign?

Sheila Connelly has done it again – she has let me visit with old friends that I adore and given me a mystery to solve. My problem with this series is that once I start reading it is hard for me to put the book down. So the laundry and cleaning are put on hold while I spend time with Meg and the gang. I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next Orchard Mystery.

Reviewer's Note: In addition to the Orchard Mysteries – Ms. Connolly also writes the Museum Mysteries.