Rhubarb Pie Before You Die
Mabel’s hope of finding an enthusiastic farmer to buy Stinkin’ Stuff Farm is dying a little bit every day. So far, all she’s found are double-dealing developers. But after a heated dispute over grass clippings with an obsessive local rhubarb breeder, she discovers something even more distressing, the breeder in question undisputedly dead in his greenhouse.
Uncomfortably aware that she might be a prime suspect, Mabel stops digging in the dirt long enough to dig up more information about the dead man and anyone else he might have argued with. The list is longer than she imagined and includes a persnickety neighbor and a rival rhubarb breeder. With all the ingredients for a homegrown mystery, Mabel must unearth a killer before the next plot to be dug is her grave.
Series: A Garlic Farm Mystery – Book #2
Author: Gin Jones
Genre/Category: Cozy – Amateur Sleuth/Gardening
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Page Count: 217
Rating: 
Rhubarb Pie Before You Die is the second installment in the “A Garlic Farm Mystery” series. Mabel, the main character, is an introvert who prefers computers to people. Inheriting her aunt’s garlic farm wasn’t in her life plan. Now all she wants to do is find a buyer for the farm and get back to her quiet solo life.
All of the characters in this book and the first book are easy to like. This is especially true for Rory, the neighbor who has helped Mable from the beginning. The most unlikeable character is Mabel. The first book put Mabel on the farm and trying to bring in the harvest, which isn’t easy when you know nothing about farming, garlic, or harvesting. It’s understandable that she is uncomfortable and just wants to go home. But now, in the second book, nothing seems to have changed. She spends most of her time whining about finding a buyer and calling her lawyer, who is smart enough apparently not to answer. The murder of another farmer and one she has a run-in with just the day before throws her for a loop, and she is confident that the police think she is the killer. But it seems all Mabel cares about is that the investigation might get in the way of selling the farm and her going back to her old life.
This is where the story takes on some unlikable traits. First off, at no time does the detective accuse Mabel of being the killer, there is no evidence that leads to her being the killer, and there are plenty of other suspects that are far more viable and believable. The constant whining about going home and selling the farm is just plain irritating. Mabel doesn’t seem to care about the people who have come to like and even love her, the town’s future, or her aunt’s much-loved farm. She comes off as self-centered and selfish. When the killer is revealed, it comes as no surprise and seems evident from the beginning. The motive is weak but acceptable. The best part of Rhubarb Pie Before You Die is the cats and Rory.
All of this said I feel this series still has great potential. If Mabel can somehow get over herself and start caring about something, or even someone, other than her computer or herself, it will make this a series worth reading.
Fun and entertaining cozies readers may enjoy include Sarah Fox’s delicious “A Literary Pub Mystery” series or Kate Collins’ garden intrigue “A Goddess Of Greene St. Mystery”.
About the Author:
Gin is a retired lawyer who specialized in ghost-writing for other lawyers. She prefers to write her own books, though, since she doesn’t have to worry that her sense of humor might get her thrown into jail for contempt of court. In her spare time, Gin makes quilts, grows garlic, and advocates for patients with rare disorders.
Represented by BookEnds Literary Agency
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