Book #Review ~ Farm to Trouble (Farm to Table Mysteries #1) by Amanda Flower #CozyMystery #PureMichigan @PPPress @SourcebooksCasa

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B089N1KFLV
Publisher: ‎ Poisoned Pen Press (February 23, 2021)
Publication Date: ‎ February 23, 2021
Print Length: ‎ 290 pages

Goodreads:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RT1x9S

Shiloh Bellamy cashed in her big city job and 401K to return home to Michigan to save the family farm, but turning Bellamy Farms into a sustainable, organic operation—complete with a farm-to-table café—is no small feat. Especially when her new investor is found dead among the flowers just hours after the contract is signed. Everyone knows her father had a grudge against the investor, and word travels fast in a small town...

Now, Shiloh must clear her family's name and track down the real killer before her organic farm dreams wilt before her very eyes. But with her father trying to stop any progress on his land, her cousin belittling her every effort, the farmhouse falling down around her, and the whole town believing her family at fault, Shiloh's small town troubles are growing much faster than her crops. She'll have to trust her own investigation or risk all her dreams drying up before they begin.

My Review:

I absolutely loved Farm to Trouble. It didn't hurt that the setting is in Northern Lower Michigan in a fictional town near Traverse City. As a Michigander, I always love reading books set in my home state. The story itself had a nice plot, the mystery was executed well, and there is a great deal of character development. 

Shiloh fled Cherry Glen 15 years ago after a tragic turn of events. When her father requested she come home, she wastes no time cashing in her 401k, leaving Hollywood behind. In between buttoning up her California life and getting back to Michigan, Shiloh locates an investor, all while trying to discuss options to keeping the farm running with her dad, who refuses to acknowledge the problem or any of Shi's solutions. She no more than gets out of car at her home in Michigan, and all the good she thought was going to happen crumbled to the ground. Her father holds a grudge against the investor and does nothing but belittle Shiloh and drag her cousin into the charade, too. When she didn't think things could get any worse, her investor is found dead and she and her dad are the main suspects.

I really felt Shiloh got a raw deal, and not just from the investor. The entire town treats her like an outcast and her family? The people that are supposed to love and support? They treat her like trash. I was seriously pissed about how poorly her dad and her cousin acted. Shi never even stood up for herself. She tried but they talked over her and never let her even attempt to explain or justify. She took their abuse and it made me mad. Despite her dad and cousin's treatment of her, Shi was nothing if not loyal. 

Despite my thoughts about her family, I found Shi to be a wonderful character. I enjoyed watching her brainstorm ways to save the farm while doing what she could to make minor improvements. When it was clear law enforcement wasn't going to look any further than at Shi and her dad, Shi took matters into her own hand. Of course, this alienated her even further with the townsfolk but at this point, her family's innocence was worth more than acceptance.

I look forward to reading the next book.

My Rating: