Murder on Devil's Pond - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Murder on Devil's POnd (A Hummingbird Hollow B&B Mystery) by Ayla Rose

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  When 33-year-old Hannah Solace returns to her hometown to renovate and reopen the inn she co-owns with her sister Reggie, her mission is to give the old Victorian hotel an entirely new life. She’s even planting pollinator gardens around the inn–native flowers and fruit trees to lure honeybees and houseguests alike. 

Hannah’s fresh start is stymied by Reggie’s continual interference, unreliable contractors, a check-the-couch-for-coins budget, and townspeople Hannah left behind fifteen years ago. Her main source of camaraderie is Ezra Grayson, an 80-year-old recluse who lives nearby. After an unsettling conversation with a disgruntled Ezra, Hannah is horrified to discover him dead on her property later that day. Ezra had always had plenty of people to complain about, especially locals trying to force him out of his property for its prime real estate. As buzz around town grows after his death, Hannah finds herself on the short list of suspects. Hannah starts digging and quickly discovers that secrets lurk beneath the charming surface of the town she once again calls home.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I'm always on the lookout for a new cozy series and this looked like a good one.  

My Impression: Well this was a fun read - and one I got through in 2 sittings though it did keep me up way too late as I just had to finish it.  I have read other books by this author under another name and really enjoyed them so I had high expectations going into this one and I was not let down.

Hannah has some baggage that she's still working through when she comes back home to small town Vermont to manage the B&B.  Her relationship with her father is strained and her relationship with her sister is complicated in a big sister/little sister way.  Her friendship with town curmudgeon, Ezra, is a bright spot for her even though he would protest at having it put that way.  When Ezra dies and Hannah finds him she is quickly pulled into not only investigating who would want Ezra dead but who Ezra was in the first place.  This pulls her into making peace with some aspects of her pass as well.

The pacing of this one kept me turning pages way past my bedtime.  Hannah frustrated me at times but I did sympathize with her and I found her fairly easy to connect to.  Plus, there is a big dog named Moose and who could resist a big dog named Moose?

This was a fun read that touches on some darker issues.  The characters are flawed but sympathetic and the pacing kept me hooked from beginning to end.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I really liked this one and am looking forward to visiting Hannah, Reggie, Peach, and especially Moose again.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you are a cozy mystery lover this was a solid and enjoyable read.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *