My name is Holly Paine (nee Fischer) and I’m married to a millionaire. Sounds great, right? Well, it has it’s pros but also has a few cons. The main one? Max is never home. He’s on the road almost twenty-four-seven, leaving me to fend for myself. Thank God for my sister, Story. I’d be lost without her.

That has its good and bad, too, though.

Story keeps bees in her backyard. Zillions of them – hive after hive – so she can package honey under her own special label – Queen Bee Honey.

Because of the bees, I don’t go over there unless I absolutely have to. Like last time in Beeline to Trouble when I got roped into… uh…never mind, you probably should read the book to find out what happened.

Anyway, Story also owns The Wild Clover, this really cool little market on Main Street where everybody knows your name, and all the locals gather to discuss (more like gossip) about town happenings. The store is a family affair. We all pitch in, although Story does most of the hard stuff.

So here I am today, about to take over for my sister at the cash register when I spot the town klepto slipping something from the shelf into her purse after she promised never to steal again.

I was on the wrestling team in high school. She picked the wrong day to shoplift.

She was down on the ground in one of my awesome chokeholds before she knew what hit her.

Story stood over us and said to me after the takedown, “How can a woman who wades in and wrestles shoplifters to the ground and holds them in a steel grip until the cops arrive…how can she possibly be afraid of a tiny little thing like a honeybee?”

I heard the siren coming our way and said back, “It is what it is.”

Which is true.

I can’t help having a bug phobia any more than Story can help finding one dead body after another and then dragging the rest of us right into the drama with her.

Speaking of drama, we had a crowd of customers around us by now.

After the police chief drove away with his latest prisoner in the backseat, I gave my sister a big bear hug for always being there for me. She watches my back, and I watch hers.

That’s the way it’s supposed to be.


You can read more about Holly and Story in Beeline to Trouble, the fourth book in the “Queen Bee” mystery series. The first book in the series is Buzz Off.

** Thanks to the publisher, I have one (1) copy of BEELINE TO TROUBLE to give away. Contest open to US residents only and ends December 19. Leave a comment to be included in the giveaway. The book will be shipped directly from the publisher. **

Meet the author
Bestselling, award-winning author Deb Baker writes the hilarious Gertie Johnson mystery series set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A native Yooper herself, Deb brings her blend of humor and sass to everything she writes, including the Queen Bee Mysteries, written under her pen name Hannah Reed. Get to know more about her (them?) at: her Deb’s website, Hannah’s website, on Facebook, on Twitter or Pinterest.

Books are available at retail and online booksellers.