Cranberry Cove is certainly different from Chicago! Even though I’ve only been here for six weeks, when I walked into Gumdrops, the VanVelsen sisters’ candy store, they knew all about me—that I was here helping my half-brother on his cranberry farm—Sassamanash Farm—named after the Algonquin word for cranberry. Then I went next door to Book ‘Em and met Greg Harper, the owner, who clued me in to life in this small town on Lake Michigan. Everyone knows everyone and everyone not only knows everyone’s business—they make it their own!
For instance, after visiting Book ‘Em I went to Bart’s Butcher shop for a steak and all he could talk about was what a great guy Greg is and how he’s widowed and not seeing anyone! I think he was hoping to fix us up.
Tomorrow we start the cranberry harvest, and I’m going to give it a whirl myself. I’m a little nervous that I’m going to fall flat on my face trying to walk in those waders the crew wears. It’s quite a process—we have to flood the bogs, beat the berries from the vine and then, when they float to the surface, corral them toward a pipe that will suck them into a truck.
It’s quiet in town right now—Cranberry Cove is a tourist destination in the summer with its position right on the eastern shore of the lake. We get people on autumn color tours, too, and those will be starting soon—the leaves are just beginning to turn. Most of the shops in town cater to visitors—except for the hardware store, butcher shop and drugstore and of course the Cranberry Cove Diner. The diner might as well hang a sign outside saying “No tourists allowed.” It’s where the locals hang out and pass along gossip. The Diner is famous for its chili which isn’t even on the menu—if you don’t know about it, then you’re obviously not from Cranberry Cove.
I’d better get back to my baking—I bake all the goodies we sell at the Sassamanash Farm store, and it certainly keeps me busy.
You can read more about Monica in Berried Secrets, the first book in the NEW “Cranberry Cove” mystery series, published by Berkley Prime Crime.
About Berried Secrets
It’s cranberry picking time—in an all-new mystery series from the national bestselling author of the Gourmet De-Lite Mysteries. . .
When Monica Albertson comes to Cranberry Cove—a charming town on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan—to help her half-brother Jeff on his cranberry farm, the last thing she expects to harvest is a dead body.
It seems that Sam Culbert, who ran the farm while Jeff was deployed overseas, had some juicy secrets that soon prove fatal, and Jeff is ripe for the picking as a prime suspect. Forming an uneasy alliance with her high-maintenance stepmother, Monica has her hands full trying to save the farm while searching for a killer. Culbert made plenty of enemies in the quaint small town. . .but which one was desperate enough to kill?
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GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 12 a.m. eastern on August 13 for the chance to win a print copy of Berried Secrets. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be notified within 48 hours after giveaway closes and you will have three days to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected.
About the author
Peg grew up in a New Jersey suburb about 25 miles outside of New York City. After her first husband died, she remarried and her new husband took a job in Grand Rapids, Michigan where they now live (on exile from NJ as she likes to joke).
She has three cozy mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime—the Gourmet De-Lite series, the Cranberry Cove Series and the Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie series, written as Meg London. The Farmer’s Daughter series will debut in 2016.
Peg’s Lucille Series is published by Beyond the Page Publishing. Confession Is Murder, Unholy Matrimony and Hit and Nun are available for all e-book readers. She is currently working on the fourth book in the series.
You can read more about Peg and her books at www.pegcochran.com or catch up with her on Facebook.
I love black cats! I want this book!
Sounds like a fun book! Thanks for the chance!
Sounds like an exciting book. Thank you for the giveaway.
myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
We harvest cranberries here in my town too.
I love trying new cozies from the beginning of the series. Thanks for the giveaway. Kuzlin at AOL.com
Love a chance to read this. I have a lot of books I am reading this winter and this one has to be in the pile. 🙂
Love hearing all the back stories about the authors and their characters.
Looks great, thanks for the chance 🙂
I love trying new cozies from the beginning of the series. Thanks for the giveaway. 🙂
Looking forward to starting this series.
I am so excited about this new series. Peg Cochran is one of my favorite authors. I love her books and would love to win this. Thank you for the chance Dru!!!
I’d love to win a copy of this book by Peg Cochran. It sounds like a great read. Thanks for the review and the chance to enter your giveaway. robeader53@yahoo.com
Found another new author to me! Looking forward to reading this book as well as other books she has written.
Another interesting book, Dru! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this one which I will have to read! Thanks for the contest and this opportunity Dru and Peg.
Yes please Dru, we love anything with berries in our house. Heck I have 7 gallons of blueberries in various freezers. They are too expensive to buy during the winter so I stock up in season.
We love Peg’s books and would be ecstatic if we could add this one to our rather extensive home library.
Cranberries! Sounds delicious. Thanks for the chance to win this one.
Sounds like a great book. Would love to try it.
Sounds like a great new series.
This sounds great and an area I’m familiar with as kid vacations in Michigan .
This book has been on my radar for a while — I would love to win a copy! Thanks for the giveaway!
sounds like a great read, would love to win this book, ty for the chance
Delightful and special. Thanks.
Love this area of Michigan and cranberries too – would love to win the book. Thank you for the chance.
I love starting a new series at the beginning. Thanks for the intro to Cranberry Cove and chance to win!
I love this blog! Thanks for your insight. I’ve put this book on my “must, must read” list.
Sounds like a great setting. thank you.
I have read several reviews and all of them say that this is a top notch new cozy mystery. It’s on my wish list. Thanks for the giveaway.
I’m excited to read this book, it sounds like a great start to a new series, thanks for the chance to win.
Sounds like a good new series.
would love to start a new series
Sounds like a wonderful new series.
So excited to read this series!!!
Thank you for the giveaway….
Sounds like a fun book. I love the cat on the cover!
I don’t think my comment went through. Delete if this is a dupe.
This looks like a good book! I love the cat on the cover!
A new series – Yay! I think if you look really hard you can see those 2 guys from the Ocean Spray commercial standing in the cranberry bog… 🙂
I really like Peg Cochran’s books
I’ve heard so much about this book – all good. Have to read it. Want to visit Cranberry Cove!
Would love to win. I’ve read two of her books (one Gourmet De-Lite and the other by Meg London) so I’d probably like this one. The cranberries sound good as a theme.
I have enjoyed Peg’s other series so I am looking forword to this new series. The cover reminds of fall even with those two old guys.
Love Peg’s books – a town with it’s own candy store has got to be a great place to visit.
I remember fondly our hometown sweet shop and the drugstore that was home to so many candies. That was in Ohio. I’m in California not too far from a beach. I too can see those guys in their wellies in a fake cranberry bog. I’m ready for a cranberry tale. Count me in. Judy D.
I love reading about small towns and the great little shops they have–can’t wait to try this one.
Contest is closed.