Chicken Culprit by Vikki Walton is the first book in the NEW “Backyard Farming” mystery series. Publisher: Morewellson, LLC, February 2018

Moving to Colorado seemed like a great way to start over. In Carolan Springs, Anne plans to spend her days living a simpler life. But when her neighbor is found dead in his compost pile, trouble comes knocking on Anne’s door. All the evidence points to Anne’s other neighbor, Kandi. As the young woman begs for her help, Anne finds herself thrust into a world of deceit and secrets. Who had the most to gain from Ralph’s death? As the suspect list grows, Anne finds her desire for the simple life may have led her somewhere sinister.

I found this little gem when the author contacted me about doing a guest post. After reading her post, I just had to make a purchase and I’m so glad I did. This is a charming whodunit with likable characters and a small-town atmosphere where secrets abound and it’s the delightfully quirky Kandi that makes me want to take care of her. When Kandi is accused of murdering their next-door neighbor, she implores Anne, who recently moved to the area, to help prove her innocence. What I like most about this tale is the relationship building that Annie experiences as she ponders which of the new people she has met is the killer. This was very enjoyable and I especially loved the ending scene and I can’t wait to read the next book in this pleasantly appealing series.