Christmas Cow Bells by Mollie Cox Bryan is the first book in the NEW “Buttermilk Creek” cozy mystery. Publisher: Kensington Books, coming September 24, 2019.

The first novel in Mollie Cox Bryan’s brand new mystery series, set in the Blue Ridge Mountains, will keep you guessing until the cows come home . . .

Christmas is a time for new beginnings, so after her big breakup, Brynn MacAlister takes the gouda with the bad. With her three Red Devon cows, she settles in bucolic Shenandoah Springs, eager for a new life as an organic micro-dairy farmer and cheese-maker. Then her dear cow Petunia’s bellows set the whole town on edge. But it isn’t until Brynn’s neighbor, Nancy, dies in a mysterious fire that her feelings about small town life begin to curdle . . .

It seems some folks were not happy with Nancy’s plan to renovate the Old Glebe Church. But is a fear of change a motivation for murder? As a newcomer, Brynn can’t ignore the strange events happening just on the other side of her frosty pasture—and soon on her very own farm. Suddenly Christmas doesn’t feel so festive as everyone demands she muzzle sweet Petunia, and Brynn is wondering if someone wants to silence her—for good . . .

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A suspicious fire and nuisances plaguing her farm, finds Brynn looking for answers and that search puts her in the crosshair of a killer determine to hide in plain sight. This well-written drama was nicely staged with visually descriptive narrative that lent itself to robust and engaging dialogue, a picturesque setting and a tightly woven story that had me immersed in all aspect of this fast-paced drama. The author did a great job in keeping me intrigued and riveted to the pages with a bevy of suspects and several strategically placed twists and turns that enhanced how well this story was being told. Brynn is a likable heroine and is surrounded by a lovable and eclectic cast of characters and a feel-good atmosphere that added to my reading pleasure. This was a terrific beginning to a new series that I hope is here to stay.

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FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher.