No Farm, No Foul by Peg Cochran is the first book in the NEW “Farmer’s Daughter” mystery series. Publisher: Penguin Random House, September 2016

First in the Farmer’s Daughter mystery series set on a picturesque farm in Michigan, where Shelby McDonald runs a popular lifestyle and cooking blog, from the national bestselling author of the Cranberry Cove Mysteries.

On her blog, The Farmer’s Daughter, Shelby McDonald is growing her audience as she posts recipes, gardening tips, and her experiences raising two kids and running Love Blossom Farm in the small western Michigan town of Lovett.

Working the farm is demanding but peaceful—until that peace is shattered when the minister’s wife is murdered on Shelby’s property during a fund-raiser for a local church. But the manure really hits the fan when Shelby’s good friend veterinarian Kelly Thacker emerges as the prime suspect. Shelby decides to dig in and find the murderer by herself. As more suspects crop up, she’ll have to move fast—before someone else buys the farm. . . .

When murder occurs in her mudroom, Shelby becomes a reluctant amateur sleuth determined to find the person responsible for murdering Prudence and threatening her and her family.

I love a story that has a comfortable tone where everything that transpires warmed my heart as I followed Shelby through her motions as she seeks out answers to the murder. The author did a great job in presenting this mystery that kept me glued to the pages as I had to know what happens next. The pacing was evenly set until that crucial moment when the tempo increased as this drama reached the climax and the killer was revealed. That part had my heart racing. Very good job. I love the cast that includes Shelby, Bert, Kelly and her children. There’s also two gentlemen vying for her affection and I really hope this does not become a triangle. Boasting a great cast of characters, engaging dialogue and a feel good atmosphere, I can’t wait to read the next book in this delightfully charming series.