Peaches and Scream by Susan Furlong is the first book in the NEW “Georgia Peach” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, July 2015

In the first Georgia Peach Mystery, when murder threatens her family’s orchard, Nola Harper is ready to pick out the killer and preserve the farm’s reputation.

To help run the family peach farm during her parents’ absence, Nola Harper returns to her childhood home of Cays Mill, Georgia, and soon discovers that things back at the farm aren’t exactly peachy. A poor harvest and rising costs are threatening to ruin the Harpers’ livelihood, and small-town gossip is spreading like blight thanks to Nola’s juicy reputation as a wild teenager way back when. But Nola really finds herself in the pits when she stumbles upon a local businessman murdered among the peach trees.

With suspicions and family tensions heating up faster than a cobbler in the oven, this sweet Georgia peach will have to prune through a list of murder suspects—before she too becomes ripe for the killer’s picking.

I love it. This home-spun mystery blazes with southern charm throughout every scene from the quips at the beginning of each chapter to the dialogue that is downright friendly. Nola springs into action when her brother-in-law becomes the primary suspect when murder occurs on her family’s land. Believing in his innocence, Nola seeks someone among the townsfolk who had an ever stronger motive to kill.

This was a fun read that kept me engaged in all aspect of this enjoyable whodunit. The pacing was perfect and the ease in which the story was told felt so comfortable. The author did a great job in presenting this mystery with the perfect blend of suspense with a lovable cast of characters. I loved how the author set up the killer with a little bit of twist as the end, but all-in-all, it was a satisfactory solution. The writing was superb and the storyline had several subplots that catered to the overall telling of this drama that kept me glued to every nuance in this delightfully charming tale. Boasting a great ensemble led by Nola Mae Harper, who is surrounded by her family and BFF Hattie, I can see wonderful and exciting new adventures happening in Cays Mill, Georgia. This is a great addition to the cozy genre and I look forward to the next book in the series.

previously posted on the Cozy Chicks blog