Tenacity, that’s what I call my overzealous nature and go get ’em drive. Gifford McGrady, aka Giff, prefers the term thinly veiled insanity. Silly Giff. He’s just jaded because he used to work for me when I was an up-and-coming junior ad exec in one of Chicago’s largest advertising agencies. Giff, the only real friend I have left in Chicago, had been my overworked right-hand man when I produced that ad, a notorious fifteen-second commercial that ended my career in advertising at the ripe old age of twenty-eight. Giff still works for Mr. Black and has even managed to worm his way into my old position—which he’s already regretting. I find it amusing. But Giff has genuine talent. He’s also loyal to a fault and helps me out whenever I need him.

Since living in Chicago without a job wasn’t working out too well, I decided to embrace my cherry heritage by opening an online cherry-centric bakery called Bloom ‘n’ Cherries!. It was either that or return home to Cherry Cove, which I couldn’t do. Sure, failure’s part of it. Nobody wants to admit they’ve fallen short of their dreams. Also, my ex-boyfriend, Tate Vander Hagen (aka Vanderlicious), still lives there. He was the love of my life until I found him in bed with another woman. Unfortunately, Tate’s still my kryptonite, and Mom still adores him. It’s a dangerous combination any way you look at it.

Despite all that, I really do love my parents. Baxter and Jani Bloom are the best. They own a cherry orchard and run the iconic Cherry Orchard Inn, in Cherry Cove. I also know they could use my help during the upcoming Cherry Blossom Festival weekend. And yet I keep making excuses. The Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the best weekends at the inn. The blossoms smell incredible and the orchard looks like a scene from a fairytale. There’s a hayride through the blossoming orchard, and a wine and cheese tasting tent on the back lawn full of the region’s best cherry products. The weekend is capped off by the Cherry Pie Bake-Off. It’s kind of a big deal. The winner not only gets the coveted Gilded Cherry trophy and a hundred-dollar gift card, but also bragging rights for the year. Grandma Jenn, who grew up on the orchard and, as rumor has it, uses cherries from a secret tree, wins the bake-off practically every year. She’s an amazing baker, and the person who inspired me to launch Bloom ‘n’ Cherries! .

I hate to admit it, but I love whipping up delectable cherry baked goods. It’s second nature to me; and using cherries grown on our orchard helps me feel connected to home. My bakery’s really starting to take off, thanks to my flashy website, quality baked goods and Giff’s enthusiasm. However, Mom’s been pestering me to enter my specialty deconstructed cherry pie in the bake-off this year. I’ve avoided returning her calls. However, Mom is as tenacious in her own way as I am and has called me again.

I’m struck by her voice. It’s fearful, not cheerful. She then tells me the unbelievable news. The Cherry Blossom Festival has just kicked off; the inn is full, and a body has been found in the orchard. It’s our beloved orchard manager, Jeb Carlson. Worst of all, it appears that Dad is the one to blame.

Looks like I’m heading home to Cherry Cove after all. I don’t know much about murder, but I do know Dad’s not capable of it. Maybe Giff is right. Maybe it is thinly veiled insanity. Whatever it is that drives me, I’m feeling it, and it’s telling me that I need to prove Dad is innocent, even if that means facing all my demons, namely Tate Vanderlicious. But how hard can that be? Right?

Giveaway: Tell us, what is your favorite pie? Leave a comment below for your chance to win a print copy of Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies. U.S. entries only, please. The giveaway ends June 10, 2018. Good luck everyone!

You can read more about Whitney in Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies, the first book in the NEW “Very Cherry” mystery series.

Crime with a Slice of Cherry Pie

Cherry enthusiast Whitney Bloom is furiously baking her way into the heart of Chicago with her fabulous cherry pies when she receives a desperate call from her mother. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival has just kicked off at the Cherry Orchard Inn in Door County, Wisconsin, and the manager of the Bloom family orchard has been found dead beneath the cherry blossoms. Worse yet, all evidence points to Whitney’s father as the killer. After she races home to help, things really land in the pits for Whitney when she discovers that Jack MacLaren, her old high school nemesis, is Cherry Cove’s only police officer. Putting her cherry-tastic treats on hold, Whitney matches wits against Jack. But will she have what it takes to clear her father’s name and sift out the real Cherry Cove killer?

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Meet the author
Darci Hannah lives in a small town in Michigan with her husband, three sons, lovable springer spaniel, Finley, and golden retriever pup, Ripley. She is the author of Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies (Midnight Ink, 2018) and two previous works of historical fiction, The Exile of Sara Stevenson (Ballantine Books, 2010, 2nd edition by Piffle & Bombast 2016) and the Angel of Blythe Hall (Ballantine Books, 2011). When she’s not traipsing through the woods with Ripley and Finn, engaged in a rollicking adventure with her family, or working at the historic Howell Carnegie District Library, she’s either baking, drinking coffee or hard at work on her next novel. In fact, it’s a safe bet to assume she’s doing all three at the same time.

You can learn more about Darci and her books at darcihannah.com.

All comments are welcomed.