Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
Christmas Cow Bells is the debut of the A Buttermilk Creek Mystery series set in Shenandoah Springs in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, VA and featuring cheese maker Brynn MacAlister. Brynn had purchased the old parsonage with her ex boyfriend but after catching him cheating she finds herself the sole owner of 3 Devon Red Cows and her dreams to become an organic cheese maker.
Brynn's cow Petunia has given birth to a stillborn calf and is very depressed, mooing constantly and annoying the neighbors. She's also become a member of the local CSA and is finding it difficult to fit in with the locals. Unsure if it's because of her noisy cow, their resistance to newcomers or her friendship with neighbor Nancy Scors, who has recently purchased the Old Glebe Church and wants to convert it into a Farmer's Market, Brynn is beginning to second guess her move to the area.
When Nancy's home goes up in flames and she succumbs to her injuries, Brynn joins forces with Nancy's nephews and her two friends Willow and Schulyer to find the arsonist/murderer. Someone isn't happy with Brynn's investigation and she soon finds herself and her animals the target of vicious and violent acts.
A chilling plot with dark characters make for an interesting read but I found myself being dragged down by the repetitive actions and ruminations of Brynn. However, because Brynn's role in capturing the killer seems to earn the community's respect, she takes on a new partner in her cheese-making operation and she adopts two new animals into her fold, I will look forward to more adventures in Shenandoah Springs.
Brynn's cow Petunia has given birth to a stillborn calf and is very depressed, mooing constantly and annoying the neighbors. She's also become a member of the local CSA and is finding it difficult to fit in with the locals. Unsure if it's because of her noisy cow, their resistance to newcomers or her friendship with neighbor Nancy Scors, who has recently purchased the Old Glebe Church and wants to convert it into a Farmer's Market, Brynn is beginning to second guess her move to the area.
When Nancy's home goes up in flames and she succumbs to her injuries, Brynn joins forces with Nancy's nephews and her two friends Willow and Schulyer to find the arsonist/murderer. Someone isn't happy with Brynn's investigation and she soon finds herself and her animals the target of vicious and violent acts.
A chilling plot with dark characters make for an interesting read but I found myself being dragged down by the repetitive actions and ruminations of Brynn. However, because Brynn's role in capturing the killer seems to earn the community's respect, she takes on a new partner in her cheese-making operation and she adopts two new animals into her fold, I will look forward to more adventures in Shenandoah Springs.
Christmas Cows Bells by Mollie Cox Bryan is the debut of A Buttermilk Creek Mystery series. I like the author's conversational writing style (like chatting with a friend) which makes for a pleasing reading experience. Brynn MacAlister got her love of Red Devon cows from her grandmother and fell into cheesemaking after taking a course in college. Her degree in chemistry came in handy when she attended cheese school. I like that the author took the time to establish our main character. We get to learn what brought her to Shenandoah Springs, her background, and learn about her family. There are beautiful descriptions of Shenandoah Springs, Brynn's farm and the surrounding area. We are introduced to a variety of locals who belong to the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. It was interesting to learn about a micro-dairy and what goes into making cheese. Brynn has a unique concept. Brynn's three cows (Marigold, Buttercup, and Petunia) each have their own personality and I felt bad for poor Petunia. Freckles, the dog, was a delightful addition to the story. I look forward to seeing more of Wes Scors, Nancy's grandson, in the next book. He is a friendly young man who is a talented cook and wishes to learn cheesemaking. The fire at Old Glebe Church and then Nancy's death has Brynn scared and she wants answers. When she becomes frustrated with the slow progress on the case, Brynn decides to do a little digging on her own (not a gouda idea). Unfortunately, Brynn has angered the guilty party. A series of escalating incidents begin happening at Buttermilk Creek Farm. Brynn uncovers a handful of suspects in her search for the guilty party. Brynn is a newbie sleuth, so her skills need honing, but she does search for suspects, ask questions, and does some online sleuthing. I would like to see the mysteries become more complex as the series progresses. I like how we get to see cows as more than milk producers. They are sweet creatures who have feelings and like to be petted. Their playful antics were adorable, and I found Petunia's reaction to Freckles to be delightful. Christmas Cow Bells is an appealing new cozy mystery with clanking cow bells, heavenly hard cheese, a crotchety curmudgeon, a freaky fire, and a charming cheesemaker.
I liked the characters, the setting and the back stories on cows and cheese. But if I heard, "he cheated on me" one more time, I would have put the book down.
