Brenda H. (booksinvt) - , reviewed on 9/5/2019 + 458 more book reviews

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.

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