Murder Most Fowl

April 4, 2016
A contentious town hall meeting in Westbury, Mass., about the projected use of a particular piece of land kicks off Maxwell’s entertaining fourth Local Foods mystery (after 2015’s Farmed and Dangerous). Some want affordable housing, others would prefer sports fields, and a third contingent seeks to have the land remain undeveloped. Chicken farmer Wayne Laitinen speaks in favor of housing. Organic farmer Cam Flaherty tables the discussion for another day after observing that opinions are divided. When Wayne is found dead at his breakfast table the next morning, Cam and her boyfriend, State Police Det. Pete Pappas, investigate. Wayne had his share of enemies, including members of a local animal rights activist group who vandalized his chicken house. Wayne also was on bad terms with neighbor Judith Patterson and with a former high school friend, Paul Underwood, so there’s no shortage of suspects in what turns into a murder case. Though a rushed ending detracts somewhat, cozy fans will still enjoy spending time with Cam and friends. Agent: John Talbot, Talbot Fortune Agency.

May 1, 2016
Organic farmer and amateur sleuth Cam Flaherty returns in another intelligent installment in this unusual cozy series. Animal-right activists are harassing livestock farmers in Westbury, Massachusetts, but the taunts turn lethal when Cam's neighbor Wayne, a chicken farmer, is murdered. There are plenty of suspects: a wealthy resident had been after Wayne to sell his farm; Wayne had recently had a falling out with a longtime friend; and why doesn't his wife seem to be grieving? Wayne's daughter asks Cam to do a little snooping around town to see if she can do a better job than the police at finding the killer. Asking questions stirs the pot, and soon there is an attack on Cam's chicks and other vandalism on her farm. Maxwell keeps the dialogue as fresh as Cam's produce in this nice mix of cozy ambience and a realistic story of greed and hidden secrets. Recipes and food details add zest to this entree in the food-mystery genre.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)