Mulch Ado about Murder is the fifth book in Edith Maxwell’s Local Foods Mystery series. Even if you haven’t read the previous books in this series, Ms. Maxwell provides enough character background that you won’t feel lost jumping in so late in the series. The storyline is well thought out and the characters well developed. I enjoyed reading this book; it’s a quick, clean read, with an interesting mystery, relatable characters, and some twists and turns that keep you guessing as to the killer’s identity. There is no adult language, graphic violence, or sexually explicit situations. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys reading clean mysteries.

Cam Flaherty owns Attic Hill Organic Farm, an organic farm in Westbury, Massachusetts and her parents have shocked her with a surprise visit. Cam is a classic introvert and relishes her alone time and this visit makes that close to impossible. While delivering organic seedlings to Nicole Kingsbury who owns Seacoast Fresh, a soil-free hydroponic greenhouse, there’s a group of demonstrators outside and Cam is dismayed to see Deb Flaherty, her mother, among the small group of protesters. The problem the group has with the hydroponic process is that chemicals are used and they feel that renders the final product as non-organic. When Cam enters the greenhouse, she doesn’t see Nicole or receive a response when she calls out to her, so she sends a text message to let her know she left the flats. She hears Nicole’s cell phone chirp as the text is received and when she walks around to see if she can find her, she finds Nicole leaning over a vat of hydroponic slurry and when she checked, there was no pulse. Deb becomes a person of interest because she was involved in the protest and had spent time alone with Nicole in her greenhouse and since Cam found the body, she isn’t able to spend time with her boyfriend, Homicide Detective Pete Pappas. Cam is determined to clear her mother’s name and in the process, learns there’s no shortage of suspects. Cam’s dad is an easy going, agreeable, and thoughtful person while her mother is quiet and somewhat secretive. Cam grew up knowing her parents were committed to her but their relationship lacked any signs of affection and she felt there were times when they all tended to keep each other at arm’s length but they make some real breakthroughs during this visit.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Cam’s organic farm is gasping for water, a spring drought has taken its toll on her plants. But it could be worse, her neighbor, Nicole, who espouses organic living and is really using chemicals on her hydroponic farm, is found dead, drowned in her own hydroponic solution. Cam’s mother, who was not shy about letting the town know how she felt about Nicole’s “organic” farm is a likely suspect. It’s up to Cam and her father to clear her mom’s name and track down the real killer. A fun gardening cozy that will appeal to fans of the genre

PLEASE NOTE the book I received was not "Mulch Ado About Murder" but was "Marriage is Pure Murder" by Staci McLaughlin, which was funny, delightful and had an interesting plot with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing all the way through. Dana Lewis works in market for O'Connell Organic Farms and she is getting married there to her longtime boyfriend, reporter Jason Forrester. All of her friends and colleagues are going out of their way to make this a very special event, even Bethany Lancaster who is providing the flowers. But Bethany is also a blackmailer and, before the wedding can take place, gets herself murdered. Dana is among the many potential suspects and needs to find a solution to the crime before she can walk down the aisle. I enjoyed this book with interesting characters and unique setting and would recommend it to any cozy mystery fan.