This was a really entertaining cozy mystery. I really enjoyed Whitney as the main character as well as all the side characters.

The plot was really enjoyable and I will admit that I was totally stumped when it came to trying to solve the murder before Whitney and Co. I liked the plot twists and red herrings that Hannah included in the plot, it definitely kept me on my toes!

The one thing that icked me was that her ex-boyfriend was still a love interest despite cheating on her... For me cheating is unforgivable and a horrible thing to do to someone you claim to love. Therefore I hate it when characters are forgiven for it in a book just for being goodlooking and charming.

I've been trying to read this book for over 5 years now. I don't know it's the characters or even the basic plot....I can't get into it enough to get past the first couple chapters.

I was looking for a new cozy mystery series to try and came across Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies by Darci Hannah. The title caught my attention, and since it was the first in a new A Very Cherry Mystery Series and by a new-to-me author, I decided to give it a try.

Whitney Bloom grew up on a cherry orchard but high-tailed it to the big city for college and really never looked back. But after there’s been a murder at the orchard in her hometown of Cherry Cove, she returns home and declares that she’s going to find the murderer. She reunites with her best friends, has to deal with an ex-boyfriend, and then there’s the new cop in town, who also happens to be her nemesis from high school.

The community created by Darci Hannah is interesting. She’s pulled a variety of characters together to make this small town in Wisconsin. I like the small-town setting with the cherry orchard at the center. It made for a unique locale. However, with most first-in-the-series books, there were a lot of characters introduced, and so outside of Whitney, Jack, and the cop, there wasn’t much character development.

I also had a hard time liking Whitney, although she did grow on me. From her G-rated swearing to practically flirting with every single guy over the age of 21 in the book, it was hard to relate to her. Then she keeps forcing herself into the police investigation and doing stupid things without backup, and well, I was just shaking my head and hoping she’d get a clue.

The mystery pretty solid, with a nice little twist in the end. The path to solving the mystery could have been better. I didn’t have too many complaints about the plot, and it didn’t get lost in the world-building, so that was a plus.

Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies was a middle-of-the-road read for me. There were some bright spots (the settling, the mystery) and some low lights (Whitney), but I’d be willing to give the series another try to see if things pick up now that all the introductions are out of the way.

A great book by a fantastic author. The writing is excellent and the mystery keeps you turning the pages. Characters are well developed. Highly recommend.

I have to be honest, I have mixed feelings about this book.

You have our cozy mystery heroine, Whitney Bloom, whose family owns and manages a popular and established inn in their small town, as well as a large cherry orchard. (In short, her family's well-off.) Whitney herself is employed at an ad agency, but she "effs up" and loses her job, so she sells cherry-based pastries online. She returns home after a failed attempt to win her former boss, and after hearing the news that her father is the prime suspect in the murder of their trusted employee, which happened in their own home. Whitney has her family, her best friends, and her prospective romantic leads to help her solve the crime.

With all the various characters around Whitney, you can't help but get lost in figuring our who's who. And again, I have an issue with Whitney herself; despite losing a job, she still is way better off because of the prosperous family business, her support group and having men falling in love with her. I'm having a hard time relating to her fall and eventual rise to begin a new life after the ad disaster she was (obviously) responsible for. (Another thing I didn't like was the disastrous ad she created and her constant denial of why it failed and cost her her job.) I am shaking my head at how she seemed hypocritical in certain aspects of her life.
And there were various subplots that somehow was interfering with the murder plot. Also, I found the list of suspects and their motives a little weak, and as I've mentioned, the subplots and the red herrings did not contribute to framing a better reveal of the real murderer.

Jack MacLaren, the police officer, is one of the shining points of this title. He's sensible and smart, compared with the other characters. He's down-to-earth, he has a good sense of humor, and he's not arrogant. I also like Whitney's dad. He would seem larger than life and eccentric, but his personality is more endearing than his daughter.

I was able to continue reading because of all the events that happened. From start to finish, everything was action-packed. One thing about Whitney is that she's invested in the mystery so much, so she snoops and interrogate suspects every time she discovers information about the murder, and it doesn't matter whether the information would turn out to clear some points of the murder or to raise even more questions. She acts too impulsively sometimes, and that's good for this book, because the plot details are shown through action-heavy events rather than through the usual plot exposition. The details are also spread out throughout the story, and not jampacked in only one or two chapters.

I have hopes for this series because of its good points and that I like Jack and Mr. Bloom's characters. I hope the story and Whitney's character improves for the better in the next book.

A little love triangle, a little mystery, add some good characters, and you have a fun, cozy mystery that will make you long for the next installment.

What a great start to a new series by Darci Hannah. I loved the main characters and wish I could jump in my car and drive up to Wisconsin this weekend for some delicious deconstructed cherry pie. Whitney helped out a lot more with the police work than is usual for a cozy mystery, which was unrealistic, but the story was so good that it didn't matter to me.
4 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

This was a delightful debut--a light mystery. Taking place in the requisite small town, there seem to be few secrets. The cherry orchard was a nice touch, something a little different. The characters were well developed and had some great personalities.

Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies by Darci Hannah is the first story in A Very Cherry Mystery series. Whitney Bloom lives in Chicago, Illinois where after creating a disastrous Superbowl commercial, she finds herself blacklisted by ad agencies as well the laughingstock of the advertising world. To make ends meet, Whitney has started the online business Bloom ‘n’ Cherries! selling her baked cherry creations. She has been corresponding with a man online who calls himself C-Bomb and seems to know Whitney from home town of Cherry Cove, Wisconsin. Whitney gets a frantic phone calls from her mother. The manager of their orchard, Jeb Carlson has been murdered and her father, Baxter is the prime suspect. Whitney rushes home where the annual Cherry Blossom Festival is in full swing and is dismayed when she finds that Jack MacLaren, her old high school nemesis, is in charge of the investigation. Not trusting Jack, Whitney declares that she will find out who killed Jeb. Whitney will have to deal with her past while sifting through the clues to identify Jeb’s killer. Someone, though, is intent on destroying her families’ inn and reputation. Can Whitney track down the culprit before it is too late?

Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies has a cute cover and I like the setting of Door County, Wisconsin. The town sounds charming and the acres of cherry trees in bloom sounded beautiful (I would be sneezing up a storm with my allergies). It was interesting to learn more about cherries and the running of an orchard. To get through Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies, though, you need to suspend your disbelief (from beginning when we find out the content of the commercial to the end when Whitney shoots off a gun with no clue who she is shooting at). The world in the book is not one in which normal people live. My mother can enjoy these types of books, but I find myself annoyed, rolling my eyes and becoming exasperated (my mother states I lack a sense of humor). I thought there was an absence of character development and the story rambles. When Whitney is with her friends, she tends to act like a nincompoop. She is told to keep certain key details about the murder to herself, and, within a short time, Whitney is telling her friends. Whitney could be categorized as TSTL. In the story, there is the cliché high school nemesis and, of course, the men who appeal to Whitney are “hunky”. I found many items repeated throughout the book and speculation abounds. The mystery is the best part of the book, but identifying the guilty party is a no brainer. Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies needs rewriting and editing as well as proofreading. As you can tell, I did not enjoy reading Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies (I had a rough time finishing this time and there was skimming involved). I highly suggest that you pick up a sample for your e-reader and judge Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies for yourself.

A fun first in series cozy mystery! The setting of the cherry orchard was unique and I enjoyed the likable characters. The well planned mystery had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end! I thought there might be the beginning of a love triangle (which I think is overdone in cozy mysteries) but I was pleased to find out this was not the case!
I am eager to read the next book in this series.

https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_wr_but?ie=UTF8&channel=awUDPv3&asin=B079QMQZNH#

What a first mystery novel! Well don, Darci Hannah! I loved the fluidity of the writing. I loved the premise of the story. And I really loved the characters. I was kept guessing, and all the while I was laughing at Whitney's antics and wit. Now there has to be more novels in the series so we can keep track of her love life, and find out if the Cherry Orchard Inn survives! I truly enjoyed reading this well crafted debut mystery!

I love cozy mystery and have my favorite authors, just like most readers. I'm adding Darci Hannah and the Cherry Hill Inn to my "must read" list. It really is rare when you find a good story line that will keep you guessing throughout the book. Darci gave us clues...but who would have predicted this ending? Spend a quiet evening with this book and you won't be sorry.

Cherry Pies and Deadly Lies by Darci Hannah is the first book in the Very Cherry Mystery series. Whitney has started a baking business after a disastrous end to her advertising career. That is interrupted when a late night call from her mom informs Whitney that her dad is suspected of murder. Whitney returns home to Cherry Cove to clear her dad and save the family's inn. The book was full of action, and the mystery was strong. The characters have promise for development, and I enjoyed the cherry themed setting. I hope to read more from this series.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery! This one really did have you guessing until the very end. And then once you thought you had it all figured out, there's another twist to the story. The author does a great job of keeping you interested in the characters and the mystery without giving too many secrets away.

Wonderful characters with lots of personality and a few quirks. Plenty of personality dynamics that make it fun and interesting. And the descriptions of the cherry food items...had my stomach growling and my taste buds geared up for something cherry flavored.

I'm pretty sure there needs to be a second book in this series. And, if so, I will be one of the first to buy it. I'm in love with the town of Cherry Cove and the people who live there. I'm ready to continue with more adventures and delicious items on the cherry menu.

Thank you to Midnight Ink and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book in a new series, Very Cherry Mysteries, and I am really excited about it! This book is a fun cozy mystery, about Whitney Bloom, a baker who lives in Chicago. When her family calls her from their cherry farm and b& b in Wisconsin to notify her of a murder, where her dad is the prime suspect, Whitney heads home to see how she can help.

Whitney is re-introduced to Jack MacLaren, her high school nemesis and now the police detective on the case. There is a sweet romance brewing there. With Whitney's sometimes unwanted help, Jack solves the case. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fun cozy mystery. This was a quick read and I'm looking forward to the next books in the series. I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book, first in the series. It moved super fast and I didn't want to put it down. There were no slow parts. I wasn't enjoying the first couple of chapters and almost stopped reading it. The main female character was doing some pretty reckless things for a woman. I thought she was pretty stupid and didn't think I could take a whole book about her. But once she got back home she was too busy to do stupid things online. I enjoyed all the surrounding characters, fast paced, interesting. Everyone in town must be good looking, that was kind of funny to me.

This was a fun book to read, I enjoyed it very much! I would recommend it to others. It was my first book by this author.

Great mystery! Loved the Wisconsin setting and the cherry theme. I liked the shift from the usual cozy formula by having the murder happen in WI while the character was in Chicago and then she had to travel home to look into things. I could do without the love triangle. I'm weary of these in cozy mysteries. The mystery itself was terrific and twisty. I will definitely be keeping up with this series. (Some language)

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

From the beginning, I became enthralled with the antics of Whitney Bloom, ex ad-exec for a large Chicago advertising firm, cherry aficionado – running her own online bakery (called Bloom n’ Cherries!) and amateur sleuth. Whitney is the main protagonist in the first book, Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies of the A Very Cherry Mystery series by author Darci Hannah. I found Whitney to be a well rounded, funny, compassionate and caring character. Though her sleuthing skills may need a little work.

Whitney receives a call from her hysterical mother. During the call, her mother informs Whitney that Jeb Carlson has been murdered.

“Are you telling me that Jeb’s been murdered? During the Cherry Blossom Festival weekend? Is this your idea of a joke, Mom? Because if it is, it’s a pretty sick one.”

“No,” she said, and began crying. “No joke. I wish it was. And the worst part…the worst part is…”

Really, how could it be any worse?

“And the worst part is it appears that your dad is the murderer.”

Needless to say, Whitney rushes home to Cherry Cove to support her mom, figure out who really killed Jeb! As an added bonus, she can get away from the catastrophe her professional life has become all due to one ill-timed advertisement during the super bowl. Luckily Whitney’s current work is running her online business, Bloom ‘n’ Cherries!, making cherry pie’s and other creations; this can be done from anywhere.

Once in town, it quickly becomes apparent, well at least to Whitney, that she cannot leave the local constabulary to prove her father innocent. The local Cherry Blossom festival, as well as the family business, are all in peril if this mystery is not solved.

The pseudo swearing had me giggling: Holy cobbler! Or Fudgesicles. I would say it even made the book seem more relatable as don’t we all have a pseudo swear word we try to use? Also made me realize how often some people swear.

Doc Fisker (country coroner and chief medical examiner) is certainly a character. I love his description of an event he witnessed:

“Oh, a mystery! I do so love a mystery. I find there’s always a rather mysterious element hanging around that old orchard. Why, I was up there earlier this spring and do you know what I saw? Jeb had those girls – Jenn, Jani, the Robinson girl and a few of the younger waitresses-dressed in flowing white gowns with flowered wreaths in their hair, holding hands and dancing around the budding trees. Was suspiciously pagan. When I asked him about it he said …”

He was described by Jack as “He’s old but good, and he’s susceptible to bribes.”

Whitney was thinking about her ex-boyfriend – Tatum Vander Hagen (affectionately known as Tate). He seems to be a hunk to be reckoned with:

“He was smiling, flashing dimples-the kind you just wanted to stick your fingers into and wiggle a bit. I had worked hard to resist those captivating cheek-dimples but, for the love of cobbler, they were a powerful weapon.”

Of course – Tate is not the only hunk that Whitney seems to be attracted to! Carlton Brisbane seems to have caught her eye along with Jack MacLaren (local law enforcement and pain in Whitney’s behind from grade 5) and the new hot bartender at the Inn, Finn.

I found the cast of characters quite large and at times difficult to keep straight (well – at the beginning at least – nothing a few notes couldn’t solve). It certainly allowed for a variety of red herring side stories to throw one off the scent of figuring out who the real killer was. In fact, I was not able to determine ‘whodunit’ until it was revealed… and that is just the way I like my mysteries. I also felt that there is enough going on in Cherry Orchard for this series to continue on and hold my interest.

I cannot go into much more detail because I do not want to be one of those reviewers that inadvertently blurt out some key hint that takes away from another reader’s journey when they read this review. But suffice it to say – I am happy I took this journey called Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies.

This is the first book I have read by Darci Hannah and I predict it will not be my last. I cannot wait to read about the further antics of Whitney and all the characters in Cherry Orchard.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*