It's almost Halloween in Oriole Point, MI and the town is gearing up for its Haunted Halloween Harvest Health Fair. Although Marlee Jacob thinks combining Halloween with a health fair is a bit weird, she's ready for the influx of tourists to the town. The leaves have turned and the weather is forecast to be perfect. The list of activities, speakers and other health-related workshops is outstanding, including a nationally recognized diet guru. Things start getting a bit strange when a local eccentric approaches Marlee asking for mulberries. Lots and lots of mulberries. Out of season. To protect her from danger. It gets even stranger when they find the dead, murdered body of a stranger that came to town asking questions. The body has an arrow sticking in it. And in the countdown to Halloween, the body count will be going up....

What a fun, Halloween theme cozy! This is the first book from the Berry Basket series that I've read, and it makes me want to backtrack and read the rest! The characters are quirky, the background Halloween theme is fun, and the mystery is interesting! Lots of suspects, hidden secrets, and twists. Nicely done! And...at the end of the book....berry recipes, including some Halloween treats.

The front cover art is cute. It's what first caught my eye and made me want to read this book. Cozy mysteries always have the best covers!

Mulberry Mischief is the fourth book in the Berry Basket series. I was easily able to read and enjoy this book without first reading the other three books. But I am going to go back and read the first three books. This story was a fun read!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Halloween, a health fair, berries, pranks, and murder keep us entertained in Mulberry Mischief.
Mulberry Mischief by Sharon Farrow is a perfect balance of small-town activity, people and mystery. I have fallen in love with Oriole Point and can't wait for the next installment.

Marlee, the sleuth
Marlee Jacob is quite popular in the village of Oriole River. She is the owner-operator of the town's Berry Patch and our sleuth. Marlee is the resident berry expert; she also has a big heart and wants to help people. So when Leticia the Lake Lady comes to her for help, Marlee feels the need to help her with more than getting mulberries for protection.

Marlee is also very interested injustice, and she sees things in ways that the local law enforcement doesn't understand. She is even dating a deputy sheriff. But most importantly, people trust her, and she tries to be kind to everyone.

Things that I liked about the story
• Marlee has an African Gray named Minnie that she takes to work with her.
• The Halloween parade that everyone in town will be part of and dressed in costume.
• Piper and the way she bullies people into doing what she wants but then protects them when they are in trouble.
• Theo and his quirky personality are perfect as the phantom early morning baker at the Berry Patch.
• The Halloween Harvest Health Fair draws a massive amount of people in attendance.
• The wonderful recipes that Theo makes and that are at the end of the book.
• The entire cast of supporting characters, Tessa the beautiful Russian, Old Man Bowman, Leticia the Lake Lady, Piper, Aunt Vicki, Kit, Dean, Andrew, Theo and so many more are all well developed and helped Marlee in their ways.
• The Sable family and their secrets.

5 Stars for Mulberry Mischief by Sharon Farrow
I am so glad to be on this book tour. I loved the story and the characters, so much that I am giving them a rating of five stars. Marlee and Kit make a fantastic team. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and have added this series to my ever-growing list of favorites. If you love cozies as I do, then I highly recommend reading this one.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Mulberry Mischief by Sharon Farrow.

Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

Mulberry Mischief by Sharon Farrow is the fourth novel in A Berry Basket Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone since Marlee’s background is provided along with references to the last three cases. Marlee Jacob delivers mulberries to the home of Leticia the Lake Lady and finds a man dead with a mulberry arrow through the heart. Leticia has disappeared and becomes the police’s prime suspect. Marlee knows that Leticia thought someone was out to harm her. She wants to make sure Leticia is safe plus find the killer. Mulberry Mischief has a delightful cast of characters from kindhearted Marlee to fashionista Andrew to Old Man Bowman who is fascinated with Big Foot. Leticia is an off-beat character with her unusual ideas and flaming orange hair. Oriole Point is having a Haunted Halloween Harvest Health Fair (try saying that three times fast). Piper Lyall-Pierce, the coordinator, wants to convince people to eat less candy after her husband ate a whole bag of Twizzlers last Halloween (I find licorice is like potato chips, you cannot eat just one plus they are fat free). I did find Mulberry Mischief to be a slow starter, but the pace soon picks up. The mystery was interesting with misdirection, multiple suspects and clever clues. I like that we get a complete wrap up at the end. You have to love a criminal who spills his guts. I was tickled by the names of Aunt Vicki’s Doberman Pinschers. They are Buffy, Willow and Xander. I think it is wonderful that she manages an animal rescue that captures feral cats and spays them. I liked the inclusion of mulberry folklore and the health benefits of mulberries. The ending was humorous. Mulberry Mischief is an upbeat cozy mystery with Halloween hijinks, a frisky feline, mulberry mania, a costumed killer, and a booming bell.

When the eccentric Lake Lady comes into her shop wanting to order enough mulberries to completely cover her house, Marlee doesn't know what to think. The berries are supposed to have protective qualities, but Leticia genuinely seems to believe that they'll protect her from the "shadow people." She accepts the special order, for a much smaller quantity of berries, and thinks that'll be the end of it.



When a murdered man is found on Leticia's property and the Lake Lady herself vanishes without a trace, Marlee realizes that the danger was real.



I loved this one. The suspense built until, near the end, I was actually holding my breath. It's the first book I've read from the Berry Basket series and I'll definitely be starting at the beginning to catch up on the others.

No one really knows much about Leticia the lake lady who lives her life as a recluse. Then one day Marlee, owner of The Berry Basket, finds herself face to face with the mysterious Leticia who wants to buy enough mulberries to cover her house for protection from the shadow people. Is Leticia as crazy as people think or is she actually in danger? Marlee becomes involved in helping Leticia but soon finds herself at odds with a rich and powerful family over a murder that occurred decades ago.

I have read and enjoyed all the books in this series but this one is my favorite. The characters are diverse and some are likable and some you like to hate. There is an extended family of suspects but each twist in the story points to a different person making it a challenge to decide what really happened. Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

MULBERRY MISCHIEF by Sharon Farrow
The Fourth Berry Basket Mystery

Oriole Point is gearing up for Halloween and not just the usual parades and trick or treating. Piper has created a Haunted Halloween Harvest Health Fair and invited big name celebrities to speak and give workshops. Even the multi-generational Sable clan, with dozens of books and products promoting their diet and skin care regimes, has come to the village. But one member of the community is more worried than excited about the upcoming events. Leticia the Lake Lady, an eccentric hermit, has ventured into town asking the Berry Basket's Marlee Jacob for mulberries stating that she needs the berry for protection. When a stranger winds up dead on Leticia's property and the Lake Lady goes missing Marlee feels the need to help. Is Leticia a murderer or a victim? As Marlee becomes a target she'll rely on family and friends... and lots of mulberries. Will it be enough, or will this Halloween be her last?

The fourth Berry Basket Mystery tackles issues of mental health, corruption, and the belief that money and prestige give you the ability to do whatever you want. A family dynasty and a tragedy from the past continue to trouble the world decades later and it's up to Marlee to finally find justice. I really like Leticia's cunning clues and Marlee's ability to understand her references, which to some may appear merely delusions. I despise the shadow people and all those like them. I also like that the people of Oriole Point, at least Marlee's friends, rally around when they discover what's going on.

What makes MULBERRY MISCHIEF particularly frightening is that families such as the Sables do exist. It's almost as if they believe they have the divine right of kings! They take what they want and do what they will, with only the family name being important. My heart was rapidly beating when Marlee was confronted at Leticia's forcing me to turn the pages ever quicker as I rushed to read what would happen.

MULBERRY MISCHIEF is a heart pounding adventure with plenty of tricks and the ultimate treat of watching the Oriole Point gang band together once more.

An old mystery plays the starring role in the newest Berry Basket mystery. Marlee encounters Leticia the Lake Lady, who asks for enough mulberries to cover her house. Leticia is really Ellen and she has old secrets.
Oriole Point is holding a Harvest Health Fair. A well known family, the Sables, are the stars of the fair. The Sables and Ellen have a history.
Are new deaths connected to an old one?
Marlee again gets herself into trouble investigating the death of Felix Bonaventure and Ellen’s past.
There is a good sense of community in Oriole Point and relationships develop further during the story.
I enjoy learning about berries and the treats Theo makes. I kinda wish Marlee didn’t nearly die in each book but I guess it is the author’s way of writing.

Mulberry Mischief
Author: Sharon Farrow
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: August 27, 2019
5 Stars

Piper Lyall-Pierce, the wife of the town’s mayor, has organized a Halloween themed Harvest Health Fair. Piper has lined up an exciting week’s worth of events including speakers, demonstrations, and collections of health related products and books. One of the main attractions to the fair is the Sable family and their collection of best selling diet books and skin care products. Piper even ropes Marlee into giving a presentation on the health benefits of berries.

Before the fair begins, however, the town’s eccentric hermit, who the townsfolk refer to as the Lake Lady, approaches Marlee for the first time. She asks Marlee to supply her with enough mulberries to cover her whole house. Marlee asks why she needs so many mulberries, and the Lake Lady replies that someone is trying to kill her, and she is trying to protect herself from danger. Marlee agrees to order the mulberries and to personally deliver them when they arrive.

When Marlee goes to deliver the berries, the Lake Lady is no where to be seen. Marlee knows how anxious she is to get the berries, and she becomes concerned by her absence. She later returns with her boyfriend Kit who happens to be an investigative officer with the sheriff’s department. There is still no sign of the Lake Lady, but they do find a man who has been shot through the heart with an arrow.

Marlee soon learns that the Lake Lady, is not who she thinks she is. She has a mysterious and complicated past. Marlee becomes intent on helping to locate her, and to get to the bottom of this murder, and another murder that happened over 20 years before.

This is the fourth book in the Berry Basket series, and the best one yet. The author does such a great job with the characters. You can’t help but cheer on the good guys and boo the bad guys (and maybe even throw some berries at them ). Then there are those characters that you have to figure out what side of the fence they belong on.

The plot and mystery were excellent. The story drew me in right away, and I immediately felt at home with the return of familiar characters. Marlee finds more questions than answers as she begins to look into the mystery. I found myself pulled deeper and deeper into the mystery as I read. There are quite a few possible suspects, and I found myself jumping from one to the next, sure that I had finally figured out who had committed the crime(s). The story is filled with unexpected twists and turns, and it has an exciting ending.

This is a great fall read! There are also yummy recipes included at the end of the story.

Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book. #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks #MulberryMischief

Halloween is approaching the small town of Oriole Point in Michigan. The mayor’s wife insists on combining it with the Harvest Health Fair and having Marlee Jacobs be one of the speakers. Marlee much prefers staying in her shop, The Berry Basket, over giving talks about berries and their healthy value.

One of the towns more eccentric citizens, Leticia the Lake Lady, has a special request of Marlee. She needs a huge amount of mulberries to protect her from evil. She’s convinced someone is out to kill her. When Marlee finds a dead body on Leticia’s property, she wonders if Leticia could be the dangerous one.

It turns out that Leticia has a dark past and Marlee is determined to find out how it connects to the dead body she found.

This is the fourth book in the series, but you really don’t need to read the previous ones to enjoy this book. The entire mystery plot is contained in this book. However, it’s always fun to watch the characters grow from the first book to the present. I have only read books 3 and 4 but I intend to read the first two.

The book is fast-paced and I was sorry to see it end. I wasn’t totally surprised by who the culprit turned out to be, but the author gave us so many different suspects. I was convinced it was someone else.

The characters are well developed. The secondary cast supports Marlee very well. I love the rapport she has with her friends. I, also, enjoy her budding romance explored.

This is a delightful series and I’m really looking forward to the next one. Before that, I do hope to catch up with the first two books.

Clever and well written with interesting character development. The heroine saves herself but that didn’t stop me from being annoyed with her boyfriend. Otherwise slightly predictable but still intriguing.

I started this book today and couldn't put it down. It is October in Oriole Point, Michigan and the Harvest Health Fair is going on at the Lyall Convention Center, organized by Piper Lyall Pierce. She has managed to get some celebrities to present at the health fair including the Sable family, whose diet, health and beauty lines have many fans. Piper convinces Marlee to give a talk about the health benefits of berries because one of the other presenters is not able to attend and she needed to fill that time slot. Marlee is approached by Leticia the Lake Lady as she is leaving and is asked to provide Leticia enough mulberries to cover her house. She is afraid that someone wants to kill her and says that the mulberries will offer her some protection. Leticia is a recluse and has never spoken to Marlee before, but Marlee agrees to try to help her get dried mulberries since mulberries are not in season in October. This is just the start of an eventful week in Oriole Point. I love Marlee and her friends and enjoy this series so much. I can't wait for the next book!

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a delightful series that I always enjoy returning to . Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My opinions are my own. I have read the previous books in the series and highly recommend this series. . This is a wonderful Halloween theme cozy mystery.

As we return to Marlee she is preparing her popular business "The Berry Basket" for participation in the local Halloween Fair which the entire town of Oriole Point is excited for. Marlee is a kind woman who has good relationships with her friends, employees and is respected by the townspeople. She also has quite a talent for solving mysteries and prior murders .

A mysterious woman ask Marlee to prepare her enough mulberries to cover her house. .Marlee is intrigued when the woman states someone wants her dead and she believes the mulberries will protect her. Marlee delivers the mulberries to Leticia’s house and finds it empty. She sees a manuscript called Mulberry Mischief and wonders what that is . The next day a dead body is found in the woman's yard, and the woman is still missing. Marlee must find out what happened and as a savvy investigator begins to piece together clues .

I loved the Halloween theme mystery. It has all the perfect aspects of a enjoyable read, The setting, protagonist and plot are excellent and well crafted to the suspense of the sleuth which kept me guessing to the end. A very enjoyable addition to the series. Well done to the author.

Mulberry Mischief is the fourth entry in the A Berry Basket Mystery series and is a very enjoyable read. There is a delightful group of characters, each with their own personality quirks, which makes the story fun and interesting. The author likes to set her books around events, so in this one, the story line is centered around the Haunted Halloween Harvest Health Fair, a dichotomy to be sure. As I love stories about Halloween, the concept definitely piqued my interest.

Marlee is a lovable heroine, always looking out for others, but because of this often becomes someone whom others can trust with their secrets, some of which become dangerous. Leticia the Lake Lady, an eccentric resident, believes that someone is trying to hurt her and subsequently confides this information to Marlee. I really like how the author gets Marlee involved without making her seem like a busybody or becoming really annoying, it just seems to happen naturally. I think this is one of the things that makes these books so enjoyable. Marlee naturally becomes involved because she cares about people so when Leticia goes missing after Marlee discovers a body, her caring nature leads her to look for Leticia simply because she's worried about her. Furthermore, there is a whole host of charming characters surrounding Marlee that makes the story rather interesting. I have developed a fondness for Old Man Bowman who insisted that Big Foot was the menace; and I have to say, his scene at the end of the novel was rather a hoot.

The story line turned out to be rather more involved than I expected, and although I didn't figure out who did the actually killing, the sad story behind Leticia's fear was a fairly predictable one. What I liked though, was how the author unveiled the story line, bit by bit. I read a LOT of mystery novels so I was able to guess the events, but I'm not sure if it was that easy for everyone. Despite this, I thought the author did a fantastic job balancing the murders with Marlee's life and life in this Michigan town. I especially like learning about the different things happening in small towns and the day-to-day life happenings rather than just mystery, mystery, mystery. And things just seem to happen naturally with Marlee which is how she discovers information. I would think that it takes a lot of planning for an author to be able to do that in a book.

Mulberry Mischief is another great entry in a fantastic series. The characters, the plot line, the mystery, and the everyday events make this a very enjoyable read. And I am really glad the author does not give away too much from previous books either in case readers have not read them. And while this could be read as a standalone, I do recommend they are read in order just to get background information on the other characters. Besides, I love learning about the different berries in these books. Thousands of different strawberries? Who knew. Very interesting information and great recipes included. I am already looking forward to the next book in this series.

This was about as exciting as a cozy mystery can be! With several story lines mixing and plenty of page turning action, a past murder, present danger, accused killers, famous people who use their wealth to protect family members from justice and more.
A small town trying to hold a Halloween festival for much needed income as well as building its own reputation, budding romance between good people who have been burned by love before, and a cast of quirky characters who really just want to live a quiet, peaceful life.

My favorite season for cozy mysteries and being a weathered Midwesterner myself, I love the location.

Mulberry Mischief by Sharon Farrow is the 4th book in A Berry Basket Mystery series, and a great addition. Marlee Jacobs owns the Berry Basket in Oriole Point, Michigan, where she sells berries and berry related items. The town is celebrating Harvest Health Fair and Marlee is keeping busy. When the town recluse, Leticia the Lake Lady, orders Mulberry's to surround her home', to keep her safe, Marlee helps her. Later when a man is found dead on Leticia's property, Marlee is determined to find the killer. This book is my least favorite in the series, but it is still a really good read. I can not wait to read the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book\series for cozy mystery lovers like me. 

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.

Mulberry Mischief is the fourth installment in the A Berry Basket Mystery series set in the small town of Oriole Point located on the shore of Lake Michigan and featuring berry store owner Marlee Jacobs. It's Halloween and the town is gearing up for the annual Harvest Health Fair which has Marlee looking forward to showcasing all of her elderberry products reputed to protect against cold and flu season. Marlee is surprised when the town recluse, Laeticia the Lake Lady approaches her and asks for a massive amount of mulberries. The eccentric woman claims that she needs to cover her house with the berries in order to protect herself and her cats from evil and the ghost.

The Harvest Fair has also brought to town the Sable family, famous for their diet and skin care books, and the mysterious Felix Bonaventure, who seems to be trying to locate Laeticia. When Marlee goes to deliver the mulberries to Laeticia's house she's shocked to find the body of Felix, shot through the heart with a mulberry arrow and the Lake Lady missing. Various clues left behind by Laeticia lead Marlee to realize there is a connection between the family, Felix and Laeticia and before she knows it Marlee finds herself the target of a killer.

A fast paced plot draws you in from page one with the return of recurring Berry Basket series regulars and the blossoming relationship between Marlee and Kit Holt, a member of the Sheriff's department, will leave you anxiously awaiting the next adventures of the Oriole Point residents.

I received an advanced copy of Mulberry Mischief from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

"Mulberry Mischief" is the 4th installment in the "A Berry Basket Mysteries" series, I own the previous 3 books but had not read them at the time of reading. I really enjoyed this book and it can be read as a stand-alone but like always I recommend you read them in order.

Autumn has arrived on the shores of Lake Michigan, but Marlee Jacob, proprietor of The Berry Basket, is feeling a chill for other reasons …

With the Harvest Health Fair in full swing, Marlee makes sure to stock up on elderberry products for cold and flu season. But this year there's also a run on mulberry when an eccentric customer wants to use the dried berries to ward off evil forces. True, it's almost Halloween, but something else seems to be spooking Leticia the Lake Lady, Oriole Point's oddest resident. She believes someone plans to kill her—and the ghost. Only mulberries can protect them. Marlee doesn't take her fears seriously until a man named Felix Bonaventure arrives in the village, asking questions about a mysterious woman.

The next day, Marlee finds Bonaventure dead on Leticia's property—shot through the heart with an arrow made of mulberry wood. And Leticia has disappeared. Marlee soon learns the Lake Lady has a deadly past that is connected to the famous Sable family who are in town for the health fair. A bunch of clues start to come together—and figuring out what's going on puts Marlee in a real jam …

Protagonist Marlee is a strong, educated woman, and the side characters are realistic, slightly quirky too like Atticus “Kit” Holt, Andrew and Old Man Bowman who hunts for Sasquatch.

I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in one sitting. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises. I even learnt something about Mulberries and even better it includes Berry Recipes!

Highly recommended. A fabulous book for an author I will definitely follow in the future.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s the week before Halloween in Oriole Point, Michigan, yet the town is focusing on health thanks to the Haunted Halloween Harvest Health Fair. The Saturday the festival opens, Marlee Jacob, owner of the Berry Basket, is cornered by Leticia the Lake Lady. Leticia is one of the odd characters who call the town home. She is ranting about the shadow people who have come to town and demanding that Marlee order mulberries so Leticia can use their protective properties to cover her cabin. Marlee thinks Leticia is harmless if a little off, but that’s before a dead body turns up. Will the latest happenings disrupt the health fair?

Picking up this book, I knew I was in for another fantastic ride, and I wasn’t disappointed. While it takes a couple chapters for the body to drop, we are meeting characters who will become important to the story and trying to make sense of some puzzling things that start to happen. The pace doesn’t slow at all once the murder takes place, and the revelations are only beginning as Marlee pieces things together. The suspects are all strong, and I could have believed any of them were guilty until Marlee pieced together the final clues. Of course, the series regulars are as fun and charming as always – I love them! I’m not quite ready for fall, but this book still put me in the Halloween spirit. We get four berry inspired recipes – two featuring Mulberries and two berry inspired Halloween treats. I really can’t recommend this series highly enough. New fans will be hooked, and existing fans will love Marlee’s latest adventure.

I was introduced to this author last year (or the year before, time flies by too quickly) and ever since I read the first book, Dying for Strawberries, I have been a fan of this series.  Living on a lake, running a store, and berries of all sorts everywhere.  Sounds like a perfect combination to me!

Marlee and the gang are back to solve another murder.  I don't think Marlee likes stumbling across dead bodies, just seems to be the way her life goes (as it seems to be with any cozy protagonist!) but this time, the potentially accused murderer has a lot more to hide than just being eccentric in their small town.  Leticia the Lake Lady is well known for her crazy antics and orange hair.  Little does anyone know the truth about her past until strange things keep happening and someone ends up dead.  

I really enjoy all that I learn about different berries in this series.  This book focuses on the Mulberry and the information shared about this berry is fascinating and I never would have known any of these tidbits had I not read this book.  When it comes to the killer, there are multiple possibilities as to who it might be and I didn't figure it out until the killer was revealed.  That is the sign of a good book to me when there are many clues and the obvious answer is not evident. 

I loved how many of the residents of the town were volunteering at a health fair and were in costume since the event was close to Halloween.  I cracked up at someone in a Chip costume (Chip 'n Dale) and had the citizen in the It costume (Stephen King) tapped me on the shoulder I might have screamed a bit!  I enjoyed the return of many of Marlee's friends like Natasha and Theo.  

There is the romance between Marlee and Kit that is still going strong and they play well off of each other despite the fact that she tends to put herself in some dangerous situations.

This series gets better with each book and we give this one 5 paws up.

I liked the mystery and the characters. Marlee is asked by an eccentric woman to get her enough mulberries to keep her house safe from the shadow people. It all sounds crazy but she is really frightened and Marlee agrees to help her. The woman had been in prison for murder at one time and now there is a man found dead on her property. The woman has disappeared. Marlee is sure she did not murder the man, but how to prove that? Marlee and her friends are not only trying to solve the mystery of this murder, but also the murder of which the woman was accused. Even if it puts her life in danger.