I loved this book! The plot kept me on the edge of my seat and reading well into the night! I can't wait for the next book in the series!

I always look for debut cozy mysteries, hoping to find a beloved new series. I wanted to love this book, but I can say I liked it and will give book 2 a try when it comes out. It was just a tad flat for me.

Apple Cider Slaying takes place in Blossom, West Virginia. Smythe Orchards, Winnie and her Granny’s 25 acre farm is struggling. They try to build up business with the First Annual Christmas at the Orchard, a holiday festival. Unfortunately, the body of Nadine Cooper, Granny’s long-time nemesis is found lodged in the apple press. With Granny as the main suspect, Winnie needs to solve the mystery to save her Granny. This was a great book. Well-written and very enjoyable. There were lots of apples, cider, and friends at he Smythe Orchard. I love the fact that everyone came together near the end of the book. There was more than one murder and problems which took place during the book. Thank you to Net galley for allowing me to review this book.

Apple Cider Slaying is a wonderful first book in the Cider Shop Mysteries. The mystery was solid, exciting, and kept me on my toes. I enjoyed the small town setting with the main character living with her granny on an apple orchard. Winnie is a fantastic, down-to-earth heroine who wants nothing more than to clear her granny's name of an unfortunate death on her property and expand the orchard to include a cider shop.

Besides the murder, Winnie finds herself going head-to-head with the local sheriff, the local loan officer, a maniac, and the ill-timed arrival of her ex-boyfriend. The author packed a lot into this first book but it was done well. I didn't feel like there was too much crammed in the book. We were provided excellent imagery, character development, and various plot lines.

The author's writing style is fluid and I found myself engaged in the story from the very beginning. The book is written well and so easy to read. I really enjoyed Apple Cider Slaying and can't wait for the next book.

I love this author as Julie Chase and Jacqueline Frost but this debut fell flat for me. I liked the thought of an apple orchard and all it entails but I couldn't connect with the characters.

"Apple Cider Slaying" is the first book in the new Cider Shop Mystery series, and was an enjoyable read. Winnie Mae Montgomery is working to re-energize her grandmother's financially failing apple orchard in a small community in West Virginia by planning to entice people to come year-round by hosting a winter festival, and to open her own cider shop. However, things turn sour when their difficult neighbor, Nadine Cooper, is found dead on the orchard's apple press, and Winnie's Granny Smythe is considered the main suspect. Winnie sets out to prove her grandmother's innocence and to find Nadine's real killer, putting herself in danger as well.

"Apple Cider Slaying" was definitely more well-written then some of the other books out there in the cozy mystery genre. The characters were likable, and I like that the author gave a some background on the main character, Winnie's, upbringing, which definitely gave her more depth.

"Apple Cider Slaying" was a quick read, and I would definitely read the next book in the series when it comes out! Also includes recipes for several food dishes mentioned in the story, including one of Winnie's homemade apple ciders- YUM!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Started skimming at 40%. I wanted so much to kind a new cozy series I loved! Unfortunately that didn't happen for me. I never felt any connection to the characters and overall I was just bored.

Winnie Montgomery is trying to make a year round concern of her Granny's apple orchard business. Buses of tourists seem eager to stop for cider and hopefully take a look at the winter festival she hopes to continue. The banker Winnie is trying to get a loan from is continually interrupted by one thing or another and the last straw is when Granny's neighbor and nemesis is found dead. Winnie takes some risks the new sheriff doesn't agree with but she continues her nosing around like any good cozy protagonist! I really enjoyed meeting the people of this community and wasn't overwhelmed by too many at once. I look forward to seeing how the Cider Shop comes to fruition.

Title: Apple Cider slaying



Author: Julie Anne Lindsey



Series: A Cider Shop Mystery



Pages: 313



Genre: Cozy Mystery



Rating: 5 stars



Publisher: Kensington

Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey it is the first cozy mystery that I’ve read set in West Virginia. Set on an apple farm. Winnie will do whatever it takes to save her grandma’s apple orchard when a murder occurs on the property and her grandma is the prime suspect. She doesn’t trust Sheriff Colton Wise to look elsewhere. Winnie doesn’t trust the former Marine turned small town sheriff to look elsewhere. So decides to clear her grandma’s name. Only to find herself in a heap of trouble.

This one was a cute Christmas cozy mystery. Winnie’s relationship with her grandma was easy to relate to. I also enjoyed the recipes at the end of the book. I look forward to the next book in the series.

This book is perfect for fans of cozy mysteries set on farms, as well as Christmas cozies.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expresse

4.5 stars

Every time I read a cozy mystery by Julie Anne Lindsey (or one of her alter egos), I’m left with a smile on my face and in my heart. I’m delighted to report that Apple Cider Slaying is no exception!

Winnie is a great main character! She’s sentimental , loves her grandparents dearly and is passionate about their legacy (aka the orchard). She won my heart by wearing one of her late grandfather’s coats & sniffing the sleeve to try and find the familiar scent she so cherished – and her friendship/relationship with her grandmother reminded me of mine. I loved that she creates new cider flavors and admired her determination to use that skill to rescue her grandparents’ orchard from financial distress – made my mouth water for some good cider though. I’d be the first one in line at Winnie’s proposed Cider Shop, especially if those delicious baked goods make an appearance! Colton (aka Sheriff Wise) was a bit harder to figure out at first (I wasn’t even sure of his age range until Winnie stalked him on the internet lol) but it wasn’t long before he started to loosen up around her and Granny and I ended up really liking him as well!

The mystery is well-constructed – with plenty of twists and turns and the required red herrings to keep you on your amateur sleuthing toes! Poor Winnie is just trying to save the orchard, and the last thing she needs is her granny’s #1 enemy to wind up dead in the cider press. So of course that’s exactly what happens (no spoilers here – it’s right there in the bcc), and of course Winnie doesn’t like where the Sheriff’s evidence is taking him and feels compelled to solve this on her own. Typical formula for this genre, yes, but Lindsey keeps it fresh and engaging. Not to mention the cozy vibe of home and family and holiday that wraps the whole story in the homey scent of cinnamon and apples and general orchardy goodness.

Bottom Line: Delightful characters, a clever mystery, crisp settings and a dash of romantical possibilities make Apple Cider Slaying really fun to read. I loved Winnie & her granny… and of course Colton. Each element of this story is well-defined and layered & I can’t wait to read more books in the series!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Apple Cider Slaying is the fantastic first book in the new Cider Shop Mystery series. Winnie Montgomery's dream is to open a Cider shop on her family's apple orchard in Blossom Valley, West Virginia. Finally ready to take the step she attempts to set the wheels of change in motion by putting together a business plan to secure a new business loan. What she does not anticipate is the tragic death of her Granny's neighbour, worse, it seems as if her Granny is the first suspect. At least, that is what Sheriff Wise thinks. Determined to prove that her Granny is innocent Winnie sets off to try to figure out who was responsible for the murder. What follows is a series of events that puts Winnie in immense danger.

This first book introduces readers to a delightful cast of characters that you will immediately fall in love with. Following the lives of these characters in the next titles in the series will be such a joy!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

Very rarely you come across the PERFECT cozy mystery. I mean, there are some good ones, and there are plenty I five star and really love. However, this was just the perfect combination of mystery, romance and genre that just made me swoon. I very rarely fall for a book boyfriend, but boy oh boy Colton had me in one glance. I was basically shrieking KISS already at every interaction, and this is only the first book. How can it possibly get any better? I'll let you know in a few months, because this one was so good and made such an impression I immediately ordered book two.

It wasn't just the murder mystery that carried this one; it was the characters. Dot, Granny, even the two kittens made an impression. I wanted nothing more than to know how it ended and also to never stop reading! Pretty well this is the highest praise I can give a book.

If you only read one cozy in your life, then this would be up there as my top recommendations. A great start to what I can only imagine is a fantastic series! Five stars.

A good debut to what looks to be a new promising cozy series. I enjoyed the setting of the apple orchard and the cider business Winnie is trying to get off the ground. The mystery was good with a surprising villain. I liked the supporting characters especially the sheriff. Excited for book 2!

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. .

Apple Cider Slaying is a decent mystery, not one I would run out and buy. I would try the second when it comes out and see if the writer gets better. The mystery is way to easy to figure out.

I choose this one because it is set in West Virginia. It was a great read with a good mystery. I wanted to go to their Christmas market and festival. Very enjoyable.

Solid debut of a new series. In rural West Virginia, Winnie Montgomery is working hard to get her family's orchard back on it's financial feet. She's planned on a cider store/event venue and just needs a small business loan to get it up and running. Unfortunately when the banker arrived to look over the property, her grandmother's nemesis is found dead in the apple press. Determined to clear her grandmother's name, Winnie.dives into a search for the person responsible.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a free advance copy of this book in return for an honest review. I am torn on this book. A good start and then it bogged down. Liked that the book is set in West Virginia and at a family apple orchard. First time author and in my mind her chapters got overly long and bogged down with details that really did nothing to advance the plot. The book finished fast and on the whole it was a noble first time effort.

A great start to what promises to be a fun series. Granny is a pistol, the kittens are precocious, and that sheriff is straight up yummy. Can't wait to read more about Winnie....and her apple cider!

I enjoyed reading this Holiday Cozy Mystery. This is the first in the series and I really liked the West Virginia apple orchard setting and the characters. Winnie and Her Granny Smythe are keeping the orchard open through the Christmas Holidays to help ease their financial problems. Winnie hopes to open a year round Cider House but she needs a bank loan to make it happen. While giving the head of the bank a tour of the orchard they find the body of Granny's neighbor in an apple press. The new sheriff in town suspects Granny. To clear her Granny's name Winnie sets out to solve the murder. Soon other accidents on the orchard are happening. The mystery was OK but I was able to solve it. I would have liked more motives and suspects. Winnie realizes that she never got to know the victim and by the end of the book the reader does not either. There are some unrealistic scenes and the romance is predicable. Overall this was a fun start to a new series and I look for word to reading the next one. Enjoy the Holidays in Blossom Valley

This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. The killer was easy to figure out, and I found Winnie to be a bit exasperating at times. However, I enjoyed Granny and the kitties!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.