I greatly enjoyed this latest work by Ms. Fardig (I’ve missed her over the past year!).

Quinn and Delilah Belladini once again find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation, but this time the murder happened over 30 years ago. The sisters try to find hints as to who might have wanted a popular high school student dead in order to clear the name of Quinn’s boyfriend’s aunt, who is being held on suspicion of the murder.

The usual hijinks ensue with tracking down leads, sneaking around homes and businesses, and trying to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I enjoyed the story, but occasionally got a little mixed up with so many characters and who was who. That’s the only thing that kept it from being a five star read for me.

Overall this was a fun and enjoyable read!

Southern Harm
(A Southern B&B Mystery #2)
by Caroline Fardig 

Kindle Edition, 263 pages
Published November 12th 2019 by Alibi



Goodreads synopsis:
A little Southern charm never killed anybody—until now—in an enchanting cozy mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of Southern Discomfort and the Java Jive novels.

After solving a murder at a local restaurant, Quinn Bellandini just wants to get back to her comfortable life running her grandfather’s B&B in Savannah, Georgia, with her sister, Delilah. But those plans get buried when Quinn and her new boyfriend, Tucker Heyward, dig up an old skeleton while doing some landscaping in his aunt Lela’s backyard. Before long, Lela becomes the prime suspect in the thirty-three-year-old unsolved murder of a high school homecoming queen.

Tucker is devastated. But Quinn’s conscience won’t let her risk an elderly woman spending her twilight years in jail for a crime she didn’t commit. And Delilah, bored by the quiet B&B biz, has been itching to do some more investigating of her own.

Soon they’re questioning a growing list of suspects, from nosy neighbors and snooty Savannah socialites to mild-mannered teachers and old high-school friends of the victim—including Quinn and Delilah’s own parents. But no one is safe from a killer who’s totally old school.

***

4.75 Stars

This is the second book in the Southern B&B Mystery series by Caroline Fardig.

The Bellandini sisters are back and invested in a new investigation. This one centers around Tucker’s aunt and a murder that happened in 1986 when the aunt was in high school. The dead body of a classmate was found in her backyard. Apparently, Quinn and Delilah’s parents were also friends of this gal since they were in the same class. Quinn agrees to dig into the past at Tucker’s request since he is having to pay for his aunt’s legal fees and can’t afford a real private investigator.

Just like in the last book, the detectives on the case get on Quinn’s case for looking into the suspect line-up. I find it humorous that neither Quinn or her sister run into the detectives during their investigation. But they do tend to turn up at the most inopportune time.

The last book had quite a lot of Uncle Frank the ghost sightings from various characters. I don’t think there was enough of that in this book. I really think it is time that Quinn meets Uncle Frank or discovers if all his clues are just a ruse set up by her family.

I loved the twist near the end that put the focus on a new set of suspects and how it put Quinn in even more hot water. Not sure why Quinn gets all the grief when her sister is investigating as well.

Really loving this new bed and breakfast series. I wish there was more action around the B&B so we could get a better idea of how it works and what happens there. Maybe the dead body in book three should be found in one of their rooms. ;)

If you love cozy mysteries, you should definitely check this one out. Caroline Fardig has another winner series on her hands. Don’t forget to check out her Java Jive series too!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

The characters in Caroline Fardig's 'Southern Charm' are just so likable that I feel I am visiting with friends. Coupled with a truly intriguing mystery this latest in the A Southern B & B Mystery series is spectacular. The dogged work of amateur investigators Quinn and Delilah was actually believable. There is quirky humor, a resident ghost and expert suspense and I highly recommend the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Ms Fardig's cozy mysteries are always fun to read. The characters, strange as some are, are well defined and the plot has enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.

Thirty-three years after a popular high school girl left town, it turns out she didn't leave at all. Her body shows up in her neighbor's yard while the neighbor's nephew, Tucker, and girlfriend, Quinn, are digging a fire-pit. What started out to be a special Christmas gift turns into a nightmare of a murder investigation. Before it's over, 3 relatives of the well intended digging couple are in jail, and none of them are the killer!
Once again Ms Fardig has written a complex cozy about the Bellandini sisters investigating a murder. There are so many secrets and misdirection that I can imagine her rubbing her hands and cackling with pleasure at the confusion she given her readers. Wonderful characters that you don't know if you should like or hate. Misdirection and red herrings done to perfection! Don't miss this Southern B&B Mystery's second book. Delightful!

I appreciate Random House Publishing Group - Alibi for allowing me to read and review Southern Harm. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

cozy-mystery, southern, family-dynamics, murder-investigation, situational-humor, verbal-humor

A fun southern mystery. The boyfriend's aunt is charged with the murder of the girl whose skeleton was discovered in the flower bed even though it happened over thirty years ago and the girl was presumed to have run away. So the two sisters get involved to find a more likely killer. Let the sleuthing begin!
Their mother is a flake, there's a ghostly uncle, and grandpa was a marvelous stage magician before grandma opened the B&B in Savanna, Georgia. Lots of laughs, red herrings, and misdirection make this a great read!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Alibi/Penguin Random House Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

The Bellandini sisters have dusted off their sleuthing hats again when the aunt of Qunn’s boyfriend is arrested for a murder that took place 33 years ago. Soon things turn quite personal when Quinn and Delilah’s parents are fingered in a suicide note by one of the dead girl’s best friends.

As the Bellandini sisters try to get to the truth, their list of suspect grows, but the one thing they are sure of is that Aunt Lela and their parents are innocent. With so many years and layers of lies to get through, the girls have their work cut out for them. No matter how dysfunctional their parents are, the girls will do their best to prove their innocence.

I’ve waited a long time for this second book in the series and was not disappointed. There are a ton of suspects an red herrings as the story progresses. It’s so easy to change your guesses as you read on. The characters are a bit eccentric and quirky and that makes for an interesting time in Savannah with the Bellandinis.

Southern Charm just oozes with fun, quirky characters. I found myself giggling many times as I read this book. The mystery had lots of twists and turns that both kept me interested and guessing until the very end.