Cover Image: Peachy Scream

Peachy Scream

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This is the second book in the series and I feel like I know the characters better, that made the book more enjoyable for me.
Nina has a Shakespearean theatre group staying at the B & B, unfortunately Harry is the head of the group. When an actor is found dead in Nina's garden, she and Harry start to investigate.

I am enjoying this series and will definitely continue with it.

I had originally received this book from Netgalley, but since I have a compulsion to read all series books in order, I didn't get it read and reviewed before publication. I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for helping me to find this enjoyable series.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this southern cozy mystery set in a B&B. It was a slow at times but that's what I needed. Sometimes you just need a slow cozy.

Was this review helpful?

This book combines some of my favorite things: bed and breakfast mysteries and Shakespeare. The book is the second in a series that follows the owner of a Georgia B&B. She has previously had a conflict over the rightful ownership of the property with the former owner's nephew. The nephew is a famous actor and has returned to the B&B with his amateur Shakespeare troupe to perform Hamlet at the town's Shakespeare festival. But when the (unliked) actor playing Hamlet ends up dead, our B&B owner has to team with the nephew to investigate.

There are twists and turns in the plot and clues are deftly dropped. It took until near the end of the book to unmask the murderer even though I felt like I should have been able to figure it out sooner. The author keeps the reader guessing.. It's a satisfying story with quirky but realistic characters. I definitely want to go back to read the first one in the series.

Some parts felt like they dragged just a little and some were harder to follow because I didn't read the first book first. That makes it a four for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the electronic review copy. All opinions are my own.

Rating: Four stars

Was this review helpful?

Great series that I will continue to read as long as it is published. Thank you for the preview......

Was this review helpful?

Peachy Scream by Anna Gerard is the second book in the cozy A Georgia B&B Mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series each book of the series has it’s own fully solved mystery within so they can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. There is however some character development that carries over from book to book for those who follow from the beginning.

After her divorce Nina Fleet wanted to get away from the city and give herself a fresh start so when she found a historic Queen Anne house in quaint Cymbeline, GA. Nina immediately put in an offer for the home with her long term plan being to open a Bread and Breakfast and start a new life in the charming small town. After a rocky start to her new business Nina feels like things are finally going well.

Now with the annual Shakespeare festival in the small town Nina is hoping to fill up her B&B with guests for the two weeks. Nina really didn’t expect one of those guests to be Harry Westcott, the man who gave Nina problems over the sale of her new home. However, when the lead actor ends up murdered Harry is the only one that believes in Nina’s theories and teams up with her to help catch a killer.

Having read both books in the A Georgia B&B Mystery series I have come to find that the stories certainly have a lot going on in them. Regardless though these are still easy to follow cozies with fun characters in a lovely small town setting which is just the type of cozy that I enjoy. With also another great mystery to follow in this second book I will definitely look forward to the next in the series.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Was this review helpful?

After not enjoying the first book in this series, I was a bit hesitant to read the second one. This one was a bit better. I thought the character development and plot were better crafted than in the first book. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series though. I still failed to really connect with the characters to where I care about what happens to them.

Was this review helpful?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Harry Westcott is back and he has brought a troupe of Shakespearean actors with him. They are booked into Nina Fleet’s Georgia B&B for the next two weeks to take part in Cymbeline’s annual Shakespeare festival. Nina is sure this is just part of Harry’s scheme to take her home away from her but with no other lodging available she can’t send the group away and be responsible for ruining the festival. The trouble with actors though is they always bring the drama. This crowd seems to snipe at each other constantly and are not beyond playing a prank or two. But did someone’s prank go too far? Just two days into their stay lead actor Len Marsh is found dead in Nina’s Shakespeare garden. Foul play? or natural causes?

Nina definitely believes there is murder afoot and shares her thinking with Harry. Soon Nina and her nemesis are teaming up with a little assistance from a certain Australian Shepherd to catch the killer before the curtain comes down on another B&B guest.

Nina (Nine-A) Fleet is a great protagonist and is learning the ropes of being a great innkeeper. She does her best to keep her guests happy and to tend to their needs. Even Harry Westcott. Harry does put his career first and agrees to put his feud with Nina on the backburner if she allows everyone to stay. Having them work together on the murder investigation really shows how much these characters have grown.

Readers are introduced to quite a group of thespians. They include lead actor, playing Hamlet, and victim Les Marsh and his trophy wife Susie, who will be playing Ophelia. Earth Mother, Professor Tessa Benedict, and her hippy husband Bill, who will be playing Queen Gertrude and King Claudius. Bill will also be playing the ghost of Hamlet’s father. Radley Heller, a research and development bigwig, will be playing Laertes. Marvin Lasky who just sold his small electronics development company for a few million dollars, playing Polonius and Horatio. And Chris Boyd, the youngest and newest member of the group. He is quiet with his nose in his phone and earbuds in his ears. He will be playing a variety of minor roles, but really wants the major role of Hamlet. The author does a fine job of fleshing out these characters quickly. It seems they all had reasons to kill Marsh and with everyone staying together at the B&B they all had the opportunity too.

The mystery is well-plotted and I did like Harry and Nina working together but I did pick the culprit out early in the story. That being said I loved the way all was revealed on opening night. A little rewrite of the script and a few background images changed and the show must go on. And go on it does, allowing the killer to reveal themselves. It was entertaining to read and I bet it would have been delightful to watch.

Peachy Scream is a peachy keen addition to this series. I enjoy the realistic characters and the way Ms. Gerard injects humor in all the right places. The Shakespeare theme was fun too.

The next book in this series, Peaches and Schemes will be released on May 11.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this second book in this series. The story was easy to follow and I liked the characters. The mystery had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end. I enjoyed the setting and I am looking forward to the next book in this series!

Was this review helpful?

Nina Fleet and her rescued dog Mattie are back in the second book of the Georgia B & B mystery series. As Nina welcomes a troupe of amateur Shakespeare players to her B&B for the annual Cymbeline Shakespearean festival, she learns they are lead by her old nemesis Harry Westcott. After one of the troupe dies unexpectedly, Nina decides to push the ongoing fued with Harry into the background and root out the killer. This will be no easy task as the members of the troupe each have their own reason to hate the fallen cast member.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of this book for review.

Was this review helpful?

This cozy is the second in a series about a Bed and Breakfast in a small town in Georgia. Nina is the proprietor and unfortunately keeps finding bodies. This time a Shakespeare thespian group has booked a stay for two weeks. They are headlining the towns Shakespeare festival. Alas one of the members is discovered dead in a Hawthorne bush in the garden. Did one of the troupe kill him? Was he the intended victim?
This was a fun read especially if you are a fun of The bard. I would highly recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

Peachy Scream is the second book in the Georgia B&B mystery series, but the first one that I have read. I felt that the author gave enough information in this book about Nina and Harry’s history that I wasn’t confused at all. For me, this book got off to a slow start, but once I got about halfway through, the story picked up and then I couldn’t put it down. Both Nina and Harry are likeable characters. I have a soft spot for any book that features pets so Mattie, Nina’s dog, was a plus for me. Another huge plus is personal. Nina’s pronunciation of her name. I have a great-aunt who pronounces her name the same way. It’s not common, so others always want to correct the pronunciation. It’s a small thing but it just made this series a must read for me. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Was this review helpful?

A cute cozy mystery with the most interesting animals I have come across in awhile the plot was ok about average but the characters will keep me coming back

Was this review helpful?

I have to say I like the way the author introduces an engagingly different group of visitors from the first book. I also like the that she is not rushing into a relationship with Nina and Harry. Actually, despite Nina's appreciation for Harry's attractiveness, I could see them remaining good friends and would actually like to see that for once.

The author does her best to provide lots of potential suspects, but it's pretty evident whodunnit though the why is actually surprising.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Nina Fleet, owner of Fleet House B&B in Cymbeline, Georgia is all prepared for the Georgia Amateur Shakespeare Players Troupe (GASP) to take up residence in her B&B for the annual Shakespeare Festival, what she wasn't prepared for was her archenemy, Harry Westcott III to be a member/director of the troupe. Calling a truce to their feud, Nina and Harry join forces when on the first day of rehearsals, Len, who was cast as Hamlet, is found dead in the garden. How did he die and are others at risk?

This was a very fun mystery with the characters continuing to b e fleshed out as well as the one time characters being very entertaining. And the dog will steal your heart!

Was this review helpful?

This was an adorable cozy mystery! I am always on the lookout for new series of cozy mysteries to enjoy, and I am truly looking forward to reading more in the Georgia B&B series. In this book, Nina, the main character, is preparing for her town’s Shakespeare festival, and is looking for the positive press it will create for her B&B. Unfortunately, one of the troupe members is found dead in her garden during the first day. Together with her dog Mattie, Nina works to find the killer. I really enjoyed Nina’s character, and found the small town B&B setting so enjoyable. I could picture being in that small town, staying at a little B&B. While I did guess the culprit fairly early on in the book, it was still an engaging read. I look forward to reading more from this cozy series.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Anna Gerard's "Peachy Scream" is yet another entertaining entry in her Georgia B&B mystery series, and few cozies have as good a feel for sense of place as these books.

Nina Fleet's newly adopted town of Cymbeline, Georgia, is preparing to host its annual Shakespeare festival, and thanks to her nemesis introduced in the first book, Harry Westcott, her B&B becomes the home for the actors presenting this year's play. A few days after they land on her doorstep, the lead actor is found dead, the finger pointing begins, and Nina must try to figure out who the killer is.

A Shakespeare festival is a fun backdrop for this mystery, and Gerard does a great job of sharing the small-town shenanigans that make it all believable. Looking forward to the next book in this series!

Was this review helpful?

I love the peach them of this series. The Southern setting was authentic, and the town is a place I would like to visit. Great installment in this series!

Was this review helpful?

The second book in the Georgia B&B series by Anna Gerard is Peachy Scream. Nina finds herself hosting a Shakespearean acting troupe. She is annoyed to find that the director is Harry, who claims to be the heir to her B&B. When the lead actor is found dead on the property, Nina with help from Harry is determined to solve the mystery and save her B&B. I enjoy the mix of Nina and Harry. The mystery had plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

Was this review helpful?

This is a great follow-up to the first book. I enjoy how the characters are developing. I was ready to hate Harry, but he is developing into a likable character and maybe a good friend to Nina. The mystery is enjoyable and kept me guessing. There was no shortage of suspects and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. I recommend this book to cozy mystery fans.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed reading book two just as much as book one. Hoping to see a third book in this series. I was glad to see the harry character being brought back for book two, after having left in book one. The characters were really interesting and the dog character was written so well that it seemed like the dog was helping nina in figuring out the mystery. The idea of reenacting the murder on the stage in order to flush out the killer, i thought was brilliant and a little clever.

Was this review helpful?