Well-Offed in Vermont by Amy Patricia Mean is the debut book in the A Vermont Country Living cozy mysteries series. Stella and Nick Buckley leave busting New York City for rural Vermont. But things are not as bucolic as they seem in their new hometown. They soon encounter problems, idiosyncratic characters, and a dead body in their well. Forced to leave their newly bought property as it is sealed off as a crime scene, they find themselves roughing it at campsite because all of the local hotels are booked with leaf-pepping tourists. Determined to get back to the comforts of a home, married couple Nick and Stella go about trying to solve the mystery of the man in the well. And they encounter quite a bit of adventure along the way.

This series is full of original characters in a unique small- town setting. It’s an enjoyable read with quite a bit of emphasis on the cast of characters. I’m looking forward to the series becoming a bit more suspenseful now that we have been introduced to main characters and the townspeople. I’m looking forward to seeing what book number two offers.

Well....this wasn't bad, but it wasn't that good either. The banter between husband and wife was great and the mystery was ok. However, all the secondary characters were rural hick caricatures and, as noted by other reviewers, it's clear that the author didn't really like Vermont despite setting a series there. There were also some sections in the book that stuck out so badly, I started to question whether an editor had seen this book before publication.

Well-Offed in Vermont by Amy Patricia Mean was my first couple as sleuths mystery. I wasn’t sure how this would play out, but I enjoyed the characters bouncing ideas off of each other! Meade included plenty of small town Vermont charm and the hi-jinx of moving. This was a quick read perfect for fall!

Amy Patricia Meade is the best cozy mystery writer you've never heard of. For some reason her books have not ever received (in my opinion) the attention they deserve. I absolutely loved the Marjorie McClelland series and the Rosie the Riveter debut was more deserving of a book 2 than possibly any other series I've ever read. Yet somehow Meade has not gained the fame she rightly deserves.

This book takes place in Vermont, a young couple leaves the city so the young man, Nick, can pursue his dreams of working in forestry. Unfortunately his lovely wife, Stella, has been turned down for the job of her dreams so she focuses her energy on hunting down the killer who struck in their own backyard, literally. When they discover the business man who was supposed to be repairing their well floating dead inside it, Nick and Stella are thrown out of their new home, which as now become a crime scene. Allen Weston was not exactly well-loved by the townspeople, who considered him a flatlander despite having lived in town for many years, so there were a plethora of suspects in his murder, including the Sheriff himself.

I loved the characters, a bantering couple who dig into each other from time to time but have a supportive relationship and a great love and appreciation for one another. The Sheriff is very charming and his affection for Alma is very sweet. Of course there are also a number of quite unsavory characters and characters I wasn't quite sure what to make of. The setting was also beautiful, bumping Vermont a few steps closer to the top of my vacation list.

This book actually came out about 10 years ago and was another that was a one-off that I never had a chance to read (though a second book was released independently a few years ago). I'm very glad that the series is being resurrected because it is well-deserving of a read, as is anything else this author puts out.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

#Well Offed In Vermont#NetGalley
Reviewed By: I Love to Read
Librarian

Nick and Stella relocate to Vermont from NYC. Before settling into their new house the body of a local shady businessman is discovered in their well with three bullets in the corpse. In this rural cmmunity guns and hunting is the norm. The sleuths embark on solving the murder. There's a lot of unnecessary bantering between Nick and Stella which slowed the story. It appears everyone in town had a motive for wanting the man in the well dead. The killer was easily guessed. The author ended the story satisfactorily. I would read more of her work.

Leaving New York City behind for the rustic farmhouse they bought in rural Vermont, Stella and Nick Buckley discover that small-town life isn’t nearly as quiet and peaceful as they might have hoped. No sooner do the two arrive at their new home than they find a dead body in a well on their property, and they’re quickly exiled to a primitive campsite when the sheriff seals off the crime scene.
Overall an enjoyable read. I found the mystery easy to solve so I hope in future books they are a bit harder.
#WellOffedinVermont #NetGalley

Stella and Nick received cupcakes and a body in their well as a "Welcome to Vermont." Both were unexpected, but only the cupcakes seemed to be a friendly gesture.

Not to seem cranky, but when told they had to vacate the house (and what little was in it so far) until the killer was found, they weren't keen on waiting for the local sheriff to get around to it.

The mystery is complex, there are multiple suspects, and ironically, too many people will continue to be crazy neighbors. If they aren't killed (or killers) as well; who knows? But it's all delivered with humor and charm. (Even if there's no cell phone service.)

Note: Some swearing.

5/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the preview of this ebook!

#WellOffedinVermont #NetGalley

Stella and Nick Buckley left New York City in their rearview mirror for a quaint small town in rural Vermont so Nick could pursue his dream of working in the field for the U.S. Forestry Service in stead of sitting behind the desk back in the City.

Their plans of moving in their belongings are derailed when they discover a dead body in their well as the sheriff has declared the well and their home a crime scene. He has no plans to release it until the killer is found and in jailed. With no place to stay due to tourist season starting for the fall foliage, Alma Johnson, owner of the bakery in town, let's them stay at her brother's camp. The camp, however, has no indoor plumbing or any heating/air conditioning giving Stella and Nick the incentive to investigate the murder themselves. As they begin their investigation, it doesn't take them too long to find out the question to ask shouldn't be who killed the victim but who didn't have a motive to kill him?

This is a good, clean entertaining cozy with quirky characters. I love Nick and Stella, who are very likable characters as are the townspeople. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a good cozy mystery.

Please note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.com. All opinions expressed are my own. This book was previously published in 2011 and has been fully revised.

Oh gosh, I really loved this! This is a great start to a new series and I hope the momentum stays with it; the main characters were just a bit nosey, but also so supportive of each other. And the cast of side characters were such fun. I want to say this was gentle, but it was also a fast and easy read. There was a legitimate reason for their snooping, the sheriff was kind of working with them, they supported each other, they didn’t take stupid risks, and they mostly followed clues and figured it out. And, the mystery was pretty good and the suspects and red herrings were well done. Looking forward to book 2!

Well-Offed in Vermont is a quirky mystery novel that follows Stella and Nick as they leave behind the busy New York lifestyle for quiet Vermont. However, finding a body in a well on their property throws a bit of a wrench in their plans. Removed from their new home, the couple tries to help solve the murder in hopes of returning home and preventing further tragedies.

I'll be honest: mystery novels are not my usual genre of choice. However, after seeing several on Netgalley with great covers and fun titles like Well-Offed in Vermont, I thought I would give the genre a chance. I can definitely see why readers love these books. Well-Offed in Vermont is a pretty well rounded book, with murder mystery combined with humorous dialogue. The small town Vermont setting certainly doesn't hurt either. I finished this book in a couple of sitting and had a great time trying to solve the murder along with Stella and Nick. After reading Well-Offed in Vermont, I will definitely be interested in checking out future similar books.

Thanks to Netgalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

Stella and Nick are ready to trade in their NYC lifestyle for idyllic Vermont but their first night in their new home is derailed by a murder! Forced to stay out of their new home until the murder is solved, they decide to take matters into their own hands and solve the crime. This was such a fun, light, cozy mystery. I love Vermont so was intrigued by this fall themed cozy. The characters were fun and the murder was a good one with lots of red herrings.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy!

Thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing for allowing me to read a copy in support of one their great authors.

I usually devour thrillers with gory scenes, unreliable narrators, and twisted endings, so, when I need a break from that madness I go in search of a cozy mystery to “heal” my brain. Just from the clever title, I knew I found a friendly, readable mystery with wonderful characters in a picturesque setting. Leafpeepers, autumnal foods, scents of cinnamon, and eccentric characters— that’s the small town ideal Stella and Nick envisioned, but really it’s more “Peyton Place on Wild Turkey and maple syrup” when they discover there’s a body in their well (that’s not rust in the tap water, but blood). They end up not in their new home (considered the scene of the crime) but in an electricity-free deer hunting camp.

Stella turns out to be quite a detective in her quest to hurry up the investigation and start life in their newly purchased farmhouse.

I loved the author’s prose and attention to detail — it’s just what I want in a cozy mystery. Nick and Stella are a great couple — easy banter, obviously in love, partners in the true sense. I totally enjoyed them as characters and I’m looking forward to the Pret’ Near book in ms. meade’s series. 4.5 stars.


Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES. Sort of. And it’s the guy! “Nick’s eyes appeared deep brown instead of green-laden tone they took in daylight.”
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO. When the lead character has a degree in forestry, the pressure was on to get the horticultural aspects right.

Well-Offed in Vermont is the first in a series by Amy P Meade and I can't wait for book 2.

Brilliant work!

I was captivated from the very beginning. The surrounds Stella and Nick who decide city life is too much and head out to rural Vermont. They purchase a farmhouse and are just moving in when they find a body.

Of course, that complicates matters and soon they realize if they don't solve the mystery they will not be allowed back into their home.

Soon the two amateur sleuths are gathering clues in hopes of catching the killer before he or she strikes again.

A MUST READ!

Stella and Nick Buckley have moved to a small town in Vermont to escape their busy life in Manhattan. Unfortunately, in the first 24 hours in their new home - a dead body is found in their well, they're locked out of their home which is now a crime scene, suspected of murder and wind up sleeping in a "man cave" of a hunting cabin! The couple must discover why the victim was killed before they become the next targets!

I really enjoy a "couples" cozy and this one featured a couple in their late 30's who were making life changes. The witty dialogue between Stella and Nick was entertaining and while they have different methods for solving a mystery, they support each other and use humor to get through a crazy time. I also enjoyed the colorful and quirky Vermonters and the descriptions of the area made me want to be a "leaf peeper"!

I'm looking forward for another "trip" to Vermont!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I enjoyed this first book in a series about a married couple who moves from NYC to Vermont, only to find a body in their well. The hijinks that ensue as they attempt to adjust to small town life, meet the colorful locals and also solve a murder had me entertained, and I liked how the Vermont setting played a big part in the story, It was also nice, for a change, to see a cozy mystery featuring a happily married couple! Recommended!
#thanksnetgalley

I received the 2021 version of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. According to Amazon, there are about 50 less pages in this version, but I have no idea if this issue was updated in any way from the original 2011 version.

I liked the fact that we have a mature (late 30's) married couple as the protagonists instead of a single woman just out of a break up. They both have different strengths, though Stella is definitely the sleuthier of the two. There was a nice twist or two to the mystery.

I don't know anything really about Vermont, so I had none of the issues local readers seemed to have had. Having lived in a town with a lot of summer visitors, I appreciated the accuracy from that stand point. Where I had problems with accuracy is the townsfolk, in particular the sheriff, just talking away to strangers. I also thought the killer's thinking and actions at the end were a bit farfetched given what little we know about said person.

I also found the story a bit slow going in spots and was surprised, again according to Amazon, that the book (2021) is supposedly 181 pages.

My original thought was to give this a solid like, then when I started thinking of things for this review I was tempted to drop it to OK, so I'm splitting the difference with 3.5/5.0 (rounding to 4 since 3.5 stars is not an option).

Really light hearted mystery. While it wasn't the hardest to guess the culprit, it was none the less enjoyable to read.

Wow! I can't say enough great things about Well-Offed in Vermont.
Stella & Nick, transplants from New York, are looking forward to moving into their new Vermont home.
After some bubbly champagne and a few romantic moments, Stella notices something odd about the running water, it's red!
We all know this isn't going to end well, pun intended.
A body in a well, a lot of suspects, and a unique sheriff are just a few of the highlights of this book.

It's been a while since I read a first in a new series that I had to read in one sitting.
The characters are great! Colorful, crazy, incredibly likeable, with brilliant humorous moments.
I can't wait to see where this series goes. There is so much potential for the series, and the wonderful characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

#WellOffedinVermont #NetGalley

Nick and Stella have decided to move from the busy and noisy Murray Hill, Manhattan, New York City to a sleepy small town in Vermont. Unfortunately, their newly purchased house also came with a body in the well! Can they figure out what happened so they could actually move in? Funny and humorously sarcastic dialog throughout, small town secrets revealed, a cast of characters who are quirky to say the least

I really enjoyed reading this book! In particular, I loved that the main characters were a happily married, older husband and wife team. If one were to judge from your average cozy mysteries, most of the authors believe that every marriage will dissolve into divorce. This book gives the reader a happy alternative, with a calm, supportive marriage between two people. I for one appreciate the change.
The book also offers the unique setting of Vermont, with all its beauty and idiosyncrasies, that I haven't encountered before. It is entertaining, with complex characters and an intriguing mystery that keeps you guessing to the very end. The fact that you are rooting for some of the suspects to not have done it is a good sign for character development in future books.
I look forward to reading more of this series in the future.