Bar Harbor is holding its turkey shoot just in time for the prizes to grace the Thanksgiving tables of local residents and restaurants alike. Unfortunately, one competitor wasn't using the bean bag bullets and had a different target in mind. The local police are soon on the case, as is local restaurateur and food writer Hayley Powell. The victim was unpopular, his turkeys roamed freely, and although the bullet didn't kill him, his return home was short-lived, as was he! Now it's a murder investigation, and Hayley has a big job ahead of her sifting through the many suspects.

I struggled with the second half of this book even though I had enjoyed the beginning and had no idea whodunnit. There were errors I can only hope will be eliminated before publication, especially as one of the suspects was in jail when the victim was killed, which no one seems to remember, including the suspect themselves! Add to that Hayley contaminating evidence, nurses behaving extremely unprofessionally, a court case which was confusing to say the least, and a police chief who takes Hayley and her husband with him to arrest someone and this tale was patchy in the extreme! There are some very good books in this series, unfortunately this isn't one of them.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Kensington Publishing, Kensington Cozies, but the opinions expressed are my own. I hate to give negative feedback but overall this was a disappointment, there are, however 18 titles in this series so far, and I'm very hopeful the next book will be an improvement on this one. 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.

Turkey shoot instead of raffling off a live turkey? Whatever. Hayley and Bruce are back along with the local townsfolk and a particularly obnoxious turkey farmer who obviously delights in being a thorn in everyone's side. No guesses needed to know who is the first victim. Working out who among the many suspects is another thing, however. Loved it and laughed my sox off one chilly afternoon.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Pub Date Sep 30, 2025
#DeathofaTomTurkey by @leehollisbooks #HayleyPowellFoodAndCocktailsMysteriesBk17 #NetGalley @kensingtonbooks #recipeindex #cozycrime #competition #thanksgiving #maine #humor #friends
#culinarymystery #developerrivalry #smalltown

Loved reading this book and series. One of my favorite authors. If you haven't read this series yet I highly recommend doing so.

I was very disappointed with this book. I don't think this was written by Lee Hollis! The characters are the same and the setting is the same, but everything else is different. Hayley's columns are much shorter and are simple little stories ending with recipes that are basically different ways to use leftovers, not funny escapades capped with delicious-sounding recipes for unique dishes to make from scratch. By chapter 12, Hayley has already contaminated two major pieces of evidence in the case by picking them up and handling them and then transporting them herself rather than having the police come and collect them. In Chapter 12, Hayley and Bruce take a piece of said contaminated evidence and Sergio jumps out of his chair and goes and arrests someone, without a warrant and without evidence that will be admissible in court. Lee Hollis doesn't make these kinds of mistakes in his books. Each chapter is also ending with a "but things were about to get much worse" type of cheesy faux cliffhanger.

The court scenes (which comprised the last 1/4 or so of the book) were factually problematic. Instead of trying the defendant, they were trying to prove other people committed the crime and basically trying them in the court proceeding instead of trying the person who was actually being charged. There were other things as well that didn't jive with what I know of the court system but since I'm not legally trained I presume I could be mistaken.

But it was still a Hayley Powell book and I still liked it. Mona had her chance to shine and Liddy was a true friend. I would just suggest that anyone who reads the series out of order doesn't judge the series by this book.

Thank you to Lee Hollis, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

Death of a Tom Turkey (Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery #18 by cozy author Lee Hollis) is set at Thanksgiving, but you don't need to wait until turkey time to read it! When a big resort (with Bruce's ex-girlfriend at the helm) comes to town looking to buy up property on which to build, local property owners are at war with each other until one is killed in a horrific manner. Hayley and Bruce, partners in both love and investigations, team up to get to the bottom of the mystery in this newest installment in one of my favorite series. Such a fun page-turner that I read it in 2 days!!! Great for fans of the series, and with quite a few yummy recipes included as well. A+

Death of a Tom Turkey by Lee Hollis is a great culinary cozy mystery that is the 18th book in the amazing Haley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series.

This series ties with the Lucy Stone Mystery series as my two favorite cozy mystery series ever. I have read all 18 books and 9 novellas of this series and it is a true gem. The author’s signature presentation of whit, humor, sass, and mysteries really fit the bill. There is a perfect balance of one-liners and a tiny sprinkle of outlandish and slapstick moments that works perfectly with the murder mysteries.

I love Haley, Bruce, Mona, Liddy, and the gang. I enjoyed this murder mystery as well and didnt figure out the source of the mystery until right before the end. I was slightly surprised by how readily the other characters let Haley investigate as much as she did, however, by this point in the game, they may just have realized that she is a determined gal (who gets results).

Looking forward to the next book!

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Kensington Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/30/25.

A good cozy mystery. Hayley must dig in and find out what happened at the latest turkey shoot when a member is killed. Good read and kept my interest throughout. Would highly recommend.

Hailey Powell, along with her husband Bruce, is attending a local turkey shoot. Everyone who entered has a chance to win, and Hailey is pleased (so is Bruce) with her results. But sometime during the event, a local curmudgeon, Tom Farley, is shot. While the bullet isn't fatal, and he has a lot of enemies, Hailey wonders who wanted him dead.

But it's not as easy as that. Tom is the lone holdout to a company that wants to purchase his land to build and is willing to pay top dollar. Of course, his neighbors are unhappy, but are they unhappy enough to kill him? Hailey questions him in the hospital, but the ornery man doesn't have the answers she wants.

Unfortunately, neither do the neighbors. They don't like her questions, and they want her to go away. So how is she supposed to find out who shot him? Soon enough, it doesn't matter when Tom turns up dead and now there's a murder investigation. In between trying to serve people Thanksgiving dinner at her restaurant, dealing with her friends Liddy and Mona, who have problems of their own, and enjoying her own Thanksgiving meal at her brother's home, Hailey's life is full. But is it so full she can't find out the truth?...

This is the 18th book in the series, and I have read them all. I love how Hailey has evolved. In the first book, I was not enthused by her, and almost called an end to the series right there. But she's changed, she's gotten stronger and better. She's a great character who's actually in a happy marriage (sorry, single sleuths). It's pleasant and refreshing. Especially to know that Bruce loves her as much as she loves him. Even when an old flame comes to town. Oh, did I forget to mention that? Yeah, Hailey has to deal with that, too.

But there is a lot going on. A lot of suspects, a lot of action, and a lot of questions. Especially about the gruesome way in which Tom Farley died (read the book). Yet Hailey perseveres, and eventually, with the help of one unexpected person, she discovers the truth. And while not pleasant, it leaves a very good epilogue that I hope will lead us into the next in the series. Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

Death of a Tom Turkey serves up a satisfying slice of holiday-themed sleuthing, mixing small-town charm with a juicy murder and a delightfully tangled web of suspects. The premise is as clever as it is quirky: cranky turkey farmer Tom Farley claims someone tried to take him out during a shooting competition, only to later wind up actually dead—right on the land he swore he’d die on. Whether it’s foul play or fowl play, amateur sleuth Hayley has her hands full.
The final reveal ties everything together in a satisfying way that hits all the right cozy mystery notes.

Death of a Tom Turkey is a warm, witty holiday mystery that proves Thanksgiving isn’t just about food and family, it’s also the perfect time for murder.

#DeathofaTomTurkey #NetGalley is the latest book in this long running series.
Hayley and her husband Bruce become involved in the investigation of the death of a local turkey farmer.
There are plenty of suspects, including Bruce's ex girlfriend, which adds plenty of stress for Hayley.
The story itself is good, it revolves around
a community who want to sell their land, but the lone turkey farmer is holding it up.
I thought the book was good, but not as good as the others.
I'm looking forward to the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.