Goodnight Moo by Lynn Cahoon

Book Summary

Goodnight Moo by Mollie Cox Bryan has Brynn McAllister’s Buttermilk Creek Farm sponsoring the first annual cheesemaker’s contest at the Shenandoah Springs Annual Fair.  Marigold, one of Brynn’s three cows, is expecting and Schuyler asks that Brynn foster a Highland cow whose owner has passed away.  Jewel has had a rough time and will need lots of food plus tender loving care.  Brynn receives a call from a distraught Willow stating that Josh was just involved in a tractor accident.  The man who was hit dies at the hospital and Josh is arrested.  Something seems suspicious about the whole incident to Brynn.  Wes Scors, Brynn’s assistant, is visiting a farm and finds the hired hand dead.  Sheriff Edge has Wes as his prime suspect.  Brynn knows that Wes would not harm a soul and is determined to prove his innocence.  Something fishy is going on in Shenandoah Springs and Brynn is determined to get to the bottom of it.

My Thoughts

Goodnight Moo by Mollie Cox Bryan is the 2^nd tale in A Buttermilk Creek Mystery series.  It can be read as a standalone if you have not indulged in Christmas Cow Bells.  Goodnight Moo is not quite what I expected.  I was expecting a lighthearted cozy mystery and I thought this one a little more serious.  I found the book to be a little on the slow side.  We see what it takes for Brynn to run her farm day in and out.  She gets up early to take care of her cows, do farm chores, and make cheese.  Brynn is lucky to have Wes as an assistant. He is a great chef and baker who is becoming a creative cheesemaker as well.  There is a wonderful community in Shenandoah Springs, Virginia.  The residents all seem to know each other and what is going on in their lives.  Brynn McAllister has her farm sponsoring the first cheesemaker’s contest at the Shenandoah Springs Annual Fair.  As with any new endeavor, things do not run smoothly.  The mystery was more complex than those you normally find in cozy mysteries.  There are two suspicious deaths.  When Wes ends up arrested, Brynn begins asking questions.  There was a lack of active investigating.   I wanted more action and less Brynn sleeping.   While the crime is complex, the solution is quite simple. I also would like a better wrap up of the crime.  Brynn’s sister visits and helps her with the case.  Brynn has good friends that visit regularly and are there for her when she needs them.  I like the diverse cast of characters.  The feelings towards Wes were in keeping what is currently occurring in our country.  I did find Brynn’s naivete regarding local people’s attitudes surprising. There is plenty of cooking and eating in Goodnight Moo plus cheese sampling.  It is interesting learning about the various cheeses and how they are made as well as Highland cows. I was put off by the amount of foul language in the book.  I read cozy mysteries because they are normally void of these offending words.  Goodnight Moo takes us back to Shenandoah Springs with a cheese competition, a terrifying tractor, cute cows, various victims, crazy computer glitches, and fun at the fair.

Goodnight Moo can be obtained from Amazon*.  The first novel in A Buttermilk Creek Mystery series is Christmas Cow Bells.  It is currently $.99 on Amazon (subject to change without notice) and on Kindle Unlimited.  You can find Mollie Cox Bryan's other novels here. Thank you for reading my review today.  I appreciate it.  It is hard to believe that this is the last day of August.  The month went by quickly.  Tomorrow I am featuring An Amish Singing by Amy Clipston.  Four Amish novels in one book with singing as the common thread.  I hope you have a glorious day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.

Christmas Cow Bells by Mollie Cox Bryan

Hello!  Murder in the First Edition by Lauren Elliott comes out tomorrow along with Fudge Bites by Nancy Coco and An Amish Second Christmas by Shelley Shepard Gray, Patricia Johns, and Virginia Wise.  Stitches in Time by Suzanne Woods Fisher releases on October 1.  It is the second book in The Deacon's Family series.  Mumbo Gumbo Murder by Laura Childs publishes on October 1 and it is the sixteenth A Scrapbooking Mystery with Carmela Bertrand.   I wish there were more hours in the day!  So many wonderful new books and not enough time to read.

Christmas Cow Bells by Mollie Cox Bryan sends readers to Shenandoah Springs, Virginia in December.  Brynn MacAlister is the new owner of Buttermilk Creek Farm, an organic micro-diary.  Brynn is a cheesemaker who has dreamed of owning her own farm where she can control the whole process from what the cow eats to the label on her finished cheese.  Brynn is getting off to a rough start with her new neighbors because Petunia’s bellows can be heard throughout the town.  The poor cow is mourning the loss of her stillborn calf.  Brynn is happy to have Nancy Scors, another newcomer, living next door.  Nancy is converting Old Glebe Church into Old Glebe Market where farmers can sell their products year round (produce, honey, cheese, etc.).  Unfortunately, not everyone is excited about Nancy’s renovations.  Brynn is awakened during the night when she hears fire sirens and looks outside to see the Old Glebe Church is in flames.  Nancy passes away from her injuries and the fire is ruled arson.  Brynn is upset over the loss of her friend and how slow the case is progressing, so she begins making queries. Brynn’s questioning seems to have hit a nerve when a series of incidents begin happening on the farm.  With Christmas fast approaching, Brynn is determined to wrap up the case and deliver the guilty party to the police.

Christmas Cows Bells by Mollie Cox Bryan is the debut of A Buttermilk Creek Mystery series.  I like the author’s conversational writing style (like chatting with a friend) which makes for a pleasing reading experience.  Brynn MacAlister got her love of Red Devon cows from her grandmother and fell into cheesemaking after taking a course in college.  Her degree in chemistry came in handy when she attended cheese school.  I like that the author took the time to establish our main character.  We get to learn what brought her to Shenandoah Springs, her background, and learn about her family.  There are beautiful descriptions of Shenandoah Springs, Brynn’s farm and the surrounding area.  We are introduced to a variety of locals who belong to the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.  It was interesting to learn about a micro-dairy and what goes into making cheese.  Brynn has a unique concept.  Brynn’s three cows (Marigold, Buttercup, and Petunia) each have their own personality and I felt bad for poor Petunia.  Freckles, the dog, was a delightful addition to the story.  I look forward to seeing more of Wes Scors, Nancy’s grandson, in the next book.  He is a friendly young man who is a talented cook and wishes to learn cheesemaking.  The fire at Old Glebe Church and then Nancy’s death has Brynn scared and she wants answers.  When she becomes frustrated with the slow progress on the case, Brynn decides to do a little digging on her own (not a gouda idea).  Unfortunately, Brynn has angered the guilty party.  A series of escalating incidents begin happening at Buttermilk Creek Farm.  Brynn uncovers a handful of suspects in her search for the guilty party.  Brynn is a newbie sleuth, so her skills need honing, but she does search for suspects, ask questions, and does some online sleuthing.  I would like to see the mysteries become more complex as the series progresses.  I like how we get to see cows as more than milk producers.  They are sweet creatures who have feelings and like to be petted.  Their playful antics were adorable, and I found Petunia’s reaction to Freckles to be delightful.  Christmas Cow Bells is an appealing new cozy mystery with clanking cow bells, heavenly hard cheese, a crotchety curmudgeon, a freaky fire, and a charming cheesemaker.

Christmas Cow Bells comes out September 24 and is available for pre-order at Amazon (Amazon UK) as well as other major booksellers.  Mollie Cox Bryan also writes A Cora Crafts Mystery series and A Cumberland Creek Mystery series.  Thank you for visiting today.  Tomorrow I am reviewing A Cup of Holiday Fear by Ellie Alexander.  It is the tenth A Bakeshop Mystery.  I hope that you have a cheery day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader