Murder on Devil's Pond by Ayla Rose Narrator: Maria Ru-Djen
Series: Hummingbird Hollow B&B Mystery #1
Published by Dreamscape Media on July 9, 2024
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Mystery
Length: 9 hrs 53 mins
Pages: 304
Format: Audiobook
Purchase at Bookshop.org or Audible
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A quaint Vermont inn offers idyllic peace—until a body is found on the property—in this charming series debut, perfect for fans of Ellen Byron and Ellery Adams.
When thirty-three-year-old Hannah Solace returns to her hometown to renovate and reopen the inn she co-owns with her sister Reggie, her mission is to give the old Victorian hotel an entirely new life. She’s even planting pollinator gardens around the inn–native flowers and fruit trees to lure honeybees and houseguests alike.
Hannah’s fresh start is stymied by Reggie’s continual interference, unreliable contractors, a check-the-couch-for-coins budget, and townspeople Hannah left behind fifteen years ago. Her main source of camaraderie is Ezra Grayson, an eighty-year-old recluse who lives nearby. After an unsettling conversation with a disgruntled Ezra, Hannah is horrified to discover him dead on her property later that day.
Ezra had always had plenty of people to complain about, especially locals trying to force him out of his property for its prime real estate. As buzz around town grows after his death, Hannah finds herself on the short list of suspects. Hannah starts digging and quickly discovers that secrets lurk beneath the charming surface of the town she once again calls home.
Hannah Solace has returned home to renovate and manage Hummingbird Hollow B&B, which she owns with her sister, Reggie. The plan is to make the inn a haven for their guests and the gardens a haven for pollinators. She has become close to the neighbor, elderly Ezra Grayson, who knows all there is to know about the flowers and plants she’s trying to grow. to be a fount of information regarding any plant, tree, or flower. Hannah is devastated when when she finds his body and realizes he was murdered. She feels like she is the prime suspect for a number of reasons, so starts snooping around on her own.
I liked Hannah and can appreciate what she’s trying to do at the B&B. She’s been gone from town for ages and was a bit of a troublemaker when she was young and that gives a bit of nuance to her relationships. The detective investigating the case, Ezra’s lawyer, the landscaper, the local pastor, her estranged father, all knew her when she was in high school but don’t necessarily know her now.
Ezra had his own fair share of secrets and we have plenty of suspects in his murder, most of whom want the valuable land his run down house sits on. There were several turns in the story and Hannah has to dig into the past to find some of the answers.
I listened to the audio and the narrator did a great job. The characters voices were all distinct and fit their ages and personalities well.
I truly got caught up in the mystery and the characters were well-developed, even if some of them were not nice people. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
About Ayla Rose
Wendy Tyson is an author, lawyer, and former therapist whose background has inspired her thrillers and mysteries. As Ayla Rose, she writes The Hummingbird Hollow B&B Mystery series. As Liv Andersson, she writes thrillers, including Leave the Lights On and Little Red House. As Wendy Tyson, she is the author of several mystery series, including the Amazon bestselling Greenhouse Mystery Series. Wendy’s short fiction has appeared in literary journals and crime anthologies, and she has written for The Big Thrill and The Thrill Begins, International Thriller Writers’ online magazines. Wendy is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. She and her husband live in the beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont with their sons and three dogs.
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I’m glad you enjoyed this one. I found it fun as well.