Thoughts On . . . Foul Play at the Fair by Shelley Freydont

Foul Play at the Fair 
by Shelley Freydont

Series: Celebration Bay 
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 9780425251553
Release Date: September 2012 
Genre: cozy mystery 
304 Pages

format available: ebook, mass market paperback 

Author's website | Facebook 

Grade: B

Book Blurb
New York City event planner Liv Montgomery is burned out, sick of the bridezillas, the mad men, the desperate housewives, the anything but sweet sixteens. So the job of event organizer in the small, rural town of Celebration Bay, sounds like a little piece of heaven.

With the success of the Harvest on the Bay Festival, life is sweet, all apple crisp and homemade jams, cider donuts and pumpkin pies. But things hit a sour note when an itinerant entertainer is found dead, pinioned by an antique apple press.

Motives pile up higher than a bushel of apples and Liv must navigate her way through a maze of secrets, lies and Yankee taciturnity to find the killer before the Harvest on the Bay Festival heads for Foul Play at the Fair.


My Thoughts

New-to-me author but I love cozy mysteries and I needed a fall themed book. Plus, how do you resist a town with seasonal celebrations? [reminds me of another series that I love *cough* Fool's Gold *cough* ;-)]. Later I'll need a Halloween one. This series is perfect.

I feel for Liv. New in town, doesn't know the history of anyone, and she's been told that the previous event planner can hold a grudge for a long time. If her first festival is a success, things should go easier for the next festival.

Too bad there is a murder at one of the places they've advertised!

back to reading . . .

"We're in big trouble here, buddy," she said, absently pulling his ears with her free hand. "Big trouble. And I don't have a plan."

"Arf."

"I know. I always have a plan. Plan A, plan B, even sometimes a plan C. Best-laid plans, contingency plans . . . ."

Well, I guess that's what makes a great event planner but it isn't a great deal she's hoping to catch. She's hoping to catch a murderer!

I'm loving the quirky characters in town. I like the loyalty but am also having trouble with it. It's got to be rough to prove you can help when the locals close ranks on you.

back to reading . . .

I don't really have much interest in event planning and purchased this cozy because it was a Fall setting. That being said, I've loved the little tidbits of a event planner's life that show up. Liv is at a huge potluck and is told she needed to take a little of everything so no one felt slighted. She then mentions that she doesn't know how to eat a full plate standing up, just cocktail food. Later, she's going for a run and weather is mentioned. AccuWeather is her home page because the "appearance of complimentary umbrellas or the sudden raising of waterproof tents had saved more than a few events in the nick of time". This is so true but those of us at the event may not even think about all the things the planner has to think about and juggle just-in-case-options.

I'm still wondering what Janine, the previous event planner, will get up to to discredit Liv.

back to reading . . . 


The next holiday is Halloween but book two is Christmas. I've got a couple of reading challenges that need a Halloween themed book. The question is, do I read the theme I need or next next book in the series? ;-)

FYI: Book 1.5 is Cold Turkey and it is a Thanksgiving foot race theme (with a dead body) so I've still got a Fall title!



Disclaimer: This was a private purchase but the review is not written any differently than if I had received a complimentary review copy. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and may differ from yours. Book information courtesy of the author and amazon.

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