Turning Five

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Edith here, luxuriating in the rebirth of life (finally!) north of Boston – salad greens, flowering shrubs, fresh eggs, book ideas, and so much more. Make sure you read to the end for a special giveaway.

Mulch Ado About Murder releases today! I am delighted that the Local Foods Mysteries has continued through book five. I originally conceived of organic farmer Cameron Flaherty way, way back in 1994. At the time I operated and co-owned the smallest certified organic farm in my county tucked away up here in the northeast corner of Massachusetts.

mulch-ado-about-murder

When A Tine to Live, a Tine to Die finally came out in 2013, it introduced Cam, her great-uncle Albert, the town of Westbury, and the cast of regular characters who have kept Cam company throughout the series. The book opens on June 1, the first day her CSA customers are coming to pick up their shares of the produce she harvested that morning: herbs, greens, asparagus, and more.

A Tine To Live A Tine To Die PB COVER

In Tine we meet the cast of continuing characters: Lucinda, the devoted Brazilian locavore. Felicity, a committed volunteer with a long gray braid and an infallibly cheery manner. Albert, of course, who gave Cam his farm. A younger volunteer, Alexandra, and the even younger girl scout Ellie who loves helping out. Plus State police detective Pete Pappas, who is back in every book but takes on an additional role in book two.

The books release once a year at the end of May, but book time is different. ‘Til Dirt Do Us Part, the second book, takes place in early October.

Til Dirt do us Part Cover

One of Cam’s more difficult shareholders is murdered the day after a farm-to-table dinner and her stepson Bobby is wanted for questioning. Cam doesn’t think the hunky carpenter who rebuilt her barn is involved – but is he?

Farmed and Dangerous is the winter story, with a blizzard, someone murdered in Albert’s assisted living residence, Cam under suspicion because she provided the produce that was poisoned, and an apparent attack on Cam herself.

FarmedandDan

I was delighted Cam’s farm cat Preston finally appeared on a cover. He’s our senior cat here at home and he deserves his moments of fame.

Book four, Murder Most Fowl, was a fun one. I got to set a couple of scenes in a New England town meeting very much like the one I used to attend in West Newbury, which Westbury is closed modeled on.

Murder Most Fowl

The wasn’t fun for the murdered poultry farmer, of course, but I loved that Cam acquired chicks, and I learned about foxes, too. I got the murder weapon from a talk the Poison Lady (Luci Zahray) gave, and the book just came out in paperback.

And now we’re up to Mulch Ado About Murder, book five, where Cam’s peripatetic parents come to visit. Both of them are immersed in a good deal of trouble, and Cam gets to know them more intimately. Over the course of the series Cam has grown to know herself better, too. This nerdy introvert, a former software engineer, had no idea when she acquired the farm that growing and selling food would involve hanging out with people, not just vegetables. What blossomed in her is a realization that she likes it.

The story takes place right now, so the series has come around the full cycle of the farming year. I decided to celebrate by throwing a fifth birthday party on June 1!

LOCAl Foods birthday party

Come on over to the Facebook event page between 6:30 and 9:30 PM eastern time. Twelve authors, including many of the Wickeds, are going to pop in every fifteen minutes and each will have a giveaway to a commenter during that period. I have a slew of items I’ll give away, too.

prizes

And the grand prize is a signed set of all five books in hardcover. We’ll have virtual cake – carrot, of course – and bubbly, too.

But for today, let’s celebrate Mulched‘s release by me giving away one of my author aprons to a commenter here!

Published by Edith Maxwell

Agatha Award -winning author Edith Maxwell writes the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Beyond the Page) and short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the Dot and Amelia Mysteries, the Country Store Mysteries series, the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, and the Cece Barton Mysteries (all from Kensington Publishing). She lives north of Boston in an antique house with her beau and cat Martin, where she writes, gardens, cooks, and wastes time on Facebook.

77 Thoughts

  1. Congratulations on Book 5! And thank you for Cam and all my new friends in this series. I think I eat more veg now because of them!

  2. Would love to win a book. Thank you for the opportunity. Congratulations on Book 5!

  4. Congrats and have fun with your celebration! I didn’t realize you had a small farm too, at one point!

  7. It’s such a joy for readers to follow a cast of character-friends as they share their book-lives with us. With each adventure they become more real, more a part of our own circle of friends. Thank you for all of the people (and cool animals) you’ve shared. Congratulations on Book 5!

  8. I love this series and can’t wait to read the new book. Cam is one of my favorite cozy characters! I’m looking forward to meeting her parents…

    1. Thanks dear Sherry. You are one of the reasons readers love the books!

  13. Congratulations, Edith! I love this series, and even made the carrot muffins from Murder Most Fowl. They were so good, I kept telling myself, “It’s ok if you eat another one, they’re healthy!”

    1. You are so sweet, Mia! And you are right, of course. Those muffins ARE healthy.

  14. Oh, Edith, I love book #5. Before reviewing it, I had to go back and read the first four. What a fantastic binge read I had. I feel as if the characters are my friends and I want to go visit them. And would love to buy a bunch of those organic veggies. I’m friends with the owners of a very small organic farm nearby and love playing with the pygmy goats while the geese and chickens flutter around. I took advantage of her offer to grow organic veggies in her large garden. I had 5 tomato plants that yielded 450 tomatoes! Organic gardening certainly is viable.

    Congratulations on the birth of your 5th book. May you have many more!

    1. So glad you going organic, Ginny. And pleased you loved your binge. I have done that with certain authors in the past. Such a treat.

    1. Thank you, Barb. And for your strategy suggestion a few weeks ago, too. 😉

  18. Congratulations Edith, love this series especially as we know a couple CSA farmers in our rural area here in Oregon It just makes it that much more intriguing. Keep them coming! Thank you.

  19. Wow, would I love to be the lucky individual to receive your gift package. I enjoy your books so much and would sure like to have your latest. There is nothing better than buying produce directly from the farmer. It is my favorite time of the year when I can go to the farmer’s market and do this. Congrats on your latest book.

    1. I appreciate the congrats, and totally agree about the farms.

  20. You Wicked Cozy Ladies are amazing! Congratulations to you Edith!

  25. I am an Edith Maxwell fan, but why did I miss this series? I am excited about the “Local Foods” theme with organic farming. I’ve picked up book 1 “Farmed and Dangerous” to start my journey.

  26. Yes I’m an Edith Maxwell fan. I love the series and I’m upset that I wont be able to enter in the even on FB this evening. We start a two day Jewish Holiday and we’re staying at DD#1’s house to celebrate it.

    Maybe I’ll be the lucky winner of the apron. I can always use another one.

    NoraAdrienne (at) gmail (dot) com

    1. I am sorry for bad planning on my part! Thanks so much for being a fan.

  27. Happy book birthday! Wow…5 now! That is something to celebrate 🎉 I’ll have girls that will be starting their own locavore badge this fall. I think I shall gift them each a copy of a Tine to Live, a Tine to Die.

    1. I LOVE that your girls will be doing their Locavore badge and would be honored if they read TINE. I’d be happy to talk or Skype with them, if they want. Maybe they can do an Author badge, too?

  28. Felicitations! I shall try and remember to attend at least the start of your party before crashing for the night. Rising at 4:30 am your time means I cannot stay up too late.

  30. Congrats on #5! Love this series and I’m looking forward to reading “Mulch Ado About Murder”.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

  31. congratulations. will be attending the facebook event. need a new apron. always looking for new mystery to read.

  32. Looking forward to the new book. Now I’m retired, I’m also anxious to go to more farmers’ markets.
    Sally

  33. Congratulations on your new book. Can’t wait to read it. I’m a big fan of Cam and company.

  34. I’d love to be the winner! lindaherold999@gmail.com

    On Tue, May 30, 2017 at 1:33 AM, Wicked Cozy Authors wrote:

    > Edith Maxwell posted: “Edith here, luxuriating in the rebirth of life > (finally!) north of Boston – salad greens, flowering shrubs, fresh eggs, > book ideas, and so much more. Make sure you read to the end for a special > giveaway. Mulch Ado About Murder releases today! I am deligh” >

  38. Your books look like so much fun to read. I am adding them to my summer reading list.

  39. Love healthy eating recipes and of course I love a good mystery!

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