Booklist: "At a dinner of local food growers, organic farmer Cam Flaherty can’t help but notice that her guest, Irene, is rubbing some folks the wrong way. But when Irene is found dead in a neighbor’s pigpen, Cam wants to help clear Cam’s friend Bobby’s name off the suspect list. Cam’s customers bring her gossip and engage in some strange behavior, particularly Diane, who turns out to have ulterior motives for visiting the farm. While doing her amateur sleuthing, Cam finds time to enter her produce in a fair, help abused animals, and deal with her moody boyfriend—all of which add depth to her character. The organic-farming backdrop ably supports a twisted and timely plot. There are plenty of farming-based cozies on the market today, but this one stands out in what is becoming a crowded field."
— Amy Alessio
Book Breeze: "Edith Maxwell’s second book in her delightful Local Foods Series opens in the middle of the lives of Cameron Flaherty and her volunteers and builds tension with its excellent pacing that kept me turning the pages. An especially well written cozy mystery, Maxwell displays her writing skill with complex characters, subplots and main plot fraught with frustrations, and a rural setting few readers may have experienced, the farming co-op." — Mahala Church
Examiner.com: "The plot is well thought out. Events escalate to create more tension and the twists will keep readers guessing until the surprise ending. All-in-all, this delightful cozy will entertain readers even as they learn how to farm organically. Bravo, Ms. Maxwell!"
Suspense Magazine: "The plot races along at a brisk pace, culminating in a surprise ending I never saw coming.
Kirkus Reviews says: "A most enjoyable look at organic farming with charming characters and cooking suggestions thrown in."
Publishers Weekly: “Engaging...on top of the intriguing whodunit plot, Maxwell vividly portrays life on a small town contemporary farm.”
Kingdom Books: "In the second of her Local Foods Mysteries series, Edith Maxwell proves she's in for the long haul -- writing mysteries that tap into her own New England vegetable gardening "roots," and her tech systems know-how. But most of all, Maxwell works from two well-polished strengths: a fine sense of how to pace the plot of a traditional mystery, and an Agatha Christie-like understanding of how people come to threaten and sometimes actually do bad things. ...Maxwell's clever blend of farm and garden knowledge with crisp scene-after-scene pacing makes a great update to the classic village mystery style. "
Lisa Haselton: "Maxwell’s ability to combine personal experience with a fictional world gives the story a nice balance. The novel is a wonderful glimpse into how being involved in the community can make a difference in people’s lives in various ways, too. The twists and turns kept me guessing right until the end, and even then there’s a cliffhanger."
Some reviews of A Tine to Live, a Tine to Die:
Eleanor Anders
The Topeka, Kansas library (where I know no one!):
The last paragraph: "Cam is running out of time, though it’s not the police she has to worry about because the killer is not done, and Cam might be the next victim. A Tine To Live, A Tine To Die by Edith Maxwell is a new cozy mystery that is the first book in the series, A Local Foods Mystery. This light mystery is about both the investigation and Cam’s new and old friendships in the small New England community."
Award-winning mystery novelist Deborah Adams:
A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die manages to present a solid mystery with the seamlessly-integrated backdrop of Cam's agricultural education, yet it never gets preachy or bogged down in the details of either story. I'm giving this one Five Clucks! (Read the whole review here.)
Mystery Scene (number 130, p. 64):
First-time novelist Edith Maxwell does a fine job of orchestrating the complicated dynamics of the book's rural Massachusetts environment. The story is a worthwhile read, in large part because of Maxwell's interesting and varied characters....there are emotional undercurrents and complexities to their relationships. While [Cam's] geeky quality alienates certain people who populate the yarn, to readers it also renders her endearing and accessible. Edith Maxwell's writing style makes for smooth and entertaining reading... The sequel is awaited with interest.
Library Journal: Another topically relevant cozy debut introduces a
fledgling organic farmer keying into the local foods movement and encountering
some whack jobs along the way. This would partner well with Chrystle Fiedler’s
“Natural Remedies” series.
Publishers Weekly: Maxwell ... brings her expertise as a former organic farmer to her absorbing first Local Foods mystery. Issues involving immigrants and a local militia group add weight to a plot that builds to an exciting climax.
Edible Boston (from page 43) calls it a "scintillating thriller."
Dru Ann Love: "What a great beginning and welcome addition to the cozy genre in this pleasantly appealing new debut that boasts an exciting cast of characters, great dialogue, a foray into organic gardening and a tantalizing whodunit. Be prepared to enter a cornucopia of intriguing subplots in this well-crafted mystery that will have you hungry for the next book in this delightfully charming series." (From her Amazon review.)
Lisa Haselton at her review site: "A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die is comfortable to read, which is appropriate since it’s a cozy, but I call it comfortable because as a reader, I felt like part of the cast and included in the conversations. It has a nice pace and is definitely a page turner. This is a highly recommended read for cozy readers, gardeners, and anyone seeking a pleasurable read." The whole review here.
Beth Kanell at Kingdom Books: "Maxwell paints the trials and tribulations -- and rewards -- of a small farm in bright detail, based on her own experience as part owner of a certified-organic farm herself years ago. Most important for this cozy-with-dark-edges mystery, she tags the motivations that take Cam Flaherty into investigating the crime, when it would be safe (and easier) to leave the detection to the police. Even in the countryside, the blackest dangers are those provided by criminals who don't care what or who they damage." The rest of this awesome review here.
Bolobooks: Loved it! The review ends with this: "Filled with wonderful insights into organic farming, A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die, is a fun and fast read perfect for a lazy summer afternoon."
The Recorder: An engaging heroine, "Our cold, snowy winter has made me want to curl up with a good book — and think about spring. I found I could do both simultaneously with the mystery novel “A Tine to Live, a Tine to Die.”"
Judy Dailey author of Animal, Vegetable, Murder: I just finished an ARC of Edith's newest mystery, A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die, and I loved it. I've enjoyed Edith's books since I read "Speaking of Murder," her first Tace Baker mystery. Besides creating a sympathetic heroine who is trying against all odds to keep her organic farm going, Edith has populated this small town with a host of memorable characters. My favorite is a girl working on her Girl Scout badge in organic farming. How clever! The plot is drawn from today's headlines (as they say), and the climax is exciting, credible, and satisfying. I'm glad this book is the first in a series!
Elizabeth (Liz) on Goodreads: This book was a delight to read. The writing pulled me along as I tried to figure out "who done it." The characters were believable. The author knows what she's writing since she is a former organic farmer. I liked the diversity of the characters and that the protagonist didn't set herself up as an expert but one working hard to make things happen and caring for her great-uncle and her friends... The entire review is here.
Gigi Pandian, author of Artifact: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery: A mystery series about organic local farming? I love both, so this was a perfect premise for me! In this first book in the Local Foods mystery series, we meet Cam Flaherty, who has taken over her uncle's farm in Massachusetts, after being a computer programmer. I got a kick out of the name of Cam's CSA: Produce Plus Plus (a play on C++ computer programming). Little details like that really set the scene and made for an enjoyable read. Edith Maxwell sprinkled in lots of of interesting information about farming, but not in a way that slowed down the mystery. Now I've got added respect for the farmers at my local farmer's market and who run my local CSAs, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Eleanor Anders on Books...Looks and Takes:
A TINE TO LIVE, A TINE TO DIE by Edith Maxwell is a compelling story in the mystery market, touching many of today’s headlines, creatively!
Cam Flaherty is a novice organic farmer who teaches us the rules along the way. Her learning curve becomes ours and her life is something we worry about too. I really liked Cam as she’s not afraid to ask for help and isn’t afraid to fail. She’s strong and caring but also business savvy and practical; she’s a woman who loves to get her hands dirty but realizes that she needs a profit to live. Her love interest is someone who you’ll like but who also fits the suspect profile along with many other people in town. You’ll find yourself rooting for this relationship but maybe running from this man too.
Edith Maxwell’s A TINE TO LIVE, A TINE TO DIE is a great mystery that will have you eating local while you await the next book of her series!
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