Book Review: Rest in Peach by Susan Furlong (Georgia Peach Mysteries #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great characters and a fun mystery

Cons: I did figure things out before the end

The Bottom Line:

This small Georgia town

Hosts second page turning book

That’s a charming read

Delicious Sequel

Last summer, I completely enjoyed the first book in the Georgia Peach Mysteries.  It definitely left me hungry for more, so I was anxious to pick up the sequel.  I’m pleased to announce that Rest in Peach is just as good as the first.

It’s been nine month since we last visited Nola Mae Harper and the small town of Cays Mill.  During that time, the internet business she’s started to sell items made from my family’s peaches has really taken off.  She’s planning to open a store in town next to her friend Ginny’s restaurant, and she’s currently working on cleaning and remodeling the space to make it what she needs.

However, the rest of Cays Mill is buzzing about the Peach Cotillion.  They still take this age old celebration of young ladies being presented to society very seriously.  Nola has managed to tune much of it out, but she still gets drawn in to the drama when Ginny gets into a fight with Vivien over a dress.  It seems there was a mix up and both of their daughters ordered the same gown for their big night.

The unthinkable happens a few hours later when Vivien is murdered in the dress shop.  Thanks to the local gossip mill, news of Ginny’s fight with Vivien is all over town, so the sheriff zeros in on Ginny as the prime suspect.  Despite Nola’s plans to stay away from the case, Ginny’s attempts to clear her name draw Nola into the mystery.  What secrets will she uncover on her way to the truth?

The book starts off with a bang and the pace never really falters.  We are always learning something about the victim or the suspects that kept me turning pages.  I must admit that I figured out what was going on before the end, but I still enjoyed watching all the pieces fall into place for Nola.  I was certainly never board as there were some twists that I didn’t see coming on the way to the wonderful climax.

Another thing that kept me turning pages was the characters.  Both returning characters and new characters are strong.  Nola gets some great characters growth in this book, and I’m looking forward to seeing that continued in the next in the series.  I was a bit surprised that some of her family members were in the background more in this book, although seeing more of them would have just slowed down the plot.  And the new characters?  They are quite interesting, and I wouldn’t mind if one or two stuck around for future books.

Of course, being a culinary book, we get three peach themed recipes.  For the sweet tooth, there’s a peach cobbler cupcake that I am quite anxious to try.  On the healthy side, we get a peach pecan salad.  Thirsty?  There’s a non-alcoholic peach punch recipe included as well.  All three sound delicious.

If you have not had the pleasure of meeting these characters yet, fix that today.  Rest in Peach is a delightful mystery.  Grab some peaches, sit back, and watch the pages fly by.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Just leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win.  I will pick the winner next Thursday, April 14th, so please leave your comment before 12:01AM Pacific Time on 4/14.  You will have until midnight on 4/19 to get back to me, or I will choose a new winner on 4/20.