First in a new series called the Henny Penny Farmette Mystery series, this intriguing title drew me right away. A BEELINE TO MURDER by Meera Lester does what it says on the pack.

Abigail Mackenzie is able to cope with a swarm of her bees searching for a new hive, but a chef who buys her garden honey, Jean-Louis, is a scarier prospect. When she delivers the goods to his pastry shop, she's shocked to find him lying dead. Abby has been a police officer in the past and even as she summons aid she's searching for clues at what might be a crime scene. Jean-Louis appears to have been interrupted in the middle of his normal baking routine. Fortunately, the police arrive swiftly in the form of Officer Katerina Petrovksy. The two ladies have been friends since they met in the Napa Police Academy. They puzzle over the suspicious death. Jean- Louis was temperamental but generous to a fault, and his business prospered. Who could have wanted to kill him?

Interestingly the shortage of trained staff leads to experienced Abby being pretty much deputised to help her friend secure and search the crime scene. This solves the issue in amateur sleuth stories of how and why the sleuth is involved in the police work. In some other books the police are continually telling a sleuth to stay out of the situation, or refusing to take their theories seriously.

We get some lovely tips on bee management, such as growing scented herbs and bright flowers near the hive. The young bees will grow more quickly with food easily at hand, and the bees will stay nearby to pollinate your fruit. And lucky us, there are recipes such as honey-almond madelines and pecan pie.

One aspect I like is that Abby and Kat get together and talk quite naturally about clothes, shoes, skirt-chasing men and other aspects of their lives, not just the crime. We get a real feel for the town's residents, including a female coroner and lady councillor. To balance the achievers, there's a homeless person. The late chef, too, comes across as a big-hearted personality, part of the life of Main Street.

Abby is putting a lot of time and effort to build up her farmette to a stage where it can support her. I was surprised that Abby wants honey made from eucalyptus, as this tree is poisonous, but maybe the nectar is not harmful? Anyway, she accepts the job of helping the chef's brother find out what really happened after the police deem the matter a suicide. If we didn't know the title was A BEELINE TO MURDER, we might have been fooled too. With amusing quips, evocative scents and nature notes, this lively story by Meera Lester is going to make a lot of friends. There's even a recipe for making your own dog biscuits, Now, that's thoughtful.