This tale of crime and ill-fated love is set in Las Flores, California, where an ex-police officer tends her small farm and visits her friends. Hallowe'en is here and folks are buying quilts and autumn honey. A HIVE OF HOMICIDES occurs after Abby Mackenzie supports her best friend Paola in renewing her marriage vows, although her husband Jake Winston has been known to have a wandering eye and depleted his wife's self-belief. The Argentinian Paola would never contemplate divorce and hopes for a fresh start. Sadly a drive-by shooting brings the wedding day to a tragic close.

Once Jake is dead, the rumours start to emerge. He seems to have made moves on women whether they were interested or not and had a new female companion. The police are concerned but they are not letting Abby interfere. She may even be considered a suspect. On the side though, her friend Kat in the PD shares some investigation details.

As in the first book of this series, A BEELINE TO MURDER, we find an extract from a farm manual at the start and end of every chapter. This gives the series its name of Henny Penny Farmette Mysteries. While much friendly wisdom is imparted, I am not convinced it always works; we go straight from a description of blood and death into a recipe for a salad. Still, we get a fascinating recipe for lemon and vinegar pie, and a rich bourbon pumpkin pie. I'm astonished by Abby's reaction when she is driving and sees a tree collapse on top of a horse trailer and pickup ahead. She never wonders if anyone needs help. Instead, she just changes the route so as not to be delayed. Separately, a strange man is hanging around her farm who says he hunts animals and wants her to give him keys, and she suspects he may have been in her house. A friend phones for ten minutes' chat, and Abby never mentions the stranger. This just is not realistic.

I enjoyed reading about the local food movement and clever craft ideas for seasonal gifts. These include making white chocolate truffles and putting them in a gift box. Although farming is a low-stress occupation compared to policing, Abby still gets flashbacks and fear from her earlier life, and we see how she tries to counter this. The nearby winery is a good location for intrigue. As frost arrives, so does more danger. If you enjoyed the first book by Meera Lester you will also love the exciting A HIVE OF HOMICIDES.