Major sugar alert for readers of, SYRUP TO NO GOOD, the second book in the Maple Syrup Mysteries. Sugar Ridge, Vermont is close enough to the border with New York State that we cross a few times during the story. Leila Khoury, who with her Lebanese mom owns Sappy Endings Farm, taps maple trees and prepares syrup for sale in a highly productive small enterprise. However, someone is "syrup to no good."
Leila’s close friend Heather Turcot is planning her wedding to Tyler Murray, and Leila is managing the bridal gift shower. Forget a small group of ladies in a café with presents on the table; this is a formal and well-attended evening. Heather’s aunt by marriage, jeweler Monica Butterfield, finds the venue compares poorly with Long Island and doesn’t hesitate to say so, offending several guests and the bride. Heather can’t afford to disrespect the older lady, for reasons we later learn, and just smiles firmly. But maybe someone took something to heart because Leila later finds Monica stabbed to death in her vanity-plated car.
Character fills this likeable amateur sleuth mystery, and even the people not involved in the crime aspects are memorable and well-drawn. Noah Rivers is the main employee at Sappy Endings Farm, and while I hadn’t read the first story, I quickly understood that Noah and Leila have become more than friends, but he’s a widower with a small child and doesn’t want to rush anything. Leila’s bossy mom, Selma, makes tasty Lebanese meals, but she’s angling to get her daughter back with her ex-boyfriend Mark Salem, just because he’s from the same culture. Leila has no intention of restarting that relationship, but Mark doesn’t want to take no for an answer.
The crime investigation moves apace because Heather is distraught at the prospect of canceling her wedding. Leila, helping her make inquiries, barely gets time to make maple candy, but that is why she has good staff. The suspects get whittled down in a manner that kept me guessing.
Provided you’re okay with eating maple syrup, you’ll probably consider SYRUP TO NO GOOD worth reading just for the recipes at the back. Maple strudel muffins, kibbi, a mix of lamb, pine nuts and onions, and baked maple butter twists, are so mouthwatering I want to go cook right now. You can solve the mystery by Catherine Bruns while waiting to turn off the oven and sample the goods.
Only a sap would try to ruin a bride's special day…
Spring has finally come to Sugar Ridge, Vermont, and with it the end of syrup-making season. But Leila Khoury, new owner of Sappy Endings Farm, won't be making like molasses any time soon. Her best friend Heather's wedding is coming up, and Leila will do anything to make sure it lives up to all her sweetest dreams.
Even with Leila's own romantic past stirring up trouble, everything is going to plan until the bridal shower ends up with a body count.
Heather's rich and backstabbing aunt had a whole orchard of enemies, so Leila will have her work cut out for her. Can she tap the killer before Heather's dream wedding becomes a nightmare?
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