Fiona wanted to be a police woman but she was out voted by her Sheriff Dad and her Mom. She left the small town, hooked with a job and a guy who she ultimately broke up with--and went back home. Her aunt had left her a Bed and Breakfast in her will and Fiona was bound and determined to keep it going and make it even better. She also inherited her Aunts beloved Pug--he really is a sweety but it takes a bit for Fiona to fall for him!!She was told by a local that she no longer owned the B&B-it seemed her Aunt has signed it over to him? Then she found him dead in her Koi pond. She was upset to say the least and since the new sheriff didn't seem to be doing enough Fiona started investigating on her own! She is really lucky nothing terribly bad happened to her!Just when they thought "case closed"--The real murderer holds Fiona at gunpoint. You really will not guess who it is. Her little dog ends up a hero!!
I just finished reading "Bed and Breakfast and Murder," a cozy little small town whodunit. When Fiona Fleming returns to her hometown to take over her late grandmother's B&B, she has mixed feelings about it. When a stranger shows up declaring the business is his, it heralds the beginning of an unexpected adventure. This book is a fun, easy read that I almost couldn't put down.
What a wrap up! Never crossed my mind when I read the end of the book where everything came together. Such a surprise, but it all fit together.
Not a bad book, but it doesn't make me want to look up the rest of the series, either. Too much emphasis on the dog, and I got really tired of the 'fart' inference and discussion.
It was a little slow in the beginning, and I almost DNF, but I truly enjoyed it by the end.
Really shouldn't be 4 stars, as I'll explain, but that is the way it hit me, so four it is. Found this author with the Whitewitch Island series. Where I had voracious reading binge, loved the first one blindly, read more in the series and then had mixed feelings after. Author seems to hit me like white cheddar Cheese-It's. I know I shouldn't do it. Her stories are too short for me, hurried, characters and plot are often problematic. However occasionally...just going to, anyway.This series is even further off my track. Zero paranormal, or, my preferred, complete fantasy. Has an overweight farting little dog being constantly fed bizarre stuff.But! It's not depressing/dystopic, it's not preaching, nothing to do with school/academies and no one drags me into their bedroom/ just about. My current readability standards list is perhaps kind of scary these days.Things that may put readers off -MC is almost 30, and still hasn't learned to stop and think about others, until much much later. She objectifies everyone, and only sometimes responds to the person inside. Side characters, including the dog are very surface. I thought her aversion to getting a lawyer wasn't reasonable. Her ex isn't the only lawyer on the continent and she wasn't penniless?There is a great deal of an opening scene with a backed up toilet. Many sentences about the dog farting and being fed nothing useful. The dog, at least in this first book, is non-stop being fed completely inappropriate things, and not one person I recall even consulting the MC before doing so.We taught our family dogs not to accept any food until we gave the release phrase. (Whom we also taught not to lick humans, but instead do a different behavior, partly for their safety.) I'm shocked a person running a B&B for so many years, with I think four dogs over that time frame, hadn't taught the dogs safety behavior. As a matter of course, along with polite interactions. So I was frequently thinking things about the dog situation instead of paying attention to the story.Things I liked or didn't mind -Dog wasn't drooling, flinging drool, and similar. I mean, my parents wondered about me with babies due to how revolted I am by drool. Just about anything else I can tolerate though, oddly. So the toilet, and farting were no big. I didn't notice much cursing I see mentioned in reviews. I've rejected books due to excessive jarring cursing, so idk what was different.MC's behavior and attitude didn't put me off. The people I know who read like her are very caring people. They just see and interact with the world differently. I've read all sorts of characters that I would describe as selfish and uncaring, so there are detail differences that may or may not be apparent to the reader.Something about the way this author writes pulls me in. I'm not getting distracted and setting it down. Even with a completely mundane story setting.Unlike the Whitewitch Island series, the MC had a less suicidal or extremely dumb reason for being in the uh oh! Murder She Wrote type ending situation. I appreciated that.While I adored watching my mom watch MSW when I was growing up, based on the amount of cursing other reviewers objected to, I probably won't share this series with my mom. Even if I think she would enjoy it otherwise. Off to read the 1-4 bundle! Hope the dog care improves...*edit* Forgot to say how adorable the newspaper on the last page is! That lady pictured, for a character in the book, is a star! (Do not look for it before reading the whole book, because it's all spoilers.)
Fiona leaves her life in New York City to escape her cheating ex-boyfriend. Fiona Fleming returns to Reading, Vermont after inheriting her grandmother’s bed and breakfast Petunia’s. As Fiona starts fixing up the bed and breakfast, she discovers the body of Harlan Iverson hidden in the basement. Fiona becomes the prime suspect in the murder. Fiona discovers clues and pieces of evidence that may eventually clear Fiona’s name. Fiona along with her pig Petunia must clear her name and prove her innocence in the stabbing death of Harlan. I really enjoyed this amusingly hilarious cozy mystery novel.
I know this book is a Cozy Mystery, but the story is so fulfilling and well written that it can be misjudged as a Mystery written by one of the masters. I enjoyed Fiona and loved Petunia. Wonderful book , I couldn't put it down.
Fiona Fleming, the protagonist of this Bed and Breakfast cozy left her hometown for the bright lights of New York City. The Big Apple experience left her with nothing but the memory of a cheating ex and the remnants of a less than stellar career.Returning to her Vermont hometown to take up the reigns of her grandma’s business (grandma died recently and left the B&B to Fiona) she is met with clogged plumbing, a large helping of “attitude” from a couple of the employees, a nosy neighbor, and a combative sheriff. As if that weren’t enough, grandma’s dog Petunia (also a part of Fiona’s inheritance) has an on-going case of flatulence that’s enough to make your eyes water, not to mention a father with secrets of his own plus a friend who makes Barney Fife look like a rocket scientist. Now the “icing on the cake” comes in the form of the discovery of a dead body in the Koi pond in Fiona’s garden with the evidence pointing to Fiona as the chief suspect.BED & BREAKFAST AND MURDER is not your typical cozy since Fiona has a bit of a “potty mouth” coupled with an attitude not representative of this genre.If you can tolerate a smidgen of language, this proves to be a most entertaining offering with enough unusual characters, plot twists and surprises to appeal from the beginning to the last satisfying page. 3 1/2 stars
Fiona "Fee" Fleming is the new owner of her late grandmothers bed and breakfast. Just as she's finally getting into the swing of things, a very rude man shows up throwing papers in her face claiming ownership. The next day he's back, but this time face first in her koi pond! Fee always wanted to follow her father's footsteps to become a cop and solve crime. Well, now is her chance to become that detective in order to prove her innocence! Wait till the end... can you guess who the murderer is?I have to admit, when I first started this book I was wondering if it was ever going to get to a point. It took a little bit to really get into the story because spent a lot of time talking about cleaning a clogged toilet and dog farts to bring in humor. (which I get, farts are funny!) But, I gave it a chance and pushed on through the tired fart jokes. It's a short read, so it didn't take long to get there. The characters start to get more humanized and the story begins to unfold. You get to feel angry, scared, and empowered with Fee as she runs around the city of Reading on her quest to catch a killer!
(4/4.5)There are a lot of reviews for this book and most are in the good or above zone and that is exactly where it should be! This is a well written story with characters not soon forgotten. Fiona inherits a Bed and Breakfast from her gran but soon finds that the town meanie claims he is the rightful owner. The two have words and soon after he winds up not very much alive anymore. Being that she's a suspect she does what anyone would do, takes it on herself to find out who is!The shenanigans in this book are very funny and the characters are all unique and distinct. The way the investigation progresses leads to many moments worth a chuckle or two. I don't want to give anything away but this is a terrific first book in a series and I really enjoyed the way it left a set up for the second book, very nice way of doing a cliffhanger of sorts.
Fiona Fleming starts her day with a clogged toilet and a loveable but gassy pug. And then things get even more complicated when the man who claims he owns her grandmother's B&B turns up dead in her koi pond! With a full house, a grumpy sheriff telling her to mind her own, and a pair of housekeepers that seem to hate her, Fiona has her hands full.Where to start? The dead body? The well-written main character? The interesting cast of conflicting personalities? The Shyamalan-style twist at the end I didn't see coming at all? The cheese-loving, ever-farting pug?Bed, Breakfast, and Murder was a treat to read after a difficult day. Now, this book had a few errors in its grammar and syntax-wise, but it was nothing story breaking. The author's voice is strong and full of great humor. Both self- and the world in general depreciating, the dialogue was well-flowing and very human. The whodunit aspect wasn't predictable at all, as it seemed there was an endless flow of potential suspects to the untimely demise of a super shady developer.There was quite a bit of playful humor in Ms. Lawson's writing. And a delightful collection of humanity and flaws in most of her characters. There was a decent representation of bias, assumptions, and secrets being kept. The internal debate Fiona had between loving and bopping her dear bubble-headed friend Daisy is something I think everyone struggles with now and again. As well as the debate as to whether or not a cute butt attached to someone who's a pain in yours? Totally relatable.While this is the first book in a series, it was a complete story unto itself. As it was written, it was also I am most certainly looking forward to reading the next book or nine in the series.It will be interesting to see how Malcolm Murray and Fiona's father cross path in future stories.Representation and Sexism Tests:Bechdel–Wallace Test: PASSDo two female characters talk about something other than a male character? YESDuVernay Test: FAILAre there fully actualized characters of color? NOEllen Willis Test: PASSWould two related characters still work to carry the story if their genders were reversed? YESMako Mori Test: PASSIs there a female character? YESDoes she get her own arc? YES NODoes it do anything other than supporting a man’s story? YESSexy Lamp Test: PASSWould the plot fall apart if the female character was replaced by a sexy looking lamp? AbsolutelyVito Russo Test: PASSIs there a character on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum? YESAre they a character beyond their orientation? YESDo they affect the plot? YESSimilar reviews of more of my #200Books for 2019 on PostmarkWonderland!
Well, I'm not an old fuddy-duddy, so I didn't find myself outraged to read about Fiona's struggles with a clogged toilet in chapter 1. I thought it was hilarious. As were the adorable little pug's gaseous punctuations.Yes, there are some run-on sentences in this book. Yes, it could have used another editing pass. But I am forgiving all that because the story was great. It kept me guessing and I was shocked at the end by the big reveal--though it wasn't the sort of deus ex machina that a lot of cozies resort to.Despite my comments above, this story is really well written. I couldn't put it down. And I sympathize with the author, to be honest. In this day and age, an author has to produce a LOT of work in order to survive financially.That said, I'd advise her to give a good editor carte blanche and just accept the need for someone else to have a cut. This author is extremely talented and stands to make a lot more money on her huge volume of work if she doesn't have these kinds of negative reviews getting in her way of success. I'll keep reading--and enjoying them--despite the errors. Churning out that kind of volume with this kind of quality isn't easy and I recognize talent when I see it.Highly recommended if you don't have overly-developed delicate sensibilities. If you can get past the fact that dogs actually do pass wind, sometimes at the worst possible times, and that someone who'd never unclogged a toilet in her life might comically struggle with that job--Enjoy!
Very good cozy mystery. The luck of an inheritance can really fall hard upon you, especially if it is a windfall of a B&B left by your grandmother Iris. Fiona Fleming has retreated to her hometown after a long period of employment in New York. Adjusting to the change of pace, handling a B&B with 2 very silent slightly resentful employees afraid they will be fired, a friend with flighty conversational skills enhanced by awkward statements in ill-planned occasions, makes the "staff" meetings unique. Fiona's parents live nearby; her mother Polly, gourmand chef at home with little appreciation from her gruff husband John, the former sheriff recently retired. John is still angry at not being able to finish some secret investigations that no one else seems to follow-up. Crew, the new sheriff was John's protégé and friend who now has to tamp down John's snooping in the middle of his duties. Fiona finds that someone has a deed signed by her grandmother giving the inn to a businessman of many talents! Enter a pug Petunia, snorting, farting, and begging for treats, as the final inheritance from grandmother Iris. Iris, John, and Fiona all delve into the mystery of the deed using clues from her departed Iris. Add a dead man, supposed owner of the B&B planted in her koi pond at Fiona's and we have a wonderfully entertaining romp of "who-done it" to keep you reading up to the final conclusion. Enjoy the wonderful characters and settle down for a good read.
It is stories like this that make me hate digital books. It was very frustrating to have to wait for my tablet to recharge. This first book with Fiona and Petunia was one of the most entertaining books that I have read in a long time. I did not want to put it down and can't wait to read the next book in the series. I absolutely love Fee and Petunia. Fiona is smart and snarky and so very funny that I found myself wishing that I knew someone like her. Her adorable sidekick, Petunia, is wonderfully precious and so very puggy that you can't help but fall in love with her, farts and all. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a lot of humor thrown in and an adorable inherited Pug.
This is the first Fiona Fleming book I’ve read. To all who complained about the first chapter being gross get over it. Fiona recently left her cheating ex in New York and returned to her home town of Reading after finding out her grandmother passed and left her her beloved B&B and pug! Her first day in charge she realizes it not as glamorous as she thought it would be hence the first chapter of plunging toliets! The next day a man comes by claiming her beloved Aunt Iris left him the B&B. When he turns up dead in her koi pond the next day she is suspect number one. Her dad who is the ex sheriff says he will look into it. But her dream job of being a detective that her dad squashed hasn’t squashed her desire to be one. As she investigates she finds there are more secrets and crimes going on in the sleepy town than anyone knows. This was a fun read with great characters and more twists and turns than you would expect. Bonus was an ending no one would suspect! I highly recommend this book and once you get past the first chapter it really takes off.
I pretty much agree with every bad review. Conversely, I agree with a lot of what the positive reviewers had to say. The bad: The ridiculous toilet plunging and subsequent meandering through the kitchen and guest area? That must have been to show her engagement with managing the B&B, because she pretty much abdicates that job throughout the remainder of the book. The grammar, sentence structure, run on sentences, incorrect word usage! I thought I would have to abandon this book because I constantly found myself going back to reread portions, breaking them down and rewriting into some semblance of sense. I, too, tired of the constant preoccupation with scat and flatulence, but it was fairly easy to skip through. Surprised to see so many reviewers saying it was a surprise ending. It tried but seriously, I was pretty sure of who-done-it as soon as the character was introduced. Characters you care little about, especially the protagonist. I wanted to like her but her dominant personality trait was stupidity. These are all things I find grating, but they don't seem to bother a lot of readers.The good: It gets better. The reader does become engaged with the convoluted, but still engaging plot. The run on sentences seem to either disappear or one gets used to the style and they aren't as noticeable or annoying.I admit that when I looked up the author, thinking this must be a first attempt, I was shocked at the extensive body of work. And the author seemed genuinely likable and enthusiastic about her work. So, this might be exactly what you are looking for in a day at the beach kind of read. I don't think I will be adding any more of this series to my over-laden Kindle library.
I always love to read an unknown author of a series and become totally enthralled with the plot. In this case the adventure takes us along with the usual characters, but that is not where the rubber meets the road in this whodunit, Bed & Breakfast&Murder by Patti Larsen. Our protagonist is the daughter of a retired(not sure willingly) sheriff by the grand name of Fiona Fleming..who returns home from NYC to take over the care and management of Grandmother Iris's B & B. The timing is perfect as Fiona desperately needed to flee what seemed to be a loving and faithful relationship with her beau Ryan who she worked her keister off to help pay for his law degree. Unfortunately Ryan was diddling more than his books! Heartbroken, Fiona returns home to Reading, VT when her gran unexpectedly meets her maker while recovering from a stroke at the local Nursing Home. But that of course, dear reader is where the path becomes long and winding and Fiona is met with challenges of ownership..WHAT??. did I mention her mom and dad also live in the same town. Fiona also inherits her Gran's Pug, Petunia (not unlike Bulldog mascot UGA 1-6) Petunia is one of several in the chain, and that relationship takes a little getting use to. There are townies, newbies and ultimately a handsome Sheriff who has replaced her Dad..a dude from CA. Yes, this one kept me intrigued and guessing all the way up to the end, with the usual red herrings, and outings. I have already ordered the next in the series.
I have found a new author that has grabbed my attention. She blends humor and sarcasm in a story that is sassy and full of great characters. Fee has just returned to her small town to run the B&B her grandmother left her. I loved her character so much I wanted to be her friend. She is funny and sure knows how to upset the new sheriff in town.Fee has a pug who is a big plus for the story. Petunia is perhaps a bit overweight and maybe a bit stinky sometimes, but oh my the dog stole my heart. I don't think Fee was well received by the employees at the B&B but after all, she really knows little about running the place. The author had me loving this story from the beginning with Fee and her attitude. When a body is found on her property, the finger pointing starts. There is a cast of suspects that the sheriff will have to interrogate. Crew is the new sheriff and Fee is not really impressing him much. Could it be that Fee's dad use to be the sheriff? Fee is determined to find out answers on her own which doesn't sit well with Crew. There are quite a few surprises in the story and you better hold on tight as the ending will blow you away. I was shocked and loved the unexpected turn of events. I didn't see it coming and was so impressed with the authors twists and turns in the story. This is one author I am excited to find. I can't wait for the next book in the series. What will Fee get into next? Will Fee and Crew become friends? Grab your copy and get comfy. This is one story you will be glad you read.I received a copy of this book from The Great Escape Book Tour. The review is my own opinion.
From on of my favorite authors comes a new series unlike her others! Love it! And into the Cozy realm she goes! Ms Larson strikes again!Bed and Breakfast and Murder- Fiona Fleming Cozy Mysteries book 1 by Patti LarsonFiona Fleming a new sleuth in town? Well not according to her that is! She's just moved back to Reading Vermont because her grandma, Iris Fleming, died and she inherited her B&B Petunia's. And also ironically enough, her pug, also named Petunia! Petunia is a fawn colored black eared, black, wrinkly faced, curly-tailed junk eating and farting, lovable pug that belonged to her grandma. Which worked out because she was out of a job and her boyfriend of 5 years cheated on her.Fiona is the daughter of the previous sherif in town, so everyone knows her. Not that everyone doesn't know everybody in town to begin with. This being a small town to begin with!Fiona has barely begun when Pete Wilkins is murdered by her koi pond. And the gloves are on! The new sherif wants her to stay out of it, her dad was already investigating him, and on top of that Pete had a deed signed by her grandmother saying he owned the B&B so she is squarely a person of interest!Can Fee survive the small town after being in New York for awhile or will she cave from the chores that come with owning a B&B?b