Product Description

Sisters and innkeepers Meg and Quill have an inn full of guests who can't stop fighting. Soon, one ends up murdered on a pig farm. And when a psychic correctly predicts a second murder, business grinds to a halt.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #554706 in Books
• Published on: 2007-02-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Customer Reviews

Interesting Concept on Food Production
I have found this series to be very entertaining. This entry does not disappoint. The clientele of this hotel are definitely not getting along and the clues hold your attention without giving away the perpetrator too soon. I only give it four stars since some of the characters can be quite irritating. It is still a good read.

So-so installment
I usually like the Inn at Hemlock Falls series, but this one was a little tough to get through. There were a lot of characters to keep straight, in addition to the usual local characters. Plus, one of my favorite characters, Myles, isn't even in the book at all.

The plot was ok, but again, it was a bit difficult to get through this book. Perhaps the characters have been thoroughly flushed out, and there is no more here to discover? It just seemed a bit boring, as if I've read this book before, but perhaps a few little details were altered to make it seem new.

I recommend the series, and I think I will go back and read some of the earlier books to remind myself of why I love the series.

Pet food shenanigans in Hemlock Falls
Welcome to Hemlock Falls, members of the International Association of Pet Food Providers. While you stay with us you will enjoy screaming at each other over whether you should start making all of your food vegan (?????); murders of several of your members; and enough deciet and business complications to make everyone afraid of coming in touch with you. But fear not! the Inn's owner, her sister, and her friend will come and bug you as they are on a mission (assigned to them by the Mayor no less) to solve the crime!

The plotting in this book is completely preposterous. Not only are we supposed to believe that this "International" association has only eight members; they all live and operate only in Syracuse or in the midwest; they each have more money than Croesus; yet a disbarred lawyer is a prominent member of the group? One body is discovered right off the bat in the first chapter and another about half way into the book.

Quill, Meg, and Marge are off to solve the case as the insipid local sheriff, the slimy state police, and all the other law enforcement bodies are off taking care of other things (like what?). One complication leads to another and there are many funny moments in the bok which makes it worth while reading. For instance, the description of how the 36 year old Quill is transformed into a 20-something computer geekette had me howling in laughter!

On the other hand, the plotting of the mystery was way too complex involving as it did: use of some uncommon ingredients for making pet food; puppy mills; multiple business deals amongst a very small group of people; two murders; sleight of hand; and more. So many plot elements amongst such a small number of people made for a very confusing situation which was clearly unnecessary. I also did not like the recycling of the plot. The pet food switcheroo was way too reminiscent of the plot involving the paint factory from several stories ago. My final complaint about this book is that Marge Schmidt is increasing being presented as this incredible industrial mogul who owns companies in all kinds of businesses all over the world rather that what she started out as - a restaurant owner in Hemlock Falls. One would think that if Marge was truly that much of a conglomerate, that she would be spending a lot of time running all those companies rather than constantly being in the little town where her restaurant was and being courted by a local dairy farmer!

As to the romance between the various women and their lovers: Quill married McHale; Meg is flirting with another chef after jilting the doctor on their wedding day; Marge gets hitched with her farmer; and John Raintree has a new baby -- which causes Quill and Meg to decide that it's time to become mommies. So, the mystery that remains is: Will Quill solve the next mystery while she is pregnant? Or, after the baby is born?