Golden Malicious
Sheila Connolly

Genre:
Mystery
Rating:

BEETLE MANIA

While orchard owner Meg Corey dreads the labor of manual irrigation to stave off a drought, her boyfriend, Seth, couldn’t be more excited about doing historic renovation on one of Granford’s oldest houses. Tagging along as he picks up supplies is supposed to give Meg a much-needed break, but the trip turns rotten when she almost trips over a dead body at an old saw mill’s forest reserve.

But the body isn’t the only frightening discovery she makes. A mysterious insect infestation seems to have migrated to the area—one that could bring serious harm to local woodlands. And it's up to Meg to find out what’s behind this sudden swarm of trouble.

Includes Delicious Recipes

Review

For fans of:  Paige Shelton

It's an unusually hot, dry summer in Granford, Massachusetts, and orchard owner Meg Corey has been working her butt off to try and keep her apple trees irrigated and alive. The labor is mentally and physically exhausting, so when her boyfriend Seth invites her to take a break and accompany him on a trip to a local saw mill, she happily accepts. Unfortunately, while exploring one of the mill's wood lots, Meg stumbles across two things that only add to her stress level: the corpse of local forester David Clapp, and evidence of a beetle infestation that could devastate the area's woodlands. The insects in question have never been seen in Granford before, so how did they get there? Was Clapp murdered, or did he die of natural causes? And are he and the bugs somehow connected? Meg's determined to get to the bottom of things, but if she's not careful, the trees won't be the only things not to survive the season.

Golden Malicious is the seventh of Sheila Connolly's Orchard Mysteries, and it's my favorite to date. One of the things I like best about Connolly's writing is the fact that she doesn't talk down to her readers; her plots are unique, intelligent, and complex, and chances are good that when you read one of her books, you'll learn something. Golden Malicious, for example, isn't your typical whodunit; yes, there's a dead body, and yes, Meg and company do put some time and effort into learning what killed said body, but the puzzle at the heart of the tale doesn't concern the corpse – it revolves around the strange insect found lying nearby. That's right – it's a mystery about a bug. A whole mess of bugs, really. And you know what? It's not only informative (I now know way more about trees, invasive species, drought management, and antique house restoration than I did before), it’s fascinating. The pace is quick, the narrative drive is strong, and the tension remains high throughout.

The book's characters are no slouch, either. Meg is a strong, smart, independent heroine. More curious than nosy, her no-nonsense approach to sleuthing is refreshing. She's wonderfully levelheaded; you don't see her falling to pieces when she encounters a setback at her orchard or when she's faced with large insects or decomposing foresters. She handles life's stressors – mental, physical, emotional, and economic – with grace, aplomb, and practicality.  And while I'm not wild about Meg's boyfriend Seth (something about him just rubs me the wrong way), the relationship the two share is realistic, nuanced, and, like all good fictional romances, not without its problems.

Looking for a fun read that won’t rot your brain? Buy yourself a copy of Sheila Connolly’s Golden Malicious and prepare to be edu-tained.

Reviewed by Kat