Pulp Friction (A Cider Shop Mystery #2) by Julie Anne Lindsey

Nothing’s sweeter than a fruitful family business, and for Winona Mae Montgomery and her Granny Smythe, that means Smythe Orchards in Blossom Valley, Virginia. But this year’s apple crop is especially juicy—with scandal . . .

SEEDS OF DANGER

Thanks to Winnie's new cider shop, Smythe Orchards is out of the red and folks can get their fix of the produce and other delectable products they love all year round. The locals are even booking the shop for events, including a June wedding! Winnie couldn’t be happier to see the barn filled to the rafters for the big bash—until her doting ex, Hank, is caught in a heated argument with the groom. Winnie plans to scold Hank after the party, but spots him running off instead. And when the groom turns up dead, apparently hit by the honeymoon getaway car, Hank is the main suspect. Now Hank is on the lam, and it’s up to Winnie to get to the core of the truth—before the real killer puts the squeeze on her . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)


There is nothing like opening up a book that is a part of a series and instantly getting lost in the story.  As soon as you start reading you are back in the town with the people and it is like you never left.....that is the feeling you get as soon as you start reading Pulp Friction, the second book in Julie Anne Lindsey's Cider Shop Mystery series.  Once you read the first book, Apple Cider Slaying, you know that you will return to this series whenever a new book comes out.

Once you start reading Pulp Friction you are back at Smythe Orchards in Blossom Valley, Virginia  hanging out with Granny Smythe and her granddaughter Winnie Mae.  And all you want to do is hang around the orchard and cider shop with Winnie.  And in the beginning of Pulp Friction they are hosting a wedding in the big historical barn which they had redone for things like this.  It's a young couple who were in the middle of planning a big city wedding where they live but the bride changed things in the middle and wanted it to be a small country wedding and Smythe Orchards would be perfect.

Unfortunately they did not know that during the reception when all the guests and most of the town were partying in the barn, the groom would get run over by the car the bride and groom were suppose to ride away with to start their new life together.  And to make things worse, Winnie saw her ex-boyfriend Hank arguing with the groom and peeling out of the parking lot right before the groom was found dead.

Even though Hank is her ex-boyfriend and the Sheriff keeps telling Winnie to stay out of it, she cannot help but do her own innocent investigating.  She can't help it really, her brain just won't shut down.....

Julie Anne Lindsey captures the readers attention immediately and you cannot help but get lost in the story.  You will see everything so clearly in your mind and wish you could be there with Winne, except for the scary parts, those you will be thankful you are on your couch reading it and it isn't real.  So I highly recommend grabbing your copy of Pulp Friction and it wouldn't be a bad idea to grab the first book, Apple Cider Slaying, while your at it.


Review by Missi M.