Wendy Tyson
I heard about this book in an article shared by JJ Hensley on LinkedIn. I was looking for a fun Christmas read for this issue, so I took a chance on this new mystery, Seeds of Revenge by Wendy Tyson.
Tyson, who is originally from the Philadelphia area, has a background in law and psychology. She lives on a micro-farm with her husband, three kids and three dogs. She has authored the Allison Campbell mystery series and the Greenhouse Mysteries series. This is her third book in the Greenhouse Mystery series.
Megan Sawyer is a former attorney who returned to her hometown to start a new life after her husband's death in Afghanistan. She is now an organic farmer and café owner in the sleepy southeastern Pennsylvania town of Winsome. Running Washington Acres Organic farm and Washington Acres Café and Larder might seem like a lot, but Megan also finds time to solve the occasional murder.
Tyson’s characters are quirky and fit their small town setting without being cliché. Dr. Daniel “Denver” Finn, Megan's love interest, is a Scottish veterinarian. She lives with her grandmother, Bonnie whom she refers to as “Bibi.” Bibi is fiercely loyal, opinionated, spry, and she knows her way around the kitchen, so I found myself getting hungry just reading her scenes.
On the way home from hawking her organic produce to upscale restaurants in the Philadelphia area, Megan encounters a young women whose car is stuck in the snow. Becca Fox, the “love chemist,” specializes in the use of pheromones in colognes, lotions and bath products. She was on her way to Winsome to stay with her Aunt Meredith while launching her new business during the holidays.
When Becca’s estranged father, Paul Fox, ends up dead, Megan finds herself playing detective to try to clear Becca’s name. When it’s discovered that Fox’s murder and other strange events in town follow the plots of mystery novels written by Megan’s Aunt Sarah, Megan must sift through decades of lies and family mysteries to find the truth.
I enjoyed the intricacy of the plot and the relationships between the characters. It’s the perfect sort of book for winter reading. It is super cold outside, so grab your favorite hot beverage and a warm blanket and snuggle up with Seeds of Revenge by Wendy Tyson.
Wendy Tyson’s books are available on amazon.com and in bookstores. Her other titles include: Killer Image, Deadly Assets, Dying Brand, and Fatal Façade (the Allison Campbell mystery series) and A Muddied Harvest and Bitter Harvest (the Greenhouse Mysteries).
Photos courtesy of Wendy Tyson