The start of a new series always excites me as a reader. Especially when it is written by an author I know and enjoy. MURDER ON DEVIL’S POND is the first book in Ayla Rose’s Hummingbird Hollow B&B mystery series. (For those unfamiliar with Ayla Rose, you may know her as Wendy Tyson or Liv Andersson.) This first book lays a solid foundation for more to come at the Hummingbird Hollow Bed & Breakfast.

Protagonist Hannah has recently returned to her small Vermont hometown, lured home by the opportunity to renovate and operate the new B&B. She has dreams of converting large swaths of the land to be rich and colorful habitats for bees and other pollinators, and Hannah relies on the experience and expertise of her neighbor, Ezra, in her efforts. Ezra is cantankerous on the best of days, but he holds a special place in Hannah’s heart. Their relationship makes his sudden and violent death all the more devastating for Hannah, and she soon finds herself embroiled in a contentious and acrimonious battle between Ezra’s niece and nephews for a surprisingly large inheritance. As much as Hannah wants to stay out of it, she is inextricably linked to the life and death of her friend–and she might be harboring a murderer at the B&B.

Ayla Rosa paints a vivid scene of the Vermont mountains and the idyllic town of Jasper. She has also introduced a cast of characters ready for more complex revelations in future books of this series—one I’m looking forward to following and enjoying.

I thank NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and the author for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

MURDER ON DEVIL’S POND will be published on June 9, 2024.