by Tracy Condie

This week we have a review of the latest Barks and Beans Cozy Mystery series, along with an interesting interview with Heather. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

Shade Grown by Heather Gilbert
Review by Tracy Condie

This new Beans & Barks mystery starts with a home and garden tour gone wrong when siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield come upon more than just dead leaves by the hostas in the memorial shade garden. If you are unfamiliar with the Barks & Beans series, that’s okay because Ms. Gilbert does a great job of giving enough backstory to get you into the loop without making you dizzy. Imagine a cozy coffee café and a dog rescue meet-n-greet area combined and you have the Barks & Beans café. You also have a great brother and sister team who solve mysteries and rehome pups while serving quality coffee drinks with amazing latte art that rivals even those of Tinsel Town.

Macy has no intention of getting involved in this murder; after all, she wasn’t really a fan of the deceased. No, I’m not saying that she didn’t like him personally; I mean that she wasn’t star-struck by Cody Franklin, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Macy’s involvement stems from being moved to help Aspen, Cody’s devastated half-sister who is wondering if her brother was once again involved with drugs. In addition to being disappointed in her brother’s return to drugs, she is scared that she may be in danger.

It turns out that Tobias Blum, the business manager, was the next one to go, the victim of a drug overdose. Unfortunately, drug issues are not limited to big city life, and even this cozy West Virginia town has its own problems and a dangerous drug lady, who has taken up where her prison husband left off.
Speaking of problems, there are several suspects for Macy to choose from starting with a resurfaced drug dealer known as Boss Hog––yes, the name is just like that of the Dukes of Hazzard. Boss Hog was seen having a chat with Chancellor the handsome yet cocky and slightly misogynistic contractor who was supposed to be doing renovation work to the deceased’s home. The house isn’t the only thing getting fixed up. Jason Lilly, the landscaper who designed the memorial garden, didn’t like Cody Franklin’s attitude or lack of respect for the memorial shade garden or the confederate soldier who was placed there as a final resting place generations ago. Macy even begins to question whether Aspen has something to do with the murder to jump-start her movie career. Finally, there is the mysterious ice-blonde stylishly-tailored woman seen dashing out of sight after Bo gets the crime scene cleared of possible spectators. This story and Macy keep you turning pages as she looks for answers from a variety of sources including her FBI boyfriend Titan.

Woven in and out of the story is the usual subplot involving Macy’s big loveable dog Coal the Great Dane who often acts as her “wingman” while she’s sleuthing when he isn’t playing with other pups at the café that are visiting from the local shelter and looking for new homes. I am not sure which part of the story I like best, the mystery or the happy homing of various dogs. I do know that I enjoy these stories and can’t wait for the next one.

Tracy Condie is a paralegal by day and cozy armchair sleuth by night. When she is not working or reading, she enjoys preparing the recipes found in culinary cozies or researching recipes of meal items described therein and sharing reviews of both books and food on Instagram and on KRL. She lives in Corona, California with her husband and dog Zoolie, and looks forward to visiting with their grown sons when their time permits.

Interview With Heather Day Gilbert:

KRL: How long have you been writing?

Heather: Over fifteen years as far as novels, but I’ve been writing stories and poems since I was young.

KRL: When did your first novel come out, what was it called, and would you tell us a little about it?

Heather: My first novel, God’s Daughter, was a Viking historical that released in 2013. It’s biographical fiction about the real Viking woman, Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir, who sailed to North America long before Columbus. It’s heavily based on the Icelandic sagas. You can watch me share about Gudrid on a TV documentary called Templars on Amazon Prime–it’s episode 4, “Gudrid the Fair.”

Heather Day Gilbert

KRL: How fun! Have you mostly written mysteries/suspense and if not, what else have you written?

Heather: I wrote Viking “historicals” first, but I’ve also written romantic suspense and Christian mysteries. I’m currently working on two new genres in 2024, but cozy mystery is a great fit for me, so I will keep building my cozy series, as well.

KRL: What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book/series?

Heather: The Barks & Beans Cafe series has been developed over the years, and it’s eight books strong now. The two main characters were the first people I brainstormed – a brother named Bo (Boaz) and a sister named Macy Hatfield. Both have returned to their hometown to start a cafe where people can pet shelter dogs. With each mystery, readers meet more people in the town of Lewisburg, a real town in West Virginia that I visit often for inspiration. Quirky characters pop in like shelter dog dropout, Waffles, Macy’s “found family” neighbor Vera, and busybody Matilda Crump, who has the most hilarious things to say in her faux-British accent.

KRL: Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to experience from your work?

Heather: I’ve had so many positive reader responses to this series. Some have told me the series was a welcome reprieve while they are recovering from chemo or illness. Some have told me the characters feel so real, it’s like hanging out with old friends every time you open a new book. Some tell me it’s so hard to find clean, positive reads for themselves or their grandchildren, and they thank me for writing clean mysteries. I write for all these reasons, and I’m thankful my books are a kind of oasis and delight to my readers.

KRL: Do you have a schedule for your writing or just work whenever you can?

Heather: I generally write while my youngest, in fourth grade, is in school. My family always comes before my writing, so they’re priority number one and I work around their needs.

KRL: What is your ideal time to write?

Heather: After I’ve had at least one cup of coffee! LOL. I’ve trained my brain to get going in the morning, around nine.

KRL: Do you outline? If not, do you have some other interesting way that you keep track of what’s going on, or what needs to happen in your book when you are writing it?

Heather: I have discovered that heavy outlining helps so much when writing cozy mysteries. Other genres work differently for me, but I always have a rough outline, so I know which direction I’m heading.

KRL: Did you find it difficult to get published in the beginning?

Heather: Yes, although I was agented early, it took years until I decided to stop submitting to publishers and to independently publish my first book. Since then, I’ve been both traditionally and independently published, and there are benefits and drawbacks to both.

KRL: Do you have a great rejection/critique or acceptance story you’d like to share?

Heather: In this industry, it’s easy to place all our value on the accolades we get or the positive reviews or acceptances. I have to constantly remind myself that I have to be the biggest believer in my writing – more than any agent, publisher, or reviewer could ever be. Only then will I be committed to getting my work out there.

KRL: Most interesting book signing story-in a bookstore or other venue?

Heather: All my book signings have gone really well, actually. I’m always so thrilled to talk to readers, and they have always been encouraging. I’ve talked to fifth/sixth graders, senior citizen groups, and more, and I’m always impressed by the questions people have to ask!

KRL: What are your future writing goals?

Heather: To keep writing my Barks & Beans Cafe series up to book ten and maybe beyond, and to write the genres I love until I can’t write anymore.

KRL: Who are your writing heroes?

Heather: Agatha Christie, hands down, but there are many other authors I love! I just appreciate the impact she had with her clever mysteries.

KRL: What kind of research do you do?

Heather: Whatever research is necessary. For my Viking books, it’s historical research, and for my mysteries, you don’t even WANT to know the types of things I’m looking up online! I also go on dates to Lewisburg with my husband often to research for my Barks & Beans Cafe series set there.

KRL: What do you like to read?

Heather: Classics, psychological thrillers, mysteries – a little of this and that!

KRL: What are your favorite TV shows or movies?

Heather: One mystery show my husband and I love is Death in Paradise, set in the Caribbean. It has a cozy mystery feel.

KRL: I love that show! Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?

Heather: Work hard on your book and don’t be afraid to get it out there for others to read.

KRL: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

Heather: I feel pretty proud that I beat the original Tomb Raider game. LOL

KRL: Do you have any pets?

Heather: We have five cats and a dog. 🙂 Although I’m a dog person, but we have very chill cats.

KRL: Is there anything you would like to add?

Heather: Thank you for having me today!

KRL: Thank you for joining us! Website? Twitter? Facebook? Instagram?

Heather: Website: heatherdaygilbert.com
Facebook Author Page: facebook.com/heatherdaygilbert
Twitter: @heatherdgilbert
Instagram: @heatherdaygilbert
Bookbub: bookbub.com/authors/heather-day-gilbert

To enter to win a copy of Shade Grown (print US only, or ebook international), simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “shade” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen February 17, 2024. U.S. residents only for print version, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode goes up next week.

You can also click here to purchase this book.

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