Reviewed by annieb123 on
Well-Offed in Vermont is the first book in a small-town cozy mystery series by Amy Patricia Meade. Originally published in 2011, this reformat and re-release 5th Oct 2021 is 181 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats (other editions in other formats). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is an entertaining and engaging cozy featuring a married couple who have moved to the country in Vermont to get away from big city life and the first thing they find on the first day moving in is a dead man hidden in their well. The local sherriff closes off their home as a potential crime scene and Nick & Stella decide to help investigate.
The pool of suspects is small, and although the denouement and resolution are fairly easy to guess beforehand, they're well written and satisfying. It works perfectly well as a standalone, and is a nice lead-in to the next book in the series. The language is clean, and there's no graphic violence or sexual content. This would be a good choice for lovers of light cozies, the kind with whimsically eccentric small town characters, a town diner, and rural countryside.
Four stars. This will appeal to cozy readers.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 16 October, 2021: Finished reading
- 16 October, 2021: Reviewed