Barbara Howard

Final Harvest is the first book in a new series. The mystery is subtle as the story is more focused on Traci and her growth as a character. She has grown up in foster care and is having a hard time of it being an adult. She is a wonderfully vulnerable charter that immediately resonates with the reader. It is obvious that she has great potential and inner strength, but she doesn’t know it yet.

After losing yet another job, she finds herself taking the long way home and in her travels comes across a neighborhood she hadn’t quite explored yet. She finds Rowena Garrett’s urban farm and a group of misfit people who don’t seem to really fit in anywhere but belong together somehow. When Rowena turns up dead and one of her young workers is sure it is murder, Traci finds herself digging into Rowena’s past to find a way to keep developers from taking the farm from the group.

Though a bit tetchy at first glance several of the secondary characters bring warmth and color to the story. There is Moe, formerly of Moe’s Tavern, who has been knocked down by life but is resolved to find his way again, and there is Milo a young man who knows his way through back alleys and finds in Traci a kindred spirit. Then there is Officer Wells. He doesn’t talk much about Rowena’s case, except to warn Traci to be careful. He has set himself to watching over her and her new friends. While he does produce warm and fuzzies for her, she realizes she is a bit of a hot mess and doesn’t pursue his subtle encouragement. I am looking forward to seeing that develop in further books.

This would be a five-star read for me, the bones of the story are solid and the characters are wonderful. Still, I think the mystery end of things needed a bit of filling in it felt a bit rushed at the end. I am very much looking forward to the next two books, as the characters introduced in this story, will be terrific with their own storylines.



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