Shelby McDonald is a widow who lives on the family farm with her twelve-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son. She's offered her farm for a church fundraiser, and everything seems to be going along swimmingly when she steps into her mudroom only to find the body of the minister's wife. Stunned, she can't think who would want to kill the woman.

But she plans on staying out of the investigation until her best friend Kelly, the local veterinarian, asks her to investigate, because Kelly believes her fiancé Seth could have possibly committed the murder. What's a woman to do? Of course she agrees and hopes to find the true killer before the killer finds her...

Well, since this is the first in a new series, I usually give the author a pass and at least offer two stars if the book isn't up to par...and I did try, indeed I did. But there was so much I just couldn't get past to give it any more than that.

She has her daughter - did I mention she's twelve? - sneaking out behind her back with a fourteen-year-old boy and everyone around her thinks it's just fine except for her. Are her friends hillbillies who think girls need to be married at thirteen or they become old maids? What the heck is the matter with them? She's twelve, for heaven's sake! I hope Shelby's not surprised when she's a grandmother in a year or two. Mom doesn't want to confront her daughter figuring it's a phase. Can you say spineless? Because that's what Shelby is. Tell your daughter no, and tell the boy's mother no. Bad parenting is what it is. Also, she might want to think about having her kids do a few chores around the farm. They live there, too. Would it be so difficult if they collected eggs or fed the chickens?

And speaking of bad parenting, someone steals her son's zucchini that he was going to enter in the county fair. Her son is eight. He's a child. So when she finds out who steals it, she confronts the woman, and the woman's response is that her own son just needs to win the contest. So that makes it alright? Theft is fine as long as it benefits someone else? Her son's feelings don't matter? So what does she do? She asks her about the murder! That's right, asks her about the murder. It's perfectly fine to steal her son's zucchini and break his heart as long as she gets information. Are you freakin' kidding me? I would have left, and as I was going out the door, I would have told her that she can forget about it because I was going to the fair judges to tell them what she'd done. How many times has this woman done this in the past, and if she gets away with it once, she'll do it again. But it's okay because she could ask questions about the murder, right? Yeah, go home and tell your boy that you told her you knew what she'd done but you didn't do anything about it because you wanted to ask her a question. That will make him feel better.

Then we come to the subject of Kelly who thinks her boyfriend is capable of murder. Why is she marrying him then? Are there no other men in this town? Sorry, but if you believe the man you're going to wed has committed murder, then maybe you should back out of the marriage. Don't make him mad or you could be next...

Sorry, but Shelby is a weak woman; she seems to be apologizing to everyone and walks on eggshells around her daughter. Grow a backbone, woman! So, in the end, I will read the next in this series and see if it improves. Perhaps Shelby will have grown up by then. ( )

I liked that Shelby McDonald is a mom, with a lot of irons in the fire including running a blog, her household and her now organic farm. While I didn't the back cover copy really illustrated truly that her friend Kelly was under as much suspicion as she was after the death of the minister's wife on Shelby's farm, I kept up with the multitude of new characters and suspects as the story went along. I didn't quite see the way the story was going to play out until it did, but it kind of made sense, in a way. I will certainly look for the next one, to see which characters move on to be series regulars. ( )

No Farm, No Foul by Peg Cochran is the first book in the Farmer's Daughter Mystery series. Shelby McDonald is running her family farm (Love Blossom Farm) and taking care of her two children (Amelia and Billy). Shelby's husband has passed away (Wild Bill) and Shelby still misses him (and it does not help that his brother looks so much like Bill). Shelby is hosting a potluck on the farm for St. Andrew's Church to raise money for the desperately needed new roof. Prudence, the pastor's wife, was washing out her crockpot in the mudroom sink, and Shelby went to check on her. Shelby found Prudence dead on the floor of the mudroom with the cord to the crockpot wrapped around her neck. Shelby rushes outside and yells for someone to call 911. While waiting for the police, several people go into the mudroom (ruining the crime scene) to check it out (idiots). Who wanted Prudence dead? She was annoying, but worth killing? Shelby cannot help but look into this crime (it did happen in her mudroom). Maybe there is more to the pastor and his wife than any of them know (like why has the pastor had three different placements in three years). Can Shelby find the culprit before the killer decides she has been too nosy?

No Farm, No Foul is a good concept, but needs a little work. Too much time is spent on Amelia, Shelby's daughter, and the many ways the tween has found to disobey and annoy her mother (and the mother is not taking the appropriate action). I wanted more time spent on the murder and less on Amelia's antics. It got on my nerves! I liked Shelby's blog posts (humorous and interesting). She mentions some delicious sounding recipes (which are at the end of the book). No Farm, No Foul is easy to read, entertaining and likeable characters, and a great setting (Love Blossom Farm in Lovett, Michigan). The mystery was extremely simple and easy to solve. I knew who committed the crime before the body was found (not good). One clue was all I needed to solve it (it was obvious). I give No Farm, No Foul 3.75 out of 5 stars. I think the author could have used fewer ten dollar words (that’s what my father always called them). An example is obstreperousness (it means noisily unruly or defiant). Did she really need to use this word? That is just one example. With a little tweaking, this could be a very enjoyable new cozy mystery series. I will read the next book in A Farmer’s Daughter Mystery series.

I received a complimentary copy of No Farm, No Foul from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own. ( )

No Farm, No Foul is the first book in the A Farmer’s Daughter Mystery series.

And an interesting and enjoyable series it looks to be.

Shelby McDonald, a widow, is busy raising her two children, writing a blog of her daily activities, making homemade cheeses and tending to her vegetable garden.

Volunteers from the St. Andrews Church are at Shelby’s farm, putting on a fundraiser for much-needed repairs to the church’s roof. As the successful fundraiser is winding down, Prudence Mather, the minister’s wife asks Shelby if she can rinse out her slow-cooker and Shelby directs her to the mudroom. When Shelby is done in the house she starts to pass through the mudroom when comes across the lifeless body of Prudence.

Shelby’s best friend, the local vet, Kelly Thacker feels that she might become a suspect. But as Shelby begins to look into the mysterious death, she soon finds other people who might have wanted Prudence dead.

Once again, Cochran has provided the reader with a wonderful and believable cast of characters. Amelia and Billy, her 12 and 8-year old children provided considerable entertainment for this reader. They are at that age where will giving their mother gray hairs. Shelby wouldn’t have the time to investigate if it weren’t for her lovable neighbor Bertha, who helps watch the kids and helps out around the house. And for a possible romantic interest in the future, there are a Jake, her neighbor and dairy farmer and Matt Hudson, owner of the local general store

Every chapter includes experts from Shelby’s daily blog posts. These are a lot of fun to read and often provide interesting about gardening and food preparation.

Recipes are also included in the book.

Will definitely be watching for the next book in this enjoyable series. ( )