When maple syrup maker Dani Greene told a little fib to her family in order to get out of helping them set up for Sugar Grove, New Hampshire's annual pre-Thanksgiving pancake- eating contest, she never thought she'd end up having to face a mountain lion on her own. A call to the Fish and Game warden brings out Graham Paterson, who lets it be known that he thinks Dani's just a lonely girl looking to bag a man on Friday night.

Things don't go so well the next day at the pancake-eating contest either. When one of the contestants, a not-so- beloved townswoman by the name of Alanza Speedwell, ends up dead in her pile of pancakes, suspicion quickly turns to Dani's family's Greener Pastures' maple syrup. With the police, including her ex, not taking the threat to her business seriously enough, Dani is determined to solve the mystery on her own. But with a bunch of wild animals and a killer on the loose, Dani may find she's in a stickier situation than even she can get out of.

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DRIZZLED WITH DEATH, the first in the Sugar Grove series by Jessie Crockett, reminds me of exactly why I love cozy mysteries so much. Hilarity ensues from the first chapter and doesn't let up, even with a murder mystery to solve. I loved the character of Dani. She's spunky, beguiling, loves maple syrup and I can relate to all the problems she's going through with her family. Graham starts off as a bit of a jerk but I quickly warmed up to him. The sparks fly with Dani and Graham and I want a lot more interactions between them. I can't wait to visit Sugar Grove again. The secondary characters are as endearing as the main characters. I hope Crockett delves more into the story threat that hinted at there being something between Dani's brother Loden and her best friend Piper.

DRIZZLED WITH DEATH is a fun and entertaining start to a sticky series that'll have you reaching for the maple syrup. The fact that you'll probably not be able to guess who the killer is until the big reveal is just another reason to get your hands on a copy, along with the delicious maple syrup recipes you get at the end.

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