Review: Fiddling with Fate by Diane Kelly

 

About the Book

Genre
Cozy Mystery

Format
E-Book

Publisher
Berkley

Release Date
April 4, 2023

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When a local bluegrass musician disappears and a jug of her shop's corn liquor is implicated, moonshiner Hattie Hayes must stop further trouble from brewing in this delightful cozy mystery series.

It's late August in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and moonshiner Hattie Hayes has collaborated to serve her moonshine at a nearby vineyard for a Wine and 'Shine event. Not only is this an opportunity for Hattie to gain more moonshine fans, but she's also excited to see the Bootlegging Brothers, a popular bluegrass band. But not every attendee is looking for harmony, and when one of the brothers disappears after the event and is presumed dead, Hattie realizes her grace note event has suddenly turned more sour than her mash.

Unearthing what happened to the missing musician is more difficult than Hattie first expected, and when Hattie's moonshine is tied to the crime, there's no time to fiddle around. She has to step up to solve the case. Luckily, Hattie's cool head and quick mind help her understand that when investigating a musical crime, always stay sharp.

My Review

Hattie Hayes’ is quite successful with her Moonshine Shack.  She has many ideas for making her business a success.  Her latest idea is to have a moonshine event at a local vineyard.  The bluegrass band, Bootlegging Brothers, will be playing at the function, which only adds to the fun.  The band has already written a catchy jingle for her shop.

Things are going well until one of the musicians is reported missing.  As the police investigate, they discover Hattie’s moonshine may have played a part in the disappearance.  It's not the first time her moonshine has been connected to a crime.  She is determined to defend her moonshine and investigates on her own.  She’s shocked to learn how many enemies the musician has.  It definitely won’t be easy to solve this case.

This is such a unique cozy mystery series.  I can’t think of any other that is based on moonshine. 

The characters in this story are quirky, well-written and lively.  Hattie is such a sweetheart, but she’s also very strong and determined. The storyline moves at a steady pace.  I had my suspicions about “whodunit”, but I was wrong.  This book kept me riveted to the end.

This is the third book in the Southern Homebrew Mystery series.  The mystery is contained in this book, but I recommend reading the previous two books to get a better feel for the characters, as well as Hattie’s motivation and character growth.  I say this about most cozy mysteries.  I feel they are so much better when you start with the first book in any series.  The reader develops their own relationship with the amateur sleuth.

I’m looking forward to reading about Hattie’s next adventure.  These books always make for a nice escape into Hattie's world.

For reading challenges:

Cruisin’ thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2023
NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2023
Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge 2023
Literary Escapes Reading Challenge 2023 (Tennessee)

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.