Cozy Wednesday featuring A Cultivated Corpse (A Food Blogger Mystery) by Debra Sennefelder #Review #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @debrasennefelder

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am pleased to share my thoughts about
A Cultivated Corpse (A Food Blogger Mystery)
by Debra Sennefelder today!

A Cultivated Corpse (A Food Blogger Mystery)
by Debra Sennefelder

About A Cultivated Corpse

Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting – Connecticut
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beyond the Page Publishing
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 28, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 238 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1966322577
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966322573
Digital
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 16, 2026
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966322566
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H2797BZQ

When the local garden club president is killed, food blogger Hope Early will have to dig through the clues to catch a killer . . .

The Jefferson Garden Club’s annual plant sale is just around the corner, but Hope Early and other members of the club are more focused on the garden restoration project at Ambrose House. The gorgeous landscaping promises to help return the stately old house to its former glory, but rumors are surfacing of unexplained delays and exorbitant costs. Then the club’s president is found dead amid signs of foul play, and Hope can’t ignore the uneasy feeling that the victim was silenced for something she knew about the renovations.

Certain that the solution to the murder is tied to the garden project and the club’s recent financial struggles, Hope begins to go through their books and uncovers more than mismatched numbers. A tangle of transactions points to an intricate embezzlement scheme, but before she can weed out who’s behind it, a local reporter chasing the same story is killed. It’s clear now that someone is dead-set on keeping the truth buried, and Hope will have to unearth a vital piece of evidence before the killer decides it’s time to bury her as well . . .

 Includes mouthwatering recipes!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Food blogger Hope Early is a new member of the Jefferson Garden Club. She is looking forward to the club’s annual plant sale, where many of her tasty treats will be sold at the bake sale booth. She and the other members are eager to raise money so the Ambrose House garden restoration project can continue and return the grounds to their original beauty. There have been some recent delays, and costs have been rising; both issues need to be investigated. Before that can happen, the club’s president is killed, and Hope immediately suspects her death is linked to the renovation problems. She knows the books need to be audited promptly, and she takes on the job. A local reporter was also digging into the case and was killed just as it looked like she was getting close to the truth.

With a killer willing to do anything to keep the truth buried, Hope will have to dig deep to bring everything into the light before she ends up with a new home six feet under.

In this 9th book in the Food Blogger Mystery series, Hope has her hands full with things that have nothing to do with food or blogging. This story has her taking an interest in happenings around the Jefferson community, and like everything she does, she goes all in, especially when murder is involved. The members of the Jefferson Garden Club don’t all get along, and this time their disagreements are playing out in public. Is one of them actually cheating in the tulip contest? Is someone trying to thwart the Ambrose House garden project? Could someone be stealing money from the club? But the big question remains: who would kill two people to keep everyone else in the dark?

With the focus on the garden club, we are introduced to several new characters. Hope’s sister Claire is also having a mini reunion with her sorority sisters, who offer to help with the plant sale, and Hope is in the middle of negotiations for a new brand deal. Ms. Sennefelder works hard to keep each character unique and the relationships clear, so the influx of new faces never becomes confusing.

I am so happy that Ethan is back as the police chief. He would like Hope to leave the investigations to him and his team, but he knows Hope can’t do that. While Ethan keeps developments close to the vest, she and Detective Sam Reid freely trade information and theories. A solid anonymous tip is what got Drew and his reporter involved with what was happening at Ambrose House, so Hope volunteers to dive into that while questioning as many suspects as she can. The killer’s true motive was buried deep and complicated, and it took some last-minute revelations for all the clues to drop into place, but that drop happened at exactly the wrong time. There easily could have been another corpse.

In A Cultivated Corpse, Ms. Sennefelder penned a complex mystery with twists that took the story in an unexpected direction. I love the friendships and strong relationships that have been built over the course of the series. The characters have depth and feel genuine, which is so important in a long-running series. The little cliffhanger has left me excited for book #10.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, Beyond the Page Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About Debra Sennefelder

Debra Sennefelder lives and writes in Connecticut, where she lives with her family and slightly spoiled Shih Tzu. An avid reader across a range of genres, mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. She’s the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series. When she’s not writing, she’s either baking or reading. To learn more, visit her on the web at www.debrasennefelder.com

TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops.
June 8 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
June 9 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
June 9 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 10 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
June 11 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 12 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 13 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
June 14 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 16 – Salty Inspirations – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 17 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
June 18 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT 
June 19 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
June 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 21 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 22 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Want to Book a Tour?
Click Here

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.