Book Blast! A Field Guide to Death and Deceit: A Harry & Emma Mystery – A Novel by Michelle L. Cullen

A Field Guide to Death and Deceit: A Harry & Emma Mystery – A Novel
by Michelle L. Cullen

About A Field Guide to Death and Deceit

A Field Guide to Death and Deceit:
A Harry & Emma Mystery – A Novel
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Ohio
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 15, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892426787
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0G7CL8PFV
Paperback
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892426794
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0G7CBDY54
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892426800
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0G75WTNB9

Widower and anthropologist Harry Lancaster and his Gen Z colleague Emma are back for more murder and mayhem when they stumble upon a dead farmer.

This delightful sequel to A Field Guide to Murder is perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

When an odd request leads Harry Lancaster to agree to meet his former sweetheart Willow at a farm on the outskirts of town, Emma’s suspicions run high, and she insists on joining him. Instead of Willow greeting them when they arrive, they discover the farm’s owner dead, with a corn rake embedded in his back.

After being interrogated by the police, Harry and Emma return to his home to find a bereft Willow, who admits she lost her life savings in a real estate scam involving the farm. Worried Willow will become the main murder suspect, Harry decides to help her, despite Emma’s concerns.

To bring the swindlers—and murderer—to justice, Harry recruits his potentially shady, financial-whiz brother and a neighborhood teenage hacker. Then Willow’s realtor is declared missing, and Harry’s brother is caught up in the fray.

As Harry, Emma, and team unearth clues, they increasingly dodge the police, stalkers, and danger in their race to save Willow and Harry’s brother before anyone else turns up dead.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Harry Lancaster and Emma Stockton had just returned from Asia, where they evaluated healthcare projects for an aid organization specializing in maternal and newborn health. It was Emma’s first assignment, but she really impressed Harry. As they were working on their findings and recommendations, Harry received a strange call from Willow Blakely, his first “sweetheart”. She needs him to meet her right away at a farm just outside of town. Upon arrival, they find the owner of the farm’s dead body in the barn and Willow nowhere to be found.

After reporting the death and being questioned by the police, they are allowed to leave the crime scene. They find a very upset Willow when they return to Harry’s house. She begs for Harry’s help, claiming that the farm was part of a real estate scam and that she lost all her life’s savings. Emma is not buying the story, but Harry realizes Willow will surely be the prime suspect in the farmer’s murder, and agrees to help her.

Harry reaches out to his brother Edgar, a CPA with tons of experience, for help. He also brings in talented hacker Connor for his special skills. He hopes they can piece everything together to shut down the scam, jail the perps responsible, and get Willow’s money back before anyone else gets caught up in the fray.

I am so happy that Harry and Emma are back and that they have just returned from an adventure where they used their skills. Harry has traveled the world in his career as an anthropologist, and Emma, previously his caregiver, draws on her critical-care nursing skills to assist him with his latest assignment. After all they have gone through, a wonderful friendship has bloomed. When Willow enters the picture, Emma is on high alert, while Harry is more open. Ms. Cullen has created wonderful characters with a unique relationship that grows more heartwarming with each turn of the page.

In A Field Guide to Death and Deceit, Harry’s brother Edgar comes to town. They aren’t close; in fact, Harry doesn’t even know what Edgar actually does for a living, but knows he has had several different women in his life. Edgar does have some insight about Willow’s case and some contacts they may help. The kicker is how Edgar gets involved. It was a huge surprise for Harry.

The author has put forth a very intricate plot with many moving parts. I appreciated the detail she placed within the text; it gave the story a depth that drew me in and allowed me to follow each step and clue as I did my armchair sleuthing. The addition of Edgar to the team took the mystery up a notch. Hacker Connor played a vital role as well. Filled with twists, turns, and revelations, the team and this reader were pulled in many different directions before clues started to fall into place. A plan was set to catch all the parties involved, but it quickly fell apart, putting Emma and a friend in dire straits. I felt like I was right in the room. I really was on the edge of my seat.

While the mystery was complex with murder and the real estate scam, the characters’ banter and well-placed humor kept this story firmly in the cozy realm. The exciting ending was not only suspenseful but very entertaining.

A Field Guide to Death and Deceit is a smart addition to this series. An engaging story that unfolds at a comfortable, brisk pace with an incredible cast of core characters taking readers on a marvelously complicated journey in a quest for the truth. Another Perfect Escape from Michelle L. Cullen. I am excited for this series to continue.

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, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Great Escapes Praise for
A Field Guide to Death and Deceit: A Harry & Emma Mystery – A Novel
by Michelle L. Cullen

A Field Guide to Death and Deceit is a delightful example of a senior sleuth mystery. Harry and Emma are a detective duo that serve up witty banter along with the clues…
~Storybook Lady

Dollycas’ Thoughts
A Field Guide to Death and Deceit is a smart addition to this series. An engaging story that unfolds at a comfortable, brisk pace with an incredible cast of core characters taking readers on a marvelously complicated journey in a quest for the truth. Another Perfect Escape from Michelle L. Cullen. I am excited for this series to continue.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Bottom Line: A Field Guide to Death and Deceit by Michelle L. Cullen balances clever plotting, warm humor, and compelling relationships. Combined with the twists and turns that had me constantly revising my theories on the who and the how and the why, you’ve got an engaging and satisfying mystery novel that’s perfect for armchair sleuths!
~Reading is my Superpower

About Michelle L. Cullen

Michelle L. Cullen has lived and traveled all over the world, from working as a bilingual secretary in Paris to backpacking around Europe, Central America, and Southern Africa to helping rebuild communities after war throughout Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific — where she saw the best and worst of human behavior. Her lifelong fascination with people and why they do what they do, was further fueled by her academic training. She obtained her PhD from the London School of Economics’ Sociology Department and her master’s degree in anthropology from Melbourne University in Australia.

A fan of adventure, she has a black belt in Taekwondo, has summited 900 feet rock climbing, snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef, and hiked up an active volcano. She currently lives in Annapolis, Maryland, where she’s either doing yoga, playing outside, or plotting murder. She’s a proud member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and The Authors Guide, and has been gleefully reading and watching murder mysteries since the age of ten.

Author Links
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Purchase Links:

Amazon – PenguinRandomHouse – Barnes & Noble  – Books A Million – Bookshop.org – Hudson Booksellers – Target – Walmart –

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