Mad Season: A Mystery

Rating:
Summary: Nice to see a farmer in a book like this
Review: but take the details about farming with a large grain of salt. There's some pretty screwy stuff in there that is just plain wrong, or else done in ways that no farmer would ever do for labor or economic reasons. For example, a milking machine catches on fire when not being used. There's no way a milking machine (singular, you notice) can catch on fire. That's like saying your electric frying pan can catch on fire when it's not plugged in and is sitting on your kitchen counter waiting to get used. The wiring for the system could catch on fire, but that's more than just one machine. It's mistakes like this that prove the author doesn't quite get it. And yes,I'm a dairy farmer. But it's a nice attempt and I'll probably read others in the series just because it does feature a farmer.

Rating:
Summary: Nice to see a farmer in a book like this
Review: This is the first in the Ruth Willmarth series of mysteries, and it will make you want to read the rest. Nancy Means Wright is exceptionally good at capturing the spirit, dialect and values of rural Vermont. She loves her state but does not paint it out to be all idyllic, as do many other writers. This novel starts out with the shocking murder of an older woman and a dog and goes on to develop her personable characters that will reappear in the subsequent mysteries. Left by her husband to care for a dairy farm and two children, Willmarth is a gutsy, intuitive protagonist. This is a must read for those who love Vermont and for those who admire strong women protagonists.

Rating:
Summary: a view of the other vermont
Review: This is the first in the Ruth Willmarth series of mysteries, and it will make you want to read the rest. Nancy Means Wright is exceptionally good at capturing the spirit, dialect and values of rural Vermont. She loves her state but does not paint it out to be all idyllic, as do many other writers. This novel starts out with the shocking murder of an older woman and a dog and goes on to develop her personable characters that will reappear in the subsequent mysteries. Left by her husband to care for a dairy farm and two children, Willmarth is a gutsy, intuitive protagonist. This is a must read for those who love Vermont and for those who admire strong women protagonists.