Six Cloves Under

A Garlic Farm Mystery, Book 1

By: Gin Jones

Narrated by: Callie Beaulieu

App developer Mabel Skinner is about to discover something rotten on her late aunt's garlic farm - and it's not the compost heap....

Mabel doesn't know a stinkin' thing about garlic farming. She knows how to develop an app and how to code. But when her aunt, Peggy Skinner, dies suddenly, Mabel inherits her Stinkin' Stuff Farm in Western Massachusetts. She arrives during peak harvest time - with three days to bring in the entire crop before rain can destroy it.

But Mabel has an even bigger problem: She suspects her aunt's "accidental death" was murder. As she digs for both garlic and clues, Mabel must contend with a mysterious crop thief, a rival garlic grower her aunt was suing, and a farmer who was after Aunt Peggy's green-thumb secret. It's up to Mabel to crack the code on a killer before she joins the garlic bulbs six cloves under....

©2020 Gin Jones (P)2020 Tantor

Nice beginning to a new series

Gin Jones has crafted a nice beginning to a new series. The main character is likable and interesting. I really enjoy the alarm system she has installed guised as a cat. I look forward to the next in series.
Callie Beaulieu gave a stellar performance as she gave life to the story and gave each character their own distinct voice.
I highly recommend this book/audiobook to cozy mystery fans.

Not for me

I gave Six Cloves Under a chance and I regretted it. Mabel makes stupid decisions throughout the book. Callie Beaulieu's stilted voice is perfect for a character who's thought process is also stilted. I finally skipped to the end after trying to force myself to finish the book. The murderer wasn't who I expected but the motive was stupid. I won't be getting the next book in this series.

Not for me

It were as though the author set out to create one of the most unlikeable main characters I've run across. She does mellow a bit by the end, but the story was a slog featuring her cold, hostile personality. I was frustrated that although it's asserted Aunt Peggy was loved by all, there were few (if any?) specific examples of exactly why that was so. Also difficult to believe that the woman could have run a successful business without so much as an active email address, let alone a website. She and Mabel had not communicated in years, yet Peggy loved her so much. We're to accept that Mabel was only willing to hear from her by email/text, while Peggy apparently made no effort to reach out by voice or snail, setting up the story premise. Mabel expresses regret towards the end, but the whole thing was too much for me.

So, many reviewers love this one, looking forward to a sequel. I certainly won't be among them.