Murder by Yew by Suzanne Young

Murder by Yew is a five star read! Suzanne Young's dynamic writing style has you believing you're actually part of the quaint New England town of South County. Her characters are so lovable; you'd swear they were your friends and neighbors. Couple this with all the nail-biting suspense you can stand, and you've got yourself a top-notch mystery! Young keeps you guessing from the moment you begin reading right through to the last page.

Murder by Yew is the first in this cozy mystery series by Suzanne Young, published by Mainly Murder Press. Released in November 2009, it's the first in the series featuring the incomparable Edna Davies, amateur gardener and reluctant sleuth.

Edna and her husband Albert have recently retired to the sleepy little seaside town of South County in their home state of Rhode Island. They bought the charming Cape Cod cottage from the previous owner, a little old lady whose poisonous landscape was fascinating to Edna. Edna's plans to spend some quiet time with Albert are quickly disrupted by his sudden announcement that he is leaving for a few days to attend a physician's conference in Chicago.

With Albert gone, Edna gears up for a few uneventful days by herself, but her plans are quickly derailed when one of the locals is murdered after leaving her property one afternoon. Edna has become the prime suspect and people in town are treating her like she's already guilty? Of course, it doesn't help that Edna loves brewing her own teas using plants and trees she has scattered around her property. With Albert away, a murder, and the recent rash of break-ins around town, Edna is beginning to feel the strain. She hasn't slept well in days; her mounting paranoia is causing her to become suspicious of everyone, including herself! With no other explanation for what could have happened to Tom, poor Edna begins to wonder whether it was her that killed him. Edna's neighbor Mary has made it her mission to protect Edna, but does Mary have her friend's best interest at heart?

The reader will love the instant connection they feel to the books' brilliantly depicted characters. For instance, Mary's dogged determination to protect Edna from danger, and her unwavering devotion to Hank, Tom's dog, as her only connection to her dead friend; Edna's maternal instinct for Tom's grandson Danny, her emotional response after Mary finds her huddled in the closet, and her intolerance of Dee Tolkheim who in Edna's words is "... a pest, showing up unannounced and unexpected whenever she pleases." Simply put, Murder by Yew leaves you wanting more! Not to worry though, you can catch up with Edna and her neighbors in Murder by Proxy, scheduled to be released in February 2011.

Murder by Yew is available for purchase at MainlyMurderPress.com, Amazon (both in book form and Kindle editions), Barnes and Noble, and Borders. It can also be ordered through any local bookstore.