I was disappointed with this (3rd?) book in the Orchard series by Sheila Connolly. I had hoped for an improvement over book 2,but alas it was not to be! I realize I am in the minority here. First: too much about "local and fresh food " and the modern catchword: "SUSTAINABILITY." Enough already. Very preachy. And boring details about opening a restaurant. Btw- the "baby chefs" in this book were immature, ill-prepared, spoiled actually, and the female baby chef is lazy and annoying. Gee am I forgetting anything? I agree with the character "Bree" in her opinion of Nicky, who I am afraid Ms.Connolly wrote in her series to include in subsequent books. It makes me want to NOT buy the other books, truth be told. Annoying character. Meg and Seth ramped up their "Romance" a notch or two, but I still don't feel any of the spark through the pages. The main thrust of the book series -the apple orchard - continues to be interesting to me but the author could trim back the details by a few pages overall and we would still get the drift. Oh how could I forget to comment on "The Mystery" of this book? Really: as others have noted; it was really a SUBplot. And one , it seemed,that Ms.Connolly realized she needed to wrap up - somehow - as she got to her pagecount end. So what does she do? (SPOILER ALERT)** She grabs the most convenient scapegoat: the old and prim town councilperson/conservative/uptight old lady. You know: the one that no one REALLY "likes" because as the characters SO often mention in the book "She doesn't really want any change" and "She has old ideas that are out -of-time" Etc. Goddess Forbid anyone in any of Ms.Connolly's b ooks should be portrayed POSTIVELY if any of the following apply A) Republican or conservative, B) Old C) Old fashioned morally D) traditionalist. Oh and not socially liberal. Ms. Connolly, do you concede that MAYBE just maybe, some more "conservative" people who like to read cozies are among those who spend money on your books? I would be ONE of those people. Oh and although I am a dreaded, registered Republican, I am actually quite socially liberal and even WITH that "label", I found your intolerance (yes I said INtolerance) of those who appreciate more ahem- "traditional " ways - to be off-putting. Way to go Ms. Connolly: stick the prim old lady as your villian at the end (Suicide by pills? What a cop-out!), wipe the town council of ANY sort of dreaded opposition to any and all "new ideas" , and tidily wrap up your so-called mystery. On second thought: I am changing my 3 stars to 2 stars. And I think I will keep my money in my purse instead of buying any future Connolly books; although I concede that if I see the next Orchard mystery somewhere else like a secondhand bookstore or the library, I will take a look at it.