I'm always on the lookout for a new cozy mystery series, so I read this first book in the Celebration Bay Mystery series. It's set in upstate New York. The protagonist is an events coordinator who left a big job in New York City to move to Celebration Bay, a small town in upstate New England. Her new job has Liv Montgomery planning the many big tourist events that are held in Celebration Bay every year. Live and her West Highland terrier Whiskey love their new home. When murder comes to town, she wants to figure out what happened. Liv refuses to let anyone take the safety and security she feels in her new town with her new friends away from her. This is a promising new series that I will continue to read. I love cozy mysteries that have interesting, but eclectic characters and this series appears to have this. ( )

I feel for Liv. New in town, doesn't know the history of anyone, and she's been told that the previous event planner can hold a grudge for a long time. If her first festival is a success, things should go easier for the next festival.

Too bad there is a murder at one of the places they've advertised!

I'm loving the quirky characters in town. I like the loyalty but am also having trouble with it. It's got to be rough to prove you can help when the locals close ranks on you.

I don't really have much interest in event planning and purchased this cozy because it was a Fall setting. That being said, I've loved the little tidbits of a event planner's life that show up.

The next holiday is Halloween and I've got a couple of reading challenges that need a Halloween themed book. The question is, do I read the theme I need or next next book in the series? ;-)

A more complete review is posted on my blog: www.bookdragonslair.com

Foul Play At The Fair by Shelley Freydont is the first in the Celebration Bay Mystery series.

Liv Montgomery has left the "fast lane" as an event planner in Manhattan and has moved to the quaint community of Celebration Bay with her Westie, Whiskey, to become the professional coordinator of seasonal festivals in Celebration Bay.

The final touches are being put on for the fair to wrap up the month long Harvest By The Bay festival. Liv and Whiskey are heading to work and almost get run over by Janine Tudor, who Liv has replaced. After, they head to the Apple Of My Bakery for some scones and a dog biscuit for Whiskey and then to the Buttercup Coffee Exchange. Off to the office and to work with Ted Driscoll on finalizing the weekend events. Liv then decides to visit Andy Miller's farm to see how the maze is coming and notices that the Zoldosky Brothers, a traveling troupe of jugglers and tumblers have already arrived and are busy practicing. Then it's off to Waterbury Farms to visit with Joss Waterbury. Joss has an apple orchard and makes and sells cider and apple related products. He plans on having a working apple press at the fair.

Then the next morning Liv gets a phone call from Ted to get over to Waterbury Farms right away. Upon arriving, she finds that one of the Zoldosky brothers has been killed and is in one of the cider presses. Of course the police want a quick resolution and they don't look to much farther the Joss. Liv doesn't feel he is the guilty party and proceeds to look into the matter. Being a small community and with her just getting settled in, people aren't to willing to share a whole lot. She tries to get the publisher of the local newspaper involved, but even he's not willing to help. But little by little the people start to open up to Liv and the murderer is caught. And a very enjoyable fair was had by all in Celebration Bay.

I thought that this was very interesting story with a wonderful cast of characters that everyone would love to have as friends and neighbors. And with being owned by a Westie, I must say that Whiskey's character and antics are so true. ( )

A first in a new series, I liked this book. First books can often times be the weakest, but if that's the case here, I look forward to a very good series.

The story centers on Celebration Bay, a tourist town in NY. While I didn't get a very strong sense of the town itself, it's inhabitants were very well drawn and it was very easy to 'see' the individual personalities. There's a hint of future tension (of the good kind) between the main character, Liv and the newspaper editor.

The mystery, I thought, was very well done. Lots of suspects, as nobody liked the victim, and a few twists here and there. A red herring or two and a really good ending, to my way of thinking. It didn't feel like the tried and true used in so many cozies.

My only real beef with the book was the same one I have with a lot of mysteries - the over abundance of internal dialogue/speculation. I realise it's a device used to summarize the story to that point for the readers, but to me it's all a lot of very boring repetition. At one point, I actually skipped almost 3 pages and it was all internal dialogue meant to assist readers who I can only imagine must not have very strong reading comprehension skills.

I look forward to reading the next book. ( )

Foul Play At The Fair by Shelley Freydont is the first in the Celebration Bay Mystery series.

Liv Montgomery has left the "fast lane" as an event planner in Manhattan and has moved to the quaint community of Celebration Bay with her Westie, Whiskey, to become the professional coordinator of seasonal festivals in Celebration Bay.

The final touches are being put on for the fair to wrap up the month long Harvest By The Bay festival. Liv and Whiskey are heading to work and almost get run over by Janine Tudor, who Liv has replaced. After, they head to the Apple Of My Bakery for some scones and a dog biscuit for Whiskey and then to the Buttercup Coffee Exchange. Off to the office and to work with Ted Driscoll on finalizing the weekend events. Liv then decides to visit Andy Miller's farm to see how the maze is coming and notices that the Zoldosky Brothers, a traveling troupe of jugglers and tumblers have already arrived and are busy practicing. Then it's off to Waterbury Farms to visit with Joss Waterbury. Joss has an apple orchard and makes and sells cider and apple related products. He plans on having a working apple press at the fair.

Then the next morning Liv gets a phone call from Ted to get over to Waterbury Farms right away. Upon arriving, she finds that one of the Zoldosky brothers has been killed and is in one of the cider presses. Of course the police want a quick resolution and they don't look to much farther the Joss. Liv doesn't feel he is the guilty party and proceeds to look into the matter. Being a small community and with her just getting settled in, people aren't to willing to share a whole lot. She tries to get the publisher of the local newspaper involved, but even he's not willing to help. But little by little the people start to open up to Liv and the murderer is caught. And a very enjoyable fair was had by all in Celebration Bay.

I thought that this was very interesting story with a wonderful cast of characters that everyone would love to have as friends and neighbors. And with being owned by a Westie, I must say that Whiskey's character and antics are so true.

( )