FINAL HARVEST
SERIES: Finding Home #1
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
RELEASE DATE: August 1, 2020
PAGES: 164
Traci Simmons has been fired from another job and must decide if it’s time to give up her home and start fresh in another town.
But, when her elderly neighbor dies mysteriously, she is pulled into leading a crusade to save the neighbor’s urban farm and find the killer.
Through her new and unexpected relationship with these invisible people, Traci faces her own insecurities to learn what home really means.
Other Books In This Series
The first thing that caught my attention about Final Harvest was the cover – the model is so striking and I love the title color against the black and white photo. The characters you will meet on the pages of this book are no less captivating.
Traci, Rowena, Moe, Milo, and even officer Wells aren’t your typical cozy mystery characters, and I loved that! Through their backstories, the author weaves a plot that thoughtfully raises awareness of atypical cozy topics such as homelessness, foster care, anxiety, advocacy, and food insecurity – adding great dimension to an otherwise quick read. I regret not getting to spend more time with Rowena before her untimely demise – she intrigued me more than any of the other characters, though Traci & Milo are close behind. The latter two had layers that touched my heart, and I’m glad we get to continue their journeys in the other Finding Home books.
Bottom Line: Final Harvest by Barbara Howard is a multi-layered story, despite its shorter page count, with diverse characters and thoughtful insights into issues not usually seen in the cozy mystery genre. I very much enjoyed meeting Traci, Rowena (however briefly), Moe, and Milo, and I like the hint of romance thanks to Officer Wells. The only weakness in Final Harvest is some pacing issues (jumps around a bit & takes some effort to stay oriented) and a bit of trouble deciding what genre it wants to be. If you are looking for a book that’s somewhat off the beaten path, grab a copy of Final Harvest today – oh, and you’ll definitely want to start book 2 right away!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 3.5 stars / enjoyable!
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Barbara Howard is a “not-so-cozy” mystery and YA author of a dozen books, including her most recent trilogy, Finding Home Mystery Series; Final Harvest, Charlotte’s Revenge, and Milo’s Journey. She is a first-generation tech geek turned master gardener with a passion for fresh air, vegan cuisine, and tracing her roots. A big city girl with a small town heart, she returned to her family home in the Midwest after an extensive career as a Department of Defense Project Manager at the Pentagon and spends most of her time treasure hunting, spoiling her fur-babies, growing veggies, and raising chickens.
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What about you? What makes you want to read Final Harvest by Barbara Howard?
Thank you for reviewing Final Harvest! I’m happy that you enjoyed reading Traci’s story and discovering her world and relationships. And good luck to everyone entering the giveaway!
thank you, Barbara!