Meg's city friend Lauren approaches her about helping find a newly married chef couple a place to open a restaurant. Meg and Realtor Frances find the perfect Victorian home on the town square and Nicky and Brian, along with sous chef Sam set out to start a restaurant featuring good food with local ingredients at prices that won't keep the locals away. Meg's neighbor, plumber and new love interest Seth, has also been brought into the project as a local contractor. With a lot of hard work and a little luck, the trio hopes to open the restaurant in a few short months.

Sam is taking care of scouting out local sources for produce, meat and poultry when he is found dead in a pig wallow on a local farm. Meg is sure no one locally could have held any ill will against the young man and is certain his death is a tragic accident, but a muddy footprint on his back says differently.

Now, as harvest season approaches, and with her new held interest in Nicky and Brian's new venture, Meg must ferret out a killer. Being new to the area herself, she is met with a little bit of suspicion, especially when some of the old timers find her a little too helpful and interested in Granford for their tastes.

A wonderful tribute to the new movement of eating locally and organically, the latest Meg Corey adventure examines the financial, social and health issues associated with eating locally grown produce, meats and dairy products, adding a layer of depth to this mystery not found in her earlier outings.

Granford has a very pleasant small town feel and most of its residents are happy to welcome Meg and are pleased that she is reviving the orchard. Meg has a capable, if a bit prickly, orchard manager in Bree, but is also interested in learning as much about the business as she can, as well as restoring her old farmhouse on her own. She and Seth spend much of their time together in a business (and persona) relationship; while she relies on him for many things, Meg still stands on her own two feet. There aren't a lot of clues early on to help readers solve the murder before Meg and the ending is very quiet and almost peaceful. A perfect read for any foodie, Red Delicious Death will have readers seeking out and supporting their local food growers and producers.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry