Six Cloves Under

A Garlic Farm Mystery, Book 1

By: Gin Jones

Narrated by: Callie Beaulieu

App developer Mabel Skinner is about to discover something rotten on her late aunt's garlic farm - and it's not the compost heap....

Mabel doesn't know a stinkin' thing about garlic farming. She knows how to develop an app and how to code. But when her aunt, Peggy Skinner, dies suddenly, Mabel inherits her Stinkin' Stuff Farm in Western Massachusetts. She arrives during peak harvest time - with three days to bring in the entire crop before rain can destroy it.

But Mabel has an even bigger problem: She suspects her aunt's "accidental death" was murder. As she digs for both garlic and clues, Mabel must contend with a mysterious crop thief, a rival garlic grower her aunt was suing, and a farmer who was after Aunt Peggy's green-thumb secret. It's up to Mabel to crack the code on a killer before she joins the garlic bulbs six cloves under....

©2020 Gin Jones (P)2020 Tantor

the dedicationto saving the family garlic crop to try to save the farm and business

I thought the transfer from earthy farming, to a murder mystery was managed very well.

Interesting backstory

I found the theme of the garlic and farm life interesting and kept me engaged. And while I liked the main character, Mabel, I also found her lack of preservation of the farm and crops to be pretty irritating. She was kind of a wuss. IMO

Nice beginning to a new series

Gin Jones has crafted a nice beginning to a new series. The main character is likable and interesting. I really enjoy the alarm system she has installed guised as a cat. I look forward to the next in series.
Callie Beaulieu gave a stellar performance as she gave life to the story and gave each character their own distinct voice.
I highly recommend this book/audiobook to cozy mystery fans.

Narration distracted from the story

Unfortunately the narration distracted from the book. The narrator was good however not the fit for this book, she would have been great for a series with an older character. I had to keep reminding myself that Mabel was in her mid thirties not 60s. If there had been an ebook version I would have just read it instead. The story had promise, especially with a great portrayal of a high functioning female likely on the autism spectrum, but unfortunately it’s unlikely I continue the series without a change in narrator.

Not for me

I gave Six Cloves Under a chance and I regretted it. Mabel makes stupid decisions throughout the book. Callie Beaulieu's stilted voice is perfect for a character who's thought process is also stilted. I finally skipped to the end after trying to force myself to finish the book. The murderer wasn't who I expected but the motive was stupid. I won't be getting the next book in this series.