Ground to a Halt

by Claudia Bishop

Book Overview

Sisters and innkeepers Meg and Quill have an inn full of guests who can't stop fighting. Soon, one ends up murdered on a pig farm. And when a psychic correctly predicts a second murder, business grinds to a halt.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 042521429X
• ISBN13: 9780425214299
• Release Date: February 2007
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 242 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Would you like some salt with that?

Hemlock Falls is small town where a lot happens, especially at the local inn owned by sisters Meg and Sarah (Quill) Quilliam. This is their 14th outing - or case, as they would say, and they are surrounded by their usual suspects. Quill has volunteered to chaperone a school trip to the Heavenly Hogg pig farm, but the last thing she expects is to find the body of a woman in with the pig carcasses. While shooing out the children and ordering for the police, she realizes that the bashed-in blonde on the floor was a guest at the inn attending a meeting - until she checked out - literally. Quill is now happily married to Myles McHale, the former sheriff of Hemlock Falls, but we don't get to meet Myles in this installment, as he is off on an assignment for his new employer. Meg, Quill's culinary sister, is quite prominent in her role as chef to the Inn, but also as Quill's foil for information about suspects, alibis, and motives. Said suspects are mostly the people who are attending the International Association of Pet Food Providers (IAPFP) meeting at the Inn at Hemlock Falls. Most notably is pet psychic Olivia Oberlie, who is famous worldwide, followed by several other interesting characters. The woman Quill found at the farm is identified as Lila Longstreet, who was the secretary/treasurer of the IAPFP but who had left the day before, supposedly to go to an ailing mother's bedside. While rumors of Lila being ground into sausage abound, Quill watches her guests as they quarrel and fight non-stop with one another - until another of their group is found dead in bed. Quill and her friend (and local entrepreneur) Marge sift through the information for clues while trying to run their day-to-day activities before someone else winds up as pet food fodder! This is a fun cozy which includes a delicious-sounding recipe. Not too gruesome, with little violence and humor sprinkled throughout the plot. The people are fun and interesting, although reading the previous stories would probably help a lot with background, but isn't necessary to get the gist of the characters. I would recommend this to cozy-lovers as well as those who enjoy animals.

Pet food can be deadly

Sarah "Quill" Quillam runs the Inn at Hemlock Falls in upstate New York. Her sister Meg is the chef. Currently the conventioneers from the International Association of Pet Food are guests. They're meeting about switching to vegan pet food. So far things have not gone smoothly. When Quill discovers the body of Lila Longstreet which she's supervising a field trip to Heavely Hogg's Pig Farm, the fat hits the fan. Pet psychic Olivia Oberlie predicts a second murder. After that prediction is proved right, Meg and Quill decide to investigate. Can they find the killer before he/she strikes again? Can they keep each other safe during the process? I love this series and am sad that it will soon be ending. Quill and Meg are such fun characters. I wish the Inn at Hemlock Falls was real. I'd love to go for a visit and meet them. The peripheral characters at the Inn and in town really add to this great cozy series. Having it set at an Inn really lends itself to have an unlimited supply of characters, but I am sure all the murders would eventually be hard on business! I like the way Quill and Meg work together to solve crimes. I like the way the author has brought some turmoil into their lives. Seeing them work through turmoil makes them more real. I highly recommend this complete series as well as this book.

Interesting Concept on Food Production

I have found this series to be very entertaining. This entry does not disappoint. The clientele of this hotel are definitely not getting along and the clues hold your attention without giving away the perpetrator too soon. I only give it four stars since some of the characters can be quite irritating. It is still a good read.