A Bitter Barrel

Book 9: Lakeside Cottage Cozy Mysteries

by Cindy Bell

Genres: Cozy Mystery; Animal Cozy Mysteries; Craft & Hobby Cozy Mysteries; Culinary Cozy Mysteries

Synopsis

A quiet orchard. A perfect fall day. A body hidden in a barrel.

Bobbie was expecting cider, sunshine, and a simple story for the paper. Instead, the orchard’s owner is dead in a storage room and just about everyone at the apple festival had a reason to want him gone.

With her loyal goldendoodle, Bailey, at her side and her best friend, Rachael, riding shotgun, Bobbie starts asking questions. But the deeper she digs, the more secrets she finds, and someone is watching every move she makes.
​​​​​​​
Can Bobbie crack the case before the killer strikes again?

Release date: October 15, 2026

Publisher: Cindy Bell

Print pages: 149

Sample

Chapter One

As leaves crunched under every step she took, Bobbie Walker’s body buzzed
with excitement. Surrounded by apple trees, a bright blue sky, and the crisp chill of
the fall season, it felt like the perfect day. Yes, she’d been assigned to write an article
about the annual Apple Festival and Cider Tasting at the Boudreau orchard. But the
assignment had nothing to do with her excitement. It was the hand curled around
hers, the one that belonged to a man dressed in a warm flannel shirt, and the
amused smile that played across his lips as he tried to meet her eyes, which were
darting in every direction.
“Bobbie, haven’t you ever been to an apple orchard before?” Kyle West
asked.
“No, can’t say that I have.” Bobbie looked out over the red wooden buildings
that dotted the expansive grounds.
The orchard featured a small farm store with an assortment of fresh apples,
baked goods, jellies, and souvenirs, larger warehouses where the magic took place,
a wide tented section for events decorated with oversized wooden apple barrels, and
a small farm-themed play area for young visitors.
Everything about it felt as picturesque as the rest of Newfield, Vermont. She
tightened her grasp on his hand and smiled.
Dating her martial arts teacher had felt a little awkward at first, but that had
faded quickly. Now she just enjoyed being with him.
As fun as it was to share the day with Kyle, she still had a job to do. She
wanted to write a great article for the Newfield News, and the setting might be just
right for a chapter in her second detective novel.
“Wow, I thought everyone was forced to go on those field trips to pick apples.”
Kyle grinned as he glanced over at her.
“Not where I grew up. Our field trips never left the city,” Bobbie said.
“This place has been around for a long time. It’s been passed down through
the Boudreau family. Some of the workers’ families have been here almost as long
as the Boudreaus have.”
“So you must know the family well, then, right?” Bobbie asked.

“Not really, no. Even though they run their business here, the family lives
outside of town, and I’ve never crossed paths with them much beyond these events
they put on every year. And since you’ve never experienced this before, I’m going to
make sure you get to enjoy it. Starting with the cider tour.” Kyle walked over to a
vendor and handed over a few dollars in exchange for two apple cider donuts. “And
these will pair perfectly with it.”
Bobbie’s mouth watered as she took the donut from him.
“Eat it while it’s warm. It’s so much better that way.” Kyle took a big bite of his
own donut.
Bobbie grinned as she took a bite. The donut practically melted in her mouth
with a combination of sweetness, cinnamon, and tart apple flavor. She closed her
eyes as she savored the taste.
Kyle chuckled. “See? Told you.”
Bobbie couldn’t resist a laugh and took another bite as he led her to a group
of people who’d gathered at the beginning of long rows of apple trees. She
recognized a familiar face among the crowd right away.
“Rachael!” Bobbie waved to her.
Rachael West spun around and bounded toward her with a gleeful smile. A
long, flowy skirt covered in apples swished around her as she did, while apple
earrings dangled from her ears, and an apple-shaped knit cap covered her short
blonde hair.
“Oh! Apple cider donuts!” Rachael squeaked and stole a piece of Kyle’s donut
despite his valiant attempt at dodging her. “Mmm, so good.” She winked at him.
“Thanks!”
“You’re welcome,” Kyle grumbled, but with an amused smirk.
Bobbie laughed at the cousins’ playful rivalry. “Are you going on the cider tour,
too?”
“Actually, I have to skip it. I’m helping with the kids’ corner face painting.”
Rachael held up a face-painting kit. “The person they’d booked apparently fell
through, something about solidarity with the owner of the new party store in town. I
have no idea what exactly happened there. All I know is that there’s a whole line of
kids who are going to be very disappointed if they don’t get their faces painted.”
“That’s so sweet of you.” Bobbie smiled.

Rachael had been the first person she’d met when she moved to Newfield.
After the man who’d raised her, the man she’d always believed was her uncle,
passed away, she’d come to live in the small lakeside cottage that had once
belonged to her late parents. Amid the chaos that her life had turned into with the
revelation of her complicated past, Rachael had been a bright spot and immediately
insisted they’d be best friends. She’d been right. Now she couldn’t imagine her life
without her.
“Oh, it’s not just out of kindness, trust me. I’m getting paid.” Rachael rubbed
her finger and thumb together. “See you two later!” She reached for another piece of
Kyle’s donut, but this time he snatched it away before she could grab it.
Bobbie rolled her eyes as she laughed and broke off half of her remaining
donut. She popped it into Rachael’s hand.
“Thanks.” Rachael waved to them, then headed off toward the large tent.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get more before we leave.” Kyle slid his arm around
Bobbie’s waist as the crowd gathered in closer. A man and woman stood at the front
of the group. Their similar features, wavy auburn hair, bright blue eyes, and matching
jawlines indicated they had to be related. As the man began to speak, a younger
woman who couldn’t be more than eighteen stepped forward, holding a large tray of
tiny barrel-shaped paper cups.
Bobbie noticed the nervous glance the girl gave the man as he stepped past
her and held up a hand, signaling her to wait before handing out the cups. She
seemed eager not to put a foot wrong. Before Bobbie could give it much thought, his
booming voice drew her attention back to him. ...