Rating: 
Summary: Great!
Review: I've read this book awhile ago, and I think it's great! It kept me reading until I finsihed it, and it didn't bore me like some 'new york times bestsellers' out there. I liked the story, the mystery is interesting, and Skye is a unique charcter.Overall, I recommend that any 'cozy' lover read it. I also want to add that the two books after this one weren't as good, but I still haven't read the fourth book, Murder of a Snake in the Grass, so there's hope yet! -Ater
Rating: 
Summary: Talk about Foot in the Mouth Syndrome!
Review: In the first book in the Scumble River mystery series, we meet amateur sleuth, Skye Denison for the first time. Skye is a school psychologist, returning home to live and work after humiliating herself while delivering a valedictorian speech 12 years prior. It seems that Skye left with a chip on her shoulder about "the small minds of those in a small town" and has to return home with her tail tucked firmly between her legs after losing her last job. Since she left her last job in disgrace (although not her fault), the only job she can get is in the school system that she shunned when she left town. While trying to re-establish herself in her hometown, she soon finds herself involved in a murder case in which her brother is the prime suspect. Skye spends an inordinate amount of time evading snooping relatives in this book, but still manages to solve the case and help her brother. But will this be enough for the town to accept her again? This book should definitely be considered a cozy mystery (a mystery that has no graphic violence, no gratuitous sex, and all of the bloodshed is "off-camera") in that it focuses a lot on characters. Some may criticize the book for not having a good plot, but I like to look at this book as a background for other books in the series. The mystery was decent, and I liked the descriptions of the town, the characters, and the situations in which Skye found herself. Skye has a lot of work to do healing her strained relationships with everyone in town, and I liked that she was a vulnerable character willing to admit mistakes. Having read all of the other books in this series, I would definitely recommend reading this book first for the background information, and then reading another in the series. I feel that the author gets better with each book, and I cannot wait to visit Scumble River again. Enjoy! A Cozy Lover
Rating:
Summary: Talk about Foot in the Mouth Syndrome!
Review: In the first book in the Scumble River mystery series, we meet amateur sleuth, Skye Denison for the first time. Skye is a school psychologist, returning home to live and work after humiliating herself while delivering a valedictorian speech 12 years prior. It seems that Skye left with a chip on her shoulder about "the small minds of those in a small town" and has to return home with her tail tucked firmly between her legs after losing her last job. Since she left her last job in disgrace (although not her fault), the only job she can get is in the school system that she shunned when she left town. While trying to re-establish herself in her hometown, she soon finds herself involved in a murder case in which her brother is the prime suspect. Skye spends an inordinate amount of time evading snooping relatives in this book, but still manages to solve the case and help her brother. But will this be enough for the town to accept her again? This book should definitely be considered a cozy mystery (a mystery that has no graphic violence, no gratuitous sex, and all of the bloodshed is "off-camera") in that it focuses a lot on characters. Some may criticize the book for not having a good plot, but I like to look at this book as a background for other books in the series. The mystery was decent, and I liked the descriptions of the town, the characters, and the situations in which Skye found herself. Skye has a lot of work to do healing her strained relationships with everyone in town, and I liked that she was a vulnerable character willing to admit mistakes. Having read all of the other books in this series, I would definitely recommend reading this book first for the background information, and then reading another in the series. I feel that the author gets better with each book, and I cannot wait to visit Scumble River again. Enjoy! A Cozy Lover
Rating: 
Summary: Refreshing setting and characters
Review: Isn't it nice to find a new series that isn't set in New York or Chicago or the deep South? Murder of a Small-Town Honey is set in rural Illinois! Even better, we have a totally different amateur detective -- she's a school psychologist working in her own home town. Just think of all the great secrets tucked inside those student files. There's a lot more than kids in this book, though. We meet a ton of natives including Skye's old crushes, her family (good and bad) and her new colleagues. The book moves along at a fast clip and some of the dialogue will make you laugh out loud. By the end of the book you'll feel at home in Scumble River. The preview of the second book in this new series looks even better. If you like Earlene Fowler's quilting books you will like Denise Swanson's new book.
Rating:
Summary: Fine debut novel
Review: It's nice to see another novel set in rural Illinois where small towns and interesting characters abound. Denise has done a wonderful job of portraying both her protagonist, Skye Denison, and Skye's hometown of Scumble River. Skye's resourceful manner and dry wit are much needed when the Chokeberry Days festivities are interrupted by murder. Not one to sit back and watch from the sidelines, Skye gets involved in the investigation and eventually succeeds in her quest to unmask a murderer. This is a fine debut novel from a talented author. I look forward to the further adventures of Skye Denison.
Rating:
Summary: Gutsy new sleuth
Review: Just beneath the surface of Scumble River, the small town of Swanson's title, simmers a stew of sex and scandal which finally boils over. Skye Dennison, school psychologist, uses her brains, humor, and ultimately, great courage to solve the resulting murder, a crime her own brother has been accused of committing. The same characteristics enable Skye to help the kids she works with and put the administrator from hell she works for in his place. Both Skye's personal and professional lives are complicated by the fact that Scumble River is her hometown where she has roots, relatives, and memories. I loved seeing Skye disprove the old saying that you can't go home again and was chewing my cuticles until she solved the murder. What's more, this book made me think twice about e-mailing my high school boyfriend!
Rating: 
Summary: School psychologist is perfect amateur sleuth
Review: Like my sleuth, Skye Denison, I too am a school psychologist. One day while working for a tiny, rural school district, it occurred to me that I was in the unique position of having access to secrets that few people even knew existed. This lead me to realize that a school psychologist would be the perfect amateur sleuth. I've wanted to be a writer since junior high and finally felt I had the perfect idea. Skye is like me in a lot of ways. She hated living in a small town and couldn't wait to escape, but things didn't go quite the way she planned and after twelve years she ended up back in her hometown, starting over again. Unlike Skye, I realized early on you can't escape your roots, but I do manage to sneak away every once in a while for brief getaways. ...
Rating:
Summary: Smile If You Love Cozies
Review: Not everybody loves cozy mysteries, I've learned. Those who don't appreciate them are free to ignore them, but it seems unfair to expect this genre to be something else. For those who do enjoy a good cozy, Murder of a Small Town Honey is well worth it. Swanson's self-depricating main character and her ongoing personal issues ring true to life, especially the youthfully arrogant valedictory speech that she is now having to live down at every turn. The humor is gentle, the characters engaging and the puzzle satisfying--all reasons why I favor the genre. I enjoyed my visit to Scumble River and will make a point to return at every opportunity.
Rating:
Summary: Great first book
Review: School psychologist, Skye Denison, is an amateur sleuth who had to leave her last school and has come back to her hometown of Scumble River, Illinois, where she swore she'd never return. Many people in town remember her high school graduation speech in which she did not talk nice about the town. I enjoyed this cozy and cannot wait to read more. The sleuth is likeable and the story moves quickly but she doesn't omit important items. There aren't so many characters that you lose track of who people are. She gets into a few sticky places (don't all amateur sleuths). It is a fun, quick read and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: Skye Denison had left her hone town of Scumble River years ago never believing she would someday return. But Skye was back as the new school psychologist. Within one week Skye had managed to put off all the small-town busybodies (the number of which were astounding), get the school files in order (NOT easy), volunteer in the town's annual Chokeberry Days festival (which she had always hated), and find a dead body. Not bad for such a short time! The deceased was the host of a children's TV show and looked elderly. However, the elderly host turned out to be a young woman under a lot of make-up. Her name was Honey Adair. Honey had lived several year in Scumble River and the whole town hated her, for good reasons! However, Chief Boyd, for some strange reason, believed Skye's brother had murdered the woman and refused to even consider anyone else! So Skye began her own investigation. **** The first a great new series! The author does a wonderful job of creating realistic characters. Personally, I live in a small town too and am amazed at how well Denise Swanson captured the closeness of everybody. Everyone knows everything about everyone. The main character, Skye, showed part of her background. It seems that each book will show her family a bit about her family and personal life. This made the story even MORE realistic to me! Here is a perfect book to read on rainy days to kill the blues! Excellent! ****
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