Hemlock Falls Mysteries Books In Order

Publication Order of Hemlock Falls Mysteries Books

The Hemlock Falls Mysteries presents a series of cozy mystery novels by Claudia Bishop, an American author. The series follows up a pair of amateur sisters –Meg and Sarah Quilliam. Their actual business runs Hemlock Falls Inn; Sarah Quilliam handles the business matters whereas Meg works as a chef in the kitchen. This series is set in Hemlock Falls in New York.

Claudia Bishop began the Hemlock Falls Mysteries series back in 1994 with the first novel, Taste for Murder. The author of this popular Hemlock Falls series also writes a fantasy series for the American Scholastic, Inc. under the name Mary Stanton. Let’s take a closer look at the first two books in Hemlock Falls Mysteries series by Claudia Bishop.

The Taste for Murder

This is a delightful new series that features 2 sleuthing sisters that run Hemlock Falls Inn. While Sarah generally takes care of business, Meg, her sister runs the kitchen. During the annual Historical Days festival, mock witch stoning takes a grisly turn when one guests at their inn is substituted for a fake witch.

Taste for Murder is the first novel of Hemlock Falls series of books. The novel is set in the contemporary upstate of New York. Sarah owns The Hotel at Hemlock Falls, in a fictitious smaller town in Hemlock Falls. Her sister Meg is the gourmet’s chef. She is moody, talented and also proud of the hotel’s 4-star rating in the gourmet magazine L’Aperitif. Quill usually depends on the manager John Raintree to keep the hotel running smoothly and all the accounts updated.

A series of several murders coupled with John’s disappearance, wreak as lot havoc at the hotel. Quill tries solving the murders, clears John’s name and placate the chambers of commerce as well as staying on good terms with the sheriff, Myles who is also her boyfriend. Meg Quilliam is frantic to please the guest who she believes that he is a food critic for the L’Aperitif. Meg’s typical reaction to stressful situations is offering complimentary foods, beverage or lodging – which doesn’t bode well for the financial health of the inn.

This is a very light and fun read with a very good mystery and quaint setting. Being the first book in the series, it will certainly get your attention to read more. However, it’s a little bit tough for anyone to keep all the characters straight since they’re so many. Luckily, the cast of the book’s characters page on the front of this book will help you in understanding them a bit although it’s cumbersome to keep on flipping back and forth while reading. This is great cozy mystery book to kick back and relax with it in your hands.

Plenty of red herrings have been mixed with entertaining interactions between the eccentric small-town personalities. The book presents an enjoyable light entertainment.

The Dash of Death

The Quilliam sisters (Sarah and Meg) of Hemlock Falls Hotel are in the slump, till Helena Houndswood, who runs a TV show about the stylish living comes at their Inn. However, when one of winners of the design contest that was sponsored by Helena Houndswood’s show ends up dead, the sisters wonder on how far she’ll go to make the statement on style.

The Dash of Death is the second novel of Hemlock Falls series of books. The book is also set in the contemporary upstate of New York. Sarah co-owns Hemlock Falls Hotel with her chef sister. Sarah Quilliam left behind her career as the artist and a NYC lifestyle so as to lead a totally different life in historic and picturesque Hemlock Falls. All the beautiful description of the unique scenery along with the Hotel’s luxurious lodgings make the place to sound appealing for the getaway vacations.

As in the debut book in the series, Quill is quite saddled with a very difficult client. Television star Helena pretends to be remaining incognito as she recuperates from the cosmetic surgery. Indeed, Helena Houndswood actually wants to get noticed and be followed by the public. Quill work hard to keep the demanding client happy and get Hemlock Falls Hotel featured on the Helena’s program. This publicity would bring more customers and their Hotel is desperately running short of the funds required to run it. (No wonder, given all the freebies that Quill had given out in the very first book of this series).

A certain group of the local women won one million-dollar prize in the contest that was sponsored by Helena Houndswood’s TV show. Helena Houndswood is disgusted that these women aren’t photogenic elite snobs who live in the style that she favors. Instead, they’re simple hard-working people who need that cash to survive on a daily basis. One of these women has disappeared, allegedly with the money from a paint frim where she normally works. When yet another woman from this contest-winning group is murdered, Quill worries a lot that either Helena Houndswood is eliminating the winners that she doesn’t like or another person in that group is killing the rest with an aim of getting a bigger share.

The characters along with the plot are mildly entertaining. Quill’s personality remains at balance with her current choice of lifestyle and Meg, her temperamental sister is downright odd and not endearing at all. Meg usually wears socks in patterns and bright colors to signal her own mood and she’s prone to the childish temper tantrums; a behavior that Quill expects and she considers it one sign of her own sister’s good culinary abilities.

Both of the two books have interesting story lines that are fun to read. You will love the idea of trying to find out who the murderer is by guessing on a constant basis. You will also love the Sisters because each of them has her own set of personalities and they actually play off of one another very well. One sister runs the Inn while the other sister works as the Gourmet Chef. Overall, this is one enjoyable and cozy mystery series even though it has many characters that might take time for you to master all of them.

One Response to “Hemlock Falls Mysteries”

1. Sissy52: 6 years ago

   Are you planning on adding to the Hemlock Falls series ??

   Reply