The Bees Don't Lie

Marnie Cobb's bees always know when someone's lying. The trouble starts when they won't stop buzzing at a funeral.

For twenty years, Marnie has kept bees at Beehive Cottage on the edge of Marleigh, sold her honey at the Saturday market, and minded her own business — which, in a village like this, is considered deeply suspicious. She also keeps a secret her grandmother handed down along with the hives: her bees can hear a lie. They fret and hum when a falsehood is spoken near them, and settle sweet and calm at the truth. It's a useful gift, mostly — if you don't mind knowing rather more than your neighbours would like.

Then Marleigh's most hated man — a landowner nobody will miss — turns up dead, and the whole village happily agrees it was a sad accident.

Marnie's bees disagree.

As condolences pour in and everyone says exactly the right thing, the hive won't quiet down — because someone standing at that graveside is lying through a perfectly pleasant smile. Armed with nothing but a lifetime of honey-lore, a sharp tongue, and several thousand very small witnesses, Marnie sets out to sift the sweet talk from the truth. But the person she's hunting is beloved by all of Marleigh — and far more dangerous than his easy charm lets on.

If you love:

- Warm, witty village mysteries with a big heart and a light touch
- A sharp, funny, forty-something heroine who'd rather be with her bees
- A charming brush of the uncanny and old countryside folklore
- Nosy neighbours, quaint cottages, and a fair-play puzzle
- Cozy mysteries with laughs, no gore, and no spice

A sunny, utterly charming standalone mystery for anyone who's ever suspected that the sweetest smiles hide the sourest secrets.

The bees have made up their minds. Now Marnie just has to prove them right.