Lefse Holmes: Murder in Hotdish County

by

Annabelle Lewis

Entertaining who-done-it, sprinkled with family, food, and a hint of romance.

Lefse Holmes: Murder in Hotdish County by Annabelle Lewis is an entertaining cozy “who-done-it” mixed with family drama, regional food, and a hint of new romance on the horizon. Lavinia Dahl returns to her hometown of Arendal, Minnesota, from her new life in Minneapolis for the wedding of her best friend, Nora Hedstrom, to her childhood sweetheart, Isaac Pitt, whose family has been locked in an ongoing feud with each other for over a century. But rather than uniting the two families, the joining of this young couple tragically invites death and the revival of old grudges to the ceremony. 

Events unfold through the eyes of Lavinia Dahl, who grew up in Arendal but had left for college and, subsequently, a career in the Twin Cities. Although not a frequent visitor to her old hometown, she maintained regular contact with her parents, who still lived there, and I enjoyed her parents’ playful and loving banter with each other and their daughter. Lavinia also remained in touch with her school chums, Nora and Isaac, both of whom had returned to Arendal after college, even traveling together when possible. Their wedding is a labor of love, and perhaps a little bit of showing off, by Nora’s Aunt Effie, and the descriptions of the scenes were vivid. The characters were so well developed already that I teared up as I read of the groom’s reaction to seeing his bride coming down the aisle. 

After the initial setup, the plot progresses quickly with not one, but two unexpected murders occurring early in the story. Lavinia decides to investigate the suspicious deaths on her own because they are interfering with Nora and Isaac’s honeymoon plans, and the fear that these may be just the tip of the iceberg in the resurrected feud. The investigating officer is the local sheriff who plays his cards close to the vest, as he should. 

The small Minnesota farming town setting was a lot of fun, with its popular town bar, shared culture, holidays, and traditions, as well as a charming and strong sense of community. I enjoyed Lavinia’s enthusiasm for the familiar dishes of her childhood, especially her self-admonishment to pace herself in sampling them, as it was going to be a long day. I loved that the author appends a generous collection of recipes for many of the foods mentioned at the end of the book. 

It turns out the little town of Arendal is no stranger to secrets. The resolution to the original conflict that put the two families at odds with one another was an unexpected and heartbreaking surprise. The reveal of the who, why, and how of the deaths happened suddenly, the clues to the answers are in plain sight, yet I still thought some of it felt a little under-explained. I can’t say more without providing spoilers, though. 

I recommend LEFSE HOLMES: MURDER IN HOTDISH COUNTY to cozy mystery readers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.