Mad Honey

Synopsis: Olivia McAfee is ready to start over. She thought she had a picture perfect marriage to a cardiac surgeon in Boston and a beautiful son. Then her husband reveals a dark side, prompting a divorce, and a move back home to a small town in New Hampshire where Olivia takes over her father’s bee keeping business. Lily Campanella is also ready to for a new beginning. She’s the new girl at school, and she and Olivia’s son Asher start dating and fall in love. Then Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned for her murder.

Review: In many ways this a typical Jodi Picoult novel: multiple POV, a hot button social topic, and a mystery to be solved. In this case, she had a co-writer, Jennifer Finney Boylan. One author wrote the chapters from Olivia’s POV, the other writing the chapters told from Lily’s POV. A surprising success, as the style was quite seamless, and I would have been hard pressed to know there was more than one hand at work here. Kudos to them both for making that work. Jodi Picoult has a very distinctive style and from her perspective, I guess if it’s successful, why change? I have found that for me, my enjoyment of her books has waned over time due to the predictable pattern. The proselytizing nature of her novels is wearing a bit thin for me. Still, this was pleasant and entertaining enough.

Rating: 3/5

Recipe: This assignment couldn’t have been easier, as there are included recipes at the conclusion of the book! All involve honey, of course. Beekeeper’s Granola looks delicious.

Ingredients:

32 ounces Bob’s Red Mill GF Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup canola oil

1) Heat oven to 225 degrees.

2) Spray a large baking sheet (21 x 15 inches) with cooking spray.

3) In a large bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin seeds, and almonds. Pour honey and oil over the mixture and toss lightly, making sure the oat mixture is covered.

4) Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 90 minutes, cool on a wire rack

Keeps for several weeks in a sealed container.