Free (Kindle/Kobo/iTunes) Secret of Orchard Cottage [Cozy Rural Literary w/Mystery]

[ATDrake]

The Secret of Orchard Cottage by Brighton-resident British author Alex Brown (Fantastic Fiction) is the 3rd novel in her Tindledale series of of heartwarming literary/women's fiction novels set in the eponymous obligatory cozy (probably non-murder riddled) rural village, this one with investigative mystery elements as a woman looking for a change in life after the loss of her husband decides to visit an elderly great-aunt, and gets caught up not only in a plan to repair her aunt's neglected cottage and orchards, but also slowly uncover the truth behind the (probably non-murder) disappearance of the aunt's sister during WWII, and maybe indulge in a little romance, too, as you do, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher HarperCollins's uncollinated Harper imprint.

This is apparently being made free to promote the upcoming 4th novel (5th release after a festive novella), Holly's Christmas Gift, which is due in November. Also, the customer reviews note that this focuses strongly on the relationships between the three women (apparently there's a stepdaughter involved as well), and comparatively little page-time is spent on romance.

Currently free @ Amazon UK & iTunes UK & Google Play & Kobo (available to UK & also Japan (via iTunes) when I spot-checked assorted regional stores, YMMV)

Description
April Wilson is wondering what to do next – her life has been turned upside down after the loss of her husband so she’s hoping to piece herself together again with a visit to her elderly great aunt, Edith. Arriving in the rural idyll of Tindledale, she’s dismayed to find Edith’s cottage and the orchards surrounding it in a sorry state of disrepair. Edith seems to have lost interest completely, instead she’s become desperate to find out what happened to her sister, Winnie, who disappeared during WWII.

April gets to work immediately, discovering that the orchard still delivers a bumper crop each year, and with the help of some of the villagers – including Matt, the enigmatic Farrier – begins to unravel the mystery of the missing Winnie. Slowly, April can feel things coming to life again – but can Orchard Cottage work its magic on her too?