Best Left Buried

Darcy & Flora Cozy Mystery, Book 3

By: Blanche Day Manos

Narrated by: Michelle Babb

Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Darcy Campbell might have expected life in a small Oklahoma town nestled in the beautiful Ozark foothills to be as idyllic as the scenery. That, however, is not what she finds when she returns to her hometown of Levi after the death of her husband.

One autumn morning, Darcy and her mother, Flora Tucker, are enjoying a cup of coffee in their hundred-year old farmhouse when Darcy gets an urgent telephone call. The contractor who is digging the foundation for their new home insists that Darcy drop everything and come to the building site as quickly as she can. He has found a mysterious object deep in a hand-dug well and he needs Darcy's help in retrieving it.

The ancient, crumbling package pulled from the well contains two items that are as shocking as they are inscrutable. In trying to decipher the meaning of these long-buried objects, Darcy and Flora discover a dark secret from their family's past.

A kidnapping, a brush with death, and a stranger's greed add to the mix. The era of World War I becomes enmeshed with the present day as Darcy and Flora unravel a tangled web of deceit that has ensnared their family.

Volume 3 of the Darcy & Flora cozy mystery series.

©2014 Blanche Day Manos and Barbara Burgess (P)2016 Blanche Day Manos and Barbara Burgess

This mystery hits close to home for Darcy & Flora

I loved the suspense of Best Left Buried, written by Blanche Day Manos & Barbara Burgess and narrated by Michelle Babb. A chance discovery in an old well on Darcy and Flora's property plunged the mother daughter duo into a mystery from the past involving their own family. Add a woman trying to lay claim to land belonging to the pair and a budding romance between two of the principal characters, and this story keeps you hooked.
This is Book 3 of the Darcy & Flora Cozy Mystery series but it can be listened to as a standalone. This is a clean audiobook and the ladies work their way through the story with their faith, spunk and plenty of brainstorming over coffee.
Michelle Babb is very consistent with narrating the characters. Having previously listened to Grave Shift, Book 2, I could immediately recognize the different returning characters from voice alone. Her narration matches the main character well and really brings the townsfolk to life for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense of this story and would recommend it to other cozy mystery fans.
I was given a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Great Mystery

I loved listening to this small town mystery. Michelle Babb's narrative talents kept me interested and entertained. I love the characters and how Darcy and her mom solve problems.

Past and Present Brought Together

Any additional comments?

Flora and Darcy are excited about building their new home on Flora's mother's property. While covering up an abandoned well on the property a package containing old gun is found. Also inside the package appears to be some kind of writing. Darcy deciphers the writing to realize this was information about a secret marriage of her grandmother. Also suddenly there are multiple people interested in this property. Does this secret marriage and sudden interest in their property have a connection?

This mother and daughter duo have a wonderful relationship and work well together while investigating their family's history. I really like that Flora doesn't discourage Darcy even though she was clearly upset in finding out that her mother kept a really big secret from her. This is a very enjoyable storyline and mystery. There are several twists and turns throughout the story to keep the reader pondering what is really going on with the family property? I really loved how the past and present are brought together to create this wonderful mystery.

I listened to an audio version of this book. Narrator Michelle Babb allows us to experience Flora and Darcy's discoveries on another level. Babb has great diction, accents, pace, and adds an emotional voice to help bring the story to life.

I recommend this book to mystery lovers. If you have access to the audio version I definitely recommend this version of the book. I was provided with a copy of this book in hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way influenced by others.

Great Listen!

I so love these characters. This is the 3rd book in the series by Blanche Day Manos. It can be listened as a standalone, but has references to events from the previous stories and characters. Michelle Babb did a great job with the various voices and was able to get great emotion into the characters. I found the subtle humor a plus. This story was great, and I loved some of the unexpected twists. Also, I liked that the author kept the details consistent from previous stories. I was voluntarily provided with this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher.

Cozy Mystery

A Darcy & Flora Cozy Mystery, Best Left buried book 3 clever written story.

There a touch belief in God.
There is no course language, no sex, and violence is kept to the basics.

Story and characters well developed.

Narrated by Michelle Babb who gave each character having their own unique voice.

I suggest that you listen to Michelle‘s voice before getting the audio book. I listen to the audiobook on 1.4 speed.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher free of charge for a honest, unbiased review.

Fun Mother/Daughter Duo

I think Darcy & her mom are awesome! I love that they solve mysteries together. This author writes great books and is able to keep everything and everyone involved and interesting without throwing in a lot of graphic sex scenes, ugly graphic murder details and foul language like a lot of writers seem to do these days, in fact I think they are better without them! (This is a big turn off for me with book and movies).
Michelle Babb is a wonderful narrator and always does an exceptional job. Any audiobook I come across that has her as the narrator automatically let's me know it will most likely be a book I will enjoy listening to.
This book was a pleasure to listen to and I would like to thank the author, narrator, or publisher for providing me this audiobook at no cost in exchange for my unbiased review & I look forward to listening to book four.

Wonderful story!

Best Left Buried is the 3rd in the Darcy & Flora Cozy Mystery series by Blanche Day Manos. A long ago discarded object is found by a contractor at the building site of Darcy & Flora’s new home. The mysterious object leads to many secrets, a greedy and a kidnapping. A very engaging book that is well written with several plot lines. The narration by Michelle Babb is wonderful. Her performance makes an good book even more entertaining!

I really do enjoy this mystery series

This is such a good cozy mystery series. I love the mother/daughter relationship between Darcy and her mom. Michelle Babb does a fine job of making them seem real. These aren't stories I can predict what is going to happen next so I want to just keep listening to find out. They keep my interest and with the good narration it isn't hard to do that. I'm looking forward to listening to book 4 now. I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.

Love this series

I am really enjoying the Darcy and Flora mystery series. I wasn’t sure how the author was going to pull all of the clues together but she did it very well. The narrator is very easy to listen to.

Digging up the past can be dangerous!

I was given this audio book free in exchange for an honest review.This is the second Darcy & Flora Cozy Mystery I've listened to. I liked this story better than Book 2.
Darcy and Flora are a mother/daughter duo that keep falling into mysteries and danger. This time, it actually involves a mystery of their own past. The contractor hired to build their new house discovers something down an old well that will change the way the two women look at themselves and their ancestors. The items are stolen and a mystery of a different type develops. There are people after the items, people shooting at them, a poisoning, kidnappings and love. It all makes for a very entertaining story.
I've really come to love the narration of Michelle Babb. Another great job.