Mad Honey by Katie Welch (Review)

Title: Mad Honey
Author: Katie Welch
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Mystery
Publisher: Wolsak & Wynn
Published: May 10, 2022

A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

When Beck Wise vanished, his girlfriend Melissa Makepeace poured herself into caring for the family farm, silently absorbing the fact that another man had disappeared from her life. But when Beck reappears three months later, thin and pale, he has no idea what day it is and is filled with memories of being part of a bee colony. A series of layered mysteries begin to unravel: What happened to Beck? Where did Melissa’s father go? How can she keep the farm together? With gorgeous descriptions, deft characterizations, and a page-turning plot, Mad Honey immerses the reader in a search for truth bounded by the everyday magic of beekeeping, of family, and of finding peace, all while asking how much we really understand the natural world.

⤖ My Review ⬻

Mad Honey by Katie Welch is a captivating mystery novel that takes place in Ontario, Canada. As a Canadian myself, I was thrilled to read a book by a Canadian author, and the fact that it was set in Ontario, where I live, made it even more exciting.

The setting of the novel plays a significant role in the story—Welch does an excellent job of describing the Southern Ontario countryside. As someone who lives close to said countryside, I felt as though the story was unfolding just a few miles from my apartment. The attention to detail in the setting made the story feel more real and immersive.

One of the things I appreciated about Mad Honey was the slow build of the story. The mystery aspect of the story kept me engaged, and I found myself trying to figure out what was going on. The fact that I couldn’t figure it out added to the suspense and made the reveal all the more satisfying. Speaking of the reveal, it blew my mind.

Overall, Mad Honey was a good mystery novel that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the genre.

⤖ About the Author ⬻

Katie Welch is a Canadian author and music teacher. Her short stories have appeared in EVENT Magazine, Prairie Fire, The Antigonish Review, The Temz Review, The Quarantine Review, Split Lip Magazine, and elsewhere. In the spring of 2022, Wolsak and Wynn will publish her debut novel MAD HONEY.