Tell the Bees

Ideal for: Bee Book clubs, Novel readers  Murder Mystery,  Fun read

Publisher: Wicwas Press LLC 2026

Binding: Perfect Bound Softcover 216 pp

Dimensions  5.5 8.5

Weight: .0692 lbs

Print ISBN 978-1-878075-68-0

Description:

When Marine Corps veteran Kael Campbell returns home to New Jersey after losing a leg in Afghanistan, he hopes beekeeping will offer a quiet antidote to the chaos he left behind. He meets Laurel, a young veterinarian, while helping to teach a local beekeeping class, and begins to imagine a life that feels almost normal. But then things start to happen that are anything but normal – arson, a fatal bear attack that may not be what it seems, bees behaving strangely. And everything seems to revolve around a desperately needed treatment created to kill a deadly honey bee parasite – a treatment that might save an industry… or destroy lives. 

Short Description

Unusual events surrounding a Marine veteran’s efforts to learn beekeeping.

Reviews of Tell the Bees

This is a story that will not only entertain, give an excellent education on the indispensable Honey bee and the beekeepers who care for them, but touch the heart as well.  As a well-respected and very experienced Master Beekeeper herself, the author sets the scene for the story with extensive background information about the nature of the bees and touches on the amount of education needed to become a truly good and solid keeper of these amazing creatures.

The characters are realistic, yet unique, again drawn from the author’s personal experience, which gives them depth and showcases some of the significant issues society, and specifically our Veterans, face today.  The strength, work ethic, and humility of her main character, Kael, reflect the mindset and character of many Veterans.  The other characters are far from mainstream and highlight how different people can be and still work together.

The story itself, although fictional, depicts true struggles within the beekeeping industry.  The true villain in the story is the Varroa mite, a parasite preying on Honey bees.  This is evil little mite’s impact on an entire industry is blended into the human murder mystery along with the different cultures, jobs, lifestyles, and natures of the individual characters.

A must read for all beekeepers and those who love nature and mystery alike!

—G. Mehl, EAS Master Beekeeper

Tell the Bees… a must read for anyone who appreciates a good mystery, but also for honey bee appreciators. The author, a longtime, experienced Master Beekeeper intertwines important knowledge of beekeeping while developing an intriguing mystery involving current cultural challenges of war, social concerns and corporate integrity. The reader benefits from the author’s grasp of beekeeping, explained so beautifully at every stage in this book.  Not that this is a primer, but the reader certainly learns a bit of beekeeping along the way while enjoying thoughtful character development, the twists and turns of relationships, and a suspenseful mystery up until the very end.

—Lisa Marie Ghezzi

Tell The Bees deftly merges a murder mystery with fascinating information about the honey bee and beekeeping. Readers with no or little knowledge of beekeeping will learn interesting facts about the life of a honey bee. Veteran beekeepers can see how the author, with her years of teaching beekeeping, presents technical facts so that anyone can understand the life of a honey bee. The characters present many real-world qualities and issues as they navigate the juncture of beekeeping and industry – leading to murder and intrigue.

—Carol Cottrill