He Should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox

A tradition among beekeepers is to let the bees know when their owner has died as is portrayed in Amanda Cox’s latest Christian fiction, He Should Have Told the Bees, which was published August 1. George Walsh brought up his young daughter Beckett alone when her mother Lindy deserted them. George taught Beck everything he knew about beekeeping before he died, leaving the 60-acre farm to Beck but also to someone named Callie Peterson who lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Beck suffers from agoraphobia so when her father dies, she has a hard time facing the outside world. She is content caring for the bees, producing honey for sale, and taking care of a horse, a donkey, and some goats. She would rather pay a teen to deliver her groceries and animal supplies rather than to go to Sweetwater, Tennessee, herself. When she learns that she is to share ownership of Walsh Farm with a stranger who leans toward selling the property rather than keeping it, Beck becomes very upset with her father, leaving half the property to a stranger.

Who is this mysterious person who now owns half of Walsh Farm? What should Callie do when she has never even heard of the man endowing her with half his farm? She would love to sell it to finance her own dreams of opening a store to sell the candles and soaps she makes. Furthermore, she has the responsibility to provide treatment for her mother who is currently in rehab dealing with her alcoholism and mental health issues.

When Beck and Callie finally sit down to hash things out, they learn there exists a web of secrets in both of their lives, one of which makes their surprising relationship clear. How can they satisfy both their needs with the Walsh Farm?

Amanda Cox, with a bachelor's degree in Bible and theology and a master's degree in professional counseling, finds she enjoys telling stories and tending her honeybees. Her two previous books--The Edge of Belonging and The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery--won the Christy Award Book of the Year in 2021 and 2022. She lives in Tennessee with her family.