Peggy Lee and her gardening friends have managed to persuade the International Flower Show to move to Charlotte from Atlanta this year. Excited and enthusiastic, Peggy agrees to step into the role as director of the event, but on opening day, a good friend of hers is found dead in the middle of the show.
Dr. Aris Abbuto, an orchid grower from South Africa, has been shot and buried in a makeshift grave covered with pink thyme. Peggy is especially devastated since he came at her personal invitation. The presence of the pink thyme, a plant once used for ancient burial rites, tells her it’s possible one of the show’s growers may be involved in his death.
She plans to work with the Charlotte Police on this one, in her position of contract forensic botanist, and is surprised to learn of the Charlotte FBI’s interest in the case—which means her husband, Steve is involved too.
Peggy is focused on finding her friend’s killer and running the flower show with hundreds of sometimes disgruntled vendors. Her questions will find a devious plot with her friend and his young daughter, unwittingly, at the heart of it.
Asking the wrong questions can be dangerous, however, as Peggy knows so well. If she isn't careful, finding her friend’s killer might also lead to a flower-covered grave for her.
Review: I read Pretty Poison last year and I really enjoyed it. It is a different sort of cozy, with our heroine being a botanist. Peggy Lee is more than just a lady who runs a garden shop!
I found that learned a lot while being entertained, reading these stories. Each chapter has a little blurb about a certain type of plant
With a lot of cozy series, you can jump in any time and enjoy the book without going back, and for the most part that's how A Thyme To Die was.
I read the novella that came before this one, Buried By Buttercups and I realized I missed a lot by not searching out the other books in the series. I definitely needed a refresher in Peggy Lee's life stat! because I was foundering...
When did she marry Steve? She just hooked up with him in the first book.
WTH is up with the way her house is passed down...
I have to say that part confused me...if her husband inherited...why didn't her son...
But those are little things and they don't really play a part in the mystery.
I love how she's actually working legitimately with the police now. That's a different twist with most Cozies. Peggy is the forensic botanist and when needed she's on the police payroll! Woo hoo! Which means she's more than the amateur sleuth that does silly things to solve the mystery. That's one thing I really like about Peggy, she's smart, and even though she has brushes with the bad guys, she doesn't come out as a foolish lady at all.
I really love how I couldn't figure out the who dun it and again the stuff about plants that I learned through reading this book!
Great mystery, story and series!
Oh and just to show you how off I was..I thought the guy that did it had the animal that kept escaping in the International Flower Show!
Rating: 5 flowers
Giveaway: $25 Gift Card @ Amazon or Paypal Cash!
About Jim & Joyce Lavene:Joyce Lavene and Jim Lavene are a wife and husband team who have written and published more than 60 books since 1999. They live in North Carolina with their family and enjoy cooking, photography and ghost hunting.
Connect with Joyce & Jim Lavene:
Website | Twitter | Facebook
1 comments:
I would love to try a cozy with a botanist! That sounds original.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
Post a Comment