TLC Book Tours Book Review: The Garden Plot

Author: Marty Wingate
Title: The Garden Plot
Publisher: Alibi
Publish Date: May 6, 2014
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley & TLC Book Tours
Book Blurb: 

In an entirely appealing mystery debut, Marty Wingate introduces readers to a curious Texas ex-pat whose English gardening expertise on occasion leads her to unearth murderous goings-on.

Pru Parke always dreamed of living in England. And after the Dallas native follows an impulse and moves to London, she can’t imagine ever leaving—though she has yet to find a plum position as a head gardener. Now, as the sublet on her flat nears its end, the threat of forced departure looms. Determined to stay in her beloved adopted country, Pru takes small, private gardening jobs throughout the city.

On one such gig in Chelsea, she makes an extraordinary find. Digging in the soil of a potting shed, Pru uncovers an ancient Roman mosaic. But enthusiasm over her discovery is soon dampened when, two days later, she finds in the same spot a man’s bludgeoned corpse. As the London police swarm her worksite, ever inquisitive Pru can’t quite manage to distance herself from the investigation—much to the dismay of stern Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Pearse. It seems that, much as he tries, even handsome DCI Pearse can’t keep Pru safe from a brutal killer who thinks she’s already dug up too much.

Review: The Garden Plot is the first in a new cozy mystery series and one that will delight readers. Pru is a Texan who has transplanted herself (pun intended) on British soil. She wants to find work before the year is up in the UK so she doesn't have to return to Dallas.

She's getting rejection letter after rejection letter. (These letters start most of the chapters and make for a slightly comic if not a bit sad touch)

Readers should easily warm to Pru, who is kind, sweet and passionate about her job. When she gets a small job with the Wilsons she thinks things may be looking up, until she stumbles on (again pun intended) a dead body in the shed.

Pru jumps into the case, because Mr. Wilson looks like the only suspect and she can't believe he'd be the one who did it. Then there's the nosy neighbor, Malcolm who is trying to warn her away from them. Oh and you can't forget the hunky DCI Pearse.

I love how Pru kept reminding herself about not being a police man, when she was doing something wrong.

Pru is a great character. Plus I learned quite a bit reading this, as the mystery involved some Roman artifacts. I loved learning about the underground rivers in the UK, like the river Fleet.

Marty Wingate does a wonderful job with the mystery, too. You go through most of the story thinking you know who did it, but when all is revealed, you find you were wrong.

I can't wait to see what Pru gets up to next, as well as how things go with the hunk DCI.

Rating: 5 flowers

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