Dearly Depotted (Flower Shop Mysteries, No. 3)
by Kate Collins
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Book Reviews of Dearly Depotted (Flower Shop Mysteries, No. 3)
Book Review: Enjoyable summer read
Summary: 4 Stars
I am often attracted to a book via its cover, and I liked this one. Its pretty spring pastels made me reach for it over others. Dearly Depotted the first book in this series I've read, but it won't be the last. The story is told in first person and takes place in northwestern Indiana (Collins's home) with easy access to Chicago. One of the things I enjoy about many of the books I read, especially in this genre, is that they are usually set in and around each author's own stomping ground. It's a good opportunity to learn about different parts of the country, if one reads a variety of novels by different authors.
Petite Abby Knight is the owner of Bloomers flower shop and she has her hands full with preparations for obnoxious cousin Jillian's wedding (I have to say by the end of the book I found myself wanting the author to write Jillian out of the series. She is way too annoying). Abby is also trying to rein in her hormone-raging teenage helper, Karl Dombrowksi (one of employee Lottie Dombrowski's triplets), who appears to have the hots for one of Abby's very sexy, married-mother-of-a-teenage-daughter customers. When bad boy Jack Snyder is murdered at Jillian's wedding (yes, she actually goes through with it), Abby, of course, jumps right into the melee. She and brawny Marco Salvare, owner of the Down the Hatch bar and grill, plan their strategy to catch the killer. There's plenty of chemistry between these two (Italian men do seem to have the upper hand when it comes to hunky leading men in novels). After several false starts, close calls, and uncertain moments, like when dear Grace's boyfriend, Richard Davis, is arrested and charged with Snyder's murder, the killer is finally apprehended. Kate Collins has written an amusing, romantic, chaotic, and just a little bit scary mystery here; and, even though I figured out the killer before the end, it didn't spoil the story.
Dearly Depotted is a great beach and porch sittin' book for summer! I've already added Snipped in the Bud, Collins's most recent effort, and Slay it with Flowers (March '05) to my summer reading list. That must mean I'm hooked.
Carolyn Rowe Hill
Book Review: Fun, Bright Cozy Series
Summary: 4 Stars
In the 3rd book in the Flower Shop mystery series, the wedding of the century has finally arrived for Abigail Knight (aka Abby), owner of flower boutique, Bloomers. The nuptials of her cousin Jillian and fiancé, Claymore Osborne, are to take place on the Fourth of July, and Abby is kept hopping providing the flowers for both the wedding and a party of wealthy client, Trudee DeWitt. Abby has been working overtime convincing her flighty cousin that she is meant to marry Claymore, and Abby breathes a huge sigh of relief when Jillian is propelled down the aisle. During the ceremony, Abby acts as a bridesmaid (wearing a "clown dress"), and is given the dubious honor of babysitting the groom's 90-year-old grandmother during the reception. When the elderly lady disappears, Abby begins a frantic search for her, culminating in the discovery of grandma bending over the dead body of a wedding guest. The police quickly begin to suspect that the murderer was none other than Richard Davis, the current boyfriend of Abby's assistant, Grace. Begging Abby to dig around in the case, Grace convinces her to use her natural curiosity and ability to stumble over clues to help locate the real killer before Richard goes to jail for life.
This is a fun, lighthearted cozy series, and I have become hooked on Abby and all of the other quirky characters in each of these delightful books. All of the books are set in rapid succession, so the reader does not miss any of the action, and in this installment, Jillian finally is married to Claymore. Abby's budding romance with nearby business owner, Marco, is moving along at a snail's pace and left me wondering what would happen between the two in future installments. I love this great series, and look forward to reading more about Abby and Bloomers for years to come.
The first book in the series is called "Mum's the Word". Enjoy!
Book Review: original and charming amateur sleuth
Summary: 5 Stars
After flunking out of law school, Abby Knight buys Bloomers, a New Chapel, Indiana flower shop from the original owner Lottie who sold the store when her husband's medical bills nearly forced them into bankruptcy. For the Fourth of July weekend, one of Abby's clients ordered begonias in red, white, & blue but the supplier sent pink carnations forcing Abby to spray paint them red.
She is also the bridesmaid at her cousin Jillian's wedding, the same relative who stood up four husbands-to-be. Abby makes sure that her cousin goes through with their wedding but after the nuptials, she finds a dead body in the gazebo. The dead man is the father of Melanie's child (jillian's cousin) who had a fight with Melanie's father. Instead the police arrest the boyfriend of Abby's assistant because he threatened the victim after he discovered he was embezzling from his company and has a record that says he murdered someone in Texas. Abby sets out to prove he is innocent even though it puts her life in danger.
Dearly Depotted is an exciting who-done-it because there are so many suspects who had reasons to kill the victim that readers will become absorbed in the story and will finish in one sitting. The heroine is loyal to her friends and is determined to find a suspect other than Richard while she is trying to figure out if her friend Marco who she is attracted to is ever going to take her out. Kate Collins' amateur sleuth tale is original and charming with so many unexpected twists that readers will have a hard time trying to figure out who the murderer really is
Harriet Klausner
Book Review: Murder at a wedding
Summary: 5 Stars
Abby Knight is a bridesmaid in her cousin Jillian's wedding. Will Jillian really marry Claymore Osborne? She's been engaged many times but hasn't made it to the altar yet. When the groomsman Abby is to walk down the aisle with ends up injured and can't make the wedding, she gets Marco Salvare, her hunky boyfriend and owner of Down The Hatch Bar & Grill.
Plus Abby is put on grandma duty to watch Claymore's 90-year-old grandma. When Abby loses the grandma at the wedding, she sets out frantically to find her. Unfortunately when she finds her, she's standing outside the gazebo where the dead body of Jack Snyder lays. He recently got out of jail. There are many suspects. Jack had gotten Jillian's cousin Melanie pregnant and dumped her. He and Melanie's dad Josiah went at it right before the wedding, too.
But the police seem to put their sights on Richard Davis for the murder. Grace, an employee of Abby's, is dating Richard and asks for Abby's help. Can she find the real killer?
This is one of my favorite series. The sexual tension between Abby and Marco is fabulous. Just enough information without going overboard to know it's there. Abby is such a wonderful sleuth, too. She can get herself into some terrible situations, but I don't find myself yelling at her or throwing the book like in some series. I usually read the books in this series in 2-3 days because they are so much fun and such an easy cozy series to read. I highly recommend this book and series.
Book Review: Well Done Cozy Mystery
Summary: 4 Stars
Abby Knight is thrilled that her cousin Jillian is getting married. Sure, she's not thrilled that her bridesmaid's dress makes her look like a clown, but Jillian has hired her to do the flowers for the wedding and Abby, owners of the Bloomers Flower Shop, can use the money. Abby's even willing to look after Jillian's grandmother-in-law during the wedding. Life is never dull with Abby around as a fistfight breaks out during the wedding. But the real trouble starts when Grandma wanders off and Abby finds her near a dead body. Abby's not one to shy away from investigating a murder and is especially anxious to solve this case, as one of the suspects is the boyfriend of Grace, her shop assistant.
"Dearly Depotted" is a delightful entry in this charming cozy mystery series. Abby is a plucky heroine, not afraid to get involved in a mystery; outspoken, often without thinking ahead of the consequences; bright, yet confused about her relationship with hunky ex-cop Marco. The book is also filled with Abby's delightful sidekicks: shop assistant's Little and Grace (I chuckled when Kate Collins described Grace meeting Elvis when he was in the army); Abby's roommate Nikki and her playful cat Simon; her client Trudee DeWitt; and her incredibly selfish cousin Jillian. Besides the mystery, there are several subplots going on that help make the characters seem real. The mystery itself was well written and plotted and I had no idea who the murderer was until the very end.
Well done.