"Exciting amateur sleuth"

After flunking out of law school and being dumped by her fiancé, Abby Knight returns to her hometown of New Chapel, Indiana. She buys Bloomers, a flower shop and is contented with her life

As she goes to open her store, a young fellow plows into her yellow convertible, but fails to stay around to exchange insurance information. Abby got his license plate number and learns that the Cadillac is registered to City Councilman Louis Ventucci; his nephew was probably driving the vehicle.

At about the same time, the murdered body of Billy Ryan is found in Abby's apartment. She obtains the help of bar owner and private investigator Marco Salvare to help her learn the truth if the driver of the car was the killer. Abby also persuades Pearlie Harding to divorce her abusive spouse and get a restraining order to keep him away from her. She follows the husband to the bank where he hides his cash so that his wife will get none. Someone starts harassing Abby, but soon escalates the campaign into attempted murder because she has discovered something criminal that the killer wants to stop her from revealing.

The heat that Abby and Marco generate could melt the ice caps faster than global warming as he continues to advise her to stay out of people's lives except for his. When she fails to heed his advice, he stays around to keep her safe while she investigates the happenings. Though the tale is all over the place, Kate Collins has written an exciting amateur sleuth starring a quirky support cast that abates the tension when it threatens to overwhelm the audience. MUM'S THE WORD is a fine opening installment of what looks like a solid Indiana mystery series.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted November 15, 2004

Read an Excerpt

First in the new Flower Shop Mystery series

Summary

I don't meddle, honest! But can I help it if my nose for injustice is as keen as my green thumb? Now, I, Abby Knight, law school dropout, am the proud new owner of Bloomers, my hometown flower shop. I'm devoted to making my business grow—but I'm no shrinking violet if someone needs my help to right a wrong—even if that person is already dead....

So maybe Abby's life isn't the bed of roses she was hoping it would be. She adores her job, but a new low-cost competitor is killing her profits—and a black SUV just rammed her vintage Corvette in a hit-and-run. Determined to track down the driver, she accepts the help of hunky ex- cop Marco Salvare. But their budding relationship is threatened when the trail turns deadly. Now Abby is caught in a tangle of menacing phone calls, police corruption, and murderous road rage. If she's not careful, the next flower arrangement might be for her own funeral....