"Great new gardening mystery"

Peggy Lee is widowed and now owns The Potting Shed, a local garden shop. Her husband was a police detective. She also teaches part-time at the local university. She is a botanist.

She arrives at her shop only to find a dead man. How did he get inside her locked shop? Who is he and who killed him? And why here? These are some of the many questions she wants answered.

He is Mark Warner, a very wealthy man. The police arrest a local homeless man for the murder because he had his shoes and belongings. Peggy does not believe he killed him.

In the meantime, Peggy is adopted by an enormous Great Dane. The only good thing is that she and the veterinarian seem to hit it off.

Her son is not too sure about the dog or veterinarian, and he definitely disapproves of her trying to discover the identity of the real killer. She starts stirring thing up by interviewing the various women in Mark's life.

Peggy starts digging up secrets that someone doesn't want known. She puts herself in danger to try to uncover the truth.

This is the first in a great new series. I can't wait to read the next. Peggy is such a wonderfully crafted character. The students she employs really add to the story. I loved the Great Dane and the veterinarian, too.

The story is well developed and runs along at a good pace. It is a wonderful cozy that you will find hard to put down. The only bad thing is that it will be over too soon! I highly recommend this book.

Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle
Courtesy Mystery Lovers Corner
Posted March 19, 2006

Summary

It's another busy fall day for Peggy. A quick café lecture on African violets is followed by a minor bike accident involving a good-looking Saturn driver. Upon returning to her shop, Peggy discovers one of the wealthiest men in town—and one of the biggest philanderers—sprawled face down across one of her seasonal displays, apparently beaten to death with a garden shovel.

When the cops pin the murder on a local homeless man, Peggy must rake through evidence and dig up secrets to root out the real killer.