Who could object to a flower festival? Britta Johnston and her aunt Elin are delighted that their Portland floral boutique is part of the city’s Rose Festival, which draws thousands to the Pacific Northwest for dragon boat races, fireworks, and other attractions—capped off by a big parade. They’re building a float that’s sure to rock the judge’s boat . . . until a gang of angry protestors … angry protestors shows up. The group, who call themselves Dark Fusion, are decidedly not into flower power, and they want to take down the system . . . including the upcoming extravaganza.
Then their leader is strangled with a garland of violets—and Britta finds the body. With tensions running high and so much at stake, there are plenty of suspects, from the Grand Marshal to a longtime volunteer to a former Rose Queen. But before Britta and Elin can stem the violence, the case is going to get even more explosive . . .
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
I have been looking forward to heading back to Portland since I finished Natural Thorn Killers back in April. Britta Johnston and her aunt Elin have the most amazing flower shop and create such spectacular arrangements so having them design a beautiful, shining float for the annual Rose Parade is exciting. So much work with the help of just a few volunteers. But a group of protesters is ready to ruin everything. Dark Fusion, a gang, is determined to take down the system, starting with disrupting the whole event. Organizers are nervous, the police are on high alert, but when the gang’s leader is killed terror rises to a new level. Britta finding the body and her curious nature has her snooping for clues. But hold on tight, the city is going to rock before this killer is brought to justice.
This was a fantastic read. Tension always just below the surface until everything explodes.
I have helped build a few floats in my day and rode on a few too. Nothing ever elaborate as the floats in this story but understood the hard work that goes into making them truly shine. Most of the story takes place in the “float barn” and the author took us inside and her words truly painted a picture of all the happenings. The flowers, the floats, the cut up hands of the workers trying to get everything just right. The craziness and chaos as the deadline for completion draws near and then the chaos of a murder investigation added on top of all that.
Ms. Dyer-Seeley has created very likable characters along with some dastardly ones. Britta has her hands full with the float and making centerpiece arrangements for the big festival dinner, plus she is in the prime position to ask questions and make keen observations. Elin has an old beau in town and she spends most of her time with him rekindling their romance. There are tons of suspects especially the gang members full of violent tendencies. But a former Rose Festival Princess, the Grand Marshall and a couple other festival workers also find their names on the list.
The story takes some great twists and turns. Danger ramps up with fires and explosions. The pace was fast, almost too fast in places. Things were happening so quickly I had to slow down and reread a couple passages to make sure where all the key people ended up and zone it to catch any clues.
The author ties things up very satisfactorily at the end but I almost didn’t want the story to end. I really like Britta and her Aunt Elin and wasn’t quite ready to say good-bye. I am excited to see what happens next in their lives.
Violet Tendencies by Kate Dyer-Seeley sweeps readers to Portland, Oregon. Britta Johnston and her Aunt Elin own Blooma, a boutique European-inspired flower shop and wine bar. The pair were delighted when Blooma was chosen as the showcase florist for Portland’s Rose Festival and they will be creating the centerpieces for the dignitaries’ dinner. They will also have a float in the parade featuring violets, but their joy is marred by protestors from a group called Dark Fusion outside the warehouse housing the floats. Britta arrives early one morning to work on the float and finds Dark Fusion’s leader, Sham dead on Blooma’s ravaged float with a noose of violets around his throat. Britta wants to know who killed Sham and why they used Blooma’s float. There are numerous suspects including Ted Graham, the Rose Festival’s Grand Marshal, to the float barn director and a former Rose Queen. Dark Fusion may be without their leader, but they are still out in full force and determined to cause chaos. Before Britta can narrow her sights on the killer, the situation becomes volatile. Will Portland have a Rose Festival Parade this year?
Violet Tendencies is the second novel in A Rose City Mystery series, but it can be read on its own. Everything a reader needs to know is included in Violet Tendencies. I like Kate Dyer-Seeley’s casual writing style. The book contains good writing and engaging characters. The story flows along at a gentler pace than Natural Thorn Killer. I like the setting of Portland, Oregon (I would love to live in Pacific Northwest). I enjoy the author’s descriptions of the city and of the Rose Festival with its variety of events. Blooma is a unique flower shop with its European flair and a wine bar. There are detailed descriptions on how the various flower arrangements are created along with how floats are constructed using all natural materials plus the symbolism behind each bloom. Blooma’s float was beautifully described and it sounded enchanting. Britta and her aunt, Elin have a close relationship at home and at work. I like how they support each other in their professional and personal endeavors. Elin’s boyfriend, Eric is in town and Britta finally gets to meet him. Britta gets to spend more time with Detective Pete Fletcher. If they could just get through one date without being interrupted. The murder does not occur until a reader is 40% into the story. There are multiple suspects, misdirection and good clues. I do wish, though, that the crime had been more challenging to solve. I was not a fan of the protestors. They were an angry mob who harassed the people working on the floats, had weapons and continually threatened violence. While it is realistic, it is a little dark for a cozy mystery. We get more details regarding the death of Tomo Iwamoto’s father. Tomo would like to find who killed his father and I am curious to learn more. Tomo and Britta have a close relationship and his mother’s noodle dishes are mouthwatering. There are flower tips and recipes at the end of the book. There are many delightful cozy moments in Violet Tendencies. Violet Tendencies is set in a beautiful city, has friendly characters, an abundance of blooms and a disconcerting whodunit.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
If you don’t love flowers before reading this book you definitely will by the time you are done. We get the the loveliest flower descriptions ever in these stories thanks to love of flowers from the main character Britta who runs a flower shop with her Aunt. The serene city of Portland is gearing up for its annual Rose parade and I will as not there is all kinds of things going on behind the scenes as the floats are built. The design give some awesome visuals that flow smoothly with the story. Add in a murder and the story really gets good. Nice mix of flower history, details, whimsy, and intrigue. I learn something new in each I installment and am looking forward to book three. Great for fans of cozies and flowers. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
What a good series! I love all the flowers. The characters are great. It reminded me of many years ago when I helped to build a float.
Violet Tendencies is the second book in the Rose City Mystery series. In this installment we are leaving the flower shop and are being taken into a warehouse setting by the river where the floats for Portland’s Rose festival are being built.
Protesters harassing the volunteers and flower shop owners and when the protest leader is found dead in the warehouse the situation is escalating. Unfortunately the murder is not happening until well into the story.
This theme did not quite catch my interest but I will sure be back for future installments.
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Kensington and the author provided me with an advance copy.
Great book! I loved reading about the Rose Festival in Portland. It sounds like a really fun event to attend. A group of anarchists called Dark Fusion are making trouble for the Rose Festival parade. When their leader is found murdered on Blomma’s float, it increases the trouble. Britta is determined to find out what happened. Lots of intense moments sprinkled in with the joy of the festival. I look forward to more books in this series and hopefully seeing more of a relationship develop between Britta and Pete.
“Violet Tendencies” earns 4/5 Bunches of Flowers…Engaging and Fun!
Flower Shop? Parade Float? Protesters? Murder? Everything entertaining in the second book of Kate Dyer-Seeley’s Rose City Mystery series. To me “Violet Tendencies” seems a good standalone. I started here and with some revisiting past events and character connections, I was quickly in the loop. Kate penned a delightful first-person narrative from Brittany Johnson perspective sharing her inner thoughts (some humor included), vivid descriptions (I could smell the flowers), laying out the clever mystery (ample suspects), and creating a story I really recommend. Although the crime and subsequent investigation took longer than I prefer to happen and get started, I enjoyed the details, motive, some peril, and reveal of the killer. One thing I like about cozies is the added insights, tips, and information often sending me off to explore more on Google or Wikipedia. Here, flowers, floral arrangements, floats (topics on which I am a novice) turned out to be fascinating. Last, the drama with the anarchists and the murder is mellowed by some budding romances or at least romantic inclinations. Fun!
Portland’s Rose Festival and Murder Cozy Mystery
This story uses The Portland Rose Festival and the florists involved as a backdrop. I have never come across any book that dives into the heart of florists as well as this one does! The plot is full of political things that have been going on in the Pacific Northwest for 10 years or more. There are lots of angles to the story and plenty of suspects. I enjoyed this story so much that I am going back to read the first story! I received this book for free and this is my honest review.
VIOLET TENDENCIES by Kate Dyer-Seeley
The Second Rose City Mystery
Spring has sprung in Portland, Oregon as the city celebrates its Rose Festival. Britta Johnston and her Aunt Elin are in the midst of the festivities working on their float for the festival’s Grand Floral Parade. But all is not flowers and good cheer as a group of anarchists seem bent on ruining the parade and everything it stands for. Threats of violence by the group escalate, but it’s their leader who is found murdered…on Britta’s float! Stunned by the death, Britta also feels a strange undercurrent. Something odd is going on with the parade leaders and she means to find out what it is.
Things are not all flowers and light in this second Rose City Mystery. There is omnipresent conflict and dread coming from the anarchists creating taut suspense. In this day and age the very real threat of terrorist activity, no matter the cause, makes the danger in the book so much more real. It’s not just that a person got murdered, it’s the thought that anybody out enjoying the day, or even sitting comfortably at home, could be in deadly danger.
Despite the darkness, goodness and beauty exist as well. There’s the beauty of flowers and the floats. The reunion of Elin and Eric, the chemistry between Britta and Pete, and the various friendships, old and new, bring lightness and love.
Lots of good suspects and plenty of suspicious activity make VIOLET TENDENCIES a complex, suspenseful mystery.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
Violet Tendencies by Kate Dyer-Seeley is the second in a new series. It takes place in Portland, Oregon and centers around a florist and her niece. Elin owns Blomma and adopted her niece, Britta, when her parents died at an early age. As happens with children, she grew up and moved away, had a dead-end job, and as it turned out, a dead-end marriage. They are building a float for the annual Grand Floral Parade and are nearly at the end of the process: the parade. It means grueling hours and hard work, which is now being complicated by Dark Fusion protestors espousing anarchy-totally anti-establishment and anti-government. Thus far they have done nothing but hurl epithets and make workers and volunteers coming to the float barn.
Dyer-Seeley always includes a plethora of information about her protagonist’s calling. In this case, the information includes not only float-building tips, but also floral design and care tips. There is also an abundance of information about Portland’s Rose Festival and parade. This makes her books even more interesting and gives the reader a short education, as well. Elin is an interesting character, reconnecting with her fiancé many years after the breakup, which lends an air of romance to the mystery. There are several close calls, which sometimes tends to push the believability, but in this case worked fairly well. Britta is a good character, as well as her friend, Tomo, a police officer, and dutiful Japanese son. Detective Peter Fletcher is another interesting, albeit mysterious character, who seems to really be attracted to Britta, and she to him. I loved this book and totally recommend it.
I received a free ARC of Violet Tendencies in exchange for a fair and honest review. #netgalley #violettendencies
Violet Tendencies by Kate E. Dyer-Seeley is the second book in the Rose City series set in Portland, OR. I was completely swept up in this complex mystery from the first chapter.
Britta has made Portland her home again and is enjoying every second of working in her Aunt Elin’s flower shop, Blomma. Her creativity has bloomed (no pun intended)since she’s been back in Portland. Ms. Dyer-Seeley’s writing of Portland and the Riverwalk Village allowed me to feel as if I was in the midst of the story. I was fascinated by details of the float construction. The plot was quickly paced with several suspects, and twists that created new angles to look at the motives and the suspects. The reveal filled me with fear for Britta. I could not put the book down until I was finished. I also enjoyed the touch of romance added by Ms.Dyer-Seeley for both Elin and Britta. I will be impatiently waiting for the next one in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.