A new cozy mystery series from USA Today best-selling author Dale Mayer. Follow gardener and amateur sleuth Doreen Montgomery—and her amusing and mostly lovable cat, dog, and parrot—as they catch murderers and solve crimes in lovely Kelowna, British Columbia.Riches to rags. … Controlling to chaos. … But murder … well maybe … murders has hit the newswires across the country, but all Doreen wants is to be left alone. She has antiques to get to the auction house and a relationship with Corporal Mack Moreau to work out, not to mention a new friendship to nurture with Penny, Doreen’s first friend in Kelowna, and Doreen doesn’t want to ruin things.
But when a surprise accusation won’t leave Doreen alone—about Penny’s late husband George’s death and made by one of the men Doreen helped put away—she thinks that maybe it can’t hurt to just take a quick look into her new friend’s past.
Before Doreen knows it, she’s juggling a cold case, a closed case, and a possible mercy killing … along with cultivating her relationships with Penny, Mack, and Doreen’s pets: Mugs, the basset hound; Goliath, the Maine coon cat, and Thaddeus, the far-too-talkative African gray parrot. And while Mack should be used to Doreen’s antics by now, when she dives into yet another of his cases it’s becoming increasingly hard to take …
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Love story but cleaning??? Fixing the garden which helps close more cold cases, but what to expect when you decide to clean your house? Finding more secrets to look into, finding more furniture than your local shop gives you a great fun pace story with a more personal sides of both Doreen and Mack. You still have the investigation but not in the traditional sense. Learning more of other charters such as Nan, Scott, Penny to name a few.
I was kindly provided this book as an ARC; in exchange for my honest review. If you’re a loyal reader of this authors books; I feel I must warn you that this book (the fifth in her new series) is VERY different from anything else she’s written before.
Some may find it to be a little “young,” but as with most of Ms. Dale’s work, it is well written and a fast, easy read.
Doreen Montgomery moves to Kelowna (BC) to live in her Grandma Nan’s home after a nasty split from her husband of 14 years.
Her her first week in her new home she “discovered “ a few dead bodies (with the assistance of her new family; her Basset Hound Mugs, her Grandmas pets a cat named Goliath and a vocal African Grey Parrot named Thaddeus).
Doreen has somehow gotten involved in several murder cases in the time she’s lived in Kelowna, BC. Much mayhem and adventure ensues for Doreen, Mac, and Doreen’s pets.
This is an entertaining and somewhat silly story. I can’t say this is my favorite or Ms. Dale’s series; but, it is cute and of course well written. I’ve allowed a young teen to read, something I wouldn’t allow of her other book series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely love this series. It’s fun, adventurous and full of laughter and surprises.
Doreen made a friend in the last book, Penny. Unfortunately the bad guy from that one has cast suspicion onto her with an accusation that Doreen can’t get out of her head. But with other things going on she hasn’t spent too much time thinking about it.
One of my favorite things in these books is the relationship between her and Mack, the detective is handsome and honorable. He’s helping Doreen in many ways but the best is teaching her to cook.
In spite of having the appraiser from Christie’s preparing to transport some of the antiques in her home, she does find a way to start investigating Penny.
The clincher is finding a journal in Penny’s garage as she helps make the front of Penny’s house ready for the relator’s pictures.
Lots of fun with Thaddeus, the parrot, he starts calling her by name in this one! Mugs and Goliath are hoot as well. Her grandmother Nan also manages to be a bit of trouble too as the folks in the home start betting on Doreen and Mack having a relationship.
Plenty of suspense, laughs and so much more. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
I really enjoyed reading this story .Doreen is such a interesting and intertaining person very quirky and great at solving cold cases .
Mack is the perfect calm to her crazy . The stories would not be complete without her furry and feathery family . I cannot forget wild woman Nan she is delightfully naughty . This is a well written , fantastic story . It’s intriguing , full of twists and turns . An all out wonderful tale . This is book 5 in the Lovely Lethal Gardens series .
The entire series is great . I highly recommend reading this story .
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another fun, light and easy read from Dale Mayer starring Doreen along with Mugs the Bassett hound, Goliath the Maine Coon cat and Thaddeus the African gray parrot who repeats everything he hears. This time Doreen is trying to figure out what happened in her new friend Penny’s history and comes across some interesting things while digging in her garden. With the help of her very close friend Corporal Mack Moreau and of course trying to keep her Nan from placing bets at the senior home. If you have been reading the previous books in this series then you will enjoy this addition to the group.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dale Mayer has done an outstanding job on this series. I loved how funny and witty they are. Evidence in the Echinacea is my now favorite in this series.
I don’t even know why I love this series when I don’t even like cozy mysteries. It’s actually hilarious, must be the awkward heroine and her crazy animals. Doreen has spidey senses when it comes to sniffing out a mystery. She accidentally solves cold cases without even trying.
I love all the hidden treasures she finds as she clears her Nan’s house out of antiques and baubles.
I didn’t see the end coming which was awesome…loved it and can’t wait for the next installment.
This is another delightful read in this cozy mystery series. Doreen continues to find herself up to her eyeballs in unsolved mysteries as book five opens. All the usual characters are around to support our girl. Nan, Mack, Goliath, Thaddeus, Mugs are all here and of course each one adds something to the story. Doreen and Mack’s relationship continues its slow evolve into something more as this story unfolds. Filled with suspense, drama and humor, this was a very enjoyable read
Another great book in this series from Dale Mayer. Love Doreen and Mack and I am kept wondering what their relationship will be like further down the line. As usual Doreen doesn’t mean to get involved in cold cases but she does. This is an extension of book four with Penny and how her brother was killed. With all of the pieces coming together will Doreen be able to solve the case? As usual Mack is rolling his eyes. A great read from start to finish.
Doreen is solving cold cases quicker than she can turn around in Kelowna and she has earned quite the reputation. Her ragtag group of animals are also becoming well known around town. Nan is always hoot with her gambling, mischief making and keeping secrets. I love the developing relationship between Doreen and Mack. Mack seems to be more involved in he relationship part than Doreen though as he keeps finding reasons to stop by and seems to be enjoying her help more and more on his cases as he begins to share more and more on cases. Doreen keeps stumbling into the cold cases and actually ends up solving several in this book. I truly love the hi-jinks in each book as well as the relationship building that Doreen goes through not only with Mack, but with everyone she knows and is getting to know. The series is well written and truly addicting. I volunteered to read this through Booksprout.
Divorcee Doreen and her animals (Mugs, the basset hound; Goliath, the Maine coon cat, and Thaddeus, the far-too-talkative African grey parrot) just want to be left alone for a while so she can concentrate on getting the valuable antiques in the house to the auction house, her developing friendships with Corporal Mack Moreau and Penny (her first female friend in the area). However, she finds herself unable to ignore an accusation about Penny’s late husband George’s death she decides it won’t hurt to just look into it. Suddenly Doreen seems to be juggling a cold case, a closed case, and a possible mercy killing. Mack should be used to Doreen’s antics by now when she dives into yet another of his cases but it’s becoming increasingly hard to take.
Wow – Doreen sure likes to complicate her life. I don’t know how she manages to do the gardening, the house clearance, the investigation of murders and keep her sanity – if it was me I think I would have been overloaded with work to do and things to learn. This superwoman does appear to have her priorities slightly wrong and really needs to now work on finding the important paperwork as well as resolve her own sleeping arrangements which seem bizarrely uncomfortable (for goodness sake woman buy a bed!). This book as once again educated me about some plants as well as a few gardening techniques. Well written and highly addictive I really enjoyed this book which had Doreen in the thick of the action again.
Suspenseful and intense at times, full of twists and surprises to keep you focussed on the pages. I am loving this series with its quirks and funny moments as well as the serious side of murder, death and missing people. Doreen and her animals are fabulous characters, Nan is a hoot and Mack is the steady calming influence to keep everything levelled out. I love the mix of light and dark of the plots, the use of various plants as hiding places as well as garden enhancements. This series and each book are so different from anything else Dale Mayer has written but at the same time still has all the elements of style that are used in her other books, just a different focus and theme. I don’t want this to ever end, I want to see these characters have a family and grow old. Amazingly entertaining and very interesting.
The 4 W’s of great reading!
In this the fifth book in the Lovely Lethal Gardens Series, E also stands for engagement. In the first four books, we knew from the first chapter what was found and where. We would then join Doreen on the merry chase for information as she, Goliath, Mugs, Thaddeus, and of course, Mack and Nan set about to solve the who and why. As I read Evidence in the Echinacea, I kept wondering, “What evidence? Where is it?” Then I realized that NOT knowing what the evidence is and which of many gardens Doreen is rejuvenating would be the one where the echinacea are currently hiding said evidence also hid a plot twist that I did not see coming at all. AND the anticipation kept me totally engaged right to the final reveal of the who and the why. Now I know how Mack feels.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Doreen is beyond busy and curious as well. This curiosity has led her to investigating and then on to solving old crimes. She with her companions, Thaddeus her parrot who continues to learn new words, Mugs her dog who has a personality all his own and Goliath her cat who can live up to his name, all keep the reader entertained. Nan, her grandmother is also an important part of the tale as well as Mack, who is the local law enforcement who keeps her on the straight and narrow but is also her friend. Definitely a great Cozy Mystery and I’m looking forward to the next book.
I like the fact that each book provides me information about plants and gardens,things that I didn’t realize piqued my interest and I can go to the library and learn about. Doreen is helping me with my garden and she doesn’t even realize! I am grateful that she finally has the garage cleaned out and most of the house, it’s like opening the door to other possibilities. Now get your tush in gear and get your bedroom taken care of and for gosh sake find the papers, I think priorities are a little out of whack. Mack seems to be growing as well, becoming more accepting. I love watching Doreen develop and I am curious as to what she will do in the future….police? P.I.? Possibilities. Muggs, Goliath and Thaddeus are all here sharing in the opportunities and excitement. I really like that fact this is book you can read with young adults, teenagers and share together. Thank you Dale Mayer, Book Sprout for the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were unsolicited.
Doreen seems to be coming into her own in this new book in this series. She is not as frantically rushing around and thinking, thinking, thinking. She is just as busy but much more calm. I liked it and I could feel the calmness throughout the story. She continues investigating cold cases but this time she thinks Penny killed her husband, George. While investigating she and Mack seem to be getting closer. This was a really, really enjoyable.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book answers many questions from Dagger in the Dahlias (some the reader may not have even realized existed until diving into this book). Doreen continues to find her way in her new life. Mack is teaching more than cooking and is more open to new opinions. This book, like the other 4 books in the Lovely Lethal Gardens Series from Dale Mayer, is written in a classic style, one for all ages, which hints of romance nestled in friendship, family and friendship.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.