Lee Hollis begins a delightful new series in which Poppy Harmon and her friends find that life after retirement can be much busier—and deadlier—than any of them ever anticipated . . . When Poppy goes from complacent retiree to penniless widow in a matter of weeks, the idea of spending her golden years as the biggest charity case in Palm Springs renders her speechless. With no real skills and … no real skills and nothing left to lose, Poppy uses her obsession with true crime shows to start a career as a private eye . . .
But after opening the Desert Flowers Detective Agency with help from her two best friends, Violet and Iris, Poppy realizes that age brings wisdom, not business—until she convinces her daughter’s handsome boyfriend, Matt, to pose as the face of the agency. It’s not long before Matt’s irresistible act snags a client desperate to retrieve priceless jewelry burglarized from an aging actress at the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. Or before Poppy stumbles upon the bloodied body of the victim’s arch rival . . .
In a flash, Poppy’s innocent detective gig is upstaged by a dangerous murder investigation riddled with slimy suspects and unspeakable scandal. As she and her team uncover the truth, Poppy must confront the secrets about her late husband’s past and swiftly catch a killer lurking around the retirement community—even if it means turning her world upside down all over again.
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I read this in one sitting and enjoyed it so much. It was funny and entertaining.
I liked Poppy, Iris and Violet and how Poppy’s friends showed their support when her husband died and she found out that he had left her a mountain of debt. All three ladies are in their 60s and use their life experience to help Poppy create a new life for herself. She is a former actress that expected to spend her golden years comfortably, but now has to figure out what she can do to make a living and support herself. She decides that she wants to become a private investigator, which her daughter Heather is opposed to, but her friends support and help her to open an office. Heather’s boyfriend Matt ends up playing a larger part in the story than I anticipated when his character was first introduced. I hope that the ladies get more recognition for their sleuthing skills in the next book. Overall this was a good story and I would recommend it to other cozy readers.
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I always loved the show “Remington Steele” and the description of this book reminded me of that. It was not disappointing. I love the girls and their PI work. I want to join them. I can’t wait for the next one.
I won a copy of this book from Goodreads giveaways. I was not required to give a favorable review. This was a very interesting story. Poppy goes from being a retired movie/tv star and mom of a grown daughter and wife. To being single when her husband dies. But little did she know that her life with him was not all true. He had a gambling problem and all of their money was gone. Thank goodness she kept her money that she received from doing her shows was different. But she will have to sell her home and stuff to cover debts. So between her smarts and also her part she played as a secretary to a PI she decides that is what she wants to do. So between her, and 2 friends they open a business. That is were the fun starts. I loved every minute of reading this book.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This series is off to an incredible start!
When life deals her lemons, retired actress Poppy Harmon makes a fantastic batch of lemonade by contacted an old friend to give her the credentials she needs to become a private investigator. Together with her friends Iris and Violet the Desert Flowers Detective Agency is born. The only problem no one wants to hire a bunch of senior ladies comfortable with a man for their investigation. Poppy does a little fast footwork and lines up her daughter’s boyfriend Matt, also an actor to be the face of the business. People are more comfortable with a man as the head sleuth, and they get a client. There has been a rash of burglaries at the Palm Leaf Retirement Village and a wealthy elderly actress has lost her jewelry valued at more than all the other thefts put together. Poppy is on the case but then she discovers a Palm Leaf resident dead and she happens to be a bitter enemy of Poppy’s client. Hang on tight because as she investigates Poppy finds a tie to the husband that left her penniless in the first place.
I absolutely loved everything about this book. Poppy Harmon, a socialite has her life turned upside down when her 4th husband dies after spending their fortune. She was completely in the dark. Their home was mortgaged to the hilt and she has no way to make the huge payments. In her time of need, her friends Iris and Violet come to her rescue offering a place to live and money to tide her over. She has always liked solving mysteries, she even played a secretary to a P.I. on a television show. Her friends think it is an excellent idea and Violet even brings in her grandson to set up their website and social media accounts. After a little snafu with the website, they know they need to bring in a man, Matt. He is excited about the role he is to play, but his girlfriend thinks all 5 of them have lost their minds. These characters are fun and very engaging and their presence just leaps off the page. I want to know all of them better.
After introducing the characters, Hollis doesn’t just give us one mystery, but two. The jewelry thefts and the murder. Filled with more twists than I ever imagined possible I couldn’t put this book down. Up reading late, the final twist blew me totally away. In fact, I had to go back and read it again to be sure my tired brain wasn’t playing tricks on me.
Lee Hollis gave me everything I look for in a cozy mystery and made is super easy to escape right into the story. A gifted storyteller mixing outstanding characters and a marvelous mystery. The exact right amount of humor was added too. The real bonus is that Poppy, Violet, and Iris are vibrant active women in their 60’s. Gives me hope as I am quickly approaching that age. If I could I would shout about this book from the rooftops! It will without question make my Best Reads of 2018 List.
Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis is the first novel in A Desert Flowers Mystery series. Poppy Harmon is shocked when she learns that her recently deceased husband, Chester gambled away all their money and left her deeply in debt. Poppy with the aid of her two friends, Iris Becker and Violet Hogan open The Desert Flowers Detective Agency. Unfortunately, people do not want to hire three mature women to solve their cases. That is when Poppy recruits her daughter’s actor boyfriend, Matt Cameron to be the face of the agency. Matt, though, prefers a more hands on approach. Their first client is entertainer, Shirley Fox who lost uninsured jewelry in a recent break in at her home in the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. It turns out that there have been a rash of burglaries in the complex. Shirley wants the agency to retrieve her cache of jewels. While investigating the thefts, Poppy finds actress, Olivia Hammersmith dead in her home. Are the thefts and the murder connected? Poppy, Iris, and Violet along with Matt are determined to get answers and make a success of their fledgling business.
Poppy Harmon Investigates has an adorable cover and it is what drew me to the book. I thought the book was easy to read. It is a little bit of a slow starter, but the pace picks up as you get further into the story. The author took the time to set up Poppy’s character along with Iris, Violet, Heather and Matt. Poppy, Rose and Violet are lively ladies in their 60s who are ready to take on a new challenge. How Poppy obtained her private investigators license was a little farfetched. Her “experience” does not qualify her for the work. The mystery did not begin until I was 40% into the story when the agency is hired to investigate Shirley’s jewelry theft. The murder does not occur until later in the book and I wish it had been more of a feature. It is an interesting mystery. The two mysteries are not difficult to solve especially for those readers who devour cozy mysteries. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story (my mother laughed her way through the book). She thought the ladies and Matt’s antics were quite entertaining. I was not fond of Heather and her treatment of her mother. She feels that it is silly for her mother to embark on this venture at her age and does not hesitate to let Poppy know what she thinks repeatedly (it was inappropriate and uncomfortable). Heather does not appreciate Matt getting involved in her mother’s shenanigans (Heather’s words). Iris has her grandson, Wyatt set up their website and utilizes him for his other handy computer skills (hacking). I did not like how they encouraged his hacking (and hope that they do not get caught). The interactions between Poppy, Iris and Violet are delightful and their hijinks will have you giggling. My rating for Poppy Harmon Investigates is 3 out of 5 stars. A Desert Flowers Mystery series has potential. I hope the author will add a more compelling mystery in the next book that is the focus of the story and develop the characters further. Poppy Harmon Investigates is a light, amusing cozy mystery that will appeal to fans of Lee Hollis.
In this new series we are introduced to Poppy Harmon a retiree whose life changes overnight. When Poppy’s husband dies and makes her a widow she is surprised to find out he also made her penniless. She knew he gambled a bit but hadn’t realized that he lost all their money and put her in the poor house. With no real skills to speak of Poppy begins to devise a plan that is a step in helping her get back on her feet. You see Poppy loves crimes shows and in her prime she acted on one, how hard could it be to become a P.I. With the help of her two best friends, Violet and Iris, she opens up the Desert Flowers Detective Agency, the only problem no one thinks a bunch of old women can help them with their needs. They decide they need a face that everyone would want to hire so they bring in Poppy’s daughters boyfriend Matt. Matt not only has the face but a charismatic way about him that people trust. When they receive their first case they can’t wait to show everyone what they are made of. The Palm Leaf Retirement Village has had a string of burglaries and among them is an aging actress who would love to get her jewelry back. While investigating Poppy comes across the body of said actress and a new mystery is handed to them. Follow along as Poppy and the gang investigate to figure out who killed the actress and why. Along the way they run into some unsavory characters, hidden secrets, and some truths they might not want to hear. I was surprised in the end and I think you will be to. This was a fantastic introduction to some new characters who I can’t wait to get to know better. You realize as you read that you are never to old to try something new and appreciate that no matter your age things aren’t always easy.
When newly widowed sixty-something Poppy Harmon discovers that her late husband’s secret gambling has left her with mountains of debt, she needs to find a job and find one fast. The former actress doesn’t think she’s qualified for much, but her incredibly intuitive nature and the 3 years she spent portraying a PI’s secretary on television decades ago give her the gumption she needs to start her own detective agency with the help of her two best friends, Iris and Violet. Enter handsome actor, and her daughter’s boyfriend, Matt, as the face of the Desert Flowers Detective Agency, and they have their first case – recovering the stolen jewels of Hollywood legend Shirley Fox. But when Poppy finds the dead body of Shirley’s nemesis she must quickly step up her game to solve a murder! Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis is a fun and fabulous read, and I enjoyed it immensely!
I liked Poppy and the group of sidekicks Hollis introduced, and who will hopefully be fleshed out in future books because they’re all different and engaging. The story has elements I’ve seen in other books, the main character being a woman of a certain age whose husband kicks off leaving her in the lurch, theft at a retirement community (though this one if more upscale), philanderers, etc. However, it’s fairly light hearted and enjoyable with a heck of a kick at the end. I’m interested in finding out how the “kick” is resolved in the next book or if it falls to the wayside.
I am not a big fan of Hollis’ Hayley Powell books and am glad that didn’t stop me from requesting a copy of this new series from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.