Killing Weeds by Joyce and Jim Lavene
Rating: 4 Stars
Source: Blog Tour (Find Out More Here)
Description: It's a lovely spring night when the phone rings and Peggy Lee discovers that her garden shop, The Potting Shed, has been vandalized. Soon things go from bad to worse when a woman is found who has been poisoned is connected to both Peggy's shop and her son Paul. Now Peggy must figure out what is going on in order to protect both her family and her livelihood.
Genre: Mystery
Why I Picked This Book: I have read and very much enjoyed the Lavene's Missing Pieces series and couldn't wait to try another series by them. The timing is perfect for a gardening mystery as I'm currently getting my own garden in the ground!
My Impression: I let a sigh of satisfaction when I finished this one! The mystery was interesting and full of twists and turns, the characters were likable without being too perfect, and I'm not sure there's a more perfect time to read a book that centers around gardening! When it comes to cozies I always want to know why this person is investigating and in this case there are several reasons. Peggy is actually a forensic botanist who works part time with the police, her son is a police officer, her daughter-in-law works for the medical examiner's office, her late husband was a police officer, and her 2nd husband is an FBI agent. Add in the fact that it was her shop that was attacked and it wouldn't seem real if Peggy WASN'T investigating!
The pace of the story was fantastic and never let up and while this is the 8th book in the series I had no problem immediately understanding who was who and what was going on even though there was a fairly large cast. I loved that each chapter started out with a little tidbit about a different plant - everything from rhododendrons to Mock Orange and a whole host of other plants. I found the everything about forensic botany absolutely fascinating. The main and very minor flaw I had was I thought the police were a tad too belligerent but that's a purely personal preference. I didn't read this book in one sitting though I would have gladly done so but my pesky family kept insisting about things like dinner. If you're looking for an interesting, well written cozy and enjoy anything involving gardening this is not a book to miss!
Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Definitely! I have loved the Missing Pieces series and am looking forward to reading the next one next month as well as catching up on this series.
Would I Recommend this Book?: Absolutely!
Challenges Met? Reading Road Trip (North Carolina)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for hosting us here on our blog tour!
ReplyDeleteThat dog on the cover. Haha! I wish I was him right now...
ReplyDeleteSounds perfect for a spring read. I don't like gardening myself(you're probably asking yourself what I do like. Lol). But anything that puts you in the spring/summer spirit is alright in my books. Glad you enjoyed yourself another mystery. :)
Happy reading!
Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life
Yeah - love Shakespeare! Thanks for being here Brittany!
DeleteYeah - love Shakespeare! Thanks for being here Brittany!
DeleteThis sounds like a fun cozy. I'm not much for gardening, but I think I'd like this book!
ReplyDeleteI thought of you yesterday as I was reading my current book. Not because I think you'd like it (I'm still on the fence about it myself--although it is compelling), but because I'm not sure I buy the reason the main character decided not to call the police and is investigating a possible murder on her own. I guess I can follow her logic to some extent, but, well, I will have to wait and see how it unfolds before I can say for sure. Something like that can bother me too.
Thanks for being here LL!
DeleteThanks for being here LL!
DeleteSounds like a fun book! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThank you!
DeleteI love the work of this wonderful writing team—thanks for the opportunity to win Killing Weeds!
ReplyDeleteskkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
Thanks for being here. Sheila, right?
DeleteThanks for being here. Sheila, right?
DeleteGreat review! I love this series, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks Patricia!
DeleteThanks, Katherine! I have read books by this writing duo before and they are fun storytellers!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rita!
DeleteThanks for sharing these new-to-me authors and their book, and thanks for visiting my WoW.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being here Catherine!
DeleteI love these two authors. All of their books are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Yvonne!
DeleteI don't think I've read a gardening mystery. It really is the perfect time for that. I'm working on my garden too :D
ReplyDeleteHi Anna! Thanks for being here!
DeleteI have a goal one day to read as fast as the Lavenes write! I wonder if Peggy Lee has any herbal teas that could help with that! :O)
ReplyDeleteShe does, LuAnn! It's called Essence of Flowers. Thanks for being here.
DeleteThis sounds like a great cozy! I'm with you, I really like it when there's a good reason the protagonist is investigating. And I never knew there was such a thing as a forensic botanist!
ReplyDeleteHi Belle! Yes - there are contract forensic botanists in almost every state so that the police don't have to keep one on staff. Thanks for being here!
DeleteMy Mom did too, Vicki. I learned a lot from her.
ReplyDeleteThis writing team is good; I should read more of their books! And the plant/forensic botany details sound fascinating.
ReplyDeleteAlso, "my pesky family kept insisting about things like dinner" made me laugh. I know the feeling well! It's a mark of a good book when you hate being dragged away from it even for the people you love.
Agreed this is the perfect time of year for a garden mystery. I love how well paced and full of twists it sounds. Lovely review Katherine. These authors are new to me and I appreciate you sharing.
ReplyDeleteI like Shakespeare the dog (he reminds me of Marmaduke) and Peggy Lee. I like the plant lore at the start of the chapters. Very educational. I have lots of books by the Lavenes.
ReplyDelete