What do you think?
Rate this book
English Garden Mystery #1
The Blue Rose
Alex and Kate Sheppard have found the perfect house; the home they had always dreamed of owning. Nestled deep in the Wiltshire countryside and surrounded by a two acre walled garden, The Parsonage was to be their little paradise…but nothing stays perfect forever.
Soon after moving in they make an impossibly exciting discovery—one that defies every known law of nature and science. They find a blue rose bush flourishing in their walled garden. But as word of their discovery leaks out, the Sheppard's peaceful existence is shattered and they find themselves plunged into a world of coded journals, genetic experiments, cold-blooded greed, and ultimately, murder.
Threatened from every direction, Alex and Kate can trust no one but themselves, and the only way they can save their lives is to unravel the dark, seductive secret of the blue rose…
Soon after moving in they make an impossibly exciting discovery—one that defies every known law of nature and science. They find a blue rose bush flourishing in their walled garden. But as word of their discovery leaks out, the Sheppard's peaceful existence is shattered and they find themselves plunged into a world of coded journals, genetic experiments, cold-blooded greed, and ultimately, murder.
Threatened from every direction, Alex and Kate can trust no one but themselves, and the only way they can save their lives is to unravel the dark, seductive secret of the blue rose…
313 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
7 people are currently reading
497 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
April 24, 2020
”Standing shoulder height in front of them was a rose bush, thick with thorns and silky dark green leaves. It was covered with blooms the size of tennis balls--dozens of them. They were plump and perfectly formed.
They were blue.
A brilliant blue. Not lavender or mauve, but an electric sapphire blue.
Kate edged closer and knelt until her face was inches from one of the blooms. She gripped it lightly and gently tugged one of the petals.
‘Oh--my--dear--God!’ she said, quietly. ‘It is real!’”
For those who may not know, a blue rose does not exist in nature, and so far, it doesn’t exist in a greenhouse laboratory either. They can make lavender roses that have blue tints, and in the right lighting, at a bar late at night, after a couple of tall martinis, one might believe he has just had a saucy conversation with a seventy year old woman, who looks twenty-five, holding a sapphire rose.
And people would believe you about the seventy year old woman looking twenty-five (It is always possible that Helen Mirren is hanging out in your local bar and thinks you are the sexist man there. The lighting is that good, erhh bad!), but they would not believe she held a sapphire rose.
Alex and Kate Sheppard have just recently bought the grand old manor called The Parsonage with its extensive walled gardens. They are yuppies or yippies or whatever young, preppy, upwardly mobile couples are called these days. She runs a fussy antique store, and he is a handsome, edgy architect.They would be people that most of us would love to have as friends. They know enough about this and that to be good hosts and good conversationalists. Their perfect world is about to explode into intrigue, murder, and deception.
The worldwide rose industry is worth billions, not millions per year, but billions. The acres and acres of roses that are grown each year to be sent to enhance the lives of gardeners all over the world is staggering to contemplate. Large companies are struggling to compete with mega large companies. Getting your hands on a legitimate blue rose would take a struggling company to the financial stratosphere. Let’s just say, desperate or even just immoral people will do almost anything to get their hands on a blue rose. The recklessness and audacity ratchets up when any of the companies vying for the rose think about what will happen if their competitor gets the rose before they do.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, the expert that Alex and Kate call is Dr. Lawrence Kingston. He is a botany and gardening specialist who is routinely called upon for his opinion by the highest garden authorities in the world. One would be hard pressed to come up with a subject matter that Kingston doesn’t have an opinion about, whether it be gardening, world politics, or history. He is a man interested in everything. He is a fine man to have in your corner, but beware; if the alcohol continues to flow deep into the night, so will his stories and pontifications.
I find him fascinating. Of course, Alex and Kate do, too, but maybe in smaller doses.
It is interesting for me to read reviews of people who don’t like him, think he is a smarty pants, which really surprises me because, as readers, don’t we aspire to know more? Isn’t that why we read? Isn’t Kingston a font of knowledge just waiting to be tapped? I do understand being looked down someone else’s nose does get a bit old and having to listen all the time instead of talking is not most people’s cup of tea, but for me, the few times I’ve had the opportunity to meet a person like Kingston, I’ve just kept my mouth shut, except to gently nudge him in the proper direction to talk about something I wish to know more about.
Besides the character of Kingston, I also really like that all the chapters begin with quotes about roses. This is one of my favorites: ”Won’t you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you”---Richard Sheridan. Ahhh, if he says this to a young lady, he is not only smooth but also informing her that his garden has a hold on his heart, too.
Will the garden approve of her? How will she look among his roses?
I’ve been watching quite a bit of Monty Don recently. I’ve enjoyed traveling with him around the world to see these simply stunning gardens. I’ve also enjoyed his shows based in his own garden at Longmeadow. He has inspired me to begin contemplating my own backyard and the numerous possibilities for turning it into a gardening paradise.
I’ve been infected with gardener’s dreams.
So it is due to Monty Don that I decided to track down a gardening mystery. I wanted a series sprinkled with all that geeky gardening guidance, with a bit of skullduggery, and a twisty gardening conundrum. Anthony Eglin provided me with plenty of what I was looking for. I definitely plan to see where he sends my man Kingston next. Somewhere I hope a cup of Earl Grey and a shot or two of Scotch can readily be had.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at: https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
They were blue.
A brilliant blue. Not lavender or mauve, but an electric sapphire blue.
Kate edged closer and knelt until her face was inches from one of the blooms. She gripped it lightly and gently tugged one of the petals.
‘Oh--my--dear--God!’ she said, quietly. ‘It is real!’”
For those who may not know, a blue rose does not exist in nature, and so far, it doesn’t exist in a greenhouse laboratory either. They can make lavender roses that have blue tints, and in the right lighting, at a bar late at night, after a couple of tall martinis, one might believe he has just had a saucy conversation with a seventy year old woman, who looks twenty-five, holding a sapphire rose.
And people would believe you about the seventy year old woman looking twenty-five (It is always possible that Helen Mirren is hanging out in your local bar and thinks you are the sexist man there. The lighting is that good, erhh bad!), but they would not believe she held a sapphire rose.
Alex and Kate Sheppard have just recently bought the grand old manor called The Parsonage with its extensive walled gardens. They are yuppies or yippies or whatever young, preppy, upwardly mobile couples are called these days. She runs a fussy antique store, and he is a handsome, edgy architect.They would be people that most of us would love to have as friends. They know enough about this and that to be good hosts and good conversationalists. Their perfect world is about to explode into intrigue, murder, and deception.
The worldwide rose industry is worth billions, not millions per year, but billions. The acres and acres of roses that are grown each year to be sent to enhance the lives of gardeners all over the world is staggering to contemplate. Large companies are struggling to compete with mega large companies. Getting your hands on a legitimate blue rose would take a struggling company to the financial stratosphere. Let’s just say, desperate or even just immoral people will do almost anything to get their hands on a blue rose. The recklessness and audacity ratchets up when any of the companies vying for the rose think about what will happen if their competitor gets the rose before they do.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, the expert that Alex and Kate call is Dr. Lawrence Kingston. He is a botany and gardening specialist who is routinely called upon for his opinion by the highest garden authorities in the world. One would be hard pressed to come up with a subject matter that Kingston doesn’t have an opinion about, whether it be gardening, world politics, or history. He is a man interested in everything. He is a fine man to have in your corner, but beware; if the alcohol continues to flow deep into the night, so will his stories and pontifications.
I find him fascinating. Of course, Alex and Kate do, too, but maybe in smaller doses.
It is interesting for me to read reviews of people who don’t like him, think he is a smarty pants, which really surprises me because, as readers, don’t we aspire to know more? Isn’t that why we read? Isn’t Kingston a font of knowledge just waiting to be tapped? I do understand being looked down someone else’s nose does get a bit old and having to listen all the time instead of talking is not most people’s cup of tea, but for me, the few times I’ve had the opportunity to meet a person like Kingston, I’ve just kept my mouth shut, except to gently nudge him in the proper direction to talk about something I wish to know more about.
Besides the character of Kingston, I also really like that all the chapters begin with quotes about roses. This is one of my favorites: ”Won’t you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you”---Richard Sheridan. Ahhh, if he says this to a young lady, he is not only smooth but also informing her that his garden has a hold on his heart, too.
Will the garden approve of her? How will she look among his roses?
I’ve been watching quite a bit of Monty Don recently. I’ve enjoyed traveling with him around the world to see these simply stunning gardens. I’ve also enjoyed his shows based in his own garden at Longmeadow. He has inspired me to begin contemplating my own backyard and the numerous possibilities for turning it into a gardening paradise.
I’ve been infected with gardener’s dreams.
So it is due to Monty Don that I decided to track down a gardening mystery. I wanted a series sprinkled with all that geeky gardening guidance, with a bit of skullduggery, and a twisty gardening conundrum. Anthony Eglin provided me with plenty of what I was looking for. I definitely plan to see where he sends my man Kingston next. Somewhere I hope a cup of Earl Grey and a shot or two of Scotch can readily be had.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at: https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
January 25, 2012
Outstanding gardening mysteries !!!! Im surprised there aren't more of these types of mysteries .......
November 24, 2008
Being set in England, and about gardens and gardening, I thought I would love this book, but it was just okay. It did get better toward the end, but I almost didn't finish it, not being terrible interested in the characters. The mystery was tepid - it tried to be a sort of cozy suspense/thriller. That doesn't work! I will read more in this series to see if it gets better.
Book Description from Amazon.com
Alex and Kate Sheppard have found the perfect house; the home they had always dreamed of owning. Nestled deep in the Wiltshire countryside and surrounded by a two acre walled garden, The Parsonage was to be their little paradise…but nothing stays perfect forever.
Soon after moving in they make an impossibly exciting discovery—one that defies every known law of nature and science. They find a blue rose bush flourishing in their walled garden. But as word of their discovery leaks out, the Sheppard's peaceful existence is shattered and they find themselves plunged into a world of coded journals, genetic experiments, cold-blooded greed, and ultimately, murder.
Threatened from every direction, Alex and Kate can trust no one but themselves, and the only way they can save their lives is to unravel the dark, seductive secret of the blue rose…
Series info:
English garden mystery series
1. The blue rose - read
-------------------------
2. The lost gardens
3. The water lily cross
4. The trail of the wild rose
5. The garden of secrets past
Book Description from Amazon.com
Alex and Kate Sheppard have found the perfect house; the home they had always dreamed of owning. Nestled deep in the Wiltshire countryside and surrounded by a two acre walled garden, The Parsonage was to be their little paradise…but nothing stays perfect forever.
Soon after moving in they make an impossibly exciting discovery—one that defies every known law of nature and science. They find a blue rose bush flourishing in their walled garden. But as word of their discovery leaks out, the Sheppard's peaceful existence is shattered and they find themselves plunged into a world of coded journals, genetic experiments, cold-blooded greed, and ultimately, murder.
Threatened from every direction, Alex and Kate can trust no one but themselves, and the only way they can save their lives is to unravel the dark, seductive secret of the blue rose…
Series info:
English garden mystery series
1. The blue rose - read
-------------------------
2. The lost gardens
3. The water lily cross
4. The trail of the wild rose
5. The garden of secrets past
September 5, 2011
Much more complex and thought provoking than the cozy mysteries I have been reading lately. Don't get me wrong - cozy mysteries have their place. They are very light and enjoyable - however, to me, they seem to have pervaded the literary market to the detriment of other mystery genres.
In any event, this harks back to the reason I came to love mysteries. Besides the obvious, the solving of the mystery - there is the conflicting feeling, thoughts, and motives of the characters you would characterize as the "good guys". The heroine and hero in this book have conflicted feelings and thoughts - do they proceed to "collect" on the riches they may receive from the blue rose they found in their new home's garden that was thought to be an impossibility to achieve. However, is it rightfully owned by the former owner of the home they have newly bought and moved into - or are "finders keepers"?
Then, you have the greedy, commercial corporate interests moving in and literally demanding that the rose be turned over to them. Though the worst enemy is an American, thankfully, he is not he the only greedy capitalist.
Finally, there is the true hero of the book - the professor of botany that is the recurring character that assists in solving the mysteries - Lawrence Kingston. Not perfect - he can be a bit of a bore as he pontificates on flora and gardens, etc. But he is kind, intelligent and well-meaning and truly tries to help solve the mystery.
A very good read.
In any event, this harks back to the reason I came to love mysteries. Besides the obvious, the solving of the mystery - there is the conflicting feeling, thoughts, and motives of the characters you would characterize as the "good guys". The heroine and hero in this book have conflicted feelings and thoughts - do they proceed to "collect" on the riches they may receive from the blue rose they found in their new home's garden that was thought to be an impossibility to achieve. However, is it rightfully owned by the former owner of the home they have newly bought and moved into - or are "finders keepers"?
Then, you have the greedy, commercial corporate interests moving in and literally demanding that the rose be turned over to them. Though the worst enemy is an American, thankfully, he is not he the only greedy capitalist.
Finally, there is the true hero of the book - the professor of botany that is the recurring character that assists in solving the mysteries - Lawrence Kingston. Not perfect - he can be a bit of a bore as he pontificates on flora and gardens, etc. But he is kind, intelligent and well-meaning and truly tries to help solve the mystery.
A very good read.
January 29, 2016
Cannot believe I never entered a review of this book! This is the first of the Lawrence Kingston mystery series and I loved it! I initially purchased one of these at a library book sale and am so glad that happened! This turned out to be quite suspenseful and I loved the twists and turns. This was much more of a thriller than I thought it might be at first. I always love Eglin's inclusion of horticultural information--that is one of the things that makes this series so unique to me, I think. Though I don't garden now, I sure have in the past! I loved it and am still interested...just lack time and land! :) You should try this series even if you have no real interest in gardening/horticulture. One of my good friends has absolutely no interest in it but loves this series!
September 2, 2018
After a disappointing read in another gardening mystery series, I had really hoped to like this book, being the first in an English gardening mystery series. I absolutely loved it! In fact, I was enjoying it so well, that halfway through, I ordered the others in the series. I have a strong interest in gardens, and when combined with mystery and the excitement of the discovery of a blue rose, I couldn't resist it. Though the gardening theme attracted me initially, the story kept me turning pages from the very beginning. The writing was a notch above a cozy, and I honestly couldn't put the book down. The cottage setting in Wiltshire provided a romantic, but also secretive, mood.
The series detective is a retired botany professor, Lawrence Kingston, who assists a young couple who have discovered the blue rose in the overgrown, tangled garden surrounding their newly purchased cottage. They know a blue rose is a unnatural phenomenon and likely very valuable, but they don't know what to do with it. So they turn to Kingston. It isn't long before people begin dying because of the rose. Mr. Eglin's knowledge of gardening was apparent, without being intrusive. The information on roses was relevant and pertinent to the plot and as fascinating as I had hoped.
My only quibble is that it's described as a gardening mystery, when it really was more of a suspense novel. But that's a marketing issue more than a complaint about the book itself. I'm looking forward to all the others and only wish Anthony Eglin had written more than six.
The series detective is a retired botany professor, Lawrence Kingston, who assists a young couple who have discovered the blue rose in the overgrown, tangled garden surrounding their newly purchased cottage. They know a blue rose is a unnatural phenomenon and likely very valuable, but they don't know what to do with it. So they turn to Kingston. It isn't long before people begin dying because of the rose. Mr. Eglin's knowledge of gardening was apparent, without being intrusive. The information on roses was relevant and pertinent to the plot and as fascinating as I had hoped.
My only quibble is that it's described as a gardening mystery, when it really was more of a suspense novel. But that's a marketing issue more than a complaint about the book itself. I'm looking forward to all the others and only wish Anthony Eglin had written more than six.
February 28, 2021
A fun, rose-centric mystery involving the dream of the blue rose (a genetic impossibility). Rather like a novelized English version of Thomas Christopher's In Search of Lost Roses, or of the Rosemary and Thyme series. A relaxing read for midwinter, imagining colorful July gardens. Looking forward to the rest of the series for more green thumb adventures.
July 20, 2020
5 stars for the idea, 2 for execution.
Recently, I've been looking for more novels that feature gardens, roses or gardening prominently, and I love mysteries set in Britain, so this one seemed perfect. And I really liked it - for about two chapters. It was clear the author knows about gardening and it was a pleasure to read about the garden and the rose, but after the character of Kingston was brought in, the dialogues seemed unnatural to me, there was a lot of 'telling' instead of 'showing', the Sheppards and Kingston acted too familiar for recent acquaintances, and I've guessed the mystery from the beginning, so there were no surprises left for me and the remaining thrills weren't very thrilling. But then I do read far and wide and across various genres, so my demands for a good book are naturally different than those of a casual reader who reads less than ten books a year.
I'll read the other books in this series because they feature gardens and just hope the writing and mysteries will improve.
Recently, I've been looking for more novels that feature gardens, roses or gardening prominently, and I love mysteries set in Britain, so this one seemed perfect. And I really liked it - for about two chapters. It was clear the author knows about gardening and it was a pleasure to read about the garden and the rose, but after the character of Kingston was brought in, the dialogues seemed unnatural to me, there was a lot of 'telling' instead of 'showing', the Sheppards and Kingston acted too familiar for recent acquaintances, and I've guessed the mystery from the beginning, so there were no surprises left for me and the remaining thrills weren't very thrilling. But then I do read far and wide and across various genres, so my demands for a good book are naturally different than those of a casual reader who reads less than ten books a year.
I'll read the other books in this series because they feature gardens and just hope the writing and mysteries will improve.
August 15, 2021
This is not really a whodunit mystery it's more like a cozy thriller. The whole premise is interesting a rare blue rose that ends up causing a whole lot grief and money hungry business men who will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. It lacked depth and originality for me but the cozy English feel made me keep going.
October 19, 2012
What an interesting tale! The title first grabbed my eye because I love roses so much. It isn't my usual mystery either - it doesn't have as much action as I normally like and the beginning was slow, but it felt so right for this story.
The story revolves around Alex and Kate Sheppard. They buy a new house and discover in their new garden a beautiful blue rose. A blue rose does not currently exist - so this is quite a find and many people are interested in getting their hands on this new rose.
Lawrence Kingston, who is a gardening expert comes in to help them figure out what to do. Here's where I admit at first Kingston rubbed me the wrong way - he's very formal, very smart and seems to know everything about everything. But by the end, I had come to realize what a gem he is!
I have already checked out the next book in teh series and can't wait to read it!
The story revolves around Alex and Kate Sheppard. They buy a new house and discover in their new garden a beautiful blue rose. A blue rose does not currently exist - so this is quite a find and many people are interested in getting their hands on this new rose.
Lawrence Kingston, who is a gardening expert comes in to help them figure out what to do. Here's where I admit at first Kingston rubbed me the wrong way - he's very formal, very smart and seems to know everything about everything. But by the end, I had come to realize what a gem he is!
I have already checked out the next book in teh series and can't wait to read it!
January 31, 2010
It was so very slow. Barely interesting at all. Not even the slightest hook to keep me reading. I finished it in one sitting, and it was painful the whole way. It was a waste of my time. Sorry, Anthony Eglin, if you happen to be reading this. Maybe if the reader was a botanist it would be more interesting...
October 7, 2020
Not going to rate this one, as I just raced through it, as other readers have pointed out, I think there is a problem with pacing, not quick enough, too much neverending dialogue between the couple who supposedly are the main characters
January 24, 2013
Fascinating mystery premise. Story felt half-baked, just not that well written. Wasn't impressed when it came to the dialogue and narration.
April 4, 2012
Loved this book, a cozy mystery with a difference. A must read for gardening fans.
June 11, 2013
Exciting story but I liked the Lost Garden book better!
January 25, 2015
A horticulture mystery? I couldn't resist.
September 11, 2018
Didn’t finish. Writing ok, but I really just don’t care this much about roses.
October 31, 2018
This is really good mystery for a Winter read when you're missing your garden or you're maybe looking for a distraction from holiday stress. It's not a challenging read by any means and will allow you to get through it in short order if you have the time.
When I came across it, it was touted as Agatha Christie-like. I think they meant in that the detective was a sort of know-it-all like Poirot. But unlike Poirot, I found myself indifferent to Kingston. I was far more interested in Alex and Kate Sheppard, which doesn't bode well for the series since the carry-through character is bound to be the detective... That said, I plan on reading the Lost Garden (the 2nd book in the series) to see if Kingston can come out of the shadows. He just feels like a secondary character even when he's in the midst of the action.
The violence is minimal and easily glossed over. The horticultural facts are interesting (Blue Roses are genetically impossible, who knew?!?). I could have done without the quotes at the beginning of each chapter since they were only tangentially relevant to plot, by which I mean they had the word "rose" in them. In fact, I just started ignoring them to be honest. But overall, a nice calm read.
When I came across it, it was touted as Agatha Christie-like. I think they meant in that the detective was a sort of know-it-all like Poirot. But unlike Poirot, I found myself indifferent to Kingston. I was far more interested in Alex and Kate Sheppard, which doesn't bode well for the series since the carry-through character is bound to be the detective... That said, I plan on reading the Lost Garden (the 2nd book in the series) to see if Kingston can come out of the shadows. He just feels like a secondary character even when he's in the midst of the action.
The violence is minimal and easily glossed over. The horticultural facts are interesting (Blue Roses are genetically impossible, who knew?!?). I could have done without the quotes at the beginning of each chapter since they were only tangentially relevant to plot, by which I mean they had the word "rose" in them. In fact, I just started ignoring them to be honest. But overall, a nice calm read.
January 10, 2022
Unfortunately, I found this book, characters, writing, and plot really flat. It took me about 120 pages to get kind of interested, but even then, the writing didn't seem creative at all. The dialogue to me felt like a budding middle school student had written this. Much of the dialogue was along the lines of "we have a real mystery on our hands, Kingston." "You've got that right, Alex!" - just so very plain... :( Another person wrote a review saying that there was more "telling" and less "showing" and I agree. Parts of this book felt like I was reading a report rather than a novel. Even the actions and dialogue of the antagonists felt far-fetched and unrealistic - the same phrases used repetitively. There was also a line that implied it's a women's job to keep the house clean and tidy, which is sexist, "Excuse the mess, my wife's away for a couple of days." (pg. 180). I had read another book in this series, "The water lily cross" where there was a huge flaw in the chronological order of things that the author somehow seemed to have missed. I wrote a review of that book too asking if I had overlooked a detail or if it really was a huge error of proofreading. The ideas of the stories are good, I just wish they were executed more creatively...
February 20, 2020
"Alex and Kate Sheppard have found the perfect house, the home they had always dreamed of owning. Nestled deep in the Wiltshire countryside and surrounded by a two-acre walled garden, The Parsonage was to be their little paradise ... but nothing stays perfect forever.
"Soon after moving in they make an impossibly exciting discovery -- one that defies every known law of nature and science. They find a blue rose bush flourishing in their walled garden. But as word of their discovery leaks out, the Sheppard's peaceful existence is shattered and they find themselves plunged into a world of coded journals, genetic experiments, cold-blooded greed, and ultimately, murder.
"Threatened from every direction, Alex and Kate can trust no one but themselves, and the only way they can save their lives is to unravel the dark, seductive secret of the blue rose ..."
~~back cover
I had a hard time getting into this book, and kept meaning to abandon it. But still I read on, and it got very exciting near the end. Ruthless players wanted the rose, and would stop at nothing to get it ... including kidnapping, rosenapping?, and murder.
"Soon after moving in they make an impossibly exciting discovery -- one that defies every known law of nature and science. They find a blue rose bush flourishing in their walled garden. But as word of their discovery leaks out, the Sheppard's peaceful existence is shattered and they find themselves plunged into a world of coded journals, genetic experiments, cold-blooded greed, and ultimately, murder.
"Threatened from every direction, Alex and Kate can trust no one but themselves, and the only way they can save their lives is to unravel the dark, seductive secret of the blue rose ..."
~~back cover
I had a hard time getting into this book, and kept meaning to abandon it. But still I read on, and it got very exciting near the end. Ruthless players wanted the rose, and would stop at nothing to get it ... including kidnapping, rosenapping?, and murder.
July 25, 2023
Low end of 3. Wanted to like it more, a mystery, a gardening theme, what’s not to like? Well, maybe the “uber-evil” bad guys (think Goldfinger or Dr. No, but more venal and craven.) For me it just went a little over the top into espionage territory…and how these guys found out everything so fast, and exactly where to look for The Blue Rose.
This is the first of several Eglin wrote featuring noted botanist Dr. Lawrence Kingston, formerly of Edunburgh University, and now freelancing to gardeners in distress.
When Alex and Kate Sheppard discover a blue rose (thought to not exist) in a neglected corner of the garden at the old home they’ve just bought, he’s the man they turn to. Good thing too, as it isn’t long before rapacious garden industry moguls try to wrest it away from them, even eventually leading to Kate being kidnapped for a “rose ransom!” Things take off from there…
While I have my reservations about this outing, I’m sure to delve deeper into the series.
This is the first of several Eglin wrote featuring noted botanist Dr. Lawrence Kingston, formerly of Edunburgh University, and now freelancing to gardeners in distress.
When Alex and Kate Sheppard discover a blue rose (thought to not exist) in a neglected corner of the garden at the old home they’ve just bought, he’s the man they turn to. Good thing too, as it isn’t long before rapacious garden industry moguls try to wrest it away from them, even eventually leading to Kate being kidnapped for a “rose ransom!” Things take off from there…
While I have my reservations about this outing, I’m sure to delve deeper into the series.
February 4, 2018
In the garden of their newly purchased home a couple find a blue rose! Such a flower is believed to be a horticultural impossibility, yet there it is. A botanist is contacted, an attorney found and options to financially capitalize by selling the rose to the highest bidder are reviewed. Unfortunately it is not that easy and before long the couple wish they had never laid eyes on the blue beauty. Although the book gets off to a slow start it becomes very exciting as the race is on, not only to capture the rose but to save lives as well.
October 30, 2025
Interesting premise; and kept my interest despite the slow pacing and sometimes irrelevant and at times unnatural dialogue. Alot of stereotyped characters and, some unstereotyped actions (for which you really have to suspend belief . .. to elaborate further would be a spoiler). It certainly isn't 'good literature' , and I did suspend belief enough to keep me turning the pages. Would be interesting to know what a botanist would think of the horticultural scenario and details .... although, there really weren't so many.
September 17, 2024
This book had a really unique premise. I loved the incorporation of wartime coding and Bletchley Park as well as the overall mood that came from the Parsonage but the characters were not as likable as they could have been. Dr. Kingston, as the main sleuth, should have played a more prominent role than he did. I also was not a fan of the very ending since it left the reader with questions about how Kate and Alex would handle the thieves of the blue rose cuttings.
December 22, 2018
I really enjoyed it. I originally decided to read it since my wife is obsessed with blue roses, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well written it is though it can get a bit cheesy. Though it was written in the 90s, it's aged pretty well.
October 16, 2019
the book cover promotes this book as though it's cottage cosy. It's far from that. So if you're looking for a quite read this isn't it. There is edge of seat, international, terror and a good size body count. So you've been warned. That said, it was well written and gripping.
December 1, 2017
The proper mix of intellect, entertainment and mystery
July 19, 2019
This is a very well-written book. But somehow it was not my cup of tea. It made me very tense.
May 16, 2021
I loved the premise and horticultural information but the writing was disappointing. It’s just not my cup of tea.
July 21, 2022
Really have to be a gardener to appreciate the detail.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews