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The Darling Dahlias #2
The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies
From the national bestselling author of the China Bayles Mysteries—the second novel in a new series featuring the ladies of a garden club in Darling, Alabama, who also dabble in digging through clues—the Darling Dahlias.
As Darling’s town librarian is fond of “Naked Ladies is not a respectable name for a plant.” A lily by any other name would certainly smell as sweet—and look just as beautiful as the Naked Ladies decorating Miss Hamer’s lawn…
It seems Miss Hamer’s house may also be home to naked ladies of a different sort. Rumors sprout that the elderly recluse’s visiting niece and her friend are actually the Naughty and Nice Sisters from the Ziegfield Frolic, known for dancing nearly naked.
When a well-dressed man from Chicago arrives, asking about the mysterious ladies, the Dahlias begin to suspect it may be more than modesty that’s causing both women to lie low. Someone is covering up something sinister…
Includes Southern-Style Depression-Era Recipes!
As Darling’s town librarian is fond of “Naked Ladies is not a respectable name for a plant.” A lily by any other name would certainly smell as sweet—and look just as beautiful as the Naked Ladies decorating Miss Hamer’s lawn…
It seems Miss Hamer’s house may also be home to naked ladies of a different sort. Rumors sprout that the elderly recluse’s visiting niece and her friend are actually the Naughty and Nice Sisters from the Ziegfield Frolic, known for dancing nearly naked.
When a well-dressed man from Chicago arrives, asking about the mysterious ladies, the Dahlias begin to suspect it may be more than modesty that’s causing both women to lie low. Someone is covering up something sinister…
Includes Southern-Style Depression-Era Recipes!
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 5, 2011
141 people are currently reading
714 people want to read
About the author
Susan Wittig Albert
121 books2,381 followersSusan is the author/co-author of biographical/historical fiction, mysteries, and nonfiction. Now in her 80s and continuing to write, she says that retirement is not (yet) an option. She publishes under her own imprint. Here are her latest books.
A PLAIN VANILLA MURDER, #27 in the long-running China Bayles/Pecan Springs series.
Two Pecan Springs novella trilogies: The Crystal Cave Trilogy (featuring Ruby Wilcox): noBODY, SomeBODY Else, and Out of BODY; and The Enterprise Trilogy (featuring Jessica Nelson): DEADLINES, FAULTLINES, and FIRELINES.
THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE POINSETTIA PUZZLE #8 in the Darling Dahlias series, set in the early 1930s in fictional Darling AL
THE GENERAL'S WOMEN. Kay, Mamie, and Ike--the wartime romance that won a war but could have derailed a presidency.
LOVING ELEANOR: A novel about the intimate 30-year friendship of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok, based on their letters
A WILDER ROSE: the true story of Rose Wilder Lane, who transformed her mother from a farm wife and occasional writer to a literary icon
THE TALE OF CASTLE COTTAGE, #8 in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter
DEATH ON THE LIZARD, the 12th and last (2006) of the Robin Paige series, by Susan and Bill Albert
TOGETHER, ALONE: A MEMOIR OF MARRIAGE AND PLACE
AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF ORDINARY DAYS
WORK OF HER OWN: A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
WRITING FROM LIFE: TELLING YOUR SOUL'S STORY
A PLAIN VANILLA MURDER, #27 in the long-running China Bayles/Pecan Springs series.
Two Pecan Springs novella trilogies: The Crystal Cave Trilogy (featuring Ruby Wilcox): noBODY, SomeBODY Else, and Out of BODY; and The Enterprise Trilogy (featuring Jessica Nelson): DEADLINES, FAULTLINES, and FIRELINES.
THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE POINSETTIA PUZZLE #8 in the Darling Dahlias series, set in the early 1930s in fictional Darling AL
THE GENERAL'S WOMEN. Kay, Mamie, and Ike--the wartime romance that won a war but could have derailed a presidency.
LOVING ELEANOR: A novel about the intimate 30-year friendship of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok, based on their letters
A WILDER ROSE: the true story of Rose Wilder Lane, who transformed her mother from a farm wife and occasional writer to a literary icon
THE TALE OF CASTLE COTTAGE, #8 in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter
DEATH ON THE LIZARD, the 12th and last (2006) of the Robin Paige series, by Susan and Bill Albert
TOGETHER, ALONE: A MEMOIR OF MARRIAGE AND PLACE
AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF ORDINARY DAYS
WORK OF HER OWN: A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
WRITING FROM LIFE: TELLING YOUR SOUL'S STORY
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
October 7, 2018
A lovely step back in time to small town southern life in the depression era. The ladies of the Darling Dahlias are all avid gardeners, Darling Alabama residents and totally devoted to each other. They are there to help out with gardens, town life, everyday problems -- big or small & maybe just a little bit nosey & meddlesome. This time there is a lot of interest in 2 ladies who have come to live with an eccentric recluse. There's quite a bit of speculation as to their identities and purpose to coming to Darling. Things heat up a bit when someone recognizes one as a burlesque star from up New York City way.... The Dahlias are on the case and are bound and determined to get to the real truth any way they can. This time they are in for much more than they bargained for!
February 23, 2018
I really enjoy these books and all the old-timey hints they have in them and all the flower and plant information that they also share; the mysteries are also very good and the characters are a real hoot and it makes them a real fun read.
WHAT I didn't like about this book was the....narrator. OH MY GOSH. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. And I have 5 more to listen to [and yes I have to as I am not able to read print right now and the only way I can read is to audiobook it] and I am not looking forward to it. The narrator pauses at the oddest places and also you can hear her breathing AND swallowing. That with the pausing just made for such an odd narration. She did do southern voices well and that is why I can [hopefully] continue on. Meh.
WHAT I didn't like about this book was the....narrator. OH MY GOSH. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. And I have 5 more to listen to [and yes I have to as I am not able to read print right now and the only way I can read is to audiobook it] and I am not looking forward to it. The narrator pauses at the oddest places and also you can hear her breathing AND swallowing. That with the pausing just made for such an odd narration. She did do southern voices well and that is why I can [hopefully] continue on. Meh.
April 1, 2020
This is the second book in the Darling Dahlias series. These cozy mysteries are not page turners, however I find them charming. Being set in 1930 makes these unique to me because it’s not a time period I frequently read, or actually come across often. And though I neither garden nor bake, I enjoy reading all their little tips and descriptions and want to eat their food...which the author includes recipes for in the back.
On a separate note, I appreciated the Author’s Note at the beginning of the book. She lets us know that “I’ve tried to use the language of the people and their times. This historical series includes language and social practices appropriate to the early 1930s in the rural South...To write truthfully about this time and place requires the use of language and ideas that may be offensive to some readers. Thank you for understanding that I intend no offense.” Bravo for staying true to history. There are many things in the history of the world that are ugly but we need not gloss over it, rename it, or act like it didn’t happen. It cheapens the plight of whatever people went through those ugly times. And if we act like nothing happened and forget that it did, we risk repeating it. Maybe this was all more fresh in my mind as I recently started a book set in 1900 in which the author, in trying to be politically correct, used a term for a group of people that was only coined in the last decade. No person in 1900 would have used that terminology, and it ruined the time period and the reading experience. I didn’t finish the book because I felt I couldn’t trust the author to accurately portray the history.
On a separate note, I appreciated the Author’s Note at the beginning of the book. She lets us know that “I’ve tried to use the language of the people and their times. This historical series includes language and social practices appropriate to the early 1930s in the rural South...To write truthfully about this time and place requires the use of language and ideas that may be offensive to some readers. Thank you for understanding that I intend no offense.” Bravo for staying true to history. There are many things in the history of the world that are ugly but we need not gloss over it, rename it, or act like it didn’t happen. It cheapens the plight of whatever people went through those ugly times. And if we act like nothing happened and forget that it did, we risk repeating it. Maybe this was all more fresh in my mind as I recently started a book set in 1900 in which the author, in trying to be politically correct, used a term for a group of people that was only coined in the last decade. No person in 1900 would have used that terminology, and it ruined the time period and the reading experience. I didn’t finish the book because I felt I couldn’t trust the author to accurately portray the history.
January 30, 2014
Some reviewers think this second book in the Darling Dahlias series is better than the first, but I liked the first one better. The Al Capone connection in this one seemed a little too far-fetched, and I didn't feel that the characters and life of Darling, Alabama was as interesting. Susan Wittig Albert's approach to novel-writing is as obvious to me in this series as it was when I read several of her books (The Beatrix Potter tales, and the Kate and Charles Sheridan mystery series), in that she apparently has a great interest in history and does a lot of research. She has a knack for showing how different types of people interact with each other in, usually, a charming way. I didn't feel that this book had as much connection with the gardening as the first book did, either. However, I'm getting to know the people of Darling, and it should be fun to keep looking over their shoulders as they get on with their lives in the 1930s' South.
January 25, 2022
I read the first in this series because a friend had given me these two books. I was hoping this one might be a little better. While the plot was ok, I had trouble once again with all the inaccuracies about life in Lower Alabama. While the Yankee author lists Month-by-Month Gardening in her bibliography, she apparently doesn't realize that there is a vast difference in climate between Northern Alabama and Southern Alabama and what they can grow. Most of her flowers, and vegetables that she has growing in the story would be scorched in the hot days of July, August, and September. The naked ladies lilies only come in pink and white- not the many colors she mentions. She has people eating mashed potatoes all the time in the book-- which does not happen in Lower Alabama. They eat rice and gravy!
June 5, 2022
What a delight this was! Just easy reading and pure fun!
The story was the 2nd one set in the fictional town of Darling, Alabama, in 1930. As with the first in the series, her references to facts and life in a small Southern town during the time period were spot on. It was fun for me to research some of the things in the book such as Marlboro cigarettes. They were first marketed in this country as being a "woman's cigarette" and even had red mouth tips to obscure lipstick on the cigarette!
Another interesting tidbit (certainly to me) was a reference to and quote from my hometown newspaper, The Anniston Star, about Mussolini in 1930!
I really enjoyed this and will doubtless read more from Albert.
The story was the 2nd one set in the fictional town of Darling, Alabama, in 1930. As with the first in the series, her references to facts and life in a small Southern town during the time period were spot on. It was fun for me to research some of the things in the book such as Marlboro cigarettes. They were first marketed in this country as being a "woman's cigarette" and even had red mouth tips to obscure lipstick on the cigarette!
Another interesting tidbit (certainly to me) was a reference to and quote from my hometown newspaper, The Anniston Star, about Mussolini in 1930!
I really enjoyed this and will doubtless read more from Albert.
December 7, 2022
4.5 Very entertaining!
August 18, 2020
I love when I enjoy a mystery book for more than the mystery. This series is set during the Depression and it feels like spending time with my grandparents telling matter-of-fact stories of that time. Very well-researched to have that come across. As well as extremely perfectly done characters, some of whom I'd love to be friends with and others I want to smack upside the back of the cranium.
I'd love to know if Susan Wittig Albert comes up with the title flower and then the story or the other way around. Naked Ladies is a varietal of lily and comes from how they behave. There's some intriguing behavior going on in this story.
I am now out of my stack of Darling Dahlias....must get more....
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.
I'd love to know if Susan Wittig Albert comes up with the title flower and then the story or the other way around. Naked Ladies is a varietal of lily and comes from how they behave. There's some intriguing behavior going on in this story.
I am now out of my stack of Darling Dahlias....must get more....
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.
November 7, 2016
Darling, Alabama is the setting . There are two new visitors in town, Nona Jean Jamison and Miss Lake. One of the Darling Dahlias thinks they be the Naughty and Nice Sisters from the Ziegfeld Frolic. Quite a mystery springs up and the Dahlias have to dig through a lot of clues. This is a fun read and keeps one guessing until the end.
February 25, 2013
This cozy mystery series has interesting plots and great character development. Still a little confusing on who each of the characters are but at least there is a list with descriptions in the front of the book. This book includes Al Capone! Enjoy.
August 6, 2016
Pleasant read. continuing story line
October 22, 2017
This is the second in the Darling Dahlias series, and while it isn't quite as good as the first one, it's still pretty darn good!
There are two strangers in town, and they immediately attract the interest of the other Darling residents. Dahlias treasurer Verna Tidwell swears up, down, and sideways that Nona Jean Jamison is actually Lorelei LaMotte, a naughty burlesque dancer she saw in New York over ten years before. Nona Jean denies it strenuously, and her mysterious friend Miss Lake is never seen, leading to even more whispers about town.
Verna is an amateur detective buff, and she searches through her old copies of The Dime Detective for clues, making a connection between Nona Jean Jamison, the mysterious visitor from Chicago who suddenly shows up in Darling, and who's very interested in finding her, and Al Capone's gang in Chicago. She and Lizzy enlist the help of fellow Dahlia Bessie Bloodworth, who's the unofficial town historian, to find out what Nona Jean's true relationship is with the reclusive spinster Miss Hamer.
Nona Jean causes a stir around town, changing her signature platinum blond hair into a muddy, mousy brown, and buying beautician Beulah Trivette's worn out old cosmetology school wig. When some of the blabbermouth town gossips let slip about the mysterious man looking for her, she goes all into a tizzy - and one of those loudmouth gossips very nearly gives away the game in the middle of main street, before Verna and Lizzy swoop in to shut her up. They do put two and two together, realize what's happening, and enlist the help of the young sheriff's deputy in arresting the Chicago man before he can grab Miss Jamison or Miss Lake. The climax of this storyline is nicely written, with the black ladies and even crazy old Miss Hamer getting in on the act.
The secondary storylines are more interesting, IMO. Lizzy's mother has lost her house and just assumes she will move in with Lizzy and take over her life again - until she finally agrees to marry Grady Alexander, of course, at which time Lizzy will ~obviously~ leave her house to her mother. Lizzy has fought very fiercely for her independence, and is having none of this nonsense. She refuses to be trapped under her mother's thumb again, and comes up with a rather ingenious solution to her woes.
Another storyline that comes to the fore is Bessie Bloodworth's ill-fated romance with Harold Hamer. Her father and his sister didn't approve of the match, but they were determined to go ahead with it - until Harold just upped sticks and disappeared on the eve of their wedding. Bessie was devestated and so confused, because there had been no tension or bad blood between them. She never understood why he left her, and why he never bothered to contact her afterwards. Harold Hamer's sister is the crazy old Miss Hamer in the present day, and as Bessie digs into Nona Jean Jamison's connection to her, she discovers what really happened to Harold all those years ago. The truth was quite heartbreaking.
The final background storyline involves Myra May Mosswell and Violet Sims, who co-own the Darling Diner and the Darling telephone exchange, and share the apartment above the diner. Violet is called to Memphis to help her sister, who's having trouble as she gives birth to a baby girl. When Violet's sister dies, she's stuck there while she tries to figure out what to do with her niece and her sister's husband. Myra May is beside herself at the loss of her " best friend," and the other Dahlias scramble to get her some temporary help, running the diner and the telephone switchboard. Myra May is pretty clearly coded as a lesbian; more of her background is explored in this book, and the author all but comes right out and says it in plain English. The Dahlias don't bat an eye at them, which is nice (its always nice when there's no judgment about stuff like that), and they sympathize with Myra May. Luckily, Violet decides to return to Darling, and she brings her niece Dorothy (nicknamed Cupcake) with her, and of course Myra May is simply overjoyed to have her back.
There are two strangers in town, and they immediately attract the interest of the other Darling residents. Dahlias treasurer Verna Tidwell swears up, down, and sideways that Nona Jean Jamison is actually Lorelei LaMotte, a naughty burlesque dancer she saw in New York over ten years before. Nona Jean denies it strenuously, and her mysterious friend Miss Lake is never seen, leading to even more whispers about town.
Verna is an amateur detective buff, and she searches through her old copies of The Dime Detective for clues, making a connection between Nona Jean Jamison, the mysterious visitor from Chicago who suddenly shows up in Darling, and who's very interested in finding her, and Al Capone's gang in Chicago. She and Lizzy enlist the help of fellow Dahlia Bessie Bloodworth, who's the unofficial town historian, to find out what Nona Jean's true relationship is with the reclusive spinster Miss Hamer.
Nona Jean causes a stir around town, changing her signature platinum blond hair into a muddy, mousy brown, and buying beautician Beulah Trivette's worn out old cosmetology school wig. When some of the blabbermouth town gossips let slip about the mysterious man looking for her, she goes all into a tizzy - and one of those loudmouth gossips very nearly gives away the game in the middle of main street, before Verna and Lizzy swoop in to shut her up. They do put two and two together, realize what's happening, and enlist the help of the young sheriff's deputy in arresting the Chicago man before he can grab Miss Jamison or Miss Lake. The climax of this storyline is nicely written, with the black ladies and even crazy old Miss Hamer getting in on the act.
The secondary storylines are more interesting, IMO. Lizzy's mother has lost her house and just assumes she will move in with Lizzy and take over her life again - until she finally agrees to marry Grady Alexander, of course, at which time Lizzy will ~obviously~ leave her house to her mother. Lizzy has fought very fiercely for her independence, and is having none of this nonsense. She refuses to be trapped under her mother's thumb again, and comes up with a rather ingenious solution to her woes.
Another storyline that comes to the fore is Bessie Bloodworth's ill-fated romance with Harold Hamer. Her father and his sister didn't approve of the match, but they were determined to go ahead with it - until Harold just upped sticks and disappeared on the eve of their wedding. Bessie was devestated and so confused, because there had been no tension or bad blood between them. She never understood why he left her, and why he never bothered to contact her afterwards. Harold Hamer's sister is the crazy old Miss Hamer in the present day, and as Bessie digs into Nona Jean Jamison's connection to her, she discovers what really happened to Harold all those years ago. The truth was quite heartbreaking.
The final background storyline involves Myra May Mosswell and Violet Sims, who co-own the Darling Diner and the Darling telephone exchange, and share the apartment above the diner. Violet is called to Memphis to help her sister, who's having trouble as she gives birth to a baby girl. When Violet's sister dies, she's stuck there while she tries to figure out what to do with her niece and her sister's husband. Myra May is beside herself at the loss of her " best friend," and the other Dahlias scramble to get her some temporary help, running the diner and the telephone switchboard. Myra May is pretty clearly coded as a lesbian; more of her background is explored in this book, and the author all but comes right out and says it in plain English. The Dahlias don't bat an eye at them, which is nice (its always nice when there's no judgment about stuff like that), and they sympathize with Myra May. Luckily, Violet decides to return to Darling, and she brings her niece Dorothy (nicknamed Cupcake) with her, and of course Myra May is simply overjoyed to have her back.
November 7, 2024
The Darling Dahlias have done it again! I wish I could live in this charming small town and share in its stories. I also wish I could call these kind, brave, and supportive women my friends. This was my second book in the series (I read The Eleven O’Clock Lady before this), and I felt even closer to the Dahlias as they continue to delight with their camaraderie and resilience.
This book immersed me in the details of 1930s fashion, food, and cinema with touches like pillbox hats, Nehi soda, actresses like Mary Pickford, and movies like Pollyanna and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Set in a small Southern Alabama town, The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies captures the heart of close-knit community life. As with other books in this series, it wraps up with a thoughtfully planned gathering and includes lovely sections on flowers, gardening, and recipes that feel personal and heartfelt. I especially enjoyed the “Garden Gate” column in Chapter 17, where Lizzy writes for the Darling Dispatch, offering gems of gardening wisdom. It feels like a delightful summary of each Dahlia’s gardening efforts—a useful collection of tips for green thumbs. The book even ends with well-curated cleaning tips and recipes that add to its charm.
Overall Impression: This book is the epitome of cozy. The mystery is woven with just enough danger to keep you engaged and eager for a satisfying resolution, but also paced to let you savor the Dahlias’ friendship and warmth. Susan Wittig Albert masterfully crafts intelligent and detailed plots, filling her cozy mysteries with insights on how communities thrive, how gardens grow, and how people should support one another—especially in hard times. Despite the Great Depression, these women work tirelessly yet always find ways to help one another.
My favorite lines from the book:
Here are a few lines that beautifully capture the essence of life in Darling:
- "And even though nothing very big or exciting ever happened in Darling, there was lots of little things going on, surprising crises that poked up unexpectedly out of the serene surface of the day like...well, like those lilies, those naked ladies shooting suddenly up out of the grass when you had absolutely no idea they were there and dazzling you with their astonishing blooms."
- "They would never know how it felt to live in a safe and beautiful place like Darling, where people cared about each other and about their little town."
These lines capture the charm and gentle intrigue of everyday life in Darling, making this series a true comfort read.
Here are some other lines from the book that resonated deeply with me and will stay with me for a long time:
- "No matter how much research she did, it’s hard to write about something that is entirely foreign to you."
- "Hard to believe that something so beautiful could be harmful."
- "Given the situation, that is unavoidable. People need a villain. They need someone to blame for their sad plight, and I—and the bank—will do as well as any."
This book immersed me in the details of 1930s fashion, food, and cinema with touches like pillbox hats, Nehi soda, actresses like Mary Pickford, and movies like Pollyanna and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Set in a small Southern Alabama town, The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies captures the heart of close-knit community life. As with other books in this series, it wraps up with a thoughtfully planned gathering and includes lovely sections on flowers, gardening, and recipes that feel personal and heartfelt. I especially enjoyed the “Garden Gate” column in Chapter 17, where Lizzy writes for the Darling Dispatch, offering gems of gardening wisdom. It feels like a delightful summary of each Dahlia’s gardening efforts—a useful collection of tips for green thumbs. The book even ends with well-curated cleaning tips and recipes that add to its charm.
Overall Impression: This book is the epitome of cozy. The mystery is woven with just enough danger to keep you engaged and eager for a satisfying resolution, but also paced to let you savor the Dahlias’ friendship and warmth. Susan Wittig Albert masterfully crafts intelligent and detailed plots, filling her cozy mysteries with insights on how communities thrive, how gardens grow, and how people should support one another—especially in hard times. Despite the Great Depression, these women work tirelessly yet always find ways to help one another.
My favorite lines from the book:
Here are a few lines that beautifully capture the essence of life in Darling:
- "And even though nothing very big or exciting ever happened in Darling, there was lots of little things going on, surprising crises that poked up unexpectedly out of the serene surface of the day like...well, like those lilies, those naked ladies shooting suddenly up out of the grass when you had absolutely no idea they were there and dazzling you with their astonishing blooms."
- "They would never know how it felt to live in a safe and beautiful place like Darling, where people cared about each other and about their little town."
These lines capture the charm and gentle intrigue of everyday life in Darling, making this series a true comfort read.
Here are some other lines from the book that resonated deeply with me and will stay with me for a long time:
- "No matter how much research she did, it’s hard to write about something that is entirely foreign to you."
- "Hard to believe that something so beautiful could be harmful."
- "Given the situation, that is unavoidable. People need a villain. They need someone to blame for their sad plight, and I—and the bank—will do as well as any."
June 16, 2017
I liked this book very much.
I wasn't sure what to think about the title before I started to read, but I knew it had something to do with a flower of some sort. The "Naked Ladies" mentioned in the title is a type of lily that seemingly appears from nowhere and lasts only a day or two. In the Midwest, we called them "Surprise Lilies" or "Resurrection Lilies" because the stems and flowers appeared AFTER the foliage had died away. They make for a very startling, yet beautiful addition to one's garden and come in many colors. But, there are other 'naked ladies" in the town as well. Strangers that arrive from Chicago, take up residence with an elderly recluse and don't want to mingle with the locals.
Rumors are sprouting in Depression-era Darling, Alabama. The town's newest visitors, Nona Jean Jamison and Miss Lake, may be the Naughty and Nice Sisters from the Ziegfeld Frolic, who specialize in dancing nearly naked. They'll have to dig through clues to get to the root of the mystery...
All the while the Dahlias are planning their Fall festival and talent show--they would like the newcomers to be part of the show, but... The Dahlias suspect more than modesty when Nona denies her association. They'll have to dig through clues to get to the root of the mystery... And, in the end, they send a window peeping, stalking, thug (one of Al Capone's own boys) from Chicago on his way.
And, mostly, things return to normal in little Darling, Alabama during the Depression years.
I wasn't sure what to think about the title before I started to read, but I knew it had something to do with a flower of some sort. The "Naked Ladies" mentioned in the title is a type of lily that seemingly appears from nowhere and lasts only a day or two. In the Midwest, we called them "Surprise Lilies" or "Resurrection Lilies" because the stems and flowers appeared AFTER the foliage had died away. They make for a very startling, yet beautiful addition to one's garden and come in many colors. But, there are other 'naked ladies" in the town as well. Strangers that arrive from Chicago, take up residence with an elderly recluse and don't want to mingle with the locals.
Rumors are sprouting in Depression-era Darling, Alabama. The town's newest visitors, Nona Jean Jamison and Miss Lake, may be the Naughty and Nice Sisters from the Ziegfeld Frolic, who specialize in dancing nearly naked. They'll have to dig through clues to get to the root of the mystery...
All the while the Dahlias are planning their Fall festival and talent show--they would like the newcomers to be part of the show, but... The Dahlias suspect more than modesty when Nona denies her association. They'll have to dig through clues to get to the root of the mystery... And, in the end, they send a window peeping, stalking, thug (one of Al Capone's own boys) from Chicago on his way.
And, mostly, things return to normal in little Darling, Alabama during the Depression years.
February 3, 2021
I like this series. There's a lot of repetition between volumes as the author explains the back story of the various "regular characters," and there's quite a few. Apparently, each volume centers around one or two specific "Dahlias," who all belong the the Darling Dahlias Gardening Club (or whatever it's called). Then there's always the "outside element," in this case Miss Nona Jean Jamison and her shady background. Why is she here? What is she hiding? And the worst town gossip gets wind of it and makes the mess worse!
Lizzy's life is also a mess as her overbearing, devisive, conniving, controlling mother suddenly announces that she has lost her house in the stock market and is going to be moving into Lizzy's sweet little house, and then Lizzy can marry Grady and move in with him. Apparently, this has been in the works for almost a year, and her mother never bothered to tell her about it until it's
"too late." Lizzy has always been a cowering mess when it comes to her mother. Will this be the end of her freedom?
Even though there seems to be a "formula" for these books (and I have quit reading several authors because of their formulas), so far I enjoy them. In each book, we get to know a little bit more about one or two of the Dahlias, their backgrounds and lives, and the "mystery of the month" is different enough that it's fun to see how they will get themselves out of this mess.
Lizzy's life is also a mess as her overbearing, devisive, conniving, controlling mother suddenly announces that she has lost her house in the stock market and is going to be moving into Lizzy's sweet little house, and then Lizzy can marry Grady and move in with him. Apparently, this has been in the works for almost a year, and her mother never bothered to tell her about it until it's
"too late." Lizzy has always been a cowering mess when it comes to her mother. Will this be the end of her freedom?
Even though there seems to be a "formula" for these books (and I have quit reading several authors because of their formulas), so far I enjoy them. In each book, we get to know a little bit more about one or two of the Dahlias, their backgrounds and lives, and the "mystery of the month" is different enough that it's fun to see how they will get themselves out of this mess.
November 25, 2019
Five reasons I'm giving Five Stars to The Darling Dahlias by Susan Wittig Albert:
1. For me this is cozy mystery at its best. A series of books (eight so far) with an interesting setting,
not too much blood and gore, a light tone and very decent writing.
2. The time and place - the story is set in the small town of Darling, Alabama, in the early 1930s.
A group of ladies get together to form the Darling Garden Club and if they happen upon a mystery - they are on it.
3. The protagonist - we gradually get to know all the ladies of the club and some of the town's people, but the protagonist and my favorite character is Miss Elizabeth Lacey, club president.
Lizzy is a legal secretary by profession, a gardener and a writer, and as nice as they come.
She is said to look a little like Loretta Young.
4. Beyond the mystery plot this is the story of a small town struggling with the Depression of the early 1930s. There are a lot of domestic details, which I always love, and a lot about the way the ladies help each other and the town through these difficult times.
5. The message of these books, to my mind, is that friendship and community are the best weapons to have in times of adversity (and always).
1. For me this is cozy mystery at its best. A series of books (eight so far) with an interesting setting,
not too much blood and gore, a light tone and very decent writing.
2. The time and place - the story is set in the small town of Darling, Alabama, in the early 1930s.
A group of ladies get together to form the Darling Garden Club and if they happen upon a mystery - they are on it.
3. The protagonist - we gradually get to know all the ladies of the club and some of the town's people, but the protagonist and my favorite character is Miss Elizabeth Lacey, club president.
Lizzy is a legal secretary by profession, a gardener and a writer, and as nice as they come.
She is said to look a little like Loretta Young.
4. Beyond the mystery plot this is the story of a small town struggling with the Depression of the early 1930s. There are a lot of domestic details, which I always love, and a lot about the way the ladies help each other and the town through these difficult times.
5. The message of these books, to my mind, is that friendship and community are the best weapons to have in times of adversity (and always).
May 14, 2022
What the description of a cozy mystery?
Look no further than Susan Wittig Albert's The Darling Dahlias series of mysteries. You have a charming, sweet, silly bunch of women in the Darling Dahlias gardening club, situated in a 1930s small town. They face the usual small town 30's issues (remember this is shortly after the Stock Market crash of 1929): money is tight, some home have been foreclosed and people are making do. But the lack of money doesn't mean that they don't share, especially the color and beauty of flowers and home-grown food.
In this outing, the Darling Dahlias are curious about two young women who have recently moved to town and into the home of Miss Hamer, the town's reclusive elder citizen. But one of the Dahlias recognizes the duo and it heightens the groups' curiosity. And then there is that well-dressed, bald-headed man ....
These are stories that never dark, never brooding. It's a bit like a Mickey Rooney movie in which a group of teens get together "to put on a show." Reading it is light, easy and endearing. These Dahlias are a sisterhood of women who face their issues head on and together, and you just know that everything will work out alright.
Look no further than Susan Wittig Albert's The Darling Dahlias series of mysteries. You have a charming, sweet, silly bunch of women in the Darling Dahlias gardening club, situated in a 1930s small town. They face the usual small town 30's issues (remember this is shortly after the Stock Market crash of 1929): money is tight, some home have been foreclosed and people are making do. But the lack of money doesn't mean that they don't share, especially the color and beauty of flowers and home-grown food.
In this outing, the Darling Dahlias are curious about two young women who have recently moved to town and into the home of Miss Hamer, the town's reclusive elder citizen. But one of the Dahlias recognizes the duo and it heightens the groups' curiosity. And then there is that well-dressed, bald-headed man ....
These are stories that never dark, never brooding. It's a bit like a Mickey Rooney movie in which a group of teens get together "to put on a show." Reading it is light, easy and endearing. These Dahlias are a sisterhood of women who face their issues head on and together, and you just know that everything will work out alright.
October 28, 2020
The Big City comes to small town Darling, Alabama as two dancers from Ziegfeld Frolic move in with a reclusive old woman and one of Al Capone's own gang members shows up a few days later looking for them. Darling Dahlia members get suspicious and start asking questions. They work together to prevent a crime from happening before the sheriff even realized there was anything suspicious taking place.
I especially like reading about Darling's telephone switchboard and how everyone picks up their phones to listen in on conversations to find out what is going on around town. Having grown up with a party line on our home phone brings back memories of this lack of privacy we take for granted today. Also, the conversations regarding home canning of garden produce when results were never guaranteed was interesting too. The author does a great job of taking you back to a much simpler time when people were grateful for what they had as the economy continued to decline across America.
I especially like reading about Darling's telephone switchboard and how everyone picks up their phones to listen in on conversations to find out what is going on around town. Having grown up with a party line on our home phone brings back memories of this lack of privacy we take for granted today. Also, the conversations regarding home canning of garden produce when results were never guaranteed was interesting too. The author does a great job of taking you back to a much simpler time when people were grateful for what they had as the economy continued to decline across America.
November 1, 2017
The Dahlias were a group of women who had named their garden club “The Dahlias;” .. Naked Ladies are also the name of a flower of the lily family. However in this cozy mystery, the name might refer to two Chicago vaudeville dancers who arrived in the sleepy little town of Darling, Alabama. In 1930, the town was reeling with the effects of the depression: homes were going through foreclosure, jobs were scarce, times were hard. The ladies of the Dahlias not only kept their gardens beautiful, but helped each other - and their neighbors -in many ways. The two showgirls came into town and certainly stirred things up. They did not use their stage names and supposedly only came to take care of their ailing 80 year old aunt, their presence certainly brought new problems to the town. --- A fun read.
July 25, 2022
Sure glad I loved the first book in the series because this one was a total bomb. It rehashed Cucumber Tree so much that you wouldn’t need to read it, including the plot and the outcome and then went one to describe verbatim all the characters exactly like she had done in the previous book.
The repetition in Naked Ladies was unbelievable. If the references to Cucumber Tree and the telling over and over again what was happening in this book were eliminated it would have been about 200 pages shorter.
Ms Albert tried way too hard for a 1930’s vibe and failed miserably - the clothing styles, brand names, appliances, expressions (swell, bee’s knees, jeepers) all felt very forced and unnatural.
The plot was absurd and I grew to despise all the characters I loved in the first book. I’ll try Book #3, they are a very fast read, if it’s this bad I’ll DNF it!!
The repetition in Naked Ladies was unbelievable. If the references to Cucumber Tree and the telling over and over again what was happening in this book were eliminated it would have been about 200 pages shorter.
Ms Albert tried way too hard for a 1930’s vibe and failed miserably - the clothing styles, brand names, appliances, expressions (swell, bee’s knees, jeepers) all felt very forced and unnatural.
The plot was absurd and I grew to despise all the characters I loved in the first book. I’ll try Book #3, they are a very fast read, if it’s this bad I’ll DNF it!!
May 12, 2020
A small town gardening club, a vaudeville showgirl, gangsters, followed by cleaning tips and recipes at the back of the book. This is the second of the series and there is quite a bit of repetition up front as we review all the characters and their backstories before it gets going. Reminds me of Nancy Drew series in that there is a cast of stable characters mixed in with a rotating crew of unsavory elements. I can’t be sure, but I think the diner owner and her “best friend” may be a lesbian couple. There are also some shocking dark sides to the backstories of the main characters...is the husband having an affair? Where did the fiancé disappear to and who was responsible for sending him away?
August 17, 2025
This has to be the coziest mystery I’ve ever read. Such a pleasure to read. Southern women in Alabama in the 1930s are struggling with life, love, gardening, economic straits due to the big depression, and a bit of mystery involving both a cold case disappearance and a gangster Al Capone thriller-y plot. The novel is set in small-town Darling, which somehow feels like Gaskell’s Cranford. This is more a historical feelgood novel than a whodunnit, complete with 1930s recipes and household tips as well as mouth-watering descriptions of fashions. Very well-written and deliciously frothy.
May 21, 2021
I am continuing to enjoy this cozy series set in small town Alabama in the 1930's. This one includes a couple of mysterious visitors who might or might not be former Ziegfield Follies dancers. (They are not, however, the Naked Ladies of the title which are actually flowers.) I enjoyed getting to know more about the members of the Darling Dahlias garden club. Now I'm off to re-read the third book in this series, which I apparently read in 2013--too long ago for me to remember much about it!
September 1, 2021
When Nona Jamison and her friend, Miss Lake arrive in Darling, it sets tongues to wagging. The mystery of who they are and why they are there are investigated by the Dahlias, specifically, Myra May, Liz and Verna. This was a truly delightful book. I enjoy the characters so much, the editing is very good and just really enjoy the story of these gardeners and how they solve different mysteries. Another great addition to the series. Highly recommend this book.
April 23, 2022
The second book in the series has a lot of threads, but they all come together in an entertaining fashion. Two women come to town from Chicago to take care of an elderly women. One is never seen, and the other is a bit too flashy for the Dahlias (although all the men in town are not adverse to taking a look. A great follow up to the first book. I am laid up due to surgery so I expect to finish the whole series in a week.
August 3, 2022
I'm definitely enjoying this series. This is only the second one, so I've got a few more to go. Reading about nearly 100 years ago sure puts a different spin on the American life-style! But the gals still solve the mysteries!
I've also read the first couple in the series set in England (historical mystery also) by her and her husband - and enjoyed them.
So many enjoyable books to read, so little time!
I've also read the first couple in the series set in England (historical mystery also) by her and her husband - and enjoyed them.
So many enjoyable books to read, so little time!
July 16, 2023
Less gardening, more emphasis on things going on during the depression - foreclosures, families struggling, gangsters. Lizzy is growing a backbone with her mother, and dealing with things in a forthright way. She and Verna are trying to figure out who the two new ladies in town are. Bessie solves a very old personal mystery. It's not deathless writing, but it's a nice escape from reality.
August 20, 2017
I liked this volume better than the first one in the series. The Dahlias are involved this time in identifying and then protecting two new women in town. The mystery of a long missing fiance'
is solved, and a controlling mother is finally (hopefully) put in her place. The Darling Dahlias
prove once again that women are smarter and stronger than men give them credit for.
is solved, and a controlling mother is finally (hopefully) put in her place. The Darling Dahlias
prove once again that women are smarter and stronger than men give them credit for.
December 7, 2017
Cozy mysteries are a hit or miss for me but so far I am enjoying The Darling Dahlias series. I find the stories well written and charming. The stories remind of a mash up between the steel magnolias and Rosemary and Thyme (the BBC's gardening ameuteur sleths). My only challenge with this series is trying to keep the large number of characters in each book straight.
June 27, 2018
a 1930s mystery with lots of witty conversation. The Darling Dahlias (the local gardening ladies) try to figure out who the new women are in town, the ones who are trying to hide from all prying eyes.
Albert provides a wonderful glimpse into 1930s life in Southern Alabama. Enjoy the charm and the laughs.
Albert provides a wonderful glimpse into 1930s life in Southern Alabama. Enjoy the charm and the laughs.
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