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Peggy Lee Garden Mystery #2
Fruit of the Poisoned Tree
Everyone suspects Park Lamonte's wife killed him for the ten-million-dollar insurance policy. But Peggy, of The Potting Shed, has a growing suspicion there's more to the story--and sets out to dig up the truth.
- GenresMysteryCozy MysteryCozy
268 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 2, 2006
17 people are currently reading
295 people want to read
About the author
Joyce Lavene
78 books645 followersaka Elyssa Henry and Joye Ames, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant
Joyce Lavene and Jim Lavene are a wife and husband team who have written and published more than 70 books since 1999. They live in North Carolina with their family and enjoy cooking, photography and ghost hunting.
Joyce Lavene and Jim Lavene are a wife and husband team who have written and published more than 70 books since 1999. They live in North Carolina with their family and enjoy cooking, photography and ghost hunting.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 3, 2015
Peggy Lee has an extreme amount of knowledge on plants and poisons so once again we find her trying to help solve not one but two murders. Although the police are not happy with her getting involved in their investigation.
The characters are always interesting and I find humor in the antics of Shakespeare her Great Dane as well as Peggy herself.
The characters are always interesting and I find humor in the antics of Shakespeare her Great Dane as well as Peggy herself.
June 19, 2017
So a couple things bothered me about this one. First was the part where Peggy said (and I'm paraphrasing), "No good beekeeper would allow Horse Chestnut to grow where their bees will fly." Um... bees usually fly a 2 mile radius, and can fly up to a 6 mile radius. No beekeeper I know has control of the plants that grow in such a large area. The second was when the taxi cab driver dropped her off from the first obedience class, and he promises to come pick her up for the next one. Well, when it's time for the next one, her boyfriend drives her. Third... the dog breaks an $80,000 vase and her reaction is... um, she didn't really have a reaction. There were several other things that just weren't believable. Can't say I liked this one quite as much as the first.
November 10, 2017
First of all, let me say that I love Shakespeare. I wouldn't want him living in my house, but he's by far my favorite character in this series. Secondly, thank you Joyce and Jim for an LGB character and a wonderfully accepting MC who understands. Beyond that, I just don't like this series.
I realize that the 1st husband was a policeman and so is the son, but why does the CMPD not arrest Peggy for all the laws she breaks? And why do all of the other characters, especially Steve, follow her when she does it? The plot itself, with all the crazy twists and turns, was a bit far-fetched in my mind and the resolution was so out of left-field. I'm not going further with this one but I will still read the Lavene's other series.
I realize that the 1st husband was a policeman and so is the son, but why does the CMPD not arrest Peggy for all the laws she breaks? And why do all of the other characters, especially Steve, follow her when she does it? The plot itself, with all the crazy twists and turns, was a bit far-fetched in my mind and the resolution was so out of left-field. I'm not going further with this one but I will still read the Lavene's other series.
January 5, 2020
I really hope 2020 books aren't going to all be like this. I enjoy cozy mysteries but for some reason "Peggy Lee" just irritated the heck out of me. The "nightwatcher" character? Why? The way she treated her Great Dane (omg a dog like that needs lots more attention and space than she was giving him....)... Just SO MUCH ANNOYANCE.
May 30, 2025
Good book!
I'm sorry that Peggy has in laws as horrid as mine. Will definitely read the next one because I want to know what happens with the house. Will Shakespeare EVER learn to behave? Want to know what happens with Steve and Peggy's relationship as well.
I'm sorry that Peggy has in laws as horrid as mine. Will definitely read the next one because I want to know what happens with the house. Will Shakespeare EVER learn to behave? Want to know what happens with Steve and Peggy's relationship as well.
August 20, 2018
What this couple needs is a good editor. Lots of good things going on, but continuity is poor in their many books.
September 5, 2022
The 2nd book in the Peggy Lee Garden mystery series. Peggy is a botanist turned amateur sleuth. Fun and entertaining cozy mystery. Good for fans of cozies and plants.
May 15, 2012
I quite enjoy these books. This is the 2nd one.
Peggy Lee, the botany professor, has come to be regarded as something of an expert on plant poisons. She is asked to give a talk on the tobacco plant at a regional meeting and surprises everyone by talking of some of the good qualities of the plant. As she returns to her hotel to get ready for her trip home, she runs into a demonstration which seems to involve a college friend, Park Lamonte. He does not look well, and she is concerned for him as he always works for the money. His principles do not agree with hers, but for the sake of the friendship she and her husband had with him, she doesn't let that get in the way of friendship now. As she is leaving the hotel, she runs into the police breaking up the demonstration and is detained.
When she gets home, Steve, the vet insists she needs to take Shakespeare in for obedience training. The Great Dane is totally out of control. So she keeps trying to make an appointment with a trainer he recommends - making the appointments aren't the problem, keeping them is. Sam is taking her and Shakespeare to the first appointment, when she sees Park's car sail off the highway ramp and fall to the road below. She and Sam reach him quickly. His car is upside down, but she can reach his hand and they talk before he dies. The insurance company declares he committed suicide, but Peggy is sure he didn't. The police think his wife may have murdered him for the insurance money, but he has told Peggy he thinks he fell asleep because he hasn't been sleeping well lately. But Peggy suspects something more. Park had a real weakness for sweets and she remembers the fruit basket with honey in it from the hotel. She calls her crew in to search the landfill and they manage to find the jar of honey picked up that morning. She tests it and finds that it is chestnut honey - which is fatal. All parts of the chestnut are toxic to humans and no beekeeper would put hives near them.
Nightflyer comes back for a game or two of chess and helps her focus in the right direction. Then Park's wife nearly dies from an overdose of sleeping pills that she didn't take - at least not knowingly. And Peggy's ideas ramp up another rung.
Peggy Lee, the botany professor, has come to be regarded as something of an expert on plant poisons. She is asked to give a talk on the tobacco plant at a regional meeting and surprises everyone by talking of some of the good qualities of the plant. As she returns to her hotel to get ready for her trip home, she runs into a demonstration which seems to involve a college friend, Park Lamonte. He does not look well, and she is concerned for him as he always works for the money. His principles do not agree with hers, but for the sake of the friendship she and her husband had with him, she doesn't let that get in the way of friendship now. As she is leaving the hotel, she runs into the police breaking up the demonstration and is detained.
When she gets home, Steve, the vet insists she needs to take Shakespeare in for obedience training. The Great Dane is totally out of control. So she keeps trying to make an appointment with a trainer he recommends - making the appointments aren't the problem, keeping them is. Sam is taking her and Shakespeare to the first appointment, when she sees Park's car sail off the highway ramp and fall to the road below. She and Sam reach him quickly. His car is upside down, but she can reach his hand and they talk before he dies. The insurance company declares he committed suicide, but Peggy is sure he didn't. The police think his wife may have murdered him for the insurance money, but he has told Peggy he thinks he fell asleep because he hasn't been sleeping well lately. But Peggy suspects something more. Park had a real weakness for sweets and she remembers the fruit basket with honey in it from the hotel. She calls her crew in to search the landfill and they manage to find the jar of honey picked up that morning. She tests it and finds that it is chestnut honey - which is fatal. All parts of the chestnut are toxic to humans and no beekeeper would put hives near them.
Nightflyer comes back for a game or two of chess and helps her focus in the right direction. Then Park's wife nearly dies from an overdose of sleeping pills that she didn't take - at least not knowingly. And Peggy's ideas ramp up another rung.
March 9, 2010
Because I had to search all over e-bay for this book(currently, its not sold in stores. WHO knows why, since the rest of the series IS!), its been awhile since I read the first one(who's plot seems to escape me! I remember the characters mostly, but that is about it), I think I need to start writing the dates that I read the books on the inside cover. Anyway...
This book felt odd to me. Maybe because I really only remember the main character of the book. Everyone else is a complete blank for me!! Which is usually NOT the case, unless I do not like the book and I seem to remember liking the book. Well enough to search all over God's green earth for the second one!! I do have a hard time believing though certain parts of these stories. Specifically that just because Peggy is the widow of a respected police officer, she would be "allowed" to do ALL the investigating she does without some sort of consequences. In regards to this book: the search at the landfill. Seriously?? C'mon people!!! And I have a complaint with this book that I have with many of the "cozy mysteries"...the ending is WAY too pat. Sigh.
That said, it was a decent read. I had an idea of who did it and I WAS WRONG (which was VERY refreshing)!!, even though the person I guessed was involved, they were NOT the killer!
And I love all the plant facts. I love that I can read about gardening in this kind of setting instead of a "How to rescue "insert whatever plant you are currently killing"...". I can kill cacti, so to be able to just read a book and take in the info without having to rescue anything dying is very refreshing! And the plant facts are REALLY interesting.
I am going to read the next one in the series (because I have already bought it), but unless this picks up a bit, I do not know if I will finish the series!
December 15, 2015
I gathered these colourfully-covered books of Joyce’s series some time ago as a plant-lover: houseplants, perennials, wildflowers, fruit, vegetables, and herbs. Hardiness zone three, I might add, is a short-lasting central Canadian region I challenge anyone to sow. I’m far behind Peggy’s age but enjoy a spotlight on stages of life seldom depicted. Delivery of the first novel was bland but I happily tried this second. Adjustment was needed because I mistook volume III as the successor. Reading “Fruit Of The Poisoned Tree” immediately straightened out off-kilter characters. Peggy is acquainting a boyfriend, her flower shop is thriving, and I loved meeting Hunter; newly-minted lawyer.
Peggy glimpses a man pursued by police, at a seminar. Inside the hotel is a family friend, who looks ill. She is scarcely home when she sees his car plunge from a highway ramp. His wife, also close to Peggy, is accused of murder. I will say for this mystery that it isn’t easy to guess the culprit, even if the motive is lacklustre: greed. My critiques pertain to lack of believable emotion or behaviour in this series. There should have been realistic despair about breaking an $80,000.00 antique vase. No person with an untrained dog would have valuables out!
This couple is noted for authoring “70 books since 1999”. The hasty speed shows. Their ideas are wonderfully-varied but need a lot of editing and enrichment. I'd rather produce fewer books, of a high literary quality. The five-star system makes detailed feedback impossible. I prefer this to the subsequent volume III and give three stars for creativity, however neither this nor the next volume reaches four stars for me. Three are what is left to us, to denote all moderate degrees of appreciation. I liked Peggy and her sleuthing team’s subterfuge and collaborative junkyard excavation.
Peggy glimpses a man pursued by police, at a seminar. Inside the hotel is a family friend, who looks ill. She is scarcely home when she sees his car plunge from a highway ramp. His wife, also close to Peggy, is accused of murder. I will say for this mystery that it isn’t easy to guess the culprit, even if the motive is lacklustre: greed. My critiques pertain to lack of believable emotion or behaviour in this series. There should have been realistic despair about breaking an $80,000.00 antique vase. No person with an untrained dog would have valuables out!
This couple is noted for authoring “70 books since 1999”. The hasty speed shows. Their ideas are wonderfully-varied but need a lot of editing and enrichment. I'd rather produce fewer books, of a high literary quality. The five-star system makes detailed feedback impossible. I prefer this to the subsequent volume III and give three stars for creativity, however neither this nor the next volume reaches four stars for me. Three are what is left to us, to denote all moderate degrees of appreciation. I liked Peggy and her sleuthing team’s subterfuge and collaborative junkyard excavation.
July 16, 2014
I was so excited that Peggy Lee and all her pals not only increased their awesomeness, but that the story is very intriguing. Once again, Peggy Lee finds herself involved in solving yet another mystery.....
One of her friends finds herself convicted of murder (apparently killing her husband for a 10 million dollar insurance policy). She asks Peggy to "help her find the real killer".
So Peggy, although she "tries not" to get involved, finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of excitement and intrique. Her relationship with Steve is awesome and I really love her relationship with "Al, a police detective, who was very good friends with her widdowed husband". It's a charming relationship, and with Peggy's delightful ways of always being in places where she shouldn't be... she really does need a police officer who is friendly and keeps her from getting arrested herself!
As always Peggy offers gardening tips throughout the book. I have her other three books in my home, and am just taking my time to dive into them!!!!
The Peggy Lee Garden Mysteries is one that I hope is here to stay!
One of her friends finds herself convicted of murder (apparently killing her husband for a 10 million dollar insurance policy). She asks Peggy to "help her find the real killer".
So Peggy, although she "tries not" to get involved, finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of excitement and intrique. Her relationship with Steve is awesome and I really love her relationship with "Al, a police detective, who was very good friends with her widdowed husband". It's a charming relationship, and with Peggy's delightful ways of always being in places where she shouldn't be... she really does need a police officer who is friendly and keeps her from getting arrested herself!
As always Peggy offers gardening tips throughout the book. I have her other three books in my home, and am just taking my time to dive into them!!!!
The Peggy Lee Garden Mysteries is one that I hope is here to stay!
September 17, 2012
Fruit of the Poisoned Tree is a wonderful second adventure in Lavene's Garden Mystery series. After successfully solving the murder in the previous book, Peggy finds herself thrown into yet another murder mystery much to the police's irritation. Peggy's old friend Park is killed in what appears to be a car accident that turns into a murder case with Peggy's other friend Beth accused of murdering him. Peggy knows that Beth is innocent but that innocence becomes even harder to prove when Park's mother is also murdered with Beth as the suspect again. Lavene does such a great job at setting up a page turning mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. I also like how the secondary characters (Steve, Paul, Hunter, Sam, Selena, and most especially Shakespeare) really add to the story. Peggy is such a likeable heroine and has proven herself quite a sleuth. I am really looking forward to reading her next adventure. And I also love the gardening tips that are also included in the book. Overall this is a fun, quick read that keeps you turning the pages to find out who done it.
September 25, 2013
Peggy's at it again. She just can't leave mysteries to the police and the lawyers. Peggy's lifelong friend Park dies driving off a highway ramp. Park's aged mother suspects his wife, Beth killed him for a large insurance policy payout. Peggy is positive Beth is not responsible.
Peggy's expertise in plant poisons leads her to believe that Park was poisoned, before driving off the ramp. Her new romantic interest Steve want to help, but feels like maybe she is overstepping her bounds. Her son Paul, a police detective agrees.
I am beginning to feel like Peggy and Steve are old friends. Even her young employees at The Potting Shed are starting to grow on me. Sam, Selena and Keeley are great young people. Now that Peggy has been offered an honest to goodness job with the Charlotte PD, I will continue to read this series.
Peggy's expertise in plant poisons leads her to believe that Park was poisoned, before driving off the ramp. Her new romantic interest Steve want to help, but feels like maybe she is overstepping her bounds. Her son Paul, a police detective agrees.
I am beginning to feel like Peggy and Steve are old friends. Even her young employees at The Potting Shed are starting to grow on me. Sam, Selena and Keeley are great young people. Now that Peggy has been offered an honest to goodness job with the Charlotte PD, I will continue to read this series.
March 4, 2014
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
September 28, 2014
Peggy is riding with Steve to an obedience class for Shakespeare when they witness a car flying off of the overpass...and she knows who it is (of course) but that doesn't damper the intrigue or my interest in this series. It is a "cozy" mystery, one of many that I enjoy and fit in between intense reading to cleanse my palette (brain/nerves).
So keep on writing these...Peggy keep on solving crimes against friends :-)
As a note to myself, the police department finally invites her to come aboard in a pay position as a consultant. I guess after solving 2 crimes for them, it will save their reputation and promise that not all of Peggy's friends will have to die for this series to continue...lol
So keep on writing these...Peggy keep on solving crimes against friends :-)
As a note to myself, the police department finally invites her to come aboard in a pay position as a consultant. I guess after solving 2 crimes for them, it will save their reputation and promise that not all of Peggy's friends will have to die for this series to continue...lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2015
This series revolves around Peggy Lee. She is a botanist, college professor, widow of a police detective and owner of the Potting Shed in Charlotte,NC. Witnessing the car wreck and death of a close friend, followed by the murder of his mother, has Peggy working to prove his death was actually a murder and keeping his widow out of jail. I like that Peggy is an older sleuth who works hard at living life to the fullest. I felt like all the characters were lifelike and well developed. The setting puts you directly in place and the theme of botany and an urban gardening business is interesting without being overwhelming. The murder plot has twists and turns with lots of red herrings and is still a huge surprise at the end. A must for cozy readers who want to garden and solve murders.
August 26, 2012
#2 in the Garden Mystery series. Peggy Lee (no relation) exercises her detective chops as she ventures into the upper echelons of Charlotte, NC society in search of amurderer. As she is a botanist and owner of a garden center, horticultural lore is involved.
A Garden Mystery - Botanist, detective's widow, and owner of the Potting Shed, Peggy Lee must dig deep for the truth when her friend Beth is accused of murdering her husband to cash in on his ten-million-dollar life insurance policy.
A Garden Mystery - Botanist, detective's widow, and owner of the Potting Shed, Peggy Lee must dig deep for the truth when her friend Beth is accused of murdering her husband to cash in on his ten-million-dollar life insurance policy.
October 24, 2013
Pretty good as these cozies go. The main character isn't a total moron (unfortunately a common cozy failing) and I can believe that she managed to get her PhD, even if some of her work seems more like it belongs to an agronomist than a botanist. I haven't read the first one so some things, like Peggy's internet chess CIA not-boyfriend, seemed a little odd, but overall it was above average for the genre, even coming in without reading #1.
June 12, 2016
In this instalment of the series we find Peggy still trying to juggle her work at the University along with the shop, she has travelled to a conference where she also sees an old friend, when she gets home her Great Dane starts trashing the house and the next thing is her friend Park dies in a car accident (which Peggy witnesses), the police seem to think that Park's widow Beth has something to do with the accident but Peggy cannot believe this and starts digging for dirt.
April 13, 2011
I've tried several books by this team of authors, and this one didn't inspire me much. I actually started reading it sometime last year, but put it down about 50 pages from the end and didn't get back to it until today when I was temporarily out of reading material. Somehow, they just don't manage to engage me on a personal level with their characters.
December 7, 2010
Enjoyed other Lavene books and this is set in Charlotte near where I live. Although gardening not really my thing and missed the first book in the series, I found the main character and storyline interesting and the plant data informative. I'll look look for more in this series.
August 16, 2013
#2 in the series. Peggy has friends in trouble again. Just when she thinks she has things finally figured out, something happens to change her mind. Peggy/Steve/Paul/Beth/Great Dane and others from book #1.
February 1, 2015
I like this series, but already I'm getting tired of Peggy's disregard for the law and for the disrespect for her son's position as an officer for the local PD. Other than that, the mysteries are well written and fun. She really keeps you guessing as to "Who Dunnit?".
February 28, 2015
love Peggy and friends
Thought I had read all of the books in this series, but I think I missed some. This was a great read, I thought I had it figured out, but surprise! Loved the bit at the end about Shakespeare. Must read the next one.
Thought I had read all of the books in this series, but I think I missed some. This was a great read, I thought I had it figured out, but surprise! Loved the bit at the end about Shakespeare. Must read the next one.
December 21, 2014
such a good series without the usual predictible progressions. tricky and twisty and fun.
August 25, 2015
This book was hard for me to find! I had to special order it because it was no longer carried in book stores. Even with that, the book was such a great read! Peggy is such a fun character!
November 8, 2013
Interesting and a twist at the end.
October 4, 2015
Second in a great cozy series, love Peggy Lee's clever deductions. Great developing romance too.
March 26, 2016
I enjoy the garden aspect -- Park Lamont and others killed by Hickory Honey- done by the lawyer partner and ex-wife
June 8, 2016
I tried a sample and didn't really like it. I didn't appreciate the author's viewpoints leaking into the story - riding a bike for the environment, etc.
I won't be reading any more of this series
I won't be reading any more of this series
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews