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Weeding Out Lies: A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery
Flower farmer Emma Justice’s life is firmly rooted in Lutz, Texas where she has recently begun her new business. One morning while delivering flowers, she stumbles upon a prominent citizen. Dead. When a friend is accused of murder, Emma launches her own investigation. She’s used to separating weeds from flowers. Emma will dig for clues, weed out red herrings and cultivate a plan to find the killer.
- GenresCozy MysteryContemporary
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 10, 2023
About the author
Jackie Layton
12 books343 followersJackie has written six cozy mysteries set in the Low Country of South Carolina. She lives in Pawleys Island with her husband.
Weeding Out Lies is the first book in her A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery series. Clover Covered Corpse is the second book in this series.
Clutter Free is a series with a professional organizer who uses her skills to solve murder mysteries.
You can find Jackie at any of these sites:
http://www.jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3CMn796
https://www.facebook.com/JackieLayton...
Pinterest: https://bit.ly/46yjQJb
https://www.instagram.com/jackielayto...
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/37RqGQ8
Weeding Out Lies is the first book in her A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery series. Clover Covered Corpse is the second book in this series.
Clutter Free is a series with a professional organizer who uses her skills to solve murder mysteries.
You can find Jackie at any of these sites:
http://www.jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3CMn796
https://www.facebook.com/JackieLayton...
Pinterest: https://bit.ly/46yjQJb
https://www.instagram.com/jackielayto...
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/37RqGQ8
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 19, 2023
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Emma Justice has taken her passion for flowers and fills her days as a flower farmer, tending her gardens and making deliveries all over Lutz, Texas. That is until a well-known citizen is killed and one of Emma’s friends is the top suspect in her death.
Before the police even finish investigating the crime scene or talk to anyone Emma is snapping pictures with her phone and aggravating the chief of police. Questioned and released Emma goes to her happy place, her garden.
Pulling weeds relieves stress for her and also gives her time to think over what happened. Within minutes she decides she has read plenty of mysteries, the least she could do is try to solve the case and save her friend. But while she is digging through clues and weeding out lies she is putting a target on her own back. You can bank on the killer trying to stop her. She could be pushing up daisies in her own garden soon.
Lutz, Texas is a great little small town with a wide variety of residents. The perfect place to set a cozy mystery series.
Emma was a little bit annoying at first for both me and the chief of police but she soon started to grow on me. Her heart was in the right place, she was just a little overzealous jumping into her own investigation of the demise of Willow Moore. She is a new empty nester with too much time on her hands but she does have good instincts even though she sometimes leaps before she thinks. Her friend, Brett owns the local coffee shop but he has been missing from the place for a few days. His friends, Jake and his sister Celia have taken over the shop until he returns. Jake is an interesting character. Ex-military who seems to be dealing with some PTSD. He quickly befriends Emma and really tries to keep her out of trouble. Police Chief Young also tells her to stay out of his case but she doesn’t heed his warning at all. All these characters were introduced well and developed nicely by the end of the story with plenty of room as the series continues.
I love that Emma ends up adopting a lovable golden retriever named Cowboy. There is nothing better than a dog to help us empty nesters deal with our kids leaving home. Emma and Cowboy have a bit of a traumatic start but they both needed each other and Cowboy quickly finds a place in both Emma’s home and her heart.
The mystery was very well-plotted out. It was much more involved than I originally thought it to be. One person alerted my spidey sense early on but I needed much more information. The clues did fall into place for me before they did for Emma. That set up a very dramatic showdown with skilled thinking by Emma in an extremely terrifying situation.
Weeding Out Lies has set the Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery Series off to an exceptional start with some charming characters, an intriguing mystery, and a small town filled with possibilities for more mayhem and murder. I am curious and excited to see what Ms. Layton has planned for the people of Lutz next.
Emma Justice has taken her passion for flowers and fills her days as a flower farmer, tending her gardens and making deliveries all over Lutz, Texas. That is until a well-known citizen is killed and one of Emma’s friends is the top suspect in her death.
Before the police even finish investigating the crime scene or talk to anyone Emma is snapping pictures with her phone and aggravating the chief of police. Questioned and released Emma goes to her happy place, her garden.
Pulling weeds relieves stress for her and also gives her time to think over what happened. Within minutes she decides she has read plenty of mysteries, the least she could do is try to solve the case and save her friend. But while she is digging through clues and weeding out lies she is putting a target on her own back. You can bank on the killer trying to stop her. She could be pushing up daisies in her own garden soon.
Lutz, Texas is a great little small town with a wide variety of residents. The perfect place to set a cozy mystery series.
Emma was a little bit annoying at first for both me and the chief of police but she soon started to grow on me. Her heart was in the right place, she was just a little overzealous jumping into her own investigation of the demise of Willow Moore. She is a new empty nester with too much time on her hands but she does have good instincts even though she sometimes leaps before she thinks. Her friend, Brett owns the local coffee shop but he has been missing from the place for a few days. His friends, Jake and his sister Celia have taken over the shop until he returns. Jake is an interesting character. Ex-military who seems to be dealing with some PTSD. He quickly befriends Emma and really tries to keep her out of trouble. Police Chief Young also tells her to stay out of his case but she doesn’t heed his warning at all. All these characters were introduced well and developed nicely by the end of the story with plenty of room as the series continues.
I love that Emma ends up adopting a lovable golden retriever named Cowboy. There is nothing better than a dog to help us empty nesters deal with our kids leaving home. Emma and Cowboy have a bit of a traumatic start but they both needed each other and Cowboy quickly finds a place in both Emma’s home and her heart.
The mystery was very well-plotted out. It was much more involved than I originally thought it to be. One person alerted my spidey sense early on but I needed much more information. The clues did fall into place for me before they did for Emma. That set up a very dramatic showdown with skilled thinking by Emma in an extremely terrifying situation.
Weeding Out Lies has set the Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery Series off to an exceptional start with some charming characters, an intriguing mystery, and a small town filled with possibilities for more mayhem and murder. I am curious and excited to see what Ms. Layton has planned for the people of Lutz next.
August 19, 2023
What do you get when you combine a small Texas town, a single mom turned flower farmer, an adorable golden retriever, and a swoony Marine turned barista? Well, for starters you get the fun mystery that is Weeding Out Lies by Jackie Layton!
Now that Emma’s daughter is off to college, the 38-year-old widow is finally fulfilling her dream of running a flower farm – and seems to be off to a great start. So is her morning, after the flirtatious new barista won her over with a dose of his Texas pecan coffee. It all goes quickly downhill, though, when one of her flower deliveries leads her to a dead body. Emma’s apparently long-buried investigative instincts kick into gear right away, and so does her new friendship with Jake (the aforementioned flirty barista). I liked their pairing as a sleuthing team, and I enjoyed watching them become friends who are clearly attracted to each other but not romantic (yet). The addition of Cowboy, the super cute golden retriever, was the needed missing piece in Emma’s life, and the author does a great job of giving this four-legged character a lot of personality. I also absolutely LOVED the Nelle sisters. These three elderly sisters are quintessential small town characters, and the author tucks charming little clues about their individual personalities into the narrative for readers to discover.
The mystery has several layers that keep Emma & Jake – and readers – on their toes. A legendary town criminal, a philandering husband, suspicious strangers, and the stomach-sinking possibility that one of Emma’s friends or neighbors could be behind the murder. Oh yeah, and where is Brett (the owner of the coffee shop), why are Jake and his sister filling in for him, and what are they not telling Emma? Some of these plot twists had me chuckling, and others succeeded as red herrings in making me suspicious of everyone. The author draws us easily through the story and lays out the clues for us, if we are paying attention. But it’s still not quite that simple, so expect some surprises before all is said and done.
Bottom Line: Weeding Out Lies by Jackie Layton is a layered cozy mystery that introduces readers to a quaint Texas town (complete with an equally quaint town square) and a bevy of colorful residents. I loved that Emma already has a solid and multi-generational support network, but I also thought the new additions to her circle topped things off nicely. I had a hard time connecting with Emma’s motivations early on – things happened so quickly at first that I didn’t feel I had enough time to get a bead on her character before we were right in the middle of things. As the story progressed and I got to know her better, it became a moot point. The mystery was well-plotted, and I immediately got a good sense of the setting. I look forward to seeing where the series takes Emma from here!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
Now that Emma’s daughter is off to college, the 38-year-old widow is finally fulfilling her dream of running a flower farm – and seems to be off to a great start. So is her morning, after the flirtatious new barista won her over with a dose of his Texas pecan coffee. It all goes quickly downhill, though, when one of her flower deliveries leads her to a dead body. Emma’s apparently long-buried investigative instincts kick into gear right away, and so does her new friendship with Jake (the aforementioned flirty barista). I liked their pairing as a sleuthing team, and I enjoyed watching them become friends who are clearly attracted to each other but not romantic (yet). The addition of Cowboy, the super cute golden retriever, was the needed missing piece in Emma’s life, and the author does a great job of giving this four-legged character a lot of personality. I also absolutely LOVED the Nelle sisters. These three elderly sisters are quintessential small town characters, and the author tucks charming little clues about their individual personalities into the narrative for readers to discover.
The mystery has several layers that keep Emma & Jake – and readers – on their toes. A legendary town criminal, a philandering husband, suspicious strangers, and the stomach-sinking possibility that one of Emma’s friends or neighbors could be behind the murder. Oh yeah, and where is Brett (the owner of the coffee shop), why are Jake and his sister filling in for him, and what are they not telling Emma? Some of these plot twists had me chuckling, and others succeeded as red herrings in making me suspicious of everyone. The author draws us easily through the story and lays out the clues for us, if we are paying attention. But it’s still not quite that simple, so expect some surprises before all is said and done.
Bottom Line: Weeding Out Lies by Jackie Layton is a layered cozy mystery that introduces readers to a quaint Texas town (complete with an equally quaint town square) and a bevy of colorful residents. I loved that Emma already has a solid and multi-generational support network, but I also thought the new additions to her circle topped things off nicely. I had a hard time connecting with Emma’s motivations early on – things happened so quickly at first that I didn’t feel I had enough time to get a bead on her character before we were right in the middle of things. As the story progressed and I got to know her better, it became a moot point. The mystery was well-plotted, and I immediately got a good sense of the setting. I look forward to seeing where the series takes Emma from here!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
August 12, 2023
Since I live in Texas, I am always up for reading a book that is set here. I loved the small town of Lutz, the various residents of the town, the mystery of who killed Willow, and a puppy named Cowboy.
This is a new series, so we are meeting a new cast of characters. Emma is a flower farmer. I find that fascinating since I do not have a green thumb. However, she is able to grow beautiful flowers for the town, and you can never have too many beautiful blooms. There are a few new faces in the town, including Jake and his sister Celia. They are friends of Brett, who runs the coffee shop. Jake is former military, and it seems like he might be dealing with a case of PTSD. It may be mild, but I like that the author addresses it in the book.
I will admit that I wasn't wild about Emma in the beginning. It felt forced, and she was jumping into trying to solve the murder before being asked to by her friend that was a suspect. Emma eventually grew on me, but she did make a few choices that were perhaps not so smart. But at the same time, when under pressure near the end when being confronted by the killer, she was ingenious in how she got out of the situation.
I did suss out the killer before the reveal, not by any hint, but just a gut feeling about a certain character. I think by the time I narrowed down all of the possibilities, this was the only one that seemed logical.
This series has a lot of potential, and I look forward to reading the next book to see what Emma is up to next. We give this book 4 paws up.
This is a new series, so we are meeting a new cast of characters. Emma is a flower farmer. I find that fascinating since I do not have a green thumb. However, she is able to grow beautiful flowers for the town, and you can never have too many beautiful blooms. There are a few new faces in the town, including Jake and his sister Celia. They are friends of Brett, who runs the coffee shop. Jake is former military, and it seems like he might be dealing with a case of PTSD. It may be mild, but I like that the author addresses it in the book.
I will admit that I wasn't wild about Emma in the beginning. It felt forced, and she was jumping into trying to solve the murder before being asked to by her friend that was a suspect. Emma eventually grew on me, but she did make a few choices that were perhaps not so smart. But at the same time, when under pressure near the end when being confronted by the killer, she was ingenious in how she got out of the situation.
I did suss out the killer before the reveal, not by any hint, but just a gut feeling about a certain character. I think by the time I narrowed down all of the possibilities, this was the only one that seemed logical.
This series has a lot of potential, and I look forward to reading the next book to see what Emma is up to next. We give this book 4 paws up.
February 8, 2024
Weeding Out Lies has the perfect mix of flowers, Texas heat, a flawed but lovable heroine, a potential blossoming love, and murder. What more could you want?
August 18, 2023
Read my review on NovelsAlive.com by clicking the link below. It is also posted in full.
https://novelsalive.com/2023/08/18/4-...
Weeding Out Lies by author Jackie Layton is a cozy mystery set in small-town Texas, and my interest was held from the first page to the last.
There were so many clues to sort through and suspects to clear or push forward. Emma Justice is a flower farmer who grows flowers on her cottage’s land when she’s not an amateur sleuth. But what’s she to do when she discovers the body of one friend who’s been murdered and another accused of the murder!
The police chief isn’t always happy to hear her thoughts and good thing her new friend Jake is always around when she needs him, mainly to keep her from being harmed. Her rescue dog, Cowboy, also helps with this.
There are so many characters to get to know, and many are not as they seem. There are some who I’d love to be neighbors or friends with and others that are shady and shifty. There are details and clues galore related to the murder sprinkled throughout, and every one of them is essential. The story has many twists and turns and highs and lows as Emma and Jake sort through her findings. There are threats, secrets, tears, anger, fear, injuries, gossiping, small businesses, and family and friends.
There is wonderful closure as the whodunnit is revealed, and even that has a few layers. I only wish the story went on a little longer since there were some loose ends, but I look forward to returning to Lutz, Texas, over and over again. The title is a play on the flower theme and was spot on.
Weeding Out Lies was filled with many varieties of flowers, a murder in a small town, some shady characters, and a bouquet of clues. I couldn’t wait to see whodunnit, which surprised me.
https://novelsalive.com/2023/08/18/4-...
Weeding Out Lies by author Jackie Layton is a cozy mystery set in small-town Texas, and my interest was held from the first page to the last.
There were so many clues to sort through and suspects to clear or push forward. Emma Justice is a flower farmer who grows flowers on her cottage’s land when she’s not an amateur sleuth. But what’s she to do when she discovers the body of one friend who’s been murdered and another accused of the murder!
The police chief isn’t always happy to hear her thoughts and good thing her new friend Jake is always around when she needs him, mainly to keep her from being harmed. Her rescue dog, Cowboy, also helps with this.
There are so many characters to get to know, and many are not as they seem. There are some who I’d love to be neighbors or friends with and others that are shady and shifty. There are details and clues galore related to the murder sprinkled throughout, and every one of them is essential. The story has many twists and turns and highs and lows as Emma and Jake sort through her findings. There are threats, secrets, tears, anger, fear, injuries, gossiping, small businesses, and family and friends.
There is wonderful closure as the whodunnit is revealed, and even that has a few layers. I only wish the story went on a little longer since there were some loose ends, but I look forward to returning to Lutz, Texas, over and over again. The title is a play on the flower theme and was spot on.
Weeding Out Lies was filled with many varieties of flowers, a murder in a small town, some shady characters, and a bouquet of clues. I couldn’t wait to see whodunnit, which surprised me.
September 8, 2023
A refreshing cozy mystery! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Weeding Out Lies features flower farmer Emma Justice attempting to live her dream by running her own floral business in Lutz, Texas. When asked to prove the innocence of a friend accused of murder, Emma jumps in to help, but the request causes complications for her.
I liked the characters, especially ex-Marine Jake Hunter, who is low-key, positive and always willing to help others. The warm community of the small town setting is fun, as is imagining the colorful blossoms in Emma’s garden. Author Jackie Layton’s mystery books always include intriguing who-done-it plots to solve.
If you like cozy mysteries with touches of romance, I definitely recommend Weeding Out Lies.
Favorite quote:
Lutz, Texas, was small, and secrets were as rare as an ice cube in the Sahara.
Weeding Out Lies features flower farmer Emma Justice attempting to live her dream by running her own floral business in Lutz, Texas. When asked to prove the innocence of a friend accused of murder, Emma jumps in to help, but the request causes complications for her.
I liked the characters, especially ex-Marine Jake Hunter, who is low-key, positive and always willing to help others. The warm community of the small town setting is fun, as is imagining the colorful blossoms in Emma’s garden. Author Jackie Layton’s mystery books always include intriguing who-done-it plots to solve.
If you like cozy mysteries with touches of romance, I definitely recommend Weeding Out Lies.
Favorite quote:
Lutz, Texas, was small, and secrets were as rare as an ice cube in the Sahara.
July 18, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed Jackie Layton's latest cozy and beginning to her new series, Weeding Out Lies: A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery. Emma has finally found her way to being a flower farmer, her life-long dream. Her daughter is off at college and she's settled into her life in Lutz, Texas, until one of her friends is found murdered and another friend is blamed. Emma takes on the role of amateur detective in this entertaining story. Oh---Emma meets Jake, a new guy in town, but is he a help or a hinder? If you enjoy cozies, you'll want to read this one. The cover is lovely and I love all the references to flowers.
August 4, 2025
Texas flower farmer Emma Justice has recently started her dream job of a flower farm when a friend is murdered. In order to help another friend, she begins investigating, much to the dismay of the small town police chief and new guy in town-slash-potential live interest, Jake. The reveal was partly unexpected for me and the way Emma got herself out of a jam was unique! Definitely a small-town and southern vibe that made it an especially cozy read.
July 15, 2023
Another winner from Jackie Layton!
It’s a pleasure to read a mystery that depends on good storytelling and not sleazy sex scenes to capture your attention. So many authors skip the reason we read a cosy mystery, which is for the story. Jackie delivers a believable, enjoyable read for her audience. Can’t wait for the next in the series!
It’s a pleasure to read a mystery that depends on good storytelling and not sleazy sex scenes to capture your attention. So many authors skip the reason we read a cosy mystery, which is for the story. Jackie delivers a believable, enjoyable read for her audience. Can’t wait for the next in the series!
August 3, 2023
Such a fun read!
Emma, the flower farmer, finds herself involved in a murder in het small town of Lutz, TX. With the help of a new comer to town & her new dog, Cowboy, she puts herself in the forefront of trying to solve the murder & prove her best friend is innocent.
Great first book in this new series. I am looking forward to book #2.
Emma, the flower farmer, finds herself involved in a murder in het small town of Lutz, TX. With the help of a new comer to town & her new dog, Cowboy, she puts herself in the forefront of trying to solve the murder & prove her best friend is innocent.
Great first book in this new series. I am looking forward to book #2.
August 28, 2023
Texas cozy mystery
With her daughter at college, Emma is embarking on a new career path and opening a flower farm. In the small town of Lutz where everyone knows everyone the murder of the bankers wife is shocking. When her friend is suspected of being the killer she asks Emma to investigate, which proves to be dangerous.
With her daughter at college, Emma is embarking on a new career path and opening a flower farm. In the small town of Lutz where everyone knows everyone the murder of the bankers wife is shocking. When her friend is suspected of being the killer she asks Emma to investigate, which proves to be dangerous.
October 1, 2023
excellent
I really enjoyed this book. Good pacing, characters that developed nicely as the story unfolded, good twists and turns, an ending that was well thought out, and I can’t wait for the next book. Some nice humor, also.
I really enjoyed this book. Good pacing, characters that developed nicely as the story unfolded, good twists and turns, an ending that was well thought out, and I can’t wait for the next book. Some nice humor, also.
April 28, 2025
A fun, unique premise!
I truly enjoyed this first book in the Texas Flower Farmer series! The characters, connections, cozy setting… and of course, Cowboy the dog! I’m looking forward to digging (see what I did there?) into book two!
I truly enjoyed this first book in the Texas Flower Farmer series! The characters, connections, cozy setting… and of course, Cowboy the dog! I’m looking forward to digging (see what I did there?) into book two!
May 7, 2024
It's great absolutely loved it
April 8, 2026
1st of the series. Good twists and turns. I did not guess the real killer.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews