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Potting Shed Mystery #1
The Garden Plot
In an entirely appealing mystery debut, Marty Wingate introduces readers to a curious Texas ex-pat whose English gardening expertise on occasion leads her to unearth murderous goings-on.
Pru Parke always dreamed of living in England. And after the Dallas native follows an impulse and moves to London, she can't imagine ever leaving--though she has yet to find a plum position as a head gardener. Now, as the sublet on her flat nears its end, the threat of forced departure looms. Determined to stay in her beloved adopted country, Pru takes small, private gardening jobs throughout the city.
On one such gig in Chelsea, she makes an extraordinary find. Digging in the soil of a potting shed, Pru uncovers an ancient Roman mosaic. But enthusiasm over her discovery is soon dampened when, two days later, she finds in the same spot a man's bludgeoned corpse. As the London police swarm her worksite, ever inquisitive Pru can't quite manage to distance herself from the investigation--much to the dismay of stern Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Pearse. It seems that, much as he tries, even handsome DCI Pearse can't keep Pru safe from a brutal killer who thinks she's already dug up too much.
Pru Parke always dreamed of living in England. And after the Dallas native follows an impulse and moves to London, she can't imagine ever leaving--though she has yet to find a plum position as a head gardener. Now, as the sublet on her flat nears its end, the threat of forced departure looms. Determined to stay in her beloved adopted country, Pru takes small, private gardening jobs throughout the city.
On one such gig in Chelsea, she makes an extraordinary find. Digging in the soil of a potting shed, Pru uncovers an ancient Roman mosaic. But enthusiasm over her discovery is soon dampened when, two days later, she finds in the same spot a man's bludgeoned corpse. As the London police swarm her worksite, ever inquisitive Pru can't quite manage to distance herself from the investigation--much to the dismay of stern Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Pearse. It seems that, much as he tries, even handsome DCI Pearse can't keep Pru safe from a brutal killer who thinks she's already dug up too much.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2014
857 people are currently reading
1454 people want to read
About the author
Marty Wingate
32 books698 followersUSA Today best-selling author Marty Wingate writes The First Edition Library series (Berkley) set in Bath, England, about the curator of a collection of books from the Golden Age of Mystery. Book one, The Bodies in the Library, concerns murder among an Agatha Christie fan-fiction writing group, and in book two, Murder Is a Must (October 2020), an exhibition manager is found dead at the bottom of a spiral staircase. Marty also writes historical fiction: Glamour Girls (Alcove Press, January 2021) follows Spitfire pilot Rosalie Wright through both the physical and emotional dangers of the Second World War. Marty writes two further mystery series: the Potting Shed books (Alibi) feature Pru Parke, a middle-aged American gardener transplanted from Texas to England, and the Birds of a Feather series (Alibi) follows Julia Lanchester, bird lover, who runs a tourist office in a Suffolk village.
Marty prefers on-the-ground research whenever possible, and so she and her husband regularly travel to England and Scotland, where she can be found tracing the steps of her characters, stopping for tea and a slice of Victoria sponge in a café, or enjoying a swift half in a pub.
Marty prefers on-the-ground research whenever possible, and so she and her husband regularly travel to England and Scotland, where she can be found tracing the steps of her characters, stopping for tea and a slice of Victoria sponge in a café, or enjoying a swift half in a pub.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
December 19, 2024
I constantly complain about cozy mysteries – and I keep on reading them. Anyone wanting to bring up the "definition of insanity" quote can just pipe down, thank you.
And see, this book is why I keep trying them. I was cautious at first, and only downloaded a sample at first – but I liked it. And then I spent more than I really expected to to buy the complete book (I tend to resent any Kindle book that costs more than about five dollars), but … I liked it. (Insert very old Life Cereal commercial here.)
The tale concerns an American expatriate, who has in her early 50's walked away from her life in Texas to start over in her mother's homeland, England. That was a big step toward winning me over, since I plan on doing the same thing one day, though not, as she does, as a gardener. And right there are some of the reasons why this works where other cozies fall flat: Pru Parke is a unique heroine (in other words, she's not a lovely blonde twenty-something, and yet she's also not in any food service industry). While it's still so unlikely as to be statistically impossible that she will run into enough corpses to constitute a series, at least her occupation leads her into varied settings and allows for easier suspension of disbelief.
More to the point, I liked her. I liked her worries about how she was going to pull off her dream, which begins to look less and less likely. I liked her work. I liked the whiff of ineptitude in her detection – it's annoying when an ordinary citizen turns out to be a better detective than the pros on her first time out.
And it's also rather nice that I learned something: I never really picked up on the fact that there is a difference between American and English robins.
"American robins are blackbirds," she said, and added to explain, "Well, what Americans call robins are quite close to blackbirds here, only with red breasts. We don't have these little guys."
- And she's right. English blackbirds are identical in silhouette to our robins. English robins are so very much cuter…
And see, this book is why I keep trying them. I was cautious at first, and only downloaded a sample at first – but I liked it. And then I spent more than I really expected to to buy the complete book (I tend to resent any Kindle book that costs more than about five dollars), but … I liked it. (Insert very old Life Cereal commercial here.)
The tale concerns an American expatriate, who has in her early 50's walked away from her life in Texas to start over in her mother's homeland, England. That was a big step toward winning me over, since I plan on doing the same thing one day, though not, as she does, as a gardener. And right there are some of the reasons why this works where other cozies fall flat: Pru Parke is a unique heroine (in other words, she's not a lovely blonde twenty-something, and yet she's also not in any food service industry). While it's still so unlikely as to be statistically impossible that she will run into enough corpses to constitute a series, at least her occupation leads her into varied settings and allows for easier suspension of disbelief.
More to the point, I liked her. I liked her worries about how she was going to pull off her dream, which begins to look less and less likely. I liked her work. I liked the whiff of ineptitude in her detection – it's annoying when an ordinary citizen turns out to be a better detective than the pros on her first time out.
And it's also rather nice that I learned something: I never really picked up on the fact that there is a difference between American and English robins.
"American robins are blackbirds," she said, and added to explain, "Well, what Americans call robins are quite close to blackbirds here, only with red breasts. We don't have these little guys."
- And she's right. English blackbirds are identical in silhouette to our robins. English robins are so very much cuter…
March 10, 2015
It was interesting initially, what with Pru seeming sensible. But she quickly loses that edge, because the plot requires her to make some foolish decisions, slips, omissions and leaps of logic. I'm not sure Wingate can write suspense, because it's very hard to miss where the book is going towards. Pru's bad decisions stick out like a sore thumb. I mean, there are only so many completely oblivious mentions of mice rearranging furniture I can take from a fifty year old woman.
I also felt really ticked off at her attitude - she gives herself a self-imposed one year deadline to make it as a gardener in England. And there's so much self pity because she only has a number of weekly clients and no steady garden. In the beginning stages of the book, given her self pitying, I thought she had an actual problem, like she would get kicked out of the country if she didn't find work. But no, it's completely arbitrary. I'm sorry if I don't cry a river for you, Pru.
I also felt really ticked off at her attitude - she gives herself a self-imposed one year deadline to make it as a gardener in England. And there's so much self pity because she only has a number of weekly clients and no steady garden. In the beginning stages of the book, given her self pitying, I thought she had an actual problem, like she would get kicked out of the country if she didn't find work. But no, it's completely arbitrary. I'm sorry if I don't cry a river for you, Pru.
February 15, 2014
When a book combines England, gardening, and mystery it hits on three of my favorite subjects. Pru Parke gave up her job in Dallas, Texas and gave herself a year to live in England and find a permanent job as head gardener at a private estate so she would have a way to support herself and remain in England permanently. Pru had always felt as if she belonged in England and the death of her mother left her alone in the States, with the freedom to pursue her dream. Literally falling over a dead body in a garden shed had never figured into her plans, though.
This is the first novel in what may become a series and was quite an interesting reading experience for me. Author Marty Wingate has created a character who is perhaps more of a naïve dreamer than most successful investigative lead characters, but I hope that this first experience with solving a murder mystery will help Pru learn to be more aware of people around her if there are future books about her. Pru really was a lot too gullible at times. The mystery was very well constructed initially, but began to slow down somewhat in the middle of the book. The relationship which developed with Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Pearse was a nice addition to the plot and allowed Pru to have access to some information that might not have been so easily obtained. It was also nice to find an amateur detective and the professional who were not constantly at odds with each other, that made a nice change. There were a few too many convenient coincidences that took place which were not exactly to be expected in a city the size of London, but from a plotting standpoint they were pretty much essential in order to keep the story moving.
The gardening information is well done in the novel for those readers who are interested in gardening and yet not so overwhelming that it might be a deterrent for readers uninterested in the subject. Hopefully future books will continue to allow the reader to be an armchair traveler to other great gardening and historical sites through England. I did enjoy this story and there is a wide scope for subject matter to be featured in future novels.
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
This is the first novel in what may become a series and was quite an interesting reading experience for me. Author Marty Wingate has created a character who is perhaps more of a naïve dreamer than most successful investigative lead characters, but I hope that this first experience with solving a murder mystery will help Pru learn to be more aware of people around her if there are future books about her. Pru really was a lot too gullible at times. The mystery was very well constructed initially, but began to slow down somewhat in the middle of the book. The relationship which developed with Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Pearse was a nice addition to the plot and allowed Pru to have access to some information that might not have been so easily obtained. It was also nice to find an amateur detective and the professional who were not constantly at odds with each other, that made a nice change. There were a few too many convenient coincidences that took place which were not exactly to be expected in a city the size of London, but from a plotting standpoint they were pretty much essential in order to keep the story moving.
The gardening information is well done in the novel for those readers who are interested in gardening and yet not so overwhelming that it might be a deterrent for readers uninterested in the subject. Hopefully future books will continue to allow the reader to be an armchair traveler to other great gardening and historical sites through England. I did enjoy this story and there is a wide scope for subject matter to be featured in future novels.
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
July 28, 2019
Pru Parke is an Texas born American whose mother was from England. Pru is a gardener and after her mother passes away, nothing is stopping Pru from going to the UK to take an internship there with the hopes of getting a gardener spot in the UK. It has long been the dream for Pru to live in the UK. She has given herself one year to accomplish this and that year is coming to an end.
In taking side jobs, Pru meets Harry Wilson and his wife and is set to build a garden for them but instead stumbles on a dead body. Mr. Wilson is the suspect and Pru cannot believe he would do such a thing. She sets out to prove this.
I thought the added touches of rejection letters really build the case for Pru's dilemma of whether to stay and continue seeing the man she is interested in or go home to a steady job waiting for her.
It was a first in series so characters not as flushed out as I like but I would read on.
In taking side jobs, Pru meets Harry Wilson and his wife and is set to build a garden for them but instead stumbles on a dead body. Mr. Wilson is the suspect and Pru cannot believe he would do such a thing. She sets out to prove this.
I thought the added touches of rejection letters really build the case for Pru's dilemma of whether to stay and continue seeing the man she is interested in or go home to a steady job waiting for her.
It was a first in series so characters not as flushed out as I like but I would read on.
November 7, 2019
Pru Parke moved from Texas to England to pursue her dream of being an English gardener. She found an affordable home to sublet and began accepting odds and ends gardening jobs. She gave herself one year to find her dream job, but that year is almost up. Mrs. Wilson offers her an opportunity to transform a neglected garden, but Pru finds a mosaic appearing to date to the Roman period in the garden's shed when she digs. When she comes back the next morning, she discovers a body. She becomes a little too involved in the investigation and finds she enjoys the inspector's company. Will her nosiness get her in trouble? Will she find a job, or will she return to Texas?
I enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book. It was the perfect type book for my commute to work. While the book is not without fault, the recurring characters are enjoyable. The solution did not seem all that realistic, and the author needs to work on developing some lines into red herrings. Hopefully the next installment will improve.
I enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book. It was the perfect type book for my commute to work. While the book is not without fault, the recurring characters are enjoyable. The solution did not seem all that realistic, and the author needs to work on developing some lines into red herrings. Hopefully the next installment will improve.
March 6, 2014
Marty Wingate has written a delightfully "English" novel, that just happens to also be a mystery. Pru Parke is an extremely sympathetic character. She has become an expert in English gardens. She knows plants and bothhistorical and contemporary English gardens. And she loves everything English. After her mother died, she took her mother's English maiden name. Now after living and working in Texas for nearly 50 years, she is living her dream in England as a gardener. Actually, she is doing gardening jobs as she can get them, while constantly applying for a full time position as a gardener.
Pru is intelligent and hard-working and very friendly. The people she meets are eccentric. The house she sublets is filled with odd noises. The murder she encounters is more complicated and convoluted the farther she and the friendly inspector delve into it. For anyone who enjoys comfortable English novels, or a bit of mystery, this is an excellent choice.
Pru is intelligent and hard-working and very friendly. The people she meets are eccentric. The house she sublets is filled with odd noises. The murder she encounters is more complicated and convoluted the farther she and the friendly inspector delve into it. For anyone who enjoys comfortable English novels, or a bit of mystery, this is an excellent choice.
July 31, 2024
I love a good cosy mystery, and this was definitely a cut above. Pru, a professional gardener, born in the states to an English mother had always felt a little out of place and so had given herself a year to land a head gardener's position in England or she would return home. Despite all the rejection letters she had kept her spirits up with lots of small gardening jobs at different homes. Unfortunately, whilst attending to one garden she trips over - literally - a dead body. There is, naturally, a mystery attached.
This is a well constructed, well written mystery with a touch of romance and a fair bit of wit and humour. I sincerely hope this turns into a series ... an excellent read, highly recommended.
This is a well constructed, well written mystery with a touch of romance and a fair bit of wit and humour. I sincerely hope this turns into a series ... an excellent read, highly recommended.
October 3, 2018
I really enjoyed this novel and thought it very good for a first in the series. (I didn't care as much for the first in her other series so I was very pleasantly surprised). I immediately liked Pru and all the disappointment she faced really made me sad for her. I loved all her knowledge of various gardens; it was interesting without getting to bogged down. I hope we see even more of this in future books. The characters were fun, though I couldn't get much of a feel for them (even Christoper confused me for a bit). The romance is nice and I hope we get more of her friends later. The mystery was a little confusing because it took a twisty path and I couldn't get a great grasp on who the suspects were I liked the juxtaposition of this Texan who feels like an English-woman coming home, even though so many people see her as an outsider. I enjoyed the pace of this book and can't wait to continue the series.
December 3, 2017
Fun, combines England, gardening and mysteries - what’s not to like? I liked the middle-aged heroine, Pru Parke, and the sweet portrayal her budding romance with the DCI investigating the dead body she finds in a garden shed on a job.
About 3/4 into the book, though, Pru’s naïveté became a bit of a problem for me and I skimmed to the end; it was pretty obvious who the culprits were, and I get frustrated with heroines putting themselves in danger unnecessarily, common rookie plot mistake that it is. But I will definitely read the next in the series at some point to meet up again with this cozy cast of likeable characters.
About 3/4 into the book, though, Pru’s naïveté became a bit of a problem for me and I skimmed to the end; it was pretty obvious who the culprits were, and I get frustrated with heroines putting themselves in danger unnecessarily, common rookie plot mistake that it is. But I will definitely read the next in the series at some point to meet up again with this cozy cast of likeable characters.
April 4, 2016
A good English garden type mystery, may read on further in the series. I think it could have used a bit more editing.
May 6, 2014
My ARC courtesy of NetGalley/Random House. Much thanks!
A fun little read.
For a further review: http://susannag.booklikes.com/post/87... .
A fun little read.
For a further review: http://susannag.booklikes.com/post/87... .
August 24, 2018
This is the first book in the Potting Shed Mystery. I had read the others in this series, but missed the first one so went back and listened to this one. Pru Parke wanted to find out if she had any family in England, so she gave up her job in Dallas, Texas and gave herself a year to live in England and find a permanent job as head gardener at a private estate, Her hope was to be able to stay in England permanently. When her mother died, she had no family left in the U.S. so felt that England was where she was meant to be. When she is working on designing a garden that has become overgrown, she stumbles upon a mosaic on the floor of the gardening shed. The next day, she finds a body.
Author Marty Wingate has created a character who is somewhat naïve and even gullible at times. Pru ends up helping the detective, Chief Inspector Pearse, and someone thinks she knows more than she does. The mystery was very well constructed initially, but began to slow down somewhat in the middle of the book. There was a lot going on that seemed irrelevant, but ends up that they were clues to the murderer. The relationship which developed with Detective Chief Inspector Pearse was a nice addition to the plot and allowed Pru to have access to some information that might not have been so easily obtained. The gardening information is well done in the novel for those readers who are interested in gardening and yet not overdone to be a deterrent for readers uninterested in the subject. Hopefully future books will continue to allow the reader to be an armchair traveler to other great gardening and historical sites through England. I did enjoy this story and there is a wide scope for subject matter to be featured in future novels. This is a nice cozy mystery series for those who enjoy the English setting and more staid mysteries.
Author Marty Wingate has created a character who is somewhat naïve and even gullible at times. Pru ends up helping the detective, Chief Inspector Pearse, and someone thinks she knows more than she does. The mystery was very well constructed initially, but began to slow down somewhat in the middle of the book. There was a lot going on that seemed irrelevant, but ends up that they were clues to the murderer. The relationship which developed with Detective Chief Inspector Pearse was a nice addition to the plot and allowed Pru to have access to some information that might not have been so easily obtained. The gardening information is well done in the novel for those readers who are interested in gardening and yet not overdone to be a deterrent for readers uninterested in the subject. Hopefully future books will continue to allow the reader to be an armchair traveler to other great gardening and historical sites through England. I did enjoy this story and there is a wide scope for subject matter to be featured in future novels. This is a nice cozy mystery series for those who enjoy the English setting and more staid mysteries.
May 2, 2014
If you want to know anything about English Gardens then just read this mystery novel.
Pru is an American living in London and she really want's a head gardening position. She has given herself one year and her year is almost up, so she is trying really hard to find work. She sublets a house from a couple who are vacationing, but when they come back she will not have a place to say. An older lady as Pru to help her surprise her husband by starting a garden in the backyard.
One day when Pru goes back there she discovers a dead body in the shed and gets to meet DCI Pearse. She is afraid that the inspector is going to suspect Mr. Wilson of murder so she sets out to try and prove he didn't do it. Even when evidence starts to look as if he could have she refused to believe it because the Wilson's have been so kind to her.
There is a little bit of romance in this mystery between Pru and DCI Pearse and I will say that probably helped me like this novel a bit more. I enjoyed the characters in the novel. Pru is a bit stubborn in her ways as she has resigned herself to having to leave and go back to the states because she can't get the job she wants. She really has no family back in the states and it's like she can't see all the family if not by blood she has right there in London. She is a pretty spunky lady as twice she had to fiend off attackers and she always did a pretty good job of it.
DCI Pearse seemed like a very pleasant policeman once you get past the 'you just stepped all over my crime scene' attitude out of him. DCI Pearse and Pru seem to just sort of fall into a normal routine of meeting each other after their by chance meeting at a nature thing. (can't remember what it was called) He gets mad at her for always pursuing police matters but it has more to do with him not wanting her to get hurt than her interfering in his investigation.
The Wilson's were a really cute older couple who really take Pru under their wings and make her a part of their family. Jo, Lucy and Cordelia are like the sister's Pru never had and they were really nice side characters.
If you are into gardening then you will really enjoy all the gardening lingo and talk of flowers and what have you, but if your like me then it will probably bog you down a bit. I guess I should have expected all the talk about flowers and gardening even though that is not my thing it was still an interesting cozy mystery novel.
I would recommend it to anyone who likes cozy mysteries with a bit of gardening and British flare.
Pru is an American living in London and she really want's a head gardening position. She has given herself one year and her year is almost up, so she is trying really hard to find work. She sublets a house from a couple who are vacationing, but when they come back she will not have a place to say. An older lady as Pru to help her surprise her husband by starting a garden in the backyard.
One day when Pru goes back there she discovers a dead body in the shed and gets to meet DCI Pearse. She is afraid that the inspector is going to suspect Mr. Wilson of murder so she sets out to try and prove he didn't do it. Even when evidence starts to look as if he could have she refused to believe it because the Wilson's have been so kind to her.
There is a little bit of romance in this mystery between Pru and DCI Pearse and I will say that probably helped me like this novel a bit more. I enjoyed the characters in the novel. Pru is a bit stubborn in her ways as she has resigned herself to having to leave and go back to the states because she can't get the job she wants. She really has no family back in the states and it's like she can't see all the family if not by blood she has right there in London. She is a pretty spunky lady as twice she had to fiend off attackers and she always did a pretty good job of it.
DCI Pearse seemed like a very pleasant policeman once you get past the 'you just stepped all over my crime scene' attitude out of him. DCI Pearse and Pru seem to just sort of fall into a normal routine of meeting each other after their by chance meeting at a nature thing. (can't remember what it was called) He gets mad at her for always pursuing police matters but it has more to do with him not wanting her to get hurt than her interfering in his investigation.
The Wilson's were a really cute older couple who really take Pru under their wings and make her a part of their family. Jo, Lucy and Cordelia are like the sister's Pru never had and they were really nice side characters.
If you are into gardening then you will really enjoy all the gardening lingo and talk of flowers and what have you, but if your like me then it will probably bog you down a bit. I guess I should have expected all the talk about flowers and gardening even though that is not my thing it was still an interesting cozy mystery novel.
I would recommend it to anyone who likes cozy mysteries with a bit of gardening and British flare.
April 19, 2016
Pru Parke grew up in Dallas, Texas, only child of an English mother and American father. Pru is a professional gardener and landscape designer with a perfectly good career. But when her mother dies Pru decides to follow her dream and move to England. She gives herself one year to get a position at one of the many historical English gardens. So far, she has had no luck but has gotten several jobs in private homes. When Pru stumbles over a dead body at one of those homes she finds herself drawn into the investigation.
We first meet Pru in the last month of her self-imposed year limit. She is just about out of funds and coming to the end of her lease on her house. She has made friends in England but her old Dallas friends and an old flame are pressuring her to come home. She can even get her former position back but England has become more of a home to her than Dallas could ever be. There are so many things I loved about The Garden Plot. Pru herself is a mature woman; over fifty and extremely self-reliant. Some might even call her stubborn. Yet she is also vulnerable, feeling that she has always been somewhat of a fish out of water. She wants more than anything to stay in England but things just haven't worked out. Every chapter of The Garden Plot begins with an extremely polite and very English rejection letter from an interview she has had for a position. Those letters get more and more painful as time grows short.
Pru is a delightful and sympathetic character with a small support network of other well developed and slightly eccentric characters. When a dishy Chief Inspector joins that network, things really get interesting. There are also a couple of sleazy bad guys to contend with but Pru is up to the challenge. The Garden Plot is an almost perfect cozy, a great antidote for the snowy day in February when I read it. I look forward to more of what I hope will be a series. Thanks to netgalley and Random House/Alibri for an advance digital copy.
We first meet Pru in the last month of her self-imposed year limit. She is just about out of funds and coming to the end of her lease on her house. She has made friends in England but her old Dallas friends and an old flame are pressuring her to come home. She can even get her former position back but England has become more of a home to her than Dallas could ever be. There are so many things I loved about The Garden Plot. Pru herself is a mature woman; over fifty and extremely self-reliant. Some might even call her stubborn. Yet she is also vulnerable, feeling that she has always been somewhat of a fish out of water. She wants more than anything to stay in England but things just haven't worked out. Every chapter of The Garden Plot begins with an extremely polite and very English rejection letter from an interview she has had for a position. Those letters get more and more painful as time grows short.
Pru is a delightful and sympathetic character with a small support network of other well developed and slightly eccentric characters. When a dishy Chief Inspector joins that network, things really get interesting. There are also a couple of sleazy bad guys to contend with but Pru is up to the challenge. The Garden Plot is an almost perfect cozy, a great antidote for the snowy day in February when I read it. I look forward to more of what I hope will be a series. Thanks to netgalley and Random House/Alibri for an advance digital copy.
February 23, 2016
This was a nice, light read and I enjoyed the characters quite a lot. 3.5 stars. Pru Parke, gardening American expat in England, was easy to root for and I felt happier than I probably should have that she finally received an acceptance letter for full employ and housing than I probably should have been. The actual murder took a while to happen and get off the ground and once it did, there were the usual things that happen in cozy mysteries that string out the solution. I didn't mind. Pru was pretty active as a sleuth but admittedly she wasn't very good at it but as this was her first go round, she did well to my mind and I'd enjoy reading her adventures again. I also liked DCI Christopher Pearse as a character and liked the relationship they forged around the case as he kept reminding her that she wasn't an officer and she kept putting her spoke in. It was funny. I also loved the portrayal of the creey, nosy neighbor, Malcolm. Very vividly rendered. The culprits were pretty clear before the reveal but only because there literally couldn't have been anyone else responsible. They were well hidden in the story but it wasn't a surprise when the reveal happened. It was easy to see how Pru didn't see it coming but to the reader, who can see the whole scheme, it's clear to see that what seems unrelated is very much relevant. I would definitely read the next book in this series and would recommend it to cozy mystery fans or anyone looking for a weekend read.
July 24, 2016
The Garden Plot is a modern version of the cozy British mystery—complete with the hidden treasure, the by-the-rules detective, the breaking-the-rules amateur detective, and an array of colorful, potential suspects. Pru, short for Prunella, is an American gardener searching for a permanent gardening position on a grand English estate but, instead of finding a steady job, Pru discovers an ancient Roman mosaic and a dead body.
The mystery unravels at a leisurely pace, a pace that allows the reader to easily play detective alongside Pru. The characters are well developed and the romance between Pru and DCI Pearse is not over-the-top or unrealistic (no love at first sight here!). The setting moves from London to the countryside and displays a variety of gardens in and around the city. I found Pru's constant side trips and the plethora of historical information about gardens interesting but a tad lecture-ish .
I recommend this novel to, of course, mystery fans but also to readers that are new to the mystery genre. This book was engaging—I finished it in one sitting—and it is the perfect place to start reading a new genre. I certainly hope this will become a series. I am ready to follow Pru on her next adventure. Wingate--Please don't take too long with a sequel!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
The mystery unravels at a leisurely pace, a pace that allows the reader to easily play detective alongside Pru. The characters are well developed and the romance between Pru and DCI Pearse is not over-the-top or unrealistic (no love at first sight here!). The setting moves from London to the countryside and displays a variety of gardens in and around the city. I found Pru's constant side trips and the plethora of historical information about gardens interesting but a tad lecture-ish .
I recommend this novel to, of course, mystery fans but also to readers that are new to the mystery genre. This book was engaging—I finished it in one sitting—and it is the perfect place to start reading a new genre. I certainly hope this will become a series. I am ready to follow Pru on her next adventure. Wingate--Please don't take too long with a sequel!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 28, 2016
This is one of those cases where I would say “don’t judge a book by the cover”. From the cover, you would expect a cute, lighthearted cozy read, but The Garden Plot has much more to offer than that! I was really impressed by this and I only picked it up on a whim. The character of Pru is an interesting complex single expat American living in England. She has returned to England after her mother’s death to make a new start and perhaps find the last remaining family that she has. She is a trained gardener and is looking to find a permament position. In the meantime, she does odd gardening jobs and of course stumbles across a body. Sounds very typical for a cozy, but it’s not.
The plot is enriched by British history, archaeology, gardening and garden restoration. It has less humor and more tension than a cozy usually has. It is a fine mix of the mystery with all of the information and the romantic subplot that makes this mystery stand out. Reminds me very much of another series I really loved by Anthony Eglin, The English Garden Mysteries. I would highly recommend this series to cozy readers and/or fans of the Rosemary and Thyme TV series (if anyone else remembers that one).
Just FYI, the audio book of this title is offered as a prize for the Save Our Cozies Readathon July 16, 2016.
The plot is enriched by British history, archaeology, gardening and garden restoration. It has less humor and more tension than a cozy usually has. It is a fine mix of the mystery with all of the information and the romantic subplot that makes this mystery stand out. Reminds me very much of another series I really loved by Anthony Eglin, The English Garden Mysteries. I would highly recommend this series to cozy readers and/or fans of the Rosemary and Thyme TV series (if anyone else remembers that one).
Just FYI, the audio book of this title is offered as a prize for the Save Our Cozies Readathon July 16, 2016.
April 24, 2016
If I could have given a half star, this would have been rated a 2.5 instead of a 3. It's not that I didn't like the book, but it was just kinda... OK.
The mystery part was kind of interesting but the thing that got me was actually the main character. a fifty year old woman from Texas who has moved to London in search of becoming a head gardener somewhere. She gives herself a year to find the job or she's a failure and as that year draws to a close, she gets more and more maudlin' and refuses to change her plans despite other opportunities.
Then when she gets embroiled in a murder investigation she thinks she can help the police find the right criminal, despite being told repeatedly that she is "not a policeman". She gets attacked and her purse almost stolen but refuses to change her approach on things as if, despite being involved in the investigation, it was a chance thing. She's almost murdered but still refuses to stop taking risks. She makes logic jumps that make no sense. I can't tell if she is naive or stupid. Either way she got on my nerves.
While it wasn't a bad book, I am certainly not going to go read the others in this series. I can only imagine the level of annoyance Pru will cause me if I do. And I have better use for my energy and time.
The mystery part was kind of interesting but the thing that got me was actually the main character. a fifty year old woman from Texas who has moved to London in search of becoming a head gardener somewhere. She gives herself a year to find the job or she's a failure and as that year draws to a close, she gets more and more maudlin' and refuses to change her plans despite other opportunities.
Then when she gets embroiled in a murder investigation she thinks she can help the police find the right criminal, despite being told repeatedly that she is "not a policeman". She gets attacked and her purse almost stolen but refuses to change her approach on things as if, despite being involved in the investigation, it was a chance thing. She's almost murdered but still refuses to stop taking risks. She makes logic jumps that make no sense. I can't tell if she is naive or stupid. Either way she got on my nerves.
While it wasn't a bad book, I am certainly not going to go read the others in this series. I can only imagine the level of annoyance Pru will cause me if I do. And I have better use for my energy and time.
February 9, 2014
Sissy says " All the while reading The Garden Plot I was pulling for Pru to get a job so that she could stay in England, where her heart was. I though it was very clever how Marty Wingate puts a rejection letter from prospective employers at the beginning of every chapter. One of my new British friends I have met through my son has told me she is trying to get rid of his American accent and turn him into a proper English gentleman. Speaking of which, Pru meets a lovely one, and the ensuing romance is quite satisfying. Kudos to the author for making middle-aged women vital and sexy!" Bubby says " I loved detective inspector Christopher Pearse and the romance that unfolds between him and Pru. He keeps finding Pru in "hinky" situations, any one of which would cause one to consider abandoning the relationship, but he perseveres! We see so much showy, flashy, overly physical romance in the books which become available to us, so it was refreshing to have a romantic lead who sees our girl's heart first and falls for her--patiently waiting for and believing in her. 4 Bubbles. Read full review at www.bubblebathbooks.net
May 5, 2014
The Garden Plot was a pleasant surprise. I'm not usually one for straight cozy mysteries, but I found myself really liking the main character Pru and her adventure. There was also a sweet surprise romance in the book that made it that much better. Pru is a transplant from Texas. Her mother was from England and she decided to move to England to start a new life. She gave herself a deadline of a year to find a permanent head gardener position before she heads back home. When the story begins, it is down to the last few weeks before her time is up.
I thought Pru was a great amateur detective. She is older and fiercely independent. She also has an amazing wealth of knowledge about English gardens. She and Christopher's story was very sweet. I enjoyed the mystery. In reminded me of the TV show Rosemary and Thyme and others British shows like it. I could see this one on TV. I didn't figure out the ending and loved the twist. It looks like this is the beginning of a series and I look forward to having another adventure with Pru. I congratulate Ms. Wingate on a great debut novel!
I thought Pru was a great amateur detective. She is older and fiercely independent. She also has an amazing wealth of knowledge about English gardens. She and Christopher's story was very sweet. I enjoyed the mystery. In reminded me of the TV show Rosemary and Thyme and others British shows like it. I could see this one on TV. I didn't figure out the ending and loved the twist. It looks like this is the beginning of a series and I look forward to having another adventure with Pru. I congratulate Ms. Wingate on a great debut novel!
March 3, 2014
~This review is of the ARC as provided by the publisher and Netgalley~
The Garden Plot is an engaging little murder mystery and fish-out-of-water tale. The action begins when Pru Parke, an American gardener desirous of a permanent position in England, takes on the job of clearing out a neglected London landscape. When she stumbles upon a dead body along with the dead vines, a series of complications ensues. Pru becomes fully entangled in the case as well as with the lives of the people involved, including a potential romantic interest, and while she can be foolish and occasionally annoying, the reader roots for her, regardless. Snippets of English history and garden lore provide an entertaining backdrop to the investigation. The writing is tight and stylish, never overdone. Though a detailed beginning belies the rather rushed ending, the story has plenty of appeal.
The Garden Plot is an engaging little murder mystery and fish-out-of-water tale. The action begins when Pru Parke, an American gardener desirous of a permanent position in England, takes on the job of clearing out a neglected London landscape. When she stumbles upon a dead body along with the dead vines, a series of complications ensues. Pru becomes fully entangled in the case as well as with the lives of the people involved, including a potential romantic interest, and while she can be foolish and occasionally annoying, the reader roots for her, regardless. Snippets of English history and garden lore provide an entertaining backdrop to the investigation. The writing is tight and stylish, never overdone. Though a detailed beginning belies the rather rushed ending, the story has plenty of appeal.
May 5, 2014
This was a thoroughly entertaining read with an engaging heroine who, for once, was nearer my age with experiences I could relate to and a believable love interest.
The plot had enough twists to satisfy a lifelong mystery reader, although I did guess "whodunnit" about three quarters of the way through the book.
I am not a gardener but I found the discussions, descriptions and history of plants and important British gardens fascinating.
I particularly liked the tongue in cheek tone of Prue's rejection letters......I'm still trying to picture a famous garden near Billy Row!!
I can recommend this book as a good read...preferably in the garden on a sunny day!
ARC received via publisher and Netgalley in return for an honest review.
The plot had enough twists to satisfy a lifelong mystery reader, although I did guess "whodunnit" about three quarters of the way through the book.
I am not a gardener but I found the discussions, descriptions and history of plants and important British gardens fascinating.
I particularly liked the tongue in cheek tone of Prue's rejection letters......I'm still trying to picture a famous garden near Billy Row!!
I can recommend this book as a good read...preferably in the garden on a sunny day!
ARC received via publisher and Netgalley in return for an honest review.
February 9, 2014
Pru, an American with 2 passports due to her mother's English citizenship, has moved to England. As she is looking for a position as a head gardner of an estate or something similar, she gets embroiled in a murder having (quite literally) stumbled onto the body. There is intrigue as she sticks her nose into places she probably shouldn't and against the wishes of the Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) working the case. There was an archeological component to this which I appreciated. The author engaged me in the main character's life. I wanted her to get that permanent position in England so that she didn't have to return to Texas in defeat. Cozy mysteries are fun and I liked this one.
March 17, 2024
This is another favourite cozy mystery series I'm planning to re-read this year. (This is my 3rd time!) Love Pru -- Texan transplant living her dream designing English gardens. She's stubborn (!) and impulsive which makes for an interesting amateur sleuth. But she's charming and compassionate too. And when she gets her dander up -- best steer clear! Christopher learns that first hand, but even so, he's intrigued. Love the more or less uncomplicated romance -- it never overtakes the mystery, but enhanced my reading overall. Love all the gardening details and the mystery was so intriguing -- even with the third read through! Eager to revisit more of Pru's adventures.
January 26, 2014
Lovely to find a middle-aged heroine, one experiencing nearly dire straits as she makes an eventful career and life change. Strong in character and perseverance, Pru soldiers on as her temporary stay in London, and her intent to become a head gardener, are repeatedly thwarted. Fast-paced, cosy mystery.
January 30, 2014
The Garden Plot was a perfect cozy mystery. Set in England, the characters were well-drawn and likable. The mystery keeps you guessing and the story moves along at just the right pace. A little romance is thrown in and in cozy tradition, you are sure all will be well by the last page. I enjoyed this story very much and hope to read more from this author.
September 5, 2016
Loved this first book in the Potting Shed series by author Marty Wingate. Just the right balance of mystery, gardening, romance, England - the perfect cozy mystery! A+
November 7, 2017
Pru (Prunella) Parke has made the move to live
in England after the death of her mother and the
end of a long term relationship. She decides
she will stay for a year hoping to find a gardening
position on one of the large English estates.
Meanwhile she works a variety of part time gardening
jobs and maintenance. One of these jobs takes her
to Chelsea to a job that requires immediate attention
to make the garden presentable before the lady of
the house scheduled party occurs.
What a surprise when Pru discovers an ancient
Roman mosaic buried in the estates shed!! Then
several days later, Pru discovers a body....a DEAD
one when she literally stumbles over it.
The police are notified. Inspector Christopher Pearce
is in charge of the case. He and Pru develop
undeniable chemistry between each other.
Will Pru find a job in England or return to Texas? Will
she and Inspector Pearce develop a relationship?
Mix together gardening, murder, hidden treasure,
dangerous situations, intrigue, mystery, a well plotted
book with humorous shenanigans plus some romance
and this British set cozy mystery makes for a
captivating read.
Description, English garden and area historical sites are
deftly woven into the story. You will feel a part of the
story while learning about flowers, trees and garden
maintenance.
Great cast of vivid, well defined and colorful characters
with a lot of suspects. All the characters bring their
own flavor to the story.
in England after the death of her mother and the
end of a long term relationship. She decides
she will stay for a year hoping to find a gardening
position on one of the large English estates.
Meanwhile she works a variety of part time gardening
jobs and maintenance. One of these jobs takes her
to Chelsea to a job that requires immediate attention
to make the garden presentable before the lady of
the house scheduled party occurs.
What a surprise when Pru discovers an ancient
Roman mosaic buried in the estates shed!! Then
several days later, Pru discovers a body....a DEAD
one when she literally stumbles over it.
The police are notified. Inspector Christopher Pearce
is in charge of the case. He and Pru develop
undeniable chemistry between each other.
Will Pru find a job in England or return to Texas? Will
she and Inspector Pearce develop a relationship?
Mix together gardening, murder, hidden treasure,
dangerous situations, intrigue, mystery, a well plotted
book with humorous shenanigans plus some romance
and this British set cozy mystery makes for a
captivating read.
Description, English garden and area historical sites are
deftly woven into the story. You will feel a part of the
story while learning about flowers, trees and garden
maintenance.
Great cast of vivid, well defined and colorful characters
with a lot of suspects. All the characters bring their
own flavor to the story.
March 3, 2018
The American Pru has been in England for almost a year in which she has been looking for work as a gardener in The Garden Plot by Marty Wingate. Turned down by everyone to whom she applies, Pru is on the verge of returning to Texas when she gets a small local job cleaning up the garden of the Wilsons. After a day of dealing with vines, Pru gets into the garden shed, only to do some digging within the shed and find hints that a mosaic of a Roman horse might be buried there. This really excites Mr. Wilson, an amateur and highly enthusiastic archeologist, who is so thrilled to find ruins in his own backyard. But then the next day Pru goes back to the shed, only to stumble across the body of one of Mr. Wilson’s archeological friends.
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
November 3, 2017
A 50 year-old who shakes up her life
As with all Marty Wingate books I seem to like the secondary characters better than the MC.
Pru Parke has given herself one year to make it in her mom's home country of England. Her goal, become a head gardener at an English manor house.
She finds a small job fixing a garden for a garden party with the promise of a complete redo. When she finds a body in the potting shed all plans are put on hold.
When her employer is the perfect suspect Pru decides to investigate.
The story line is good and the characters while not physically described are given personalities that you can either like or dislike.
For me I just wanted to smack Pru up side the head. Between her woe is me, tears, and acting like a teenager at times, in public no less, with the inspector in charge of the case. I thought she might need hormone replacement therapy. But that makes the character fun.
The description of the gardens are wonderful. What I really enjoyed though was the archeological site descriptions and the history.
I hope the next book is just a pinch better.
As with all Marty Wingate books I seem to like the secondary characters better than the MC.
Pru Parke has given herself one year to make it in her mom's home country of England. Her goal, become a head gardener at an English manor house.
She finds a small job fixing a garden for a garden party with the promise of a complete redo. When she finds a body in the potting shed all plans are put on hold.
When her employer is the perfect suspect Pru decides to investigate.
The story line is good and the characters while not physically described are given personalities that you can either like or dislike.
For me I just wanted to smack Pru up side the head. Between her woe is me, tears, and acting like a teenager at times, in public no less, with the inspector in charge of the case. I thought she might need hormone replacement therapy. But that makes the character fun.
The description of the gardens are wonderful. What I really enjoyed though was the archeological site descriptions and the history.
I hope the next book is just a pinch better.
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