Murder in the Greenhouse

Tall Pines Cozy Mystery #1

by Avery Kent

An amateur sleuth with a green thumb, her two best friends, and a murder…

Rosemary Hart’s dream of opening her own plant nursery in the charming town of Tall Pines is suddenly uprooted, when she finds a body in her greenhouse.

Determined to clear her name and protect her budding business, Rosemary teams up with her childhood friends, Ashley and Gabby.

As they dig deeper, the trio uncover a tangled web of secrets involving a ruthless developer, disgruntled locals, and a suspect list as lengthy as a vine. Their investigation leads them through twists, turns and hidden motives within their cozy tight-knit community.

With Gabby’s older brother and protective local sheriff watching their every move and warning them to stay out of the case, the pressure mounts.

Can Rosemary, her steadfast friends and curious cat Marmalade unearth the truth and prove her innocence before it’s too late? Or will her dream of a new chapter and thriving nursery wither away?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy

263 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 30, 2024

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opening day for Rosemary’s new greenhouse business gets delayed when she finds a murdered man in the tunnel house. Kelvin Pruitt was an unpleasant man and unscrupulous developer and plenty of people wanted him out of the way. Rosemary teams up with her lifelong friends, Gabby & Ashley, to track down answers, much to the despair of police officer & Gabby’s brother Carlos. However, it’s Rosemary’s cat, Marmalade that has the knack for finding clues.

The first in a new series by Avery Kent is a pleasant cozy mystery with great characters and a nicely paced plot. Ms. Kent drops plenty of clues for eagle eyed readers to determine the perpetrator before the amateur sleuths do. The friendship between the 3 women is nicely developed and will be interesting to see how each of their stories play out.

[Cat B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 STARS
When a nasty resident of the small town of Pine Falls is found murdered there is no shortage of suspects. In fact, the list is quite a healthy one. First in a new series this was a good little mystery. Usually I have a good handle on who dun it but I very much enjoyed trying to figure this one out. I failed. Nicely set up for the upcoming in the series with an eclectic group of characters introduced. Nice quick little read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whodunit

It is a mystery of who murdered the bad guy. Could it be the wife, the girlfriend, the father of horse loving girl or someone else?
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

First in the new series of Tall Pines mystery books and a sterling job by Avery Kent. Rosemary Hart’s dreams of opening her own plant nursery in the small town are somewhat marred by the discovery of a body of her enemy Kevin in her greenhouse! He is the person who wanted the plot of land where said greenhouse is….She’s opening her nursery in today! With her husband Al on deployment, she does no more to keep from under suspicion and gathers her childhood friends Ashley and Gabby to help. What they find is a suspect list as long as a vine but they’re positive they’ll do just fine and keep on track as long as they keep Gabby’s brother , the sheriff off their backs…Ashley works alongside Rosemary’s Grandpa Jo at his horse ranch , that character is a hoot and let’s not forget marmalade the cat because she joins in too . It’s quite a mystery but these friends and a cat know just want to do to uncover the bad guys despite their alibis…A super reading experience of superlative narratives you’ll ever find . Awesome prose and distinct characters, all with their own traits and foibles. I’m looking forward to reading more from this wonderful setting and I’m sure it won’t be too long before we are aghast once more by the wonderful writing courtesy of Avery Kent . Bravo ! I loved it immensely.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemary Hart is fulfilling a dream of having her own plant nursery in Tall Pines.Her husband, Al is deployed overseas so she has her son Andy to raise. But Kelvin Pruitt, a developer wanted her plot of land, where she has the greenhouse. Rosemary wouldn't have it. Getting things ready for her grand opening, with the help of her friends, Gabby and Ashley and her cat, Marmalade she stumbles upon the body of the unlikable Kelvin dead in the greenhouse. Since she could be a suspect, Rosemary along with her besties, Ashley and Gabby decide to investigate. Of course, Gabby's brother, Carlos, is the sheriff so he tolerates their snooping. With so many plot twists and turns and red-herrings, we are taken on a roller coaster ride unearthing some town secrets, we are surprised by the ending. This is an excellent first book and I can't wait to read more. The characters are great, they mesh so well and are really very likeable. I highly recommend this book and I am excited to see what the author comes up with for the ladies next. I received and ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Dan Rees · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the start of a new series, which promises well for books to come. There are three female protagonists, one of whom is soon to open her new plant nursery business, but finds the body in her greenhouse of a man who was obviously trying to sabotage her business, presumably to acquire the property, which he wanted for his own purposes. The "obligatory" member of law enforcement who cooperates with the three friends, but also wants to discourage them from taking unnecessary chances and putting themselves in danger, is actually also the brother of one of the three. The characters are well-defined and interesting. There are also a number of possible suspects, though most or all of them are people they really don't want to suspect. In the end, the motive of the culprit is understandable, and not too far afield or too big a surprise.
Final note: I am voluntarily leaving a review about a book I received as an ARC. This in no way affected my review.

[Pam]

I am so tired of the cozy mystery plot of the main female character finding a body and proceeding to conduct the murder investigation on her own. They endanger themselves and others and cause problems with the official investigation.

Amazon synopsis:
Rosemary Hart’s dream of opening her own plant nursery in the charming town of Tall Pines is suddenly uprooted when she finds a body in her greenhouse.

Determined to clear her name and protect her budding business, Rosemary teams up with her childhood friends, Ashley and Gabby.

As they dig deeper, the trio uncovers a tangled web of secrets involving a ruthless developer, disgruntled locals, and a suspect list as lengthy as a vine. Their investigation leads them through twists, turns and hidden motives within their cozy tight-knit community.

With Gabby’s older brother and protective local sheriff watching their every move and warning them to stay out of the case, the pressure mounts.

Can Rosemary, her steadfast friends and curious cat Marmalade unearth the truth and prove her innocence before it’s too late? Or will her dream of a new chapter and thriving nursery wither away?

[Sue Rae Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in the Greenhouse is the 1st in the series A Tall Pines cozy Mystery by Avery Kent in which we meet Rosemary Hart who is opening her nursery in less than 48 hours. Her husband Al, is deployed so her childhood friends, Gabby and Ashley are right beside to help along with her son, Andy. The morning of opening Rosemary sets out to make sure everything is ready for the opening in couple of hours, only to find a body in her polytunnel. Well there goes her opening! Gabby's brother, Carlos is the sheriff that will be taking care the case. But Rosemary, Gabby and, Ashley will be trying help figure this out since it happened at Rosemary's nursery. This was a really different kind of mystery and I loved it. Thanks, Avery Kent!

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

It really seemed like there was no one who could’ve offed the most disliked guy in town since they were all coming up with alibis. But the answer eventually fell into place for Rosemary and Gabby as they sleuthed along with or without Gabby’s police brother’s blessing. I love these three besties and it’s so awesome that Ashley works with her grandpa on his horse ranch. Grandpa Joe’s a fun character—I’d sure love to have one of his delicious dinners!

I liked the safer type showdown a lot (even Marmalade kitty helped) and felt a little sorry for the guilty person, but there’s still no excuse for murder. I can’t wait to read another book in this new series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by BookSprout, and my opinions are my own.

[Dave Measner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A grand opening disaster.
Rosemary Hart is set to open her dream greenhouse. When she goes in to finish final preperations for her opening day she finds the man who was also interested in her property laying dead. Of course finding the body makes her an instant suspect but with the her of her BFFs Gabby and Ashley they determine to clear her name sooner rather than later. Between butting heads with Gabby's brother Carlos, the sheriff, and the deceased having a long list of people he had wronged solving the crime won't be easy. A fine debut in this new series with interesting characters and a good mystery.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Giannina · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this new series Rosemary is opening her greenhouse. On what is to be opening day she finds the body of Kelvin Pruitt who had wanted the lot of land, where she has the greenhouse. With the help of her friends she starts to investigate. Rosemary, Abigail and Gabby have a long standing friendship and they do a great job investigation the murder. They find suspects and clues and do a great job of helping and supporting each other, throughout. The people are endearing and you are drawn in to find out not only who the murderer is and why but how they all relate to each other. A great story and great characters. Can not wait to see what happens next.

[Robin Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemary Hart is set to open her new plant nursery business when she discovers a body in the greenhouse. Rosemary and her two best friends, Ashley and Gabby, investigate the mystery. I liked the main characters, they each bring their own expertise to the investigation. I also liked that the ladies tried to stay safe while investigating, and brought all of their information and evidence to the local sheriff (Gabby’s brother) who was also willing to work with them. The mystery kept me guessing, and there was a definite twist at the end! I plan to continue with this series.
I received a free copy from the author, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Dwayne Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemary is opening a plant nursery in Tall Pines. She bought the property from her neighbor, but others are upset they didn’t get to buy it. On opening morning Rosemary finds a dead body in her nursery. It was Kelvin Pruitt, one who was interested in acquiring the property for himself. Seems he was there to sabotage the plants. But who knew he was there and who killed him? Kelvin has a long history of interfering in other people’s business. Nobody liked him, but who was willing to end him? Rosemary, her friends, and charming cat uncover clues and track down alibis to solve the murder. A great start to a new series by Avery Kent.

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful mystery with some really great characters, especially the cat Marmalade! Rosemary is nervous about the lifetime dream of opening her own greenhouse nursery, but is reassured by friends Gabby and Ashley that it will be a hit! What she didn’t expect was to find a man she had beat out of buying the lot for the nursery dead in it on opening day! But that’s what happens! As she looks like the guilty party, she enlists her friends to help her figure out who the real murderer is. Unfortunately, Kelvin Pruitt was not a well-liked man and there are a lot of potential suspects! A fun story to read, with an unexpected ending.

[Linda Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new series from Avery. Rosemary finds a dead man in her greenhouse on the day she had been due to open her new nursery for business. The man is none other than the person who had tried to get hold of the land from the previous owner. Rosemary & her friends set about investigating the clues & suspects. The biggest clue is not noticed for a long time, perhaps leading one to exclude the most obvious culprit from the suspect list!
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the author & I am writing a voluntary, honest review

[J Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good series starter!

The grand opening of Rosemary's business is put on hold when she discovers a murder victim in her greenhouse. The suspects abound but without witnesses and better clues, the murderer's identity might not be revealed. Rosemary, her friends, and even her cat are determined to help the sheriff solve the case. Whether he wants their help or not.

This is a good beginning for this new series. I can see more opportunities for Marmalade to assist in future investigations. I finished it in one day. I received a free copy but my review is honest and voluntary.

[Trina Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG 😱 AWESOME book. I was on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t even put it down. I enjoyed reading this book. Rosemary and her husband Al had to figure out how to solve this murder in the greenhouse. Will they catch the culprit in time. Now things will change for them in a moment. Will it be someone they know from their past .
I definitely recommend this book and you won’t be disappointed. I received advance copy of this book via Bookfunnel and am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion. Trina Jones

[Lizz Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemary discovers a dead body in her soon-to-open greenhouse nursery. There are many suspects and motives as more clues are found at the scene. Rosemary and her friends decide to assist with the investigation. Good thing the Sheriff is supportive of their efforts instead of getting in their way. This cozy full of family, friendships, and a small town looking out for each other. An enjoyable start to a new series.

[Dianne Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great cozy mystery!

I thoroughly enjoyed this great cozy mystery with three clever ladies investigating the murder of a underhanded man. As Gabby, Rosemary and Ashley, work with Gabby's brother, Carlos, the town sheriff, clues of all kinds emerge. The ending is a complete surprise. I recommend this book.

I read this book as part of an advance reader team and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the opening of Rosemary's nursery is delayed by a dead body in her greenhouse, she and her friends just have to dig a little deeper.
Great cozy mystery. I really enjoyed reading this book, meeting the characters and seeing their interactions. This was a really fun read with a great storyline. I can only recommend this book if you are looking for a fun cozy mystery to relax with.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Don Lentz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in the Greenhouse written by Avery Kent. This book was really interesting. Rosemary dreamed of opening a new business and then when she went to make sure everything was ready she discovered a dead body. And from there her and her friends investigates who did it. It was a great book and it kept you guessing who did it and figure it out if she can open her business. I recommend you read this book. I have it and I loved it.

Written by
Edith L

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read - has all the right things for a good mystery.. A murder, a group of women friends who try to solve the murder, a sheriff who tries to keep the women from interfering or getting hurt, oh and there is a cat.. But not one that talks or solves the mystery - but his antics sometimes leads to him accidentally discovering clues. It was enjoyable and I would highly recommend.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun. Rosemary maybe in the wrong professions as a nursery owner, she has a proclivity for detecting. Along side her two friends, Gabby and Ashley, plus Gabby’s brother, Sheriff Carlos, she does a good job finding out who murdered a man in her greenhouse. She did have a little help from Marmalade. This book kept moving and I didn’t want to put it down. There were sure a lot of people who wanted him dead, or at least out of the picture. I look forward to the next book.

[Sharmani Jayaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemary Hant finds Kelvin Pruitt ‘s body in her greenhouse this nearly destroys her dream of opening it for business.  She is determined to find the true culprit with the help of her two childhood friends Ashley and Gabby they go about finding evidence  but it was more than they bargained for . A captivating read to the end. I received this ARC copy via Booksprouts and leave a honest review. I recommend this book to other readers.

[Jo Ann Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline, suspense and clues. I never would have guessed the ending. There were a lot of secondary characters in this book which were difficult to keep up with at times. But it was a great story and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Melissa Borsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosemary is getting her plant nursery ready to open for its debut business opening when she discovers a man dead inside the greenhouse. With the help of her friends Ashley and Gabby, Rosemary makes the decision to investigate to find the culprit and get her new business opened. This was a very entertaining mystery with quite a few suspects and a good ending.

[Charmayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this first volume in a new cozy mystery series by Avery Kent. The story was fun and with just enough mystery to keep me interested. The 3 friends were all different with their distinctive personalities. And there was a mischievous cat and horses too. I am looking forward to the next story.

[Marietta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another excellent written book by Avery Kent. There were so many twist and turns threw out the whole story it took just about the whole time to finally figure out who the murderer was. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery that keeps you on your toes the whole time.

[Janet Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Detectives in Town

When a dead body turns up in Rosemary's new plant nursery, her best friends join Rosemary in trying to prove that she was not involved in the murder. Loyal friends, many suspects, and confusing leads make this an intriguing case to follow. I'm looking forward to reading about their next investigation. Enjoy!

[Marseydoats · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this author/series, but this just wasn't very good. There are a LOT of mistakes in it, and it's quite obvious no one proof read it at all.
Disappointing, since the covers for all the authors books are so intriguing. I may try another of her series later on, but this one isn't worth continuing.