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Maybridge Murder Mysteries #3
Murder in Bloom
One part jealousy. Two parts rage. Somewhere in Abby’s sleepy little village, the perfect murder is brewing . . .
Abby enters the Maybridge Flower Show, never dreaming for one moment that she’ll win the gold. Or an invitation to appear on telly, alongside gardening legend Daisy Dashwood!
Some people say Daisy’s a tiresome diva. But starry-eyed Abby can’t wait for the cameras to start rolling. Until . . .
Daisy staggers out on stage. Only to collapse at Abby’s feet.
Her demise might seem like a tragic accident — resulting from a cocktail of booze and hay-fever medicine.
But Abby’s not so sure. She starts digging, to uncover shifty suspects at every turn. From snarky co-stars to a toy-boy lover, they all had reason to want Daisy dead and gone.
And that’s not the only puzzle playing on Abby’s mind . . .
In life, Daisy went nowhere without her trusty caddy of healing teas. Now it’s vanished.
What if someone’s been tampering with Daisy’s favourite cuppa?
Abby enters the Maybridge Flower Show, never dreaming for one moment that she’ll win the gold. Or an invitation to appear on telly, alongside gardening legend Daisy Dashwood!
Some people say Daisy’s a tiresome diva. But starry-eyed Abby can’t wait for the cameras to start rolling. Until . . .
Daisy staggers out on stage. Only to collapse at Abby’s feet.
Her demise might seem like a tragic accident — resulting from a cocktail of booze and hay-fever medicine.
But Abby’s not so sure. She starts digging, to uncover shifty suspects at every turn. From snarky co-stars to a toy-boy lover, they all had reason to want Daisy dead and gone.
And that’s not the only puzzle playing on Abby’s mind . . .
In life, Daisy went nowhere without her trusty caddy of healing teas. Now it’s vanished.
What if someone’s been tampering with Daisy’s favourite cuppa?
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2024
628 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Liz Fielding
560 books468 followersHi, I'm Liz Fielding, and I'm a best selling contemporary romance author with more than 15 million books in print and Katie Fforde wrote, when honouring me with the Romantic Novelists' Association's Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019 said - "Liz Fielding's books, with their warmth, humour and emotion, have charmed millions of readers. She is a true star of the romantic fiction genre..."
And now I've turned to a life of crime with my first cozy mystery. Murder Among the Roses, published on 18 April 2023 - of which Katie Fforde also said, "I was gripped from beginning to end..."
Reading is a big part of my life. I love witty, contemporary romances, not too much sex,, Women's fiction by the likes of Fiona Harper, Julie Cohen, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Crusie and Barbara O'Neal. And I love crime fiction that isn't too gory, or focussed on clue hunting, but is big on character.
My best loved series at the moment are the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch and the Libby Sarjeant Mysteries by Lesley Cookman. I've just read the first in the Georgina Drake crime series from Kate Hardy and looking forward to the next.
For news and excerpts of my new releases, visit me at http://www.lizfielding.com and sign up for my newsletter
And now I've turned to a life of crime with my first cozy mystery. Murder Among the Roses, published on 18 April 2023 - of which Katie Fforde also said, "I was gripped from beginning to end..."
Reading is a big part of my life. I love witty, contemporary romances, not too much sex,, Women's fiction by the likes of Fiona Harper, Julie Cohen, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Crusie and Barbara O'Neal. And I love crime fiction that isn't too gory, or focussed on clue hunting, but is big on character.
My best loved series at the moment are the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch and the Libby Sarjeant Mysteries by Lesley Cookman. I've just read the first in the Georgina Drake crime series from Kate Hardy and looking forward to the next.
For news and excerpts of my new releases, visit me at http://www.lizfielding.com and sign up for my newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
July 30, 2024
The Maybridge Flower Show was in full swing with Abby's first ever entry judged as a gold prize winner. Abby was astounded, but her upcoming appearance on the stage with TV legend, gardening guru Daisy Dashwood had her nerves jittering. When Daisy collapsed in front of Abby, and was taken to hospital by ambulance, her thoughts were with the sixty year old. But it was the shock of learning Daisy had died in the ambulance that had Abby's sleuthing antennae vibrating.
As Abby and Detective Dee chatted about Daisy's death, Abby knew something was off. And as her investigations into the many suspects grew, so too did her suspicions. When another woman was murdered, they knew the clock was ticking; they knew they had to find the killer/s before someone else died...
Murder in Bloom is the 3rd in the Maybridge Murder Mysteries by Liz Fielding and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I did the first two. Abby is an exceptional character, as is her partner Jake. Her gardening prowess is phenomenal - I would love to wander around her garden, and the business she owns. Bring on #4! Highly recommended cosy mystery to fans of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley & Joffe Books for my digital ARC to read.
As Abby and Detective Dee chatted about Daisy's death, Abby knew something was off. And as her investigations into the many suspects grew, so too did her suspicions. When another woman was murdered, they knew the clock was ticking; they knew they had to find the killer/s before someone else died...
Murder in Bloom is the 3rd in the Maybridge Murder Mysteries by Liz Fielding and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I did the first two. Abby is an exceptional character, as is her partner Jake. Her gardening prowess is phenomenal - I would love to wander around her garden, and the business she owns. Bring on #4! Highly recommended cosy mystery to fans of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley & Joffe Books for my digital ARC to read.
July 26, 2024
This series just gets better and better, I love Abby Finch and when Abby enters the Maybridge Flower Show she is thrilled to meet gardening legend Daisy Dashwood and when she wins a gold medal for her garden Daisy invites her on stage to be have a chat on the TV show The Potting Shed but before that can happen Daisy is rushed to hospital and pronounced dead.
The sleuth in Abby is determined to find out what happened, there are a lot of rumours going around about Daisy and Abby befriends Daisy’s PA Fay and Fay is very willing to open up about what is happening in Daisy’s life at the moment and there are many suspects, is it someone from her past or the young TV presenter who wanted Daisy’s job could it be the agent and Daisy’s boyfriend and of course there are secrets from Daisy’s past but first the police and Abby have to discover what actually happened to Daisy did someone tamper with her homemade herbal teas?
I am loving my visits to Maybridge and I love Abby and her family and friends, Liz Fielding this one is awesome you had my head spinning with trying to work out who the killer was and then with the second death things ramp up, there are some not so nice people in this one. If you love a good cosy mystery then this is the series to read the characters are fabulous the setting wonderful and they are not put downable reads, they will have you turning the pages and doing your best to work out who the killer is and I didn’t work out who that was till the end, I loved this one.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series, I do highly recommend this one to any lovers of a cosy mystery, it is a must read.
My thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
The sleuth in Abby is determined to find out what happened, there are a lot of rumours going around about Daisy and Abby befriends Daisy’s PA Fay and Fay is very willing to open up about what is happening in Daisy’s life at the moment and there are many suspects, is it someone from her past or the young TV presenter who wanted Daisy’s job could it be the agent and Daisy’s boyfriend and of course there are secrets from Daisy’s past but first the police and Abby have to discover what actually happened to Daisy did someone tamper with her homemade herbal teas?
I am loving my visits to Maybridge and I love Abby and her family and friends, Liz Fielding this one is awesome you had my head spinning with trying to work out who the killer was and then with the second death things ramp up, there are some not so nice people in this one. If you love a good cosy mystery then this is the series to read the characters are fabulous the setting wonderful and they are not put downable reads, they will have you turning the pages and doing your best to work out who the killer is and I didn’t work out who that was till the end, I loved this one.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series, I do highly recommend this one to any lovers of a cosy mystery, it is a must read.
My thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
August 7, 2024
I'm continuing to really enjoy this cozy mystery series. I like the main character Abby, as well as her family and friends. There were a number of potential villains involved with this mystery, and I didn't guess who had done it, until the very, very end when pretty much every one else was eliminated. I look forward to the next in the series, and am wondering if it will be set in Italy.
July 3, 2025
Gardening people killing each other is my 2nd favourite trope when it comes to specific settings where people get killed in "cosy mysteries".
(My number 1 favourite is book people - a.k.a. publishing people - killing each other.)
This book was a step up from #2 in the series, I think. More on par with the depth I found in the first book - and I liked and appreciated that very much.
I hope there will be more books in this series! I really like Abby and wouldn't mind binging a lot of books about her, but quality over quantity is always more important. 😁
(My number 1 favourite is book people - a.k.a. publishing people - killing each other.)
This book was a step up from #2 in the series, I think. More on par with the depth I found in the first book - and I liked and appreciated that very much.
I hope there will be more books in this series! I really like Abby and wouldn't mind binging a lot of books about her, but quality over quantity is always more important. 😁
July 25, 2024
Abby Finch cozy murder mystery book three. A maybridge murder.
Busy mum of three and expert gardener at the earlthy designs , the old quarry.
And she is now living with Jake that is running along smoothly for them both.
Abby recieved the gold award in her first garden show and she is delighted.
Murder in bloom is absolutely Brilliant from the first chapter. I love this series and there's never a dull moment in Maybridge.
Outstanding page after page with added humour from the characters too. The book has everything for any readers enjoyment.
Look forward to more in the trilogy.
Busy mum of three and expert gardener at the earlthy designs , the old quarry.
And she is now living with Jake that is running along smoothly for them both.
Abby recieved the gold award in her first garden show and she is delighted.
Murder in bloom is absolutely Brilliant from the first chapter. I love this series and there's never a dull moment in Maybridge.
Outstanding page after page with added humour from the characters too. The book has everything for any readers enjoyment.
Look forward to more in the trilogy.
August 5, 2024
Abby Finch is finally getting her life back in order after the death of her ex husband. Their children are finally settled, her business as a gardener is growing and she has finally found love again. Abby had a dream of winning at the Maybridge Flower Show, so she enters it. Finally it has come true and she won gold. She does an interview on stage with Daisy Dashwood, a legendary famous gardener for a TV show, but before it happens, Daisy collapses on the stage and dies. Being the sleuth she is, Abby agrees to help the police in their small, quaint little town. She’s helped before, so she’s willing to help again, not that the man she loves is happy about it. How did Daisy die? They think she’s been murdered. Will Abby and the police find the murder? Who could it possibly be? So many people could have done it. They need to find whoever did it before someone else dies. Is it just one person? Is there more? This is a wonderful mystery? The characters are wonderful. I couldn’t guess who it was. I didn’t want to put the book down. Worth the read. The series so far is amazing. I received this book for my honest review. I give it voluntarily.
July 30, 2024
An Enjoyable Read
Abbey Finch is a busy mum and runs a successful gardening business. She has just won a gold medal with a garden she designed herself and is about to appear on television alongside Daisy Dashwood, herself a gardening expert and TV personality, but Daisy is not well and is rushed to hospital where she is pronounced dead. Abbey is suspicious about the death and starts her own investigation alongside the police and she seems to do a better job! This is the third book in the series and although I had only read the first book I was able to keep up with who’s who quite easily. It is an enjoyable read and I didn’t guess the ending.
Abbey Finch is a busy mum and runs a successful gardening business. She has just won a gold medal with a garden she designed herself and is about to appear on television alongside Daisy Dashwood, herself a gardening expert and TV personality, but Daisy is not well and is rushed to hospital where she is pronounced dead. Abbey is suspicious about the death and starts her own investigation alongside the police and she seems to do a better job! This is the third book in the series and although I had only read the first book I was able to keep up with who’s who quite easily. It is an enjoyable read and I didn’t guess the ending.
July 31, 2024
Once again Abby finds herself unintentionally involved in a sudden death. The story once again has lots of twists and turns and almost too many suspects. The book also moves forwards with the lives of the regular characters adding extra interest. Although possible to follow this book without reading the previous ones there are references to previous stories which are not over explained which is good for the regular reader but may cause some confusion for someone starting with this book. As always the book is well written and easy to read but still has enough to challenge the grey cells.
August 4, 2024
An !enthralling story
A interesting murder mystery with lots of action and drama. A gold medal at the flower show, but it soon becomes a mystery and a shoal of tree herrings. I liked the descriptions of the uses of the plants in the herbal garden. Some of them were complicated and some toxic.
A interesting murder mystery with lots of action and drama. A gold medal at the flower show, but it soon becomes a mystery and a shoal of tree herrings. I liked the descriptions of the uses of the plants in the herbal garden. Some of them were complicated and some toxic.
July 25, 2024
Abbey is a garden designer with a good reputation and a guest spot on a TV show by a well renowned gardening guru who dies on the set. The medical examiner refuses to declare cause of death until the tox screen comes in. There seems to be a relatively short list of suspects and Abbey is in a position to find more honest responses than her friend in the department despite their mild irritation at her doing so. But what happens when the prime suspect turns up dead in the water.
So many really sneaky red herrings and the plot twists blindsided me a time or two. Another unputdownable addition to a riveting series
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Joffe Books via NetGalley. Thank you
So many really sneaky red herrings and the plot twists blindsided me a time or two. Another unputdownable addition to a riveting series
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Joffe Books via NetGalley. Thank you
August 4, 2024
Great
This is a series I enjoy. I like all the characters the plots are entertaining and the village seems lovely. I hope there will be more.
This is a series I enjoy. I like all the characters the plots are entertaining and the village seems lovely. I hope there will be more.
July 29, 2024
I had an ARC of Murder in Bloom and decided to read Liz Fielding’s previous two books in the Maybridge Murder Mysteries series before reading it. Although there are enough recaps to make Murder in Bloom readable as a standalone I would still recommend reading the series in order.
Abby is a gardener who can’t keep her inquisitive mind out of the mysterious deaths that seem to occur around her. The books tell of her life and that of her family and friends as she develops her gardening business and solves murders on the side. The books are twisty, with delightfully positioned red herrings and also cosy, set against life in the pretty village of Maybridge. I thoroughly enjoyed them and hope there are more to come.
Abby is a gardener who can’t keep her inquisitive mind out of the mysterious deaths that seem to occur around her. The books tell of her life and that of her family and friends as she develops her gardening business and solves murders on the side. The books are twisty, with delightfully positioned red herrings and also cosy, set against life in the pretty village of Maybridge. I thoroughly enjoyed them and hope there are more to come.
July 30, 2024
This was my first book by this author and I didn’t realise that it was the third in the series but could be read as a standalone I am definitely going to go back and read the others.
This was a fabulous cosy mystery with lots of humour and I was invested from the outset and read it in one sitting. As an avid gardener the gardening storyline also appealed
This would make a fabulous tv series
This was a fabulous cosy mystery with lots of humour and I was invested from the outset and read it in one sitting. As an avid gardener the gardening storyline also appealed
This would make a fabulous tv series
September 7, 2024
Cosy mystery fans who haven’t yet added Liz Fielding’s Abby Finch series to their auto-buy list are missing out on a treat. Murder in Bloom, the third title in the series, is a fun, unpredictable and nail-biting page-turner that I simply couldn’t stop reading.
Abby Finch is over the moon to have won the Maybridge Flower Show – especially as she has also been invited to appear on telly alongside her idol, Daisy Dashwood. Abby cannot remember the last time she had been this excited and although she has heard the rumours about Daisy being a diva, star-struck Abby cannot wait to be in her favourite celebrity’s orbit and bask in her greatness – until Daisy staggers out onto the stage and collapses at Abby’s feet!
Never one to resist doing a little bit of sleuthing of her own, Abby starts digging into Daisy’s life and discovers a large number of people who had their own reasons for wanting Daisy dead. Could it be her toy-boy lover? One of her co-stars with an axe to grind? Or someone from her past who wants to make Daisy pay for her old sins? The more she digs, the more perplexed Abby becomes, but the one thing she is sure of is that Daisy never went anywhere without her caddy of healing teas which has now vanished!
Did someone poison Daisy’s tea? Can Abby bring a killer to justice? Or is there a vital clue that she’s missing that could help solve this case?
Liz Fielding’s Murder in Bloom is cosy crime par excellence! A captivating whodunnit that drew me in the second I read the first page, Murder in Bloom is liberally sprinkled with humour, pathos and charm and is full of characters that leap fully formed off the pages.
Abby Finch is a marvellous sleuth with a knack for solving crimes by using her ingenuity, compassion and intelligence to find the clues necessary to ensure that justice is served.
A superb cosy mystery where the pages just turn themselves, Liz Fielding’s Murder in Bloom already has me eager to see what else the fantastic Abby Finch will get up to in her next adventure!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Abby Finch is over the moon to have won the Maybridge Flower Show – especially as she has also been invited to appear on telly alongside her idol, Daisy Dashwood. Abby cannot remember the last time she had been this excited and although she has heard the rumours about Daisy being a diva, star-struck Abby cannot wait to be in her favourite celebrity’s orbit and bask in her greatness – until Daisy staggers out onto the stage and collapses at Abby’s feet!
Never one to resist doing a little bit of sleuthing of her own, Abby starts digging into Daisy’s life and discovers a large number of people who had their own reasons for wanting Daisy dead. Could it be her toy-boy lover? One of her co-stars with an axe to grind? Or someone from her past who wants to make Daisy pay for her old sins? The more she digs, the more perplexed Abby becomes, but the one thing she is sure of is that Daisy never went anywhere without her caddy of healing teas which has now vanished!
Did someone poison Daisy’s tea? Can Abby bring a killer to justice? Or is there a vital clue that she’s missing that could help solve this case?
Liz Fielding’s Murder in Bloom is cosy crime par excellence! A captivating whodunnit that drew me in the second I read the first page, Murder in Bloom is liberally sprinkled with humour, pathos and charm and is full of characters that leap fully formed off the pages.
Abby Finch is a marvellous sleuth with a knack for solving crimes by using her ingenuity, compassion and intelligence to find the clues necessary to ensure that justice is served.
A superb cosy mystery where the pages just turn themselves, Liz Fielding’s Murder in Bloom already has me eager to see what else the fantastic Abby Finch will get up to in her next adventure!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 1, 2024
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
MURDER IN BLOOM (Maybridge Murder Mysteries Book #3) by Liz Fielding is another well written, enjoyable addition to the Maybridge Murder series. The inquisitive Abby Finch is back once again, and murder just seems to happen in her vicinity. While this is the third book in the series, it is easily read as a standalone. I have read and enjoyed all three books.
After months of work, the Maybridge Flower show is here, and Abby is hoping for the best with her first major show entry. To her surprise she won gold. As the legendary gardener and host of The Potting Shed TV show, Daisy Dashwood invites Abbey to appear on her show filming at the event. When she shows up for the filming, Daisy appears very ill and incoherent and falls on the stage. She is rushed to the local hospital and is pronounced dead.
Her death appears to be an accident, but Daisy had many secrets and with her secrets come many suspects. Daisy’s personal assistant discovers Daisy’s favorite tea ball and caddy are missing in which she always used her own herbal tea mix. Could someone from the show or Daisy’s infamous chef boyfriend want her dead? Abby has questions once again that place her in the middle of a murder investigation.
This is such a well written series. The plot is well paced and contains plenty of red herrings and twists that always keep me guessing to the climax. Abby is an endearing protagonist who is realistically written with no exaggerated problems. She has her own gardening business and is starting to believe in herself and her professional abilities. Her three children are all in their teens and happy. She has a boyfriend, many friends in the village, and in the police force. Maybridge’s inhabitants are all very believable and I want to continue to visit the village even if there do appear to be a few too many murders.
I highly recommend this winning addition to the Maybridge Murder Mystery series and quite frankly the entire series.
MURDER IN BLOOM (Maybridge Murder Mysteries Book #3) by Liz Fielding is another well written, enjoyable addition to the Maybridge Murder series. The inquisitive Abby Finch is back once again, and murder just seems to happen in her vicinity. While this is the third book in the series, it is easily read as a standalone. I have read and enjoyed all three books.
After months of work, the Maybridge Flower show is here, and Abby is hoping for the best with her first major show entry. To her surprise she won gold. As the legendary gardener and host of The Potting Shed TV show, Daisy Dashwood invites Abbey to appear on her show filming at the event. When she shows up for the filming, Daisy appears very ill and incoherent and falls on the stage. She is rushed to the local hospital and is pronounced dead.
Her death appears to be an accident, but Daisy had many secrets and with her secrets come many suspects. Daisy’s personal assistant discovers Daisy’s favorite tea ball and caddy are missing in which she always used her own herbal tea mix. Could someone from the show or Daisy’s infamous chef boyfriend want her dead? Abby has questions once again that place her in the middle of a murder investigation.
This is such a well written series. The plot is well paced and contains plenty of red herrings and twists that always keep me guessing to the climax. Abby is an endearing protagonist who is realistically written with no exaggerated problems. She has her own gardening business and is starting to believe in herself and her professional abilities. Her three children are all in their teens and happy. She has a boyfriend, many friends in the village, and in the police force. Maybridge’s inhabitants are all very believable and I want to continue to visit the village even if there do appear to be a few too many murders.
I highly recommend this winning addition to the Maybridge Murder Mystery series and quite frankly the entire series.
July 19, 2024
Finally we are back in Maybridge with Abby Finch, her three teenage children, the adorable Jake and a murder. Really, what more could you ask for? This time we are at the Maybridge Flower Show and Abby has entered a competition to build an entire garden in a setting. In this case a quarry.
The stakes are high, because former local Daisy Dashwood is the guest star of the Show, filming an episode of her popular garden series.
Daisy has a sweet as pie persona on television, but that doesn't translate when Daisy ends up dead and the suspects are coming out of the woodwork. Or foliage in this case.
Abby of course, is right in the thick of things, a guest on the show when Daisy more or less collapses at her feet. Of course she's going to be curious about what happened. Of course she's going to talk to everyone involved. Of course she's going to take the opportunity to take cuttings from the deceased Daisy's famous garden. Of course she's going to put her nose to the scent and follow it into danger. Of course.
I really enjoyed visiting Maybridge and its denizens once more. Abby is such a relatable character. Dealing with parenting, a still fresh romance after losing her husband, the complicated family relationships left over from the divorce. Abby deals with them well, but not perfectly.
The mystery was intriguing right to the end and while I may have guessed the murderer before the big reveal, it was sufficiently obscured right until the end to give me a very self-satisfied pat on the back. The complexity was just the right amount of tangled so we had every opportunity to see the clues but not obvious enough to mess with the solution and with plenty of red herrings so the result was very satisfying.
I received a copy from Netgalley because I couldn't wait until the release date to read it.
The stakes are high, because former local Daisy Dashwood is the guest star of the Show, filming an episode of her popular garden series.
Daisy has a sweet as pie persona on television, but that doesn't translate when Daisy ends up dead and the suspects are coming out of the woodwork. Or foliage in this case.
Abby of course, is right in the thick of things, a guest on the show when Daisy more or less collapses at her feet. Of course she's going to be curious about what happened. Of course she's going to talk to everyone involved. Of course she's going to take the opportunity to take cuttings from the deceased Daisy's famous garden. Of course she's going to put her nose to the scent and follow it into danger. Of course.
I really enjoyed visiting Maybridge and its denizens once more. Abby is such a relatable character. Dealing with parenting, a still fresh romance after losing her husband, the complicated family relationships left over from the divorce. Abby deals with them well, but not perfectly.
The mystery was intriguing right to the end and while I may have guessed the murderer before the big reveal, it was sufficiently obscured right until the end to give me a very self-satisfied pat on the back. The complexity was just the right amount of tangled so we had every opportunity to see the clues but not obvious enough to mess with the solution and with plenty of red herrings so the result was very satisfying.
I received a copy from Netgalley because I couldn't wait until the release date to read it.
July 31, 2024
"Murder in Bloom" by Liz Fielding blends the charm of a cozy mystery with the allure of a floral competition, creating a captivating tale set in the idyllic Maybridge Flower Show. Abby, an unsuspecting winner catapulted into the limelight alongside gardening celebrity Daisy Dashwood, finds herself entangled in a web of intrigue when Daisy collapses on stage, setting off a chain of suspicions and secrets.
Author Liz Fielding crafts a delightful tale that keeps readers guessing as Abby navigates through a garden of suspects, from envious co-stars to Daisy's intriguing personal life. The novel's strength lies in its character development and atmospheric setting, where the quaint English countryside serves as a backdrop for both romance and suspense.
Abby's determination to uncover the truth, coupled with Daisy's mysterious disappearance of her healing teas, adds layers of complexity to the plot, ensuring that "Murder in Bloom" is not just a whodunit but a tale of unexpected twists and turns. Liz Fielding's prose is engaging, sprinkled with humor and a keen eye for detail that brings the charming village and its inhabitants to life.
Overall, "Murder in Bloom" is a delightful read for fans of cozy mysteries, offering a satisfying blend of floral competition glamour, amateur sleuthing, and a dash of romance, all woven together in Liz Fielding's signature style.
Author Liz Fielding crafts a delightful tale that keeps readers guessing as Abby navigates through a garden of suspects, from envious co-stars to Daisy's intriguing personal life. The novel's strength lies in its character development and atmospheric setting, where the quaint English countryside serves as a backdrop for both romance and suspense.
Abby's determination to uncover the truth, coupled with Daisy's mysterious disappearance of her healing teas, adds layers of complexity to the plot, ensuring that "Murder in Bloom" is not just a whodunit but a tale of unexpected twists and turns. Liz Fielding's prose is engaging, sprinkled with humor and a keen eye for detail that brings the charming village and its inhabitants to life.
Overall, "Murder in Bloom" is a delightful read for fans of cozy mysteries, offering a satisfying blend of floral competition glamour, amateur sleuthing, and a dash of romance, all woven together in Liz Fielding's signature style.
August 6, 2024
What an absolute treat it was to return to Maybridge for the third installment in Liz Fielding's immensly enjoyable crime series. Garden designer Abby Finch has entered her first show garden at the local flower show where TV gardener Daisy Dashwood is both judging and presenting an episode of her popular show The Potting Shed. Not only does Abby win a prize but she is invited onto The Potting Shed to discuss her back to nature design - and of course how she has been inspired by Daisy. Abby is reluctant to court any publicity after the events of the previous year (aka the first two books) but agrees as her daughter, Lucy, has set the whole thing up and is about to interview for a PR internship. But when Daisy doesn't turn up, Abby can't help feel that things are very wrong...
Abby is a great heroine, tenacious, fair and very human and the series is populated with a cast of very believable characters from Abby's children, her partner, Jake, to her friends and neighbours. The setting is idyllic (even with the odd murder) and Abby's gardening knowledge weaves through the book in an interesting and informative way, always adding to the plot. Add in some great twisty crimes, plausible red herrings and a sense of real danger and the net result is a really wonderful crime series. Highly recommended.
Abby is a great heroine, tenacious, fair and very human and the series is populated with a cast of very believable characters from Abby's children, her partner, Jake, to her friends and neighbours. The setting is idyllic (even with the odd murder) and Abby's gardening knowledge weaves through the book in an interesting and informative way, always adding to the plot. Add in some great twisty crimes, plausible red herrings and a sense of real danger and the net result is a really wonderful crime series. Highly recommended.
July 30, 2024
Abby Finch is juggling Earthly Delights, her garden design business, two teenage children and their younger sister, a new relationship, and now murder. The murder is a surprise entry in the Maybridge Flower Show when Daisy Dashwood, star of the weekly show The Potting Shed, drops dead while interviewing Abby, the contest gold medal winner. Abby is instantly involved because she called for help and administered first aid, although too late, to the unfortunate host. Daisy seems to have many enemies. There’s a younger aspiring host who has formed a relationship with the show director, a secretive personal assistant, an older ambitious, unscrupulous garden designer and more. Abby’s friendship with a local police detective, her natural curiosity and plant knowledge soon put her in the middle of a complicated case.
Murder in Bloom is the third in this charming series by the talented Liz Fielding, author of over 60 romance novels. Abby Finch is a sympathetic character trying to cope with a busy lifestyle. The plot is more sophisticated than most cozy mysteries and I love the flower, herb and garden design information. I’m planning to read the first two in this series while I wait for what comes next. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Coffee Books and Liz Fielding for this ARC.
Murder in Bloom is the third in this charming series by the talented Liz Fielding, author of over 60 romance novels. Abby Finch is a sympathetic character trying to cope with a busy lifestyle. The plot is more sophisticated than most cozy mysteries and I love the flower, herb and garden design information. I’m planning to read the first two in this series while I wait for what comes next. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Coffee Books and Liz Fielding for this ARC.
July 22, 2024
Abby is a gardener but also a good investigative nose. When she is invited onto the set of a gardening show having just won a gold medal for her work, she is rather anticipatory, but pushed on by her media loving daughter she does it. The host, a well known celebrity, is late to the set and when she collapses Abby is on hand to help and to hear things. Daisy’s death doesn't seem suspicious at first but as the pieces come together Abby realises there is more to the gardening programme than anyone first thought.
This is part of a series but happily stands alone (just Abby’s background is the interlinking thread- but why miss out on two other 5*(from me) reads?). I like Abby and her tenacity for justice as well as being a good friend to those who need her- but don’t always know it, as Fay, Daisy’s assistant in this book was. There’s everything from a little romance, plenty of drama and of course the odd murder amongst the gardening and TV community. It's a cozy crime type read with clever twists and a very comfortable feel amongst an intriguing plot line. Love this series and very much look forward to more.
This is part of a series but happily stands alone (just Abby’s background is the interlinking thread- but why miss out on two other 5*(from me) reads?). I like Abby and her tenacity for justice as well as being a good friend to those who need her- but don’t always know it, as Fay, Daisy’s assistant in this book was. There’s everything from a little romance, plenty of drama and of course the odd murder amongst the gardening and TV community. It's a cozy crime type read with clever twists and a very comfortable feel amongst an intriguing plot line. Love this series and very much look forward to more.
July 22, 2024
Liz's Mayfield series gets better and better. This is the third, but still works as a standalone (though you'll get some extra joy if you read them in order).
When Abby wins a gold medal for her garden at the Maybridge Show, she's asked to appear on Daisy Dashwood's TV show, 'In The Potting Shed'... except Daisy collapses at Abby's feet, and when Abby hears of Daisy's demise she thinks it's suspicious.
There are lots of people who'd want Daisy dead, for a variety of reasons. Daisy's assistant isn't all that she seems. Then there's the producer, plus the girl who wants Daisy's job - and an old rival. Lots of red herrings and skilful hiding of the murderer in plain sight; plus the gardening stuff is wonderful, as are Abby's family and Jake. The pacing's good, the plot's sound, and the cast of characters is like being among old friends.
Thoroughly good read and very much recommended.
When Abby wins a gold medal for her garden at the Maybridge Show, she's asked to appear on Daisy Dashwood's TV show, 'In The Potting Shed'... except Daisy collapses at Abby's feet, and when Abby hears of Daisy's demise she thinks it's suspicious.
There are lots of people who'd want Daisy dead, for a variety of reasons. Daisy's assistant isn't all that she seems. Then there's the producer, plus the girl who wants Daisy's job - and an old rival. Lots of red herrings and skilful hiding of the murderer in plain sight; plus the gardening stuff is wonderful, as are Abby's family and Jake. The pacing's good, the plot's sound, and the cast of characters is like being among old friends.
Thoroughly good read and very much recommended.
August 5, 2024
Although this is book 3 in the series it does work perfectly as stand alone. However, you will enjoy it more if you have read the earlier books to understand the background to the characters.
Abby has entered a garden competition and is thrilled to win the top prize. She is invited on television to join Daisy's Potting Shed programme. However, Daisy goes missing and arrives late only to collapse. Abby is first to her side as shock turns to action and the paramedics arrive. Unfortunately the news is bad but what happened? Was it an unfortunate accident caused by hay fever medication or is something more sinister afoot?
It was a pleasure to meet up with the characters in this series. The suspense and intrigue begin at the start and continue through the book all the way to the suspenseful ending.
A brilliant read, a bit too descriptive and not quite fast paced enough for me but still a great book and I will be reading more in the series.
Abby has entered a garden competition and is thrilled to win the top prize. She is invited on television to join Daisy's Potting Shed programme. However, Daisy goes missing and arrives late only to collapse. Abby is first to her side as shock turns to action and the paramedics arrive. Unfortunately the news is bad but what happened? Was it an unfortunate accident caused by hay fever medication or is something more sinister afoot?
It was a pleasure to meet up with the characters in this series. The suspense and intrigue begin at the start and continue through the book all the way to the suspenseful ending.
A brilliant read, a bit too descriptive and not quite fast paced enough for me but still a great book and I will be reading more in the series.
January 21, 2025
Abby Finch has entered her show garden in the local flower show, judged by a celebrity TV gardener, Daisy Dashwood. After witnessing a tragic and suspicious death, Abby feels compelled to investigate—a decision that her friends and family are anxious about and one that leads her into danger. I enjoyed listening to this story; the narrator brings the characters to life realistically and makes the events easy to visualise. It's a complex mystery with many suspects and false leads. I worked out the perpetrator, but not before several misguesses. The contrast between Abby's complex family life and the investigation makes the mystery entertaining. I hope there are more of these mysteries that combine family life, complex mystery and romance into an addictive story.
I purchased a copy of this audiobook.
I purchased a copy of this audiobook.
July 21, 2024
4.5/5 ⭐️
Gardener Abby is back again in the third mystery. She is participating in a gardening contest that involves famous TV gardener Daisy Dashwood. When Daisy collapses and then dies, Abby finds herself involved in yet another mystery.
This series is such a good mystery series! I feel like the pacing and clues are really good. The author also does a good job of making sure she advances Abby's story too but it is never the main focus. If you want a cozy series with a more mature protagonist(i.e. has a love interest, not a will they won't they situation, isn't figuring life out, etc.), I'd definitely recommend this series!
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Gardener Abby is back again in the third mystery. She is participating in a gardening contest that involves famous TV gardener Daisy Dashwood. When Daisy collapses and then dies, Abby finds herself involved in yet another mystery.
This series is such a good mystery series! I feel like the pacing and clues are really good. The author also does a good job of making sure she advances Abby's story too but it is never the main focus. If you want a cozy series with a more mature protagonist(i.e. has a love interest, not a will they won't they situation, isn't figuring life out, etc.), I'd definitely recommend this series!
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2024
In Murder In Bloom Abby Finch is up to her eyebrows in suspense this time. By Liz Fielding this third Maybridge Murder Mysteries book is a full fledge mystery that wasn’t easy to solve but was so much fun trying. The one to die is a TV gardener who does so right in front of Abby who has won an invitation to the show. What looks to be an accidental death maybe much more.
Abby doesn’t just dig in the dirt; she now begins to dig up the dirt on suspects. There seems to be plenty to want to do in gardening legend Daisy Dashwood. The problem is made worse when it looks as it Abby’s digging to solve the murder crime gets her in danger too. A wonderful cozy mystery with an everyday sleuth, who you would want for friend and neighbor.
Abby doesn’t just dig in the dirt; she now begins to dig up the dirt on suspects. There seems to be plenty to want to do in gardening legend Daisy Dashwood. The problem is made worse when it looks as it Abby’s digging to solve the murder crime gets her in danger too. A wonderful cozy mystery with an everyday sleuth, who you would want for friend and neighbor.
July 18, 2024
Abby has entered a local floral competition with her landscape design (think Chelsea Flower Show on a smaller scale). A popular gardening TV show is filming and Abby meets the hostess, Daisy, and is invited to be a guest on that days program. Daisy collapses as the filming begins, and Abby gets involved in the investigation. The television crew are an odd lot, Daisy’s assistant is not the timid mouse she first appears to be, and what is the motive?
Woven into the mystery are beautiful flowers and gardens and Abby’s family and friends. If you are a fan of gardening and flower shows, you’ll enjoy this cozy!
Thanks to Joffre Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
Woven into the mystery are beautiful flowers and gardens and Abby’s family and friends. If you are a fan of gardening and flower shows, you’ll enjoy this cozy!
Thanks to Joffre Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
July 21, 2024
The third book in the series sees Abby getting involved when the famous gardening expert Daisy Dashwood falls dead at her feet during a recording of a TV show. As usual, Abby can't resist the temptation to investigate and when a second death occurs, she won't leave things alone.
Like the earlier books, I found this easy to read and totally riveting. Two murders, poison, possible fraud...what's not to like. Abby and her family also feel so real and relatable. I like her dogged determination to figure things out even if it makes things dangerous. The ending was lovely and I look forward to the next book.
Like the earlier books, I found this easy to read and totally riveting. Two murders, poison, possible fraud...what's not to like. Abby and her family also feel so real and relatable. I like her dogged determination to figure things out even if it makes things dangerous. The ending was lovely and I look forward to the next book.
November 6, 2024
Another cozy mystery gem
Liz Fielding is at the top of her game with Murder in Bloom. This time the suspicious death of a famous gardening show host sends Abby Finch into sleuth mode. She quickly learns that lot of people have good reason to want Daisy Dashwood dead. The plot takes readers on a twisty ride before finally coming to its satisfying conclusion. If you’re a gardener like I am, you’ll love the imagery Fielding infuses along the way. As always, I enjoyed spending time in Maybridge with Abby, the rest of the Finch family and her eclectic bunch of friends. I look forward to the next book.
Liz Fielding is at the top of her game with Murder in Bloom. This time the suspicious death of a famous gardening show host sends Abby Finch into sleuth mode. She quickly learns that lot of people have good reason to want Daisy Dashwood dead. The plot takes readers on a twisty ride before finally coming to its satisfying conclusion. If you’re a gardener like I am, you’ll love the imagery Fielding infuses along the way. As always, I enjoyed spending time in Maybridge with Abby, the rest of the Finch family and her eclectic bunch of friends. I look forward to the next book.
December 12, 2024
Living in a peaceful Cotswolds village that has more than its fair share of unexplained deaths, Abby runs a successful gardening business, wrestles with the needs of her family, even has a little time for romance – but she just can’t resist getting rather more involved than she perhaps should be in the resulting investigations.
Having won the gold medal for garden design – although there are those who are a bit disparaging of her efforts – at the Maybridge Flower Show, she’s invited to appear on the TV show of her larger-than-life gardening hero, Daisy Dashwood. There are rumours that Daisy’s a little too fond of the drink, and she’s certainly not quite herself when she arrives on stage – before collapsing at Abby’s feet, and being declared dead on her way to hospital. At first, Abby’s involvement is largely accidental – helping Daisy’s PA recover her belongings, discovering more about her past, that she was in a relationship the press knew nothing about, hearing about the fierce competition to be top dog in the TV gardening world – but she becomes increasingly convinced that her death was murder.
The suspects multiply – all credible, all wonderfully drawn – and I’d rather written my own (entirely different…) ending when there was a further death, considerably raising the stakes, and I was back to square one. Quite apart from the central mystery – and that’s brilliantly handled, as Abby bounces ideas off her closest friends (a police detective sergeant and an estate agent, both useful in their different ways) and her always supportive partner (while he despairs of her penchant for putting herself in the direct path of danger) – I really love the characterisation. This time, the TV world only adds another level of duplicity and intrigue to the various relationships, Abby trying out her theories as they each begin to show their true colours. And I love the whole setting – the idyllic village so perfectly drawn, the houseboat for an escape when things get a little too close to home, the shocked (but always inquisitive) community.
Do read this one as a standalone if you’d like to – there are references to earlier storylines, but you’ll soon catch up – but, if cosy mysteries are something you think you might enjoy, I’d very much recommend you read the whole series. Engaging, exciting, a little bit different, and guaranteed to leave you pointing in the wrong direction – unlike Abby herself, who I’ve really taken to my heart and whose sleuthing skills are beyond compare. I loved it.
Having won the gold medal for garden design – although there are those who are a bit disparaging of her efforts – at the Maybridge Flower Show, she’s invited to appear on the TV show of her larger-than-life gardening hero, Daisy Dashwood. There are rumours that Daisy’s a little too fond of the drink, and she’s certainly not quite herself when she arrives on stage – before collapsing at Abby’s feet, and being declared dead on her way to hospital. At first, Abby’s involvement is largely accidental – helping Daisy’s PA recover her belongings, discovering more about her past, that she was in a relationship the press knew nothing about, hearing about the fierce competition to be top dog in the TV gardening world – but she becomes increasingly convinced that her death was murder.
The suspects multiply – all credible, all wonderfully drawn – and I’d rather written my own (entirely different…) ending when there was a further death, considerably raising the stakes, and I was back to square one. Quite apart from the central mystery – and that’s brilliantly handled, as Abby bounces ideas off her closest friends (a police detective sergeant and an estate agent, both useful in their different ways) and her always supportive partner (while he despairs of her penchant for putting herself in the direct path of danger) – I really love the characterisation. This time, the TV world only adds another level of duplicity and intrigue to the various relationships, Abby trying out her theories as they each begin to show their true colours. And I love the whole setting – the idyllic village so perfectly drawn, the houseboat for an escape when things get a little too close to home, the shocked (but always inquisitive) community.
Do read this one as a standalone if you’d like to – there are references to earlier storylines, but you’ll soon catch up – but, if cosy mysteries are something you think you might enjoy, I’d very much recommend you read the whole series. Engaging, exciting, a little bit different, and guaranteed to leave you pointing in the wrong direction – unlike Abby herself, who I’ve really taken to my heart and whose sleuthing skills are beyond compare. I loved it.
February 10, 2025
As I settled down to read this ARC, I realised it was the third book in a series I'd not read before. So, seeing that the first two books in the series were reasonably priced (for e-books) on Kindle, I oromptly bought them. Read them first (my reviews are available on Goodreads) and then read this one.
Did not regret my purchases, or requesting this book. Great UK cosy crime! The setting, the mixture of characters, that fine balance of red herrings and facts. Highly enjoyable.
I truly hope there are more books in this series to come! I have set an alert in Kindle, just in case.
Definitely recommend to those who enjoy a good UK based cosy crime.
Did not regret my purchases, or requesting this book. Great UK cosy crime! The setting, the mixture of characters, that fine balance of red herrings and facts. Highly enjoyable.
I truly hope there are more books in this series to come! I have set an alert in Kindle, just in case.
Definitely recommend to those who enjoy a good UK based cosy crime.
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