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The Gardeners' Club: Gardening Turns Deadly in This Thrilling Cosy Mystery - Perfect for Fans of Richard Osman!
Gardening is dirty work – but should it be deadly?
'Funny and fresh. Full of heart and characters you genuinely root for. Marnie Riches is blooming brilliant' -Tammy Cohen
'A refreshing, heartwarming mystery blossoming with wit and charm' - Victoria Goldman
–
When Gill Swanley decides to take up gardening to fight a midlife malaise, she never expected it to become quite such a dangerous hobby.
Pushing herself to 'get out there', Gill picks herself up the secateurs and joins the Bromley Botanists. Here she finds a seven-strong group whose main agenda is how to win the coveted Golden Trowel for best community club of the year.
But when a dead body turns up in the community greenhouse, they suddenly have more serious matters to consider than victory. They must uncover whether their arch-rivals, Croydon, are taking things to another level or whether someone more dangerous is targeting their rag tag group.
Can they dig up the truth before someone else is left pushing up the daisies?
Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Ian Moore, Janice Hallett and Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
'Funny and fresh. Full of heart and characters you genuinely root for. Marnie Riches is blooming brilliant' -Tammy Cohen
'A refreshing, heartwarming mystery blossoming with wit and charm' - Victoria Goldman
–
When Gill Swanley decides to take up gardening to fight a midlife malaise, she never expected it to become quite such a dangerous hobby.
Pushing herself to 'get out there', Gill picks herself up the secateurs and joins the Bromley Botanists. Here she finds a seven-strong group whose main agenda is how to win the coveted Golden Trowel for best community club of the year.
But when a dead body turns up in the community greenhouse, they suddenly have more serious matters to consider than victory. They must uncover whether their arch-rivals, Croydon, are taking things to another level or whether someone more dangerous is targeting their rag tag group.
Can they dig up the truth before someone else is left pushing up the daisies?
Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Ian Moore, Janice Hallett and Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
- GenresMysteryCrimeCozy Mystery
379 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2025
24 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Marnie Riches
21 books137 followersMarnie Riches grew up on a rough estate in Manchester. She learned her way out of the ghetto, all the way to Cambridge University, where she gained a Masters degree in German & Dutch. She has been a punk, a trainee rock star, a pretend artist, a property developer and professional fundraiser. Previously a children's author, now, she writes gritty, fast-paced crime fiction.
Marnie Riches is the author of the award-winning, best-selling George McKenzie series, starting with "The Girl Who Wouldn't Die", published in the UK by Avon/HarperCollins and special editions by The Word Factor-e in the US. She is also the author of best-selling, critically acclaimed Manchester gangland thrillers, "Born Bad" and "The Cover-Up" as featured in CBS documentary, "Written in Blood".
In her spare time, Marnie likes to spin, travel, drink and eat all the things (especially if combined with travel) paint portraits, sniff expensive leather shoes and renovate old houses. She also adores flowers.
Marnie Riches is the author of the award-winning, best-selling George McKenzie series, starting with "The Girl Who Wouldn't Die", published in the UK by Avon/HarperCollins and special editions by The Word Factor-e in the US. She is also the author of best-selling, critically acclaimed Manchester gangland thrillers, "Born Bad" and "The Cover-Up" as featured in CBS documentary, "Written in Blood".
In her spare time, Marnie likes to spin, travel, drink and eat all the things (especially if combined with travel) paint portraits, sniff expensive leather shoes and renovate old houses. She also adores flowers.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 18, 2025
Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it. The comparison with Richard Osman is a huge stretch. This book is not in that ilk at all.
It wasn’t a bad book. I finished it, so that was good. It wasn’t really a murder mystery. Sure. There was a murder, but the focus of the book was the lives of the members of the gardening club and that was fine, but if you’re looking for a proper murder mystery, this is not the book.
It is really a book about people. Read it from that perspective and you may love it.
It wasn’t a bad book. I finished it, so that was good. It wasn’t really a murder mystery. Sure. There was a murder, but the focus of the book was the lives of the members of the gardening club and that was fine, but if you’re looking for a proper murder mystery, this is not the book.
It is really a book about people. Read it from that perspective and you may love it.
May 3, 2025
Oh my word ... I can't put into adequate words how much I absolutely loved this book! I absolutely devoured it in quick time such was the quality of the story I was reading.
I'm not going to go into the story line as the blurb says it all but what I will say is that it's full of fantastic characters each of which are unique and 'special' in their own way but, equally, they could be your neighbour, work colleague or family member such is their relateability and how well they have been written and developed.
The story is much more than a cosy, murder-mystery; it's about life and everything that is thrown at us and gardening of course! I cannot rate this book highly enough and would recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Many thanks to the author, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this excellent book. This is the first in a new series and I can't wait for the next instalment to find out what is in store for The Bromley Botanists' Golden Trowel gardeners' club.
I'm not going to go into the story line as the blurb says it all but what I will say is that it's full of fantastic characters each of which are unique and 'special' in their own way but, equally, they could be your neighbour, work colleague or family member such is their relateability and how well they have been written and developed.
The story is much more than a cosy, murder-mystery; it's about life and everything that is thrown at us and gardening of course! I cannot rate this book highly enough and would recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Many thanks to the author, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this excellent book. This is the first in a new series and I can't wait for the next instalment to find out what is in store for The Bromley Botanists' Golden Trowel gardeners' club.
May 5, 2025
A lovely little cosy crime book which came along at just the right time for me as I was teetering on the verge of a reading slump. Its narrative style is one typical of a cosy genre fiction novel which would normally irritate me, but that doesn't stop it being well written and I was soon in the swing of it. The crime aspect is a little thin and quickly resolved, but that isn't the only thing going on and I was genuinely excited when the winner of the Golden Trowel was about to be announced. The characters are borderline caricatures, but again that didn't really matter as I was still drawn into their plights and foibles. An extra bonus for me was that the book is set in the town where I live, and I cheered inwardly when a place I know was mentioned. If this goes on to become a series I'll definitely be reading future instalments.
August 6, 2025
Read half of it and then skimmed the rest - it was super boring with unlikeable characters and a weak plot
April 24, 2025
This book was a revelation - not what I had expected at all.
I knew it was a cosy mystery but it was so much more. Full of human emotions and disparate characters brought together through The Gardener’s Club.
Add in a mischievous and sometimes down right naughty grandma and a son with his own neurodiverse issues and the book was set for a rollercoaster of some thrills and emotions.
I think it testament to Marnie Riches’ writing that Marjorie was so thoroughly unlikeable and annoying - I often felt that if she said ‘one does this that or the other’ one more time I would have cheerfully dealt with her myself. But still she had her foibles and liking for sherry to add into the mix.
There were also themes of constructive dismissal, employment issues and the runnings of an insurance call centre to put into the mix.
And Gill - a widow, mother and daughter - and how she coped with the loss of her husband but also her tentative feelings for another of the gardeners - and the guilt that she felt that she was letting her husband down.
Oh I almost forgot there was also murder and distinctly underhand behaviours from another gardening club. And insurance fraud.
Who would’ve thought there were such shenanigans in a simple gardening group.
Well written and a great read - kept me rapt right to the end. There seemed to be a lot of human conflict packed into this cosy mystery which I had not expected. I hope that perhaps there will be more adventures for Gill, her family and their new friends
I knew it was a cosy mystery but it was so much more. Full of human emotions and disparate characters brought together through The Gardener’s Club.
Add in a mischievous and sometimes down right naughty grandma and a son with his own neurodiverse issues and the book was set for a rollercoaster of some thrills and emotions.
I think it testament to Marnie Riches’ writing that Marjorie was so thoroughly unlikeable and annoying - I often felt that if she said ‘one does this that or the other’ one more time I would have cheerfully dealt with her myself. But still she had her foibles and liking for sherry to add into the mix.
There were also themes of constructive dismissal, employment issues and the runnings of an insurance call centre to put into the mix.
And Gill - a widow, mother and daughter - and how she coped with the loss of her husband but also her tentative feelings for another of the gardeners - and the guilt that she felt that she was letting her husband down.
Oh I almost forgot there was also murder and distinctly underhand behaviours from another gardening club. And insurance fraud.
Who would’ve thought there were such shenanigans in a simple gardening group.
Well written and a great read - kept me rapt right to the end. There seemed to be a lot of human conflict packed into this cosy mystery which I had not expected. I hope that perhaps there will be more adventures for Gill, her family and their new friends
September 9, 2025
Book#29 for the year
This endearing book is one of a kind- a British murder mystery centered around a gardening theme. Meet Gillian (Gill)- a single mother who recently lost her husband and is a classic example of a sandwich generation woman. She works an insipid insurance call center supervisor job, has an ageing parent to care for and an A level son who has recently been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. Her psychiatrist suggests her to take up a hobby to relax her mind. She joins the Bromley Botanists club, a motley group of experienced and budding gardeners from different backgrounds and walks of life. The club is competing for the coveted Golden Trowel award, which comes with a grand prize this year and is hotly contested between many other gardening clubs in England. As the competition progresses, there is a murder of one of the other club members and consistent efforts to sabotage the chances of Bromley winning the award. How Gill and her co club members solve the mystery is narrated in the most interesting manner. It would be very hard to not like the characters whom you come across in the story -
the prim and proper religious Valerie who quotes bible at the drop of a hat and uses the word ‘one’ instead of personal pronouns (‘one has contested many times in the past…), she is the club leader
Mike the potato head, who is going through a bitter divorce, having been thrown out of his house, he is the pro compost maker (he calls it the Berisford black gold), town planner and the deputy chief of the gardening club.
Valerie who swears by the minute, a retired pensioner who cares a damn about rules or social etiquettes
Seth, the bright boy who works in a construction firm to foot his moms medical bills but wants to become a medical cannabis farmer
Cath, the overworked GP doctor who struggles to come to terms with the loss she has faced in her life
Neil, the Dali moustached teacher and the voice of sanity in the group
Phoebe, the chic smart Gen Z kid who brings in fresh perspective on things..
The fast paced narration, the uncovering of the murder plot and the ultimate reveal makes this book unputdownable. The way the author has woven in the gardening trivia into the course of the story deserves a special mention. The book is not just about how the club ultimately wins the grand prize, but is also about how they earn friends for life along the way.
This endearing book is one of a kind- a British murder mystery centered around a gardening theme. Meet Gillian (Gill)- a single mother who recently lost her husband and is a classic example of a sandwich generation woman. She works an insipid insurance call center supervisor job, has an ageing parent to care for and an A level son who has recently been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. Her psychiatrist suggests her to take up a hobby to relax her mind. She joins the Bromley Botanists club, a motley group of experienced and budding gardeners from different backgrounds and walks of life. The club is competing for the coveted Golden Trowel award, which comes with a grand prize this year and is hotly contested between many other gardening clubs in England. As the competition progresses, there is a murder of one of the other club members and consistent efforts to sabotage the chances of Bromley winning the award. How Gill and her co club members solve the mystery is narrated in the most interesting manner. It would be very hard to not like the characters whom you come across in the story -
the prim and proper religious Valerie who quotes bible at the drop of a hat and uses the word ‘one’ instead of personal pronouns (‘one has contested many times in the past…), she is the club leader
Mike the potato head, who is going through a bitter divorce, having been thrown out of his house, he is the pro compost maker (he calls it the Berisford black gold), town planner and the deputy chief of the gardening club.
Valerie who swears by the minute, a retired pensioner who cares a damn about rules or social etiquettes
Seth, the bright boy who works in a construction firm to foot his moms medical bills but wants to become a medical cannabis farmer
Cath, the overworked GP doctor who struggles to come to terms with the loss she has faced in her life
Neil, the Dali moustached teacher and the voice of sanity in the group
Phoebe, the chic smart Gen Z kid who brings in fresh perspective on things..
The fast paced narration, the uncovering of the murder plot and the ultimate reveal makes this book unputdownable. The way the author has woven in the gardening trivia into the course of the story deserves a special mention. The book is not just about how the club ultimately wins the grand prize, but is also about how they earn friends for life along the way.
April 1, 2025
This is a light hearted romp of a cosy mystery with some delightful characters and a gardening theme.
I know little about gardening but I still enjoyed this story, mainly due to the wonderful characterisations. If you are an avid gardener I’m sure you will derive even more from the book.
Gill Swanley is a widowed single mother of a teenage boy with an elderly mother and a job she hates. One of the in between generation scrabbling to keep everything together.
On the advice of her therapist she joins the local gardening club to calm her anxiety and get out of the house occasionally.
The club consists of a motley group of people, both young and old and as she begins to get to know them, Gill finds she’s actually enjoying her new hobby. However when she discovers a dead body and suspects foul play, she decides it must be connected to the gardening, particularly when some strange things start happening to the members of the club.
This is not just a murder mystery or a book about gardening, it is also a story about real people and their lives. Many people will relate to difficulties with elderly relatives and problems with teenagers. This is also a book about overcoming grief and moving on.
The murder mystery element is enjoyable but probably not the central point of the book.
I definitely enjoyed “The Gardeners’Club and would recommend it as a five star read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy,
I know little about gardening but I still enjoyed this story, mainly due to the wonderful characterisations. If you are an avid gardener I’m sure you will derive even more from the book.
Gill Swanley is a widowed single mother of a teenage boy with an elderly mother and a job she hates. One of the in between generation scrabbling to keep everything together.
On the advice of her therapist she joins the local gardening club to calm her anxiety and get out of the house occasionally.
The club consists of a motley group of people, both young and old and as she begins to get to know them, Gill finds she’s actually enjoying her new hobby. However when she discovers a dead body and suspects foul play, she decides it must be connected to the gardening, particularly when some strange things start happening to the members of the club.
This is not just a murder mystery or a book about gardening, it is also a story about real people and their lives. Many people will relate to difficulties with elderly relatives and problems with teenagers. This is also a book about overcoming grief and moving on.
The murder mystery element is enjoyable but probably not the central point of the book.
I definitely enjoyed “The Gardeners’Club and would recommend it as a five star read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy,
September 16, 2025
The Gardeners Club by Marnie Riches is exactly the sort of cosy mystery I love to curl up with. It has a steady, welcoming pace that makes you want to settle in with a cuppa and let the story unfold.
The cast of characters is such a mixed bunch, and that’s what makes them so much fun. They’re quirky, funny, and a little flawed—which, to me, makes them all the more real. I even found myself adoring Gil’s mother, who brought such sass and humour to the story.
At its heart, this book is about friendship and jealousy, but what I really enjoyed was how the plot meandered gently through the wilderness of everyday life. We see people turning up to their day jobs, joining in their hobbies, and living their lives, and the mystery itself almost feels secondary at times. Normally that might frustrate me in a whodunnit, but here it works beautifully. The characters are so well-rounded and engaging that I didn’t mind one bit—it made me feel like part of their little world.
I really enjoyed The Gardeners Club. It’s a cosy mystery that doesn’t rely on shock twists or frantic pacing, but instead charms you with its colourful characters and gentle storytelling. If you like your mysteries light, character-driven, and full of heart, then this one will be right up your street.
The cast of characters is such a mixed bunch, and that’s what makes them so much fun. They’re quirky, funny, and a little flawed—which, to me, makes them all the more real. I even found myself adoring Gil’s mother, who brought such sass and humour to the story.
At its heart, this book is about friendship and jealousy, but what I really enjoyed was how the plot meandered gently through the wilderness of everyday life. We see people turning up to their day jobs, joining in their hobbies, and living their lives, and the mystery itself almost feels secondary at times. Normally that might frustrate me in a whodunnit, but here it works beautifully. The characters are so well-rounded and engaging that I didn’t mind one bit—it made me feel like part of their little world.
I really enjoyed The Gardeners Club. It’s a cosy mystery that doesn’t rely on shock twists or frantic pacing, but instead charms you with its colourful characters and gentle storytelling. If you like your mysteries light, character-driven, and full of heart, then this one will be right up your street.
August 27, 2025
A really easy book to read, especially of youre anything like me, who's a bit a bit of a slow reader (as I just have to take in every single word and digest it thoroughly) Not quite as on par as The Thursday Murder Club but still very much an enjoyable and satisfying novel, Gill is a wonderful character and her relationships are told with such depth and emotion you can almost believe in her being an actual person living on the outskirts of Greater London, go read it and see for yourselves.
November 9, 2025
One of the most amusing books I have read this year. There isn't a weak character in the story. Yes, there is some swearing in this book but it's used in conversation, mainly uttered by Lily, the mother of the main character.
It's cleverly written and the narrator brings them all to life so well in the audio version of the book. I do hope that Marnie pens more cosy mysteries.
It's cleverly written and the narrator brings them all to life so well in the audio version of the book. I do hope that Marnie pens more cosy mysteries.
September 4, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyable gardening romp!
I read this fun cosy mystery in two sittings - great characters, murder, mayhem and love action, perfect! Thoroughly enjoyable, and recommended read.
I read this fun cosy mystery in two sittings - great characters, murder, mayhem and love action, perfect! Thoroughly enjoyable, and recommended read.
May 27, 2025
Ripe for a television and that's not a negative criticism
June 14, 2025
More cosy than crime, but still good.
June 25, 2025
Did really enjoy this book.
Quite a light hearted murder mystery, was expecting more of a thriller.
However still really enjoyed and had a nice ending.
Quite a light hearted murder mystery, was expecting more of a thriller.
However still really enjoyed and had a nice ending.
July 4, 2025
Lovely characters, I was just waiting for the twist to come but it never did...
July 20, 2025
This was a good lighthearted read with trials and tribulation and a bit of comedy thrown in then get buying.
September 6, 2025
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
October 11, 2025
I enjoyed this book...a cosy mystery.
I felt it was written in " The Midsomer Mystery " vein.
Nice characters and a gripping tale (although the outcome was somewhat predictable)
I felt it was written in " The Midsomer Mystery " vein.
Nice characters and a gripping tale (although the outcome was somewhat predictable)
November 12, 2025
Packed with delightfully quirky characters, devious plots, and horticultural humour, this fun, twisty, cosy mystery is as refreshing as a ray of spring sunshine!
November 24, 2025
Pleasant enough. Not much of a murder mystery, but the gardening storyline was enough for me to finish the book
August 13, 2025
This one crept up on me. A wonderful story with heart warming characters. After a few chapters I wasn’t really into the story almost deciding it to put it away.
Then WHAM I was hooked the characters are lovely one in particular gave me mrs Bouquet vibes. I’ve read nearly all of Marnie’s books this is her best work. I’m hoping this is the start of a series.
Then WHAM I was hooked the characters are lovely one in particular gave me mrs Bouquet vibes. I’ve read nearly all of Marnie’s books this is her best work. I’m hoping this is the start of a series.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews