Petunias & Poison

by Jade Curry

A picture perfect wedding with a perfectly imperfect murder.

Iris Bennett prides herself on her meticulous eye for detail, whether it’s arranging flawless centerpieces or managing her small-town flower shop. But when a wealthy socialite is found dead in the conservatory during her daughter’s wedding weekend, Iris’s carefully curated world is thrown into chaos.

With the storm of the century cutting off all escape routes, everyone from the bride to the butler becomes a suspect. The victim’s history of manipulation and blackmail leaves a trail of secrets too tangled for even Detective Mark Cooper to unravel.

From secret greenhouses to hidden scandals, Iris digs deeper into the case, assisted by Winston, her mischievous one-eyed Persian cat, whose knack for finding clues is as sharp as his claws.

Iris will need all her wits, and floral expertise, to make sure the next flower arrangement isn’t for her funeral.

A locked-in, scandal-stacked, clue-hunted cozy mystery that forces Iris to confront the truth before the next body falls.

63 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 11, 2025

About the author

Welcome friend!

Jade Curry is a cozy mystery author inspired by slow mornings, good coffee, and the familiar charm of friendly neighborhoods. A longtime lover of crime stories and classic whodunits, she enjoys creating stories that feel like a warm escape at the end of a busy day. And she knows busy.

Jade lives in the U.S. with her family, where most days include warm drinks, relaxing moments, and the simple joy of spending time with the people she loves. Those quiet, everyday routines often spark the ideas that grow into her books.

When she isn’t writing, she enjoys exploring local shops, visiting craft stores, and planning her next weekend getaway.

Settle in, get comfortable, and enjoy the cozy mysteries waiting for you here.

Reviews

[Sara-Jane Keenan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fast paced cosy mystery that you can read in an hour.

I loved Winston! He is the true detective in this story. Such a clever cat.

Perfect if you want to have a cuppa and a quick bite sized read.

3⭐️

[Cornel Diaconu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent cozy mystery.
The ideea underneath (poisoning via certain flowers, and not using them for something to drink) was interesting.
But I felt the cat from the cover would have a more important role in finding clues etc.

[GinaB. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winston the one-eyed cat! Great intro to the series about florist Iris Bennett and her helpful one-eyed Persian cat, Winston. They helped police solve the murder of Eleanor Maxwell, which was hard since she wasn’t liked by many since she was rude to everyone, blackmailed a lot of people, and upset both of her daughters. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I look forward to reading more of her work. I received a free copy of this short story from the author via BookFunnel and am leaving this honest review.

[G. Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this book and you really need to check it out. I really enjoyed this and the characters we something else. Iris Bennett is the florist and this wedding is a big deal to her and for her. The brides Mom is a piece of work, wait until you read about her. One problem leads to another because the Mom and to top it off the weather is changing and not for the good. Check out this book, find out all about mummy dearest and the other people. Gappy reading.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Average mystery story but can't seem to figure out how they came to the conclusion of who it was and why the trap they set for him was going to work. Not much of a trap...after arranging some flowers the guy confesses. Doesn't make sense.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice, fun cozy mystery with a cat! I did enjoy it, a nice change of pace, with interesting & amusing ideas, pretty much all you want in this style of book!

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with interesting characters and a cat. A fast paced story with twists and turns that kept me interested from beginning to end.