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Retired Assassin's Guide #1
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening: Retired Assassin's Guide, Book 1
Dante has come to the small coastal town of Te Kohe, New Zealand, for a fresh start in life.
But he doesn't want to open a B&B, or save a charming bookshop, or start a romance with a single mother in need of rescuing.
He just wants to forget about his past career (which involved a lot of dead bodies) and have everyone leave him the heck alone. Unfortunately for Dante, life has other plans...
But he doesn't want to open a B&B, or save a charming bookshop, or start a romance with a single mother in need of rescuing.
He just wants to forget about his past career (which involved a lot of dead bodies) and have everyone leave him the heck alone. Unfortunately for Dante, life has other plans...
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First published January 25, 2025
2428 people are currently reading
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About the author
Naomi Kuttner
10 books145 followersNaomi Kuttner writes urban fantasy and cozy mysteries.
Living in New Zealand, Naomi spends her free time (ha!) raising her twin son and daughter, writing, taking the dog to the beach, and getting out on the water whenever possible.
Living in New Zealand, Naomi spends her free time (ha!) raising her twin son and daughter, writing, taking the dog to the beach, and getting out on the water whenever possible.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 601 reviews
May 11, 2025
When I saw a review for this book, before I read anything but the title I knew I was acquiring the book and reading it forthwith. And I did, I downloaded and finished it within 24 hours. I absolutely loved it.
Kuttner could have gone fully into Assassin mode, Jason Bourne with a gardening apron and people would have likely accepted that but it wouldn't have been a cozy mystery anymore. Instead she writes a nuanced, charming, fish-out-of-water story about an Assassin that is in recovery from being a killer. Add to that ghosts, and they aren’t the ghosts of the assassin’s victims, and done in an interesting way.
The mystery was well put together. You won’t guess the final outcome from the start. It builds nicely throughout, adding clues and having the reader be along for the ride.
It’s a good mystery, well written, well paced. An enjoyable read.
Kuttner could have gone fully into Assassin mode, Jason Bourne with a gardening apron and people would have likely accepted that but it wouldn't have been a cozy mystery anymore. Instead she writes a nuanced, charming, fish-out-of-water story about an Assassin that is in recovery from being a killer. Add to that ghosts, and they aren’t the ghosts of the assassin’s victims, and done in an interesting way.
The mystery was well put together. You won’t guess the final outcome from the start. It builds nicely throughout, adding clues and having the reader be along for the ride.
It’s a good mystery, well written, well paced. An enjoyable read.
May 13, 2025
Not much about gardening...
I'm not sure what would be a better title for this book, but the story definitely was not what I was expecting. Echoes of Grosse Pointe Blank were there, but otherwise this is more of a small town sleuth story told from the perspective of 3 unlikely friends. Terrific characters, small town New Zealand life and a mystery that kept me guessing. Really worthwhile read.
I'm not sure what would be a better title for this book, but the story definitely was not what I was expecting. Echoes of Grosse Pointe Blank were there, but otherwise this is more of a small town sleuth story told from the perspective of 3 unlikely friends. Terrific characters, small town New Zealand life and a mystery that kept me guessing. Really worthwhile read.
January 26, 2025
I quite enjoyed this. The story flows well, and following Dante's adjustment to living in "normal" society after returing is quite amusing. Eleanor is an endearing take charge charater, and I appreciate her sneakiness. This is a sweet murder mystery set in New Zealand, and has vivid descriptions of the local flora.
June 13, 2025
In the end I enjoyed the book, but it was rather a chore to read. Seemed to go on and on and on. I was reading it for a purpose or I'd have DNFed.
The characters were quirky and interesting, but I hate a narrative with multiple POVs, and the focus wasn't on the assassin, as promised, or even the gardener; I'd argue Eleanor was the true main character, which is unfortunate because I found her pretty annoying. She didn't act her age, she was pushy, manipulative, arrogant, and narcissistic (very like the villain, actually), and her general purpose was ex machina: she inexplicably knew facts about people and circumstances and of course had helpful contacts from her own shady past. The story couldn't have happened without her, she propelled it, yet we know absolutely nothing about her except that she's 60 years old and a former art thief? Or forger? It was vague. I couldn't even appreciate her fledgling romance with the inspector; they were both such unlikable people that the idea of a romance between them was cringy.
Dante and his adjustment to civilian life (resisting the urge to kill people, lol) was entertaining, and I appreciated his dry humor, but I don't understand why he was written as if he was an emotionless/lifeless robot programmed only to kill and magically became a sentient human once he retired. He was a government agent, not an automaton. There's no reason he couldn't have had experiences in relationships and animals and plants and food, for god's sake. He might not have had much chance to explore those things, but it was an odd choice to act like life itself was a completely foreign concept to him. Like he was born 39 years old.
I also didn't care for the little chapter epigraphs that hinted at/summarized what the chapter was about. Quit teasing and get on with it.
I wanted more ghosts. We don't really see much of them until the last third/quarter.
And some romance would have been nice. One that didn't make me cringe.
So the book was good but far from great. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say it was an intriguing concept with questionable execution. That said, I did appreciate its efforts to be quirky and different.
The characters were quirky and interesting, but I hate a narrative with multiple POVs, and the focus wasn't on the assassin, as promised, or even the gardener; I'd argue Eleanor was the true main character, which is unfortunate because I found her pretty annoying. She didn't act her age, she was pushy, manipulative, arrogant, and narcissistic (very like the villain, actually), and her general purpose was ex machina: she inexplicably knew facts about people and circumstances and of course had helpful contacts from her own shady past. The story couldn't have happened without her, she propelled it, yet we know absolutely nothing about her except that she's 60 years old and a former art thief? Or forger? It was vague. I couldn't even appreciate her fledgling romance with the inspector; they were both such unlikable people that the idea of a romance between them was cringy.
Dante and his adjustment to civilian life (resisting the urge to kill people, lol) was entertaining, and I appreciated his dry humor, but I don't understand why he was written as if he was an emotionless/lifeless robot programmed only to kill and magically became a sentient human once he retired. He was a government agent, not an automaton. There's no reason he couldn't have had experiences in relationships and animals and plants and food, for god's sake. He might not have had much chance to explore those things, but it was an odd choice to act like life itself was a completely foreign concept to him. Like he was born 39 years old.
I also didn't care for the little chapter epigraphs that hinted at/summarized what the chapter was about. Quit teasing and get on with it.
I wanted more ghosts. We don't really see much of them until the last third/quarter.
And some romance would have been nice. One that didn't make me cringe.
So the book was good but far from great. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say it was an intriguing concept with questionable execution. That said, I did appreciate its efforts to be quirky and different.
February 19, 2026
3.5
An MI6 assassin starting his early, early retirement, a take-charge society lady with a shady past and a timid gardener who can see dead people meet at a small city somewhere in NZ. Was there ever a more eclectic group of sleuth? This story lives and breathes its quirky characters which doesn't mean the case is taking the backseat. Naomi Kuttner knows how to follow the structure the Queen on crime decreed for cozy mysteries, up until the final grand meeting to uncover the murderer and how and why he did it. Unfortunately she also follows Christie on her weak moments when she preferred the grand gesture and the incredible deduction skill and doesn't care so much for real evidence i.e. the case can only be closed with a confession and here that's a bit more forced than I appreciate. Nevertheless the case itself is nicely constructed and while it's quite clear who did it or at least ordered it, the how and to a degree the why was challenging to my inner sleuth.
Sometimes though the author seemed unsure if she really likes to follow the cozy vibe or make more of the possibilities a former agent is bringing into the mix or leave the added ghost whisperer path into something more spiritual. At first I liked that she included the ghosts more like a quirky addition with the potential of support but suddenly it became more and for some parts of the case, especially for the additional case, our trio became dependent.
So while the mystery was nice with unnecessary, confusing escapades the real highlight were the characters and their clash with the small town vibe. Who would have believed it would be such fun to follow a former, socially inapt assassin who's probably some steps into the autism spectrum and how he warms up to a cat while attending an online AA meeting which in his case means assassin anonymous.
Oh, and maybe as a last word: the title creates the right image but is nevertheless misleading. There is gardening at the beginning and a bit at the end but it's far from being a guide or even in the front row.
An MI6 assassin starting his early, early retirement, a take-charge society lady with a shady past and a timid gardener who can see dead people meet at a small city somewhere in NZ. Was there ever a more eclectic group of sleuth? This story lives and breathes its quirky characters which doesn't mean the case is taking the backseat. Naomi Kuttner knows how to follow the structure the Queen on crime decreed for cozy mysteries, up until the final grand meeting to uncover the murderer and how and why he did it. Unfortunately she also follows Christie on her weak moments when she preferred the grand gesture and the incredible deduction skill and doesn't care so much for real evidence i.e. the case can only be closed with a confession and here that's a bit more forced than I appreciate. Nevertheless the case itself is nicely constructed and while it's quite clear who did it or at least ordered it, the how and to a degree the why was challenging to my inner sleuth.
Sometimes though the author seemed unsure if she really likes to follow the cozy vibe or make more of the possibilities a former agent is bringing into the mix or leave the added ghost whisperer path into something more spiritual. At first I liked that she included the ghosts more like a quirky addition with the potential of support but suddenly it became more and for some parts of the case, especially for the additional case, our trio became dependent.
So while the mystery was nice with unnecessary, confusing escapades the real highlight were the characters and their clash with the small town vibe. Who would have believed it would be such fun to follow a former, socially inapt assassin who's probably some steps into the autism spectrum and how he warms up to a cat while attending an online AA meeting which in his case means assassin anonymous.
Oh, and maybe as a last word: the title creates the right image but is nevertheless misleading. There is gardening at the beginning and a bit at the end but it's far from being a guide or even in the front row.
November 22, 2025
This book was like a cup of tea on a rainy afternoon. Entertaining, nicely plotted, and no emotional angst: it was relaxing and enjoyable.
April 5, 2025
A weird and wonderful book!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Retired Assassin's Guide! The title certainly caught my attention, and the book read beautifully. We got the POV of three main characters, learning enough personality and backstory to engage my empathy. I am about to buy the second book and continue their exploits!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Retired Assassin's Guide! The title certainly caught my attention, and the book read beautifully. We got the POV of three main characters, learning enough personality and backstory to engage my empathy. I am about to buy the second book and continue their exploits!
August 9, 2025
Tres estrellas. De 0 a 10: 6.
Novela simpática, entretenida e ingeniosa.
El trío protagonista son personajes encantadores, con sus cosas...
Aunque desde el principio se sabe el quien, no pierde interés: la novela se centra en intentar probar lo sucedido y que el culpable pague por lo que ha hecho.
Novela simpática, entretenida e ingeniosa.
El trío protagonista son personajes encantadores, con sus cosas...
Aunque desde el principio se sabe el quien, no pierde interés: la novela se centra en intentar probar lo sucedido y que el culpable pague por lo que ha hecho.
March 26, 2025
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐️
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐️
World Building: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🚫
Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️
This is a perfectly cozy mystery. Retired assassin Dante has settled in a small New Zealand town.
When the local harpy is murdered during a town gala very one is stumped.
The local business man Ted, is the shadiest of shady.
Throw in Charlie the gardener and Elinor the helpful socialite to get the full cast of suspects and the quest to solve the murder is on.
For some reason up until about the 50% mark this book was a chore for me to get through. It crawled by. Thankfully the 2nd half was much easier to settle into the story and enjoy. Which I definitely did. The characters are easy to love or hate. There are a few words I wasn’t really familiar with and had to use my kindle dictionary. In doing this I learned that some aren’t listed, so context clues it is. I assume this means they are geographical colloquialisms.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐️
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐️
World Building: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🚫
Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️
This is a perfectly cozy mystery. Retired assassin Dante has settled in a small New Zealand town.
When the local harpy is murdered during a town gala very one is stumped.
The local business man Ted, is the shadiest of shady.
Throw in Charlie the gardener and Elinor the helpful socialite to get the full cast of suspects and the quest to solve the murder is on.
For some reason up until about the 50% mark this book was a chore for me to get through. It crawled by. Thankfully the 2nd half was much easier to settle into the story and enjoy. Which I definitely did. The characters are easy to love or hate. There are a few words I wasn’t really familiar with and had to use my kindle dictionary. In doing this I learned that some aren’t listed, so context clues it is. I assume this means they are geographical colloquialisms.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 20, 2025
This takes a bit of an everything and the kitchen sink approach to a cozy murder mystery: small town setting in New Zealand! Old lady amateur detective who was once a con artist of some kind! Retired assassin! Young man who can see ghosts! Slightly antagonistic but ultimately indulgent police inspector! It blends all these elements together well enough to make this a fun read. Could use a more thorough edit though.
July 26, 2025
Loved it! Can’t wait to meet up with these characters again in the next book!
February 9, 2026
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening was so unexpectedly EVERYTHING.
A retired assassin who is in Assassin Anonymous attempting to learn to live in the regular world where problems are NOT solved by a bullet or garrote, a retired Grifter just trying to live out the rest of her days on the straight and narrow, and a gardener that talks to ghosts trying to find justice as he's being targeted by a local baddie. It brought the intrigue, the laughs - this book made me laugh out loud and startle my dogs-all wrapped in a 'can't put down' package with STELLAR narration. I can't wait to read the next one.
A retired assassin who is in Assassin Anonymous attempting to learn to live in the regular world where problems are NOT solved by a bullet or garrote, a retired Grifter just trying to live out the rest of her days on the straight and narrow, and a gardener that talks to ghosts trying to find justice as he's being targeted by a local baddie. It brought the intrigue, the laughs - this book made me laugh out loud and startle my dogs-all wrapped in a 'can't put down' package with STELLAR narration. I can't wait to read the next one.
February 21, 2026
What an incredible cast of characters.
Very reminiscent of Thursday Murder Club. I was hooked from the start with all the talk of gardening and small town vibes. Everyone has a lil fun secret that makes them different and fortunately helpful in solving a murder 🤭
Listening to this on audio was great. The narrator was a kiwi so it really gave the story life hearing everything in the correct accent.
At first I really wasn’t sold of the ghosts and how they fit into the story, I love a paranormal moment but I just didn’t think it really added anything. Saying that. Towards the end I was into it. Protect Charlie at all costs.
Im so glad this is a series and can’t wait to start the next.
Very reminiscent of Thursday Murder Club. I was hooked from the start with all the talk of gardening and small town vibes. Everyone has a lil fun secret that makes them different and fortunately helpful in solving a murder 🤭
Listening to this on audio was great. The narrator was a kiwi so it really gave the story life hearing everything in the correct accent.
At first I really wasn’t sold of the ghosts and how they fit into the story, I love a paranormal moment but I just didn’t think it really added anything. Saying that. Towards the end I was into it. Protect Charlie at all costs.
Im so glad this is a series and can’t wait to start the next.
February 5, 2026
a cozy mystery - felt like the sunday afternoons of my childhood ked k nam dosla babka zuzka na diel poirota a particku scrabble. na konci autorka pise, ze ju indeed inspirovala agatha christie.
i love how every chapter tells u whats gonna happen in it. no surprises. very calm. nic si moc nemusis pamatat, vsetko ti pripomenie. skvely read pre those of u who are rly stressed a those of us experiencing cognitive impairments due to malnutrition
i love how every chapter tells u whats gonna happen in it. no surprises. very calm. nic si moc nemusis pamatat, vsetko ti pripomenie. skvely read pre those of u who are rly stressed a those of us experiencing cognitive impairments due to malnutrition
June 13, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ I loved this book so much!! Characters were instantly likable, unique, and dynamic. I’m a sucker for a quirky crew of outcasts becoming friends. Enjoyed the pace and unraveling of the mystery as the story progressed. It kept me entertained and I was really satisfied with how it all wrapped up in the end. I’m so looking forward to the sequel!
June 1, 2025
Great writing, good mystery, and I loved the characters and the little found family they formed. Definitely recommend.
February 17, 2026
I picked this book based off of the fun title and I’m so glad I read it. The characters were fun and the plot included an interesting blend of a gardening, murder, ghosts, and friendship.
It has been a minute since I’ve given a book five stars. I can’t wait to read the next!
It has been a minute since I’ve given a book five stars. I can’t wait to read the next!
October 10, 2025
Tons of fun. If Don from The Rosie Project were a retired assassin and trying to solve a murder along with Elizabeth from The Thursday Murder Club, it might look like this. I stayed up late to finish it and have ordered the next book.
January 23, 2026
I really enjoyed the writing style and characters. Such a fun story! Dante is my blatant favorite
January 28, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ Mysig bok!
May 16, 2025
I finished this, but under protest. I gave it a pass the first couple times something outlandish happened, but they just keep coming.
So, a confession: somehow I missed “paranormal” in the title (sub-title?). That really should have been a clue. I was looking for cozy mysteries and this came up. The title was charming. (Intentionally, as this was clearly written for the cozy mystery crowd). The premise was interesting, for the most part. A retired assassin, embroiled in a mystery in a quaint New Zealand village? Sign me up.
Unfortunately, that’s where the fun ended. The bullet points of awfulness:
- The characters are cardboard cliches. Their actions and dialog are wooden. The main character (who ends up not being the main character?), clearly in the spectrum) just comes off as lifeless. The neighbor that happens to be a retired con artist (?!?!) is supposed to come across as charming and demure but just feels stilted and out-dated. The antagonist is not only telegraphed early on as such, but is just cartoonishly villainish.
- The “murder” is pretty trope-y, which is fine, but the reveal is just blatantly dumb. Having a cartoonishly Roadrunner-esque part of the crime left in a trash can (or was it in a shelf) for all to find was frankly unbelievable, but so was the bullet hole covered with frosting that the cops ignore, as with so much more, just broke the immersion. (I may be misremembering specific details, but that’s because the entire book was riddled with this lunacy).
- Speaking of farcical murders, let’s throw in the chest. That entire “bit” was so over-the-top presposterously unbelievable I just won’t go into the details. Well, maybe just the lowlights. Found at the first spot they try. Assassin can free dive for minutes and finds it the first dive. The cops are re-routed by a Lassie-esque diversion. (Grandfather and grandkids lost at sea!!?). Antagonist heists a decades-old piece of evidence with no warning, only minutes afterwards, in a caper befitting Ocean’s Thirteen Circus Act in a sea-worthy clown car. My god, was that entire thing fever-dreamishly stupid.
- Ghosts? Sure, why not. A sidekick that can talk to them? Add it to the pile. The ghosts help to solve the “crime” and guide the good guys like some sort of kids show MI5 mission? Gotta end that chapter somehow, amirite?
- Miscellania: the biker gang - yet another throwaway, zany site gag of a sitcom scenario that goes nowhere and never makes another appearance. The corpse-flower raised by an old woman? Not even close to the least believable thing in the book, but still noteworthy. An underestimated giant oaf henchman that’s Slavic? Box checked. Staid, respected rural cop and city-smart detective from away? Look at that scoreboard!
It doesn’t help that the writing was pretty abysmal. But then again, it doesn’t exactly hurt, to be honest. I came so close to setting this book down and walking away, but kept picking it back up, as I thought it might get better. And I guess it kinda did, as it ended on the last page. Plus, it got me to buy an ice cream maker, as the idea of making “Hokey Pokey” was just too strong to ignore.
So, a confession: somehow I missed “paranormal” in the title (sub-title?). That really should have been a clue. I was looking for cozy mysteries and this came up. The title was charming. (Intentionally, as this was clearly written for the cozy mystery crowd). The premise was interesting, for the most part. A retired assassin, embroiled in a mystery in a quaint New Zealand village? Sign me up.
Unfortunately, that’s where the fun ended. The bullet points of awfulness:
- The characters are cardboard cliches. Their actions and dialog are wooden. The main character (who ends up not being the main character?), clearly in the spectrum) just comes off as lifeless. The neighbor that happens to be a retired con artist (?!?!) is supposed to come across as charming and demure but just feels stilted and out-dated. The antagonist is not only telegraphed early on as such, but is just cartoonishly villainish.
- The “murder” is pretty trope-y, which is fine, but the reveal is just blatantly dumb. Having a cartoonishly Roadrunner-esque part of the crime left in a trash can (or was it in a shelf) for all to find was frankly unbelievable, but so was the bullet hole covered with frosting that the cops ignore, as with so much more, just broke the immersion. (I may be misremembering specific details, but that’s because the entire book was riddled with this lunacy).
- Speaking of farcical murders, let’s throw in the chest. That entire “bit” was so over-the-top presposterously unbelievable I just won’t go into the details. Well, maybe just the lowlights. Found at the first spot they try. Assassin can free dive for minutes and finds it the first dive. The cops are re-routed by a Lassie-esque diversion. (Grandfather and grandkids lost at sea!!?). Antagonist heists a decades-old piece of evidence with no warning, only minutes afterwards, in a caper befitting Ocean’s Thirteen Circus Act in a sea-worthy clown car. My god, was that entire thing fever-dreamishly stupid.
- Ghosts? Sure, why not. A sidekick that can talk to them? Add it to the pile. The ghosts help to solve the “crime” and guide the good guys like some sort of kids show MI5 mission? Gotta end that chapter somehow, amirite?
- Miscellania: the biker gang - yet another throwaway, zany site gag of a sitcom scenario that goes nowhere and never makes another appearance. The corpse-flower raised by an old woman? Not even close to the least believable thing in the book, but still noteworthy. An underestimated giant oaf henchman that’s Slavic? Box checked. Staid, respected rural cop and city-smart detective from away? Look at that scoreboard!
It doesn’t help that the writing was pretty abysmal. But then again, it doesn’t exactly hurt, to be honest. I came so close to setting this book down and walking away, but kept picking it back up, as I thought it might get better. And I guess it kinda did, as it ended on the last page. Plus, it got me to buy an ice cream maker, as the idea of making “Hokey Pokey” was just too strong to ignore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2025
Dante has hung up the balaclava and retired to a quiet village in New Zealand to relax and enjoy the small things. We meet him at 89-days kill free where he’s indulging in second breakfasts, learning to garden, and attending weekly group therapy on zoom. It’s a peaceful, if not humdrum existence until a cat with three white socks infiltrates his domain and a lady gets shot by a sniper. Dante is forced to team up with a transient art thief and a teenage gardener to unmask the murderer, which will test his commitment to the code and worse, force him to engage in small talk. There’s real estate fraud, blackmail, hidden treasure, catnapping, and a lot of ghosts milling about. It’s not easy to catch a killer without killing, but Dante might pull it off as long as the botanical society stops requesting an invite to look at his corpse plant. Ain’t nobody got thyme for that.
May 10, 2025
I enjoyed this, and it was fun to read and enjoy the New Zealand setting. Main characters were likeable and interesting, so I will be watching for book 2. Villain was impressively evil with a capital E.
Just a few quibbles: Lots of misspellings. And Eleanor is way off for her supposed age. She is supposedly in her 60s, but talks, acts, and dresses much older. I am just a little younger, and can say with conviction that Eleanor acts and 'feels' like my mom and not like a peer. Maybe the author doesn't interact with that age group much? YMMV, of course. I enjoyed it but that did keep throwing me out of the story. Also, I thought NZ was very multicultural? Maybe I skimmed over those cues?
Just a few quibbles: Lots of misspellings. And Eleanor is way off for her supposed age. She is supposedly in her 60s, but talks, acts, and dresses much older. I am just a little younger, and can say with conviction that Eleanor acts and 'feels' like my mom and not like a peer. Maybe the author doesn't interact with that age group much? YMMV, of course. I enjoyed it but that did keep throwing me out of the story. Also, I thought NZ was very multicultural? Maybe I skimmed over those cues?
October 28, 2025
A well-constructed supernatural cozy with a fairly ridiculous set-up and fairly simple characters quickly grew on me. Yes, you could see all the seams and joints of the work, but it was a solid piece of craftsmanship. The characters were simple and the tropes were thick, but the pages kept turning. I dare say I finished this book quicker than any other book I have read this year. There is a charm to the New Zealand setting and characters that is nicely spiced with an English assassin and an American dilettante detective. The supernatural element is nicely folded in and by the end, the world seems consistent and primed for a long series.
May 17, 2025
Good, but...
First off, this was a highly enjoyable read.
That said, this is hardly perfect. It's self-published, and it shows. Odd word choices, typos, bad formatting, continuity errors, and plot lines that go nowhere.
I did enjoy it a great deal, despite the flaws. The characters are interesting, the setting is lovely, and the murder is well done.
I'd love to see what this author could do working with a couple of good editors.
If you're willing to look past the flaws, you'll get a gem of a story.
First off, this was a highly enjoyable read.
That said, this is hardly perfect. It's self-published, and it shows. Odd word choices, typos, bad formatting, continuity errors, and plot lines that go nowhere.
I did enjoy it a great deal, despite the flaws. The characters are interesting, the setting is lovely, and the murder is well done.
I'd love to see what this author could do working with a couple of good editors.
If you're willing to look past the flaws, you'll get a gem of a story.
November 15, 2025
Ughhh. Couldn’t finish it. Generic. Ridiculous dumb assassin. Couldn’t care about any of the plot. On the plus side, there was an over-60 female lead character that was capable.
October 29, 2025
PIERA NASCIMBENE PER BABETTE BROWN BLOG.
Mi ha incuriosito il titolo e la cover mi è piaciuta particolarmente, (ha un suo perché); così ho iniziato a leggere questo romanzo di un’autrice neozelandese che non conoscevo.
Mi sono divertita, ma anche sono stata presa dalla storia che non è poi così leggera.
Il protagonista, Dante, è un assassino in pensione che da centoquattro giorni non ha più ucciso. Non è uno spietato killer, ma un ex agente del MI5 che a nemmeno quarant’anni si è ritirato dal servizio e ha comperato un villa d’epoca a Te Kohe, un piccolo paese in Nuova Zelanda.
Con la casa si ritrova anche un giovane giardiniere, Charlie, un gatto, una pianta che fiorisce ogni dieci anni, il fiore cadavere, a cui bisogna dare la giusta attenzione, un riccone rompiscatole e una signora sessantenne, Eleanor, con un passato che deve rimanere lì dove sta.
Un omicidio mette in moto Dante ed Eleanor anche perché sia lui che il giovane Charlie sono sospettati. Man mano che si procede nella lettura, la storia si fa sempre più interessante, a tratti divertente e a tratti strana, soprattutto quando Charlie confessa di vedere e parlare con i morti.
Il modo di scrivere dell’autrice è semplice, pulito. Buono l’approfondimento dei personaggi. L’ambiente è descritto in poche parole, ma che bastano a dare la giusta idea del luogo. La vena ironica e leggera arriva sempre al punto giusto della narrazione.
Io l’ho apprezzato e lo consiglio.
Mi ha incuriosito il titolo e la cover mi è piaciuta particolarmente, (ha un suo perché); così ho iniziato a leggere questo romanzo di un’autrice neozelandese che non conoscevo.
Mi sono divertita, ma anche sono stata presa dalla storia che non è poi così leggera.
Il protagonista, Dante, è un assassino in pensione che da centoquattro giorni non ha più ucciso. Non è uno spietato killer, ma un ex agente del MI5 che a nemmeno quarant’anni si è ritirato dal servizio e ha comperato un villa d’epoca a Te Kohe, un piccolo paese in Nuova Zelanda.
Con la casa si ritrova anche un giovane giardiniere, Charlie, un gatto, una pianta che fiorisce ogni dieci anni, il fiore cadavere, a cui bisogna dare la giusta attenzione, un riccone rompiscatole e una signora sessantenne, Eleanor, con un passato che deve rimanere lì dove sta.
Un omicidio mette in moto Dante ed Eleanor anche perché sia lui che il giovane Charlie sono sospettati. Man mano che si procede nella lettura, la storia si fa sempre più interessante, a tratti divertente e a tratti strana, soprattutto quando Charlie confessa di vedere e parlare con i morti.
Il modo di scrivere dell’autrice è semplice, pulito. Buono l’approfondimento dei personaggi. L’ambiente è descritto in poche parole, ma che bastano a dare la giusta idea del luogo. La vena ironica e leggera arriva sempre al punto giusto della narrazione.
Io l’ho apprezzato e lo consiglio.
August 26, 2025
4.5
This book was such a lovely surprise! I went in not really knowing what to expect, but it ended up giving me so much more than I imagined. The three main characters were the heart of it all. Dante, antisocial, but full of depth; Charlie, brings vulnerability and heart; and Eleanor is the kind of character who steals every scene. Together, they felt both funny and touching, each one balancing the others in the best way.
There were so many moments where I laughed out loud, and plenty where I felt really moved. The whole story is creative, original, and just plain fun to read.
These are the kind of characters you get attached to right away — the ones you want to keep following from book to book, like Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, or even the trio from Only Murders in the Building. I really hope there’s more to come, because I’d happily join them on every new adventure.
This book was such a lovely surprise! I went in not really knowing what to expect, but it ended up giving me so much more than I imagined. The three main characters were the heart of it all. Dante, antisocial, but full of depth; Charlie, brings vulnerability and heart; and Eleanor is the kind of character who steals every scene. Together, they felt both funny and touching, each one balancing the others in the best way.
There were so many moments where I laughed out loud, and plenty where I felt really moved. The whole story is creative, original, and just plain fun to read.
These are the kind of characters you get attached to right away — the ones you want to keep following from book to book, like Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, or even the trio from Only Murders in the Building. I really hope there’s more to come, because I’d happily join them on every new adventure.
January 5, 2026
This book is just as ridiculous and fun as you'd expect from the title. Dante has recently retired to New Zealand and has absolutely no idea how to act in society. He's forced to interact with his new gardener and the lady across the street, both of whom have their own secrets. And then a woman's untimely death brings them all closer together as they try to solve the mystery before one of them is arrested for murder.
I spent the whole book trying to figure out what genre to call this. It's like if Frank from Red actually interacted with his neighbors, and one of them could speak to ghosts. The paranormal aspect sounds out of place, but it somehow fits. And Dante is so unknowingly hilarious, with his blunt demeanor and inability to smile without looking intimidating.
I am interested to see more residents of this town as the series progresses, and if Dante ever names his cat.
I spent the whole book trying to figure out what genre to call this. It's like if Frank from Red actually interacted with his neighbors, and one of them could speak to ghosts. The paranormal aspect sounds out of place, but it somehow fits. And Dante is so unknowingly hilarious, with his blunt demeanor and inability to smile without looking intimidating.
I am interested to see more residents of this town as the series progresses, and if Dante ever names his cat.
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