A Cultivated Corpse

by Debra Sennefelder

Genres: Cozy Mystery

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 16, 2026

About the author

Debra Sennefelder is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.

Born and raised in New York City, she now lives and Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in pre-hospital care, retail and publishing. Her writing companion is her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih-Tzu, Connie.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America.

She can be reached at Debra@DebraSennefelder.com

Reviews

[Charissa Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book courtesy of NetGalley for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Overview: Hope Early is prepping for the upcoming plant sale. She's been having a good time at the garden club, and they are looking forward to funding the club's projects. Too bad that the Ambrose House garden renovations aren't going well. The numbers aren't adding up right. What's worse, Maggie Shelby isn't found in the best position. Who could have wanted the garden club president dead? Could it have anything to do with the Ambrose House? Or could Maggie have insulted the wrong person? Let's find out.

Dislikes: The biggest problem here is Maggie herself. This woman has an ego problem. Just because she liked to garden, and was a one-time professor, doesn't' mean that she was the only expert around. Many times, those who try to control the most, are not the true experts in their fields.

Likes: Ethan and Drew were pretty decent. Drew seems like the brother that Hope never had, and Ethan understood that one.

For the most part, the garden club members got along well.

Whitney had a strong work ethic to match her ambition.

Conclusion: This was a fun book. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, or of Hope Early herself, then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was lotsa garden club drama going on here and from the way they’d had enough of it from an internal standpoint, it’s just a good thing the town didn’t have more than one club. Somebody would’ve been killed long before this, lol. Hope took her duties as a new member seriously, but after their fearless leader was killed, she added sleuthing back into the tons of plates she seems to juggle all the time.

Once more Hope found herself facing off with a killer in a remote place in a building, but she used her brains and all she had to do was keep the person talking and shake ‘em up a bit. Drew always cracks me up when he and Hope go sleuthing, and he was on his A-game once more. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book now after Hope’s statement at the end.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by. Beyond the Page via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the ninth entry in the Food Blogger Mysteries Series, but can easily be read as a standalone. It is a Culinary Cozy Mystery set in Connecticut, but this one has plenty of Garden Club drama and gardening activities. Hope Early, a food blogger and cookbook writer picked the wrong time to join the Garden Club. They are restoring an historic garden and there is a lot of opinions about what should be done. Garden Club President, Maggie Shelby rules with an iron fist, and isn't well liked, and Hope often finds herself in the middle. There is also an investigation by the local paper into possible embezzling of government funds. When Hope discovers Maggie dead and a friend unconscious, she is pulled into the investigation. Before she can get to the bottom of it, there is another death. Can they figure out who the killer is before any more bodies pile up?

I really like Hope. She is relatable, smart and multi-talented. A Food Blogger, cookbook author, photographer, mediator, auditor and excellent sleuth. She gets pulled into the middle of the drama in the garden club, and tries not to take sides. Along with this she is renovating an old farmhouse and landscaping her 3 acres. A very busy lady. She is in a relationship with Ethan, the Chief of Police and single dad, so there is some personal aspects of the characters as well. The secondary characters add to the story and flesh out the town. The mystery is well developed and not easy to figure out. Once Hope discovers the convoluted embezzlement scheme, she has put herself in danger. There are plenty of red herrings and lots of suspects, as Maggie is not well liked. She has altercations with many people before her death. There are plenty of twists and the story moves at a good pace. Did I figure out who the killer was? Of course not, which always makes the story more enjoyable for me. There are recipes for a Layered Cobb Salad with Chicken and Lemon Blueberry Muffins are included. If you enjoy a good cozy mystery with food and horticulture, then I recommend you pick up A Cultivated Corpse.

[boogleloo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars: This is Sennefelder's ninth entry in the Food Blogger Mysteries Series which is a Culinary Cozy Mystery set in Connecticut. Featuring a food blogger and cookbook writer who finds herself turning sleuth after she discovers the local garden club president's dead and a dear friend unconscious. As she investigates, she uncovers that a historic home's garden restoration project the club's heading may be the target of an embezzlement scheme. Unfortunately, before she can weed out who’s behind it, a local budding reporter chasing the same story is killed. With plenty of suspects, she'll have to work fast to figure out who's dead-set on keeping the truth buried before the killer decides it’s time to bury her as well.

With plenty of twists and turns, Sennefelder has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Sennefelder's writing and character work are stellar; the main character's well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable with a great secondary cast that are well crafted and uniquely voiced.

• Takes place in Spring and features plenty of gardens and flowers.
• For Animal Lovers: the MC has an adorable rescue dog, a fluffy white cat and a Rhode Island Red hen.
• Includes some absolutely yummy sounding recipes.

While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, The Uninvited Corpse. This is a favorite series; highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A CULTIVATED CORPSE in the ninth book in the Food Blogger Mysteries by Debra Sennefelder. Who knew a garden club could evoke so much drama and intrigue? Yet that’s the basis for this newest release in the series and sets the stage for a mystery that will have you turning pages. Food blogger Hope Early is quite the go-getter. After renovating her farmhouse, she’s turned her sights on landscaping and joined a garden club. As with her usual style, she jumps in and becomes actively involved in the club’s historical garden restoration project at Ambrose House. Except something untoward seems to be going on, and Hope can’t help digging into the discrepancies showing up, especially after a murder takes place and a close friend is poisoned.

The author has created some marvelous characters, and I especially admire Hope along with her best friend and reporter, Drew. The pair make a formidable investigation team. Hope has grown over the course of the series, and she seems more methodical in her hunt for the truth. And while she may be engaged to Ethan, the local chief of police, Hope doesn’t rely on him to share important clues and instead goes about tracking down information in an independent manner. She’s also quick about sharing information with the investigating detective. With a large number of people involved in the garden club, along with townspeople who had issues with the victim, there were suspects galore to sift through alongside Hope. There were twists I didn’t see coming, and red herrings that led me astray. With the conclusion, the author neatly wrapped up the mystery and left me wanting to know what the future holds for Hope in the next installment!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the ninth in the Food Blogger Mysteries series. And although you don’t have to have read the others in the series, I strongly recommend it so you know the characters better. The books center around Hope Early, a food blogger, cookbook author, home renovator (her own), and avid list maker (she has to be!). I was exhausted just reading about everything she does! With three acres of land to figure out what to do with, she recently joined the local garden club to get some advice. Instead of a quiet group of people interested in plants, she finds conflicts, threats, back-biting… and murder. So much for a nice little garden club. Hope discovers the body of the club president in the woman’s greenhouse next to the nearly-dead one of her friend, she knows she has to help discover whodunnit before her friend is jailed for the murder. What she doesn’t expect to find is a maze of intrigue including embezzlement, cheating, and more. Nor does she expect to find herself as nearly one of the victims.

This is a fast-moving story with a lot of plot twists and turns – and a couple of really good recipes at the end. The characters are well-done and the setting a standard small-town (Connecticut) with the addition of garden club interests and food. And an ending that satisfies.

Recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” Thanks to Netgalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for providing this ARC.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cultivated Corpse by Debra Sennefelder is a pleasant cozy mystery featuring a blogger/gardener and a garden club. Hope Early is not in the first bloom of youth. She has bought a “fixer-upper” and has been working on it steadily. She blogged every step of the restoration as well as many of the things she cooked or baked. She had recently joined the local garden club as she planned to start on the yard, which was in bad shape. Coming up was their annual plant sale. She had committed to baked goods to be sold at the snack stand. The president of the garden club was a woman named Maggie Shelby who was well-organized and, well, bossy. Hope had seen several people arguing with Maggie throughout the day. Then, she ended up dead, and a good friend of Hope’s, Jane was near death. They had been drinking tea in Maggie’s greenhouse. There seemed to be plenty of suspects. The detective in charge was Sam, who worked for Hope’s fiance, Ethan, the local sheriff. Neither of whom liked her curiosity.

This was a very pleasant book about folks living in the ideal small town. Aren’t all cozies? The characters are entertaining. The mystery was a good one. So common place, and yet, so horrible. Cozy mysteries are the ideal escapist reading. The people in them have ideal lives and they living in places with no problems, filled with good people. Even the murderer usually made a horrible mistake. I enjoyed reading this novel. It was “cleaner” than many. Good book.

I was invited to read A Cultivated Corpse by Beyond the Page Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BeyondThePageBooks #DebraSennefelder ##ACultivatedCorpse

[Tracy Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having spent a lot of time renovating the downstairs of her home, Hope Early is now concentrating on the flower beds and baskets. She's recently joined Jefferson's garden club and is enjoying learning about the different skill sets she will need to keep everything alive and blooming. The club is also in the middle of renovating the grounds of local landmark, Ambrose House. Unfortunately this isn't going smoothly as there are conflicts, delays, and increased costs to deal with. When Hope discovers the body of the club president alongside one of her closest friends she knows she has to discover what's going on. Desperate people take desperate actions however, and before long Hope too is in the sights of a very tenacious killer.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Beyond the Page, but the opinions expressed are my own. I really enjoyed this, it was fast moving with a few surprises and a big twist at the end. I love Hope and fiance Ethan although she may drive me to distraction in real life! She is always so busy! There are recipes at the end of the book as well as few hints for the next installment. Recommended.

[Short, Sweet and Cozy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cultivated Corpse is the 9th book in Debra Sennefelder 's Food Blogger Mysteries and it is an enjoyable addition to the series. Hope Early joined the Jefferson Garden Club and the group is having a plant sale to raise money for renovations to Ambrose House. There are quite a few new garden club characters along with Hope's sister Claire having sorority sisters visiting and Hope's brand partnership company meeting . Some of the recurring characters make appearances. Hope is engaged to Ethan who is back to being the Police Chief. He makes appearances but definitely takes a back seat. There is some turmoil amongst the Garden Club members and when the club President is killed and one of Hope's friends is poisoned, Hope needs to find the culprit. Hope's friend Drew is a reporter and he has a new reporter Whitney working with him. They get an anonymous tip that points towards financial problems on the Ambrose House restoration. Hope bounces between her suspects trying to get information and she ends up on the murderer's hit list. This cozy mystery kept me guessing. #ACultivatedCorpse #FoodBloggerMysteries #NetGalley #BeyondThePagePublishing

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hope, a popular home lifestyle blogger, has recently joined the garden club as she turns her attention to her own yard. The garden club is working on renovating an old home in town and restoring its famous gardens. The president of the club is overbearing with a temper, but Hope never expected to find her dead in her greenhouse, along with a friend. After the president’s death, Hope begins digging into the project and the rumors of overruns and false invoices. Hope, working with her friend Drew, a reporter, ask questions and before long find another body. Soon, Hope is being threatened, but she keeps digging and stumbles across the culprits.
I enjoyed this cozy mystery and the main character, Hope. I haven’t read any others in this series, so this does work well as a standalone.
Thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Alicia Kozak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope has a million things going on between her blog, recipes, collaborating on a line of aprons for her brand, and joining the garden club. But of course she has to schedule in time to solve a murder. We meet a lot of new characters (and potential suspects) in the garden club, Claire's sorority sisters and some others in town. Though the mystery was pretty straightforward as to the motive, suspicion was placed on a number of people who could have had a hand in things, and an interesting subplot/red herring. Not where I expected that to go! Some of our favorite supporting characters are involved, and Bigelow even gets in on the action in a memorable scene. Wondering if we'll see a wedding, or at least the planning of, in the next book. Two yummy recipes included to try.

[Susan Reads Cozies · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started a little slower for me, but it really picked up about halfway through and had a strong ending. I was hoping for a bit more Ethan, but I still enjoyed spending time with Hope and the rest of the garden club.

One of my favorite things about this series is the friendship between Hope and Drew. They continue to show up for each other no matter what, and I love seeing that throughout the books.

I had a pretty good idea who the killer might be, but that didn’t take away from the story. I still enjoyed following the clues and seeing everything come together in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the book in exchange for an honest review.

[LittleRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope Early seems to have a knack for cooking, home projects and finding dead bodies. And not necessarily in that order. But her determination to find out who killed the garden club president and then a young reporter is one of her stronger skills. Can hope figure out who killed the woman before she’s pushing up daisies herself?

The ninth entry in this series, Hope continues to deliver in each and every entry in this series. I didn’t start with the book in the series and it read fine as a standalone, so I believe you will find this series enjoyable wherever you are starting from. But if your’e starting with this one, you have eight more to binge one when you are done! Enjoy!

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is #9, this is a “new to me” series that was super easy to dive right into and connect immediately with every character.

This is a delightful cozy mystery that perfectly blends small-town charm, intriguing suspense, and a cast of characters you can't help but root for.

Hope is a great character! I adored her so much & loved her as a determined amateur sleuth. As I said, the supporting characters are a hoot - this is a fun cozy mystery.

Thank you so much to Debra Sennefelder, beyond the pages publishing, and NetGalley for such a cute read.

[Sarah Woodhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming whodunit that will keep you guessing until the end. A great summertime read.