Murder, Mayhem and Bliss

Myrtle Grove Garden Club Mystery #1

by Loulou Harrington

Nothing much happens in Myrtle Grove, Oklahoma. So when prominent businessman Harry Kerr is discovered face down in his pool shortly after dawn, the breakfast crowd in Jesse Camden’s tearoom is buzzing. Recognizing the name, Jesse hurries to her friend Vivian Windsor, Myrtle Grove’s resident oil heiress. Vivian is the great-aunt to Bliss Kerr, widow of the deceased and soon-to-be prime suspect in his suspicious death. Clearing Bliss and finding the real murderer isn’t what Jesse means when she offers her assistance. And wrangling an eager band of helpers while chasing a tangle of leads across the countryside, tripping over deputies and evidence along the way, isn’t her first choice for her weekend. But here she is, and here she will be, hearing secrets no one should know, and discovering betrayals no one could live with, until Jesse finds her way through the maze of deceit to uncover the real killer.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Crime, Amazon, Ebooks

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 9, 2014

Reviews

[Teresa Marzec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

It was different than I expected but still good! Its nothing like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series but still a good read! When the one person being questioned gave everything up it was really over! You more or less knew who did what! But I'm off to read book number two!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started this I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it as I found main character Jesse to abrasive, but the plot was really and the cast of characters really good. Well worth a read.

[Nancy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a wealthy man is found dead floating in his swimming pool, with his wife, Bliss, asleep inside their mansion, it looks like a clear case of drowning. However, there is much more going on, and when it is discovered that the man was murdered and his wife is a suspect, Jesse gets involved, thanks to her friendship with rich oil heiress Vivian. As she tries to investigate without ticking off the local sheriff, she finds herself not managing to keep out of his way. She eventually succeeds in finding the truth and the murderer, and clearing Bliss, but not without getting herself in lots of trouble along the way.

[Carol Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very pleasant read. There are lots of suspects. It is a story about friends helping friends and protecting each other. The ending was a surprise. I considering reading the next book in the series after reading a couple of other books. I don't usually read a series one right after the other. No reflection on the author just my preference.

[tami burden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder Mayhem and Bliss

Excellent story as usual. It was nice to go back and see if all start, and see how much the characters I am use to have evolved.

[Diane Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this cozy mystery. Small town, memorable characters, and a good mystery. Lots of misdirection. Don't trip over the red herrings. LOL I love the relationships between Jesse and the other women. Such supportive friends. The characters seem so real I'd like to have them for friends, too. Then, there's the antagonistic sheriff and Jesse's reactions to him. This should be a very interesting complication in her life . . . his, too.

Fortunately, I'd acquired the whole series. So, I'm whipping from the end of one to the next and loving it.

[Debby Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery solving in a small town

Unpopular business man is murdered and half the residents in this small town take part in solving the mystery of who done it

[Betty Curran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read

This was such a wonderful book. Good friends, family and some not so great individuals blended to make an interesting and often laugh out loud story line. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

[Bonnye Reed]

TheFussyLibrarian

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a 3.5 star book, but since Goodreads doesn't do half stars, I always round up. ;) I really liked Jesselyn and her group of friends. They were all unique but get along so well together. I'd really like to learn more about all of them. The mystery was rather basic, despite the secrets that were discovered, and I had a pretty good idea who was the killer was early on. There were some editing issues which knocked it down (in a single paragraph a character is called Marie and Maria...). But, overall, I still enjoyed this mystery and would read more in this series. :)

[MaryAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loulou Harrington is a new ( to me ) author and I am so very pleased to have found her. MURDER, MAYHEM AND BLISS is exactly the kind of cozy mystery I most enjoy.
Charming, slightly quirly, completely believable and lovable characters that feel as though you are meeting up with old friends, these ladies are FUN!
The plot is exciting and the small town of Myrtle Grove, Oklahoma sounds so pretty - the descriptions of the gardens at the different homes conjur up images of comfortable outdoor furniture and pitchers of sweet tea or lemonade where you can just sit back. relax and enjoy the warmth of the sun and balmy scented breezes.
The ladies put their heads together and solve a murder ahead of the local Sheriff

As an added bonus, recipes are included!
I can't wait to read more!

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a light, easy read(I read it in 1 day). Jesse Camden runs a tea room in Myrtle Grove, Oklahoma. Crime is rare in this small town. But when the dead body of Harry Kerr is discovered Jesse realizes that her friend Vivian Windsor will be concerned, since her great niece Bliss Kerr is the new widow and prime suspect when the death ruled suspicious. She and Vivian along with other friends decide to investigate on their own. This angers Sheriff Joe Tyler, with whom she has had previous run-ins. He threatens to arrest her, but she continues snooping. I did not suspect who killed who until near the end.
I give it 3.5 stars(rounded up to 4) out of 5.

[Cherry London · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really understand that these ladies want to help out by being amateur sleuths but they don’t need to be so over-zealous with it, so much so that they want to exclude the law. No wonder Sheriff Joe is always on Jesse’s case because she tends to be a bit too conniving and mouthy with it. All in all, it was an interesting and entertaining read

[Tita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story has a good plot but the resolution was poor. I figured out who dunnit mid way through the book. Also, at one point, one of the characters not only watches someone take pills and have a drink of alcohol, but is the person who gives the character taking the pill a drink! Who does not know that is just stupid!?

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy Mid-western Mystery

A great cozy mid-western mystery, with a character for all age groups. The excitement started on the first page and didn't stop until the last. Looking forward to more adventures with the Myrtle Grove Garden Club.

[Angie Boyter · Rating 3 out of 5]

An OK first effort. A bit exaggerated in spots. Sheriff very annoyingly overdone, for example.

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

Really enjoyable cozy mystery!

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myrtle Grove, OK. Sophia Camden (69, mother, cook), Lindsey, Jesselyn “Jesse” Camden (daughter), owned/operated the Gilded Lily Tea Room & Coffee House.
Sophia owned/operated the Gilded Lily Antiques & Vintage Shop.
Aunt Vivian Windsor (oil heiress), & Bliss Kerr (great-niece) were discussing her life with Harold “Harry” Kerr (Bliss husband, Kerr’s Lake Country Autos).
Sheriff Joe Tyler & Deputy Sheriff Frank Haney arrived at the crime scene.
Harry was found floating in his pool.
Bliss was the prime suspect.

What information did SueAnn Bailey (19), Jesse (amateur sleuth) & get out of Bobby Donald (Gigi’s former B/F)?

Would the murder mysteries be solved & someone brought to justice?

Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written who-dunnit murder mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great murder mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder, Mayhem & Bliss by LouLou Harrington is the story of a murder and a group of women who turn into amateur sleuths in an effort to try to solve the case rather than leave the case to the bumbling local sheriff. Ms. Harrington creates rich characters who have deep back stories and long-standing relationships that are disclosed as the story unfolds. The strength of the novel is the depiction of the relationships between the women and the personal intrigue of the small-town setting. This strength, however, becomes a drawback at times as the story, which starts out with a good pace, starts to drag as the action of the story takes second fiddle to the personal interrelationships. The story becomes more soap opera than murder mystery. It’s not a romance, but at times the writing seems more like a romance than a mystery, and as much as the recipes at the end of the book are fun, as a reader I am not as interested in the ingredients in the muffins as I am in the mystery story. Of course, I’m a man, and perhaps this book is written more for women readers, so my cautionary notes are probably more relevant to other male readers. But, despite the imperfections, the book was an enjoyable read and worth the time for a well-crafted story.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can finally relate

Slower paced with an eclectic mix of women who are admittedly a little too curious and in some cases, overly excited to be mixed up in trying to solve a murder. When Jesse hears from an employee that she saw the medical examiner and cop cars at the home of a friend's niece, she realizes things are going to get really interesting and heads over to her friend's to warn her. Unfortunately, this just leads her into stepping on the sheriff's toes as she gets dragged into helping solve the murder of a man that not many people liked.

Every sleuth has to start somewhere, but when you're threatened with jail for interfering in a police matter, you would think you would not compound the issue by involving more of your friends and family in your folly, right? In this case, the women of the newly founded Garden Club just can't seem toe the line. Luckily, the police are not portrayed as incompetent, and yes, the women do stumble on the resolution but the cops were right there with them.

I liked the fact that Jesse is older and her team ranges from 19 to almost 80. A little scary, but luckily, they weren't in the crosshairs of seriously deranged killers.

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nearing fifty, Jesse Camden has lived a full life, one that has come full circle as she has opened up a tea room/antiques shop with her mother and a friend in her hometown. What she's not expecting at this point is to be dragged into a murder. But a good friend of hers, Bliss Kerr comes into the shop one morning, determined to finally deal with her philandering husband. But she's too late; someone else has already killed him. Of course, that makes Bliss the #1 suspect. Jesse and her friends are determined to clear her name under the guise of forming a garden club. If that can help them fly under the radar of the intimidating sheriff, so much the better.
This was an okay start to a series but I was more annoyed by Jesse than anything. It seemed like a lot of the things she was doing to "help" would have made it a lot harder for the sheriff to prosecute the villain in the end.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good mystery

Although I figured out the murderer as soon as I met her in the story, I found that all the intrigue, the many levels and aspects of criminal activity and love triangles kept me wondering who else was involved in the murder and other crimes. Once again Jesse draws out the truth and then untangles it. I really like the main characters and their relationships with each other and the group dynamic. The beginning of a possible romantic aspect to a stormy relationship is also fun. The author is an excellent story teller and her character development is outstanding. I feel as if I know the main group of characters and would love to be a member of The Myrtle Grove Garden Club! Great job Ms Harrington.

[Nola Arganbright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do the flowers grow

This was a great first book to a new series. The characters were likeable and we'll developed. The personalities were strong for more than just the main character.
The plot was interesting and strong. I liked how the story developed through the book. The reader was given hints but enough twists to keep them guessing.
The book was well written and edited so that there was a free flow for the reader.
A local businessman is found drowned in his pool and friends and family of the widow father to seek answers. The Myrtle Grove Garden Club is formed to keep the local Sheriff at bay to their sleuthing!

[valerie Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

An awesome story written by a great author. Another first for me but I've gotten her next one already and fully intend to go backward and read more of Loulou's splendid works. I fell in love with these women. What a crew of hard working ladies. I absolutely love Sophie and Jess's relationship. How wonderful to have a mother be such a good friend and be such fun I am so envious !! I could not put it down without wondering how soon I could get back to it. I mean what a woman she was to even be good friends with Connie whom her ex husband married. I have a good feeling about her and Joe, I highly recommend this book to all, mystery, comedy and good friends wow.

[Judi Easley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read books 1 - 7 in this series and absolutely loved them all. The MCs are Jesse, who is a part-owner of a tea room and coffee shop plus antiques shop in her grandfather's Victorian house, and Joe, otherwise known as Sheriff Tyler in Myrtle Grove. They argue a lot, but they've been known to kiss once in awhile, too. They've tried to keep it quiet but it seems almost the whole town knows. Jesse is a member, founding member of the Myrtle Grove Garden Society which does Garden, but also snoops. They've solved several mysteries already. Maybe that's why Jesse and Joe argue. Great characters and plots. Good mysteries with twists. A wonderful series! Recommended.

[Mrs. J.P. Cantle]

Where does the money hide!

Jess and her mother share the upstairs of a large Victorian mansion.. Downstairs has a busy tea room and an antique shop. What with baking cakes for one business and buying antiques for the other they have little free time. Somehow all they seem to do in this book is to outwit the sheriff and solve a murder, an embezzlement and a flight to country with no repatriation for criminals.
The book is very well constructded. By having one character tell another what is going on the plot is clear to see.
I have read two of these Garden Club mysteries and will read nore.

[Belinda Earl Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love of Friends and Family is the Best!

Jesse Camden is an unconventional detective. She is a 50 year old owner of a tea shop who makes stained glass artwork.
She is assisted in her investigation by her mother, employees, friends, and ex-husband. Of course, the local law enforcement officials are less than thrilled with their help.
The author’s theme along side the mystery is that the love of family and friends is what is best about life. Too bad some criminals don’t see that!

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this on my kindle for a long time and it ended up being quite was a surprise! It was written well (though I actually had to use the dictionary function on my kindle for a few words) and I really liked the important characters. Though there were a lot of them to keep straight. AND I appreciated that it was one of the few cozy mysteries where the police department was portrayed as actually being competent even though there was still that friction between the sheriff and our main character found in a lot of cozies. I'll be reading the next one. 4 stars

[Kelsie Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book on a whim, it had made its way to my TBR (not even sure how honestly) and happened to be available at the library while I was waiting for something else to listen to.

It was a very light hearted murder mystery, but captured my attention enough I decided to download it from KU to finish reading when I couldn’t listen anymore.

The characters were whimsical and played very well off each other, the plot was fun and captivating. Nothing deep, but it was great. I do plan to read the next in the series! I’d definitely recommend!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pleasant read. Again we have non police people setting out to solve a murder so they can protect their friend or friends. It has enough suspense to keep you turning pages. The characters are so so, not someone who sticks in your mind once you finish the book. I did get the murder suspect several chapters before the end. Working partners involved in fraud and stealing. When they finally divulge the murder suspect, they go into suicide. The last couple chapters were the best of the book.