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A Desert Flowers Mystery #1
Poppy Harmon Investigates
Lee Hollis begins a delightful new series in which Poppy Harmon and her friends find that life after retirement can be much busier—and deadlier—than any of them ever anticipated . . .
When Poppy goes from complacent retiree to penniless widow in a matter of weeks, the idea of spending her golden years as the biggest charity case in Palm Springs renders her speechless. With no real skills and nothing left to lose, Poppy uses her obsession with true crime shows to start a career as a private eye . . .
But after opening the Desert Flowers Detective Agency with help from her two best friends, Violet and Iris, Poppy realizes that age brings wisdom, not business—until she convinces her daughter's handsome boyfriend, Matt, to pose as the face of the agency. It’s not long before Matt’s irresistible act snags a client desperate to retrieve priceless jewelry burglarized from an aging actress at the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. Or before Poppy stumbles upon the bloodied body of the victim’s arch rival . . .
In a flash, Poppy’s innocent detective gig is upstaged by a dangerous murder investigation riddled with slimy suspects and unspeakable scandal. As she and her team uncover the truth, Poppy must confront the secrets about her late husband’s past and swiftly catch a killer lurking around the retirement community—even if it means turning her world upside down all over again.
When Poppy goes from complacent retiree to penniless widow in a matter of weeks, the idea of spending her golden years as the biggest charity case in Palm Springs renders her speechless. With no real skills and nothing left to lose, Poppy uses her obsession with true crime shows to start a career as a private eye . . .
But after opening the Desert Flowers Detective Agency with help from her two best friends, Violet and Iris, Poppy realizes that age brings wisdom, not business—until she convinces her daughter's handsome boyfriend, Matt, to pose as the face of the agency. It’s not long before Matt’s irresistible act snags a client desperate to retrieve priceless jewelry burglarized from an aging actress at the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. Or before Poppy stumbles upon the bloodied body of the victim’s arch rival . . .
In a flash, Poppy’s innocent detective gig is upstaged by a dangerous murder investigation riddled with slimy suspects and unspeakable scandal. As she and her team uncover the truth, Poppy must confront the secrets about her late husband’s past and swiftly catch a killer lurking around the retirement community—even if it means turning her world upside down all over again.
282 pages, Hardcover
First published July 31, 2018
322 people are currently reading
1913 people want to read
About the author
Lee Hollis
49 books818 followersLee Hollis is the pen name for Rick Copp and his sister Holly Simason.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
July 4, 2018
Poppy Harman is a sixty something retired actress who thought she was going to be living out the rest of her life comfortably with her husband. However, after Poppy’s husband passes away quite suddenly she finds out that her rather comfortable life was all a lie and that her husband had gambled away their last cent.
When Poppy sits down with her two best friends, Iris and Violet, trying to brainstorm ideas to earn money with no real experience other than acting the trio come up with the idea that Poppy has rather remarkable investigative skills so why not become a detective? With a bit of effort the Desert Flowers Detective Agency is opened with Iris and Violet coming in to assist.
Things aren’t going so well with the new business however when it seems no one wants to hire three “older” ladies so Poppy gets a new plan to use her daughter’s boyfriend, an actor, to be the face of the firm. This gets the Desert Flowers Detective Agency their first case which turns out to be a lot more than the ladies originally bargained for.
Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis is the first book of the new cozy A Desert Flowers Mystery series. This opener showed a lot of potential to become a new favorite cozy series for me with the likable older characters and a few laughs along the way. It took a little while to get the mystery moving but that’s understandable for the opener I suppose and while the antics were not always realistic this is fiction and for me in this genre fun usually trumps reality so I’m really looking forward to seeing what the Desert Flowers get involved in next.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
When Poppy sits down with her two best friends, Iris and Violet, trying to brainstorm ideas to earn money with no real experience other than acting the trio come up with the idea that Poppy has rather remarkable investigative skills so why not become a detective? With a bit of effort the Desert Flowers Detective Agency is opened with Iris and Violet coming in to assist.
Things aren’t going so well with the new business however when it seems no one wants to hire three “older” ladies so Poppy gets a new plan to use her daughter’s boyfriend, an actor, to be the face of the firm. This gets the Desert Flowers Detective Agency their first case which turns out to be a lot more than the ladies originally bargained for.
Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis is the first book of the new cozy A Desert Flowers Mystery series. This opener showed a lot of potential to become a new favorite cozy series for me with the likable older characters and a few laughs along the way. It took a little while to get the mystery moving but that’s understandable for the opener I suppose and while the antics were not always realistic this is fiction and for me in this genre fun usually trumps reality so I’m really looking forward to seeing what the Desert Flowers get involved in next.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
January 4, 2023
When I began the series with the fifth book, halfway through I thought...you really like this book and want to start with the first of the series. Also, I believed the series a great pair for a review I wanted to write to go along with a book about Betty White that is newly released called Pearls of Wisdom. Ironically, when I looked into getting the book I found on the writer Lee Hollis wrote for the Golden Girls. So, the whole pairing for the review of the two books, kismet!
However I am glad I went back to read the first of the series, rather than start in the middle, because this mystery series really needs to be read that way. While I will say some series can be read out of order, one at a time, stand alone, many cannot. This is one where you need to get the character stories from the beginning, to get maximum enjoyment. While I don't want to say this series couldn't be read out of order, or the fifth book as your first (as I did), for optimal understanding, you want the whole set up from the first book. But, if you read one I guarantee your going to want to read them all.
This first book of the series introduces you to Poppy Harmon and her entourage. While she is an interesting character herself, a retired actress of an eighties sitcom whose husband is newly dead in the first chapter, has been lying to her while alive, cleaned her out completely, the associates of Harmon, are just as entertaining. Two are older women like Poppy, a young man is introduced with a creative relationship to the group along with a daughter and grandchild of the women in the group...all make up this odd consortium for a detective agency. This makes for a good, entertaining read one that pulls you in and doesn't let go. Luckily I got all five books so when I finished the first I instantly went on to the second. That is how good they are!
Growing up I loved the Golden Girls. I didn't have any choice in the matter, when it came to watching them, as my grandmother put them on every Saturday (I believe that was the night they were on, when new episodes came out, anyone else who may remember better, let me know) evening and we would watch them together. I would lie in front of the television (as close as I could get without being yelled at) and my grandma in her chair. She would cut me a bowl of fruit or vegetables (sometimes mixed) and I would veg out. Those were some of my best memories, however vague. It's really the memory I get of how warm those evenings made me feel, how safe, secure, loved and happy I was to watch those funny old ladies.
Now, almost forty years later, I am closer to the age of those women I watched on television, than the age that I watched them. Funny how things change. But, the Poppy Harmon books, maybe it's because Lee Hollis did write for the Golden Girls, that I get the same feeling of warmth, comfort, all those feelings from years ago, in these books. And, it's not just the choice of characters (older women) but that Lee Hollis brings great writing skills to cozy mysteries where, while there is death, while the story revolves around it, there isn't a major dicussion revolving around the horror of the situation. And, while many people love books like that because I, myself, read them more so than cozy mysteries, I think that taking a step out of the horror and gore and being able to focus more on the story, more circumstance and situation, when it comes to mysteries, this is a cozy mystery I am glad to have stumbled over.
Recently, there has been a re-release of older mysteries, classics from mystery writers (from sixty years ago and further back) like Anthony Berkeley, for instance, (he is more well known than some others released) who wrote Jumping Jenny (more well known than others released, but just an example). When I read this mystery I noticed how many differences there were from the mysteries we read today. And there were many. But, one thing I will say that there is a comparison between the mystery writers of the past and cozy mystery writers, such as Lee Hollis, in that they take the focus away from the gore and horror and place it elsewhere, rather than the death, itself.
And, in a world full of death, gore, and horror, what we see today on the media is worse than any other generation who came before us, we need to be able to have death talked about, and be able to read about death, without having the focus be on any aspect that makes it fearful (stressful, even without recognition). Cozy mysteries are a good break, in this way, and Lee Hollis a definite writer to read, especially with his Poppy Harmon series! You need to seek and find the first of the series, the price of the paperback was the smallest I've seen lately, $7.99, so I was able to take a well needed break from Kindle reading!
**NOTE, I call them Poppy Harmon series but Lee Hollis calls the series a Desert Flowers Mystery
However I am glad I went back to read the first of the series, rather than start in the middle, because this mystery series really needs to be read that way. While I will say some series can be read out of order, one at a time, stand alone, many cannot. This is one where you need to get the character stories from the beginning, to get maximum enjoyment. While I don't want to say this series couldn't be read out of order, or the fifth book as your first (as I did), for optimal understanding, you want the whole set up from the first book. But, if you read one I guarantee your going to want to read them all.
This first book of the series introduces you to Poppy Harmon and her entourage. While she is an interesting character herself, a retired actress of an eighties sitcom whose husband is newly dead in the first chapter, has been lying to her while alive, cleaned her out completely, the associates of Harmon, are just as entertaining. Two are older women like Poppy, a young man is introduced with a creative relationship to the group along with a daughter and grandchild of the women in the group...all make up this odd consortium for a detective agency. This makes for a good, entertaining read one that pulls you in and doesn't let go. Luckily I got all five books so when I finished the first I instantly went on to the second. That is how good they are!
Growing up I loved the Golden Girls. I didn't have any choice in the matter, when it came to watching them, as my grandmother put them on every Saturday (I believe that was the night they were on, when new episodes came out, anyone else who may remember better, let me know) evening and we would watch them together. I would lie in front of the television (as close as I could get without being yelled at) and my grandma in her chair. She would cut me a bowl of fruit or vegetables (sometimes mixed) and I would veg out. Those were some of my best memories, however vague. It's really the memory I get of how warm those evenings made me feel, how safe, secure, loved and happy I was to watch those funny old ladies.
Now, almost forty years later, I am closer to the age of those women I watched on television, than the age that I watched them. Funny how things change. But, the Poppy Harmon books, maybe it's because Lee Hollis did write for the Golden Girls, that I get the same feeling of warmth, comfort, all those feelings from years ago, in these books. And, it's not just the choice of characters (older women) but that Lee Hollis brings great writing skills to cozy mysteries where, while there is death, while the story revolves around it, there isn't a major dicussion revolving around the horror of the situation. And, while many people love books like that because I, myself, read them more so than cozy mysteries, I think that taking a step out of the horror and gore and being able to focus more on the story, more circumstance and situation, when it comes to mysteries, this is a cozy mystery I am glad to have stumbled over.
Recently, there has been a re-release of older mysteries, classics from mystery writers (from sixty years ago and further back) like Anthony Berkeley, for instance, (he is more well known than some others released) who wrote Jumping Jenny (more well known than others released, but just an example). When I read this mystery I noticed how many differences there were from the mysteries we read today. And there were many. But, one thing I will say that there is a comparison between the mystery writers of the past and cozy mystery writers, such as Lee Hollis, in that they take the focus away from the gore and horror and place it elsewhere, rather than the death, itself.
And, in a world full of death, gore, and horror, what we see today on the media is worse than any other generation who came before us, we need to be able to have death talked about, and be able to read about death, without having the focus be on any aspect that makes it fearful (stressful, even without recognition). Cozy mysteries are a good break, in this way, and Lee Hollis a definite writer to read, especially with his Poppy Harmon series! You need to seek and find the first of the series, the price of the paperback was the smallest I've seen lately, $7.99, so I was able to take a well needed break from Kindle reading!
**NOTE, I call them Poppy Harmon series but Lee Hollis calls the series a Desert Flowers Mystery
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2021
Really enjoyed! This Saturday at 1:30 pm Es time on my YouTube I will be interviewing Lee Hollis. Everyone is invited to watch live, join in the conversation, ask questions!
Don’t forget to subscribe!!
https://t.co/Jx58B4KNW5?amp=1
Don’t forget to subscribe!!
https://t.co/Jx58B4KNW5?amp=1
August 11, 2018
Things aren’t going well for Poppy Harmon. Her husband unexpectedly dies. Then, she learns he left her with no money and no means to support herself. As a 60-something woman she has no place to live and no job skills. What she does have is a love of mysteries. Although her friends and family laugh at her, she gets a P.I. license and opens her own detective agency, The Desert Flowers Detective Agency.
She quickly learns that it’s not easy to get a business off the ground even with her best friends Iris and Violet more than willing to be part of the team. When she meets her daughter’s handsome new boyfriend, she persuades him to act as the head of the agency. A handsome man like him is more likely to gain clients. She’s correct and they get their first big case.
Shirley Fox, a popular 1970s sitcom star, hires them to find out who has been stealing her valuable jewelry at the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. Poppy thought their first case would be an easy one, but theft turned into murder. Things begin to get quite complicated for The Desert Flowers Detective Agency.
This book grabbed me from the first page. It’s an excellent beginning to a new cozy mystery series. The characters are quirky, witty, and a total joy to read about. They will have you laughing and crying.
It’s a fast-paced story. I couldn’t put this one down. I kept wanting to know what would happen next. It’s a cleverly plotted storyline with an ending that completely took me off guard. Not only didn’t I see it coming, it wasn’t even on my radar. Very well written.
Poppy Harmon Investigates felt like a cross between Jessica Fletcher’s Murder, She Wrote and the old TV show Charlie’s Angels. I loved every minute of this one and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
She quickly learns that it’s not easy to get a business off the ground even with her best friends Iris and Violet more than willing to be part of the team. When she meets her daughter’s handsome new boyfriend, she persuades him to act as the head of the agency. A handsome man like him is more likely to gain clients. She’s correct and they get their first big case.
Shirley Fox, a popular 1970s sitcom star, hires them to find out who has been stealing her valuable jewelry at the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. Poppy thought their first case would be an easy one, but theft turned into murder. Things begin to get quite complicated for The Desert Flowers Detective Agency.
This book grabbed me from the first page. It’s an excellent beginning to a new cozy mystery series. The characters are quirky, witty, and a total joy to read about. They will have you laughing and crying.
It’s a fast-paced story. I couldn’t put this one down. I kept wanting to know what would happen next. It’s a cleverly plotted storyline with an ending that completely took me off guard. Not only didn’t I see it coming, it wasn’t even on my radar. Very well written.
Poppy Harmon Investigates felt like a cross between Jessica Fletcher’s Murder, She Wrote and the old TV show Charlie’s Angels. I loved every minute of this one and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
May 24, 2019
I loved this story from start to finish. Poppy is a great character with her retirement village friends who use their varied talents and contacts to solve a mystery of some stolen jewelry and a murder. The 12 year old grandson who is a hacker is a riot! The pace is fast, and the dialogue witty. I highly recommend this debut of the Desert Flowers Mysteries.
August 3, 2018
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
Jessica Fletcher, Miss Marple, move over - Poppy Harmon is on the case. Anyone old enough to remember the old TV show "Remington Steele" will love this cozy. I am and I really liked this first book in a new cozy-mystery series for so many reasons. The heroine is a 60-something that finds herself having to start from scratch. I love the Palm Springs, CA locale. The cast of supporting characters is great. There is humor. Although the mystery took quite a while to develop, it keep me guessing to the very end. Great start to what I hope will be a great series.
When Poppy Harmon got married for the fourth time and retired from her Hollywood career she never saw her future as a 62 year old penniless widow. With few skills, but with a uncanny ability to solve the crimes on any true crime show, she has decided to become a Private Investigator.
With the help of her two besties, Iris and Violet, and advice from an old friend who really was a Private Investigator, Sam, she opens the Desert Flowers Detective Agency. She soon discovers that attracting clients could be a problem. Entering stage left is Matt, the aspiring actor boyfriend of Poppy's daughter, Heather. Movie star handsome and exulting charm and sex appeal, Matt becomes the face of the Agency as Matt Flowers, PI and they land their first case - retrieving the stolen jewelry of an aging actress that was taken from her home in the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. Together our Golden Girls, and Matt, finally solve the theft, but not before there is a murder that is connected to their client and Poppy finds out that her late husband was hiding more than his gambling debts.
Jessica Fletcher, Miss Marple, move over - Poppy Harmon is on the case. Anyone old enough to remember the old TV show "Remington Steele" will love this cozy. I am and I really liked this first book in a new cozy-mystery series for so many reasons. The heroine is a 60-something that finds herself having to start from scratch. I love the Palm Springs, CA locale. The cast of supporting characters is great. There is humor. Although the mystery took quite a while to develop, it keep me guessing to the very end. Great start to what I hope will be a great series.
When Poppy Harmon got married for the fourth time and retired from her Hollywood career she never saw her future as a 62 year old penniless widow. With few skills, but with a uncanny ability to solve the crimes on any true crime show, she has decided to become a Private Investigator.
With the help of her two besties, Iris and Violet, and advice from an old friend who really was a Private Investigator, Sam, she opens the Desert Flowers Detective Agency. She soon discovers that attracting clients could be a problem. Entering stage left is Matt, the aspiring actor boyfriend of Poppy's daughter, Heather. Movie star handsome and exulting charm and sex appeal, Matt becomes the face of the Agency as Matt Flowers, PI and they land their first case - retrieving the stolen jewelry of an aging actress that was taken from her home in the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. Together our Golden Girls, and Matt, finally solve the theft, but not before there is a murder that is connected to their client and Poppy finds out that her late husband was hiding more than his gambling debts.
June 5, 2018
I have to say I loved this book! It started out with a bang, capturing my interest immediately with sudden suspense and an easy-conversational style. Poppy is not your ordinary cozy character. She is a former lady-who-lunches in Palm Springs, a recently widowed and 62 years old. She is vibrant, sassy and determined. After the death of her fourth husband, she suddenly finds herself penniless. What is a 60-something year-old Palm Springs widow to do? Why, get her private investigators license and open up the Desert Flowers Detective Agency, with the help of her two best friends, of course! Before they know it, the ladies find themselves involved in a dangerous murder investigation while dealing with the secrets Poppy’s late husband kept. Entertaining and delightful.
August 4, 2018
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This series is off to an incredible start!
When life deals her lemons, retired actress Poppy Harmon makes a fantastic batch of lemonade by contacted an old friend to give her the credentials she needs to become a private investigator. Together with her friends Iris and Violet the Desert Flowers Detective Agency is born. The only problem no one wants to hire a bunch of senior ladies comfortable with a man for their investigation. Poppy does a little fast footwork and lines up her daughter’s boyfriend Matt, also an actor to be the face of the business. People are more comfortable with a man as the head sleuth, and they get a client. There has been a rash of burglaries at the Palm Leaf Retirement Village and a wealthy elderly actress has lost her jewelry valued at more than all the other thefts put together. Poppy is on the case but then she discovers a Palm Leaf resident dead and she happens to be a bitter enemy of Poppy’s client. Hang on tight because as she investigates Poppy finds a tie to the husband that left her penniless in the first place.
I absolutely loved everything about this book. Poppy Harmon, a socialite has her life turned upside down when her 4th husband dies after spending their fortune. She was completely in the dark. Their home was mortgaged to the hilt and she has no way to make the huge payments. In her time of need, her friends Iris and Violet come to her rescue offering a place to live and money to tide her over. She has always liked solving mysteries, she even played a secretary to a P.I. on a television show. Her friends think it is an excellent idea and Violet even brings in her grandson to set up their website and social media accounts. After a little snafu with the website, they know they need to bring in a man, Matt. He is excited about the role he is to play, but his girlfriend thinks all 5 of them have lost their minds. These characters are fun and very engaging and their presence just leaps off the page. I want to know all of them better.
After introducing the characters, Hollis doesn’t just give us one mystery, but two. The jewelry thefts and the murder. Filled with more twists than I ever imagined possible I couldn’t put this book down. Up reading late, the final twist blew me totally away. In fact, I had to go back and read it again to be sure my tired brain wasn’t playing tricks on me.
Lee Hollis gave me everything I look for in a cozy mystery and made is super easy to escape right into the story. A gifted storyteller mixing outstanding characters and a marvelous mystery. The exact right amount of humor was added too. The real bonus is that Poppy, Violet, and Iris are vibrant active women in their 60’s. Gives me hope as I am quickly approaching that age. If I could I would shout about this book from the rooftops! It will without question make my Best Reads of 2018 List.
This series is off to an incredible start!
When life deals her lemons, retired actress Poppy Harmon makes a fantastic batch of lemonade by contacted an old friend to give her the credentials she needs to become a private investigator. Together with her friends Iris and Violet the Desert Flowers Detective Agency is born. The only problem no one wants to hire a bunch of senior ladies comfortable with a man for their investigation. Poppy does a little fast footwork and lines up her daughter’s boyfriend Matt, also an actor to be the face of the business. People are more comfortable with a man as the head sleuth, and they get a client. There has been a rash of burglaries at the Palm Leaf Retirement Village and a wealthy elderly actress has lost her jewelry valued at more than all the other thefts put together. Poppy is on the case but then she discovers a Palm Leaf resident dead and she happens to be a bitter enemy of Poppy’s client. Hang on tight because as she investigates Poppy finds a tie to the husband that left her penniless in the first place.
I absolutely loved everything about this book. Poppy Harmon, a socialite has her life turned upside down when her 4th husband dies after spending their fortune. She was completely in the dark. Their home was mortgaged to the hilt and she has no way to make the huge payments. In her time of need, her friends Iris and Violet come to her rescue offering a place to live and money to tide her over. She has always liked solving mysteries, she even played a secretary to a P.I. on a television show. Her friends think it is an excellent idea and Violet even brings in her grandson to set up their website and social media accounts. After a little snafu with the website, they know they need to bring in a man, Matt. He is excited about the role he is to play, but his girlfriend thinks all 5 of them have lost their minds. These characters are fun and very engaging and their presence just leaps off the page. I want to know all of them better.
After introducing the characters, Hollis doesn’t just give us one mystery, but two. The jewelry thefts and the murder. Filled with more twists than I ever imagined possible I couldn’t put this book down. Up reading late, the final twist blew me totally away. In fact, I had to go back and read it again to be sure my tired brain wasn’t playing tricks on me.
Lee Hollis gave me everything I look for in a cozy mystery and made is super easy to escape right into the story. A gifted storyteller mixing outstanding characters and a marvelous mystery. The exact right amount of humor was added too. The real bonus is that Poppy, Violet, and Iris are vibrant active women in their 60’s. Gives me hope as I am quickly approaching that age. If I could I would shout about this book from the rooftops! It will without question make my Best Reads of 2018 List.
September 21, 2023
Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰
This is an kindle e-book from the local library. I have read or listened 🎶 to a number of Lee Hollis.
Poppy Harmon husband is dead and buried and now the truths are coming out about his secret life. Her and two friends open a detective agency and their first client has had her jewelry stolen.
This leads to more robberies and a death that Listed as murder. Poppy and the team uncover the truth about the robberies leading to the arrest of the robbers.
But the death is still an open case. What a surprise when the truth comes out!
I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers looking for family and friends relationships adventure light mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 👒😀😡🏡
This is an kindle e-book from the local library. I have read or listened 🎶 to a number of Lee Hollis.
Poppy Harmon husband is dead and buried and now the truths are coming out about his secret life. Her and two friends open a detective agency and their first client has had her jewelry stolen.
This leads to more robberies and a death that Listed as murder. Poppy and the team uncover the truth about the robberies leading to the arrest of the robbers.
But the death is still an open case. What a surprise when the truth comes out!
I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers looking for family and friends relationships adventure light mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 👒😀😡🏡
November 14, 2019
Poppy Harmon is a more mature sleuth, who has to find a job to support herself after being involved in charity work and raising her daughter. She finds herself penniless and in debt after the death of her third husband. She was an actress who worked on a detective series earlier in her life, and using what she learned on the set, assisting the writer, as well as her skills of observation and solving puzzles, she applies for a Private Investigator licence. With the backing of her two best friends, Violet and Iris, she opens the Desert Flowers detective agency. Unfortunately, no one is interested in hiring a group of middle aged women as PIs. Deciding to take on Matt, Poppy's daughter's boyfriend as a front (think Remington Steele) they get their first case, a robbery. Of course, during the investigation, a murder occurs and they have more on their plate than they expected.
Poppy is a great character. She refuses to take charity from her friends, Violet and Iris, and make a go of her new career. She is smart, intuitive and extremely observant, all great skills for her new profession. Violet is a hoot. She brings in her 12 year old grandson, Wyatt, to be their technical advisor and he has some wicked skills. Poppy is pretty apprehensive about his hacking, but Violet is more results driven. Iris takes a bit getting used to. She is a gruff, tell it like it is woman, who is loyal to her friends and wants to help Poppy recover. Then there is Matt. He is a struggling actor, extremely handsome, and thinks this is a great gig to improve his acting. He is a bit of a media hog and takes the credit for Poppy's investigative work, but by the end of the story, he comes around a bit and I actually liked him. Poppy's daughter, I had some issues with. Not only was she keeping secrets from her mother, but was rather demeaning to her. Again, my opinions changed as the story wrapped up. The mystery was well written. There were a lot of suspects in the murder, as well as the robberies. Were they connected was another puzzle. I enjoyed how Poppy and her friends puzzled it out, used their acting skills to throw suspects off and had fun doing it. This is a great start to a new series and I am looking forward to seeing what Lee Hollis has in store for her readers in the next book in this series.
At first I didn't care much for Matt, Poppy's daughter's boyfriend, but he grew on me as well, especially when he was hired as the face of the agency. The murder in the story was referred to at the very beginning, but the book had to rewind a little to show how Desert Flowers Detective Agency came to be. The ladies had two cases going, and I was surprised at who the perps were for both cases.
Poppy is a great character. She refuses to take charity from her friends, Violet and Iris, and make a go of her new career. She is smart, intuitive and extremely observant, all great skills for her new profession. Violet is a hoot. She brings in her 12 year old grandson, Wyatt, to be their technical advisor and he has some wicked skills. Poppy is pretty apprehensive about his hacking, but Violet is more results driven. Iris takes a bit getting used to. She is a gruff, tell it like it is woman, who is loyal to her friends and wants to help Poppy recover. Then there is Matt. He is a struggling actor, extremely handsome, and thinks this is a great gig to improve his acting. He is a bit of a media hog and takes the credit for Poppy's investigative work, but by the end of the story, he comes around a bit and I actually liked him. Poppy's daughter, I had some issues with. Not only was she keeping secrets from her mother, but was rather demeaning to her. Again, my opinions changed as the story wrapped up. The mystery was well written. There were a lot of suspects in the murder, as well as the robberies. Were they connected was another puzzle. I enjoyed how Poppy and her friends puzzled it out, used their acting skills to throw suspects off and had fun doing it. This is a great start to a new series and I am looking forward to seeing what Lee Hollis has in store for her readers in the next book in this series.
At first I didn't care much for Matt, Poppy's daughter's boyfriend, but he grew on me as well, especially when he was hired as the face of the agency. The murder in the story was referred to at the very beginning, but the book had to rewind a little to show how Desert Flowers Detective Agency came to be. The ladies had two cases going, and I was surprised at who the perps were for both cases.
June 27, 2018
The unique cover caught my eye and I was looking forward to the story. The plot was intriguing However, I was disappointed. The writing moved freely and it was easy to read but the characters did not bond with me. There was nothing funny with actions of middle age was so out a character of a person just left shaking my head. The daughter's action was unreal to me as she told her Mother what to do. I did not like the encouragement of a 12 year youngest to hack into the internet was okay as long as they didn't get caught. All the characters need more development.
Poppy Harmon was shocked to learn that her husband had gambled her financial assets away and has left a huge debt. Having been actress at one time she had no marketable skills. Poppy decided to open a private investment agency with her two best friends. No one would hire the agency until her daughter's boyfriend becomes the front of the company. The agency is hired to find the jewelry of an actress living in a retirement community. Will Poppy succeed? I recommend this book.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Kensington Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
Poppy Harmon was shocked to learn that her husband had gambled her financial assets away and has left a huge debt. Having been actress at one time she had no marketable skills. Poppy decided to open a private investment agency with her two best friends. No one would hire the agency until her daughter's boyfriend becomes the front of the company. The agency is hired to find the jewelry of an actress living in a retirement community. Will Poppy succeed? I recommend this book.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Kensington Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
June 14, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington books for providing me with a complimentary advance copy of Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis in exchange for an unbiased review. The book is populated with some characters who have the potential to become both interesting and humorous with additional development. The three primary investigators, Poppy, Violet and Iris, along with the “face” of their agency, Matt, may grow into individuals we enjoy although in this first book they are somewhat two-dimensional and as such leave something to be desired.
The setting, a rich retirees community in Palm Springs also has the potential to open a window into a lifestyle and area that may be unique to readers. Likewise, as the population ages, books that feature older, savvy, women as detectives can be a welcome addition to the genre of mystery fiction.
While this book has potential, it is filled with some flaws that take the reader out of the story. Throughout the book are extensive run-on sentences, many times filling an entire paragraph. These, in turn, are punctuated by incomplete sentences, phrases without either a subject or verb which are punctuated as sentences. This tendency was distracting for me as a reader.
The two-dimensional nature of the characters and setting were also frustrating as I attempted to become more engaged with the book, while at the same time I found parts to be interesting enough to make me think there is potential within this series. In short, I found myself speed-reading through parts so that the grammar was less distracting and would hope that more attention would be given in writing and editing if there is a follow-up book within this series.
Although the book offered some twists that were unexpected, the reader was given no advance clues that might enable them to solve the puzzle on their own. Rather, the final solution came somewhat out of left field as there was little groundwork given to its development. Again, this may be in part the result of limited character development, so the passion that might result in someone committing murder was lacking because the character wasn’t fully developed.
On the strength of an interesting premise, I might read an additional book in this series to see if characters and setting become more fully developed. I would want to see a second book that had more sophisticated plotting and more fully developed characters in order to become interested in an entire series.
The setting, a rich retirees community in Palm Springs also has the potential to open a window into a lifestyle and area that may be unique to readers. Likewise, as the population ages, books that feature older, savvy, women as detectives can be a welcome addition to the genre of mystery fiction.
While this book has potential, it is filled with some flaws that take the reader out of the story. Throughout the book are extensive run-on sentences, many times filling an entire paragraph. These, in turn, are punctuated by incomplete sentences, phrases without either a subject or verb which are punctuated as sentences. This tendency was distracting for me as a reader.
The two-dimensional nature of the characters and setting were also frustrating as I attempted to become more engaged with the book, while at the same time I found parts to be interesting enough to make me think there is potential within this series. In short, I found myself speed-reading through parts so that the grammar was less distracting and would hope that more attention would be given in writing and editing if there is a follow-up book within this series.
Although the book offered some twists that were unexpected, the reader was given no advance clues that might enable them to solve the puzzle on their own. Rather, the final solution came somewhat out of left field as there was little groundwork given to its development. Again, this may be in part the result of limited character development, so the passion that might result in someone committing murder was lacking because the character wasn’t fully developed.
On the strength of an interesting premise, I might read an additional book in this series to see if characters and setting become more fully developed. I would want to see a second book that had more sophisticated plotting and more fully developed characters in order to become interested in an entire series.
August 3, 2018
Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis is the 1st book in A Desert Flowers Mystery series, and a great beginning. I have always liked Ms. Hollis's Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series, so I was excited to read this new series. Poppy is a 62 year old widow who learns her husband left her broke. Not only is she going to lose her house, she needs to find a job. With the help of her two friends Iris and Violet they start the Desert Flowers Detective Agency. I really loved this book, it was laugh out loud funny, and I like that the book features strong middle age women. I am looking forward to the next Poppy and friends adventure. I recommend this book, if you like fun cozy mysteries.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 20, 2018
A decent first book in a new series with some of my favorite cozy tropes.
The Good: The whacky cast of characters were just delightful in this book, minus some of Iris's cantankerous scenes where she grated a bit. Their interactions were the highlight of this book. There were many passages I ended up highlighting in my kindle, even.
The mystery aspect took a long time to show up but it was a decent mystery in the end. I'm hoping as the series progresses the mysteries will be more prevalent in the books. Overall, each character provided a special part within the investigation which made the whole mystery interesting.
The Bad: None of the men portrayed within the book were highlighted in a positive way. In the end Matt did redeem himself but for most of the book all the men were superficial, egocentric, and ginormous tools. In regards to the other characters, I did like them but I feel Poppy's character took a hit when her daughter turned out to be a shrew and in the end Poppy blamed herself for her daughter's actions. Her full grown adult daughter.
Also, the introduction of the characters and Poppy's background in particular took a major chunk of the book. The first mystery wasn't introduced until 40% into the book which made it seem as if it weren't a big deal and the book didn't have a cozy mystery feel because of this. In addition there was a murder, which was actually an interesting part of the book, but coming into the book in the last 1/3 of the book made if feel like an afterthought.
In a Nutshell: It took me quite awhile to really get into this book but once I hit the halfway point I flew through the rest of the book. This was my first book by Lee Hollis and I would read another one by her.
The Good: The whacky cast of characters were just delightful in this book, minus some of Iris's cantankerous scenes where she grated a bit. Their interactions were the highlight of this book. There were many passages I ended up highlighting in my kindle, even.
The mystery aspect took a long time to show up but it was a decent mystery in the end. I'm hoping as the series progresses the mysteries will be more prevalent in the books. Overall, each character provided a special part within the investigation which made the whole mystery interesting.
The Bad: None of the men portrayed within the book were highlighted in a positive way. In the end Matt did redeem himself but for most of the book all the men were superficial, egocentric, and ginormous tools. In regards to the other characters, I did like them but I feel Poppy's character took a hit when her daughter turned out to be a shrew and in the end Poppy blamed herself for her daughter's actions. Her full grown adult daughter.
Also, the introduction of the characters and Poppy's background in particular took a major chunk of the book. The first mystery wasn't introduced until 40% into the book which made it seem as if it weren't a big deal and the book didn't have a cozy mystery feel because of this. In addition there was a murder, which was actually an interesting part of the book, but coming into the book in the last 1/3 of the book made if feel like an afterthought.
In a Nutshell: It took me quite awhile to really get into this book but once I hit the halfway point I flew through the rest of the book. This was my first book by Lee Hollis and I would read another one by her.
July 19, 2018
In this new series we are introduced to Poppy Harmon a retiree whose life changes overnight. When Poppy's husband dies and makes her a widow she is surprised to find out he also made her penniless. She knew he gambled a bit but hadn't realized that he lost all their money and put her in the poor house. With no real skills to speak of Poppy begins to devise a plan that is a step in helping her get back on her feet. You see Poppy loves crimes shows and in her prime she acted on one, how hard could it be to become a P.I. With the help of her two best friends, Violet and Iris, she opens up the Desert Flowers Detective Agency, the only problem no one thinks a bunch of old women can help them with their needs. They decide they need a face that everyone would want to hire so they bring in Poppy's daughters boyfriend Matt. Matt not only has the face but a charismatic way about him that people trust. When they receive their first case they can't wait to show everyone what they are made of. The Palm Leaf Retirement Village has had a string of burglaries and among them is an aging actress who would love to get her jewelry back. While investigating Poppy comes across the body of said actress and a new mystery is handed to them. Follow along as Poppy and the gang investigate to figure out who killed the actress and why. Along the way they run into some unsavory characters, hidden secrets, and some truths they might not want to hear. I was surprised in the end and I think you will be to. This was a fantastic introduction to some new characters who I can't wait to get to know better. You realize as you read that you are never to old to try something new and appreciate that no matter your age things aren't always easy.
December 29, 2018
2.5 stars. The premise of the characters is good, but storyline gets muddled and characters begin to fall flat.
A sort of Jessica Fletcher meets Miss Julia. 60 something Poppy and her friends are cliches for cozy mysteries. Poppy, an 80's actress, is suddenly widowed and unsuspectingly penniless and homeless thanks to her gambling and philandering ( the wife is the last to know) husband.
Her friends, Iris and Violet, help her open a private detective agency in order to make a living.
The story begins with Poppy discovering a body and then the story flashes back to two months previously. Unfortunately, it feels as if there's two months to get back to the actual murder ( 185 pages if you are wondering). Matt is the overly good looking, actor boyfriend of Poppy's daughter who "acts" the part of the owner/detective of the Desert Flowers Agency.
Too many characters are stereotypical; even the dead ones. Cheating husband steals and spends unsuspecting actress's money and step-daughter's trust fund, actor wanna-be, flamboyantly gay personal assistant, wealthy older cougar married to handsomely younger man named Dash, matter-of-fact friend Iris with an unusual life history, etc.. with so many things happening, the murder and missing jewelry almost seems as an afterthought. Poppy Harmon Investigates could have been a fun story of retirement home antics or as a cozy mystery, but it doesn't work as both. Hopefully, the second one will be a bit stronger now that the characters are established.
A sort of Jessica Fletcher meets Miss Julia. 60 something Poppy and her friends are cliches for cozy mysteries. Poppy, an 80's actress, is suddenly widowed and unsuspectingly penniless and homeless thanks to her gambling and philandering ( the wife is the last to know) husband.
Her friends, Iris and Violet, help her open a private detective agency in order to make a living.
The story begins with Poppy discovering a body and then the story flashes back to two months previously. Unfortunately, it feels as if there's two months to get back to the actual murder ( 185 pages if you are wondering). Matt is the overly good looking, actor boyfriend of Poppy's daughter who "acts" the part of the owner/detective of the Desert Flowers Agency.
Too many characters are stereotypical; even the dead ones. Cheating husband steals and spends unsuspecting actress's money and step-daughter's trust fund, actor wanna-be, flamboyantly gay personal assistant, wealthy older cougar married to handsomely younger man named Dash, matter-of-fact friend Iris with an unusual life history, etc.. with so many things happening, the murder and missing jewelry almost seems as an afterthought. Poppy Harmon Investigates could have been a fun story of retirement home antics or as a cozy mystery, but it doesn't work as both. Hopefully, the second one will be a bit stronger now that the characters are established.
August 18, 2018
The first clue I had that this was not going to be a good one is from the cover - how old do you think the lady in stilettos is? Hmm? Well, in the first chapter we find the main character, Poppy, is 62. I'm 62 -not wearing stilettos any time soon! The next clue is that her 2 best friends are Iris and Violet. Too cute. Alas, I paid no attention and ventured further anyway. I've read 400 page books in 1 day. It took me a week to slog through this. I kept hoping it would get better. For the first time in my life (really!) I skipped to the end to find out who the burglar and/or murderer was/were just to get it over with. I don't know if it is the writing, the characters, or the plot, but it was just so boring! Now I love a good cozy- for example, M.C. Beaton and Diane Mott-Davidson are two of my most read authors. But this was neither good nor cozy.
October 4, 2018
I really liked the start of this book but lost interest after the first few chapters. I just didn't like the characters all that much and felt it was a zany plot. Many others will probably like it with good reason, but it's just not my kind of book.
August 8, 2018
I am so disappointed that this book wasn’t better. I found it boring and hard to stay focused on the story because I just wan’t enjoying it. Won’t be reading anymore books in this series.
September 16, 2018
Loved this book and most characters (Iris was my favorite!) and laughed out loud several times BUT I positively hated the daughter and the plot twist at the end that was left hanging. I really should rate it lower but most of this book was so good so I'm only knocking one star ⭐️ off (being generous)
July 30, 2018
Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis is the first novel in A Desert Flowers Mystery series. Poppy Harmon is shocked when she learns that her recently deceased husband, Chester gambled away all their money and left her deeply in debt. Poppy with the aid of her two friends, Iris Becker and Violet Hogan open The Desert Flowers Detective Agency. Unfortunately, people do not want to hire three mature women to solve their cases. That is when Poppy recruits her daughter’s actor boyfriend, Matt Cameron to be the face of the agency. Matt, though, prefers a more hands on approach. Their first client is entertainer, Shirley Fox who lost uninsured jewelry in a recent break in at her home in the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. It turns out that there have been a rash of burglaries in the complex. Shirley wants the agency to retrieve her cache of jewels. While investigating the thefts, Poppy finds actress, Olivia Hammersmith dead in her home. Are the thefts and the murder connected? Poppy, Iris, and Violet along with Matt are determined to get answers and make a success of their fledgling business.
Poppy Harmon Investigates has an adorable cover and it is what drew me to the book. I thought the book was easy to read. It is a little bit of a slow starter, but the pace picks up as you get further into the story. The author took the time to set up Poppy’s character along with Iris, Violet, Heather and Matt. Poppy, Rose and Violet are lively ladies in their 60s who are ready to take on a new challenge. How Poppy obtained her private investigators license was a little farfetched. Her “experience” does not qualify her for the work. The mystery did not begin until I was 40% into the story when the agency is hired to investigate Shirley’s jewelry theft. The murder does not occur until later in the book and I wish it had been more of a feature. It is an interesting mystery. The two mysteries are not difficult to solve especially for those readers who devour cozy mysteries. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story (my mother laughed her way through the book). She thought the ladies and Matt’s antics were quite entertaining. I was not fond of Heather and her treatment of her mother. She feels that it is silly for her mother to embark on this venture at her age and does not hesitate to let Poppy know what she thinks repeatedly (it was inappropriate and uncomfortable). Heather does not appreciate Matt getting involved in her mother’s shenanigans (Heather’s words). Iris has her grandson, Wyatt set up their website and utilizes him for his other handy computer skills (hacking). I did not like how they encouraged his hacking (and hope that they do not get caught). The interactions between Poppy, Iris and Violet are delightful and their hijinks will have you giggling. My rating for Poppy Harmon Investigates is 3 out of 5 stars. A Desert Flowers Mystery series has potential. I hope the author will add a more compelling mystery in the next book that is the focus of the story and develop the characters further. Poppy Harmon Investigates is a light, amusing cozy mystery that will appeal to fans of Lee Hollis.
Poppy Harmon Investigates has an adorable cover and it is what drew me to the book. I thought the book was easy to read. It is a little bit of a slow starter, but the pace picks up as you get further into the story. The author took the time to set up Poppy’s character along with Iris, Violet, Heather and Matt. Poppy, Rose and Violet are lively ladies in their 60s who are ready to take on a new challenge. How Poppy obtained her private investigators license was a little farfetched. Her “experience” does not qualify her for the work. The mystery did not begin until I was 40% into the story when the agency is hired to investigate Shirley’s jewelry theft. The murder does not occur until later in the book and I wish it had been more of a feature. It is an interesting mystery. The two mysteries are not difficult to solve especially for those readers who devour cozy mysteries. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story (my mother laughed her way through the book). She thought the ladies and Matt’s antics were quite entertaining. I was not fond of Heather and her treatment of her mother. She feels that it is silly for her mother to embark on this venture at her age and does not hesitate to let Poppy know what she thinks repeatedly (it was inappropriate and uncomfortable). Heather does not appreciate Matt getting involved in her mother’s shenanigans (Heather’s words). Iris has her grandson, Wyatt set up their website and utilizes him for his other handy computer skills (hacking). I did not like how they encouraged his hacking (and hope that they do not get caught). The interactions between Poppy, Iris and Violet are delightful and their hijinks will have you giggling. My rating for Poppy Harmon Investigates is 3 out of 5 stars. A Desert Flowers Mystery series has potential. I hope the author will add a more compelling mystery in the next book that is the focus of the story and develop the characters further. Poppy Harmon Investigates is a light, amusing cozy mystery that will appeal to fans of Lee Hollis.
April 22, 2019
I had originally taken this out of the library and was reading it on a few car trips, so I'm kind of guessing on the read date. I'm glad I got taken in by a brand new book at the library, because I wasn't sure if I would ever have paid much attention to this book. I knew I loved Lee Hollis' Hayley Powell series and I was definitely not disappointed with this book. I loved that Poppy was an older lady than the usual amateur sleuth and was determined to pull herself back up after finding out she was left penniless by her recently-deceased third husband. She did what any good cozy mystery amateur sleuth would do, she got her private detective's license and started an agency with her two good friends. Violet and Iris were pretty awesome friends. Iris took a bit of getting used to with her sort of gruff exterior, but she was very loyal to her friend. I loved how the ladies hired Violet's 12-year-old grandson Wyatt, since he was a whiz with computer info (and how he got said info was something Poppy didn't really want to think about too much!)
At first I didn't care much for Matt, Poppy's daughter's boyfriend, but he grew on me as well, especially when he was hired as the face of the agency. The murder in the story was referred to at the very beginning, but the book had to rewind a little to show how Desert Flowers Detective Agency came to be. The ladies had two cases going, and I was surprised at who the perps were for both cases. I'm anxious to see when the second book is coming out and what Poppy and her agency gets into in their next adventure.
At first I didn't care much for Matt, Poppy's daughter's boyfriend, but he grew on me as well, especially when he was hired as the face of the agency. The murder in the story was referred to at the very beginning, but the book had to rewind a little to show how Desert Flowers Detective Agency came to be. The ladies had two cases going, and I was surprised at who the perps were for both cases. I'm anxious to see when the second book is coming out and what Poppy and her agency gets into in their next adventure.
May 9, 2020
This was a great way to start a series. Poppy Harmon is recently windowed and has just found out that her husband had a gambling problem and left her with all of his debts. Poppy now needs to find a way to pay these debts off. The retired actress decides to open a P.I. business with her two friends Iris and Violet. But they soon discover no one wants to hire a bunch of elderly ladies. So Poppy enlists her daughters boyfriend, Matt, an actor to be the face of the business but the ladies would do the investigating. They are working their first case when an enemy of Poppy's client winds up dead and adding to their case. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Poppy and her friends were fun characters that I connected to immediately. The mysteries were well done. I absolutely did not see that final twist coming. Definitely a great new series that I will be continuing.
July 28, 2018
E-book/Mystery: I requested this book from NetGalley because it was about a woman who has to hit the restart button at an older age. Poppy is 62 and has well-to-do friends, so it comes a little too easy in the beginning. At first I thought it was going to be like the old show Moonlighting and Poppy was going to start working in an already established PI firm. No, it's more like Remington Steele where the woman has to get a young actor to play the part of boss because no one wants to hire a over 40 female to be a PI.
I did like the book an I like the characters of Poppy, Violet, and Iris. I wasn't too crazy about Matt or the whiz grandson. The grandson was there for comedic plot, but again, he made things come to easily for the agency.
The book was okay in most places, but I did start tuning out and my mind wondering during the second half. There were so many suspects and settings that I'd have to remember who there were in the beginning of the book. That's pretty bad because I read this in two days. I will say that I did not guess the murderer, again a lot of coincidences.
I did like the book an I like the characters of Poppy, Violet, and Iris. I wasn't too crazy about Matt or the whiz grandson. The grandson was there for comedic plot, but again, he made things come to easily for the agency.
The book was okay in most places, but I did start tuning out and my mind wondering during the second half. There were so many suspects and settings that I'd have to remember who there were in the beginning of the book. That's pretty bad because I read this in two days. I will say that I did not guess the murderer, again a lot of coincidences.
May 3, 2019
A fluffy mystery that is light and entertaining....no thinking necessary.
February 15, 2020
A fun read. The detective is an older sleuth-- a retired TV show actress. Warm and heartfelt characters and a lot of twists.
March 23, 2021
Fun group of older ladies investigating.
September 19, 2018
Princess Fuzzypants here: We almost gave up on this book in the first chapter. Poppy’s husband has died suddenly and if she had known the things she discovers after his death, she might have killed him and got off on Justifiable Homicide. I mean it is a total downer. She finds out he has left her broke with huge debts and that is but the beginning. As a former actress who gave up her career 30 years ago, she has to start again as a lady of a certain age. In a world that dismisses women who have the nerve to age, she must reinvent herself. And how she does this is when the story turned around for me. She is one plucky, feisty and smart lady despite being ignorant of her husband’s double life.
She realizes she is too old for Hollywood but when she starred on a tv series, she discovered she had a knack for solving mysteries. What better way to earn a living than to become a PI.
Sadly, the world is not ready for a sixty-something lady PI so she and her partners in crime enlist a young sexy guy, who happens to be Poppy’s daughter’s actor boyfriend. Poppy has reservations about Matt but there is more to him than meets the eye...and the eye candy is sweet. A la Remington Steele, the ladies do the work and Matt takes the bows.
They have a humdinger of a first job. Initially they are hired to find the jewellery stolen from another icon from the past and then, when her arch rival is found murdered, they switch gears to prove their client did not murder the woman. They are good at what they do. Really good. So good that they find the jewels, and prove the innocence of the client. Unfortunately, they are so good they find the murderer and it is not whom they think. In fact, the reader will be as surprised as Poppy is to learn who did it
It is a great story with fascinating characters who show that ladies with a few wrinkles and some mileage still have what it takes. Matt is also quite endearing after starting off like an obnoxious twit. I suspect and hope we will be treated to future adventures. It will be interesting to see if the ladies finally take the spotlight from Matt. I can hardly wait.
I give it five purrs and two paws up.
She realizes she is too old for Hollywood but when she starred on a tv series, she discovered she had a knack for solving mysteries. What better way to earn a living than to become a PI.
Sadly, the world is not ready for a sixty-something lady PI so she and her partners in crime enlist a young sexy guy, who happens to be Poppy’s daughter’s actor boyfriend. Poppy has reservations about Matt but there is more to him than meets the eye...and the eye candy is sweet. A la Remington Steele, the ladies do the work and Matt takes the bows.
They have a humdinger of a first job. Initially they are hired to find the jewellery stolen from another icon from the past and then, when her arch rival is found murdered, they switch gears to prove their client did not murder the woman. They are good at what they do. Really good. So good that they find the jewels, and prove the innocence of the client. Unfortunately, they are so good they find the murderer and it is not whom they think. In fact, the reader will be as surprised as Poppy is to learn who did it
It is a great story with fascinating characters who show that ladies with a few wrinkles and some mileage still have what it takes. Matt is also quite endearing after starting off like an obnoxious twit. I suspect and hope we will be treated to future adventures. It will be interesting to see if the ladies finally take the spotlight from Matt. I can hardly wait.
I give it five purrs and two paws up.
November 9, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I really did not expect to like it, but after reading it, I cannot wait to read (hopefully) more in the series.
The protagonist was absolutely delightful and with humor and some wonderful friends embarks on a new chapter in her life.
The whodunit was well written and had twists that kept me enthralled until the very end.
A good solid start to this new cozy series, and one that I highly recommend!
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
The protagonist was absolutely delightful and with humor and some wonderful friends embarks on a new chapter in her life.
The whodunit was well written and had twists that kept me enthralled until the very end.
A good solid start to this new cozy series, and one that I highly recommend!
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
July 8, 2018
I love this writer and had high expectations but unfortunately this book fell flat and I was a bit disappointed.
Even if there're a lot funny moments, it took ages to get to the mystery part and it was slow.
There's a lot of potential but the books doesn't delivery and it's a sort of incomplete work.
I'll give a try to the next instalment to see things improved.
Unfortunately this one was not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC
Even if there're a lot funny moments, it took ages to get to the mystery part and it was slow.
There's a lot of potential but the books doesn't delivery and it's a sort of incomplete work.
I'll give a try to the next instalment to see things improved.
Unfortunately this one was not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC
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