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A Garden Squad Mystery #2
Tilling the Truth
It’s August in Goosebush, Massachusetts, and go-getter retiree Lilly Jayne and her youthful senior pals show no sign of slowing down during the lazy days of summer. But when murder mows over a pesky local, could a Garden Squad member be nurturing a deadly second act?
While Lilly digs into a town beautification project, her friend Tamara O’Connor has greater concerns than well-pruned geraniums. The real-estate firm owner hasn’t been shy about blaming perennial grouch Gladys Preston for thwarting her many attempts to sell off a beautiful beachside property. But accusations fly when Gladys is suddenly found dead—and Tamara is caught standing over the body with a bloody weapon in her hand . . .
As Tamara becomes the prime murder suspect, Lilly and the Garden Squad ladies set out to prove that someone planted the evidence. With a potpourri of alarming clues scattered around Goosebush, cracking this case means confronting a calculating culprit with a penchant for cutting down anyone who gets in the way . . .
While Lilly digs into a town beautification project, her friend Tamara O’Connor has greater concerns than well-pruned geraniums. The real-estate firm owner hasn’t been shy about blaming perennial grouch Gladys Preston for thwarting her many attempts to sell off a beautiful beachside property. But accusations fly when Gladys is suddenly found dead—and Tamara is caught standing over the body with a bloody weapon in her hand . . .
As Tamara becomes the prime murder suspect, Lilly and the Garden Squad ladies set out to prove that someone planted the evidence. With a potpourri of alarming clues scattered around Goosebush, cracking this case means confronting a calculating culprit with a penchant for cutting down anyone who gets in the way . . .
298 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 27, 2019
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281 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
July 21, 2019
Visiting with Lilly Jane, Delia and the Garden Squad, in Goosebush, is like coming home to visit old friends!
A ruthless real estate agent, the surprising death of Lilly Jane's friend Harmon, greedy relatives, Delia moving out to follow her teaching career and bickering neighbors lead to murder and unrest in Goosebush. When Lilly Jane's best friend Tamera, is a suspect in a murder, the squad goes into action to clear her name.
I'm in "book" love with this series! The main character, Lilly Jane, is mature and has seen both happiness and sadness in her life, like we all have experienced, without letting the sad times overwhelm her. The credit for this goes to her strong will and the lovely group of friends she has had for years. Not only are they friends, but they share her curiosity and need for the truth. The addition of Lilly Jane's new neighbor, Roddy, adds a small bit of romance and I wonder what his"story" will be!
The mystery is fast-paced and filled with red herrings. The perfect mystery for me!
I received an ARC from Net Galley for a fair and honest review of this book.
A ruthless real estate agent, the surprising death of Lilly Jane's friend Harmon, greedy relatives, Delia moving out to follow her teaching career and bickering neighbors lead to murder and unrest in Goosebush. When Lilly Jane's best friend Tamera, is a suspect in a murder, the squad goes into action to clear her name.
I'm in "book" love with this series! The main character, Lilly Jane, is mature and has seen both happiness and sadness in her life, like we all have experienced, without letting the sad times overwhelm her. The credit for this goes to her strong will and the lovely group of friends she has had for years. Not only are they friends, but they share her curiosity and need for the truth. The addition of Lilly Jane's new neighbor, Roddy, adds a small bit of romance and I wonder what his"story" will be!
The mystery is fast-paced and filled with red herrings. The perfect mystery for me!
I received an ARC from Net Galley for a fair and honest review of this book.
August 21, 2019
It’s August in Goosebush, Massachusetts, but Lilly Jayne and the rest of the Garden Squad just as busy as every trying to make their town beautiful again. But there are some thorns among the blooms. The recent death of a friend has left Lilly, as executor of his estate, dealing with his greedy relatives. Meanwhile, Lilly’s best friend, Tamara, is finding her efforts to sell the dead man’s house meeting with sabotage, something that is only making her stress over the new relator in town worse. But things come to a head when Tamara is found standing over the dead body of Gladys Preston. Gladys didn’t have many friends in town, but she recently had a very public fight with Tamara. As the rumor mill begins to heat up, Lilly knows she needs to figure out what really happened to help her friend clear her name. Can she do it?
I fell in love with these characters with the first book in the series, and it was great to be back to visit them again. I will admit it took me a bit to get completely back in the flow of the characters and Goosebush, but it wasn’t long before I had. Lilly and many of her friends are on the older side, and I enjoy this break from the traditional cozy lead character. They and the new characters came to life for me as the story unfolded. The plot takes on quite a bit, so as a result the book appears to be wandering a little before Gladys dies, but everything is important and comes into play. I’m actually a little in awe of how it all came together, although the ending was a tad rushed. I also appreciated how the theme of old versus new or tradition versus change played out in the book. I suspect we will see that again in future books. For those who have a green thumb, some gardening tips are included at the back of the book. This second book is fun as we get to watch Lilly weed out another killer.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I fell in love with these characters with the first book in the series, and it was great to be back to visit them again. I will admit it took me a bit to get completely back in the flow of the characters and Goosebush, but it wasn’t long before I had. Lilly and many of her friends are on the older side, and I enjoy this break from the traditional cozy lead character. They and the new characters came to life for me as the story unfolded. The plot takes on quite a bit, so as a result the book appears to be wandering a little before Gladys dies, but everything is important and comes into play. I’m actually a little in awe of how it all came together, although the ending was a tad rushed. I also appreciated how the theme of old versus new or tradition versus change played out in the book. I suspect we will see that again in future books. For those who have a green thumb, some gardening tips are included at the back of the book. This second book is fun as we get to watch Lilly weed out another killer.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
February 12, 2023
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The Garden Squad has been doing good works all over Goosebush, Massachusetts. They are also helping with Recycling Day, a fundraiser for the high school sports teams. Folks donate gently used home goods and furniture that the students clean, fix, and refurbish as part of their shop classes. The items are then sold in a huge rummage sale later in the year. Lily has also been named executor of a long-time friend’s estate which means dealing with his family and making sure his wishes are carried out. The town beautification committee is also having meetings to vote and coordinate upcoming projects.
Squad members and volunteers start to arrive at the dump for Recycling Day. Board member and Lily’s best friend Tamara O’Connor must already be there because the gate is unlocked. Lily, Delia, and Warwick arrive and hear a bloodcurdling scream. They take off running to find Tamara standing over the body of Gladys Preston. A cantankerous woman who has been a thorn in Tamara’s side.
Past experiences and being the one to find the body plants Tamara firmly at the top of the suspect list. This puts Lilly Jayne and the Garden Squad on high alert. Digging up clues and hunting down suspects all in trying to prove Tamara is innocent before the killer strikes again.
I really enjoyed meeting Ms. Henry’s characters in Pruning the Dead and couldn’t wait to visit them again. In Tilling the Truth we get to know them better and meet some new characters as well. Harmon Dane, sadly deceased when the book began appears to have been a man with a huge heart and a love of birds. In his will, he took care of his family in different ways but a bird sanctuary near his home was the prime beneficiary. Cousins Miranda and Braden Dane were not happy with their uncle’s will and are hoping Lilly will see it their needs must be met instead of giving the money to the birds. We also meet Regan Holland, a new realtor in town doing her best to put Tamara out of business. Contactor Lenny Andrus has decided to move his renovation business toward more new construction with some very creative financing. And we meet Gladys Preston who owned a house near Harmon, was not happy about the bird sanctuary, and according to Lily, “one of the most miserable people in Goosebush” who “looked at life through a prism of gloom”. She is also the victim of this mystery. I have to say this author crafts her characters so well. I love that most of them are close to my age or older and still living vibrant lives. Maybe that is why I like them so much.
The mystery included a large garden of suspects for the Garden Squad to weed through. Clues were dropped at a perfect pace and I enjoyed the well-placed twists and turns. There were really a lot of things happening in this story and Ms. Henry did an excellent job of entangling it all together to make a very entertaining read. The way the ending was set up was sooooo gooood! I was delighted by the way everything played out.
I am late to the party for this series and I am sorry for that. That being said I am enjoying every minute of it. Tilling the Truth checks every cozy box, an interesting small town, diverse and engaging characters, and mysteries that really keep those pages flipping. I can’t wait to read book 3, Digging Up The Remains.
The Garden Squad has been doing good works all over Goosebush, Massachusetts. They are also helping with Recycling Day, a fundraiser for the high school sports teams. Folks donate gently used home goods and furniture that the students clean, fix, and refurbish as part of their shop classes. The items are then sold in a huge rummage sale later in the year. Lily has also been named executor of a long-time friend’s estate which means dealing with his family and making sure his wishes are carried out. The town beautification committee is also having meetings to vote and coordinate upcoming projects.
Squad members and volunteers start to arrive at the dump for Recycling Day. Board member and Lily’s best friend Tamara O’Connor must already be there because the gate is unlocked. Lily, Delia, and Warwick arrive and hear a bloodcurdling scream. They take off running to find Tamara standing over the body of Gladys Preston. A cantankerous woman who has been a thorn in Tamara’s side.
Past experiences and being the one to find the body plants Tamara firmly at the top of the suspect list. This puts Lilly Jayne and the Garden Squad on high alert. Digging up clues and hunting down suspects all in trying to prove Tamara is innocent before the killer strikes again.
I really enjoyed meeting Ms. Henry’s characters in Pruning the Dead and couldn’t wait to visit them again. In Tilling the Truth we get to know them better and meet some new characters as well. Harmon Dane, sadly deceased when the book began appears to have been a man with a huge heart and a love of birds. In his will, he took care of his family in different ways but a bird sanctuary near his home was the prime beneficiary. Cousins Miranda and Braden Dane were not happy with their uncle’s will and are hoping Lilly will see it their needs must be met instead of giving the money to the birds. We also meet Regan Holland, a new realtor in town doing her best to put Tamara out of business. Contactor Lenny Andrus has decided to move his renovation business toward more new construction with some very creative financing. And we meet Gladys Preston who owned a house near Harmon, was not happy about the bird sanctuary, and according to Lily, “one of the most miserable people in Goosebush” who “looked at life through a prism of gloom”. She is also the victim of this mystery. I have to say this author crafts her characters so well. I love that most of them are close to my age or older and still living vibrant lives. Maybe that is why I like them so much.
The mystery included a large garden of suspects for the Garden Squad to weed through. Clues were dropped at a perfect pace and I enjoyed the well-placed twists and turns. There were really a lot of things happening in this story and Ms. Henry did an excellent job of entangling it all together to make a very entertaining read. The way the ending was set up was sooooo gooood! I was delighted by the way everything played out.
I am late to the party for this series and I am sorry for that. That being said I am enjoying every minute of it. Tilling the Truth checks every cozy box, an interesting small town, diverse and engaging characters, and mysteries that really keep those pages flipping. I can’t wait to read book 3, Digging Up The Remains.
September 13, 2021
This is the second book in the Garden Squad Mystery series, and I enjoyed it a bit more than the last one. In this outing, Lilly's friend and real estate agent, Tamara, is having a hard time selling a beachside property. Every showing and open house is sabotaged with smells, rodents and insects. She is sure that grumpy Gladys who is a neighbour, is behind it. After having an argument about the property, Gladys ends up dead and Tamara is the one who finds the body. Of course, Tamara is the prime suspect, so Lilly and her friends in the Garden Squad work on finding out who killed Tamara and why? Throw in a ruthless real estate agent who wants to open her own agency, questions surrounding her friend Harmon's death and greedy relatives and Lilly has more on her plate than most people. Thank goodness for the garden squad, as they are ready to help.
This mystery has a lot going on and Lilly is kept hopping. She is smart and has a lot of friends, so is able to get some help as well as having people talk to her. If you have not read the previous book in this series, Lilly Jane is an older sleuth, a widow and a lifelong Goosebush native. The secondary characters are her friends and neighbours, who share her curiosity and need for the truth. The addition of Lilly Jane's new neighbor, Roddy, adds a small bit of romance and another interesting characters. The murder has a lot of suspects and clues were dropped along the way. I thought I knew who the culprit was and I had some of it right, but not all. This was a relatively fast moving story and it was nice to get to know some of the other characters a bit better. I am looking forward to seeing what is next for The Gardening Squad.
This mystery has a lot going on and Lilly is kept hopping. She is smart and has a lot of friends, so is able to get some help as well as having people talk to her. If you have not read the previous book in this series, Lilly Jane is an older sleuth, a widow and a lifelong Goosebush native. The secondary characters are her friends and neighbours, who share her curiosity and need for the truth. The addition of Lilly Jane's new neighbor, Roddy, adds a small bit of romance and another interesting characters. The murder has a lot of suspects and clues were dropped along the way. I thought I knew who the culprit was and I had some of it right, but not all. This was a relatively fast moving story and it was nice to get to know some of the other characters a bit better. I am looking forward to seeing what is next for The Gardening Squad.
August 24, 2019
It is summer in Gooseberry, Massachusetts in the 2nd book in the Garden Squad Series. Lilly Jayne is responsible for carrying out plans for a bird nesting area. Tamara O'Connor is a real estate agent who has the listing to the house that has many restrictions that are applied to the house. Gladys Preston, a neighbor is found MURDERED and Tamara is standing over Gladys with bloody knife in her hand. Tamara is arrested for the murder and the Garden Squad feel the police are wrong. The squad sets out to find the real killer. Will they succeed? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.
Disclosure: Thanks to Kensington Books for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclosure: Thanks to Kensington Books for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
June 28, 2021
Eh, not a bad story. This still isn't my favorite series but it's tolerable. The characters just aren't as active and interesting. I'll still read them all though since I received the latest to review.
October 4, 2019
Tilling the Truth by Julia Henry is the second A Garden Squad Mystery. Lilly Jayne lives in Goosebush, Massachusetts where she keeps herself busy with beautification projects plus as executor of Harmon Dane’s estate. Tamara O’Connor, a local realtor, is up in arms because her open houses keep getting sabotaged (dozens of mice and black goo backing up drains). On the town recycling day, Lilly finds Tamara standing over Gladys Preston with a bloody faucet in her hand. It is evident that Tamara has been set up. Lilly Jayne and the Garden Squad set out to root out the real culprit. Tilling the Truth can be read alone for those who did not read Pruning the Dead. However, I recommend reading the series in order, so you are familiar with the characters. It helps to know the players when it comes to solving the mystery. We are introduced to Goosebush, Massachusetts as well as a host of its residents. Gardening is a passion for several of the townspeople including Lilly Jayne. Lilly Jayne and a group of her friends called the Garden Squad work under cover of darkness to fix up neglected areas of the town. This same group also helps Lilly Jayne to solve Gladys murder. Gladys was not well liked which gives us multiple suspects. There is plenty of gossip to discern and a few clues as well. You will need to weed through the suspects to find the killer. To me the killer was a red rose stuck in the middle of a bouquet of white roses (easy to spot). There are cozy moments as the group drinks tea or wine, has a nosh, and chats. Gardening is a hot topic and there are gardening tips at the end of the book. Tilling the Truth is a character driven cozy mystery and this author has provided a lively set of characters. Tilling the Truth is a charming cozy mystery with floral fanatics, avaricious heirs, stinky smells, runaway roses, and a sly saboteur.
September 10, 2019
Tilling The Truth is the second book in the Garden Squad Mystery series.
The Garden Squad are back and working on plans for more beautification of Goosebush MA. Lilly Jayne, leader of the Garden Squad is facing the loss of Delia. Delia has been helping Lilly manage her house. Delia has been acting as interim town clerk and has decided to start her college teaching career.
Lilly has been appointed an executor of Harmon Danes estate with the expressed proviso that monies from the estate be used to protect and provide a home for the birds that he loved. Braden and Miranda, Danes’ relatives, are pushing Lilly to advance them funds from the Dane estate while Lilly’s good friend, Tamara, tries to sell the house. But somebody is sabotaging her open house plans.
Tamara finds evidence that Gladys Preston, who lives next door to Dane’s estate, might be responsible for ruining the open houses. Gladys texts Tamara to meet her at the cities dumpsite. But meeting won’t take place, as Gladys is dead and Tamara is found standing over the lifeless body holding the murder weapon. It seems that there are other possible suspects and Lilly and the Garden Squad set off to clear Tamara’s name.
I find this to be a very enjoyable and interesting series. It is well-plotted and written story, with a cast of well-developed and interesting characters. I would love to live in a community like Goosebush and call the residents my friends.
Helpful gardening tips are also included in the book.
I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.
The Garden Squad are back and working on plans for more beautification of Goosebush MA. Lilly Jayne, leader of the Garden Squad is facing the loss of Delia. Delia has been helping Lilly manage her house. Delia has been acting as interim town clerk and has decided to start her college teaching career.
Lilly has been appointed an executor of Harmon Danes estate with the expressed proviso that monies from the estate be used to protect and provide a home for the birds that he loved. Braden and Miranda, Danes’ relatives, are pushing Lilly to advance them funds from the Dane estate while Lilly’s good friend, Tamara, tries to sell the house. But somebody is sabotaging her open house plans.
Tamara finds evidence that Gladys Preston, who lives next door to Dane’s estate, might be responsible for ruining the open houses. Gladys texts Tamara to meet her at the cities dumpsite. But meeting won’t take place, as Gladys is dead and Tamara is found standing over the lifeless body holding the murder weapon. It seems that there are other possible suspects and Lilly and the Garden Squad set off to clear Tamara’s name.
I find this to be a very enjoyable and interesting series. It is well-plotted and written story, with a cast of well-developed and interesting characters. I would love to live in a community like Goosebush and call the residents my friends.
Helpful gardening tips are also included in the book.
I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.
August 22, 2019
3.75 Stars
This is the second book in the Garden Squad Mystery series by Julia Henry.
It seems like the retiree vibe is big in cozy mysteries right now. The book I read before this had a similar theme. There was a bit of a garden concept going on in that one as well. Comparing this one to that, I felt the previous book did the mystery part of they story better. But I felt like this one did the friendships and the relationships better. That isn’t to say the mystery was bad. It wasn’t. It was a pretty good one. This is my first time reading a book in this series so I wasn’t as familiar with everything that was going on per say. I wasn’t sure who the permanent residents were as opposed to the people who were only here for this particular storyline. Not knowing made the mystery a bit harder to figure out. So, maybe not knowing was a good thing.
Basic premise: A group of ladies is meeting in order to organize what seemed to me was a dump site. A very organized dump site. Sort of half dump half recycled area. Donations everywhere but there is a method to their madness. One of the ladies, Tamara, came earlier and found the dead body of another in their group, Gladys. Gladys had been at odds with some people trying to sell off a specific beachfront property. And this kerfuffle lead to murder.
Tamara was found mere minutes after she found the body of Gladys holding onto an old rusted sink. The only reason the weapon was bloody as it says in the above synopsis was because she dropped the sink in the bloody pool around Gladys. This was after all the women found her standing over the body.
The normal gossip and innuendo surrounded much of the latter half of the book. This was merely to introduce us to all the players in the drama. I have to admit that I did get a tad confused from time to time remembering who was who. Maybe it was retiree brain. Two of these types of books in a row gave me what my Dad calls the CRS syndrome (can’t remember shit.). He blames this on being old. Not sure what my excuse is.
Overall this felt more like a good visit with a bunch of ladies you see at church every week and less like a mystery. The mystery was fine. Not bad at all in retrospect. But I think the winning part of this was the town and the feeling of how they interacted with one another. This alone is what will make people return to this series. Mysteries come and go but family and friends are forever. If you love hometown cozy mysteries with normal, regular people, this series is the butter to your homemade bread.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
This is the second book in the Garden Squad Mystery series by Julia Henry.
It seems like the retiree vibe is big in cozy mysteries right now. The book I read before this had a similar theme. There was a bit of a garden concept going on in that one as well. Comparing this one to that, I felt the previous book did the mystery part of they story better. But I felt like this one did the friendships and the relationships better. That isn’t to say the mystery was bad. It wasn’t. It was a pretty good one. This is my first time reading a book in this series so I wasn’t as familiar with everything that was going on per say. I wasn’t sure who the permanent residents were as opposed to the people who were only here for this particular storyline. Not knowing made the mystery a bit harder to figure out. So, maybe not knowing was a good thing.
Basic premise: A group of ladies is meeting in order to organize what seemed to me was a dump site. A very organized dump site. Sort of half dump half recycled area. Donations everywhere but there is a method to their madness. One of the ladies, Tamara, came earlier and found the dead body of another in their group, Gladys. Gladys had been at odds with some people trying to sell off a specific beachfront property. And this kerfuffle lead to murder.
Tamara was found mere minutes after she found the body of Gladys holding onto an old rusted sink. The only reason the weapon was bloody as it says in the above synopsis was because she dropped the sink in the bloody pool around Gladys. This was after all the women found her standing over the body.
The normal gossip and innuendo surrounded much of the latter half of the book. This was merely to introduce us to all the players in the drama. I have to admit that I did get a tad confused from time to time remembering who was who. Maybe it was retiree brain. Two of these types of books in a row gave me what my Dad calls the CRS syndrome (can’t remember shit.). He blames this on being old. Not sure what my excuse is.
Overall this felt more like a good visit with a bunch of ladies you see at church every week and less like a mystery. The mystery was fine. Not bad at all in retrospect. But I think the winning part of this was the town and the feeling of how they interacted with one another. This alone is what will make people return to this series. Mysteries come and go but family and friends are forever. If you love hometown cozy mysteries with normal, regular people, this series is the butter to your homemade bread.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
September 2, 2019
"Tilling the Truth" is the 2nd installment in the "Garden Squad Mystery" series by Julia Henry. I had not read the first book but had no trouble following along so yes it can be read as a standalone. I do recommend reading them in order, this way you really get to know Lilly, Tamara and the rest of the garden squad members. I enjoyed the change to older sleuths instead of the more common younger 20-30 something.
It’s August in Goosebush, Massachusetts, and go-getter retiree Lilly Jayne and her youthful senior pals show no sign of slowing down during the lazy days of summer. But when murder mows over a pesky local, could a Garden Squad member be nurturing a deadly second act?
While Lilly digs into a town beautification project, her friend Tamara O’Connor has greater concerns than well-pruned geraniums. The real-estate firm owner hasn’t been shy about blaming perennial grouch Gladys Preston for thwarting her many attempts to sell off a beautiful beachside property. But accusations fly when Gladys is suddenly found dead—and Tamara is caught standing over the body with a bloody weapon in her hand . . .
As Tamara becomes the prime murder suspect, Lilly and the Garden Squad ladies set out to prove that someone planted the evidence. With a potpourri of alarming clues scattered around Goosebush, cracking this case means confronting a calculating culprit with a penchant for cutting down anyone who gets in the way . . .
I found the characters to be well rounded, fun and I liked the setting of Goosebush and its small town feel. The mystery was well plotted with plenty of clues and suspects to mull over.
It was an entertaining, easy read and I look forward to reading more about the "Garden Squad" .
I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It’s August in Goosebush, Massachusetts, and go-getter retiree Lilly Jayne and her youthful senior pals show no sign of slowing down during the lazy days of summer. But when murder mows over a pesky local, could a Garden Squad member be nurturing a deadly second act?
While Lilly digs into a town beautification project, her friend Tamara O’Connor has greater concerns than well-pruned geraniums. The real-estate firm owner hasn’t been shy about blaming perennial grouch Gladys Preston for thwarting her many attempts to sell off a beautiful beachside property. But accusations fly when Gladys is suddenly found dead—and Tamara is caught standing over the body with a bloody weapon in her hand . . .
As Tamara becomes the prime murder suspect, Lilly and the Garden Squad ladies set out to prove that someone planted the evidence. With a potpourri of alarming clues scattered around Goosebush, cracking this case means confronting a calculating culprit with a penchant for cutting down anyone who gets in the way . . .
I found the characters to be well rounded, fun and I liked the setting of Goosebush and its small town feel. The mystery was well plotted with plenty of clues and suspects to mull over.
It was an entertaining, easy read and I look forward to reading more about the "Garden Squad" .
I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 5, 2019
Lilly Jayne did a bang up job as an amateur sleuth in the first book in this series,
Pruning the Dead.
Now that she has another project - and another murder, Lilly is keen to sort things out. With her friend Tamara as the primary suspect, Lilly works feverishly to discover the killer's identity.
This cute cozy mystery has a few secrets, deviousness and more. Having already seen Lilly at work previously, I did enjoy her way of working on this. This book takes a while to gain traction, but remained an enjoyable read.
I love Lilly, her friends, with the moniker The Garden Squad, are all adorable elders. The intrigue is light-wight and the danger isn't off-putting, thus making this a enjoyable little cozy mystery.
Many thanks to Kensington and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
This cute cozy mystery has a few secrets, deviousness and more. Having already seen Lilly at work previously, I did enjoy her way of working on this. This book takes a while to gain traction, but remained an enjoyable read.
I love Lilly, her friends, with the moniker The Garden Squad, are all adorable elders. The intrigue is light-wight and the danger isn't off-putting, thus making this a enjoyable little cozy mystery.
Many thanks to Kensington and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
August 29, 2019
Tilling the Truth by Julia Henry is the 2nd book in A Garden Squad Mystery series. Lilly Jayne is 65 and retired. Lilly loves gardening along with her senior friends, in the Garden Squad. Tamara, the local realtor, is being sabotaged, with the local grouch, Gladys, leading the way. When Tamara is found standing over Glady's body, Lilly must save her friend and find the truth. I enjoyed this book, but I found it slow at times. I will be reading this author again and looking forward to the next book in the series.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.
May 13, 2020
I enjoyed the first book in the series but totally LOVED this one. I think Lilly, Bash and the crew are an amazing bunch who care about their town and everyone in it.
July 15, 2019
Dig in and gets your hands dirty with Lilly and the rest of the Garden Squad! With more twists than a creeping ivy, the second installation of this series blooms into a full blown bouquet of who did what to whom! You'll breeze through this one, and wish there were more. Now, we readers must lay dormant and wait for the third book! I LOVE THIS SERIES!
May 31, 2020
When a Goosebush, Massachusetts resident is found dead at the town dump, Lilly Jayne and her friends need to work together to discover who killed cranky Gladys and why. Add to the mix an annoying real estate agent trying to sabotage Lilly's bestie, greedy relatives of her recently deceased friend, and some possibly shady development deals happening in this quaint New England town, and Lilly's got her hands full! Julia Henry's much anticipated second Garden Squad mystery, Tilling the Truth, was a joy to read and the storytelling, characters, and mystery were all very nicely woven into a lovely and quite cozy story. A+++
August 13, 2022
I always enjoy my visits with Lilly Jayne and the Garden Club but had somehow missed this second book. Needless to say, I was delighted to find it on audio. It was also intrigued by not just the murder but the opportunity to see these characters as they were still being developed into the ones we know and so enjoy today. Lilly Jayne is not only an excellent gardener but amateur sleuth. When her friend and real estate agent Tamara is found with bloody hands standing over Gladys Preston's dead body, most are quick to assume the worst. Lilly, on the other hand, is convinced Tamara is innocent and sets out to find the truth.
One of the things I enjoy most about this series is that Lilly is a senior aged sleuth but has surrounded herself with friends and associates of different ages and experience. Delia, the young friend she met through her late husband, is beyond efficient but everyone brings different strengths and skills, making it a true group effort. Lilly, of course, is in the forefront. I like her, I like her a great deal, and have fully enjoyed the entire series to date now that I've finished this one, particularly as I've watched the side-stories, many connected to the history of their town or the environment, develop. I won't detail the plot as this one is already about three years old but will simply say, if you enjoy intelligent cozy mysteries with multi-level characters and stories, you will surely enjoy this one. My thanks to #DreamscapeMedia for creating this lovely audio of the book.
One of the things I enjoy most about this series is that Lilly is a senior aged sleuth but has surrounded herself with friends and associates of different ages and experience. Delia, the young friend she met through her late husband, is beyond efficient but everyone brings different strengths and skills, making it a true group effort. Lilly, of course, is in the forefront. I like her, I like her a great deal, and have fully enjoyed the entire series to date now that I've finished this one, particularly as I've watched the side-stories, many connected to the history of their town or the environment, develop. I won't detail the plot as this one is already about three years old but will simply say, if you enjoy intelligent cozy mysteries with multi-level characters and stories, you will surely enjoy this one. My thanks to #DreamscapeMedia for creating this lovely audio of the book.
August 8, 2020
I love this series, it puts a big smile on my face. Since it's set in August in Goosebush, MA, reading it in Lynnfield, MA in August seems appropriate. The description of the setting is perfect. Lilly and the Garden Squad are picking up pretty much where the first book ends. While the Beautification Committee is busy with yet another project, Tamara is neck deep in real-estate sales and troubles. When you've been having an issue with a particular member of town, it's never a good thing to be found standing over her dead body. The Garden Squad must put down their trowels and come to the aid of their friend. Add in some troubles with open houses and Tamara is having a tough summer. Lilly, who is already busy with some many things, is leading the way to confronting a devious culprit, and discovering that there may have been more than one murder in Goosebush. As with the first book, I loved the characters, the plot, and the description of small town in MA. Being a fellow MA resident, I feel author, Julia Henry has absolutely nailed the descriptions. I highly recommend this series and do think it's best if you start at the beginning to get a good feel for these enjoyable characters. Another fun summer read, I can't wait to read what the Garden Squad will get mixed up in next.
February 21, 2022
Tilling The Truth is the 2nd in the Garden Squad mystery series by Julia Henry. I started with the 3rd one and then decided to read them in order after that. You could read them in any order though as the author does a great job of making you feel like you already know the characters. There are slight references to previous books, nothing spoilerish though. Also, the books connect really well as characters plan and talk about things that will happen later on. So your reading experience is enhanced if you read in order.
There is such a great feeling of community and small town feel in this series. The main group of diverse characters take care of one another and work together to solve mysteries. The sleuthing is different in that they are trying to protect innocent people and their town. They don't interfere with the police investigation and always turn in information. So refreshing!
Besides murders there are always other things going on that need to be taken care of. Part of that is beautifying the town and refreshing green spaces. The friends do it under cover of night.
In Tilling The Truth the main character's best friend is accused of murder. The mystery is satisfying. There was a good amount of action and different things going on to make you question things. It was a quick, well written, cozy read.
There is such a great feeling of community and small town feel in this series. The main group of diverse characters take care of one another and work together to solve mysteries. The sleuthing is different in that they are trying to protect innocent people and their town. They don't interfere with the police investigation and always turn in information. So refreshing!
Besides murders there are always other things going on that need to be taken care of. Part of that is beautifying the town and refreshing green spaces. The friends do it under cover of night.
In Tilling The Truth the main character's best friend is accused of murder. The mystery is satisfying. There was a good amount of action and different things going on to make you question things. It was a quick, well written, cozy read.
July 29, 2020
The Garden Squad are back & this time they have to prove one of their own is innocent. Tamara hasn’t been shy about blaming the always miserable Gladys Preston for thwarting her many attempts to sell a house. When Gladys is found dead & it’s Tamara standing over the body, the squad will have to pull out all the stops to prove their friend isn’t guilty & find out who really is.
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This is book two of the Garden Squad series & an amazing follow up to the last one. This is rapidly becoming a favourite series of mine to read. All of the characters that make up the Garden Squad are positive, funny, hardworking individuals & it makes for pleasant reading. This time around the murder is centered around land, realty & inheritances, which I found quite compelling. One of the things the author really pulls off is being informative & well researched in all the topics she’s covering. I feel entertained & informed all at the same time! If you want to love characters & get lost in a world that feels so real, this is a great series to read. The mysteries are very well handled as well & it’s not too easy to guess the outcome. I’m moving on to book number three!
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This is book two of the Garden Squad series & an amazing follow up to the last one. This is rapidly becoming a favourite series of mine to read. All of the characters that make up the Garden Squad are positive, funny, hardworking individuals & it makes for pleasant reading. This time around the murder is centered around land, realty & inheritances, which I found quite compelling. One of the things the author really pulls off is being informative & well researched in all the topics she’s covering. I feel entertained & informed all at the same time! If you want to love characters & get lost in a world that feels so real, this is a great series to read. The mysteries are very well handled as well & it’s not too easy to guess the outcome. I’m moving on to book number three!
August 7, 2019
The Garden Squad are at it again in Tilling the Truth. The story is well written with plenty of colorful characters to keep the readers entertained.
There were a lot of characters to keep up with in this book, but the mystery was well played out and kept me guessing until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for approving me to read this book.
There were a lot of characters to keep up with in this book, but the mystery was well played out and kept me guessing until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for approving me to read this book.
May 10, 2021
Tilling the Truth, a Garden Squad Mystery, didn't have much gardening in it, but there was a bird sanctuary, property zoning, land development, and a little plant potential plant poison. Interesting characters and a complex plot with good pacing. Recommend it to readers of cozy mysteries.
October 16, 2019
Tilling the Truth is a nice easy reading cozy mystery. This is the 2nd book in A Garden Squad Mystery Series. It is just perfect enough that I had to pick up the first book to read. Julia Henry has a great series on her hands and I can’t wait to see more!
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
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I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
#read #reader #book #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #bookreview #greatreads #alwaysreading #reading #ilovebooks #currentreads #bookaddict #booknerd #bookish #bibliophile #goodreads #readerlife #booklife #readandreview #cozy #cozymystery #mystery
July 27, 2019
Julia Henry's characters are as well-developed as her storylines. Her mysteries are interesting and intriguing, and the readers feel welcome as we return to Goosebush!
July 17, 2019
These books give me such a sense of peace when I read them. I love the stories, such great mysteries and how they are solved. I love the age differences in all the key players and how they all interact with one another. This is a fabulous series and I can't wait for more.
March 26, 2024
I enjoyed the first book and getting to know the characters. In this book I had a little bit of a hard time connecting to the characters. The mystery is well plotted with plenty of red herrings. I didn’t figure out the killer until the big reveal.
August 19, 2019
Lilly Jayne is not your normal protagonist. A senior who is always on the go is now trying to figure out who killed the town troublemaker to get her close friend off the hook. I enjoyed the original plot and the large, diverse group of characters. Although it would have been easier to follow if the cast of characters was a bit smaller.
I had an entertaining time with the Garden Squad gang in Goosebush, Massachusetts. Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
I had an entertaining time with the Garden Squad gang in Goosebush, Massachusetts. Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
November 7, 2019
Lilly Jayne has always been known in her hometown of Goosebush, Massachusetts, for her integrity and fairmindedness. So when her dear friend Harmon Dane asked her to be the executor of his estate when he died, Lilly, of course, said yes. Harmon’s one caveat was to protect the birds nesting on his property, and to be sure they had a sanctuary in perpetuity. This turns out to be easier said than done.
Harmon has two greedy heirs, Brandon and Miranda, both incensed that money to protect the birds took such a huge part of their inheritance. Also unhappy with the idea of a bird sanctuary is Gladys Preston, Harmon Dane’s neighbor and Goosebush’s perennial grouch, who enjoys nothing more than stirring up trouble.
The Dane house, located on Swallow Point, a prime piece of Goosebush real estate, is listed for sale by Lilly’s best friend, Tamara O’Connor. But the sale seems jinxed, because every time Tamara hosts an open house to entice buyers, something horrible happens.
At a town meeting an angry Gladys demands to know what’s really going on at Swallow Point and how it’s going to impact her property. Gladys stalks out of the meeting, but the argument continues later in a local restaurant where Tamara, in the heat of anger, appears to threaten her. Then Gladys is discovered dead and Tamara is kneeling over her body.
Under master gardener Lilly’s leadership, Tamara and several other civic-minded Goosebush citizens have banded together as the Garden Squad to beautify parts of town that sorely need a facelift, like long overgrown and neglected vacant lots and other public spaces. When Tamara is suspected of murder, it’s up to Lilly and the Garden Squad to clear her name.
“Tilling the Truth” is the second in Julia Henry’s Garden Squad mystery series. A great read with a likeable protagonist and a clever plot.
Harmon has two greedy heirs, Brandon and Miranda, both incensed that money to protect the birds took such a huge part of their inheritance. Also unhappy with the idea of a bird sanctuary is Gladys Preston, Harmon Dane’s neighbor and Goosebush’s perennial grouch, who enjoys nothing more than stirring up trouble.
The Dane house, located on Swallow Point, a prime piece of Goosebush real estate, is listed for sale by Lilly’s best friend, Tamara O’Connor. But the sale seems jinxed, because every time Tamara hosts an open house to entice buyers, something horrible happens.
At a town meeting an angry Gladys demands to know what’s really going on at Swallow Point and how it’s going to impact her property. Gladys stalks out of the meeting, but the argument continues later in a local restaurant where Tamara, in the heat of anger, appears to threaten her. Then Gladys is discovered dead and Tamara is kneeling over her body.
Under master gardener Lilly’s leadership, Tamara and several other civic-minded Goosebush citizens have banded together as the Garden Squad to beautify parts of town that sorely need a facelift, like long overgrown and neglected vacant lots and other public spaces. When Tamara is suspected of murder, it’s up to Lilly and the Garden Squad to clear her name.
“Tilling the Truth” is the second in Julia Henry’s Garden Squad mystery series. A great read with a likeable protagonist and a clever plot.
August 21, 2019
I am really enjoying this series - the first one impressed me and this one was even better - I like the characters [Lily especially] and how they all love the town they live in and how they all strive to work together to keep the town a wonderful place to live and love. I really enjoy that there is no romance [as of yet], love triangles, friends being accused of murder, or everyone thinking the police chief is a moron and doing his job for him. It is NOT your typical cozy and I am truly enjoying them. And the reveal was VERY surprising. I love that.
This one was tougher to read as it is a ARC and the formatting was a bear, but even though it took me longer than it would normally to read, I enjoyed every minute I had it open. I pray that the finished book has better formatting than the ARC did.
I am so looking forward to the next one in this series - I can see all sorts of things happening.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This one was tougher to read as it is a ARC and the formatting was a bear, but even though it took me longer than it would normally to read, I enjoyed every minute I had it open. I pray that the finished book has better formatting than the ARC did.
I am so looking forward to the next one in this series - I can see all sorts of things happening.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2019
I fell in love with the first book in this series and had high expectations for this one. I'm happy that I wasn't disappointed.
I love Lily, she's a great and well written characters. It was great to meet again the cast of characters and read about the changes in their life.
The setting is lovely as usual and the plot is engrossing and entertaining, based on an original idea.
The mystery kept me guessing till the end and it's full of red herrings, twists and turns.
I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I love Lily, she's a great and well written characters. It was great to meet again the cast of characters and read about the changes in their life.
The setting is lovely as usual and the plot is engrossing and entertaining, based on an original idea.
The mystery kept me guessing till the end and it's full of red herrings, twists and turns.
I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
September 19, 2019
TILLING THE TRUTH by Julia Henry is the second book in the A Garden Squad Mystery series. It’s the story of Lilly Jayne, highly respected senior citizen and somewhat of an amateur sleuth - the fabulous Garden Squad -and solving the murder of Gladys Preston, Squad member but also the town grouch. It’s delightfully set in the little quaint town of Goosebush, Massachusetts.
The story opens after the death of Lilly’s dear friend, Harmon Dane. Lilly is the executor of his will which means she is dealing with his cousin, Miranda, and nephew, Braden, who seem more interest in money and their own wants than in honoring their Uncle’s wishes. She’s brought in Dawn Simmons, Professor of Ornithology, to help in the research for establishing The Dane Bird Sanctuary, which was near and dear to Harmon’s heart and to which he bequeathed a large part of his estate to.
Tamara, owner of O’Connor Real Estate, has the listing to sell the Dane estate so that terms of the will can be filled. However, someone seems determined to undermine her open houses by the use everything from o rotting fish to the release of mice thereby delaying the eventual sale of the house. She also has very public heated words with Gladys the night before her death making her the number one suspect especially when she was the one found over the body. On top of all that, Tamara is having to deal with nasty competition in the form of Regan Holland, new realtor in town. Regan not only doesn’t understand small town ways, but she seems to rub everyone wrong with her big town ways and her snipe remarks with a smile on her face.
Bash Haygood, Chief of Police, is a good friend of Lilly’s and has known her all his life. He respects her as a person and for her opinion so he keeps her in the loop during the investigation and she in turn tells him of any facts she learns.
The Garden Squad with members like Ernie Johnson - owner of the Triple B’s as it’s fondly called, Stan Freeman – owner of the Star Café, and Delia – who worked for Lilly’s husband and has lived with her since his death becoming a dear friend and who helps them keep on track of the “true” facts, are all workiing together to figure out the who, when, how and why was Gladys murdered. In their investigation, they start finding clues that maybe, just maybe there are connections between Harmon’s death, the open house fiascos, vandalism on the bird sanctuary and Gladys’ death.
Why was Lenny changing from small renovations jobs to new big construction with no money or crews to work with? How does that connect with his getting caught coming out of Gladys’ house after her death? Was Harmon’s death connected to Gladys’? Does the covenant on the three houses where Harmon lived play into the deaths? Was someone doing all the pranks at the open houses to try to frame Tamara? Are they trying to stop the bird sanctuary for the money or the land? Will Delia accept the new teaching job in Boston and leave Lilly alone at Windward? What kind of wool is Regan trying to pull over everyone’s eyes and will she get the folks to accept big town ways?
Julia Henry did an excellent job of bringing the whole town of Goosebush to life in TILLING THE TRUTH. Loved Lilly from page one. Love when they show that seniors can have spunk and brains. It was fun to keep up with the twists and turns of this mystery absorbing the hints along with the Garden Squad with a little wine to wash it down with.
Definitely recommend this book, this series and this author! If you love a clean, well-written cozy mystery that will entertain you and keep you turning the pages, then you will love it as much as I did.
The story opens after the death of Lilly’s dear friend, Harmon Dane. Lilly is the executor of his will which means she is dealing with his cousin, Miranda, and nephew, Braden, who seem more interest in money and their own wants than in honoring their Uncle’s wishes. She’s brought in Dawn Simmons, Professor of Ornithology, to help in the research for establishing The Dane Bird Sanctuary, which was near and dear to Harmon’s heart and to which he bequeathed a large part of his estate to.
Tamara, owner of O’Connor Real Estate, has the listing to sell the Dane estate so that terms of the will can be filled. However, someone seems determined to undermine her open houses by the use everything from o rotting fish to the release of mice thereby delaying the eventual sale of the house. She also has very public heated words with Gladys the night before her death making her the number one suspect especially when she was the one found over the body. On top of all that, Tamara is having to deal with nasty competition in the form of Regan Holland, new realtor in town. Regan not only doesn’t understand small town ways, but she seems to rub everyone wrong with her big town ways and her snipe remarks with a smile on her face.
Bash Haygood, Chief of Police, is a good friend of Lilly’s and has known her all his life. He respects her as a person and for her opinion so he keeps her in the loop during the investigation and she in turn tells him of any facts she learns.
The Garden Squad with members like Ernie Johnson - owner of the Triple B’s as it’s fondly called, Stan Freeman – owner of the Star Café, and Delia – who worked for Lilly’s husband and has lived with her since his death becoming a dear friend and who helps them keep on track of the “true” facts, are all workiing together to figure out the who, when, how and why was Gladys murdered. In their investigation, they start finding clues that maybe, just maybe there are connections between Harmon’s death, the open house fiascos, vandalism on the bird sanctuary and Gladys’ death.
Why was Lenny changing from small renovations jobs to new big construction with no money or crews to work with? How does that connect with his getting caught coming out of Gladys’ house after her death? Was Harmon’s death connected to Gladys’? Does the covenant on the three houses where Harmon lived play into the deaths? Was someone doing all the pranks at the open houses to try to frame Tamara? Are they trying to stop the bird sanctuary for the money or the land? Will Delia accept the new teaching job in Boston and leave Lilly alone at Windward? What kind of wool is Regan trying to pull over everyone’s eyes and will she get the folks to accept big town ways?
Julia Henry did an excellent job of bringing the whole town of Goosebush to life in TILLING THE TRUTH. Loved Lilly from page one. Love when they show that seniors can have spunk and brains. It was fun to keep up with the twists and turns of this mystery absorbing the hints along with the Garden Squad with a little wine to wash it down with.
Definitely recommend this book, this series and this author! If you love a clean, well-written cozy mystery that will entertain you and keep you turning the pages, then you will love it as much as I did.
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