Poppy Harmon and the Hung Jury

A Desert Flowers Mystery #2

by Lee Hollis

For retiree-turned-PI Poppy Harmon, spending her golden years running the Desert Flowers Detective Agency is far from the glamorous life she once knew. But becoming ensnared in two twisted Palm Springs crimes might be her worst look yet . . .
 
If Poppy didn't believe she was in too deep as the only female juror in a high-profile assault case involving an infamously hot-tempered crooner, she’s sure of it upon meeting blast-from-her-past Rod Harper. A former TV co-star from her short-lived acting days, Rod is as dashing as ever, and now he wants to partner again—this time to locate his missing daughter . . .
 
Returning a pampered songstress with a penchant for running away back home unscathed shouldn’t be too challenging. But dodging Rod’s charms while on the job is another story—and so is finding a dead body! When Poppy discovers a fellow juror face down in a swimming pool, she’s unwittingly thrust into a murder investigation with sinister parallels to the troubled chanteuse’s disappearance . . .
 
As Poppy struggles to survive a steamy love triangle while deciphering the connection between two seemingly unrelated cases, the Desert Flowers Agency must outsmart a ruthless killer who will do anything to keep hideous secrets hidden away . . . including ensuring Poppy becomes the next forgotten ex-actress to bite the dust . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Humor

280 pages, Hardcover

Published December 31, 2019

About the author

Lee Hollis is the pen name for Rick Copp and his sister Holly Simason.

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy Harmon and the Hung Jury by Lee Hollis is the second book in the cozy A Desert Flowers Mystery series. As with most cozy mysteries each book of this series contains it’s own mystery that is fully solved within the book so they could be read as a standalone if choosing to do so. There is however some character building that carries over book to book for those that follow the series from the beginning.

In the first book of the series readers were introduced to Poppy Harman who 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 passed away quite suddenly she found out that her rather comfortable life was all a lie and that her husband had gambled away their last cent.

When Poppy sat 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 came 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 was opened with Iris and Violet coming in to assist.

Things weren’t going so well with the new business when it seemed no one wanted to hire three “older” ladies so Poppy got a plan to use her daughter’s boyfriend, an actor, to be the face of the firm. Now that the ladies are up and running they have two new cases to work on at once. A former co-star, Rod Harper, is needing someone to search for his missing daughter and Poppy has been called into what ends up being deadly jury duty in a high profile case.

The Desert Flowers Mystery series is like turning the Golden Girls into detectives. It has a humorous vibe with quirky fun characters which I knew I had to come back to after reading the opening book of the series. This second book had a lot going on making the story fly when reading. This is a series I will definitely enjoy returning to in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[beachbum bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this! For my thoughts on this cozy mystery and others subscribe to my channel @:
https://t.co/Jx58B4KNW5?amp=1

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰

This kindle e-book is from my local library and book two of five in the series.

Poppy Harmon is part of the jury for a personal injury trial. Then one ☝ of the jurors is killed. Then Poppy is hired to.find a missing daughter and the fun begins. Matt, Poppy, and the team spends time investigating both case and learns the truth leading to the arrest of two killers.

I would recommend this series and author to 👍readers of romantic relationships murder mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 👒😀😡💘🏡

[Ell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't get enough of this series! I LOVED the first book and the second book is just as good. I love the writing, the characters, especially Poppy, and the plot lines! It wold be so much fun if The Desert Flowers Detective Agency made its way onto TV. I HIGHLY recommend this series!

[Jeneane Vanderhoof · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second of Poppy Harmon's Desert Flower mysteries only gets better. Readers find Poppy on a jury which, when one of the jurors holds out on a guilty verdict, a famous old crooner (singer) is not convicted of assault (which is really ludacris, given the case). Later, when the juror is found murdered, Poppy is on the case (and, has to find him, dead). During this period, one of her old cast members shows up, Rod, with a case for Poppy about finding his missing daughter. Seeing her only helps stir up feelings for the pair (mostly, Rod) which does not sit so well with the man Poppy has started dating. This creates a triangle as the three knew each other, all working on the same show in the eighties. As the cases merge together, things in common with both, we see Poppy ahead of the police in solving the mystery which would have put innocent people behind bars, if not for the older female detective.
Poppy Harmon is my new favorite detective series, and I know this is because the writer also wrote for the Golden Girls television show. He really brings the warmth of watching episodes onto the pages of this cozy mystery series and the perfect writer for the subject chosen. As I have the rest of the series, what has been written to this point, ready to finish reading, I will make my way to the third mystery and hope other readers join me as I make my way through the series.
Happy Reading!

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Being a 60-something retiree in So Cal and a fan of old TV mysteries, I can relate to the A Desert Flowers Mystery Series. I loved the first book and this one is great too. Poppy is a wonderful character and this time she finds herself in the middle of a love triangle and two murders.

Even former TV stars can't escape jury duty and TV star-retiree-turned PI Poppy Harmon is not exempt. From opening arguments it is apparent that the star crooner defendant is guilty and the jury agrees. Except for one holdout and Poppy is pretty sure she knows why. But chasing down evidence of jury tampering doesn't pay the bills at the Desert Flowers Detective Agency. When former co-star, Rod Harper, hires them to find his missing 22 year old daughter, it reignites feelings Poppy had thought long been extinguished.

They have a case to work so why can't Poppy let the trial and the holdout juror go? When the man wants to meet, Poppy goes and discovers him face down in his pool - dead. When Rod's wannabe singer daughter resurfaces, the questions about where she has been are met with lies and diversions. As Rod makes a play for Poppy, current beau, Sam, comes to town and since the three of them all worked together, well can anyone just say awkward? Then the crooner's wife, a former fling of Rod's is murdered. Poppy is up to her ears in bodies and she isn't being paid to find the culprit, but when did that ever stop her?

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the Desert Flowers series. Maybe because I already knew the characters and was glad to come back and see what they were up to, or maybe the story was better. Whichever it was, it was great seeing the gang together again. Like Poppy in the first book, I wasn't sure if I liked Matt much, but in this book he definitely won me over. Even Heather's character was fleshed out a little bit better. And of course Poppy's crazy friends Violet and Iris were at their shining best. I love that they have a twelve-year-old helping them with the online part of their investigating business. Wyatt is a pretty cool kid!

I wasn't sure whodunit, but it was a lot of fun reading and finding out. There was plenty of action and humor as well. Some of the scenes were so crazy and I could almost picture Jessica Fletcher along with a couple of the Golden Girls being Poppy and her pals. Poppy's little side story about her love life was very sweet, and I was happy that it came to a happy conclusion instead of keeping us waiting and wondering. It'll be interesting to see what these characters get into next!

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars



I picked this book up because I’m a big fan of Lee Hollis’s other series but I really had no idea what this series was about. I have to say that it does have a very different vibe to the Hayley Powell series. It seems more targeted to older audiences and has different pacing as well. Once I was able to adjust, I found that I enjoyed the book.

As this is the first book I read in this particular series, it took me a while to get acquainted with Poppy’s character. But as always, Hollis does a good job of creating interesting characters. I found the secondary characters to be fun as well.

Usually I’m not big of things related to jury, so I do feel like I would have liked this book more if it had a different theme, but I am going to try going back to the first book in the series and trying that out as well just to see if I will continue the series. As I mentioned, it does feature a retired heroine, so it might be targeted for another audience than me, but I can still appreciate the fact that there are authors out there who are writing books for this demographic.

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Really enjoyable series! I was glad that Poppy, Iris, Violet and Matt (yes, even him) came back for a second book. This story makes you like Matt more than the first story did. He helps a lot more and I think the girls actually like him better too. The Hung Jury has a couple different crimes going on but not enough to overwhelm the reader. I was afraid the writer was going to have another love interest for Poppy and I think that it's a little silly for a woman her age to be involved in a love triangle. Glad it didn't go that way! I hope this gang and this series continues!

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, I actually like Matt the best. Poppy’s agency is hired by an old co-star to help find his daughter. In the meantime, Poppy is also serving on the jury trial of a singer charged with assault on a chef. That case ends in a mistrial and Poppy is convinced that the lone holdout is in cahoots with the defendant. Later on that juror is found dead and Poppy decides to investigates. With several cases to solve and dead bodies popping up, Poppy also has to contend with her daughter Heather’s parole hearing.how much can one widow take.

Iris is still rude and abrasive and I still think she’s the most unlikeable character. There’s just no redeeming quality about her.

Violet is sweet and loyal and tries to stand on her own against the stronger personalities of Iris and Poppy.

Matt is becoming a more complex character and I like seeing that, he’s not so much a bumbling, egotistical actor, there’s hidden depths and he is fiercely loyal to those he loves.

Still don’t like Heather.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. There was a lot going on here, with the original, and only paying, case for the Desert Flowers Detective Agency being a missing person, but eventually turning into two murder cases. This was the second in the series, and I wish I had read the first one before this. There was no problem understanding, but Poppy's daughter was just getting out of prison, and I'm assuming book one was about why she was there.

Anyway, it was a pretty good cozy with good characters. I will read others in the series.

[L.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy serves on jury duty while working on a case to locate a missing socialite. Palm Springs may not be a small town but the connections between the citizens will shock you!

I loved this book, I couldn't put it down once I got started reading it. Lee Hollis is one of my very favorite authors and this book did not disappoint. The writing was humorous and the mystery was elaborate but not hard to track. I was certain I knew who the killer was and I was half right but the truth was something I couldn't have predicted. Can't wait to read the next one!

[Ellie Oberth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 2nd in the series doesn't disappoint. A fun mystery with lots of twists and turns. Be sure to read the series in order - spoilers if you don't!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy is the only female juror on a high-profile case about a famous singer, where she gets bad involved with a boyfriend from her past Rod. The Desert Flowers detective agency is hired to find Rod’s daughter. she finds out that the daughter is mentally unbalanced and it takes all their tricks to prove her case and to protect her own daughter.

[Debra B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun series, but the narrator takes it over the top. Too bad there are only three books in the series.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in A Desert Flowers Mystery and I think I liked this one more than the first. As the story opens, Poppy Harmon is serving on a jury for a physical assault trial. It is open and shut, so Poppy is shocked when one of the jurors votes innocent and the trial ends in a mistrial. When the juror ends up dead, Poppy is sure it has to do with the trial. Meanwhile, Poppy and her two friends, Iris and Violet are hired by Rod Harper, the actor Poppy worked with during her acting years, to find his daughter. Actually, he hires Matt Flowers, the frontman for the agency. Throw in another murder and Poppy has her hands full.

I really enjoy the characters in this series. Poppy is smart, intuitive and extremely observant. She also perseveres and refuses to move on when she has started her investigating. Violet is adorable. She doesn't think she has much to offer the team, but always manages to ferret out information that is important. Then there is Iris. She is gruff, outspoken and opinionated. She adds a lot of humour to the story with her actions and comments. Matt is not as involved in this story, but he plays an important role at times. We get to see a bit more of his personality, his insecurities and need to be successful. The dialogue in the story is wonderful, as well as the pacing. This is a well-written fun mystery. I pretty much figured out who the murderer was but the how and why took a bit longer. I enjoy how Poppy and her team go about solving crimes, even though the ones they solve are not the ones they are getting paid for. The finale was awesome and I didn't see it coming. A very enjoyable story and I definitely recommend this one to cozy mystery lovers, especially if you enjoy those with a more mature protagonist. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

This is the second book in the Desert Flowers mystery series by Lee Hollis.

What a hoot this was. Every child of the 80’s will get a kick out of this cozy mystery! This is Remington Steele meets Charlie’s Angels meets Magnum PI meets Perry Mason all wrapped up in one delicious cozy of a mystery.

Poppy Harmon used to be the Della Street to Rod Harper’s Magnum PI/Perry Mason character for three seasons in the 80’s. Poppy has since retired from working on television and now owns a PI agency with her two best friends Violet and Iris. In order for their agency to be taken seriously, Poppy has hired a young 28 year old actor named Matt to be the face of their business (a la Remington Steele). Now Rod Harper has come to their agency in order to find his daughter who has disappeared. Once he sees Poppy again, Rod wants to rekindle their one time relationship into something much bigger.

In the meantime, Poppy has been serving on the jury of a popular singer which resulted in a hung jury when one man remained a standout and wouldn’t even consider the facts of the case. Poppy sees this juror and the singer exchange telling look which makes Poppy believe this could have been a case of jury tampering. And when this juror is found dead a few days later, Poppy knows something fishy is going on.

There was an interesting dynamic in this book between Poppy’s current on again/off again beau Sam and the shiny new blossoming relationship with Rod. I loved every second of this and plan to pick up book one in the series ASAP.

If you love a good cozy mystery that gives you all the feels, definitely pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed.

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.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great madcap adventure in the Poppy Harmon series! This time it revolves around Poppy Harmon and the Hung Jury on which she finds herself.

Poppy, a retired actress, owns a detective agency with her two friends, Violet and Iris. Poppy in the also excellent first book in the series, Poppy Harmon Investigates, hires a young struggling male actor to be the face of the agency. It appears that 60’ish females don’t engender much trust in potential clients.

In this book, Poppy is the jury foreman on a hung jury whose defendant is a famous older crooner (think Tony Bennett). The singer is accused of hitting a chef in the head with a frying pan because his steak was overcooked. All members of the jury but one believe Tony (the singer’s name in the book) is guilty. When Poppy sees Tony nodding to the jury holdout, she wonders what is going on. She shrugs it off but later when she finds the juror dead, she decides to investigate.

In a separate case, Poppy’s old co-worker, actor Rod, is trying to find his missing daughter. They had an argument about money resulting in her disappearance. Poppy is relieved when her computer expert, and Violet’s grandson, twelve-year-old Wyatt discovers that the daughter has been using her credit card in local Palm Springs’ stores. But is it her? Or is it someone else using the card?

I absolutely love this series and Poppy in general. She is feisty and doesn’t take any crap from anyone. She is genuine as are all the supporting characters. The two mysteries are also excellent. I can’t recommend Poppy Harmon and the Hung Jury more highly. It’s one of my favorite books (as was its predecessor). 5 stars!

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second book of the series Poppy finds herself on the jury of a high profile assault case. Did she mention she was the only female on said jury? While on the jury she runs into Rod Harper, a man from her past who needs her help in finding his daughter who is missing. Poppy thinks she'll be able to handle the case no problem but can she ward off Rod's charms before she gets herself in trouble. As Poppy works the case she ends up finding a fellow juror floating dead in a pool. What is going on and who would have killed the man is all she can think of. She decides that she will take on the murder case in addition to her missing persons. She soon begins to wonder if the two cases are indeed connected but if so how? I'm the midst of looking for clues she soon learns that the killer doesn't want to be discovered. Can she figure out the answer of who the killer is before she herself becomes his next victim? This is such a fun series, it will make you laugh, root for Poppy, and wish you had a grandma like her. She is such a fun loving and vivacious character, I look forward to seeing what she gets into next!

[Jennifer Oberth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this series! The characters are so delightful, the story enjoyable, the humor delicious. I adore Matt - and I'm still not over how I assumed I wouldn't like him when we first met him. (I didn't like him, I assumed I never would. It was so obvious!)

Even Iris is beginning to grow on me. She is harsh - and when I say harsh, I mean "mean." But in this installment, Iris is thrown into a situation that makes her feel really uncomfortable. She doesn't know what to do or how to handle it. She ends up handling it the exact same way she handles everything - with her razor, mean wit, but you can glean her vulnerability and she went from being a caricature to a real person.

Poppy is great, Violet is adorable, Wyatt (Violet's grandon) is an absolute hoot. What other 12-year-old does research for a detective agency during recess?!

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good cozy, an enjoyable read, or just wants to indulge is some fun and great characters.

Note: Read the series in order or you'll have spoilers.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Poppy Harmon! She's 62 and active. With her two friends, Violet and Iris (all 60+) they are the Desert Flowers Detective Agency, fronted by a young actor Matt Cameron, known as Matt Flowers on their website.

Poppy finds herself the only female juror in a case against Tony Maleno, a beloved crooner.

The agency is hired to find a missing person and suddenly Poppy's romantic life gets complicated.

Plot twists and interconnecting investigations create more complications before they all wrap up in this cozy mystery.

Looking forward to more of this interesting group of characters.

I volunteered to read an ARC from Kensington Press through Net Galley.

[Bobbie Kirkland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of POPPY HARMON AND THE HUNG JURY (Book 2 of the Desert Flowers Detective Agency Mysteries) by Lee Hollis in exchange for an honest review. Poppy Harmon is back, and she’s sitting on the jury of a high-profile assault case involving both a famous singer and an equally famous chef. one of the jurors acknowledges the defendant’s guilt but resolutely refuses to return a guilty verdict; this results in a mistrial. When Poppy witnesses a wink and a nod between the juror and the defendant after the trial, Poppy feels an urge to figure out whether there had been jury tampering. However, Poppy and her friends are distracted by an actual, paying case. Soon, the paying case and a couple of non-paying cases return Poppy to her jury tampering inquires and take up most of Poppy’s attention. With so much going on, Poppy can barely spare any worry for her convict daughter and the sudden appearance a love triangle, or two.

I liked this book and enjoy the series. The first book set the series up as Murder She Wrote meets The Golden Girls meets Remington Steele. I recommend this series to fans of cozy mysteries featuring active seniors, actors, singers, gambling, golf, and murder.

#PoppyHarmonandtheHungJury #NetGalley

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy Harmon and the Hung Jury by Lee Hollis is the 2nd book in A Desert Flowers Mystery series, and another fun addition. I have always liked Ms. Hollis's Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series, and I'm enjoying this one too. Poppy is a 62 year old widow who learns her husband left her broke, with the help of her two friends Iris and Violet they start the Desert Flowers Detective Agency. Poppy is also a former actress. In this adventure Poppy serves on a jury, and the one person who is a hold out to a guilty verdict seems suspicious to Poppy. Poppy is determined to figure out what is going on with the juror, especially after he turns up dead. Poppy old co-star hires the firm to find an old friends missing daughter, and Poppy is attracted to two different me. 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 reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first one, but still a good mystery [though creepy and lots of icky people]. There was a lot of ick factor in this one and that really turned me off from a lot of it - I still really like the characters though so I am hoping the next one is less ick and more fun with the 3 friends [my GOSH I love Iris so much] and Matt as their "fearless leader".

[Karin Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! It's the second in a series involving a lovely retired actress turned private investigator now living in Palm Springs. She turns back to her show biz days to solve this mystery. While it is a cozy, its not a light cozy. It held my interest until the end and kept me guessing. I am going to go back now and read the first and hope for a third! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy's a widowed retired actor, a fellow juror exhibits more than a little suspicious behavior, her daughter is about to be paroled, the investigation agency she shares with friends gets hired by a former costar, and then there's that murder. Lots of sleuthing in Southern California and lots of name dropping, too, but it's the situational humor that got me! Loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the series was even better than the first.
The protagonist is absolutely delightful and with humor and some wonderful friends continues her new life as a private investigator.
The whodunit was well written and had twists that kept me enthralled until the very end.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

[RO G'ma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy Harmon and the Hung Jury is the second book in Lee Hollis’ A Desert Flowers mystery series. This is a well-plotted fun and humorous read, with interconnecting investigations and twists and turns, likable characters.

Poppy Harmon is a sixty-two-year-old former actress whose deceased husband left her almost penniless. Poppy has one adult daughter, Heather, who spent the past year in prison. Poppy, who has a knack for solving puzzles, decided to become a licensed private investigator. Once she passed the exam, she opened the Desert Flowers Detective Agency, with her two best friends, Iris Becker and Violet Hogan. People were hesitant to hire three elderly women, so Poppy brings Heather’s handsome actor boyfriend, Matt Cameron, into the agency as its “face.” In this installment, Poppy is the jury foreperson during the trial of Tony Molina, a popular singer, for assaulting Chef Carmine Cicci. The judge declares a mistrial when the jury is hopelessly deadlocked with a vote of eleven to one to convict. Poppy sees a small exchange between the defendant and the holdout, Alden Kenny, and suspects there was jury tampering. When Alden contacts her, she believes he’s ready to come clean. When she finds him floating in his pool, she believes he was murdered. Meanwhile, Rod Harper, her former co-star, hires Desert Flowers to find his missing twenty-two-year-old daughter, Lara, a very troubled habitual liar. Even though Poppy tells Rod that she’s seeing someone else, he declares his love for her.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

[dnsyl57 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poppy Harmon and the Hung Jury is the second book in the Desert Flowers Mystery series by Lee Hollis.

Poppy is called to serve on a jury for a trial. One of the jurors refuses to vote guilty and after the case is ruled a mistrial, the juror is found dead. At the same time, Poppy's former TV costar Rod Harper hires Desert Flowers Detective Agency to help find his estranged daughter. Complications and twists abound in the search for answers.

The two cases were interesting. Starting several chapters with the name of a new character then backtracking a bit over the next couple of pages to explain who the person was and how they were involved was a bit confusing. Even so, the plot(s) moved fairly well to a decent climax and conclusion.

This book is actually better than the first (I gave the first one 3 stars). That being said, I still found some of the characters to be annoying and even unlikeable in some cases. Iris is cold and a bit of a bully. Violet is a bit of a wallflower but will do whatever it takes to stay in the good graces of her partners and pamper her computer whiz kid Wyatt beyond reason. Matt has grown on me to some extent but it irks me that he is the face of Desert Flowers Detective Agency. Yes, he is a good actor and learning the business but in the age of "me too" and empowering women, I find it regrettable that a young male needs to "play" such a lead role. I'd expect and even to a degree tolerate that storyline for a plot pre-women's movements but not in 2020.

Yes, the storylines are better but the unlikeable characters were distracting. This book also gets 3 of 5 stars.