No Bed of Roses

by N.J. Litz

Feisty botanist Brianna Kincaid reluctantly teams with hard-partying journalist Nick Mancini to find the killer of her research assistant, Megan Harper. Initially, Megan's death appears to be an accident. However, she has a unique substance in her body that Bree identifies as a poisonous plant. Bree also learns Megan was pregnant.

Bree discovers Megan planned a scavenger hunt for the mysterious father of her child in the lush Missouri Botanical Garden, and is convinced the clues Megan planted identify the father, whom Bree believes murdered Megan.

Looking for a scoop to put him back on top, Nick joins Bree in deciphering the clues, never expecting he'd be attracted to the bossy and brainy Bree.

When they succeed at decoding some of Megan's clues, the hunters become the hunted as the killer tries to stop them.

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2019

About the author

NJ Litz is a former journalist and communications director. (Litz is a college nickname.)

She writes mysteries with a touch of romance that feature strong women who get justice for those who can't get it for themselves.

A member of Thrillers International, Romance Writers of America, and League of Romance Writers, her stories finaled in numerous writing contests.

Not surprisingly, given her books, she is both an avid gardener and an animal lover. She always adopts rescue animals. She lives with her family in Missouri.

Reviews

[Anne Hancock]

No Bed of Roses checked all the boxes for me - great story, characters, action, mystery, humor - ALL CHECKED! The biggest bonus for me, however, was the setting - the Missouri Botanical Gardens - a well-loved and much visited memory of my childhood in St. Louis. I even remember when it was called Shaw’s Garden by the locals! My granny and I visited the gardens on a regular basis as it was just up the street from her home. The gardens and Tower Grove Park are forever part of who I am. Thank you, Ms. Litz, for enhancing the memories for me!

[Emily Perry]

Meh. Ok overall, a little far fetched at times. The whole clue hunting through the garden seemed an unlikely thing for someone to do to convince their lover to be happy about an unplanned pregnancy. Some of the characters were lovable, some not. My BIGGEST gripe is the grammar, syntax, and spelling!!! Did we not run this book through spellcheck even once?!?! Did no one proofread this thing-Christ almighty!!! The amount of blatant errors, and the frequency with which they occurred in this book was fucking bananas! Very very disappointing.

[janis louthis]

NO DOGS!

This was a pretty good book with some good twists and turns, but it’s nothing like her series with dogs for me. I’m also not into romance novels either, so I’ll
look much more closely at her book descriptions to make sure I don’t buy another like this one. I’m disappointed.

[Suki Jantzen]

Great book!

This one really moves along. A bit too much internal thoughts stuff, but good writing, in general. For those who enjoy there are some steamy sex scenes too! Ha ha ha ha.....

[Tabitha]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and really enjoyed reading it. The characters were interesting and I loved the plot setting.

[Earlene Harrison]

GREAT READ!

This book has everything - murder, mystery, romance, arrogant hero, stubborn heroine and action put together that the reader keep turning the page!

[Lanelle]

Not a clean read. There was swearing. And the guy MC was not faithful.

[Mary Ott]

Intriguing!

What a storyline. This author definitely knows how to keep your attention. Not a dull moment in the whole book.

[Billie McDonald]

Love amazing!

Suspenseful and engaging. Couldn't put it down. Will Bree and Nick be in another book? I can see this as the beginning of a series

[Helen]

I enjoy a strong female lead character and Bree certainly fits that description: intelligent, athletic, compassionate, faithful, family-oriented, and strong-willed. This is a wonderful mystery/romance with some sizzling sex included (I'll never look at roses again without thinking about some other uses for them haha). Although I'm not a particularly romantic person, I enjoyed Nick and Bree's relationship as it developed and struggled.

There were quite a few humorous scenes, such as Bree's daydreams about what she'd do if Nick showed up at her front door:

...Several times a day, when she was furious with him, she imagined him showing up at her front door. She didn't slam it in his face. Certainly not. In her mind, he begged his way in, then begged her forgiveness, and produced a two-carat diamond ring before she sent him away. Sometimes, she was so scathing that Nick left bereft when it was obvious that she would never come back to him. From there, her daydreams varied. Often, her latest imaginary lover, who made Nick look ugly and scrawny, beat Nick up. Invariably, they would meet again years later when she'd just accepted the first Nobel ever awarded for botany and he was a broken-down drunk....

[Pamela N.]

Fringe the second page I was drawn into the mystery that evolved in a natural way. The heroine reminded me a bit of the Sherlock Holmes protege (in The Beekeper's Apprentice "): intelligent, observant, romantic, and witty. I found myself eager to get back to the story when called away. NJ Litz writes about a Ph.D. botanist with authenticity and reality, but did not talk above the heads of her readers. I felt sympathy for the heroine who was able to balance her strong emotions (grief, love, curiosity, anger) with her disciplined training and so seemed human and I could identify her. I always enjoy a book with multi-dimensional. It has challenges that create the mysteries to be solved, clever quips without being stuhpud or camo, teaching something without being didactic, and not too deep. But best of all was the mystery writing that evolved naturally. One of my best reads lately.

[Joyce Briscoe]

I am not typically a mystery reader, but a friend gave me a copy of NJ Litz’s first novel, “Scent of Fear”, and from the first paragraph, I was hooked. I read it in two days. So when I saw that Ms Litz had a second novel, I bought it immediately. And I was not disappointed. “No Bed of Roses” is a delightful blend of mystery, romance, and all things botanical. I loved the main character, Brianna,
and enjoyed watching her relationship with an unlikely (and to her, at first, unlikeable) man evolve.
The flower imagery was imaginative and evocative, and was woven seamlessly into the story. The ending was surprising and satisfying, as one would wish of any good mystery. The book was great fun to read, and I highly recommend it.

[Elise]

I read "No Bed of Roses" almost in a single sitting. The main characters engaged me in the story immediately -- they're sympathetic and relatable, and had me rooting for them throughout their highs and their lows. The story has great twists and turns -- just when you think you have the trajectory of the mystery all figured out, new information comes to light and changes your whole perspective. Overall, a really enjoyable read, and hoping for a sequel!

[Kelly Klosowski]

This book has it all - mystery and romance! Great read, kept me guessing until the end. Very vivid local setting. I was very invested in the characters ... Can't wait for the sequel!

[Faith Weathers]

No Bed of Roses was such an intriguing read. The characters were very authentic. Loved the references to the local eateries and the gardens. Hoping for a sequel!!!