A heartwarming cozy mystery series about losing everything, taking a chance, and starting again.
After suffering a personal tragedy Abby Sullivan buys a huge old seaside mansion she has never even seen, packs up her life in San Francisco, and moves to Holiday Bay Maine, where she is adopted, quite against her will, by a huge Maine Coon Cat named Rufus, a drifter with her own tragic past named Georgia, and a giant dog with an inferiority complex named Ramos. What Abby thought she needed was alone time to heal. What she ended up with was, an inn she never knew she wanted, a cat she couldn't seem to convince to leave, and a new family she'd never be able to live without.
In book 9 in the series, Abby works with Lonnie and Lacy to uncover secrets long buried in the mansion on the bluff Lonnie is refurbishing, Georgia meets a mysterious woman with a secret of her own, and a new group of guests check into the inn each with a story of their own.
Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn't writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she's not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing, the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home. Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries.
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The storyline was so intriguing and gripping that I didn't want to put this book down at all. The characters were great to read because each character pulled you in closer to who the murderer might be. Loved it !
Gossip in the Garden earns 5/5 Pints of Brew...Engaging & Mysterious Fun!
Kathi Daley has another great book with this eleventh installment in The Inn at Holiday Bay series. The story about the Chadwick family started in book nine, “Proof in the Photo,” and it is recommended newbies start there. Abby’s writing career is going well; she’s even set for a book-signing appearance at the local bookstore. Her new home of Holiday Bay, Maine, has proved perfect motivation for her new novel...The Chadwick House. All real-life details will be disguised, but the Chadwick family story is too rich with drama to be overlooked. During renovations of the Chadwick house, Abby’s able to tag along with her friends who happen to be the contractor and decorator and in her exploring she found a family journal and evidence of a possible secret room. To get more insights she heads off to the historical society, but the closed sign was a disappointment. However, one of the volunteers, Patrick Montoya, sees Abby learning about Abby’s interest in the Chadwick family, he invites her in to offer his own insights. While he packed up some of the display items to make room for new ones, they had an enlightening conversation. But, suspicions run amok when the Patrick turns up murdered, the items he packed up are missing, and the myths and legends behind some of the objects make them more valuable than just monetarily.
From a theft to murder to spelunking Kathi Daley’s mystery involves many layers: legends of hidden treasure and an ancient native ritual. But murder? Kathy Daley does slowly reveal a jumble of clues (some found off the page) that kept me totally absorbed, and almost skipping to the end to find out what it is all about. Secrets and lies always seem to be uncovered, even with a bit of peril thrown in for good measure. Wow! Beyond the murder and drama surrounding the Chadwick house, life at the Inn is busy with a previous guest returning to search again for the “soulmate,” preparations for Lobsterfest, and the appearance of a mysterious older woman struggling with her memory. Abby and Colt are still trying to define their relationship, but one thing’s for sure, they work well as investigative partners! Clever mystery, wonderful characters, and an entertaining writing style has made this series a personal favorite. I do like a bonus with my cozy, and with Georgia the Inn’s chef and star of the local “Cooking with Georgia” show, you’d think there would be a recipe or two...just saying!
In Gossip in the Garden, a mysterious elderly woman with memory loss shows up at the inn, leading the group to try to find out her identity and uncover her past.
The story of the mysterious Rena makes Gossip in the Garden my favorite of the Inn at Holiday Bay mysteries so far. When her contractor friend Lonnie and his furniture restoring wife Lacey started working on the Chadwick mansion, Abby volunteered to help Lacy, and in doing so uncovered secret diaries of Catherine Chadwick, whose tragically doomed love affair ended with her in a mental institution and her beloved sent overseas, never to return. Now, the mystery is solved, as Rena (who is actually Catherine) comes back to Holiday Bay. Her story is both tragic and inspiring, and definitely the most compelling mystery of the series to date.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The ninth one in the series. Abby Sullivan is a mystery writer that also owns an Inn in Holiday Bay Maine. There are several mysteries to solve that work well together: There is an old house on the bluff being renovated that holds family secrets and a secret room. The museum docent is removing artifacts form the local history museum, but why? And an old woman is found wondering around the property at the Inn. How does she relate to the old house on the bluff and what is she doing here? A bit of old history and fun characters.
Gossip in the Garden is an amazing book with two mysteries for Abby to solve, along with getting ready for a beer and wine tasting party. I love all the characters the author has created, including Rena, a woman in her 80’s who appears to have dementia. I would love reading more about her.
Love this series with all its quirky characters and the historical mysteries of the area. I'm happy that some progress is being made between Abby and Colt. Would be a lot happier if they would stop overthinking their relationship though.
Gossip in the Garden is the tenth book in Kathi Daley’s heartwarming The Inn at Holiday Bay series. The storyline flows smoothly, and the book is a clean and easy read. The setting is charming, and the well-developed characters are affable, compassionate, and caring. The mysteries are well-plotted and complex, with lots of twists and turns to keep readers engaged. There’s a perfect blend of mystery, heartache, joy, caring, with a touch of romance. I highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy well-crafted cozy mysteries.
Abby Sullivan’s life dramatically changed when she lost her husband and their infant son in a tragic accident, but since moving to Holiday Bay, Maine, and opening the Inn at Holiday Bay, she’s made a new life for herself and found a home and a family. Georgia Carter, the inn’s talented cook/baker and manager, and her dog, Ramos, live with Abby, Rufus, a Maine Coon, and Molly, a terrier mix, in a cottage located on the property. Georgia’s cooking show, Cooking with Georgia, is doing quite well. Jeremy Slater lives in the inn’s basement apartment with his young niece, Annabelle, and is a valuable asset as he helps Georgia with the day-to-day operations of the inn.
Abby’s friend, Lonnie Parker, is refurbishing the Bar Harbor summer house Baron Chadwick recently inherited, and Lonnie’s wife, Lacy, is repairing, refinishing, and replacing furniture within the huge structure. The house was originally built in eighteen eighty-four by Ozzie Chadwick, and Abby has found herself caught up in the history of the Baron’s relatives. While researching the Chadwick family, Abby visits the Holiday Bay Museum and Historical Society and meets a volunteer, Patrick Montoya, who is very knowledgeable and is able to provide interesting details about the family. Abby and Lacy recently uncovered evidence that a secret room may exist beyond the walls of the library, and Abby is excited because Lonnie is ready to begin working in the library. Georgia and Abby are concerned about an elderly woman Georgia met on the bluff. The only thing the woman seems to remember is that her name is Rena. Meanwhile, Abby’s friend, Police Chief Colt Wilder, has his hands full investigating the recent murder of the volunteer Abby met at the museum, who everyone seems to have liked and respected.
I can't say enough good things about this book. The mystery is well-crafted and the characters are "real" and likable. Abby has two mysteries this time to solve-one in the present and one from the past.I've enjoyed every book in this series.
Altra veloce e piacevole lettura, con due misteri da risolvere: anche se ho capito ben presto la soluzione di entrambi, la storia mi ha comunque catturato.
Gossip in the Garden ( The Inn at the Holiday Bay) Book 10 By: Kathi Daley Gossip in the Garden is book ten in the series The Inn at the Holiday Bay. Love the story and the characters, both are well written. Abby is still finding secrets due to her Inn being renovation. What will the secret be in this story? There is also a mystery woman that Georgia finds. Who is she and where does she come from? There is also a murder takes place. So Abby and Colt are pretty busy trying to find answers. The author keeps you guessing till the end.
Generally speaking, I love this series (and I have read every book), but this installment left me a little flat. There is the mystery within a mystery, which I find unique to this series, but for some reason, the story moved a bit slow for me. I also found it a bit lackluster. I think part of it was th lack of the supporting characters not having much of a role in the story. Neither did the animals. The story left off with a bit of a cliffhanger, which is usual for this series. I still look forward to the next book.
This is an up and down series for me, I think anyone who hadn't read previous books would be lost, this book starts where the last one ended, literally with no explanation, introduction of characters or sense of time. The two mysteries in this book were both far fetched and the way they were left was not satisfying. As much as I like the main characters in this series I am not sure I will continue to read them.
I was disappointed that the book ended rather abruptly. I guessed part of the plot, but it seems like I was only half way through at the end instead of the end tying everything up.
In this next book of the series Abby is excited that Lonnie will finally be doing demo work in the library of the Chadwick house. It looks like there is a secret room behind some of the bookshelves in the library but they won't know until they can get behind it to see and the anticipation is almost to much. Meanwhile Abby is doing research on the Chadwick house in hopes of maybe using it in a future book. She wants to get a feel for the home and the family who has lived there for so many years. The home has been passed down from generation to generation and Abby has been reading the diary of one of its past residents, learning all kinds of interesting new things. She decides to take a trip to the local museum in hopes of getting more information about the house and it's family. She meets a man named Patrick who is a fount of information. When Abby learns that Patrick is murdered the same day she met him helping with the investigation is the first thing that comes to mind. The man had no enemies but it looks like he might have stolen from the museum not to meme he was let go from his teaching position recently. Follow along as Abby looks into Patrick's life in hopes of figuring out just who wanted him dead and why. This is a wonderful series that always has a great mystery and a touch of romance to boot!
This installment in the series offers two mysteries for Abby Sullivan to solve. One is the murder of a man who volunteered at the Holiday Bay local history museum. Abby happened to run into Patrick while he was packing up some artifacts from the display cases to put into storage. At least that was what he told her. The next day Patrick's body was found with fatal bullet wounds and he was being accused of stealing the museum pieces. A woman who called herself "Rena" created the other puzzle. Her memories dated back to the 1950's when the inn was an upscale resort where wealthy people came to relax. But Rena had no idea what her last name was or even how she arrived at the Inn. She had not been reported as missing either. Also, the Chadwick Mansion that Lonnie and Lacy are being paid to bring back to its' former glory opens up more opportunities for Abby and her friends to delve into the family's history and personal stories.
One of Kathi Daley’s “the inn at holiday bay” mysteries. Abby Sullivan is an author who has come here to relax and get over the death of her infant son and husband. Unfortunately she keeps running into murder and mystery. She’s finally gotten her in up and running and is now helping her friends with the renovation of the local rich house and has decided to write a book loosely based on it. When asking around about information she runs into a murder and a lost elderly lady. What is going on in holiday bay??
I love this series and this book did not disappoint. I loved the fact that there are two mysteries going on and it was fun trying to figure both of them out. I did get one right but not the other..lol. Enjoy the book.
I Loved this latest cozy by Kathi Daley filled with plenty of suspense,twists and turns. The storyline and characters were very interesting. This book is recommended for those who love cozy mysteries.
I love all the characters in this wonderful series by Kathi Daley and I can't wait to see what happens next if you love a great cozy with characters you will love and a story that keeps you turning the page then this series is a must read
This one seemed to gel better than the last two or three in the series. I figured out pretty early on who was who and who did what to whom, but it managed to keep my interest.
Another trip to Holiday Bay with all the characters we love in this series; as well as a few new ones. Abby and Colt have a murder to solve, as well as some questions to ponder in their relationship. And by the end, a new mystery finds them to set up for the next book.
Although there was an interesting story about a family who summered in the area in the past and the current family members, as well as a murder mystery, the mystery wasn’t as complex and there were few suspects.
Even though I’ve read all the other books in this series, I was getting confused by all the characters in this story.
It wasn’t as exciting as most of the other books in this Series. I’m hoping the next book has a stronger story.
I like this series in general, but in this installment it was obvious too early on who everyone was and what happened. Needed the mysteries to stay mysteries until further into the book.
I really enjoyed this book. This is the first book I have listened to in this series and even through there is a lot of backstory that I have obviously missed joining the series at book 10 the author writes a good plot so you get some information but not to much that an avid listener gets board. I liked the characters and the small town feel of the place that comes across nicely. The mystery was interesting, with lots of side mysteries going on to keep it interesting all the way throughout the book. Just a nice cozy mystery to keep you entertained and smiling. Abby is busy running her little Inn but with her friend renovating the Chadwick house and finding a secret room behind the book case, Abby comes up with a plot idea for a new book. She wants the house to feature as a bit part especially all the mystery surrounding it but in order to do that she needs to do some research into the home owners. She starts at the local museum and talks to a knowledgeable professor who works there part time and was generous enough to let her into the closed museum while he pack some artefacts. Then she gets a phone call from her boyfriend wanting to know how she knows Patrick. Patrick was murdered in his home and Abby's business card was in his pocket. When Abby enquiries if it was a robbery the police have no idea what she was talking about. It seems nobody knew he had taken any of the artefacts home. Was he trying to sell them? And where are they now? Abby will have to retrace Patrick's step for the last couple of days if she wants to find out what happened to the museum pieces and who killed him. At the same time the inn must prepare for the annual beer festival as well as look after there guest. One guest in particular needs more attention than the others and holds her own secrets that Abby and her friends will have to uncover. I liked the narrator, I have heard her read a few audio books but think this is her best performance. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Gossip in the Garden is the tenth book in the fantastic The Inn at Holiday Bay cozy mystery series by Kathi Daley. The elements of a cozy mystery are present including suspense, danger, romance, humor, love, friends and family, and a sense of community. Abby and friends work to find answers to old mysteries and new mysteries. I look forward to more mystery surrounding the Chadwick house in Bar Harbor as renovations continue. I love the way Ms. Daley writes in a continuing saga fashion with hints and clues to stories in the future (and red herrings). I love that not all questions are resolved in each book. As always, Ms. Daley’s writing flows smoothly, and her setting and relatable characters make for an extremely enjoyable read. I really look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Abby came to Holiday Bay to get away from her broken life in San Francisco ..... not knowing anyone. From her first meeting with Velma she started making friends and becoming part of Holiday Bay. Each book has in my opinion..... two Story lines: (1) the mystery (2) Abby continuing to put down roots to become an integral part of Holiday Bay. In this book she is asked at the last minute to host an event for a town Festival. At first she was reluctant ..... but her friends — both locally and new and repeat visitors to the Inn said yes they could pull it off. They organized themselves & pulled it off..... for the town, the festival but most importantly for Abby & The Inn. Now, I predict, we will start seeing the addition of their storylines. I am about to start the next book..... we’ll see if I am on target or not!
Abby decides to try the local history museum for information about the Chadwick family and meets Patrick a volunteer who is reorganising the exhibits while the museum is closed.
What follows is unfortunately all rather obvious and it's more astonishing that it takes Abby and Colt so long to figure it out. With a weak ending I struggled to remain interested in finishing the novel.. really think there's been too many hints at bigger things through the series than anything that has happened has been a bit of a damp squib.
Still waiting for the hints about Ben's double/secret life to go anywhere, plus several other similar drifting bits of information to be rounded up and brought to closure. If the diary in this one goes nowhere then this was a lot of waffle for very little reward.
Abby has settled down in Holiday Bay, Maine with her new family of animal companions and friends. She's currently helping Lacy and Lonnie who are restoring a mansion as they find buried secrets. When a mysterious woman shows up at the inn with secrets of her own it seems that there's a connection. Throw in a murder and life is crazy as usual for Abby.
Kathi Daley is a favorite author and this series is a favorite as well. This is a wonderful book that was a fun and easy read which kept me hooked from beginning to end. It's well-written with well-rounded characters, some of whom you'll like and others you won't. I'm really looking forward to the next book. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.