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A Flower House Mystery #1
Death in Bloom
The first in a sweet and colorful cozy mystery series from Jess Dylan, Death in Bloom introduces flower shop owner Sierra Ravenswood.
At the Flower House, every rose has its thorn . . .
Sierra Ravenswood is the new part-time employee of the Flower House, a flower shop in Aerieville, Tennessee. It's true she didn't expect to be back in her hometown at twenty-eight-years-old, but after her dream of making it as a singer in Nashville crashed and burned, she's just grateful to have found a soft place to land.
Because, after all, Sierra firmly believes in being optimistic and positive about life, so she's sure she won't have to work at the Flower House forever. But things take a decidedly negative turn when a customer drops dead in the middle of her new bouquet-arranging workshop at the store. When it's discovered he was poisoned by a snack at the event, everyone at the workshop, including Sierra, is on the suspect list. To make matters worse, her boss has gone AWOL and left the store to her for the cost of one dollar, leaving Sierra in charge of both his store and his high-energy Corgi puppy, Gus.
The town is on edge, and Sierra knows that murder is something that an upbeat attitude and a bouquet of sweet-smelling roses can't fix. She's determined to figure out whodunit, before anyone else in town meets an untimely reason for needing funeral flowers.
At the Flower House, every rose has its thorn . . .
Sierra Ravenswood is the new part-time employee of the Flower House, a flower shop in Aerieville, Tennessee. It's true she didn't expect to be back in her hometown at twenty-eight-years-old, but after her dream of making it as a singer in Nashville crashed and burned, she's just grateful to have found a soft place to land.
Because, after all, Sierra firmly believes in being optimistic and positive about life, so she's sure she won't have to work at the Flower House forever. But things take a decidedly negative turn when a customer drops dead in the middle of her new bouquet-arranging workshop at the store. When it's discovered he was poisoned by a snack at the event, everyone at the workshop, including Sierra, is on the suspect list. To make matters worse, her boss has gone AWOL and left the store to her for the cost of one dollar, leaving Sierra in charge of both his store and his high-energy Corgi puppy, Gus.
The town is on edge, and Sierra knows that murder is something that an upbeat attitude and a bouquet of sweet-smelling roses can't fix. She's determined to figure out whodunit, before anyone else in town meets an untimely reason for needing funeral flowers.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 25, 2021
33 people are currently reading
3255 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
November 25, 2021
Death in Bloom by Jess Dylan is a 2021 St. Martin’s Press publication.
Sierra Ravenswood is the latest in a string of part-time employees at the Flower House- a Florist shop located in Aerieville, Tennessee- after her dreams of making it in Nashville fell through.
When her boss, Felix, takes off on a geocaching mission, he leaves Sierra holding the bag. She must now teach a class on flower arrangements by herself, and she's hardly an expert.
The class goes horribly awry when one of those in attendance dies suddenly after an altercation around the snack table.
When it comes to light that the victim was poisoned, that Felix is not coming back anytime soon, and has sent word that Sierra should oversee the shop in his absence, just as someone appears to be sabotaging the Flower House, Sierra takes matters into her own hands, hoping she can expose the murderer and hopefully save the store at the same time…
This first in a series cozy is not terrible, but it didn’t overly impress either.
The flower shop premise is not original- with several veteran series on the market for a long while now, as well as several self-pub series set in a garden or floral environment. Therefore, the plot and the characterizations needed to be spot on- but sadly, the plot is not cohesive, is predictable, unoriginal and thin.
On the bright side, the characterizations show promise and it's a fast, easy read, engaging enough to keep me turning pages.
Although this new series has gotten off to a bit of a rocky start for me, I have the second book queued up, as I understand how hard it is to get a new series off the ground.
Introducing characters, and building a well-plotted mystery is a challenge for even the most seasoned authors.
The author also very wisely chose to leave some questions hanging so readers might be compelled to pick up the next installment. I’m just interested enough to go along… For now…
2.5 rounded up
Sierra Ravenswood is the latest in a string of part-time employees at the Flower House- a Florist shop located in Aerieville, Tennessee- after her dreams of making it in Nashville fell through.
When her boss, Felix, takes off on a geocaching mission, he leaves Sierra holding the bag. She must now teach a class on flower arrangements by herself, and she's hardly an expert.
The class goes horribly awry when one of those in attendance dies suddenly after an altercation around the snack table.
When it comes to light that the victim was poisoned, that Felix is not coming back anytime soon, and has sent word that Sierra should oversee the shop in his absence, just as someone appears to be sabotaging the Flower House, Sierra takes matters into her own hands, hoping she can expose the murderer and hopefully save the store at the same time…
This first in a series cozy is not terrible, but it didn’t overly impress either.
The flower shop premise is not original- with several veteran series on the market for a long while now, as well as several self-pub series set in a garden or floral environment. Therefore, the plot and the characterizations needed to be spot on- but sadly, the plot is not cohesive, is predictable, unoriginal and thin.
On the bright side, the characterizations show promise and it's a fast, easy read, engaging enough to keep me turning pages.
Although this new series has gotten off to a bit of a rocky start for me, I have the second book queued up, as I understand how hard it is to get a new series off the ground.
Introducing characters, and building a well-plotted mystery is a challenge for even the most seasoned authors.
The author also very wisely chose to leave some questions hanging so readers might be compelled to pick up the next installment. I’m just interested enough to go along… For now…
2.5 rounded up
May 25, 2021
Death in Bloom is the first book in Jess Dylan's Flower House Mystery series. Set in the rural town of Aerieville, Tennessee, our protagonist Sierra Ravenswood has returned to her hometown, after failing to make it as a singer in Nashville. Not one to focus on the negative, Sierra has taken a part-time job at the local flower shop and is optimistic about the future. However, she is completely taken aback when her boss Felix up and disappears on a geocaching trip and leaves her in charge just before the first flower arranging class. When the town bully Abe is murdered during the class, Sierra becomes determined to uncover the truth, especially when it becomes clear that someone is targeting the flower shop.
This was a terrific start to a new series. I enjoyed the characters, the flower shop setting, and the storyline. Sierra is a likable and well-written character. I can't wait to see what's in store for her, both with her new business and the new friendships in her life. I hope we'll see more of her grandmother as well. She was a very interesting character, and I would love to see her herbs and superstitions play a role in future storylines.
As for the mystery, I thought it was well-plotted. When I got to the 85% mark on my kindle I still couldn't say with absolute certainty who the killer was. My guess turned out to be correct but props to the author, she did a great job of making me second guess my pick numerous times throughout the story.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable and engaging read. I will be back for another visit with Sierra and the community of Aerieville.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a terrific start to a new series. I enjoyed the characters, the flower shop setting, and the storyline. Sierra is a likable and well-written character. I can't wait to see what's in store for her, both with her new business and the new friendships in her life. I hope we'll see more of her grandmother as well. She was a very interesting character, and I would love to see her herbs and superstitions play a role in future storylines.
As for the mystery, I thought it was well-plotted. When I got to the 85% mark on my kindle I still couldn't say with absolute certainty who the killer was. My guess turned out to be correct but props to the author, she did a great job of making me second guess my pick numerous times throughout the story.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable and engaging read. I will be back for another visit with Sierra and the community of Aerieville.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2022
One thing there is that I get without any fumbling. That is, for me, the rating of a book is given without any hesitation whatsoever. I may reread a review, and not get a clue as to what book I read. It rarely happens, but it does in the rarity that it does. But when I see the rating, I immediately connect with the reading experience of the book. Simplification though this assessment may be, it contains a well explored generalisation. Unlike many, I do not want a different rating system on Goodreads. It serves me well, and covers all bases. At a glance, whenever one wants to know my opinion of a certain novel, he or she will know that opinion by looking at my rating.
Like all universal systems though, this has its limitations. I have given 2 stars to this book. But it now means so much more than before. It means differently. Now, 2 stars means that the book is good but flawed. The said flaw is not even that given to acute depth. This book was nice to read. Unlike many others that got 3 stars in the past, it did not even sin that thoroughly in its imperfections. The story never rose to storied proportions. It was more than adequate. The new style of rating has its problems, because what I attribute to it, is not universally attributed. I therefore must use this review to underline the fact that for me, 2 stars is a positive rating. If this new rating systems affirms itself and stays stable in the long run, I will spell out what the star system for me represents:-
1 star - a book that I will never read again, being perhaps very bad, or nearly so.
2 stars - a book that is pleasant to read, but in which I will never renew interest.
3 stars - I liked this book and have respect for the author. I may revisit this book.
4 stars - a book that I adored and admire. The work of a talented author.
5 stars - One of the best books I have ever chanced to lay my hands on.
I have often been puzzled and quite amused by the enunciation of many book lovers to state their ratings. Though I may have found this exercise pointless. I now understand its importance. The books that I now read have changed. Some books that I have chosen optimistically in the past are now relegated to the back or the top of the shelves. They are no longer a priority. There are many authors whose writing styles no longer please me. I am no longer charmed by the newer books of erstwhile eagerly awaited series. This is a reality that is neither bleak, nor sad, nor even unwelcome.
Coming to this book, I must say it impressed me in its opening chapters. After the murder in the book - hardly a spoiler if you know your cosies - there was a section where I had given up on the book. You see, time wasting is something that does not sit well with me. I am sure a few of the book's readers might have felt the same. I may not be alone in that. But after the lull, things began to come to a boil, which was exciting, because we were only in the middle chapters. The conclusion and inevitable reveal of the murderer's identity could wait, because things were ebullient as they stood.
I did not find the murderer's identity. The person on whom I had pinned my suspicions was enigmatic. That person, say he or she is X, was given weird dialogue, and a weirder development. I highly suspect that this development was premeditated and was executed on purpose. I say this because of a detail. That detail, which was not easy to forget or detect, was not explained away when the book was wrapping things up. This was a clumsy misdirection that I begrudgingly but graciously excuse the writer. Therefore, even though I did not get the culprit correctly named and metaphorically bound and gagged, I congratulate myself for unravelling that superfluous and cunning and glaring detail which sidelined me in an unsporting manner.
I encourage cosy readers to give this book a chance. Do not be deterred by my rating. This is an honest to goodness decent book. It presented the vision of the author in a smart and sometimes cunning way. The intrigue never outstayed its welcome. It is one of these stories that would have been easily adapted into a movie. While that will never happen, this is an observation that carries a not so subtly hidden compliment. The nature of the novel is cinematic in its trappings. The characters are both varied and personality-wise distinct. They were easy to keep track of.
One final word about the murderer. One of the aces up any mystery writer's sleeve is to carve out a criminal that does not figure well in the book. Here, the criminal is not obvious because that X character is like the baddie in Agatha Christie's The Mystery of the Blue Train. In Christie's book, the mysterious murderer had an effete impact. The criminal in that book was cleverly concealed. Here, in this book, the treatment of the murderer was more plebian and domestic and unromantic.
So, to conclude, I enjoyed reading this book. I thought that the title might refer to the disbanded group, Nirvana's song titled In Bloom. But this book was written in 2021. It holds no ties to the 90s and no sway over nostalgia. It is a product of its times, times that are exciting to say the obvious. If you do not find that obvious let me say that the number of good cosies being released these days will please any aficionado. This book contained the lifestyle of many different people. There are the meatheads (this may be uncharitable), the superstitious, the talented, the artistic, the boring, and the romantic. A healthy and well sketched mixture of characters from different backgrounds and just as different sensibilities, to say nothing of their education and intelligence. Therefore I got more than I bargained with this book. The cast is not huge, but is not stuffy as well. But I must say, they all speak more or less in the same voice. Which encourages me in my own endeavours to craft a book of my own. I am heartened that it is possible to create a tale that has a couple of defects but over which there will be no real baying for the author's blood. I could say more, but I have said an adequate number of points that will he helpful. So there you go. If you want a likable heroine with no chip on her shoulder, this book will appeal to you, The mystery part of the book is quite well designed. I should know. I did give it 2 well deserved stars.
Like all universal systems though, this has its limitations. I have given 2 stars to this book. But it now means so much more than before. It means differently. Now, 2 stars means that the book is good but flawed. The said flaw is not even that given to acute depth. This book was nice to read. Unlike many others that got 3 stars in the past, it did not even sin that thoroughly in its imperfections. The story never rose to storied proportions. It was more than adequate. The new style of rating has its problems, because what I attribute to it, is not universally attributed. I therefore must use this review to underline the fact that for me, 2 stars is a positive rating. If this new rating systems affirms itself and stays stable in the long run, I will spell out what the star system for me represents:-
1 star - a book that I will never read again, being perhaps very bad, or nearly so.
2 stars - a book that is pleasant to read, but in which I will never renew interest.
3 stars - I liked this book and have respect for the author. I may revisit this book.
4 stars - a book that I adored and admire. The work of a talented author.
5 stars - One of the best books I have ever chanced to lay my hands on.
I have often been puzzled and quite amused by the enunciation of many book lovers to state their ratings. Though I may have found this exercise pointless. I now understand its importance. The books that I now read have changed. Some books that I have chosen optimistically in the past are now relegated to the back or the top of the shelves. They are no longer a priority. There are many authors whose writing styles no longer please me. I am no longer charmed by the newer books of erstwhile eagerly awaited series. This is a reality that is neither bleak, nor sad, nor even unwelcome.
Coming to this book, I must say it impressed me in its opening chapters. After the murder in the book - hardly a spoiler if you know your cosies - there was a section where I had given up on the book. You see, time wasting is something that does not sit well with me. I am sure a few of the book's readers might have felt the same. I may not be alone in that. But after the lull, things began to come to a boil, which was exciting, because we were only in the middle chapters. The conclusion and inevitable reveal of the murderer's identity could wait, because things were ebullient as they stood.
I did not find the murderer's identity. The person on whom I had pinned my suspicions was enigmatic. That person, say he or she is X, was given weird dialogue, and a weirder development. I highly suspect that this development was premeditated and was executed on purpose. I say this because of a detail. That detail, which was not easy to forget or detect, was not explained away when the book was wrapping things up. This was a clumsy misdirection that I begrudgingly but graciously excuse the writer. Therefore, even though I did not get the culprit correctly named and metaphorically bound and gagged, I congratulate myself for unravelling that superfluous and cunning and glaring detail which sidelined me in an unsporting manner.
I encourage cosy readers to give this book a chance. Do not be deterred by my rating. This is an honest to goodness decent book. It presented the vision of the author in a smart and sometimes cunning way. The intrigue never outstayed its welcome. It is one of these stories that would have been easily adapted into a movie. While that will never happen, this is an observation that carries a not so subtly hidden compliment. The nature of the novel is cinematic in its trappings. The characters are both varied and personality-wise distinct. They were easy to keep track of.
One final word about the murderer. One of the aces up any mystery writer's sleeve is to carve out a criminal that does not figure well in the book. Here, the criminal is not obvious because that X character is like the baddie in Agatha Christie's The Mystery of the Blue Train. In Christie's book, the mysterious murderer had an effete impact. The criminal in that book was cleverly concealed. Here, in this book, the treatment of the murderer was more plebian and domestic and unromantic.
So, to conclude, I enjoyed reading this book. I thought that the title might refer to the disbanded group, Nirvana's song titled In Bloom. But this book was written in 2021. It holds no ties to the 90s and no sway over nostalgia. It is a product of its times, times that are exciting to say the obvious. If you do not find that obvious let me say that the number of good cosies being released these days will please any aficionado. This book contained the lifestyle of many different people. There are the meatheads (this may be uncharitable), the superstitious, the talented, the artistic, the boring, and the romantic. A healthy and well sketched mixture of characters from different backgrounds and just as different sensibilities, to say nothing of their education and intelligence. Therefore I got more than I bargained with this book. The cast is not huge, but is not stuffy as well. But I must say, they all speak more or less in the same voice. Which encourages me in my own endeavours to craft a book of my own. I am heartened that it is possible to create a tale that has a couple of defects but over which there will be no real baying for the author's blood. I could say more, but I have said an adequate number of points that will he helpful. So there you go. If you want a likable heroine with no chip on her shoulder, this book will appeal to you, The mystery part of the book is quite well designed. I should know. I did give it 2 well deserved stars.
April 19, 2021
Author Jess Dylan designs a lovely storyline centered around The Flower House business. This cozy mystery is set in rural Tennessee and features struggling music artist, Sierra Ravenswood, who works for Felix, the owner of the florist shop. When Felix up and disappears on a geocaching search, Sierra is left with all the shop responsibilities on her shoulders. A flower arranging class turns into a crime scene, and Felix doesn’t answer texts or calls from Sierra!
While I felt that the plot needed a stronger mystery; I enjoyed many of the characters and seeing their stories and personalities unfold between the pages. Sierra is a bit naive and timid at first, but grows stronger by the story’s end. Her family is supportive, and two unlikely friends, Deena and Calvin, turn out to be great help for her—odd as their mixed personalities may be. Once they put their amateur sleuth skills together, they began to figure out the bizarre happenings around them. Gus, the Corgi, is a precious pooch who loves Sierra.
My favorite character is Granny Mae who’s known for her home remedies, medicinal herbs, and kindness. I like that Sierra uses positive affirmations each day to strengthen her confidence. This debut story sets up some great characters that show lots of promise for future stories. As the mystery concludes, I realized I dismissed a clue early in in the story that pointed to the murderer so I was surprised by the reveal. I think readers will be pleased with the arrangement of this mild cozy debut. Happy Reading!
I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. All opinions are my own. Thank you.
While I felt that the plot needed a stronger mystery; I enjoyed many of the characters and seeing their stories and personalities unfold between the pages. Sierra is a bit naive and timid at first, but grows stronger by the story’s end. Her family is supportive, and two unlikely friends, Deena and Calvin, turn out to be great help for her—odd as their mixed personalities may be. Once they put their amateur sleuth skills together, they began to figure out the bizarre happenings around them. Gus, the Corgi, is a precious pooch who loves Sierra.
My favorite character is Granny Mae who’s known for her home remedies, medicinal herbs, and kindness. I like that Sierra uses positive affirmations each day to strengthen her confidence. This debut story sets up some great characters that show lots of promise for future stories. As the mystery concludes, I realized I dismissed a clue early in in the story that pointed to the murderer so I was surprised by the reveal. I think readers will be pleased with the arrangement of this mild cozy debut. Happy Reading!
I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. All opinions are my own. Thank you.
May 24, 2021
Sierra Ravenswood gets a big surprise when Felix, her boss and owner of the Flower House floral shop in Aerieville, Tennessee, lets her know that he is leaving town for an extended time for a geocaching trip and she is in charge of the shop beginning with a flower arranging workshop that night. And she has his dog, Gus, to look after as well. It was a crazy workshop with one obnoxious attendee, Abe, taunting another attendee and he suddenly falls to the floor dead of what is determined to be poisoning. Everyone at the workshop is a suspect of putting poison on the snack that Abe ate and they all appear suspicious to me. A friend from high school, Deena Lee, attended the workshop as well and Sierra feels that she is trustworthy since she just returned to town. Then a surprise person shows up at the house saying that Felix rented the upstairs apartment out to him while he is writing a book. Calvin comes across as a nerdy klutz, although he is a little cute. Things get really crazy as someone breaks into the shop twice and vandalizes it as well as the greenhouse. Other things have been going on with other attendees, including blackmail, death threats, black roses left, and suspicious acting behavior, leaving one unsure of who is behind everything. Sierra's Granny Mae tries to help advise and protect Sierra with her potions and recommendations. It all left my head spinning with all the strange behavior. This is a fun read with some risk taking while investigating on Sierra and Deena's part in a small town setting full of fast moving gossip, quirky characters, and mystery.
I received a complimentary ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are mine only.
I received a complimentary ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are mine only.
April 28, 2022
This was our pick for the April Cozy Mystery Book Club read, and the beginning of the second series out of 4 we're going to tackle. For the first book in a new series, it was pretty solid. I think it will shape up into a great series.
I liked Sierra, her reactions and thought processes as she tried to sort out everything going on felt very true to life. While the plot kept me guessing (I had a suspect in mind early on, and second guessed myself more than once!) in the middle, it felt like it was just shuffling along until around 2/3 of the way through the book when it picked up again. Along with that, it felt like a lot of the detail was only there as filler and yet there was very little in the way of character development beyond Sierra. Mostly, the reader is just "shown" the characters, mostly superficially and for some, a little generically. The suspects, the family, even the victim realy didn't have enough meat to help me "get to know" the characters. Although the rich detail set the scene very well, I think the characters could've used a bit more, to add dimension to the story. That's something I'll be looking at as the series goes on.
Hmm, this review makes it seem like that was more I didn't like about the book than what I did like and that's really not the case. I love the small town of Aerieville (even the name is evocative!) and I'm looking forward to watch it come to life as the series goes on. So as the first in a series, it was pretty good, although it could be better.
I liked Sierra, her reactions and thought processes as she tried to sort out everything going on felt very true to life. While the plot kept me guessing (I had a suspect in mind early on, and second guessed myself more than once!) in the middle, it felt like it was just shuffling along until around 2/3 of the way through the book when it picked up again. Along with that, it felt like a lot of the detail was only there as filler and yet there was very little in the way of character development beyond Sierra. Mostly, the reader is just "shown" the characters, mostly superficially and for some, a little generically. The suspects, the family, even the victim realy didn't have enough meat to help me "get to know" the characters. Although the rich detail set the scene very well, I think the characters could've used a bit more, to add dimension to the story. That's something I'll be looking at as the series goes on.
Hmm, this review makes it seem like that was more I didn't like about the book than what I did like and that's really not the case. I love the small town of Aerieville (even the name is evocative!) and I'm looking forward to watch it come to life as the series goes on. So as the first in a series, it was pretty good, although it could be better.
April 14, 2021
I was a fan of this author's Wiccan Wheel Mystery series, so when I found out she was writing another cozy mystery series under a new pen name I was looking forward to reading it. This was not a bad start to a new series and does show promise. I very much enjoyed the characters. Sienna is just finding her footing again after returning to her hometown. She is back at her once former job at the flower shop, when a death occurs during one of her flower arranging classes. The author provides a diverse secondary cast that can easily expand and contract based upon future plots/storylines. Where this fell apart for me was the mystery. The death occurs very early in the book so the reader does not get to know too much about the victim. It appears that he was not well-liked, but it was hard to really dig out that information. Everyone who was at the flower shop at the time of the death is a suspect, including Sienna, so she decides to ask questions and discover the killer's identity to help prove her innocence. What was disappointing to me was that we didn't really get to know the suspects that well or be able to discern their motives for wanting this individual dead. As a result, the pace of this book felt slow and did drag at times. With some tightening around the plot and storyline as well as a more detailed mystery, I think this series could have really good potential.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, St. Martin's Press, through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, St. Martin's Press, through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
June 12, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Sierra Ravenswood had hopes of being a singer known across the country but that didn’t happen so she is back home in Aerieville working part-time at The Flower House as she decides what she wants to do with her life next. The eccentric owner of the place has taken off to places unknown and left her the ownership of the shop just as he was scheduled to lead a workshop on flower arranging. Sierra decides to go ahead with the class and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves until one of the participants keels over dead. Sierra assumes the man had a heart attack but soon learns he was poisoned by one of the treats on the snack table. This means everyone at the workshop is a suspect including Sierra.
Trying to decide what she wants to do with The Flower House takes a backseat to finding a killer especially after the store and its greenhouse are vandalized. She is also the new owner of her boss’s Corgi puppy named Gus. Her life is not taking an expected turn but her optimistic nature will not let her back down while Death is in Bloom.
As soon as I saw the cover of this book I wanted to read it. My grandmother had a garden that encompassed most of her lawn with just grass walkways. This cover made me think of her and just brought back so many wonderful memories are spending time in those gardens and learning about flowers from my grandmother.
I really enjoyed meeting Sierra. Many people would have fallen apart by everything she had to handle in this story but she is a strong woman who took it all in stride with only some minor breaks. Her daily affirmations were uplighting both for her and this reader.
Sierra’s family was mostly supportive She really drew strength from Granny Mae. That woman is extraordinary in many ways and a great resource for Sierra. I enjoyed that she reconnected with an old friend, Deena, and made a new friend in Calvin. All the characters felt true to life. Everyone really worked together to keep the shop going and sleuth out clues. I am anxious to see how the characters and their relationships develop as this series continues.
I was taken in by the history of The Flower House and the town of Aerieville. The author added some nice depth to the story with the backgrounds she provided readers and her descriptions of each place she took us within the pages of this book.
The mystery was well done especially for the first book in a series. I always say the first book in a series is a heavy life because the author needs to give readers a great mystery while introducing core characters with enough background to get us invested in their lives. Ms. Dylan did an admirable job at both. I do wish we had gotten to know some of the suspects better so motives would have been more evident. I was able to solve the mystery way before the reveal but I was totally entertained by the entire story.
Death in Bloom has set this series off to a blooming start. I want to visit Sierra, her friends, family, and The Flower House again soon.
Sierra Ravenswood had hopes of being a singer known across the country but that didn’t happen so she is back home in Aerieville working part-time at The Flower House as she decides what she wants to do with her life next. The eccentric owner of the place has taken off to places unknown and left her the ownership of the shop just as he was scheduled to lead a workshop on flower arranging. Sierra decides to go ahead with the class and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves until one of the participants keels over dead. Sierra assumes the man had a heart attack but soon learns he was poisoned by one of the treats on the snack table. This means everyone at the workshop is a suspect including Sierra.
Trying to decide what she wants to do with The Flower House takes a backseat to finding a killer especially after the store and its greenhouse are vandalized. She is also the new owner of her boss’s Corgi puppy named Gus. Her life is not taking an expected turn but her optimistic nature will not let her back down while Death is in Bloom.
As soon as I saw the cover of this book I wanted to read it. My grandmother had a garden that encompassed most of her lawn with just grass walkways. This cover made me think of her and just brought back so many wonderful memories are spending time in those gardens and learning about flowers from my grandmother.
I really enjoyed meeting Sierra. Many people would have fallen apart by everything she had to handle in this story but she is a strong woman who took it all in stride with only some minor breaks. Her daily affirmations were uplighting both for her and this reader.
Sierra’s family was mostly supportive She really drew strength from Granny Mae. That woman is extraordinary in many ways and a great resource for Sierra. I enjoyed that she reconnected with an old friend, Deena, and made a new friend in Calvin. All the characters felt true to life. Everyone really worked together to keep the shop going and sleuth out clues. I am anxious to see how the characters and their relationships develop as this series continues.
I was taken in by the history of The Flower House and the town of Aerieville. The author added some nice depth to the story with the backgrounds she provided readers and her descriptions of each place she took us within the pages of this book.
The mystery was well done especially for the first book in a series. I always say the first book in a series is a heavy life because the author needs to give readers a great mystery while introducing core characters with enough background to get us invested in their lives. Ms. Dylan did an admirable job at both. I do wish we had gotten to know some of the suspects better so motives would have been more evident. I was able to solve the mystery way before the reveal but I was totally entertained by the entire story.
Death in Bloom has set this series off to a blooming start. I want to visit Sierra, her friends, family, and The Flower House again soon.
April 24, 2021
Death In Bloom by Jess Dylan is a debut cozy mystery that almost hit all the right notes for me.
Ms. Dylan's plot is smoothly paced for most of the story but I felt that it slowed down some in the middle. The characters are all well drawn in this book as I could see Sierra growing more confident as the story continued. Calvin and Deena were great secondary characters that added dimension to the plot as they all took part in solving the mystery. Limited suspects and several twists kept the story moving to the dramatic conclusion. The characters and the community of Aerieville, Tennessee provide a promising future for more cozy mysteries by this author.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
Ms. Dylan's plot is smoothly paced for most of the story but I felt that it slowed down some in the middle. The characters are all well drawn in this book as I could see Sierra growing more confident as the story continued. Calvin and Deena were great secondary characters that added dimension to the plot as they all took part in solving the mystery. Limited suspects and several twists kept the story moving to the dramatic conclusion. The characters and the community of Aerieville, Tennessee provide a promising future for more cozy mysteries by this author.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
April 15, 2021
Sierra Ravenswood is the star of this new series by Jess Dylan. Returning home is bittersweet for Sierra, and when she returns to her part time job at the local flower shop, bizarre things begin to happen, including the sudden disappearance of her boss.
As a first in a new series, Death in Bloom is a fairly decent read. Some parts did seem a bit stagnant, but overall I enjoyed it.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
As a first in a new series, Death in Bloom is a fairly decent read. Some parts did seem a bit stagnant, but overall I enjoyed it.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
May 31, 2021
When a genre is over-saturated with books, a new one needs to make a huge impression to get both bought and read and then further ones bought. This one grabs your attention by the cover, keeps it with the great characters [though Sierra is a bit much in the beginning - "How could I explain the vision I'd created for myself? I dreamed of an exciting, romantic life, with a partner worthy of movie star billing." Really? I thought she was an adult, not 15. Geesh. Made me want to gag. Thankfully, some of this gets worked out in the end] and then WHOOSH, just dies with the writing. It just was...meh? It took too long to get where we needed to be [this could have easily been 50-60 pages shorter], there were W A Y too many red herrings [though a couple of them were really good and one I was absolutely sure was the killer and was wrong], and there was a lot of unnecessary running around to get to the "truth". It was very difficult for me to stay engaged.
There were really good aspects of this book - the killer is hidden very well, the characters of Deena and Calvin are excellent side-kicks [I loved watching Deena blossom ;-) ] and the location of a flower shop is new and fresh and fun [when Sierra was working. She DID do her job, but she also shoved a lot of HER responsibilities onto Calvin [who she had just met and didn't know from Adam], or just shut the doors completely to run around and "solve" the murder - if you are worried about losing your job and business, perhaps you should be doing your job first, but what do I know?]. The thing that saved this book for me was the reveal and the end. There were a couple of moments where I went "OH PLEASE", but for the most part, I loved how it ended; with hope and laughter and friends and family [THE best character in this whole book is Sierra's granny. OH MY GOSH I love her].
I can hope that if the author writes a second one that the writing will be a little more coherent and cohesive [and not so long] and that the characters are a little more fleshed out [with less running around] - if that can happen, this would be an excellent series that people would flock to. Even with its flaws, I would read a second one, because I have read many a not-so-great first book in a series and decided to read the second and those are some of my most favorite books now, so never say never. And always, always, always, be ready to give a second chance.
Thank you to NetGalley, Jess Dylan, and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Paperbacks for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There were really good aspects of this book - the killer is hidden very well, the characters of Deena and Calvin are excellent side-kicks [I loved watching Deena blossom ;-) ] and the location of a flower shop is new and fresh and fun [when Sierra was working. She DID do her job, but she also shoved a lot of HER responsibilities onto Calvin [who she had just met and didn't know from Adam], or just shut the doors completely to run around and "solve" the murder - if you are worried about losing your job and business, perhaps you should be doing your job first, but what do I know?]. The thing that saved this book for me was the reveal and the end. There were a couple of moments where I went "OH PLEASE", but for the most part, I loved how it ended; with hope and laughter and friends and family [THE best character in this whole book is Sierra's granny. OH MY GOSH I love her].
I can hope that if the author writes a second one that the writing will be a little more coherent and cohesive [and not so long] and that the characters are a little more fleshed out [with less running around] - if that can happen, this would be an excellent series that people would flock to. Even with its flaws, I would read a second one, because I have read many a not-so-great first book in a series and decided to read the second and those are some of my most favorite books now, so never say never. And always, always, always, be ready to give a second chance.
Thank you to NetGalley, Jess Dylan, and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Paperbacks for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2021
This is a great start to a new series. Sierra is working at Flower House back in her hometown of Aerieville, Tennessee. When her boss disappears and a murder occurs in the flower shop, Sierra is determined to figure out what is going on. I really liked the characters. Sierra is a good lead and I connected with her right way. The mystery was well done and it took me until the end of the book to figure out the killer. I am looking forward to more in this series. I received this book from Kensington publishing and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2022
I enjoyed this story. There wasn’t anything particularly new in it – main character is going through a bad breakup so she moves home hoping to find herself and ends up discovering a body. I did like the addition of geocaching to the story (not a main focus) and found the characters likeable. I found so many things hard to believe – how she gets the store, etc., but was entertained enough to continue on with the series.
July 1, 2021
Death in Bloom is the first in the A Flower House Mystery Series. Sierra ends up with a lot on her plate as she leads her first flower arranging class, and has a student keel over dead. At the same time her boss takes off for parts unknown, a stranger arrives to rent to rent the apartment upstairs, and she gains a dog by default. The murder investigation turns nasty as a series of break ins seem designed to up end the flower business or to intimidate her. Sierra and the cast of side characters make for a fun read. Good first in a series.
April 22, 2021
Sierra Ravenswood finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery while trying to manage the Flower House floral shop when the owner takes off to go "geocaching". The only one she doesn't suspect of the murder of a town bully, is her new canine friend, Gus!
I enjoyed this first in a series cozy! Sierra is a relatable character who tries to be optimistic as things fall apart around her. The supporting characters - her friend Deena, the mysterious Calvin and Sierra's family add humor to the book. The "mystery within a mystery", the disappearance of Sierra's now ex- boss, will be fun to explore in the next book. I enjoy flower shop mysteries and this one didn't disappoint. The book has a few "red herrings" and I was surprised to learn "whodunit"!
I'm looking forward to another visit to Aerieville, Tennessee and the Flower House!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I enjoyed this first in a series cozy! Sierra is a relatable character who tries to be optimistic as things fall apart around her. The supporting characters - her friend Deena, the mysterious Calvin and Sierra's family add humor to the book. The "mystery within a mystery", the disappearance of Sierra's now ex- boss, will be fun to explore in the next book. I enjoy flower shop mysteries and this one didn't disappoint. The book has a few "red herrings" and I was surprised to learn "whodunit"!
I'm looking forward to another visit to Aerieville, Tennessee and the Flower House!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 28, 2021
Death in Bloom by Jess Dylan is the debut of A Flower Shop Mystery series. Sierra Ravenswood wishes to be a country music star, but things did not go well in Nashville. She is back in Aerieville, Tennessee where she works parttime at the Flower House. She has two protective parents and a younger brother named Rocky. There are some interesting characters in this story with my favorite being Sierra’s grandmother, Granny Mae. Granny Mae is a kindly woman known for her home remedies and other special concoctions. It was nice to see Sierra change by growing stronger and more confident. She seemed to be a person at loose ends and unsure of herself at the beginning of the story. The author took the time to set the stage for the series by describing the town (the main residents, shop owners) and giving us Sierra’s background. The mystery needed to be stronger. It is a simple whodunit that can be solved quickly. It was obvious who was going to be murdered (the mean guy) as soon as the person was introduced. The clues needed to solve the mystery are obvious (I wish they were more subtle). The murder happened so early in the book that we did not get a chance to know the victim or the suspects (or their motives). I like how the language of flowers was incorporated into the story (it is fascinating). I loved Gus, the Pembroke Welsh corgi pup that Felix owned, and Sierra took in. He is a cutie that provided smiles and laughter. I like the side story involving Felix and his jaunt. I hope we find out more details in the next book. Death in Bloom is a good start to A Flower Shop Mystery series. I am sure the author will up her game in Petals and Poison. Death in Bloom is an upbeat cozy mystery with a poisoned powder, a cute corgi, a missing manager, a mystery renter, beautiful blooms, and a sleuthing singer.
August 22, 2022
"There are always flowers for those who want to see them." ~Henri MatisseI love reading cozy mysteries either in different location settings or accentuating different businesses. The artwork for this cozy mystery highlighting a florist is so welcoming I wished I could walk right up those steps and venture in to browse and surely purchase of a mixed seasonal bouquet for my own home would have extended the joy of my visit.
It is always a treasure to delight in an author's creativity that has given charming names to businesses that characters own and/or will visit during a new series. For this series, delightful business names are Flower House, Coffee Art Café, Light Steps Dance Studio, and the tea room of Tea for You.
Sierra Ravenswood has returned to Aerieville, Tennessee after her pursuit of a music career in Nashville didn't turn out as to her dreams. Sierra is working part-time at Flower House as she did in high school. However, boss Felix Maniford seems to be taking advantage of Sierra's familiarity with the business to go off for his favored delight of Geocaching. Sierra also becomes the dedicated caregiver for Felix's cute corgi named Gus. As Sierra begins teaching the start of a new bouquet arranging class in the evening after business hours no one is aware that not all of the students may be going home after class.
There are multiple suspects and as most mystery readers are armchair sleuths I am no exception. As rewarding as it is to solve the investigation along with the amateur sleuth it is always interesting if due to the author's creativity I'm still vacillating after I've narrowed the suspects down to 2 possibilities. I'm looking forward to the next possibilities for Sierra and Flower House.
June 27, 2022
I have been stressed out a lot lately (and by lately I mean years and years) and that keeps me from enjoying a lot of books. Even a mild climax in a romcom can stress me out, so I mostly just re-read old favorites. This was the first cozy in a while where I really felt the cozy aspect over the anxiety of the mystery, and it was a nice reprieve. Dylan provided a solid whodunit in an enjoyable setting and I definitely recommend this series to fans of cozy mysteries.
April 6, 2023
This book was fun! It had some cheesy bits and some eyeroll moments, but it didn't take away from the mystery for me. I didn't think all of Sierra's actions were smart or totally realistic, but I didn't find them infuriating or too farfetched. It kind of reminded me of shows where characters will do things that most people typically wouldn't do, but it fits the story so it works. Sierra was a bit bold with her questions and actions, but it came across as her character - and she does question herself at times.
I really did enjoy the mystery and everything it uncovered. Once things were unraveling, I had to stop myself from flying through the pages (I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything). That's usually something that happens when I read thrillers, so I knew I was invested.
Calvin's character was giving me the ick LOL and that's coming from someone who loves a good pun.
I'm looking forward to continuing the series and hopefully learning more about the characters that were introduced in this book!
I really did enjoy the mystery and everything it uncovered. Once things were unraveling, I had to stop myself from flying through the pages (I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything). That's usually something that happens when I read thrillers, so I knew I was invested.
Calvin's character was giving me the ick LOL and that's coming from someone who loves a good pun.
I'm looking forward to continuing the series and hopefully learning more about the characters that were introduced in this book!
May 11, 2023
April/Tennessee
Some of this story was silly. I would have liked the whole story to have involved the treasure hunt, but it was a very small part of the story. Most of the story is about a failing flower shop and murdered man that no one in town liked. There were a lot of suspects in his death. I thought it should have been someone else that killed him. I also didn't like the romance. I thought she should have picked a different character. I don't like the one she picked.
Some of this story was silly. I would have liked the whole story to have involved the treasure hunt, but it was a very small part of the story. Most of the story is about a failing flower shop and murdered man that no one in town liked. There were a lot of suspects in his death. I thought it should have been someone else that killed him. I also didn't like the romance. I thought she should have picked a different character. I don't like the one she picked.
January 4, 2022
A fun first in series. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and I loved the flower shop setting. Definitely a page turner that kept you guessing until the very end. If you have enjoyed previous books by this author you will definitely want to read this series.
April 22, 2021
Death in Bloom: A Flower House Mystery by Jess Dylan is a wonderful cozy mystery that is the first in a new series: A Flower House Mystery. I really enjoyed this fresh start to an exciting series, and I really am looking forward to future books after reading this gem.
I really liked this book. The inclusion of the flower shop, learning more about types of flowers, arrangements, and the author's talent in describing the flowers/plants really gave me a vivid visual and I feel really enhanced the story.
I enjoyed meeting Sierra Ravenswood, meeting the whole character cast, and I really am looking forward to learning more about everyone in the future books. There is plenty of material presented within this story to develop into future narratives.
I enjoyed the murder/mystery plot. It was creative and had several potential suspects, and kept me engaged throughout.
5/5 stars
A great cozy mystery with a promising future.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
I really liked this book. The inclusion of the flower shop, learning more about types of flowers, arrangements, and the author's talent in describing the flowers/plants really gave me a vivid visual and I feel really enhanced the story.
I enjoyed meeting Sierra Ravenswood, meeting the whole character cast, and I really am looking forward to learning more about everyone in the future books. There is plenty of material presented within this story to develop into future narratives.
I enjoyed the murder/mystery plot. It was creative and had several potential suspects, and kept me engaged throughout.
5/5 stars
A great cozy mystery with a promising future.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
April 4, 2021
Back in her hometown in Tennessee after an unsuccessful stint as a singer, Sierra Ravenswood finds herself thrust into the middle of a murder investigation. When Abe Ranker drops dead in the middle of her flower arranging class, everyone thinks it was caused by a heart attack. But when the police say Abe was poisoned and it was murder, Sierra worries about her missing boss and owner of the Flower House - Felix. She decides to investigate on her own.
This is the first in a new series and I think there is potential in this character
This is the first in a new series and I think there is potential in this character
April 20, 2021
Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of DEATH IN BLOOM (Book 1 of the Flower House Mysteries) by Jess Dylan in exchange for an honest review. Sierra Ravenswood has returned to her hometown of Aerieville, Tennessee after suffering personal and professional failure. Sierra, determined to focus on the positive and on setting new goals for the future, settled back into working at the Flower House, where had she worked as a teenager. Sierra’s first attempt to arrange a workshop wilts when one of the attendees is poisoned. At the same time, Sierra’s boss just leaves town on a mystery mission and sends instructions to sell the florist shop to Sierra for one dollar. Further, someone keeps breaking into the shop and breaking everything. Sierra must overcome the damage to her ego and restore her faith in herself because she has a shop to run, a vandal to stop, insurance companies to deal with, decision about her future to make, a new puppy to love, parents to placate, a new friend to support, a secretive tenant to spy upon, and a murder to solve.
I liked this book and thought it was a good start to a new series. I recommend this book to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, florist shops, greenhouses, identity crisis, hometowns, overbearing parents, and a heroine with room to grow and heal.
#DeathinBloom #NetGalley
I liked this book and thought it was a good start to a new series. I recommend this book to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, florist shops, greenhouses, identity crisis, hometowns, overbearing parents, and a heroine with room to grow and heal.
#DeathinBloom #NetGalley
April 15, 2021
Sierra Ravenswood has returned home to Aerieville,Tennessee after chasing her dream in Nashville. While she’s living on her own, she’s back at the same job she held in high school and still keeping the faith she’ll hit it big.
In the blink of an eye, Sierra goes from part-time employee to running the flower shop when her boss disappears and a man is murdered in the shop. First a guy shows up looking for her boss saying he rented the apartment over the shop from him. Then Sierra finds her boss wants to sell the shop to her for $1. If she is even going to consider taking the shop over, Sierra knows she’s got to find the murderer and hopes she’s not going to be digging her own grave in the process.
This series has potential. I love the rural setting, Grant Mae, Gus, Deena, Calvin and Sierra. I hope the author weaves in more folk stories and herbal healing from Granny in future installments.
In the blink of an eye, Sierra goes from part-time employee to running the flower shop when her boss disappears and a man is murdered in the shop. First a guy shows up looking for her boss saying he rented the apartment over the shop from him. Then Sierra finds her boss wants to sell the shop to her for $1. If she is even going to consider taking the shop over, Sierra knows she’s got to find the murderer and hopes she’s not going to be digging her own grave in the process.
This series has potential. I love the rural setting, Grant Mae, Gus, Deena, Calvin and Sierra. I hope the author weaves in more folk stories and herbal healing from Granny in future installments.
April 12, 2022
Thank you NetGalley, Jess Dylan and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Death in Bloom. This is my personal review.
Death in Bloom is the first in the new series A Flower House Mystery.
Sierra Ravenswood works at the Flower House in Aerieville, Tennessee.. She needed a place to start over after not making it doing her dream job in Nashville as a singer. Being back home was not what she saw in her future but this is where is came back to for a fresh look at her life. Working at the flower is a comfortable job that she had done when she was a teenager.
When odd things start to happen Sierra knows she has to figure out what exactly is going on.
The cast of characters in the book fit together and it will be fun to read more books in the series.
Death in Bloom is the first in the new series A Flower House Mystery.
Sierra Ravenswood works at the Flower House in Aerieville, Tennessee.. She needed a place to start over after not making it doing her dream job in Nashville as a singer. Being back home was not what she saw in her future but this is where is came back to for a fresh look at her life. Working at the flower is a comfortable job that she had done when she was a teenager.
When odd things start to happen Sierra knows she has to figure out what exactly is going on.
The cast of characters in the book fit together and it will be fun to read more books in the series.
October 6, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Death in Bloom is a new series opener for a new small town cozy mystery series by Jess Dylan. Released 25th May 2021 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is an engaging and well written small town "shopfront" cozy with a young female protagonist (complete with unexpected puppy, slow burn nerdy potential romantic interest, and wise grandma dispensing charms and baked goods with equal abandon). The pool of suspects is small, and although the denouement and resolution are fairly easy to guess beforehand, they're well written and satisfying. There's a nice foreshadowing twist at the end of the book which I didn't see coming. It works perfectly well as a standalone, and is a nice lead-in to the next book in the series. The language is clean, and there's no graphic violence or sexual content. This would be a good choice for lovers of light cozies, the kind with whimsically eccentric small town characters, a town diner, and pets.
Four stars. This will appeal to cozy readers.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Death in Bloom is a new series opener for a new small town cozy mystery series by Jess Dylan. Released 25th May 2021 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is an engaging and well written small town "shopfront" cozy with a young female protagonist (complete with unexpected puppy, slow burn nerdy potential romantic interest, and wise grandma dispensing charms and baked goods with equal abandon). The pool of suspects is small, and although the denouement and resolution are fairly easy to guess beforehand, they're well written and satisfying. There's a nice foreshadowing twist at the end of the book which I didn't see coming. It works perfectly well as a standalone, and is a nice lead-in to the next book in the series. The language is clean, and there's no graphic violence or sexual content. This would be a good choice for lovers of light cozies, the kind with whimsically eccentric small town characters, a town diner, and pets.
Four stars. This will appeal to cozy readers.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
May 12, 2021
Sierra Ravenswood loves her job and loves her town of Aerieville, Tennessee. Yes her life is not where she expected it to be but she is trying her best to thinking positively about her future. Her life take a drastic change when her boss Felix leaves unexpectedly and puts her in charge of his business the Flower House. To top it all off her flower arranging workshop goes not according to plan and ends with a murder. Sierra, with the help of a couple friends and some words of wisdom from her Granny, is determined to figure out who is the killer.
This was such a fun book! I loved the main character Sierra. It was very surprising to read a cozy mystery with a character who is the same age as me. It made her so much easier to relate to (minus the murder mystery haha). Also we oddly have the same color cars which made me crack up when I read that. I like ll the other characters in the book. Really enjoyed seeing the friendship between Deena and Sierra grow. I love love love that there is a dog in this book....forever a crazy dog lady haha. The relationship between Sierra and her Granny is super sweet!
The murder happens in the first 30 pages of the book which is a little change of pace from most cozy mysteries I read. I honestly was guessing till the end who did it but the story seemed a little bit dragged out at some points. But overall I really enjoyed it and I look forward to seeing where this series goes!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC book!
*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This was such a fun book! I loved the main character Sierra. It was very surprising to read a cozy mystery with a character who is the same age as me. It made her so much easier to relate to (minus the murder mystery haha). Also we oddly have the same color cars which made me crack up when I read that. I like ll the other characters in the book. Really enjoyed seeing the friendship between Deena and Sierra grow. I love love love that there is a dog in this book....forever a crazy dog lady haha. The relationship between Sierra and her Granny is super sweet!
The murder happens in the first 30 pages of the book which is a little change of pace from most cozy mysteries I read. I honestly was guessing till the end who did it but the story seemed a little bit dragged out at some points. But overall I really enjoyed it and I look forward to seeing where this series goes!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC book!
*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
May 23, 2021
Sierra Ravenswood is back at home in Aerieville, Tennessee after her music career in Nashville suffered some set-backs. She's working part-time at the Flower House and planning her future using lots of positive affirmations.
Things go terribly wrong when her boss Felix takes off on a geocaching trip leaving her in charge just before the first flower arranging class. She certainly didn't expect that one of the attendees, garden shop owner Abe Ranker, would drop dead during their snack break. He is an abrasive person commonly known as Dishonest Abe, and many of the other attendees had motives for wanting him dead.
Flo and Richard run the bakery café next door to the Flower Shop and have had run-ins with him. So has Valerie who runs the local dance studio. Sierra's friend Richard who's the local handyman while also working at the bank has had issues with him too. So has Letty Maron who is a shy, local elementary school teacher. The only one who lacks a connection to Abe is Deena who was also a classmate of Sierra's and who has just returned to town.
Between Abe's death and Felix's disappearance leaving his puppy Gus behind, Sierra is finding it hard to conjure serenity despite her affirmations. Add in Calvin Foxheart who arrives the next day saying that Felix had agreed to rent him the apartment above the Flower Shop, and who is a sort of suspicious character in his own right. She also has to deal with her family who want her to dump the Flower Shop and come back to work at Dumbbells which is their fitness center, and who love her but don't understand her.
Sierra, Deena, and sometimes Calvin begin trying to discover who killed Abe. They uncover lots of secrets and resentments along the way. Sierra also discovers her future with friends and a canine companion.
This was a fun story. I liked positive-thinking, but sort of naïve, Sierra. Gus was a great canine character. Her new friends - once she cleared them of suspicion - were interesting people.
Things go terribly wrong when her boss Felix takes off on a geocaching trip leaving her in charge just before the first flower arranging class. She certainly didn't expect that one of the attendees, garden shop owner Abe Ranker, would drop dead during their snack break. He is an abrasive person commonly known as Dishonest Abe, and many of the other attendees had motives for wanting him dead.
Flo and Richard run the bakery café next door to the Flower Shop and have had run-ins with him. So has Valerie who runs the local dance studio. Sierra's friend Richard who's the local handyman while also working at the bank has had issues with him too. So has Letty Maron who is a shy, local elementary school teacher. The only one who lacks a connection to Abe is Deena who was also a classmate of Sierra's and who has just returned to town.
Between Abe's death and Felix's disappearance leaving his puppy Gus behind, Sierra is finding it hard to conjure serenity despite her affirmations. Add in Calvin Foxheart who arrives the next day saying that Felix had agreed to rent him the apartment above the Flower Shop, and who is a sort of suspicious character in his own right. She also has to deal with her family who want her to dump the Flower Shop and come back to work at Dumbbells which is their fitness center, and who love her but don't understand her.
Sierra, Deena, and sometimes Calvin begin trying to discover who killed Abe. They uncover lots of secrets and resentments along the way. Sierra also discovers her future with friends and a canine companion.
This was a fun story. I liked positive-thinking, but sort of naïve, Sierra. Gus was a great canine character. Her new friends - once she cleared them of suspicion - were interesting people.
June 4, 2021
Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for providing me a copy of this book for review purposes.
Dylan establishes a very likable and positive main character in Sierra Ravenswood, a young woman who has put her Nashville dreams on hold and moved back home to the small town of Aerieville, Tennessee.
I enjoyed the characters in the series, especially Sierra. There were plenty of suspicious people and red herrings to make me wonder who the murderer was. The details about flowers and floral arrangements were fun and provided a unique theme compared to other cozies.
It took me awhile to get used to the very informal word choice, but this style did fit Sierra’s casual and sweet personality.
The book comes to an exciting conclusion, and Dylan leaves a lot of potential for growing friendships, romantic relationships, and ongoing mysteries, always a good tactic at the start of a cozy mystery series.
Overall, this book is cute, light, and fun, and definitely worth a try for cozy fans!
Dylan establishes a very likable and positive main character in Sierra Ravenswood, a young woman who has put her Nashville dreams on hold and moved back home to the small town of Aerieville, Tennessee.
I enjoyed the characters in the series, especially Sierra. There were plenty of suspicious people and red herrings to make me wonder who the murderer was. The details about flowers and floral arrangements were fun and provided a unique theme compared to other cozies.
It took me awhile to get used to the very informal word choice, but this style did fit Sierra’s casual and sweet personality.
The book comes to an exciting conclusion, and Dylan leaves a lot of potential for growing friendships, romantic relationships, and ongoing mysteries, always a good tactic at the start of a cozy mystery series.
Overall, this book is cute, light, and fun, and definitely worth a try for cozy fans!
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