A Fatal Arrangement

Victorian Mansion Flower Shop Mysteries #1

by Gayle Roper

For Kaylee Bleu, flowers have always been her life. A professor of botany and a PhD in plant taxonomy, Kaylee was endowed with a love of nature early in life by her maternal grandmother, Bea Lyons. But now Kaylee is caught in the middle of a tumultuous personal storm, one that has blown her back to her grandmother's door in the charming village of Turtle Cove, Washington.

Kaylee's position at a prestigious Washington state university has been lost to budget cutbacks, and no new jobs are forthcoming unless she is willing to relocate from her beloved Pacific Northwest. Her grandmother has a solution: She is considering retirement and offers to sell The Flower Patch, her floral shop, and Wildflower Cottage, her home, to her granddaughter. Kaylee, though reluctant to make such a life-altering change at the age of 40, has to admit it is a match made in heaven.

But when Kaylee and her canine companion, a dachshund named Bear, arrive on beautiful Orcas Island they are confronted almost immediately with evidence that her grandfather's mysterious disappearance five years ago wasn't just a boating accident. It was murder.

Kaylee and Bear quickly join forces with the Petal Pushers, Turtle Cove's garden club, investigating Edmond Lyons's presumed death. She also meets Reese Holt, the ruggedly handsome master carpenter who serves as Turtle Cove's handyman. When Reese discovers Ed's final journal and its final, ominous entry, Kaylee believes they are on the trail of a cold-blooded killer.

Meanwhile, the annual Writers Coterie, an assembly of famous and not-so-famous authors from across the nation, is meeting on Orcas Island. The daughter of Lorelei Lewis, a well-known romance writer, is using the occasion for her wedding, and The Flower Patch is recruited to provide the venue and the blooms. But then the preparations are plagued by problems that cannot be laid at the feet of coincidence.

Will Kaylee be able to unearth the solution to her grandfather's death? Will the wedding plans go off without a hitch? Join Kaylee and her newfound friends as they work to root out a very bad seed before someone else is pushing up daisies.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy

214 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Gayle Roper rejoices every day that she gets to be a writer because she's in love with story. Even on the days that words rebel and have to be coerced onto the paper, there is nothing else she'd rather do. When readers like her work, it's like God says, "See? I knew what you were wired to do." When her books win awards like the Carol Award (Caught Redhanded) or the RITA Award (Autumn Dreams), the Holt Medallion (The Decision, Caught in a Bind, Autumn Dreams) or the Reviewer's Choice (The Decision), it's icing on the cake. And she gets to teach others how to write at conferences too. She spends a lot of time smiling. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America and is the best-selling author of Hide & Seek and more than forty other books.

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Cozy Mystery, and this is the first book in the Victorian Mansion Flower Shop Mysteries series. I loved the characters and the setting of this book. This was a great start to a new Cozy Mystery series, and I loved getting to know these characters. I loved Bear in this book. I did guess the twist before it was revealed, but I still enjoyed reading it being revealed. I loved the mystery in this book, and I cannot wait to read more books from this series.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful new cozy mystery. Great characters that are well developed, good flow and interesting mystery. I will post my full review soon.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short and sweet book, first in the series. Looking forward to the next one and maybe then the rest?

[Diane Yonchuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say that Annie's Attic is producing some wonderful cozy mysteries! I became an instant fan of the Castleton Manor Library series, and this first volume of the Victorian Mansion Flowershop Mysteries, has made me a fan of this series as well. The characters are well drawn and realistic, in that they are not all goody two shoes, likable. The main character, Kayle is a believable heroine, as is her companion, Bear. I fell in love with the Petal Pushers and Turtle Cove. A well thought out and executed mystery. Well done Ms. Roper!

[Peggy Zeigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

i enjoyed reading this new series from Annie's Fiction series. I am from WA state, and its interesting reading about some of the areas they mention. I liked the characters and am looking forward to more stories about Kaylee, who just bought her grandmas flower shop and cottage on Orcas Island. the Petal Pushers are her new friends, and the members of the local flower club. Kaylee helps her Grandma find the killer of her grandfather, and his friend, the local well known author.

[Nancy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this excellent cozy mystery, Kaylee has just taken over her grandmother's flower shop in Turtle Cove, Washington. There have been two mysterious happenings: the unexplained disappearance of her grandfather years earlier after his boat was found floating without him in it, and the fatal fall of a local and well-loved author. When Kaylee starts receiving threats, she knows she needs to investigate to find out what really happened. Thrown into the mix, though, is an impromptu wedding that the pushy mother wants to have in Kaylee's and her grandmother's backyard, complete with a snobby groom and a spoiled rotten bride, and for which Kaylee and her grandmother have to suddenly create flowers and bouquets. The story is really good, reads quickly, and is quite satisfying. I look forward to more stories from this author.

[DonnaCarol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The characters were believable with a good ratio of distasteful and likable. The mystery was well spun with a good balance of clues without giving up too much too soon. The bond between family and friends, their interactions made for a strong , warm community that left you wanting to be part of.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this first in a series I just discovered. The author did something new, not having a murder occur but focusing on old ones. The setting starts to take shape in my mind and the cast of characters begins to develop. You figure out how the murder most likely is pretty early on but there is satisfaction in knowing you were right.
I can't wait to get the next one!

[Brianna Gittleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I literally only purchased this series because of Bear, the dachshund. Come to find it’s a mystery in Washington, a genre I enjoy and the state I was born. Fun, easy reading, has touches of Hallmark-esque plot lines but twists and grows in endearing qualities, escaping any cliches or predictability.

Also Bear is a dachshund and I have dachshunds. So there’s that too.

[fallinginlovewithbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandma gave me this series. And she definitely knew I’d like it. A cozy small town mystery series. Some of my favorite kind of books for sure. Wish I’d read them when she was still here🫶. 4 stars and a great beginning to a series I’m sure I’ll love.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent start to the Victorian Mansion Flower Shop Mysteries series. Great setting, strong supporting characters, and smart main character. It is a rare thing, in my experience, for the first book to be more than so-so. This one makes me want to read on.

[Bonnie Dieffenbacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read mystery, which I didn't figure out. A young woman moves to an island off the coast of Seattle to buy her grandmother's home and floral shop. While there she becomes wrapped up in the mystery of what really happened to her grandfather. A good and easy read.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story with a mystery set in a flower shop! I found myself entertained by the mystery, the dramatic authors and book signing hoopla!

[Audrey Neglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this book down. Cannot wait to continue the series.

[ANNETTE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read and enjoyable.

[Sarah Rasco · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book! I read it prior to my visit to Mackinac Island, it set the mood perfectly! It's a wonderfully cozy mystery. I look forward to reading more from this series!

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little mystery. People are pleasant and there is no swearing or sex in the book, just a mystery to be solved. Enjoyable short read.

[Laureen Eichelberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and enjoyable cozy mystery. Good character development and clean which is what I prefer. I’ll keep reading any I find in the series.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love cozy mysteries! I am glad to have found another series.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so lovely! It was exactly what I was hoping for when I ordered it. I am a true fan of Kaylee's and how could I not love her dog Bear. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and see what the Petals are up to next!

[Lisa Arnett]

Love this series. Good short book.