Amidst the historic charm of England, near the legendary King Arthur's castle, Dani Rosetti is prepping for what should be a routine catering job. But the tranquil backdrop is merely an illusion, hiding secrets as old as the castle stones and as treacherous as the English moors.
Enter Lady Ellen Pemberton, the keeper of an enigmatic flower whose allure isn't just its beauty, but the power and wealth it promises. Yet, every bloom has its thorn. Many believe the village might find peace if Lady Pemberton were out of the picture – a sentiment even shared secretly by those closest to her.
When threats against Lady Pemberton escalate, Dani finds herself in the company of Giles, an LA-based homicide detective with shadows in his past, and Arthur, a shrewd private investigator. Their mission? To protect Lady Pemberton from an unseen enemy... and perhaps from herself.
Dive into the rich tapestry of history, mystery, and tantalizing danger. If you've been captivated by the bestselling mysteries of the past, prepare to be ensnared by the 9th installment in the Chef Dani Rosetti Cozy Mystery Series.
This story began when the author found that a dahlia bulb planted in a pot on her patio had bloomed into an enormous, beautiful, and very unusual flower. It received the name Undecided and evolved into one of the "characters" in this book. I have a picture in my mind of all the characters because of the descriptions and dialogue. I expected it to be a part of some other series, but it fit right in here when chef Dani traveled to England to cater a large dinner so her niece could visit a nearby castle, alleged to be the birthplace of King Arthur, her abiding interest and favorite literature. Unlike the actual owner of this bloom, in this book Undecided belongs to a terrible, unworthy woman who was loved by no one other than her deceased husband and her sister (who is a lovely person in word and deed). In the prologue, readers witness a woman's murder, and the method, but not the identity of the perpetrator. There are many suspects from which to choose--even suicide by dangerous health conditions and lifestyle and engendering the hurt, fear, and hatred of everyone with whom she comes in contact because of her underhanded actions, condescending attitude, and ill treatment. Maybe Undecided can be the answer on occasion.
A simple dinner the night before a flower show shouldn't be a problem unless the hostess is Lady Pemberton a very rude lady with a very high opinion of herself, a very low opinion of everyone else and a total lack of regard for how much she is hated because of her attitude. She single-handedly offends not just the judges and exhibitors for the show along with all of her staff, the entire village and even Chef Dani. Chef Dani only takes the job because Anna is studying King Author's court in school and Lady Pemberton's mansion is very near Tintagel where King Arthur's castle is located. Arthur and Matt are on alert for possible issues given how much Lady P is hated. There are so many twists and turns you can hardly keep track of who is planning what and a few unexpected turns as well. Lady P's death isn't much of a surprise all things considered with another twist as well. Great read, truly captivated all along the way.
I normally really like these books, they're short and enjoyable and things are all wrapped up at the end. This time the ending was rushed, so much so that I felt cheated out of a 'real book.' Very unsatisfying. I do understand the ending, I just wanted it to end differently. LOL
Also, if a boxer is entered in a dog show, then it's a given that it's a dog, we don't need to be told that it's a boxer dog. Call me nitpicky but don't shoot me.
On the same page two characters were called by two different names. Lady Pemberton became Lady Pembroke and Lisbet became Lisbeth. These are all small things but they throw me off the rhythm of the story and they're very irritating.
All that being said, I do keep a watch for Ms Harman's new books and generally grab them up on their release date!
Lady Pemberton was perhaps the crudest and meanest person to ever hold the title of Lady. After her husband died she became even worse. Absolutely nobody liked her--and I mean nobody! She asked Dani if she would cater a meal in such a way that Dani wanted to not even return her call. Arthur, Dani's sou chef convinced her to take it mainly because of her niece.
The Lady was even worse then Dani imagined. Everyone seemed to want the woman dead. Her prize winning Dalia was all that mattered to her. She allowed no one into the greenhouse where it was kept. Actually she kept it a secret that she was the owner!
She was in the greenhouse when her body was found. To find out the outcome--read this one.
This book has a fabulous plot, characters, and name which is ultimately the solution for the plot. It is still a satisfactory ending, as well as providing the wrap-up of the subplots including the marriage of the LA policeman and the sister. ( Not a plot-killer.) Whether the dahlia, named 'Undecided', ever survives to flourish in the show world, remains undecided. The characters seem set to flourish, which is desirable, as they were almost 100% miserable. A very satisfactory ending.
This was another very good book to read. The Author has a very good intel regarding all these different location that her stories take place. The story line is very well written and she seems to always find someone who is very unhappy with their lives and show everyone who is effective by this person and how they all could have a motive for wanting the new character to die. I am looking forward to the next book in this series The Puppet Master. But I will recommend this book to anyone who love a good mystery.
Chef Dani is called to Cornwall to cater an event for a dahlia show being hosted by a despicable woman. Lady Pemberton has a rare flower everyone covets and as she treats everyone horribly many are plotting her demise. When Dani and crew arrive it isn’t long before the Lady is found dead. A fun little cozy mystery