Deadly Nightshade

Gardening Mystery #2

by Mary Freeman

Landscaper Rachel O'Connor digs up some troubling clues in the murder of a city councilman, but her sleuthing efforts wreak havoc in her town and her family. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction

211 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 1999

About the author

Author of a series of gardening mysteries. These are published under her maiden name. Also writes as Mary Rosenblum

Reviews

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. Rachel O’Connor is the proprietor of Rain Country Landscapes in Blossom Oregon, a small town up on the bluffs above the Columbia River. She has gotten the contract to landscape and refurbish the grounds around a town monument, and as such is spending time at City Hall conferring with the mayor. Things have been contentious lately, as “big city” folks from Portland have seen the charm of this lovely town, and Rachel is getting an inside view of the political machinations around the inevitable development to come.
Town meeting becomes an ignition point for raw feelings, as some residents want to sell to the highest bidder for their land regardless of what will be done with it, and others want some control over the development so that the character of the town is preserved. Things get out of hand when there is a narrowly avoided incidence of fisticuffs; yet in the morning, one of the Council members is found dead outside City Hall with a knife in his chest. Because Rachel’s Uncle Jack was seen threatening the councilman, suspicion naturally falls on him. Rachel knows he isn’t capable of such an act, but she gets involved to make sure he’s cleared. Then the town police chief, who happens to be Rachel’s boyfriend, is assaulted and carted off to hospital. Who did this, is it connected to the coucilman’s death, and worry about what will happen next weigh heavily on all, and Rachel steps into the breach to help figure it all out.
Nice story, well plotted, good pace and action and interesting characters all make for a book that is a pleasure to read.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kinda of know who was going to get murdered, fun trying to figure out which person did it. Good story!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was actually quite an enjoyable read. The best thing about cozy mysteries is nothing gets too horribly out of line. (Although one of the scenes was somewhat graphic, it didn’t leave me visually upset.)
Small town landscaper gets involved in a local murder when her uncle is accused. Lots of likable, well-done characters (Beck!!), business owners, and doings. Good dialogue and no over the top escapades. This was number two in the series, so I will find number one and then continue from there.

[Denise Hemond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! Interesting characters!

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set along the Columbia River in Oregon I could imagine the general area. I haven't been that far down the river but I am familiar with the orchards and farming areas of southern Washington. I always enjoy reading about places I can "see" in my mind.

The people of Blossom are like many people in small towns with intricate lives and relationships. As the outside world tries to bring progress the people rebel, some more than others. This leads to heated arguments and lashing out.

Freeman has a way with characters and bringing unexpected clues into the mix.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Blossom Oregon along the Columbia near the gorge and the Dalles. This is about Rachel, a daughter of one of the orchard families. Rachel has used her background and gone with the times to become a horticulturist and garden designer in Blossom as the town begins to grow with a new generation influences tourism and economic growth in the area.
This book works well with the conflicts of changing group and cultural dynamics between generations and urban versus rural needs.

[Becky Rippel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this and have kept the book so I could remember the name of the author. This is the 2nd in the series about Rachel O'Connor and her Rain Country Landscaping. She has gotten a very nice contract from the town of Blossom, when a city councilman is found dead and one of her employees is the prime suspect.

[Beth Harper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would prefer to give it 3.5 stars. Didn't enjoy it as much as the first in the series, maybe because I read it with a lot of interruptions. It was hard to keep some of the characters straight. I liked the depiction of Rachel's relationship with her uncle, and how the book touches on passing businesses (including farms) from generation to generation.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice cozy read set in the orchard country of Oregon. Addresses the issues in a small town trying to grapple with increasing population, tourism and maintaining their towns rural spirit and keeping the farmers farming. Yes tempers do flair and families get split and sometimes things go too far. A pleasant read.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent cozies set in a town not unlike Hood River Oregon. I read these before we moved to the Columbia River Gorge. She wrote them before HR became the hella expensive place it is now, but right when it was on the verge.

[Sarah A · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Would be 4 except I just realized the title of the book had almost nothing to do with the plot...spoiler!
A fun and gentle cozy mystery with a good amount of gardening and landscaping and some fun relationships and clever plot twists.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read