Night of the Living Dandelion

A Flower Shop Mystery #11

by Kate Collins

Flower shop owner Abby Knight does not believe rumors that Vlad Serban, friend and employee of Abby's fiancé Marco, is a vampire. But how to explain that Vlad is from Romania, has prominent canines, likes bizarre plants such as bloodwort and Dracula orchid, and dresses entirely in black?

When a local woman is found dead, her body drained of blood, the stakes become life and death. With Vlad the #1 suspect, Abby and Marco race to find the real killer, before Vlad's life really starts to suck.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Romance, Chick Lit, Vampires

311 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 28, 2011

About the author

Indiana native and former teacher Kate Collins is the author of the New York Times best-selling Flower Shop Mysteries, featuring feisty florist Abby Knight and the zany crew at Bloomers. Her books have made the New York Times Best-seller's list, Barnes & Noble mass bestsellers lists, the Independent Booksellers lists, and are available in large print editions in the U.S. and the UK.

3 of The Flower Shop Mysteries are on the Hallmark Mystery Movie channel!

Kate's historical romance novels and her children's books, JANEY WEBSTER, EB*, *EXPERIENCED BABYSITTER, and JASON JERVISS AT YOUR SERVICE, are available now as ebooks in all formats. Great reads for ages 9-14.

Kate graduated from Purdue University with a master's degree in education, taught elementary school for six years, but after the birth of her first child, gave up teaching to pursue a long-time dream of putting children’s stories to paper. After writing short humorous stories for children’s magazines and working part-time as a legal secretary, she sold her first historical romance novel in 1995, publishing seven historical romantic suspenses under the pen name Linda O’Brien before turning to her true love, mysteries.

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, well-plotted cozy mystery with a intrepid heroine despite being on crutches with a bad ankle sprain. I like the romance developing between her and her boyfriend.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby Knight is the owner of a flower shop called Bloomers. She only has a few weeks left with her fiance before he goes back to active duty. In the meantime, a newcomer, Vlad Serban, has come to town. He's a army friend of Marco's. Marco gives him a job at his bar. Before you know it, rumors are flying about a vampire in town, and a body suddenly turns up drained of blood. Abby and Marco are now in a race to clear Vlad's name. Or is he really a vampire?

Super cute! There were some parts that had me laughing. I liked Abby and Marco. They make a great couple and team in solving crimes. I enjoyed the vampire theme in this one. It was clever how the author created the vampire set-up in this flower shop series for this one book. Lots of fun to read. I certainly couldn't figure out who the murderer was with all the suspects. Definitely recommend reading this!

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just too over the top ridiculous even for a cozy. A townful of 21st century idiotic nincompoops believing in vampires? An anti-vampire group called the Garlic Party? Oh Plu-eese even non paranormal genre cozy readers expect a little better plot than this dribble. And just for the record the universal blood type donor is O negative blood not positive.

[Luffy Sempai · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kate Collins takes a hike and Mrs Hyde ghostwrote this book for her. It's simply maddening how erratic can the author be. I should be used to this on and off form. There are more stupid books but they don't insult one's intelligence as a book that is half serious half joking, but committedly stupid. It seems that the very author herself can't keep hold of her characters. I mean that she can't write them the same way. In this book, they are doppelgangers, not originals.


I hope her next book is better. There was one single good thing about Night of the Living Dandelion, that was the identity of the murderer. I really wanted to love this book. I did derive pleasure from reading it thoroughly. I said to myself, this is the reason why I read. It's just like the Enid Blyton books I have read in my childhood. It's all about getting comfortable and cozy and be able to escape. I thought, I'm no longer reading the Dickens book that's driving me mad, I'm not reading Les Miserables, I'm not steeling myself for reading the contemporary and untried 700 page novel that's perched on my kindle. I now need to man up and read the said books, eroding them away from my e-reader word by word. Who needs friends when you've got books? Right? Right.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has turned into a favorite series for me and in this adventure Abby's family is more involved, which I really enjoy because they border on being as crazy as Stephanie Plum's family, so you know they are a riot.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't necessarily like the vampire theme to this book but I enjoyed everything else. Love my Bloomers bunch and especially Abby and Marco. Looking forward to the next installment. #readforkimberly

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book because of the fun title and link to horror, which I love. I did enjoy the book but there were some things that annoyed me - the MC's boyfriend was kind of sexist, and at one point the MC's cousin was claiming to have been bit and turned into a vampire, and she carried that out through almost the whole book, which got to be a bit much. The story itself was about a local nurse found murder, and the method of murder was draining her body of blood. The town suspects ex-army ranger Vlad, who they believe is a vampire. MC Abby and her PI boyfriend set out to clear their friend's name. It was overall a fun read and I'd try another one from this series at some point.

[Cody Ridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this “cozy” mystery. Intriguing plot with tidy ending.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our MC and florist Abby and Marco are engaged! It's a secret because it looks like he may be recalled to the Army - they are just waiting for his papers before announcing their engagement. Marco has an old army buddy come to the bar to help out bartending in what Marco believes will be his absence. His Army Ranger buddy, Vlad, hails from Romania. He has prominent canines and wears all black. He wants Abby to order him some very particular plants, like voodoo lily and wolfsbane. Is it no wonder that the town thinks he's a vampire? When a body turns up drained of blood, well, you know where suspicion lies. It's up to Marco with a somewhat reluctant Abby, to clear Vlad's name.

This was a fun book to read; well written, humorous in spots, and everything came together nicely at the end. Crazy cousin Jillian makes her appearance, convinced that she has turned into a vampire. These were some funny scenes. All in all, it was hard to put the book down and I enjoyed it very much. Nice as well to see how Kate Collins continues to evolve and mature Abby and Marco's relationship.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flower shop owner Abby Knight is dealing with a badly sprained ankle and the imminent departure of her fiancé Marco, who’s about to be called up by the army. Marco has hired a trusted buddy, Vlad, to run his bar while he’s away. Some of New Chapel’s male citizens don’t take kindly to Vlad, however, who’s enthralled women with his handsome looks and charm. Given Vlad’s black clothes and pale skin, some of the men have labeled him a vampire, so the murder of a nurse whose blood has been drained makes him an easy scapegoat. It’s up to Abby and Marco to prove their friend’s innocence before he’s badly hurt.

This book is number #11 in the series, but it’s my first introduction to the delightful characters and charming setting. The story moves well and has a lovely blend of both tense and comical moments. Abby’s cousin neurotic Jillian is especially hilarious.

It was a little too easy to figure out the killer’s identity, but following Abby and Marco on their investigative journey while dealing with Jillian and others was still great fun.

[Linda M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MUST read i love this series I'm so obsessed!! #FlowershopMystery
Abby's fiance might be called back to service in the military so he asks an old army friend to help out. The problem is his name is Vlad, he's from Romania, he dresses dark colors and has canine front teeth not to mention during his stay in New Chapel a woman is found dead and drained of her blood.

Marco and Abby don't have much time before he's called to service and race to find out who is the real killer because naturally with all the odds up against Vlad circumstantial everything points to him!! Oh and of course Jillian is always in middle creating much NOT needed chaos!!! I love Jillian Knight Osborne.

A MUST read i love this series I'm so obsessed!! #fFowershopMystery

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this installment in the Flower Shop Mystery series. Abby and Marco make the cutest couple, and I like that Marco's brother Rafe is becoming a more central character. Though the plot of this one was pretty far-fetched (people believing a new resident is an actual vampire), the antics of Abby's cousin Jillian were hilarious. I was a little sad that Abby's best friend and roommate Nikki hardly appeared in this story, and Abby's mom played a lesser role than usual, but I'm sure they'll be showing up more in future installments, especially considering the engagement and upcoming wedding.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great whodunit! Marco has a buddy of his (from his Special Ops days) helping out at the bar, to see if he wants take it over. Vlad is a hit for the ladies with his unique looks, and the guys aren't happy about it. A murder happens, and Vlad is the prime suspect. Marco won't let the New Chapel PD railroad him, even though his time with Abby is dwindling before he has to go active duty again. Lots and LOTS of twists, turns and dirty laundry are uncovered.

[L.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vampires are not my thing at all but I loved the vampire angle in this book. It made things so dark and spooky at the beginning, it really set off the story. Abby has really toned herself down, she was a bit TDTL here and there but such is the life of a cozy heroine from time to time. I've said it in all my reviews of this series, I didn't much care for the first few books but I'm glad I stuck with it because it's gotten really good.

[Kathryn Beland · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a fun read. It was light, breezy and very easy to read.

Sometimes these are the books you need. Nothing serious, nothing with bad humour. The story flowed right along and kept my interest from beginning to end.

I like Kate's books. I like them allot and they are my "go between" books.

Highly recommended.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Fads and Fangs

Vampire seem to have become a reading fad in recent years...for everyone but me. I liked Kate Collins' other books enough to abandon my scruples, however, and am glad I did. This was a very pleasant combo of campy fun, flowers and loyalty, albeit with some gruesome murders offstage.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a particularly silly entry in a silly cozy-mystery series. Abby is back at it, this time as rumors of a vampire sweep her town. The mystery was good but the goofiness pulled me out a few times.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Abby Knight novel. Although the plot was somewhat far fetched with an entire town believing someone was a vampire, it was Dina and enjoyable. I always enjoy the Abby/Marco dynamic.

[Lauren Plug · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a favorite of mine

[Chang Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story and characters.

[Danni · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun

[Gale Penton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series. The characters and their interactions are great. The mystery is also great. I never want the series to end.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jillian strikes again forcing Abby to deal with her weird behavior problems

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! The characters are great and it is so fun.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one. A ranger buddy of Marco's is in this one. Lots of excitement.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vampire story with a twist. Love what he does with the dandelions he ordered.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy the book where Abby and Marco get married.. this was ok

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this fake vampire mystery. It was fun and interesting and heartfelt. I love these characters.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun murder mystery. I can’t get enough.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

A suspenseful and humourous read