Arsenic in the Azaleas

Dale Mayer

Jan 2019 · Lovely Lethal Gardens (eBook Series) Book 1 · Valley Publishing Ltd.

About this ebook

Riches to rags. … Controlling to chaos. … But murder … seriously?

After her ex-husband leaves her high and dry, former socialite Doreen Montgomery's chance at a new life comes in the form of her grandmother, Nan's, dilapidated old house in picturesque Kelowna … and the added job of caring for the animals Nan couldn’t take into assisted living with her: Thaddeus, the loquacious African gray parrot with a ripe vocabulary, and his buddy, Goliath, a monster-size cat with an equally monstrous attitude.

It’s the new start Doreen and her beloved basset hound, Mugs, desperately need. But, just as things start to look up for Doreen, Goliath the cat and Mugs the dog find a human finger in Nan’s overrun garden.

And not just a finger. Once the police start digging, the rest of the body turns up and turns out to be connected to an old unsolved crime.

With her grandmother as the prime suspect, Doreen soon finds herself stumbling over clues and getting on Corporal Mack Moreau’s last nerve, as she does her best to prove her beloved Nan innocent of murder.

cozy mystery; riches to rags; clean romance; animal mystery; cat and dog; mystery; Female sleuth; back yard mystery; Mystery; Animals; Parrots; Birds; Fun; amateur sleuths; mysteries with dogs; mysteries with Cats; Clean and wholesome;

Ratings and reviews

That was one of the best, easy to read, captivating stories that I have read in a while!! Of course having the animals in there is a winner!! But this was a bonafide, solid story that kept you engaged the whole time. Well done!!!

Look at what the cat dragged in! When her soon-to-be ex-husband left her destitute, Doreen Montgomery is thankful to have a place to stay with her Bassett hound Mugs. Her grandmother’s house is much different than she remembers from her childhood, more run-down and overgrown. Obviously, Nan had neither the money nor the strength for the upkeep before she moved into the assisted living apartment. Nan neglected to tell her that not only is she inheriting the house but it includes Nan’s Maine Coon cat and a large African Blue parrot with an amazing vocabulary named Thaddeus. Doreen has never been on her own and trading the wealthy existence of her previous life, with servants who did everything, to live in her grandmother’s home in Kelowna, British Columbia will be a challenge. She doesn’t even know how to turn the stove on. As if things weren’t bad enough, the cat left something on the floor for Mugs to chew on and closer inspection revealed it to be a man’s thumb and soon officers are digging up a body in her garden. This is the first book I have read by this author and it kept me entertained from the beginning. Doreen is likable and although she may be inept at life skills, she is definitely intelligent. Her grandmother and the trio of pets add humor and warmth to the story. There is also a hint of a possible future romance with the investigating officer from the RCMP Serious Crime Unit, Mack Moreau. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I really enjoyed reading Arsenic In The Azaleas . This is book one in the Lovely Lethal Gardens series . This cozy mystery is great and definitely keeps your attention . It is humourous and delightful . The Characters are interesting . Doreen Montgomery is a accident waiting to happen but you gotta love her . Corporal Mack Moreau really has his hands full keeping Doreen in line or at least trying to . The collection of pets are a Fabulous interesting bunch . It is a very well written story . I look forward to more in this series . The story line is intriguing and interesting . I highly recommend taking the time to read and enjoy . I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.