Bones in the Begonias

Dale Mayer

Aug 2019 · Lovely Lethal Gardens (eBook Series) Book 2 · Valley Publishing Ltd.

About this ebook

Riches to rags. … Chaos continues. … Murders abound. … Honestly?

Doreen Montgomery’s new life in Kelowna was supposed to be a fresh start after a nasty split from her husband of fourteen years, plus a chance to get her bearings and her life back on track. Instead her first week in her new hometown was spent digging up dead bodies, chasing clues, and getting in Corporal Mack Moreau’s way.

But now that the old cold case has been solved, and the murderer brought to justice, Doreen believes things might go her way this week. When Mack hires her to whip his mother’s garden into shape, it seems like a second chance, both for Doreen’s new beginning in Kelowna and for her budding relationship with Mack.

But, instead of digging up Mrs. Moreau’s struggling begonias and planting them in a better location, Doreen discovers another set of bones … and another mystery to solve. As the clues pile up, Mack makes it abundantly clear that he doesn’t want or need her help, but Doreen can’t resist the lure of another whodunit. As she and Mack butt heads and chase red herrings, Doreen’s grandmother, Nan, sets odds and places bets on who solves the crime first.

All while a murderer is watching …

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

Thank you Book Sprout and Dale Mayer for the arc. I voluntarily leave my review. I read all things Dale Mayer. I am not a cozy mystery fan, so giving it 4 stars should tell you cozy mystery lover what a fast clipped, sometimes funny, sometimes over the top this cozy mystery is. I didn't really appreciate Mack in book 1, but he is becoming more fleshed out and less of an ass-hat. I really enjoy when its Mack her friend as Doreen says. I like that Doreen is quick and thinks outside the box and I love her bonding with Nan after years apart. Thaddeus (parrot) Goliath (cat) and Mugs ( dog) are her partners in crime delving, by accident of course, into the cold cases. I would read this with my grandmother, and my child (of which I have neither by the way) without hesitation and would enjoy discussing it with them. Bring on the carnations now!

Oh wow I devoured this one in one sitting. This book is continuing Doreen the bone lady journey with her quirky cat, dog and parrot to find who she really is after an ugly divorce and with her keep tripping over dead body or human bones, this is one heck of a journey. And this book starting with bones in the begonias, so it's another cold case mystery to solve with sexy Corporal Mack. This book really fun to read, with unique characters that always make me laugh and mystery that keeps me turning the pages, I love this book, although sometimes Doreen recklessness a bit annoying and make me rolling my eyes and smack my head, but that's so totally Doreen, so yeah I still love this book. If you're a cozy mystery fan, this book is perfect for you.

I'm not sure what prompted this author to take on Cozy Mysteries but I'm glad she did. This is the second book in a new series. As Doreen becomes enthralled with becoming an amateur detective, she seems to get plenty of experience as she again finds bones relating to an old unsolved case. She was going to help her 'real' detective friend with his mom's garden where she found these bones. The story is great and the banter between Doreen and her three pets (Mugs, Goliath and Thaddeus) is priceless. Thaddeus, the parrot, who repeats everything he shouldn't, Goliath, the cat, who is every bit a cat and Mugs, her dog, who is lovable as well as he adores her and pretends to be a guard dog. The relationship between Doreen and Mack is also well done. What can I say? I'm hooked.