The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree

If you love to escape the "hurry, hurry, full of chaos, always on the run" lifestyle that seems to be demanded of us today, perhaps you will enjoy this as much as I did. It's a "meandering" slice of life story about a group of ladies in a small Alabama town set in the Great Depression era....their personalities, their gardens, their families, their "making do", their gossip at the beauty parlor and more. I loved getting to know them and listening as they solved the mysteries of a murder and bank embezzlement. It's southern and sweet and reminded me of stories my mother and grandmother told of how they lived..in the south, of course. If you love gardening, you will find particular delight in Ms. Albert's book. I'm a great fan of her China Bayles series that is full of herbs and flowers and gardening wound through the mysteries. A pleasant, easy listening book....just what I needed. (Mrs. B)

This book was wonderful. I found myself laughing out loud several times at the shinanigans of the characters.

I really did enjoy this book, but I couldn't help thinking (at the end) that it needed fewer plants & more character development.

The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree ranks in the upper third of the audiobooks I've listened to so far. I'm happy to see that the second book in the series, The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies, has been added to Audible.

The Darling Dahlias is a cozy series. Although the time period is different, it reminds me of the Laura Childs series, or getting back to the era of The Great Depression, the Rhys Bowen Royal Spyness mystery series, with regard to the tone. They are easy to read and very entertaining. The goal is not to shock the reader with violence and gore, but rather to entertain within a setting of personal interest (scrapbooking, tea, The Depression Era, etc.).

Peggity Price is an excellent reader. She has a good voice that is pleasant to listen to and easy to understand. She gives "character" to the characters!

Not necessarily "moved me," but the mental image of the ladies in the boarding house watching the ghost in the yard of the Dahlias new clubhouse, and the landlord getting out her late daddy's shotgun, is priceless!

If you're looking for social significance or a story with graphic descriptions of violent acts, then cozies are not your cup of tea ... and The Darling Dahlias won't satisfy. If you're looking for a light, fun, entertaining read that incorporates your passion for gardening, The Darling Dahlias will leave you ready for more.

I enjoyed the reader and believe it added to the listening experience. I think this falls in the same category as the Janet Evonivich mysteries. I would not read her books any more as I love to listen to them. I have listened to everyone of them on recordings and now will be looking forward to adding Susan Albert books read by Peggity Price to my list.

The Janet Evonovich mysteries. I like the reader and the characters.

No, this was the first.

It made me laugh several times and cry a little when they all gathered to help the young boy that escaped the prison camp.

I liked the book also because it was a nice, clean bookd and I could listen to it in the car with my sons present.

Finding out the answers to the mystery surrounding the cosmetics girl was the most iinteresting part of the story . Also the insite into the small town lives of that period. I thought the story overall good but somehow the tellin of it was meandering and a little slow.

The ending wad satisfying but not surprising at all.

She could have been more southern

I did enjoy the book but I bought it on a recommendation from audible and had looked forward to it with an anticipation that was somewhat disappointed.

Downloaded this book to listen to on a road trip with our parents, in their 70s. I thought they might enjoy it as they would be able to relate, it was so non-eventful and really did put us to sleep.