Corpse in the Carnations

Lovely Lethal Gardens, Book 3

By: Dale Mayer

Narrated by: Vanessa Moyen

Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's Summary

A new cozy mystery series from USA Today best-selling author Dale Mayer. Follow gardener and amateur sleuth Doreen Montgomery - and her amusing and mostly lovable cat, dog, and parrot - as they catch murderers and solve crimes in lovely Kelowna, British Columbia.

Riches to rags.... Chaos calms.... Crime quiets.... But does it really?

After getting involved in two murder cases in the short time she’s lived in picturesque Kelowna, divorcee and gardener Doreen Montgomery has developed a reputation almost as notorious as her Nan’s. The only way to stop people from speculating, is to live a life of unrelieved boredom until the media and the neighbors forget about her. And Doreen aims to do just that with a tour of Kelowna’s famed Carnation Gardens. Plants, more plants, and nothing whatsoever that anyone could object to. 

But when she sees a fight between a beautiful young woman and her boyfriend, she can’t help but be concerned. Concerned enough that she follows the couple out of the parking lot and through town. And when gunshots interrupt the placid afternoon, it’s too late to worry about how her nemesis, Corporal Mack Moreau, will feel about her getting involved in yet another of his cases. 

With bodies turning up in the carnations, and a connection to a cold case of a missing child from long ago, Doreen has her hands full, not least with trying to keep her involvement in the investigations a secret from her Nan, Mack Moreau, and especially the media. But someone’s keeping up with Doreen’s doings…and that someone can’t afford for her to find the answers to the questions she’s asking.

©2018 Beverly Dale Mayer (P)2019 Beverly Dale Mayer

Great until Book 3, Boo on politics in a cozy!

I read the first book and enjoyed it. I loved the idea of a woman who had had so much money she didn't need to know how to cook. And the subsequent mistakes were a hoot. I read the second book and enjoyed it too, although a few swear words were creeping in. This 3rd book, Corpse in the Carnations, started out fun but I was so disappointed in it the farther I read.
Swear words are more frequent .. And, for whatever reason, the author had to bring in abortion rights to this fun and stressless book. Really? At first the abortion clinic was just brought up as an area in town that was having a protest. That did seem odd but no big deal. Then the main character says she believes in abortion rights. I wish the author, who is very good, would have decided if it was a cozy or if it was political. Why toss in a stance on a serious and polarizing subject?
I thought I had found a series I was going to keep enjoying book by book, but this is the end for me. I just can't do politics right now. Either side! I I so needed a book I could relax with and laugh with. Not this one. I want my money back.

Humor, mystery, danger...what more could you want?

I am absolutely hooked on this series! The goodness and naivety of Doreen, the quirkiness and generosity and love of Nan, the grudging acceptance & support of Mack, new friends and of course the pets - Thaddeus, Goliath and Mugs are just so charming. And the mysteries just aren’t predictable at all! I love that!
And as high pitched as Vanessa Moyen’s voice is, it’s perfect for this book and these characters - especially Doreen and Thaddeus! Dale Mayer did such a great job of writing the parrot’s humor, and Vanessa delivers it flawlessly. It makes me laugh out loud at least a couple times in each book!
Can’t wait for the next one!

loving this series!

I'm really starting to get attached to these characters. I hope to get to Dagger in the Dahlias soon!