Florist Grump
A Flower Shop Mystery #17
Author: Kate Collins
ISBN13: 9780451473431
Author website: http://www.katecollinsbooks.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
Synopsis:
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Root Awakening, feisty florist Abby Knight is back with another knotty murder to solve in the next Flower Shop Mystery…
Life in Bloom
Stopping to smell the roses should be a must for flower shop owner Abby Knight, but stress has turned her into a major grump. While their house is under construction, Abby and her new husband, Marco, are living with her parents, who are driving her nuts. Not to mention that everyone has babies on the brain, with her cousin Jillian’s bundle of joy popping up in every conversation, and Marco’s mother dropping hints that she expects a new sprout from Abby and her son—as soon as possible!
But things get even thornier after a flashy former banker pushes up daisies. With a beloved window washer the prime suspect in the murder, other New Chapel shop owners rally around Abby and Marco to prove his innocence. With Abby’s energy wilting, she has to be on high alert—or she and Marco may not live to see their new home…
Review:
Oh my, what a great read. Florist Grump is the 17th in Kate Collins’ “A Flower Shop Mystery” series and is without a doubt the best yet. That is saying a lot as not only is Kate Collins a NY Times bestselling author, but the first in the series, Mum’s the Word, is being made into a movie. Now, what makes Florist Grump so wonderful, EVERYTHING. From the very first pages, this book grabs you and keeps pulling you in deeper and deeper. The fabulous nuances that this stellar author throws in this installment are just dazzling. Florist Grump is a bouquet of vibrancy with intellectual fillers stuck in all the right places and displayed with elegance.
Main character, Abby Knight Salvare, is not only a great lead, but she is human too. Abby is a florist grump in this one. It was great to see her be so normal and have a hard time dealing with everything she had on her plate. Great because honestly some lead characters in cozies seem almost superhuman with all they do and get done (and make me feel horrible too). Abby is just plain grumpy. Who wouldn’t be if they had to live with their parents, in her old bedroom (left exactly as it was) with her sexy new husband, Marco? And Abby fells like an insolent teen at her parents’ house. If that was not enough, Abby’s business, Bloomers, is so busy she needs more help. Why does part-time helper Rosa have to make everything seem so easy? Abby hated the thought of asking her to work more – more time to make her feel inadequate.
There is so much more going on in this cozy than just a murder mystery. I will not spoil things, but Abby’s mother has taken up writing instead of her usual hideous artwork. This side story is absolutely one of my favorite parts of the book. But there is even more than that. Although the times when Seedy, their 3 legged rescue dog, is in danger was almost more than I could bear. Back to the murder, because yes there was one. A body is found and the police suspect is New Chapel’s beloved window washer Jingles. Jingles is much more than just a kindly old man though. Shop owners come together and put private investigators Team Salvare (Marco and Abby) on the case.
Florist Grump is genius, pure genius. The characters are wonderful and diverse. The mystery is enthralling. The action is intense. Even if you have never read any of the other books in this series, you will not be lost. Author Kate Collins does a wonderful job of getting the reader caught up without ever boring you. So many side topics are touched on here, but in a manner that flows. Family, parents, estrangements, love, relationships of all kinds – friends, family, marriage, and oh so much more. I just cannot say enough about the writing of author Kate Collins. This has become one of my favorite reads ever. I hope others will enjoy it as much as well. I am sure they will.
