THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE POINSETTA PUZZLE takes us on a
leisurely tour of Christmas in Darling and the various
intrigues that are going on in town. The mystery from the
prior book, THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE UNLUCKY CLOVER, is
back in the spotlight as new evidence has Sheriff Buddy
Norris investigating once again. Will he uncover more than
he expected? Meanwhile, Mildred Kilgore and Earlynne
Biddle are opening their bakery, with a few mishaps along
the way. And just who is daring to threaten the town's
favorite four-year-old, Cupcake? Step back into time as
Susan Wittig Albert charms readers with this slice of life
mystery.
The town of Darling has captivated me! Susan Wittig Albert
weaves an almost magical spell as she takes us back into a
different time when the effects of the Great Depression
are being felt in small towns like Darling. Despite the
bleak economy, residents of the town pull together when
one of their own is in trouble. THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND
THE POINSETTA PUZZLE showcases this when it comes to
issues involving the beloved child, Cupcake, and the
opening of the new bakery, The Flour Shop. The strength of
the friendships between the Dahlias is the heart of the
story as it's almost impossible not to fall in love with
both the Dahlias and the town of Darling.
THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE POINSETTA PUZZLE is the eighth
book in the Darling Dahlias series and can easily
be read as a standalone. Susan Wittig Albert helpfully
provides the reader with enough background information to
jump right in (including a brief description of each of
the main characters), along with footnotes that reference
which earlier book in which the back story is told. As a
long-time fan of Susan Wittig Albert's China
Bayles series, I'm embarrassed to admit that this was
my first foray into the Darling Dahlias series.
However, I can guarantee it won't be my last!
It’s Christmas, 1934, and the citizens of Darling, Alabama,
are unwrapping a big package of Christmas puzzles. Mildred
and Earlynne, members of the Dahlias Garden Club, are
planning to open a bakery on the square—if they can come up
with the right recipes. Charlie Dickens faces two of the
biggest puzzles of his career as an investigative reporter,
and one of them involves his wife. Cute little Cupcake’s
talent as a singer and dancer makes her a tempting target
for an unscrupulous exploiter. Lizzy must enlist the Dahlias
to protect her, while she herself is confronted by a
romantic puzzle. And Sheriff Norris is forced to reopen a
mystery that the town thought was solved and follow a string
of clues that lead to a deadly situation at the nearby
prison farm.
Once again, Susan Wittig Albert takes us to a place where
real people have courage, respect for their neighbors, and
the dream of doing their best, even when they’re not sure
what that is. She reminds us that Christmas is a celebration
of friendship, community, and what’s right with the world.
There’s nothing puzzling about that.
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy