BLOOM AND DOOM is Book 1 in Beverly Allen's Bridal
Bouquet
Shop cozy mystery series. Audrey Bloom is the co-owner
of
a flower shop and amateur sleuth. I like the close family
relationships in this story with Audrey's cousin Liv, Liv's
sweet-natured husband Eric, and the many friends of their
beloved departed Grandma Mae. Audrey is a sympathetic and
reluctant sleuth. The only reason she gets involved is
because the prime suspect for the murder is a former
friend, and the murder weapon has ties to her flower shop.
Both things make it understandable for Audrey to want to
get involved.
The language of flowers tidbits thrown in BLOOM AND DOOM
are interesting and add a nice element to the story's
background. The story follows a logical progression and
kept my interest from start to finish. The number of
suspects were varied and kept me guessing. There are many
puzzles to solve in addition to the murder mystery itself -
Audrey's friend Jenny who is suspected of the murder acts
very odd at times and hard to figure out; suspicious
activity surrounding a supposedly vacant property; and an
elusive red-haired woman thrown into the mix. All of these
things give Audrey a feeling of unease about a small town
that she thought she knew so well. I enjoyed trying to
figure out how everything fit together. There is a little
element of danger toward the end of the story, but no more
than any other cozy mystery.
I love the potential for romance between Audrey and the
cute bakery owner Nick. Nick ended up helping Audrey in her
investigating and the chemistry between them is great and
they make a good detective team. I hope the relationship
between them evolves in future books.
BLOOM AND DOOM has all the ingredients that make up a
charming cozy mystery -- likable characters, good mystery,
and a little fun and romance thrown in. I look forward to
reading more books in this cozy mystery series!
As the co-owner of The Rose in Bloom, Audrey Bloom
creates
magnificent flower arrangements for brides to be. Though
helping to plan a wedding can be stressful, it’s nothing
compared to the groom turning up dead.
A designer of eye-catching bridal bouquets—many of them
based on the Victorian meanings behind each flower—Audrey
Bloom is used to celebrations that end with happily ever
after. In fact, every couple she’s worked with is still
together, living in wedded bliss. But her perfect record
is
about to be broken.
Her childhood friend Jenny Whitney has reeled in the most
eligible bachelor in Ramble, Virginia, and she’s hired
Audrey to design the bouquet. But before Jenny can walk
down
the aisle clutching her blend of anemone, scabious, and
pussy willow (a floral disaster in Audrey’s mind), the
groom
is found dead—sprinkled with bits of a bouquet. This is
bad
for business—not to mention for Jenny, who has become the
prime suspect. So Audrey decides to do a little digging
herself, hoping she won’t be the next Ramble resident
pushing up daisies
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