Self Published
Featuring: Steve Newsome; John Lee; Peggy Garden
225 pages ISBN: 1511940263 EAN: 9781511940269 Kindle: B00UG9SBBK e-Book Add to Wish List
KILLING WEEDS is Book eight in the Peggy Lee Garden
cozy
mystery series by Joyce and Jim Lavene. Although this is
Book eight in the series, I believe KILLING WEEDS can be
enjoyed by readers who are new to the series. The authors
do a thorough job of mapping out the main characters and
their relationships to each other, as well as covering
past events that are crucial to understanding the group
dynamics. I love the Peggy Lee mystery series and
KILLING WEEDS does not disappoint!
The murder and mysteries in KILLING WEEDS are all highly
personal for Peggy. All the crimes seem to either target
her or her family. I love the added dimension that this
personal angle gave the story. The chameleon-like shadowy
woman who appears to be behind every evil act is
reminiscent of murderesses from hard-boiled detective
stories. The mystery of who the woman is, what her
motives are, and what she plans next make for a
fascinating read and keep the reader in suspense.
Although the danger to the main characters is very real,
there are still lighter moments and traditional cozy
aspects to KILLING WEEDS.
Amid a sea of cozy mysteries with either thirty-something
female sleuths or the more Miss Marple set, Peggy Lee
stands out as an intelligent, vibrant middle-aged
businesswoman and academic. I enjoy reading about her
exploits because she is likable and down-to-earth. Once
again, Joyce and Jim Lavene write a wonderful and
engaging ensemble mystery. Peggy Lee is the protagonist
and main sleuth, but the supporting characters -
including her family and co-workers - are very well-
written and add a lot to the story without cluttering it.
The relationships between the main characters add a light
counterpoint to the intensity that runs throughout
KILLING WEEDS, as well as providing added depth.
KILLING WEEDS is full of intriguing puzzles that will
delight fans -- both new and old! The fun plant facts
scattered throughout the book are interesting. I look
forward to seeing what happens with the cold case in
Peggy's family in future books. I eagerly await the next
book in this Peggy Lee Garden series.
It’s spring in Charlotte, North Carolina, home of forensic
botanist and garden shop owner, Peggy Lee. This spring has
been beautiful, as always, with flowering trees and blue
skies.
But a killer is on the loose, and seems determined to
destroy everyone and everything she cares about.
When her garden shop, the Potting Shed, is brutally
vandalized, Peggy doesn’t realize that it is only the
beginning. Her son, Paul, who has been moonlighting as a
private detective to investigate the death of his father,
John Lee, is suspected of murder when a mink coat lined
with
poison kills the woman who is wearing it.
Peggy identifies the particularly deadly blend of
botanical
poisons in the coat. Unfortunately, her work as a
specialist
with plant poisons makes Paul even more interesting to the
police. When attacks against her and her family continue,
Peggy must go back through her years of sleuthing to
finger
the person responsible . . . before it’s too late.