Book 6: Lovely Lethal Gardens
Riches to rags. ... Controlling to chaos. ... But murder ... not this time!
One night 10 years ago, 8-year-old Crystal, vanished from her bed in her parents' house, the only clue a footprint in the flowerbed below the girl's window.
Now that footprint's reappeared, this time at the scene of another crime, and Doreen is under strict orders not to stick her nose into Corporal Mack Moreau's new investigation.
But while Mack is busy with the new case, Doreen figures it can't hurt if she just takes a quick look at the old one. Her house is empty, her antiques removed, and she has time on her hands. She's finished working on Penny's garden and needs a new project to keep her busy - and allow her to avoid the heavy work waiting in her own garden. And with the help of her assistants, Thaddeus the parrot, Goliath the Maine Coon, and Mugs the Basset, soon Doreen is busy navigating the world of pawn shops and blackmail as she looks for clues as to what happened to the girl stolen from her bedroom so many years ago.
Surely, it's not her fault when her case butts up against the new one - is it?
LOVELY LETHAL GARDENS SERIESArsenic in the AzaleasBones in the BegoniasCorpse in the CarnationsDaggers in the DahliasEvidence in the EchinaceaFootprints in the FernsGun in the GardeniasHandcuffs in the HeatherIcepick in the IvyJewels in the JuniperKiller in the Kiwis
Marcia (pronounced Mar-see-a, not Marsha) likes to think of herself as a normal person, even though she has a rather abnormal vocation. She trains service dogs for combat veterans with PTSD. Then the former Marine owner of her first trainee is accused of murdering his wife, and Marcia gets sucked into an even more abnormal avocation-amateur sleuth.
Called in to dog-sit the Labrador service dog, Buddy, she's outraged that his veteran owner is being presumed guilty until proven innocent. With Buddy's help, she tries to uncover the real killer. Even after the hunky local sheriff politely tells her to butt out, Marcia keeps poking around. Until the killer finally pokes back.
He's just a guy who's tired of all the corruption. The machine is tired of his meddling - and wants to take him down, once and for all.
Rustic forester Lehigh Carter must prove that his fiancée, Stacy McBride, is innocent of murdering a popular Acting Sheriff. But evidence that she may have had a secret affair with the victim makes even Lehigh wonder if he should fight for her freedom against the corrupt local machine that accused her.
Cooperating with the only honest cop he knows in the county, Detective 'Gentleman Jim' Wadsworth, Lehigh plays a high-stakes game of legal chicken to infiltrate the conspiracy and discover the truth behind Jared Barkley's murder.
Evidence stacks up against Stacy, and as Lehigh continues his own investigation, his doubts about Stacy's innocence multiply--particularly when she appears to make romantic overtures to her ex-fiance, attorney Paul van Paten, a leading member of the conspiracy against Lehigh.
Can Lehigh get to the truth behind Jared Barkley's death--and if so, will he like the answers that he finds?
Maintaining good personal relationships with their suppliers is one of the secrets of the Cackleberry Club Café's success, so Suzanne doesn't mind going out to Mike Mullen's dairy farm to pick up some wheels of cheese. She's looking forward to a nice visit with the mild-mannered farmer before heading back to the café's hectic kitchen. But when she arrives, Mike's nowhere to be found. The moaning of his cows leads her to look in the barn, where she discovers a bloodcurdling sight-the farmer's dead body. Apparently, not everyone was as fond of Mike Mullen as the Cackleberry Club was. Churning with grief and outrage, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni vow to find the farmer's murderer-but as they get closer to the truth, the desperate killer gets whipped into a frenzy and plans to put the squeeze on them...
Everyone in Cottonwood loves the new bakery...until a Cottonwood resident is found dead with a half-eaten donut in her hand. Sheriff Kenni Lowry has her hands full. With a new murder in town and a new deputy to train, she's not sure if she's ever gonna get this booger solved. Sheriff Elmer Sims comes to the rescue, stepping up as Kenni's ghost deputy. As the ex-dead-now-ghost deputy and Kenni's Poppa, there are clues beyond the sprinkles in the donut that only he can see. Adding to Kenni's stress is that the parents of Finn Vincent, her hunky boyfriend and the new sheriff of Clay's Ferry, have come to town to meet Kenni and her parents. And Kenni's mama ain't too happy. As they say in the South, nobody's happy if mama ain't happy. With Poppa's keen insight and Kenni's determination, Kenni focuses all her attention on bringing the killer to justice before the yeast rises and another dead body turns up. Save room for dessert. You don't want to miss this Southern mystery!
Becca, newly single and newly unemployed, wants to believe she has psychic powers. With nothing but time-and a desire for empowerment-she's studying to become a witch. What she doesn't know is that her three cats-Harriet, Laurel, and Clara-are the ones with the real power. And when Harriet, a cream-colored longhair with more fur than commonsense, conjures a pillow for her own comfort, Becca believes her spells are finally working. Could that be why Trent, the coven's devilishly handsome leader, has been showing her special attention? Or why Suzanne, a longtime coven member, draws her aside to share a secret-a confidence that may lead to murder?
It's late spring in Winsome, and Washington Acres is alive with the sights and sounds of farm life. The flowers are blossoming, the vegetable gardens are thriving, the pollinators are buzzing, and the Pennsylvania countryside has fully awakened from its deep winter slumber. Only this season, rebirth comes with a price. College friends of Megan's beau, the handsome veterinarian Dr. Denver Finn, are in Winsome for a corporate volunteer event. They will be mentoring troubled kids from a nearby school during a hiking and camping trip. When one of Dr. Finn's friends is murdered at the state park, a student-a boy with a brutal history-becomes the prime suspect. With a teen's life at stake, Megan digs into the victim's past to clear the boy's name. She learns that the victim sowed conflict wherever he went. As Megan worms her way closer to the truth, she realizes her own life is at stake, as well as the lives of those she loves.
Pleasant Creek, Indiana, buzzes with anticipation as thousands of people converge on the sleepy little town for the annual Harvest Festival. The Kappel Apple Race and the Hog Wild Ride draw groups of cyclists and bikers to Liz Eckardt's Olde Mansion Inn. But tension between the rival groups threatens to ruin the festive atmosphere. As Liz attempts to keep the peace, the conflict among her guests pushes her patience to the limit. The tension escalates when Trent Cleveland, the egotistical champion cyclist, sets his womanizing sights on one of the biker's girlfriends.
As the Kappel Apple Race begins, Trent is expected to triumph once again. But before the star cyclist can cross the finish line ... he crashes into a tree.
To everyone's shock, Trent dies before he reaches the hospital. How did the young, healthy cyclist die so quickly and unexpectedly? Had he been suffering from a major medical issue without realizing it, or was he a victim of foul play? Trent had made many enemies, broke numerous hearts, and won countless races over the years, so the list of potential suspects is long.
With help from her family and fellow Material Girls, Liz investigates the circumstances surrounding the race, uncovering ugly family secrets and a web of lies. When Liz and her family are threatened, she stays the course, determined to discover the truth about Trent's final race.
The quaint Indiana town of Pleasant Creek is bustling with activity as Christmas draws near. Boston native and innkeeper, Liz Eckardt, is learning to embrace her new home's holiday traditions and welcomes the slower-paced life at the heart of Amish country. The little town is brimming with yuletide cheer, and the brisk air is filled with the smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies and the merry sounds of carolers. Liz is certain her godson Steve, coming home for the holidays from his military post overseas, will appreciate the comfort and joy that only a nice, simple country Christmas can bring.
Unfortunately for Liz, 'tis the season for unexpected mysteries and unwelcome surprises. Instead of her beloved godson arriving on the Olde Mansion Inn's doorstep, who should appear but Liz's troublesome ex-fiancé Matt, demanding a room and much of her time and patience. Meanwhile, frightening packages from a sinister "Santa" have been appearing on the doorsteps of several local businesses, each filled with a variety of unsavory items and a card bearing a single chilling word: "Heartless."
Are these cards accusations or confessions? Who could be leaving the ghastly "gifts" all around town? And is it merely a heinous holiday prank, or is Santa planning to bring something more ominous to the people of Pleasant Creek? With each new delivery, the contents of the packages become more and more disturbing, and Liz is determined to find out why the culprit is dead set on ruining Christmas for everyone. Wrapped up in the mystery, she calls on her dear friends in both the English and the Amish communities for help. Join Liz, the lovable ladies of the Material Girls quilting group, and the town's handsome mayor, Jackson Cross, as they try to find a way to bring the grisly gift giver to light, all while keeping the Christmas spirit alive.
Wedding bells will soon ring at the Olde Mansion Inn. Liz Eckardt is thrilled to be hosting an autumn wedding at her bed-and-breakfast, and the celebration is even more special because the bride is the goddaughter of her good friend Mary Ann Berne. While planning the joyous event, Liz revels in her new life as innkeeper in the picturesque town of Pleasant Creek, Indiana.
On the morning of the ceremony, Liz and her friends in The Material Girls quilting group put the finishing touches on the inn. The day promises to be sunny and perfect, and Jaynes Lake will provide a stunning backdrop when Renee Paulson and Josh Conrad exchange vows. The minister and the guests arrive, and the bride is ready to walk down the aisle.
But there's one thing missing.
The groom.
Josh's disappearance is shocking. Renee believes something ominous happened to her fiancé, and she asks Liz and the other Material Girls to find him before it's too late. As Liz searches for answers, she discovers that before he disappeared Josh was stressed to the limit. He'd experienced trouble with a loan and a disgruntled customer at the bank where he works. To make matters worse, Josh was heard swapping heated words with someone over the phone, and he'd argued with his father on the morning of the wedding. Did someone harm Josh? Or did he take off and leave Renee at the altar because he couldn't handle the pressure?
Liz and her friends go to great lengths to locate Josh, but will time run out on Renee and Josh's happily ever after?
Pleasant Creek, Indiana, loves its history. Each summer the town sponsors Heritage days, a festival commemorating the signing of Pleasant Creek's original town charter. Liz Eckardt couldn't be happier to participate in the star-spangled celebration. Her bed-and-breakfast, the Olde Mansion Inn, is booked solid.
But someone else isn't happy. Antique items related to the historic event are being stolen from Pleasant Creek's people and businesses, including Liz herself. Not only that, the culprit is demanding that a reenactment of the original signing be performed during the celebration, or else people Liz cares about may come to harm. Determined to keep her friends safe, Liz takes on the daunting task of researching the original signing and directing the reenactment. Does the culprit merely want to torch the celebration or is there more to his sinister plan?
Material Girl Sadie Schwarzentruber has troubles of her own. Someone from her past resurfaces, and it looks like bygones may not be bygones for the descendant of one of Pleasant Creek's founding fathers. Adding fuel to the fireworks, the beloved town historian, who's collecting up artifacts as fast as others are being stolen, may have his own agenda. And what about the new director of the Pleasant Creek Playhouse? Hot publicity might be just what she needs to get her new venture off the ground with a bang.
Liz and the rest of the Material Girls, aided by Mayor Jackson Cross, will have to band together if they're going to pull off this event without anyone getting hurt. Will this year's celebration go down in history? Or go up in flames?
It's a scorching hot summer in Pleasant Creek, Indiana, but the temperature isn't the only thing that's boiling. Everyone's on edge, including Liz Eckardt and her quilting group, the Material Girls. So when charming Anglophile Cyrus Whittington arrives in an antique car to stay at Liz's bed-and-breakfast, it's like a breath of cool, fresh air. Liz feels an immediate connection with the elderly eccentric. Like her, he came to Pleasant Creek searching for long-lost Amish relatives. She sets out to help him find his family.
But Cyrus seems to have brought more than a love of glass and china along with him. A rash of break-ins at nearby Amish farms coincides with his appearance. And when Cyrus shows Liz his precious heirloom tea service and declares he's looking for a matching set among the Amish to confirm his heritage, Liz can't help but wonder if he's hiding something. Is her new friend guilty of the crimes? When she begins receiving threatening phone calls, and even a smashed teacup in the mail, she's steaming mad -- and ready to investigate.
That's not the only trouble brewing at the Olde Mansion Inn. Stirring the pot are a mysterious stranger seen skulking around the grounds, and two female guests who, ostensibly vying for Cyrus's attention, may have agendas of their own. Add in one appliance salesman who comes and goes just as the criminal acts are happening, and Liz's world will be anything but cozy until she finds the perpetrator.
It will take the combined skills of Liz, the Material Girls, Mayor Jackson Cross, and of course the English bulldog Beans to serve up a cuppa justice before any more lives are fractured. Will it be tea -- or jail -- for two?
