Dirty Rotten Tendrils: A Flower Shop Mystery [Mass Market Paperback]

Local boy Cody Verse won America's Next Hit Single with his song Code Blue, but his childhood pal Andrew Chapper is suing him, claiming that he actually wrote the lyrics. The whole town is in an uproar because Cody has returned to New Chapel for the trial, and Abby Knight, owner of Bloomers flower shop, hopes things will be back to normal soon. Andrew's lawyer is Dave Hammond, whom Abby once clerked for, while Cody has retained local piranha Ken "The Lip" Lipinski.

Her hopes are dashed when Dave Hammond's primary piece of evidence diappears, and Lipinski is accused of having stolen it. When The Lip is found dead in his office the next day, Dave is the number one suspect, and Abby and her guy Marco scramble to clear his name.

Dirty Rotten Tendrils, the tenth book in the Flower Shop Mystery series,has remained fresh, probably because the characters grow and change.

For those who may not have read earlier books in this delightful series, Abby dropped out of law school after one year, and purchased a flower shop in her home town of New Chapel, Indiana. Her significant other, Marco Salvares, owns a bar & grill called Down the Hatch not far away, and moonlights as a private investigator, often aided in his avocation by Abby.

Kate Collins has recently suffered a personal tragedy and will be unable to do promotions for this book (released today) for a while. I encourage her fans to purchase a copy of Dirty Rotten Tendrils for your local library.

Abby does not like injustice and when her favorite attorney, Dave, become the prime suspect, Abby vows to clear his name. Working with Marco and with help from her friends, Abby searches for others who have stronger motives to want the Lip dead. This was a good read with several twists and turns and I had an "aha" moment when I finally clicked on who was the killer. Like fine wine, The Flower Shop series, gets more better with time. This is an entertaining series that I never want to see end.

New Chapel, Indiana is the home to Bloomers Flower Shop owned by amateur sleuth Abby Knight. Her two assistants, Grace, who has an overwhelming memory for quotes and can spew one for any occasion, and Lottie, mother of quadruplets, who will keep you in stitches laughing throughout the entire story. We can't forget Abby's boyfriend, Marco Salvare, owner of the tavern, Down The Hatch, former Army Ranger, who also moonlights as a private investigator. Or Abby's mom, a kindergarten teacher, and multi-talented artist in a various mediums, and using the word talented in very tongue in cheek. Plus Abby's cousin Jillian who continues to shake up Abby's life under the guise of being a personal shopper. Just for good measure we will throw in Marco's mom, and his brother who seem to rake havoc wherever they go.

Those are the key players to this series, but in Dirty Rotten Tendrils, New Chapel welcomes home their own hometown boy who has won first place in a national reality show, America's Next Hit Single. His return has set the whole town upside down as they makeover and beautify their stores. Shops are even changing their names to garner the attention of all the national television and newspaper reporters.

The problem is Cody Verse is not in town for only a concert, he is in New Chapel to fend off a lawsuit filed by his former song writing partner, Andrew Chapper, who claims he is the one who wrote the song that won Cody first prize. The trial barely gets started and Cody's lawyer, Ken "the lip" Lipinski is found dead from a very suspicious overdose. The police are calling it murder and pointing finger at Andrew's attorney.

Abby believes the police have struck a wrong chord with their suspect and starts to conduct an investigation of her own with her duet partner Marco. They make some beautiful music together bringing an end to things with just the right note.

This series really keeps you hopping and with all the music in the background of this story I will say it has a great beat and is wonderful to dance to.

Okay, seriously this story had me thinking I had the murderer figured out so many times I lost count, and was completely surprised at the end. The story also has a cliff hanger ending worthy of any of today's television dramas. I even sent a note to Kate Collins letting her know I was mad at her for the ending, a good mad though because I can't wait to read the next installment to this series. She wrote me back telling me I would only have to wait until next April. APRIL!!! that's 7 months away!!!

If you are a fan of the Flower Shop Mysteries, get this one pre-ordered today!!! If you are not a fan, why not? I like to read books in the order written but trust me you can read this one first and I bet you will be rushing to find the rest of the series quite quickly. This story has the intrigue to keep you thinking whodunit, but the humor and family dynamics will keep you turning page and page after page, and at the end you will be begging for more. I pick up each book knowing it will be a great mystery, with a little romance and humor, but also to see what Abby's mom has created this time. You will love this story too, from the opening note to the finale, I promise.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Obsidian, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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