Imagine a wedding about to take place
beside Old Cape Lighthouse on scenic Orcas Island. This Pacific Northwest
location, adorned with gorgeous sun-kissed flowers, rested near the water’s
edge. James Stratford, a wealthy and handsome groom, and Brooke Edgars, a lovely
bride-to-be, were full of expectations and the promise of a long life together.
Picture Perfect. Unfortunately, death can interrupt the grandest of plans and
break hearts without a thought or care.
Kaylee Bleu, owner of The Flower Patch
and the official wedding florist, was the first person to find the body. Her
handsome bow-tied dachshund, Bear, arrived beside the body first, but he
suddenly showed terrible symptoms. Kaylee’s past as a plant taxonomist and
forensic botanist at Seattle’s University of Washington has been helpful during
investigations. This time her skills were needed to help her beloved Bear. And
then to discover what the murderer didn’t want anyone to learn.
This story is
well written, with plenty of twists and turns. I loved trying to discover who
the killer might be! The characters have depth and personality. They feel like
friendly neighbors who fit in nicely with their small town, Turtle Cove. And who
can win your heart, if not a dachshund named Bear? I highly recommend this
series and this story which can be a stand-alone, yet why miss the fun of the
rest of the adventures? Secrets, surprises, and a very satisfying ending.
Each
of these stories is approximately 200 pages, so they are quick reads that
deliver a full cozy murder mystery experience—lacking nothing. I love details,
and depth and I’m quite satisfied with Kaylee Bleu and her Petal Pushers garden
club members and the other regulars of Turtle Cove. This is Book 2 from the
VICTORIAN MANSION FLOWER SHOP MYSTERIES series published by Annie’s. I have the
hardback cover version with a ribbon bookmark sewn into the binding. What a
lovely gift these books can make. There is also an E-book version available. You
may discover more about the publisher and their other series at
AnniesFiction.com.
QUESTIONS FOR JOHNNIE:
I love to let my readers discover who
the author is behind the wonderful story presented in the review. When did you
first fall in love with writing?
Though I dreamed of writing stories, and
certainly made up quite a few, from the time I was a tyke, it wasn’t until I
approached one of those milestone birthdays that I told myself, “It’s now or
never!” Fear often nibbled at my heart, and a few more years passed before I
received a contract for WHERE TREASURE HIDES, my debut novel. God’s promise,
given to me during a private devotional time at a writers conference, to “set my
feet in a spacious place” helped me to persevere during that time and during
other low points in my journey. I trust Him with my writing path.
Do you have a
favorite occupation that you secretly dream of doing, represented by one of your
characters in this story? The Flower Patch florist, the handyman, baker, police
officer . . .
I absolutely love this question because I told my sister only a
few weeks ago that creating characters allows me to explore hobbies that I want
to know about but not necessarily do! LOL! For example, I recently created a
heroine who is a glass-blower and another who is a wildlife photographer who
also judges documentaries for film festivals. Doesn’t that sound fun?! One of my
favorite characters is Chaney Rose, a con artist with a conscience, who uses her
grifting skills to save a racehorse from death in THE MISCHIEF THIEF (currently
the first and only novel in the Rose & Thorne Series). I’m loathe to admit it
(because, after all, I do believe in following the Ten Commandments), but I’d
love to be on the Leverage team. (For those who may not know, Leverage is an
older TV show featuring a mastermind, hacker, hitter, grifter, and thief who ran
cons on the rich and powerful to get justice for those in need.)
Since Orcas
Island is a real place (https://www.visitsanjuans.com/orcas-island) have you
ever had the pleasure of visiting there?
That is definitely a dream, though not
one that has yet come true. I’m still on the tourist mailing list, though, so
maybe someday! Since I can’t travel to all the settings that show up in my
stories, I research trees, plants, sunrises and sunsets, and often add the town
(if it’s not fictional) on my weather app.
What is your favorite drink while
writing?
I have a Pepsi in my favorite insulated cup, decorated with many of my
favorite verbs, words, and phrases on my desk right now. Here’s a sampling:
wonder, try, hope, flip flops, cherish, play, running barefoot in the grass,
dream, laugh, dance, staying up late, cherish, pray.
What is the title of your
next book in this series, and approximately when will it be published?
All
twenty-four books in the Victorian Mansion Flower Shop Mysteries series,
published by Annie’s Fiction, have been written. I wrote #2, BLOOMED TO DIE and
#8, PINE AND PUNISHMENT. The entire series can be found here:
https://bit.ly/VMFSMSeries I’m currently writing a historical novella set in
Crooksville, Ohio for Guideposts’ new Love’s a Mystery series. Each book
contains a historical and a contemporary novella (written by two different
authors). After that, I’ll be writing a few more novels for Annie’s Fiction
while planning more Rose & Thorne stories.
You can find the author, Johnnie
Alexander at https://johnnie-alexander.com/
