Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am always excited when Kate Collins comes to visit!!
Florist Grump
was just released yesterday!
SO LET IT BE WRITTEN:
WHEN MY MYSTERY GOT REAL
By Kate Collins
Eighteen books ago, I had just finished writing MUM’S THE WORD
In steps my hairdresser and her colleagues, who, while I was having my hair cut, complained about men using their parking lot and then scurrying across to the business next door. The sign out front of this business said KINGS SPA, with the word MASSAGES and a telephone number underneath. There was no other advertising, and the building, an old white wooden house, had butcher paper covering the windows. Suspicious, you say? Oh, it gets better.
Then there were the masseuses, a group of Chinese women in tight silk dresses, who would come to the beauty salon to buy hair products. They didn’t speak. They would point to a product and toss money onto the counter from a thick wad they carried in their, well, you know.
Being a crusader for justice through my character Abby Knight, I suggested ways to stop the men from using the salon’s parking lot. Snap their photos and license plates and hang them in the big front windows. Call the Chief of Police. Write letters to the Mayor. I even volunteered to stand across the street with a camera.
And then the proverbial light bulb went off. I had my plot twist! Would my feisty, redheaded sleuth Abby Knight NOT get involved if such a thing were happening in her hometown? Of course not. Her last name isn’t Knight for no reason. So my mantra became: What Would Abby Do? And in my book, she did it, resulting in this shady business, called EMPEROR’S SPA, to be raided. Naturally, this didn’t happen without peril to Abby, but that’s why we all love Marco.
A month after SLAY IT WITH FLOWERS
What would you have done if you’d discovered such a situation in your hometown? Would you shrug your shoulders and hope someone else did something, or are you the type that would do something? In other words, are you an Abby Knight?
~Kate
About The Author
Kate Collins is the author of the national best-selling Flower Shop Mystery series and historical romance novels. For her mystery plots, Kate draws upon her own love of flowers and intrigue, and an intimate knowledge of life in a small college town. She states firmly for the benefit of all who live near her that none of the zany characters that populate the fictional town of New Chapel are based on people she knows. Honest. Find out more about Kate on her webpage here.
Kate’s Historical Romance Novels
Coming APRIL 2016
Florist Grump:
A Flower Shop Mystery
17th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Setting – Indiana
An Obsidian Mystery
New American Library
An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0451473431
E-Book ASIN: B00S75OKBA
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Root Awakening, feisty florist Abby Knight is back with another knotty murder to solve in the next Flower Shop Mystery…
Life in Bloom
Stopping to smell the roses should be a must for flower shop owner Abby Knight, but stress has turned her into a major grump. While their house is under construction, Abby and her new husband, Marco, are living with her parents, who are driving her nuts. Not to mention that everyone has babies on the brain, with her cousin Jillian’s bundle of joy popping up in every conversation, and Marco’s mother dropping hints that she expects a new sprout from Abby and her son—as soon as possible!
But things get even thornier after a flashy former banker pushes up daisies. With a beloved window washer the prime suspect in the murder, other New Chapel shop owners rally around Abby and Marco to prove his innocence. With Abby’s energy wilting, she has to be on high alert—or she and Marco may not live to see their new home…
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Abby Knight Salvare is one grumpy florist these days but frankly I can see her point. Moving into your parents house as an adult no matter how temporary can cause some major drama. You’re an adult and have lived on your own and suddenly your parents are treating like a teenager wanting to know what time you will be home and tracking you down when you stay out until what they consider is too late. When you are investigating a murder that can have dire consequences. Jillian is not handling motherhood well and she expects Abby to drop everything and help. Pretty hard to do when Bloomers is so busy they may have to hire more help, Down the Hatch is packed almost every night and Salvare Detective Agency has a new case. Abby’s mom also has a new project that she wants Abby to help her with. If I was Abby I would be grumpy too and probably pulling my hair out.
So much happens in this story and I enjoyed every minute of it. Kate Collins has rolled up her sleeves and has topped herself. This series has always been one of my true favorites. I anxiously await each new story and I am always delighted with the story. This one is my new favorite in the series.
We have watched Abby and Marco’s love blossom and now they are married and will soon have a brand new home. The talk about babies has already begun but not by Abby and Marco but all their friends and family. These characters are some of the best in the cozy mystery world right now. They are all people I wish I could meet in real life.
Ms. Collins also creates fantastic and believable story-lines. The subplots flow flawlessly amid the main plot. Again she has given readers a book they will not be able to stop reading once they start. The problem is I didn’t want the story to end. It seems my visits to New Chapel are just way too short. Thankfully Moss Hysteria
Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to give away!
Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US or Canadian mailing address.
Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.
You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find
something you like here and become a follower.
Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.
Leave a comment for Kate for 5 Bonus Entries.
Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries.
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive
5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End November 11, 2015 at 11:59 PM CST
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. 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.”
These stories have a good setting.
Sounds like a great book! I am looking forward to reading it. Thank you for the giveaway.
This is a new author to me, love finding new authors my mother would love to read.
That’s very similar to an experience we had here at work. My office (warehouse) is located smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Several years ago the nice old woman who lived across the street passed away and her house was sold. We started noticing some very strange things. The shades were never opened. Luxury cars would pull up and park and stay for about an hour. You only ever saw the owners of these cars go in and out of the house. We asked the mailman if they ever got any mail, and he said the only piece of mail that was ever delivered was an electric bill. The UPS man said he had to leave a package once and he went around back, the slider was open so he pulled the curtain back and said “Hello, UPS” A woman came out in a robe only and couldn’t shoo him out of there fast enough. We KNEW what was going on, we just wondered if any of the authorities knew. And then one day, two men came into the warehouse (dressed like customers) and asked to speak to the owner, we asked what it was in reference too and they flashed their FBI badges! They sat down with my dad and said they knew what was going on across the street, they’d been monitoring it for months, and wanted to know if they could put a surveillance camera on our roof. Uhm, do you really say no to the FBI? So the next morning, bright and early, a verizon truck with a bucket pulls into our yard and went to work on our roof “repairing” the lines (Yup, they really do show up in a utility truck). Then the “worker” knocked on the door (It was well before opening) and said “I’m Doug, with the FBI (as he flashed his badge) can I come in for a sec”. Of course you can Doug!!! About 6 weeks later there was a huge raid across the street, as well as another location in our city and two others in nearby towns. According to the papers, the Chinese Mob was behind it. Hopefully they never found out we let the FBI use our roof to spy on them! And now I have a contact for the FBI in my cell phone 😉
Thank you for sharing – I enjoyed reading Kate’s post about how a massage palor inspired the story for her second book.
No need to enter me in the drawing, this wonderful series is an auto-buy for me!! Just stopping by to say hi and say how much I love this cover and title. Congrats on another exciting release, and thanks so much, Dollycas, for reviewing Kate’s book.
Thanks for the great interview and review. I have loved this series since the first book. I look forward to Abby’s mom’s newest art project and the flower shop background always has information that is fun to learn. It’s hard to believe how far Abby and her stories have come.
A series that I enjoy! Looking forward to this newest one!
Kate Collins is a very busy lady. She has so many books to choose from. I’m anxious to enter to win her current book. Thanks for the opportunity. robeader53@yahoo.com
This book sounds unique and delightful. Thanks.
Ok. It’s official. I live in the boonies. How has this series not been on my radar? Heading over to GoodReads to wear out my pointer finger adding all of them to my TBR. :O)
Sounds like a good read.
I LOVE this series and can’t wait to see the movie. Excited for this next one!
Moving back in with your parents = stress!
I would hope that I’d at least write a letter to the editor. I’m kind of a coward and very shy so I doubt I’d do more. Sigh. Not nosy Miss Marple type material. 😉
Ann, since I’ve been writing about brave little Abby, I’ve become bolder, too! LOL
I’ve been following this series since the beginning, relishing learning about flowers and watching the relationships developing. Yes, I’d attempt to do something.
Thank you for highlighting a “new-to-me” author.
These books look fantastic! I love long series cozy mysteries, my Amazon wish list just got a bit longer 🙂
Love the story of Kate’s inspiration for Slay it with Flowers as well as Lori’s story about the house across the street and the FBI! I have not read any books in this series, but would love to start!
The title made me laugh. The book sounds like fun. I’d love to read it (along with quite a few others).
Have been waiting for this one, a must read series!
Like your books. I’ve been reading them for a while.
Thank you, Elaine!
I really like your books.
Thanks, Vickie!
Gosh I love your books, Kate!
Thanks, Barb. I always love your comments.
I love this series!! I am a little behind in the series though!
I promise not to hold that against you. LOL
This looks like a great book by a new to me author.
This is the series that introduced me to cozies! It’s one of my favorites and one of the best written. Thanks, Kate!
Wow. Thank you, Karen!
Love the name of the book. Will have to add this series to my reading.
Sue B
One of my absolute favorite series and authors. I can still remember when I had just started reading cozy mysteries and found the first in this series on the library shelf. It was love from the first book
I do so love this series. It would make a cool Hallmark movie!!
Maybe it’ll be one of the books picked for Hallmark, Joan. I know only the first three that they’re using.
I cracked up at the title and all kinds of funny covers went through my head. This series is now on my radar!
Love this series! Thank you for the giveaway opportunity!
My grandparents were florists so I feel a special connection to this series. Thanks for the contest.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I just love this series. Congratulations on your latest release Kate!
Okay, guilty here. I have not read any of these …yet. With the great review and everyone’s coments I am pretty sure I have to go out and get the first book in the series!