On Flashback Fridays I will share with you
the books I was not able to review
when they were first released that have been screaming at me
from my To-Be-Read bookshelf.
Digging Up the Remains (A Garden Squad Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Massachusetts
Kensington (August 25, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496714857
ISBN-13 : 978-1496714855
Kindle ASIN : B082WRNRBM
A festive fall is in full swing in Goosebush, Massachusetts, but when a snoopy reporter is felled by foul play, it’s up to Lilly and her Garden Squad to spook out a killer . . .
Between hosting a haunted house on her lawn, serving on the town’s 400th Anniversary Planning Committee, and prepping for the Fall Festival’s 10k fundraiser, Lilly’s hands are full. She doesn’t have time for prickly newspaper reporter Tyler Crane, who’s been creeping around town, looking for dirt on Goosebush’s most notable families . . . until he’s found dead on the race route moments before the start.
An unfortunate accident? Or did Tyler unearth a secret that someone in Goosebush is willing to kill to keep? By planting nasty rumors and cultivating fear, Tyler sowed a fair share of ill will during his brief time in town. Weeding through the suspects will be thorny, but Lilly and her Garden Squad are determined to root out the autumnal assassin before the Fall Festival flops . . .
Dollycas’s Thoughts
It’s fall in Goosebush, Massachusetts and Lilly Jayne has her fingers in everything. She is on the town’s 400th Anniversary Planning Committee and the Fall Festival is just days away. Lily will have a haunted house in her yard and she has been tasked with keeping a part of the 10K run trail clear of leaves. She is also being hounded by Tyler Crane, a newspaper reporter with no ethics. He’s been digging up dirt on longtime members of the community and has been teasing what he has uncovered across his social media accounts.
Lilly, Delia, and Roddy return to give the 10K path one more sweep when Roddy discovers a body under a pile of leaves. Tyler Crane won’t be bothering anyone anymore. Did he fall? or did the man push someone too far? It’s time for the Garden Squad to get busy and find out. If there is a killer in their midst they need to dig up evidence to plant them behind bars as soon as possible.
I was excited to get back to Goosebush to catch up with Lily and her friends. They are all about doing what is best for their town and it’s usually done in a fun way. The Garden Squad and their midnight beautification projects are just so neat and I loved that they have inspired others to do some late-night projects of their own. We are also introduced to a couple of new characters in this story that are unique. All of Ms. Henry’s characters continue to evolve and grow as this series continues. They are genuine and true to life and distinguishable. Oh, and there’s a new feline character that is just what Lily and Delia needed.
I really enjoy the way the author describes each scene. Lily’s garden is her pride and joy and I can picture it vividly. Roddy’s garden needs a lot of work and he is willing to put in the time with Lily’s help to get everything just right. The town is set up like a wheel with Ernie Garden Center at one spoke and The Star Cafe on another, and the police station is on the circle too, along with other businesses. There is also a park set for a special renovation nearby. We also get a peek at some house renovations that have and will continue from one book to the next.
Then there is the little-used path where the body is found. I felt like I was right there on the scene, looking for any clues or evidence with Delia and Lilly. The squad all comes together to compare notes and follow each twist and turn. There were more suspects than I first imagined. It was fun to follow along with them and it was exciting to be there when the jig was up and the guilty party was revealed, and boy was I surprised. But the showdown wasn’t done, there was a really stressful situation to get through and the chief of police Bash Haywood trusted others to help him handle that situation. That says a lot about this community.
One thing I have noticed since I started reading this series is that I get all kinds of ideas for my own gardens. I appreciate the gardening tips included in the back of the book and I share them with my partner-in-planting husband.
Digging Up The Remains
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
About the Author
Julia Henry works in the arts, teaches, and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She currently writes as Julianne Holmes
Find Julia on her – Website Twitter Facebook Instagram
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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.”
