There’s no place better than the Berkshires in springtime. My name is Maggie Walker, and I’ve just moved back to my hometown of Marlowe, Massachusetts. It’s been a heck of a year, and I’m ready to watch the world come back to life after a long, cold winter.

When my serial-cheating husband died before our divorce was final, I sold our condo and bought myself some time. I quit my job and headed home to Gramma’s house and the comfort of small-town life.

I had no idea Gramma was ill. Now her house is mine. My childhood friend Sally lives next door, though she does chide me about living in a time warp. I admit to being a bit of an anachronism, having picked up a lot of Gramma’s likes and habits over the years. I love old tv shows. I’m not a fan of cell phones, but I love the old landline phone on the kitchen wall with its rotary dial. It brings back memories of chatting with Sally while Gramma baked a pie with apples picked from the old tree out back.

In a little while, I’ll be joining my new friend Violet for opening day at the Marlowe Community Garden. We’ve been working out the final details for weeks and now it’s all about to pay off.

The gardeners are a mixed lot. I met most at the promotional meetings Violet organized. She’s always organizing something. Others I’ve learned about from Sally or Violet. I swear, between the two of them, they know just about everyone in the county.

There’s a dear older couple who were good friends of Gramma and Grampa, a member of the local garden club and her daughter, and a mother with the cutest twins I’ve ever laid eyes on. Roy Hansen is a self-identifying ladies’ man. When he discovered I wasn’t interested, he returned to his natural state: surly and sarcastic.

Most everyone involved has been more than happy to help. The local hardware store is right next to the community garden. Not only is it a convenient place for the gardeners to shop, but its owner has been generous with donations.

That’s not to say life in Marlowe is all hummingbirds and lilacs. Catherine Whitacker, my nemesis throughout school, has me in her sights. You’d think she would’ve outgrown that by now. Maybe it’s got something to do with her being married to my high school sweetheart, who also happens to be the chief of police. Catherine has little interest in gardening, so I should be able to keep my distance.

Then there’s Carl Henderson, who apparently is big in local real estate. He’s been hounding me to buy Gramma’s house. No matter how many times I tell him I’m not interested in selling, he comes back. Something smells sour and it’s not just his aftershave.

Unfortunately, my cousin Simon wants Gramma’s house, too—or at least a part of it. But I’m not going to let him get me down.

Returning home to Marlowe and the warm memories of life with Gramma is just what I needed, that and tending a garden. I’ll just grab a few things and be on my way to opening day. I can’t wait to get to the community garden and start digging in the dirt. What could possibly go wrong? Wait. Did I just say that? Better not tempt Murphy’s Law.

The Gardener’s Plot
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: November 2024
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

A woman helps set up a community garden in the Berkshires, only to find a body in one of the plots on opening day.

After life threw Maggie Walker a few curveballs, she’s happy to be back in the small, Berkshires town where she spent so much time as a child. Marlowe holds many memories for her, and now it also offers a fresh start. Maggie has always loved gardening, so it’s only natural to sign on to help Violet Bloom set up a community garden.

When opening day arrives, Violet is nowhere to be found, and the gardeners are restless. Things go from bad to worse when Maggie finds a boot buried in one of the plots… and there’s a body attached to it. Suddenly, the police are looking for a killer and they keep asking questions about Violet. Maggie doesn’t believe her friend could do this, and she’s going to dig up the dirt needed to prove it.

The Gardener’s Plot takes readers to the heart of the Berkshires and introduces amateur sleuth Maggie Walker in Deborah J. Benoit’s Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning debut.

Meet the author
Deborah J. Benoit’s debut novel, The Gardener’s Plot, won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition. Born and raised in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, there’s no place she’d rather call home—even in winter. Deborah loves sharing her knowledge of gardening, through articles she’s written, in person, and on social media. When not digging up plots in her garden, she can be found working on her latest fiber arts project. Learn more about Deborah at penpaperplant.com.