Pruning the Dead by Julia Henry is the first book in the NEW “Garden Squad” cozy mystery series. Publisher: Kensington Books, coming January 29, 2019.

Post-retirement aches and pains can’t prevent sixty-five-year-old Lilly Jayne from keeping the most manicured garden in Goosebush, Massachusetts. But as a murder mystery blooms in the sleepy New England town, can a green thumb weed out a killer?

With hundreds flocking to her inaugural garden party, meticulous Lilly Jayne hasn’t left a single petal out of place. But the picture-perfect gathering turns unruly upon the arrival of Merilee Frank, Lily’s ex-husband’s catty third wife. Merilee lives for trouble, so no one is surprised after she drinks too much, shoves a guest into the koi pond, and gets escorted off the property. The real surprise comes days later–when Merilee is found dead in a pile of mulch . . .

Lilly wishes she could stick to pruning roses and forget about Merilee’s murder–until her best friend and ex become suspects in an overgrown homicide case. Now, aided by the Garden Squad, an unlikely group of amateur crime solvers with a knack for planting, Lilly knows she has limited time to identify the true culprit and restore order to Goosebush. Because if the murderer’s plot isn’t nipped in the bud, another victim could be pushing up daisies!

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When her first husband becomes the prime suspect in a local murder, knowing that he is innocent, Lilly Jayne starts an investigation and discovers things are not as they should be. I enjoyed this light drama that had everything in a mystery that I like: a solid plot, lovable characters, the victim, the suspects and the clues that kept me engaged throughout as I had to know who killed Merilee and why. The mystery was nicely done with highs and lows as each clue moved me a step closer to the killer’s identity. The narrative was visually descriptive with engaging dialogue with a small-town atmosphere that let me take in all in as I was became invested in the events that lead to the judicious outcome. A well-written and snappy whodunit, this an enjoyable read and I look forward to more adventures with Lilly and the Garden Squad members.

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FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher.