The Garden Club Murder

February 15, 2019
Starting a second career by founding a catering business is not simple; mix in murder, and Tish Tarragon is in for a rocky introduction to the tight-knit community of Hobson Glen. When Tish is asked to cater the biggest library fund-raising event of the year by the finicky director, Binnie, she thinks her Cookin' the Books Caf� and catering business is off to a great start. But things sure turn sour when Binnie dies in the middle of the event after eating her meal! With strong, supportive friendships and a budding romance, Tish races to solve the murder before her business dreams burn up in the frying pan. From the pun-filled title to the literature-inspired food, cozy-mystery fans will love Meade's newest novel. The full cast of characters creates a robust community that will make bibliophiles want to travel to Hobson Glen, Virginia, and partake in some tasty literary delights. Readers of Rita Mae Brown and Joanne Fluke should be excited by this new series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

September 1, 2019
Tish Tarragon, owner of Cookin' the Books Caf� and Catering, is hired to cater the annual awards luncheon of the Coleton Creek Sixty-Plus Community Garden Club. When retired businessman Sloane Shackleford, the unpopular five-time winner of the best-garden prize, is murdered just before the judging, Tish reluctantly investigates. Suspects abound among the residents and staff, from contest-winner hopefuls to the numerous women Shackleford scorned, to clients he cheated, and to those he harassed just for the fun of it. As Tish readies for The Secret Garden-themed luncheon, various suspects confide in her, and she shares her findings with Sheriff Reade. Complicating matters, Tish must comfort an old friend whose husband has just left her for a younger woman, and her romance with attorney Schuyler begins to heat up. However, there may be another suitor in the wings. Tish ultimately identifies the killer in this gardening- and food-framed cozy, set in hot, humid Virginia and featuring a strong, principled female business owner. Suggest this series to fans of Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen novels.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)