The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree

May 10, 2010
A small Southern town blooms into life in Albert's nostalgic first in a new Depression-era mystery series. Darling, Ala., is in the midst of financial upheaval surrounding the Darling Savings and Trust, though the ladies of the Darling Dahlias Garden Club are still excited about their clubhouse, an old estate recently inherited from Mrs. Dahlia Blackstone, whose garden includes a possibly haunted cucumber tree, which might shelter a buried treasure. Also distracting the members—especially widow and probate clerk Verna Tidwell; legal secretary and freelance journalist Elizabeth "Lizzy" Lacy, and Mayor Jed Taylor's wife, Ophelia Snow—are a prison break and the disappearance of drugstore clerk Eva Louise "Bunny" Scott, the town tart. After Bunny turns up dead in a wrecked stolen van, the ladies investigate. Veteran Albert (Holly Blues) combines great period detail with surefooted sleuthing that should satisfy fans and attract new ones.

June 1, 2010

Who better to investigate a 1930 murder than members of the local garden club?

Welcome to Darling, Ala., a sleepy town just starting to feel the effects of the Great Depression. Though a few of them are working ladies, the dozen members of the Darling Dahlias mostly represent the town's upper class at a time when class still matters. When flashy young Bunny Scott is killed in a car wreck that turns out to be murder, club officers Lizzy Lacy, Ophelia Snow and Verna Tidwell put aside their latest project—restoring the extensive grounds of a little house the club has inherited—and use what they've picked up from detective novels and their ability to tap into town gossip to turn sleuths. The murder is not Darling's only little disturbance. The bank is on the verge of collapse, and the owner blames a teller, a Dahlia member the club ladies are sure is innocent. A prison break has the town on edge, and the Cartwright ghost has been seen digging under one of the magnificent cucumber trees that adorn the clubhouse grounds. Although husbands, boyfriends and law-enforcement officials all tell them not to worry their pretty little heads, the Dahlias go to great lengths to solve the mysteries plaguing their beloved town.

The creator of herbalist China Bayles (Holly Blues, 2010, etc.) begins a new historical series equally full of intriguing characters, garden lore and recipes that adds nostalgia for the good old days, even if they weren't so good after all.

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from July 1, 2010
If you are ever in a mood to experience life back in the day, try this first entry in a new historical cozy series set in 1930s Darling, AL. When Bunny Scott is found dead in the wreckage of a car, some townspeople believe the beautiful tart got what she deserved. The ladies of the Darling Dahlias Gardening Club begin poking into the private lives of the townsfolk in an attempt to discover the truth behind Bunny's death. At the same time, a treasure of silver is found under the town's cucumber tree. VERDICTThe author of the popular China Bayles mysteries brings a small Southern town to life and vividly captures an era and culture—the Depression, segregation, class differences, the role of women in the South—with authentic period details. Her book fairly sizzles with the strength of the women of Darling. Also included are a few recipes and a list of ten ways to stretch whatever we have in a time of need.

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2010
Cozy fans will be delighted to learn that the prolific Albertknown for her clever puzzles, engaging characters, love of nature, and outstanding historic researchis debuting yet another exceptional series. This one begins in May 1930 in the small town of Darling, Alabama (population 907). The Dahlias comprise the 12 members of a gardening club dedicated to beautifying their town while struggling to survive the Depression. Even small towns can have their share of mysteries, and Darling is no exceptionfortunately, the Dahlias are sleuths as well as gardeners. Before long, they are searching for an escaped prisoner and a stolen car and investigating troubles at the local bank. And then there is the mysterious death of a young woman. By the end of the account, the mysteries are solved, and readers are thoroughly smitten by Lizzy, Verna, Ophelia, Myra May, Bessie, and the other garden club members. Hints on how to stretch resources (1930s style) and favorite recipes from the period are also included. While awaiting Alberts next garden club novel, fans should enjoy the gardening mysteries of Ann Ripley, Janis Harrison, and Anthony Eglin.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)