Aloha to Kate Collins and MUM'S THE WORD (Flower Shop Mystery Series)

Can you believe it is February?  Even if  Punxsutawney Phil predicted more weather, we can enjoy "warmth" through books!  I discovered another cozy mystery series - MUM'S THE WORD:

I don't meddle, honest! But can I help it if my nose for injustice is as keen as my green thumb? Now I, Abby Knight, law school dropout, am the proud new owner of Bloomers, my hometown flower shop. I'm devoted to making my business grow, but I'm no shrinking violet if someone needs my help to right a wrong - even if that person is already dead...

​A THORNY PREDICAMENT

So maybe Abby's life isn't the bed of roses she was hoping it would be. She adores her job, but a new low-cost competitor is killing her profits - and a black SUV just rammed her vintage Corvette in a hit-and-run. Determined to track down the driver, she accepts the help of hunky ex-cop Marco Salvare. But their budding relationship is threatened when the trail turns deadly. Now Abby is caught in a tangle of menacing phone calls, police corruption, and murderous road rage. If she's not careful, the next flower arrangement might be for her own funeral...

Image by Jebulon

Creative Commons (link)

“Where flowers bloom so does hope.” - Lady Bird Johnson

Abby is just looking for some hope after dropping out of law school and breaking up with her fiance.  She sees hope in a downtown flower shop which she buys from the owner ... and hires the owner back to ensure the business succeeds.  No sooner do they learn a "big box" garden center is undercutting their profit, a black clad young man backs into her vintage Corvette.  Abby is not a wilting flower, so she decides to hunt for the perp, only to find herself immersed into a murder mystery.

Kate Collins creates a "down home" heroine with Abby, who may be not be perfect, but she is perky enough to rise above her run of bad luck.  It is easy to laugh with and cheer for Abby as she pokes her nose into police business while delivering rose bouquets to the prosecutor's office.  The secondary characters add an extra dimension for the chaos to follow.   MUM'S THE WORD was published in 2004 ... and 18 novels followed, including YEWS WITH CAUTION in May 2017.  I look forward to reading this series.

Learn more about Kate and her book at katecollinsbooks.com.  She is a graduate of Purdue University - my husband's alma mater!

Let's giveaway some "spring" swag to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  What's your favorite flower?  Did you expect any other question?

Mine is the Bird of Paradise ... found in Hawaii!

2.  Comments are open through Wednesday, February 28, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Friday, March 2.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Celebrate Hawai'i Week - King Kamehameha Day

Reminder: I have a special giveaway to celebrate June at this link.

Today is the 100th anniversary of the King Kamehameha Day Floral Parade.  From Hawaii.com (link),

In a traditional display of colors, each island float ... will be clad in its official hue. Look for a rainbow of color proceeding down Waikīkī’s famous Kalākaua Avenue. Niʻihau, the Forbidden Island, is white. Kauaʻi, the Garden Isle, is purple. Oʻahu, the Gathering Place, is yellow. Molokaʻi, the Friendly Isle, is green. Maui, the Valley Isle, is pink. Kahoʻolawe, the Target Island, is grey. Lānaʻi, the Pineapple Isle, is orange. And Hawaiʻi Island is red.

Celebrations on the other islands are listed here.  King Kamehameha Day celebrates the legacy of the warrior who united the eight islands into one kingdom. In honor of King Kamehameha, I offer eight illuminating facts which demonstrate why he is called Kamehameha the Great:

1. His full Hawaiian name is Kalani Paiʻea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiʻikui Kamehameha o ʻIolani i Kaiwikapu kauʻi Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea.

2. Kamehameha lifted the sacred Naha stone, fulfilling a prophesy that the one who could lift it would rule over the Hawaiian Islands.  Learn more about the legend of the Naha stone at this link.

Scouts pose with the Naha stone at the Hilo library

3. Kamehameha built the Puʻukoholā Heiau.  Today, it is a National Historic (link), 

Kapoukahi, a powerful kahuna from Kauaii, prophesized that war would end if Kamehameha constructed a heiau dedicated to the war god Ku at Pu'ukohola. In 1791, Keoua, Kamehameha’s cousin, was slain at Pu'ukohola, an event that according to prophesy, led to the conquest and consolidation of the islands under the rule of Kamehameha I.

4. After gaining control of the island of Hawai'i, Kamehameha defeated the ali'i on Maui, Moloka'i, and Lanai.  He landed on Oahu and pushed the defending army through the Nu'uanu Valley and over the pali (cliff).

Nu'uanu Pali 

5. Kamehameha attempted to invade Kauai twice, but the weather prevented his armada from paddling from Oahu. Still, the king of Kauai became a vassal of Kamehameha to avoid further attempts and bloodshed.  In the end, Kamehameha united the eight islands.

6. Kamehameha "retired" to Kamakahonu - his personal compound with a heiau (temple) on his home island of Hawai'i. Nearby is the start and finish of the Ironman World Championship Triathlon.  

Kamakahonu in Kailua Bay

7. The next four kings were named King Kamehameha II, III, IV, and V.  His descendant, Bernice Pauahi Bishop, left her estate in trust to create the Kamehameha Schools for Hawaiian children. 

8. For all his "fierceness", Kamehameha's first law protected the weak:

Ke Kanawai Mamalahoe – Law of the Splintered Paddle:

E hele ka `elemakule, ka luahine,
a me na kamali`i a moe i ke ala
`a`ohe mea nana e ho`opilikia.

Let the old men, the old women, 
and the children go and sleep on the wayside; 
let them not be molested.

King Kamehameha's statue stands outside Aliʻiolani Hale, home of the Hawaii State Supreme Court. His statue appears in the opening shots of the original Hawaii Five O and its reboot. Kamehameha will be draped in lei today! 

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about your favorite flower.  Mine is the Bird of Paradise.

2. Comments are open through Saturday, June 18, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 19.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City