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