A Corpse for Yew

This is an excellent series for those who want a good mystery with a cozy atmosphere. If you like gardening and plants, so much the better.

As you read the excerpt below, picture a group of elderly ladies, all members of the Shamrock Historical Society due to their ancestors and proud of it. Picture these ladies standing in the middle of a cow pasture as they search for a grave that has been long forgotten. And now listen as they reminisce about another outing that took them in search of a grave from the past. "It doesn't really matter," Geneva said. We're within our legal rights to visit the grave since Mrs.. Waynewright is a direct descendant. MCWhirter can't keep us away." Dorothy grimaced. "Remember that time we had to sneak into that abandoned cemetery out by Salisbury? Those terrible dogs! I'm not sure what w would've done if Mr. Hawkins hadn't been with us. He took that bite like a man." "After that, the dogs seemed fine with us being there." Annabelle shrugged. "But poor Mr. Hawkins had to have rabies shots. He was such a gentleman about it." Peggy is the owner of a garden shop called the Potting Shed located in Center City, Charlotte. She's also a part-time forensic botanist for the Charlotte Police Department. When her mother, Lilla, talks her into joining the Shamrock Historical Society and their quest to rescue bones that have been buried under Lake Whitley for years, she didn't expect to discover the body of one of the Society's own members, Lois Mullis, who also turns out to be the Aunt of the Police Chief. Was it accidental or murder? The Chief believes it was an accident. The members of the Shamrock Historical Society believe it was murder and they put their faith in Peggy to prove them right and to find the killer. A Corpse for Yew is a book of humor and mystery, as well as a book that spiked my interest in plants. Joyce and Jim Lavene provide a description of the plants as they are introduced into each chapter, giving you a little history of the plant's origin and it's uses. As they introduced each member of the Shamrock Historical Society, I found myself picturing each lady perfectly. When I put the mental pictures of these ladies together to form the full group, I could see their every move as they persuaded Peggy to help them find the killer of their friend. And with my living in Charlotte, NC, I knew almost every location visited by Peggy and her group of ladies. A Corpse for You is one of the most enjoyable books I've read in some time. It became a real mystery as I tried to decide who would want to harm the late Mrs. Mullis. But with it's humor, it was a very relaxing book to read.

I have been waiting for the next installment of this series for awhile. I read it in one night. I really enjoyed the mystery and the way the authors handled the love interest in this book. Plus, the flower info is always interesting. I was a little disappointed in Nightflyer's very short visit in this mystery. I miss the chatter between the Peggy and Nightflyer. Maybe the next book in the series will add more of him into the storyline. A really good mystery cozy.

The drought in North Carolina is so severe that Lake Whitley dried up leading to historical preservationists looking at the beds including a graveyard. While the profits at Peggy Lee's The Potting Shed has dried up too, she joins her mom and the other members of the historical society on the dry mud search. Genevieve Curtis steps on a body of a fellow member who had bright red lips. The victim is Lois Mullin, who arrived early without informing anyone. The autopsy reveals Lois had yew in her system, which means she was poisoned. The Police Chief turns out to be the dead woman's nephew and he dropped her off at the site before going to work. Everyone wants to believe a horrific accident occurred, but many questions remain unanswered. Peggy thinks the woman was murdered and the female members of the Historical Society persuade her to investigate as she has solved homicides before (see PERFECT POISON). She agrees, but finds an over abundance of suspects to include the nephew, the artifact thief, and members of the society. Putting aside why Peggy the amateur sleuth would investigate, Joyce and Jim Lavene prove once again they are an excellent writing team as they provide a quality regional whodunit. There are numerous suspects even beyond those described above so picking out the killer is difficult and as puzzling. The question that needs to be answered first is why murder a seemingly harmless elderly woman. A CORPSE FOR YEW contains lighter moments like the heroine hiding her lover from her parents even though she is fiftyish widow, but it is her investigation that makes for a fun Garden mystery. Harriet Klausner