Bleeding Heart

If you like gardening, this book is a must have! It kept me engrossed from cover to cover, as if I was one of Rachel's close gardening friends, working on her projects, sharing a romantic secret over tea, or holding my breath as she gets into very dangerous situations. Rachel is maturing, as are her business and personal relationships. I can't wait until the next book. Give it a try, I think you'll enjoy her friendship.

In the third book of the "Gardening mysteries" series, Rachel O'Connor gets the biggest contract of her literary life yet. A rich widow offers her a contract to restore the gardens of her family home to their old glory before she donates the property to a nature conservancy group. Her sons greatly oppose it but, when the woman is found dead floating in the creek that runs through the gardens surrounding the estate, Rachel is more determined than ever to make the old widow's dream come true. She won't run short of quite a number of inconveniences, including having to face a serious problem related to her own mother's health, an unscrupulus cop and a deadly stalker.I found this book to be the one in the series that will appeal most to gardening fans. The descriptions of lush gardens, greens and rare species of plants is quite detailed. One can actually imagine being right there, in front of an idyllic creek, contemplating exotic plants and... having the feeling of being watched all the time by some macabre mind!This mystery deals with crimes both in the past and in the present, and there are all sorts of crimes, not only actual killings; but deception and mistrust as well. A necessary book in a series that promises to amuse us for quite some time.

Rachel O'Connor and her family have lived in Blossom for generations. The O'Connor brood owns and harvests an orchard farm with few exceptions. Rachel is one of those family members who chose not to work on the farm. Instead she starts her own company Rain County Landscape. Famed botanist Eloise Jackson has noted Rachel's quality work. The elderly scientist wants Rachel to restore her gardens, and then the local conservatory will take over the upkeep.Upon meeting Eloise, Rachel likes the senior citizen and feels much tenderness towards her woebegone assistant April. Eloise demands Rachel sign a contract and closes the agreement with a $180,000 check. That same night April and Rachel find Eloise dead near a raging creek. The local police arrest April, but Rachel believes she is innocent. Aware of the danger she places herself in, Rachel begins sleuthing to identify a killer.BLEEDING HEART is a crowd pleasing garden mystery that fans of cozies and amateur sleuth tales in general will welcome. The protagonist is a good role model. She brims with independence and confidence, yet she is not always sure she is doing the right thing. Readers are privy to her inner thoughts and feelings about her family, boyfriend, and friends and that provide depth to the story as the secondary cast feel like next door neighbors. Mary Freeman hooks her audience from the beginning and keeps them interested in her story line until the climax in this wonderful entry to an entertaining series.Harriet Klausner