Cuttings

Cuttings was a great continuation on the series. Sydney and the kids are advancing through their lives and I can hardly wait for the next one. Couldn't put it down.

I read Cuttings by Anne Grant in one huge gulp. Sidney Teague is back! I started reading the series because Multiple Listings concerned Realtors. I thought she nailed us. :) My interest in her character has grown with each book. Cuttings concerns the floral industry (which I found to be surprisingly fascinating), and I was grabbed from the first page. The plot had a very unexpected turn, at least for me, and I loved it. It was one of those slap your forehead and say DUH times. The clues were there, but Grant had me so caught up in the story I missed them. It is a wonderful mystery that gives us a glimpse into the new urban south of Charlotte. I love Sydney and highly recommend this book and the first two Multiple Listing and Smoke Screen. You might as well buy them all while you are here, because you'll come back for them. Cuttings is a must read for mystery lovers.

I couldn't disagree more with the reviewer below. I found Cuttings to be Grant's best mystery to date, and I also thought number 2 was better than the first. This book in particular had added suspense that kept me awake until all hours. And here's another thing we disagree on - I think Sydney should have trusted Tom Thurgood less, not more. A great read IMO.

Sydney Teague, mother, owner of a small PR firm and amateur sleuth is back for her third case. Ann Grant does not write the same book twice. Sydney keeps growing as a person, which doesn't mean she has all the answers. A recovering alcoholic and Friend of Bill W, the murders that occur at a Charleston flower show and a "list" with Sydney as fourth victim makes the temptation to return to the bottle strong, but not irresistable. Her recent foray into being a non-smoker is more problematic as the bodies pile up and she gets more signals that she may be next. Her first concern is her two children. She then wonders if her lover, homicide detective Tom, doesn't have something else on his mind besides finding the murder and protecting her. A fascinating look at the retail flower business is never overdone. Even when the murder is discovered, Sydney realizes that there are no easy solutions for her. Highly recommended.

Sydney Teague may bend, but the tough lady will never break. The single mother raises two children while operating her own ad agency. The United Floral Associates Symposium sponsors the first Floral Global Show in Sydney's hometown of Charlotte. Two of Sydney's clients plan to attend and she is working on advertisements and other public relations for them. Two deaths occur at the trade show. Both involve a beautiful bouquet with a strange note attached to them. An identical arrangement ant note is sent to Sydney. The killer has scheduled three more deliveries of the deadly combination, the last delivery meant only for Sydney. The intrepid individual takes the threat very seriously and begins her own investigation that leads her faster and closer to an irate killer. Each new Sydney Teague mystery seems better than the previous tale, which says a lot because they are all good. CUTTINGS will appeal to anyone who enjoys a good mystery while providing an insider's look at the floral business. The protagonist appears stronger than ever as she refuses to allow any trauma to send her reeling back to cigarettes or alcohol, items she previously abused. Anne Underwood Grant makes Sydney a majestic survivor who should become a fan favorite of those who relish an entertaining amateur sleuth series.Harriet Klausner