Dollycas's Thoughts
We are back in Goosebush, Massachusetts, as the Beautification Committee is planning its Springtime projects. Lilly and Delia find things neglected at the historic Goosebush Cemetery. They also notice irregularities with many of the plots and that a bench has been moved by the Jayne family mausoleum. With a little research, Lilly finds out that Whitney Dunne-Bradford had taken over the custodianship of the cemetery when she inherited the Bradford Funeral Homes. Lilly is anxious to talk to Whitney about her concerns but before they can meet, Lilly trips over Whitney's body at the family crypt.
Even though it appears Whitney has taken her own life both Lily and Chief of Police Bash Haywood believe she was murdered. There has been trouble with the family's funeral business and things have been tense between Whitney, her stepdaughter Sasha, and employee Dewey March but would it drive one of them to murder? Sadly, a friend is also on the suspect list so Lily and the Garden Squad shift into high gear to prove their friend's innocence. They immediately start digging up the truth and plotting a path toward the real guilty party before the killer gets away scot-free and their friend ends up in jail.
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The characters in this series are so much fun. Lilly Jayne continues to pull her garden squad together to do gardening projects and investigate murders. In this installment, the Squad is worried about their friend Stan, who lost his father suddenly and is a suspect in Whitney Dunne-Bradford's death. He has been acting strange for weeks and has shut his girlfriend Delia out completely. His friends all care about him and will do anything they can to help. The friendships that have been built over the course of this series are very strong and continue to grow in this story. One relationship is starting to move beyond just friendship and I enjoyed the way the author has penned this blooming romance.
Lilly and her friends are very active in the community and their pride unique small town shines every time they take a walk around the wheel at the center of Goosebush to shop, dine, or run errands. They have been working hard on renovating a park, making sure it meets as many of the town's needs as possible. Ms. Henry's detailed descriptions of the town, the park, the shops, the Star, Lilly's home and gardens along with the homes and yards and views of her friends paint such great visuals. It is so easy to imagine yourself walking around town to each and every place right along with its residents. I was very intrigued by the historic cemetery. We have a similar cemetery in my hometown, but without all the shenanigans.
Ms. Henry plotted out a very interesting mystery with twists, turns, and curious entanglements. I always have a great time following all the clues with the Garden Squad. They all come up with their own theories and work to see what pans out. Delia really has the head for research and never fails to find pertinent information to move the investigation forward. They do keep Chief of Police Bash Haywood apprised of their findings for the most part. He knows he can trust their information. I had a theory of my own that had some of the right elements but they didn't all come together until everything was spelled out in the story.
The Plot Thickets was a very entertaining read. These characters never fail to draw me into their lives and keep me captivated until the mysteries are all solved at the end. Sadly, this book was released in October 2022 and appears to be the final book in the series. I will have to use my imagination to finish out the characters' stories but I know in my heart that Ms. Henry would want them to live happily ever and enjoying their beautiful gardens.
We are back in Goosebush, Massachusetts, as the Beautification Committee is planning its Springtime projects. Lilly and Delia find things neglected at the historic Goosebush Cemetery. They also notice irregularities with many of the plots and that a bench has been moved by the Jayne family mausoleum. With a little research, Lilly finds out that Whitney Dunne-Bradford had taken over the custodianship of the cemetery when she inherited the Bradford Funeral Homes. Lilly is anxious to talk to Whitney about her concerns but before they can meet, Lilly trips over Whitney's body at the family crypt.
Even though it appears Whitney has taken her own life both Lily and Chief of Police Bash Haywood believe she was murdered. There has been trouble with the family's funeral business and things have been tense between Whitney, her stepdaughter Sasha, and employee Dewey March but would it drive one of them to murder? Sadly, a friend is also on the suspect list so Lily and the Garden Squad shift into high gear to prove their friend's innocence. They immediately start digging up the truth and plotting a path toward the real guilty party before the killer gets away scot-free and their friend ends up in jail.
______
The characters in this series are so much fun. Lilly Jayne continues to pull her garden squad together to do gardening projects and investigate murders. In this installment, the Squad is worried about their friend Stan, who lost his father suddenly and is a suspect in Whitney Dunne-Bradford's death. He has been acting strange for weeks and has shut his girlfriend Delia out completely. His friends all care about him and will do anything they can to help. The friendships that have been built over the course of this series are very strong and continue to grow in this story. One relationship is starting to move beyond just friendship and I enjoyed the way the author has penned this blooming romance.
Lilly and her friends are very active in the community and their pride unique small town shines every time they take a walk around the wheel at the center of Goosebush to shop, dine, or run errands. They have been working hard on renovating a park, making sure it meets as many of the town's needs as possible. Ms. Henry's detailed descriptions of the town, the park, the shops, the Star, Lilly's home and gardens along with the homes and yards and views of her friends paint such great visuals. It is so easy to imagine yourself walking around town to each and every place right along with its residents. I was very intrigued by the historic cemetery. We have a similar cemetery in my hometown, but without all the shenanigans.
Ms. Henry plotted out a very interesting mystery with twists, turns, and curious entanglements. I always have a great time following all the clues with the Garden Squad. They all come up with their own theories and work to see what pans out. Delia really has the head for research and never fails to find pertinent information to move the investigation forward. They do keep Chief of Police Bash Haywood apprised of their findings for the most part. He knows he can trust their information. I had a theory of my own that had some of the right elements but they didn't all come together until everything was spelled out in the story.
The Plot Thickets was a very entertaining read. These characters never fail to draw me into their lives and keep me captivated until the mysteries are all solved at the end. Sadly, this book was released in October 2022 and appears to be the final book in the series. I will have to use my imagination to finish out the characters' stories but I know in my heart that Ms. Henry would want them to live happily ever and enjoying their beautiful gardens.
The Plot Thickets by Julia Henry is the 5th A Garden Squad Mystery. We return to Goosebush, Massachusetts where Lilly Jayne resides in her family home, Windward. I like Lilly Jayne who is a smart, kind woman in her 60s who loves to garden. There are beautiful gardens surrounding Windward. She has a great group of friends who comprise the Garden Squad. They secretly tackle gardening projects around town. The multidimensional cast of secondary characters includes Delia, Ernie, Roddy, Tamara, and Warwick. I love the descriptions of Windward. This is a home that I would love to reside in. Stan's father, Buzz causes a scene at a local restaurant where Lilly and her friends are dining. Stan and Buzz soon depart. Stan rushes back inside a couple of minutes later calling for assistance. Buzz has collapsed and is soon pronounced dead. Lilly and Delia are checking out a project in the cemetery a few days later for the Beautification Committee. Lilly notices some oddities among the gravestones including the moving of the Jayne bench near the family mausoleum. Stan asks them to check out where his father is buried. Delia and Lilly are unable to find the grave. The ladies decide that some research is in order. It is a multifaceted mystery which I enjoyed. While I anticipated the resolution, I had a good time following Lilly Jayne and her friends as they dug into the case. I appreciated the good wrap up at the end. The ending of the book will leave fans of the series smiling. There is a lot going on in The Plot Thickets. This is a story that is engaging and interesting. The Plot Thickets can be read as a standalone for those new to the series or if you have missed a book or two (like me). The Plot Thickets is a good cozy to read in October with the cemetery theme. There are some gardening tips at the end which includes a list of plants that are good pollinators (which is just what I needed). The Plot Thickets is a graveyard smash with plant pruning, a displaced bench, a dead dad, a witchy Whitney, puzzling plots, a house hunt, and a bad back.
