The Garden Club Murder by Amy Patricia Meade is the second A Tish Tarragon Mystery. Tish Tarragon owns Cookin' the Books Café & Catering in Virginia. She is a literary themed chef who has been hired to cater the Coleton Creek's annual garden club awards luncheon for which she has created a Secret Garden theme. Jim Ainsley's, the garden club president, takes Tish and Jules Davis on a tour of the top contenders for the prize. They find Sloane Shackleford on a chaise lounge bludgeoned with a garden spade. Tish declares she is too busy with the luncheon to investigate, but the residents keep dropping by the kitchen and open up to her while eating her delectable scones. The Garden Club Murder can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. Everything a reader needs to know is disclosed in the book. Tish owns Cookin' the Books which is a café with a literary themed menu. Her Secret Garden theme for the garden club luncheon sounded lovely as well as the scrumptious English menu. Julian Jefferson Davis aka Jules is my favorite character in the book. He is a unique individual with a zest for life. Jules provided many humorous moments. My favorite was when Tish finds him leading an early morning water aerobics class as Coleton Creek blaring Lady Gaga music. Despite finding the body of the despised Sloane Shackleford, Tish declares she is not going to investigate. However, residents keep visiting the kitchen (or waylaying her) and Tish manages to extract information that helps Sheriff Clemson Reade with his investigation (she cannot help but ask probing questions). The whodunit is intriguing. There are multiple suspects since Sloane went out of his way to antagonize residents of the community. There are clues to help readers solve the crime before Tish. There is a red herring or two to distract us from the real culprit along with a surprising twist. I like the subplot (another mystery) which added depth to the story plus it was unique. Tish also must help her best friend, Mary Jo who was told by her husband that he wants a divorce because he has fallen in love with a younger woman. Mary Jo and her two kids (plus two of their friends) spend the weekend in Tish's apartment above the café. In addition, Tish has Biscuit, Sloane's dog staying with her (she is a softie). While Tish is dating attorney, Schuyler Thompson, there is another man interested in having a relationship with her. I have to admit that I prefer this man to the attorney. The Garden Club Murder is an eventful cozy mystery with scrumptious scones, a winsome weatherman, gorgeous gardens, a questionable quarry and one curious chef.

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