Blooming Murder [Mass Market Paperback]

Jean Hager (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1994

When one of the first guests to her new bed-and-breakfast is stabbed in the garden, owner Tess Darcy must identify the killer before the early reputation of her inn is ruined--and another murder takes place.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this garden-variety launch of a new series, Tess Darcy inherits her aunt's old home and transforms it into a darling bed-and-breakfast called Iris House. But on her very first day, one of her guests turns up dead in a bed of irises. This is not good for business. All of the houseguests turn out to have a motive for murder and a flimsy alibi. Bumbling chief of police Desmond Butts can't figure out who's the criminal, so Tess, displaying all the spunkiness usual to girl detectives, sets about unmasking the villain. Unfortunately, the reader figures out whodunit long before Tess has a clue. She laboriously builds cases against each suspect, then does an about-face and argues on their behalf, which doesn't do much to catch the murderer but does manage to kill the suspense. Martha Stewart aficionados might enjoy the quirky charm in Hager's tender descriptions of the rooms in Iris House: all have decors that complement the color and qualities of a well-known iris, and each chamber is a tribute to Tess's addiction to Victorian tassles, gilt, brass and swags. In the Black Swan room, for example, "the massively scaled bed was lacquered in the same reddish black color as were the huge bureau and marble-topped washstand . . ." and so on and so forth. With so much wicker, oak, greenery and napery, there just isn't much room for Hager's sketchy paper-doll characters to lead believable, mystery-filled lives.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Avon; First Edition edition (June 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380772094
• ISBN-13: 978-0380772094
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,444,869 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Beginning, February 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Blooming Murder (Mass Market Paperback)

One of the first cozy series I have read from the beginning, I found this to be great reading. The setting of Victoria Springs, Missouri was familiar enough to be comfortable, and different enough to be interesting. The characters introduced have grown and changed through the series and have become old friends. The factual information used regarding gardening and running a Bed-and-Breakfast added to my storehouse of experience gained from reading good mysteries. The plot kept me involved throughout and made the book hard to put down. All in all, I could hardly wait for the next in the series to come out, and still enjoy each.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Bed & Breakfast Cozy Début!, July 26, 2006

By 

L Smith "acozylover" (Macomb, MI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Blooming Murder (Mass Market Paperback)

In the 1st book in the Iris House Mystery series, we are introduced to Tess Darcy, new owner of an upscale Bed & Breakfast in Victoria Springs, Missouri. Tess has inherited the beautiful old house from her Aunt Iris, and has used every bit of her monetary inheritance and life savings to transform the old mansion into a lovely garden inn. During opening day, one of the quests at the B&B is found murdered...with Tess' family cake knife protruding from her chest. It seems that the member of the Victoria Springs Garden Club was not well-liked, and many houseguests appear to have a very strong motive for murdering the beauty. Tess is terrified that the murder will ruin her new business, and drive off potential guests. She starts to investigate the eclectic guests at her inn, and quickly discovers that blackmail may have been a strong motive for murder.

I picked up this book while browsing at my local library, and was pleased to find such an interesting mystery. About half way through the book, I began to suspect that the killer was obvious, and felt a bit let down and disappointed. However, I was quickly surprised to learn the true identity of the killer...and that I had been completely wrong! As I read many books in the genre, I really enjoy having a mystery unfold as this one did, and to discover a series that keeps me guessing until the end. This is a fun, interesting cozy series, and I look forward to visiting the Iris House again very soon!

The next book in this series is "Dead and Buried". Enjoy!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Books!, August 17, 2007

By 

Rebecca (Largo, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blooming Murder (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm very sorry she stopped writing this series- I really loved them! read them if you have a chance!