Evil in Carnations (Flower Shop Mysteries, No. 8) (Paperback)

by Kate Collins (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The dating scene can be a killer...

Determined to help her roommate Nikki out of her singles slump, Abby Knight encourages her to give speed dating a try. Of course, Nikki wants the guy at the very bottom of Abby’s list, Jonas Treat—a.k.a. “Treat the Cheat”—and figures just one date with him couldn’t hurt. But then Jonas is found dead—and evidence points to Nikki as his killer.

To clear Nikki’s name, Abby enlists the help of her hunky ex-Army Ranger boyfriend, Marco. But Marco’s rambunctious extended family turns Abby’s hectic life into a disaster zone. With her patience seriously wilting, and a killer on the loose, Abby is determined to dig herself out of this mess—before someone buries her instead...

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Signet (February 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451226232
• ISBN-13: 978-0451226235
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,992 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 8 in The Flower Shop Mystery Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The long-awaited release, February 3, 2009

By	Nina Lake (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

Why does it seem like forever between books in a great series? Number 8 in this line-up is worth the wait, though. Things are heating up between Abby and Marco, so Abby tries to help her best friend find true love, too...but things do not go according to Abby's perfect plan! And we get to know Marco's family better now, for better or worse. (!) This is a fun read and the series definitely continues to please.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Bump in an Otherwise Smooth Road, April 28, 2009

By	Versel Rush "mystery reading lawyer" (Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have loved all the other Flower Shop Mysteries which is why it is hard to give this installment only two stars. However, Kate Collins definitely veered from her excellent plotting and style when she came up with "Evil in Carnations".

In this book, Abby's roommate has degenerated to a whiny, pathetic creature who starts off in deep depression because she is "without a man"--what is this, 1940? She progresses to a seeker of the shallow--going crazy over the egotistical, rich speed dater instead of the solid good guy. And ends up a sad "please, please help me; you just don't understand" murder suspect. At times I was hoping she HAD committed the murder just to shut her up.

If that's not bad enough, our heroine, Abby, can't get a spine to stand up to Marco's sister, Gina, and Abby's cousin, Jillian, both of whom (in separate scenes) walk all over her and, in the case of Jillian, almost ruin Abby's business.

The plot itself was lacking--Collins commits a mortal sin (at least in mystery book circles) by not supplying enough clues (or even a fleshed out killer) to the whodunit.

Unfortunately, this is the worst of the series and I can only hope it is nothing but a bridge to the next set of books that, it seems, will include a deeper relationship between Abby and Marco.

Read it, if you must, but don't expect too much.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Speed Dating is not all it's cracked up to be!!, February 22, 2009

By	Sassy girl "Sassy" - See all my reviews

At least in this case with Nikki trying to get over her boyfriend.
Speed dating doesn't seem to work very well for Abby's roommate.
Especially when Nikki is accused of killing her date.
Abby is flabbergasted that someone would accuse Nikki of harming anyone.
So, she had Marco and her friends gather all the information they can find, to absolve Nikki of this murder. Can she do it?
Read the book and find out.
I am always happy to read a "Flower Shop "mystery.
Kate Collins does a great job with the characters and plot.
I keep coming back for more. A nice cozy mystery series.