Customer Reviews

A Rose from the Dead (Flower Shop Mysteries, No. 6)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This newest installment of the Flower Shop Mysteries by Kate Collins is a great read for those who enjoy mystery, romance, and quirky humor! Abby continues to show her spunk, Marco continues to be the guy all us ladies *wish* we knew...and hanging out with them while solving the mystery is as much fun as ever.

Florist Abby Knight agrees to attend a convention of funeral directors hoping it will drum up business for her. She thought the convention would be rather boring and is surprised that it has events like casket racing. There are even more surprises in store for Abby when organizer Sybil Blount is murdered. The police suspect Abby's friend Delilah Dove committed the murder but Abby doesn't believe it and thinks she knows who the real murderer is. The convention will soon be over and Abby and her boyfriend Marco only have a few hours to solve the mystery or a killer will go free.

"A Rose from the Dead" is another good entry in Kate Collins delightful flower shop cozy mystery series. Abby is a good heroine, a bit more confident now as a business owner and with a penchant for getting a little too involved in solving the mysteries and putting herself in danger. All the favorite characters are here in this book - the sometimes-enigmatic Marco; Abby's helpers in the shop, Lottie and Grace; and police sergeant Sean Reilly. Abby's roommate Nikki isn't in the book that much which is a shame and Abby's mother is also missing for much of the book, but her latest artistic endeavor, a baby gift, is laugh out loud funny. In fact, there is a nice sense of humor throughout the book that makes it even more enjoyable to read. The mystery aspects of the book are well done. Giving Abby a short period of time to solve the mystery is a nice touch as it gives a bit of tension to the book. The mystery is well plotted with plenty of suspects although I was able to figure out who the killer was because of what I thought was an obvious clue. Still, it was a fun book to read.

"A Rose from the Dead" is a nicely done cozy mystery.

Reviewed by Kathy Perschmann

The sixth in the Abby Knight Flower Shop Mysteries, this adventure with diminutive redhead Abby is as fun as the previous books.

Abby is at the Midwestern Funeral Directors Convention trying to drum up business for her small flower shop, Bloomers, sharing a booth with her friends Delilah and Max Dove. Convention organizer Sybil Blount has a run-in with Delilah early on in the convention over the size of the booth, and later is found dead in one of the decorated coffins she was supposed to be judging. In addition to coffin races, there was a decorated coffin contest!

Delilah had just been working on some repairs to her entry and was late to the banquet, and unfortunately she becomes the main suspect. Abby ropes in her ex-policeman boyfriend Marco to help clear Delilah.

Sybil was brash, pushy, obnoxious, and a predator. Was she blackmailing someone? Was she killed by an irate lover? What hold did she have over handsome Chet Sunday, the cable TV star whom she coerced to appearing at the convention? Were the wealthy prank-playing twin Urban boys, Ross and Jess, responsible? Was Eli Cotton, an activist for green burials, who was denied a space at the convention (he sells bio-degradable body bags) angry enough with Sybil to kill her? What is going on with spacey Angelique, the harp-playing Goth girl who admired Sybil?

Abby and her colleagues Grace and Lottie find plenty of clues in the few days of the convention, trying to find the killer before everyone leaves the hotel. They are able to accomplish some amazing feats. My favorite scam was how Abby got into and out of Sybil's locked hotel room-she is a very creative actress.

Check out Abby's My Space page-there is a link on the author's web site. FUN!

Armchair Interviews says: Lots of most interesting characters in an unique setting.

Don't know what is was about this particular flower shop mystery but Abby Knight really got on my nerves. What I have always liked about Abby was her sort of bumbling, stumbling way of solving the mystery. Yet, in this book she seems to think of herself as an expert and being rather cocky about it, even with Marco. I'm not sure I want to be on the lookout for the next installment though my interest is peaked as to the status of her and boyfriend Marco, maybe she got on his nerves too. I gave the book 3 stars because in spite of Abby, I liked the plot and I also enjoy the other characters.

This is one of my favorite series, because not only are the characters realistic, but their professions actually does relate to the mysteries solved. So many times one picks up a book called "A Such and Such Mystery," and after reading it, realizes that the main story could have been plugged into any type of profession or quirky niche.

In this 6th installment, trouble-attracting but lovable Abby is attending a funeral business convention in order to drum up business for her floral shop. As soon as she arrives, trouble is brewing and it is fun guessing who the victim of whatever crime will take place. Abby swiftly takes action after the crime is committed,with th help of her friends and boyfriend. One thing I do find surprising and a little troubling is that here we are at book 6 and Abby and Marco are still basically just holding hands. They have been involved a long time now and should either move it to the next level or look elsewhere.

I found this book hard to get into; unlike the others. Maybe it was because the scene was not at the flower shop and it was at the funeral convention? I found it hard to believe that someone can solve a mystery and own her own flower shop and work so little. Call me a pessimist, but I'd only rate this book a 3 out of 5. I have read all the others and this book lacked the humor that the others had. I did not feel a sense of cozy comfort with the flower shop, coffee drinks and usual comodore. I started reading this book, stopped and read a different book and then came back and finished this one. Still a good read, just not as likeable as the rest, slightly disappointing.

In New Chapel, Indiana, flower shop owner Abby Knight worries about her business failing. She needs new customers and knows that flowers and funerals go together like bacon and eggs. Thus she decides to open up a "tasteful" floral booth at the Funeral Director Society's annual convention.

On the down side Abby will deal with some creepy souls who appreciate the DEARLY DEPOTTED as no one else can dig them. For instance the Colonel who is president of the FDS is the self anointed Master Mortician who insists he knows everything there is in converting a corpse into a living tribute and is willing to tell anyone who is not afraid to ask him for a consultation. Then there is the environmental ground hugger Eli "Green Guy" Cotton who believes Kermit is right that grieving relatives should send their loved ones off in green. The lively gala turns morbid when cosmetician to the dead Sybil "the Diva of Death Masks" Blount is killed. Unable to resist, Abby investigates who was drumming up business.

The latest Flower Shop mystery (see MUM'S THE WORD and ACTS OF VIOLET) is an amusing graveyard amateur sleuth that will have the audience laughing at the antics of the conventioneers and Abby's matchmaking mom. The story line is humorous as Abby knows she should have snipped her curiosity in the bud, but instead digs up clues.

Harriet Klausner

The Flower Shop Mysteries are a wonderful group of mysteries. The characters are very diverse and their relationships develop as you go through the books. The culprit is always a surprise, too. You don't need to start with the first book to keep up, but I would not miss a word of any of them!

Another great book in the series a bit rushed at times in a few places, but understandable when you realize what is going on. We get to see a lot more of Abby and Marco together which is really quite funny. I am looking forward to book 7.

There is a huge difference between spunky and annoying and Abby was beyond annoying in this book--she was obnoxious. I was actually reading as fast as I could, trying to get through it. (The next book, SHOOTS TO KILL, was great.)