As the White House's organic gardener, Casey Calhoun is up to her elbows in dirt. But when someone starts tampering with the Presidential vegetable garden, embarrassing the First lady-and a hard-nosed investigative reporter is found dead, Casey realizes that the next thing buried in the dirt might just be her...
The Scarlet Pepper (A White House Gardener Mystery)
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Book Description
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From the Back Cover
DIRTY WORK
As the official organic gardener for the White House, Casey Calhoun is usually up to her elbows in something or other. But when someone starts tampering with the Presidential vegetable garden, she soon finds herself in way over her head.
As if it wasn't bad enough that red peppers are growing instead of green ones and cabbage is popping up where the First Lady's favorite lettuce should be--a hard-nosed investigative reporter is found dead after targeting the President's unpopular Chief of Staff.
Raking over the clues and rumors, Casey knows that someone is sabotaging both her garden and the First Lady's reputation. But when she has one close call too many, Casey realizes that the next thing buried in the dirt might just be her...
When it comes to gardening, Cassandra "Casey" Calhoun isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. But when it comes to murder, she's not the kind of gal to let any killer get away clean...
As the official organic gardener for the White House, Casey Calhoun is usually up to her elbows in something or other. But when someone starts tampering with the Presidential vegetable garden, she soon finds herself in way over her head.
As if it wasn't bad enough that red peppers are growing instead of green ones and cabbage is popping up where the First Lady's favorite lettuce should be--a hard-nosed investigative reporter is found dead after targeting the President's unpopular Chief of Staff.
Raking over the clues and rumors, Casey knows that someone is sabotaging both her garden and the First Lady's reputation. But when she has one close call too many, Casey realizes that the next thing buried in the dirt might just be her...
When it comes to gardening, Cassandra "Casey" Calhoun isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. But when it comes to murder, she's not the kind of gal to let any killer get away clean...
About the Author
Mystery author Dorothy St. James was born in New York but raised in South Carolina. She makes her home on an artsy island community in South Carolina with her husband, horribly spoiled little dog and fluffy cat. Though writing has always been a passion for her, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a graduate degree in Public Administration and Urban Planning. She put her educational experience to use, having worked in all branches and all levels of government including local, regional, state, and federal. She even spent time during college working for a non-profit environmental watchdog organization.
Switching from government service and community planning to fiction writing wasn't as big of a change as some might think. Her government work was all about the stories of the people and the places where they live. As an urban planner, Dorothy loved telling the stories of the people she met. And from that, her desire to tell the tales that were so alive in her heart grew until she could not ignore it any longer. In 2001, she took a leap of faith and pursued her dream of writing fiction full-time.
Her novels have been called "spunky," "fast-paced," and "appealing."
Switching from government service and community planning to fiction writing wasn't as big of a change as some might think. Her government work was all about the stories of the people and the places where they live. As an urban planner, Dorothy loved telling the stories of the people she met. And from that, her desire to tell the tales that were so alive in her heart grew until she could not ignore it any longer. In 2001, she took a leap of faith and pursued her dream of writing fiction full-time.
Her novels have been called "spunky," "fast-paced," and "appealing."
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By F. Yoder
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The Scarlett Pepper is the second book in The White House Gardener Mystery series. And a very enjoyable addition it is.
The time is getting close to the day that the First Lady will be harvesting from the Kitchen Garden, with the press in attendance. Casey Calhoun, along with the White House Garden volunteers are busily doing last minute work in the garden. One of the volunteers, who is also the wife of the Press Secretary for the President is very concerned about an article that is being written Griffon Parker. Casey then has a heated discussion with Parker, in front of witnesses and that evening Parker is found dead. Then out of the blue a Scotsman who has an organic gardening show is brought on board without consulting Casey, bringing further doubt to her organic methods.
There are also mysterious happenings taking place in the garden, too. Signs of digging going on which of course the First Dog is being blamed for, but then red peppers are growing where green ones should be.
Casey has to be careful, as she is not sure she can trust some of those people she has in the past, including Jack a Secret Service member assigned to the White House. But Casey and Jack soon start to trust each other more and begin to work together to solve the mysterious events taking place on the White House grounds.
I enjoy reading mysteries that take in and around at the White House, as I can only imagine that things are much more difficult than is portrayed in the books. Which is very understandable for security reasons.
Looking forward to reading the next book to she how Casey and Jack handle becoming "better friends", if Casey can begin to get closure on her parents deaths when she was a child and of course being a dog lover, looking forward to more tidbits on the First Dog.
The time is getting close to the day that the First Lady will be harvesting from the Kitchen Garden, with the press in attendance. Casey Calhoun, along with the White House Garden volunteers are busily doing last minute work in the garden. One of the volunteers, who is also the wife of the Press Secretary for the President is very concerned about an article that is being written Griffon Parker. Casey then has a heated discussion with Parker, in front of witnesses and that evening Parker is found dead. Then out of the blue a Scotsman who has an organic gardening show is brought on board without consulting Casey, bringing further doubt to her organic methods.
There are also mysterious happenings taking place in the garden, too. Signs of digging going on which of course the First Dog is being blamed for, but then red peppers are growing where green ones should be.
Casey has to be careful, as she is not sure she can trust some of those people she has in the past, including Jack a Secret Service member assigned to the White House. But Casey and Jack soon start to trust each other more and begin to work together to solve the mysterious events taking place on the White House grounds.
I enjoy reading mysteries that take in and around at the White House, as I can only imagine that things are much more difficult than is portrayed in the books. Which is very understandable for security reasons.
Looking forward to reading the next book to she how Casey and Jack handle becoming "better friends", if Casey can begin to get closure on her parents deaths when she was a child and of course being a dog lover, looking forward to more tidbits on the First Dog.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By N. Dearman
Format:Mass Market Paperback
If you enjoyed the books about the White House chef by another author. This one is just as good. You will be thoroughly entertained by the characters as well as the setting.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Oh dear, Ms St James has got hold of some Scottish expressions but hasn't quite figured out how to use them. "Och, dinna mean to stomp on your toes, lass" is a sentence that would never, and I do mean never, come from a Scottish mouth. And there are other equally incongruous applications of faux dialect. Still, it's a decent enough read, although some of the minor characters are a bit sketchy, the subplot about the missing parent turns out to have a most surprising twist, and the bomb plot is a bit telegraphed.
I'd take "The Scarlet Pepper" on a plane journey or read it at the beach, but I don't plan to treasure it for any length of time.
I'd take "The Scarlet Pepper" on a plane journey or read it at the beach, but I don't plan to treasure it for any length of time.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Similar to White House Chef
A good light hearted read. Very similar to the White House Chef Mystery Series by another author. Less about gardening and more of sleuthing.
Published 2 days ago by meow20
3.0 out of 5 stars
Another great White House Gardening mystery--
The is the second book in the Casey Calhoun, White House gardener series. The story line is terrific, and the mystery is mixed in with numerous clues. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Ronna
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good
Awesome book great writter love the story line and the fact that it takes place in the DC garden love Cassidey and Jack as a couple
Published 3 months ago by Sharon L. McFalls
1.0 out of 5 stars
Too silly!
I had a really hard time getting into this book. The characters are WAY to silly and stupid! No one that flighty would be employed by the White House. Unbelieveable
Published 3 months ago by E. Liss
1.0 out of 5 stars
sample
one page does not a sample make! The rest is advertising Bah! Is there something the author is worried about that she can't give you a decent idea of how she writes?
Published 3 months ago by P. Jones
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Harvest of Crime
Casey Calhoun, Asst. Gardener and official organic gardener is excited for the up-coming harvest of the First Lady's Kitchen Garden. Read more
Published 10 months ago by L. Rigod
2.0 out of 5 stars
Convoluted plot
This review is entitled "convoluted plot" as that's what this second book in the series contained. I couldn't figure out whether the plot was the budget crisis, the organic garden... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Betty L. Detwiler
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Read
This was a very enjoyable read. Someone is digging up the vegetable garden and leaking information, putting Casey in jeopardy. Read more
Published 12 months ago by D. Love
5.0 out of 5 stars
a fabulous amateur sleuth mystery
White House assistant gardener Casey Calhoun oversees the organic vegetable garden that First Lady Margaret Bradley loves. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Harriet Klausner
5.0 out of 5 stars
A MUST "SEED" STORY!!
Casey Calhoun works at The White House as the assistant gardener. In this installment we are focused on the First Lady's Kitchen Garden. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Lori Caswell
