Customer Reviews

A Hoe Lot of Trouble (Nina Quinn Mysteries)

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In Freedom, Ohio, successful landscaper Nina Quinn's life is falling apart. Her marriage is failing, her stepson is "out to get her", and her old mentor, Farmer Joe, has just mysteriously died. But Farmer Joe did NOT die of natural causes.

As things start unraveling even more in this small town, Nina tries to piece together what happened to her mentor. Using her business, called "Taken By Surprise", as a cover, Nina begins her own investigation. But as everything comes together, Nina realizes that this mystery strikes too close to home.

***** An entrancing novel that is full of suspense and wit. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book. Highly recommended for all mystery fans and those looking for a quick-witted read. *****

Reviewed by K. Blair

"A Hoe Lot of Trouble" introduces us to a wonderfully funny new mystery series starring Nina Quinn, professional landscaper. Nina owns a landscaping firm called "Taken by Surprise" which specializes in surprise garden makeovers that are completed in one day. (Think Home and Garden TV). In this opening installment, Nina is in the process of divorcing her philandering husband Kevin Quinn, a police detective in their small town of Freedom, Ohio. The mystery begins when Nina agrees to help her best friend Bridget by looking into the death of her father-in-law, Farmer Joe Sandowski. Add to these problems a series of equipment thefts from her business and trouble with her teen-aged stepson, and Nina certainly has her hands full!

Author Webber does a great job of developing the characters of Riley, Nina' stepson, and other members of Nina's family. The story is full of humor and the characters are real and likable.

I'm so glad to have discovered this new mystery series and am looking forward to reading more of Nina's hilarious adventures.

Nina Quinn's specialty is designing gardens, but she discovers she also has a knack for solving a mystery. In between she has to deal with a teenaged step-son, a police detective ex and a neighbor who likes to keep an eye on the neighborhood.

Tons of fun! Heather Webber's debut is brilliant!

In the 1st book in the Nina Quinn Mystery series, we meet Nina, owner of Taken by Surprise, a horticulture business that does surprise makeovers to landscapes. Nina has recently discovered that her detective husband has been cheating with his female partner, and she struggles to keep a brave front and to be a parent to her stepson, Riley. Leaving Riley in her care, her soon-to-be ex, Kevin, decides that he does not have enough time to be a parent and puts the responsibility on Nina. As Riley is going through teenage rebellion (including the Goth look and multi-colored hair), and in the midst of a crumbling marriage, Nina tries to keep it together for Riley.

In the midst of this chaos, Nina is approached by an old friend who informs her that strange things have been happening on her in-law's farm. Her father-in-law, Farmer Joe, has been found dead and everyone assumes that it was natural causes since he was dying of cancer. However, a thermos containing poison was found near the body, and then disappeared on the way to the police lab. A shooting occurs on the property, and threats and hang up calls keep the family on edge. Nina quickly learns that the family's land is extremely valuable to a local developer, and it appears as though they will stop at nothing to acquire it. As the mystery unfolds, Nina must undercover the real truth while dodging bullets, locating a missing pet snake, and trying to keep Riley out of the local gang at school.

This book was laugh out loud funny at times. I loved the quirky character of Nina, and her determination in the face of adversity. (The part where she beats her ex with a hockey stick was priceless!) The mystery had me guessing until the end, and I was glad to see that Nina did not rely on her ex for "inside" information from the police like happens in many cozies. This is a refreshing, fun series!

The next book in the series is called "Trouble in Spades". Enjoy!

The title says it all. I was delighted by the fixes Nina gets herself in and amazed this is a first novel. It is written with such skill.

I look forward to many more Nina Quinn mysteries.

Nina Quinn has a landscaping firm called Taken By Surprise. They specialize in surprise garden makeovers.

She thought she had the perfect life until she found lipstick on her husband's boxers. Kevin is a police detective. He admitted he is cheating on her. She has kicked him out, but her teenaged stepson Riley has remained. He's making life difficult for her.

Plus gardening tools are ending up missing every day. Who is stealing them and why? Could it be on e of the excons she employs?

To top it off her gardening mentor is found murdered. What has happened to her quiet idyllic life?

Can Nina get to the bottom of everything while still dealing with Riley and Kevin? And can she find the murderer and the thief without putting herself in danger?

I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read more of Nina's adventures. This book is a quick, easy cozy to read. The story is paced well and keeps you wanting to turn the page and find out what happened. I highly recommend this book.

Check out www.mysteryloverscorner.com

Nina Collette Quinn thought she had the perfect life doing the work she loved and being married to the man, she thought was her soulmate. One day while washing Kevin?s boxers she notices lipstick on them; she confronts her husband, who confesses that he is cheating on her. She kicks him out but her stepson Riley remains behind with her. Her landscaping business, Taken by Surprise, is booming, but someone is stealing her equipment and with three ex-cons on her payroll, she has many suspects to choose from.

Her oldest friend Bridget finally gets pregnant and Nina is delighted though she becomes worried when she learns that her friend?s father-in-law was murdered even though the police think he died of natural causes. Nina volunteers to help find the killer but while investigating, she almost is killed by one of the suspects. A short while later one of Nina?s suspects is killed and her fingerprints, which she failed to wipe off, lead the police to her as the number one suspect.

Heather Webber?s debut mystery is fascinating as the heroine copes with a divorce, a recalcitrant stepson who is part of a school gang, a business that is losing valuable equipment, and the death of a man who was her mentor. Nina copes with all these problems admirably and investigates the two murders although it means putting herself in danger. Readers will admire Nina and eagerly await the next mystery starring this intrepid champion.

Harriet Klausner

I really enjoyed this book-and I'm looking forward to reading more! Can anybody tell me the order in which these books have been written? I really don't want to skip any of them and miss any of the continuing story lines with Kevin and Riley!!

I reserve 5 stars for awesome. THIS was solid 4 entertaining story with parts that made me laugh out loud! The characters are great fun the story is grabbing and the scenes are downright hysterical at times. I plan on getting into this author much more because I was quite "taken by surprise" by this delightful find!

A Hoe Lot of Trouble (A Nina Quinn Mystery)I really enjoyed this first Nina Quinn book by Heather Webber. Great characters, from Kit and the Taken by Surprise crew to Nina's family and neighbors. We get two or three mysteries in one. On to book two!Trouble in Spades