"Poppies, Perils, and Poison" By Erica Wynters: Review/Giveaway

Review by Tracy Condie

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Book number two of the Camelot Flowers Mysteries works as a stand-alone that brings us drama, romance, murder, and chuckles with a slight Arthurian undertone.

Fresh from solving her first mystery, Guinevere “Gwen” Stevens is ready to welcome her parents back from Florida and show them that she can handle the flower shop with no problems. While Dennis and April Stevens were away, the town got some new residents. In town for a total of two weeks, Shannon Wentworth is already making enemies, starting with insulting the barista/café owner’s beverage-making ability every time an order is placed. In addition to being a “not nice person” in the café, Shannon plays it passive-aggressive when she announces at a gala that she intends not only to run for president of the garden club but to win the election and fix all the garden club’s shortcomings.

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Image Source Gemma Halliday Publishing

In response, current president Margie, the receptionist at the police department and loved by everyone, shows an angry side that no one has ever seen. When Shannon drops dead in the coffee shop, Margie’s extremely supportive husband thinks the horrid woman got what she deserved, but Margie is the prime suspect. It also doesn’t look good for the new pharmacist who might not be a stranger to everyone in town, and for an unknown blackmailer.

Gwen can’t possibly let Margie stay on police detective Finn Butler’s radar even if she does trust him to do the right thing. Gwen is not alone. Her faithful friend Penny is a hoot and the sort of friend who has your back unless you go dumpster-diving; then she is strictly on lookout duty.

Helpful and funny Midwestern etiquette rules pop up in Gwen’s thoughts, making one chuckle. There are plenty of clues and red herrings with a little bit of backstory mixed in to keep you in the loop. I think the most unique and unexpected aspect of this well-crafted cozy is that the main suspect Margie considered it a “titillating experience” to be under investigation. The only thing I did not like about the book is the love triangle, but that is just personal preference.

 To enter to win an ebook copy of Poppies, Perils, and Poison, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "poppies,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 6, 2024. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. 

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode went up last week.

You can click here to purchase this book.

Tracy Condie is a paralegal by day and cozy armchair sleuth by night. When she is not working or reading, she enjoys preparing the recipes found in culinary cozies or researching recipes of meal items described therein and sharing reviews of both books and food on Instagram and on KRL. She lives in Corona, California with her husband and dog Zoolie, and looks forward to visiting with their grown sons when their time permits.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.