Digging Up The Remains
Series: A Garden Squad Mystery Book #3
Author: Julia Henry
Publisher: Kensington Books
Page Count: 304
My Rating:
Book Summary
A festive fall is in full swing in Goosebush, Massachusetts, but when a snoopy reporter is felled by foul play, it’s up to Lilly and her Garden Squad to spook out a killer…
Between hosting a haunted house on her lawn, serving on the town’s 400th Anniversary Planning Committee, and prepping for the Fall Festival’s 10k fundraiser, Lilly’s hands are full. She doesn’t have time for prickly newspaper reporter Tyler Crane, who’s been creeping around town, looking for dirt on Goosebush’s most notable families . . . until he’s found dead on the race route moments before the start.
An unfortunate accident? Or did Tyler unearth a secret that someone in Goosebush is willing to kill to keep? By planting nasty rumors and cultivating fear, Tyler sowed a fair share of ill will during his brief time in town. Weeding through the suspects will be thorny, but Lilly and her Garden Squad are determined to root out the autumnal assassin before the Fall Festival flops…
More Facts for Readers about our Sleuth:
Main Sleuth: Lillian (Lilly) Rose Jayne (age 65)
Best friend/ Sidekick: Tamara O’Connor (in her 60s) and Delia Greenway (in her late 20s)
Physical Description: White female, active, short silver hair, color clothes, hats, and earrings
Location: Goosebush, Massachusetts
Time of Year: October – Fall Festival – Halloween
Business: Retired, Gardener, part of community groups, town politics, and the Garden Squad
Pet: Tortoise-colored kitten named Luna, a rescue
Love Interest: Alan McMillan (husband, deceased)
Family: None
Cussing? No
Diversity? Yes! There is a whole host of diverse characters depicted in non-stereotypical ways.
My Review
Fall is in full swing in ‘Digging Up The Remains’ book 3 in the Garden Squad mystery series by Julia Henry. The book spans the last few weeks in October and ends on the big day itself – Halloween, so if you’re looking for a good seasonal read – you found it! This is a series that ‘grows’ on you with each new book. Filled with a Fall Festival, Spooky 10k race, and tons of small town secrets threatened to be exposed by a social media savvy reporter – who turns up dead – this book will keep your interest the whole way through.
Once again we’re given a whole host of suspects and the real culprit is hidden pretty well. The biggest question is – how is the victim still speaking beyond the grave?? As a millennial I really appreciated the use and mention of modern technology throughout the book, particularly social media. Other than cell phones – I’ve noticed that this is still largely avoided even in newer cozies, but the author really went for it, and I think it makes for a more clever and complicated mystery – thus strengthening it.
One aspect of this series that I really like is the character Delia Greenway. It’s not directly mentioned but Delia has a sort of social anxiety that’s referred to quite often – so I think she might have Asperger’s. Even though the disorder’s not acknowledged with by its actual name I like the mental diversity that the author is striving for. I personally have loved ones with this condition and normalizing it is a step in the right direction.
**I won an ARC in a giveaway of this this book directly from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.**
