As a mystery, this was just OK. I found the "clues" pointing to Louise as the murderer to be a little contrived. The fact that, despite her standing in the community and obvious respect for the law, the police could assume that she was guilty based on those clues was unrealistic. That said, I would not discount this novel or this series. The characters are very likable and, despite the fact that this book is mid-series, I had no trouble figuring out who was who and what realtionship they had to each other. There were a few too many characters with similar names, though, and it was a bit hard to keep track!
Louise Eldridge is a TV garden show host and amateur sleuth who was instrumental in "putting away" murderer Peter Hoffman 4 years previously. Now released from a mental hospital (he was judged "guilty by reason of insanity"), Peter shows up at a neighborhood party and approaches Louise, giving everyone the impression that they plan to meet later to work out their differences. When Peter is discovered buried in Louise's azalea beds a few weeks later, Louise is the prime suspect. She, her husband, and two daughters start investigating and soon another body turns up in Louise's garden, turning up the heat on Louise's investigation. Her family needs to find the real killer before Louise is arrested and sent to jail. Despite the too-contrived clues that all lead to Louise, the ending of this novel is a pleasant surprise. The business deals, family dynamics, wedding plans, and neighborhood coffee clatches all add up to an enjoyable read.
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