A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery: Book 1
Publication Date: July 11, 2023
Flower farmer Emma Justice’s life is firmly rooted in Lutz, Texas where she has recently begun her new business. One morning while delivering flowers, she stumbles upon a prominent citizen. Dead. When a friend is accused of murder, Emma launches her own investigation. She’s used to separating weeds from flowers. Emma will dig for clues, weed out red herrings and cultivate a plan to find the killer.
Weeding Out Lies by author Jackie Layton is a cozy mystery set in small-town Texas, and my interest was held from the first page to the last.
There were so many clues to sort through and suspects to clear or push forward. Emma Justice is a flower farmer who grows flowers on her cottage’s land when she’s not an amateur sleuth. But what’s she to do when she discovers the body of one friend who’s been murdered and another accused of the murder!
The police chief isn’t always happy to hear her thoughts and good thing her new friend Jake is always around when she needs him, mainly to keep her from being harmed. Her rescue dog, Cowboy, also helps with this.
There are so many characters to get to know, and many are not as they seem. There are some who I’d love to be neighbors or friends with and others that are shady and shifty. There are details and clues galore related to the murder sprinkled throughout, and every one of them is essential. The story has many twists and turns and highs and lows as Emma and Jake sort through her findings. There are threats, secrets, tears, anger, fear, injuries, gossiping, small businesses, and family and friends.
There is wonderful closure as the whodunnit is revealed, and even that has a few layers. I only wish the story went on a little longer since there were some loose ends, but I look forward to returning to Lutz, Texas, over and over again. The title is a play on the flower theme and was spot on.
Weeding Out Lies was filled with many varieties of flowers, a murder in a small town, some shady characters, and a bouquet of clues. I couldn’t wait to see whodunnit, which surprised me.
Jackie Layton is the author of cozy mysteries with Spunky Southern Sleuths. Her stories are set in Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina. She lives on the coast of South Carolina where she enjoys walks on the beach and golf cart rides around the marsh. Reading, gardening, and traveling are some of her favorite hobbies. She always keeps a notebook handy to write down ideas for future stories. Be careful what you say around her, because it might end up in a book.
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JoAnne,
Thanks so much for reviewing Weeding Out Lies!
Good luck to everyone who enters the giveaway!