Kate Collins - Night of the Living Dandelion

Table of Contents

Praise for the Flower Shop Mysteries

Dirty Rotten Tendrils

Each book in this series contains murder, continuous mayhem, a bit of sizzle, and one justice-seeking amateur sleuth.

Once Upon a Romance Reviews

Abby is an excellent heroine who finds herself in some of the most unlikely, entertaining situations.

The Mystery Reader

Sleeping with Anemone

A nimble, well-crafted plot with forget-me-not characters.

Laura Childs, author of the Tea Shop Mysteries

A treat not to be missed.

Kate Carlisle, author of the Bibliophile Mysteries

Foul play fails to daunt a lively heroine who knows her flowers. A clever, fast-moving plot and distinctive characters add up to fun.

JoAnna Carl, author of the Chocoholic Mysteries

A cleverly plotted mystery.

The Mystery Reader

[A] roller-coaster ride of a mystery with the feisty Irish lass Abby Knight at the helm.

Fresh Fiction

Kate Collins has succeeded in keeping this wonderful series fresh as a daisy... upbeat, humorous, and appealing. Abby has definitely turned into one of the best amateur sleuths in the world of fiction.

Reader to Reader Reviews

Evil in Carnations

Collins isnt losing steam in her eighth foray into the world of florist and part-time accidental detective Abby Knight. The fun, family, and romance are still fresh, and the mystery is tidily wrapped up, with just enough suspense to keep readers flipping pages.

Romantic Times

Ms. Collinss writing remains above par with quality and consistency: fun and breezy, intriguing and suspenseful, excitement and sizzle.

Once Upon a Romance Reviews

Shoots to Kill

Colorful characters, a sharp and funny heroine, and a sexy hunk boyfriend.

Maggie Sefton, author of the Knitting Mysteries

Once again Kate Collins delivers an entertaining, amusing, and deliciously suspenseful mystery.

Cleo Coyle, author of the Coffeehouse Mysteries

A Rose from the Dead

The tale is wrapped around the wonderful hallmarks of this series: a spirited heroine surrounded by zany characters, humor and irreverence.

Romantic Times

The latest Flower Shop mystery is an amusing graveyard amateur sleuth that will have the audience laughing.

The Best Reviews

Acts of Violets

Abbys sharp observations bring laughs while the intriguing, tightly plotted mystery keeps you guessing.

Romantic Times

A delightful, lighthearted cozy.

The Best Reviews

Snipped in the Bud

Lighthearted and fast-paced, Collinss new book is an entertaining read.

Romantic Times

Dearly Depotted

Abby is truly a hilarious heroine.... Dont miss this freshas-a-daisy read.

Rendezvous

Ms. Collinss writing style is crisp, her characters fun... and her stories are well thought-out and engaging.

Fresh Fiction

Slay It with Flowers

What a delight! Ms. Collins has a flair for engaging characters and witty dialogue.

Fresh Fiction

You cant help but laugh... an enormously entertaining read.

Rendezvous

Mums the Word

Abby Knight [is] rash, brash, and audacious. Move over, Stephanie Plum. Abby Knight has come to town.

Denise Swanson, author of the Scumble River Mysteries

A bountiful bouquet of clues, colorful characters, and tantalizing twists.... Kate Collins carefully cultivates clues, plants surprising suspects, and harvests a killer in this fresh and frolicsome new Flower Shop Mystery series.

Ellen Byerrum, author of the Crime of Fashion Mysteries

As fresh as a daisy, with a bouquet of irresistible characters.

Elaine Viets, author of the Dead-End Job Mysteries

This story was cute and funny, had a good plotline [that] entwined a lot of interesting threads... an enjoyable read and a fine debut for this new mystery series.

Dangerously Curvy Novels

A charming debut.

The Best Reviews

Other Flower Shop Mysteries

Mums the Word
Slay It with Flowers
Dearly Depotted
Snipped in the Bud
Acts of Violets
A Rose from the Dead
Shoots to Kill
Evil in Carnations
Sleeping with Anemone
Dirty Rotten Tendrils

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First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

First Printing, April 2011

Copyright Linda Tsoutsouris, 2011

All rights reserved

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eISBN : 978-1-101-51362-0

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Dedicated to the memory of my beloved husband and soul mate, Jim. I will always love you.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Id like to thank the following people for helping this book come to life:

My technical experts: Harry E. Ramsey, MD, and James V. Tsoutsouris, Esq.

My editorial team: Nancy Cergizan and Jason Eberhardt

My promotional teams: Julie Eberhardt; Barbara Ferrari; Nulita, owner, Love in Bloom, Key West, Florida; Jennifer Badry, 7 Artists Studio, Key West, Florida

Valparaiso University SPARK team: Kevin Brown, Ryan Roman, Pete Volmut, and Professor Bonita Neff

Author, friend, and psychologist Mary Kennedy

My Cozy Chick buddies: Deb Baker, Lorna Barrett, Maggie Sefton, J. B. Stanley, Leann Sweeney, and Heather Webber

My editor: Ellen Edwards