Clover Covered Corpse: A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Texas
Publisher: ‎ Level Best Books (May 28, 2024)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 308 pages

Synopsis

Emma Justice never imagines working at the farmers market on a normal Saturday morning will lead to her second murder investigation. When two friends becomes suspects in the latest small-town murder, she’ll help prove they are innocent by tracking down the real killer.

Houston Turner, the successful owner of Texas BBQ Hut, is a hard man and has made many enemies in his life. Revenge, greed, and hatred are some of the motives Emma must sift through to catch the killer. Seeds of suspicion from family, friends, and employees leaves Emma digging for real clues instead of stumbling through the rocky soil of deceit and lies.

Amazon

Guest Post

A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery Series is set in the fictional town of Lutz, Texas. It’s a small town, and the locals know what’s going on with each other. Lutz has a town square, a library, a bakery, a bank, a hardware store, a bed-and-breakfast, and the other usual things you’d find in a small town.

There are farms near Lutz, and the town has a thriving farmers market on Saturdays. You can find veggies, flowers, herbs, meats, artisan items, and much more. There is even somebody who can help plan weekly meals with directions on where to buy each item.

Emma Justice has just begun a flower farm, and the farmers market is where she sells most of her flowers. At the market, she gets to visit with her friends and neighbors as well as sell her flowers.

I’m excited to write a series that includes flowers. Both of my grandmothers loved to grow flowers. My parents used to have a huge flower garden with a walking path in it. I was probably around thirty before I took time to start my own flower garden. I got bulbs from my grandmothers and my parents. I also got starts for other flowers from my parents. Every time I moved, my husband and I created bigger gardens. Also, with each move, I got permission to dig up some of the bulbs and move them with us. Not all survived, but I have some beautiful purple irises that have survived every move. Every spring, when they bloom, I think of my family, who taught me to love gardening.

Last July, we had a family vacation in Waco, Texas. Did I mention it was in July? When you are coordinating so many different schedules, you’re grateful for any time you can get together.

We went to Magnolia, and one of my favorite things there are the flowers. Although the shops are cute, too. The bakery is beyond amazing. Pretty much there’s something for everyone to enjoy at Magnolia.

We also visited Homestead Heritage, and I spent some time looking at their flowers near the coffee shop. They had wildflowers, but the summer heat was beginning to take a toll. We had a great time despite the heat.

One thing I learned while working with flowers in Texas, is lantana has a powder on it that makes me itch. When I studied it, I learned in extreme cases, it can be poisonous to small children and pets. This made me realize that I needed to learn more about growing flowers in Texas as compared to other states where I’ve lived.

I bought Texas gardening books and studied them for writing this series. I want to be authentic about what will grow and planting schedules.

I will visit Texas any chance I get, but I think November is my favorite month. One nice thing about the Texas heat is there are still flowers blooming. You might see mums, pansies, aster, and more. It’s also a good time to plant bulbs.

Clover Covered Corpse has many scenes at the farmers market, and the victim of Lutz’s most recent homicide is found at the market. If you can overlook a dead body, the market is a lovely place to hang out.

About the Author

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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