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Suzy Spencer Mysteries #5
The Gardener in the Graveyard
Suzy Spencer is branching out — she’s working with local retiree gardeners on a podcast about rewilding the graveyard garden in Norbridge. But a body is found in a wheelie bin and chaos begins . . .
Queen bee of the gardening gang, Lorna Duxford, discovers the dead woman. She’s been bludgeoned to death.
It turns out the victim wasn’t local — nobody knew her. So why did Lorna whisper ‘Deirdre’ when she saw her?
Then the wife of another gardener dies in a car crash. But the police quickly discover that this was no accident.
Someone is picking off the gardeners in the graveyard one by one . . .
It’s up to Suzy Spencer to get to the bottom of these sinister goings-on before anyone else pays the ultimate price.
A cozy mystery full of red herrings and twists and turns, set in an idyllic English village.
Queen bee of the gardening gang, Lorna Duxford, discovers the dead woman. She’s been bludgeoned to death.
It turns out the victim wasn’t local — nobody knew her. So why did Lorna whisper ‘Deirdre’ when she saw her?
Then the wife of another gardener dies in a car crash. But the police quickly discover that this was no accident.
Someone is picking off the gardeners in the graveyard one by one . . .
It’s up to Suzy Spencer to get to the bottom of these sinister goings-on before anyone else pays the ultimate price.
A cozy mystery full of red herrings and twists and turns, set in an idyllic English village.
- GenresMysteryCrimeCozy Mystery
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2023
228 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 14, 2023
EXCERPT: Ahead she could see the building she was making for, a squat stone church. An odd venue for a meeting. But very quiet. The last thing they wanted was to be overheard, so perhaps it made sense. She could still hear the noise of the road nearby and it wasn't far to the church now. Safe enough. Anyway, she wasn't the one with anything to fear.
The blow on the back of her neck was so sudden, she didn't register it before she died.
ABOUT 'THE GARDENER IN THE GRAVEYARD': Suzy Spencer is branching out — she’s working with local retiree gardeners on a podcast about rewilding the graveyard garden in Norbridge. But a body is found in a wheelie bin and chaos begins . . .
Queen bee of the gardening gang, Lorna Duxford, discovers the dead woman. She’s been bludgeoned to death.
It turns out the victim wasn’t local — nobody knew her. So why did Lorna whisper ‘Deirdre’ when she saw her?
Then the wife of another gardener dies in a car crash. But the police quickly discover that this was no accident.
Someone is picking off the gardeners in the graveyard one by one . . .
It’s up to Suzy Spencer to get to the bottom of these sinister goings-on before anyone else pays the ultimate price.
MY THOUGHTS: I had been thinking about forming a group of volunteers to tidy up the old cemetery in town, but I never realised it would be such a dangerous undertaking!
I enjoyed the characters of Pat and Tim, both retired, who somehow seemed to get a lot more page space than Suzy and her husband Robert. The vicar Bill and his wife Ruth are also interesting characters and add much to the story. I did think that Bill, being a vicar, would have better communication skills than what was evident here, though. Pat's daughter Molly, her friend Becky and their friends Roxy and Rafi added a bit of youthful enthusiasm to the storyline. I did enjoy the episode with Molly's hair - who hasn't had a dye job go horribly wrong? Suzy is experiencing menopause, not coping with it at all well, and is also having a crisis of faith concerning her work. Bill is on the receiving end of some serious allegations, and Ruth is equally looking forward to and dreading reuniting with her brother whom she has not seen for 33 years.
So, there's a lot going on without the body in the bin!
I really enjoyed this read - until the ending which was totally over the top, unbelievable and somewhat messy. This killed what had been a solid four star read throughout and dropped it back a star.
I liked this enough to give this series another try - I just hope that all the endings aren't as chaotic and over the top as this one was. And although this is book #5 in a series of which I have rad none of the previous books, it is easily read as a stand-alone.
⭐⭐⭐
#THEGARDENERINTHEGRAVEYARD #NetGalley
I: @joffebooks
X: @JoffeBooks
THE AUTHOR: Lis Howell is from Liverpool, UK. She is the author of the Suzy Spencer cozy mysteries. They are set around the fictional town of Norbridge, Cumbria in the North of England. In her varied life, Lis has spent a short time running a post office in a Cumbrian village; and she lived for several years near Hadrian’s Wall between England and Scotland. Like Suzy, she’s a confused churchgoer and Anglican traditions feature in her books, along with modern media, family life and village intrigue.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Joffe Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Gardener in the Graveyard by Lis Howell for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
The blow on the back of her neck was so sudden, she didn't register it before she died.
ABOUT 'THE GARDENER IN THE GRAVEYARD': Suzy Spencer is branching out — she’s working with local retiree gardeners on a podcast about rewilding the graveyard garden in Norbridge. But a body is found in a wheelie bin and chaos begins . . .
Queen bee of the gardening gang, Lorna Duxford, discovers the dead woman. She’s been bludgeoned to death.
It turns out the victim wasn’t local — nobody knew her. So why did Lorna whisper ‘Deirdre’ when she saw her?
Then the wife of another gardener dies in a car crash. But the police quickly discover that this was no accident.
Someone is picking off the gardeners in the graveyard one by one . . .
It’s up to Suzy Spencer to get to the bottom of these sinister goings-on before anyone else pays the ultimate price.
MY THOUGHTS: I had been thinking about forming a group of volunteers to tidy up the old cemetery in town, but I never realised it would be such a dangerous undertaking!
I enjoyed the characters of Pat and Tim, both retired, who somehow seemed to get a lot more page space than Suzy and her husband Robert. The vicar Bill and his wife Ruth are also interesting characters and add much to the story. I did think that Bill, being a vicar, would have better communication skills than what was evident here, though. Pat's daughter Molly, her friend Becky and their friends Roxy and Rafi added a bit of youthful enthusiasm to the storyline. I did enjoy the episode with Molly's hair - who hasn't had a dye job go horribly wrong? Suzy is experiencing menopause, not coping with it at all well, and is also having a crisis of faith concerning her work. Bill is on the receiving end of some serious allegations, and Ruth is equally looking forward to and dreading reuniting with her brother whom she has not seen for 33 years.
So, there's a lot going on without the body in the bin!
I really enjoyed this read - until the ending which was totally over the top, unbelievable and somewhat messy. This killed what had been a solid four star read throughout and dropped it back a star.
I liked this enough to give this series another try - I just hope that all the endings aren't as chaotic and over the top as this one was. And although this is book #5 in a series of which I have rad none of the previous books, it is easily read as a stand-alone.
⭐⭐⭐
#THEGARDENERINTHEGRAVEYARD #NetGalley
I: @joffebooks
X: @JoffeBooks
THE AUTHOR: Lis Howell is from Liverpool, UK. She is the author of the Suzy Spencer cozy mysteries. They are set around the fictional town of Norbridge, Cumbria in the North of England. In her varied life, Lis has spent a short time running a post office in a Cumbrian village; and she lived for several years near Hadrian’s Wall between England and Scotland. Like Suzy, she’s a confused churchgoer and Anglican traditions feature in her books, along with modern media, family life and village intrigue.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Joffe Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Gardener in the Graveyard by Lis Howell for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
September 5, 2023
This book was just amazing, the author has perfected their writing style that kept me hooked to the very end. I loved the characters, the crime solving and finding out who done it at the end was really unexpected. Brilliant story.
November 12, 2023
I love gardening and liked this well plotted and entertaining cozy mystery that feature gardeners and gardening.
Solid mystery, relatable characters, lovely setting
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Solid mystery, relatable characters, lovely setting
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 5, 2023
This was a wild read. Lots of different characters, some with two different names, with their own story lines, and then they all converge in a crazy ending. I enjoyed the story, but it was a little over the top that all these things would happen together.
It all begins with a group of seniors and a few younger people volunteering to clear ivy and rubbish from an old graveyard. But a body is found in an abandoned dumpster and the chaos begins. A character goes missing, and an evil person from the past returns to create more havoc. I liked the character of Pat, a lonely senior pushed around by her daughter and son-in-law, and her growing friendship with Tim, a retired paramedic. The character is Jonty was truly evil, and his intended victim Becky was resourceful and brave. I read the ending with surprise and disbelief, but there it was!
Many thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy.
It all begins with a group of seniors and a few younger people volunteering to clear ivy and rubbish from an old graveyard. But a body is found in an abandoned dumpster and the chaos begins. A character goes missing, and an evil person from the past returns to create more havoc. I liked the character of Pat, a lonely senior pushed around by her daughter and son-in-law, and her growing friendship with Tim, a retired paramedic. The character is Jonty was truly evil, and his intended victim Becky was resourceful and brave. I read the ending with surprise and disbelief, but there it was!
Many thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy.
October 1, 2023
I’m not sure why exactly, but I really struggled to get into this book. Perhaps it’s things around me or the time of year? I really tried to dive in but nothing was gripping me. While it has plenty of action, twists, and unexpected surprises, it was not my fav.
I’d still recommend it to cozy mystery fans. Particularly for readers who also love gardening.
I’d still recommend it to cozy mystery fans. Particularly for readers who also love gardening.
December 8, 2023
Who knew that clearing an over grown graveyard could be so exciting! There are interweaving threads to this story that keep it interesting and exciting.
Loved it
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.
Loved it
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.
September 22, 2023
Isn't it great when you find a new author? Well, thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books I've just added Lis Howell to my list, and I have happily added several books to my TBR pile.
When a group of volunteer gardeners discover a body in a wheelie bin they have no idea how it will affect not just their lives but those of their families and friends. At first the police write off the murder as a gang-land killing, but the gardening team isn't convinced, and neither is Suzy Spencer, a podcaster intent on gaining a wider audience. Then Lorna, the self-appointed leader of the gardeners, disappears and her friend Pat is determined to find her, helped by fellow volunteer Tim.
All the characters have backgrounds, which I liked. Suzy has already appeared in several of Lis Howell's books, but I didn't know that, and at first, I didn't much like her, although her partner is more sympathetic. But what I did like - and what I began to like Suzy for - is the thoughtfulness about some of the topics that the story touches on. Pat has lost her husband comparatively recently, Tim is scarred by his experiences as a paramedic... end-of-life issues feature, abuse of power too, and sexual identity. At the other end of the spectrum but perhaps equally controversially, the question of rewilding appears, with a TV gardener who advocates the return of once-indigenous species (this part of the story is set in an area of southern Scotland where this debate is current). I found myself thinking about the issues raised over the washing up, which is always a good thing - books should challenge us, even (especially?) when they are light and cosy.
Another nice touch is the contact across generations - Pat, Lorna and Tim may all be retirees, but Becky is a student. Despite the age-gap, common ground is found and at the end, Becky and her friends are all involved in a cross-border chase.
I'd like to thank Joffe Books not only for a review copy, but for introducing me to quite a few new authors recently, as well as issuing some existing favourites. As far as am concerned, they are A Good Thing.
When a group of volunteer gardeners discover a body in a wheelie bin they have no idea how it will affect not just their lives but those of their families and friends. At first the police write off the murder as a gang-land killing, but the gardening team isn't convinced, and neither is Suzy Spencer, a podcaster intent on gaining a wider audience. Then Lorna, the self-appointed leader of the gardeners, disappears and her friend Pat is determined to find her, helped by fellow volunteer Tim.
All the characters have backgrounds, which I liked. Suzy has already appeared in several of Lis Howell's books, but I didn't know that, and at first, I didn't much like her, although her partner is more sympathetic. But what I did like - and what I began to like Suzy for - is the thoughtfulness about some of the topics that the story touches on. Pat has lost her husband comparatively recently, Tim is scarred by his experiences as a paramedic... end-of-life issues feature, abuse of power too, and sexual identity. At the other end of the spectrum but perhaps equally controversially, the question of rewilding appears, with a TV gardener who advocates the return of once-indigenous species (this part of the story is set in an area of southern Scotland where this debate is current). I found myself thinking about the issues raised over the washing up, which is always a good thing - books should challenge us, even (especially?) when they are light and cosy.
Another nice touch is the contact across generations - Pat, Lorna and Tim may all be retirees, but Becky is a student. Despite the age-gap, common ground is found and at the end, Becky and her friends are all involved in a cross-border chase.
I'd like to thank Joffe Books not only for a review copy, but for introducing me to quite a few new authors recently, as well as issuing some existing favourites. As far as am concerned, they are A Good Thing.
October 29, 2023
Princess Fuzzypants here: Suzy Spencer and her husband Robert are drawn right into the middle of a murder that shakes the Cumbrian countryside. A body is found in an unused dumpster near a derelict church. When the woman’s identity is revealed it is going set off a chain of events that will go all the way from the local clergy to a new-age therapist to the home of a tv personality. Except for the local psychopath who returns home to haunt the locals, no one is quite whom they pretend to be. There are schemes and blackmail and all sorts of nefarious deeds that. If allowed to reach fruition, will cause chaos and heartache.
The story was gripping and full of surprises and great characters. It will keep the reader on the edge of the seat as the reader becomes more and more invested in the well being of those characters. I see it is a series and I may have to go back and read the previous books. There can be no great compliment than that.
Five purrs and two paws up.
The story was gripping and full of surprises and great characters. It will keep the reader on the edge of the seat as the reader becomes more and more invested in the well being of those characters. I see it is a series and I may have to go back and read the previous books. There can be no great compliment than that.
Five purrs and two paws up.
May 3, 2024
This is book 5 Suzy Spencer series. Suzy Spencer is branching out — she’s working with local retiree gardeners on a podcast about rewilding the graveyard garden in Norbridge. But a body is found in a wheelie bin and chaos begins. The murder victim is the head of the gardening committee and has bulldozed the rest of the committee into her way of thinking. Now a second gardener is dead and the rest of the committee is in a panic. Will this quiet English Village find the killer in there midst?
February 13, 2025
Great Series
I Enjoyed this series immensely and I hope there will be more coming. The characters are so realistic and the well written stories are so good. Each book has adventure, murder mysteries and complicated personalities. There’s some romance too. Yes, there is a Christian theme which involves Bible passages but I found it fascinating even though I am not a religious person.
I Enjoyed this series immensely and I hope there will be more coming. The characters are so realistic and the well written stories are so good. Each book has adventure, murder mysteries and complicated personalities. There’s some romance too. Yes, there is a Christian theme which involves Bible passages but I found it fascinating even though I am not a religious person.
September 5, 2023
A great read with lots of twists and turns in the mystery to keep you guessing. The story line was intriguing and unusual so you just have to keep reading to see what happens next. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Read
September 20, 2023Suzy Spencer is feeling a little grumpy as she deals with menopause but soon finds herself embroiled in another murder mystery when she, along with a gardening team discover a body in a bin. A lot of people are involved and the plot soon thickens. A great cozy mystery!
October 1, 2023
one of the best yet
Never read this author before was really surprised at how well written the book was. Couldn’t get enough of the storylines and the characters within. I am now going to go and buy the full series and start from the beginning.
Never read this author before was really surprised at how well written the book was. Couldn’t get enough of the storylines and the characters within. I am now going to go and buy the full series and start from the beginning.
December 22, 2023
Love this series. The likeable and believable characters, good story lines and style of writing makes these books very enjoyable and hard to put down. Definitely recommend for fans of cozy murder mysteries.
August 22, 2024
Very enjoyable
Fantastic story. It starts with a murder and morphs into a very complex story of blackmail and the need to have power over people by using your own fear of inadequacy.
Fantastic story. It starts with a murder and morphs into a very complex story of blackmail and the need to have power over people by using your own fear of inadequacy.
July 11, 2025
in a rambling sort of way you find out who the murdered woman is, who did it, and maybe why. It is unsettling that the perpetrator was someone you could never guess because of the way the character is portrayed for 90% of the story.
July 2, 2024
Lots of twists and turns
Really enjoyed this book, it was hard to put down. Very well written and believable characters. A lovely twist at the end.
Really enjoyed this book, it was hard to put down. Very well written and believable characters. A lovely twist at the end.
April 19, 2025
another excellent story
Once again the convoluted mystery has been solved with so many twists and turns I really hope there are more to follow
Once again the convoluted mystery has been solved with so many twists and turns I really hope there are more to follow
December 30, 2023
This book will keep you mind busy with all the characters and twists. I enjoyed this murder mystery. It was a good read.
August 6, 2024
Too many coincidences, and a torturous plot.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews