Azaleas and Arrests: A Petal Pushers Flower Shop Cozy Mystery Book 12

by Laina Turner

Summer heat is baking Hunter's Hollow, and Presley Sands just wants to unpack deliveries in the air conditioning. Fire truck sirens interrupt the quiet workday. Flames engulf the local auto body shop. When investigators pull a dead body from the wreckage, Presley grips the counter to stay standing. Her brother Jesse works at that exact garage, and he has completely vanished.
The police officially declare the fire an act of arson and identify the victim as a stranger named John Mathers. Wealthy collector Beaumont Whitaker demands an immediate arrest because the blaze destroyed his vintage Stutz Bearcat. Rumors claim the classic car holds stolen jewels from a legendary 1920s heist. With Jesse missing and unable to defend himself, local law enforcement prepares an arrest warrant with his name on it.

Presley refuses to let her brother go to prison and she recruits her best friend Katy to help track down the real culprit. They shadow suspicious out-of-town car brokers and confront hostile witnesses. Presley ignores strict warnings from her husband Cooper and police detective Willie. She risks her own safety by creeping into the burned garage at night.A ruthless killer is watching her every move. Presley stares down the barrel of a loaded gun and must uncover the truth about the hidden jewels to save her brother.

Genres: Cozy Mystery

178 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 5, 2026

About the author

Laina Turner writes clean small town romance and cozy mysteries with heart, humor, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Her sweet romance novels feature mature, relatable characters finding love in charming small town settings. Her cozy mystery series stars quirky, lovable sleuths and their unforgettable pets.

A college professor by day and storyteller by night, Laina has been publishing feel-good fiction since 2009. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, three dogs, and one cat who believes she is in charge.

If you love sweet romance, cozy mysteries, or just books that make you smile, follow Laina to be the first to know about new releases and deals.

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun series!

This is a fun series! Each book does well as a standalone, but why deprive yourself of enjoying it from the very beginning! The characters are great, mysteries are entertaining and Bella and Topknot add charm and humor to every scene they’re in. In this installment Presley races to find the truth behind the death at the body shop where her brother Jesse works before he’s arrested for a murder she knows he didn’t commit.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things are heating up in small town Hunters Hollow.
A classic car gets burned in a fire at the body shop where Presley’s brother Jesse works.
In addition, a man was found shot to death during that fire.
Jesse fled town and is on the lam for nearly 2 weeks while Presley tries to solve the mystery before her brother lands in jail for something he didn’t do.
Who knew classic cars would bring out the ugly in people.
There is rumor that a bag of valuable jewels is hidden in the Stuz Bear Cat that a jewel thief stole many years ago which were never recovered.
More than one person wants to get their greedy hands on the loot.
Presley takes one too many steps in the wrong direction in order to help her brother, and also puts herself in serious danger.
Presley contacts Jesse‘s old girlfriend Ashley, who was now in law-enforcement to see if she could be of some help.
The fast paced story ends on a positive note.
Lovable characters, including Bella a mastiff, and a duck Topknot who win over the hearts of nearly everyone they encounter.

[Sandy T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this cozy murder mystery. This series has Presley, the owner of a small town flower shop, wife of the town's mayor, and the human to two adorable pets, Bella, an English Mastiff, and Topknot, a duck, as the main character. She is the town's amateur slueth, and this book has her trying to prove her brother's innocence. Of course that means making her husband and the police upset while dealing with dangerous suspects.

The story flowed well and I thought the author did a very good job of describing all the characters. The mystery is interesting, involving an old crime and an antique car. I didn't guess the twist and enjoyed the ending.

I received a free advance copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Kara Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 12th book in this fun cozy mystery series; I’ve read maybe half of the previous books, but this book could stand alone well. I really like Presley, the main character, and the small town setting. Her brother, Jesse, works at a body shop (recently made co-owner) and he and the other owner are restoring a notorious and very pricey antique car. When there’s a fire at the shop and a body found, Jesse is nowhere to be found. The body isn’t his, but it looks as if he’s fled, so he becomes a suspect in the murder and subsequent fire. Presley has helped the police solve some previous cases, so she sets about to clear her brother’s name. The plot and writing are good and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I was provided an ARC, which I appreciate, but these opinions are my own.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 12 iis a great addition to the fun Petal Pushers Flower Shop Mysteries series. While each book is a standalone it's so much fun reading the entire series.

Presley tries not to get all wound up in mysteries but things have a way of drawing her in anyway. This time it involves her beloved brother who happens to be accused of murder and arson and has gone missing. Presley will not stop trying to prove Jesse's innocence which can get her into trouble.

Another prominent feature is the 1915 Stutz Bearcat, I had to read up on it as I'd never heard of it, I recommend checking it out when you've finished the book, it's interesting. Enjoy

[Anne Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Presley hears that the Body Shop her brother works in has gone up in flames and later that a body was found in the wreckage along with the remains of Avery valuable old car. Her brother is missing and not answering his phone. But that evening she gets a call from an unknown number, it’s her brother, saying he’s scared and is in hiding. Because he’s gone awol a warrant is eventually issued for his arrest, even though the local police don’t think he was involved. The owner is also under suspicion because he’d upped the insurance due to the valuable car being worked on. In the end Presley sorts things through in her head.

[Doreen Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The local auto body shop is up in flames and a body is found in the wreckage along with a vintage car. Presley's brother, Jesse works there and there is no trace of him. Presley is frantic when Jesse is deemed guilty and is about to be arrested. Then she finds out that Jesse and his boss were given the job of restoring the vintage car which was destroyed in the fire and the owner of the car is incensed about the loss of such a valuable car. Presley finds out that the owner has a shady past and is determined to prove her brother's innocence. An entertaining and engaging mystery with a lot of humour and loveable characters, especially Bella and Topknot who add spice to Presley's life.

[Roselady · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Stutz Bearcat and Jewels—who can resist a mystery with these at the center? Presley dives headfirst into solving this crime because her brother is involved. How? Read and discover! There are many twists and turns before you get the answer. Willie and Sheriff Blackford feel it is unsafe for Presley to be so embroiled in trying to resolve this crime, but she cannot help herself. You will enjoy reading this book by Laina Turner. I read an ARC of Azaleas & Arrests.

[Barb Foerst · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the fire sirens interrupt the day in Hunter’s Hollow, Presley realizes it’s her brother’s workplace that’s burning. As she rushes to the site, she cannot locate Jesse. Jesse rapidly becomes the chief suspect for both the fire and the murder of John Mathers. Jesse was going to repaint a classic Stutz Bearcat which is now burned. Presley once again finds herself embroiled in a mystery. Good mystery, great characters.

[Dianne Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic car mystery.

A classic car, a fire, a missing brother, all lead to Presley pushing the police and herself to solve the mysterious events.  An interesting and unusual plot, a determined investigator and lots of suspects in an enjoyable cozy.  I recommend this book.

I read this book as part of an advance reader team.  I am voluntarily writing this review.

[Nana Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!!!