Digging Up Trouble

Sweet Fiction Bookshop #1

by Kitt Crowe

Life is sweet when you live in Confection, Oregon. Or, at least, that's how it's supposed to be. But on a summer day, when tourists and locals alike gawk at the majestic mountains, quaint Craftsman houses, and lovely flowers—particularly the renowned Confection Rose—the last thing anyone has come to see is a dead body, unearthed from a shallow grave by a curious dog. A bathrobe-clad Lexi rushes next door to her neighbor's backyard to find her pooch, Cookie, stalwartly sitting watch over a body in the vegetable garden. Cookie, encrusted in dirt, grips a copper pipe between her teeth. Was this the murder weapon? And was Lexi the murderer? It sure looks that way, seeing as she was spotted squabbling with the victim just the day before. The case becomes all the more perplexing when the real murder weapon turns out to be a garden stake. Then where does the copper pipe fit in? And might a more likely suspect let Lexi off the hook? All the volumes in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop, and all the specials at Eats n' Treats, prove of little help in jogging Lexi's brain to find a solution. Fortunately, Cookie is not finished digging up clues. As the fur flies, can this trusty border-collie mix save sweet Lexi from a bitter end?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Summer, Contemporary, Audiobook

330 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 12, 2021

About the author

aka Marie Harte

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to a new series set in a small town in America called Confection. With that for the town's name all of the businesses are called something along the same lines, hence the Sweet Fiction Bookshop run by the main character, Lexi.

In true form for a cosy mystery not many pages pass before Lexi stumbles over the dead body of her next door neighbour. She becomes a suspect for the murder and consequently gathers all her friends to work together to find the real guilty party. There's a cute and clever dog called Cookie, two possible love interests for Lexi and a whole bunch of local characters, some friendly and some not so much.

I enjoyed the mystery, got confused by all the red herrings, selected which of the possible love interests I want to succeed and decided I want a dog like Cookie. I will look forward to discovering what happens next.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confection, Oregon – the town with the shop names to match. Lexi owned the Sweet Fiction Bookshop, where she also ran the Bookclub. Her good friend Cat helped her run the shop, while cooking delicious cookies which were also sold at the shop. Lexi’s mischievous dog, Cookie, was always in trouble for digging and Inspector Berg was often in Lexi’s face about Cookie. But it was early one morning when Lexi had unlocked the doggy door and fallen back to sleep, when she heard a ruckus. It was Cookie in the back yard, pipe in mouth (Cookie had stolen that from Gil next door the day before) and the police standing over what looked like a grave…

With Lexi on the police’s suspect list, she knew she had to dig for answers – would she recruit the bookclub members to help? It seemed gossip was rife in the town and the word was out that Lexi was a killer – the real killer had to be found. But when another body was found, and Berg had told Lexi in no uncertain terms to stay out of police business, Lexi knew she needed help. She didn’t want to be jailed as a killer! But would she find out whodunnit?

Digging Up Trouble is the 1st in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop mystery series by Kitt Crowe and it was entertaining and fun. I loved Cookie and laughed when he was watching “Pit Bull Rescue” on the TV while Lexi was otherwise occupied! A good start to a new series, I’m looking forward to #2. Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Linda Langford · Rating 3 out of 5]

New cozy Author Kitt Crowe offers a light, yet solid mystery with humor in all the right places. It features Lexi Jones, manager of Sweet Fiction Bookshop in Confection, Oregon. Lexi’s free-spirited dog, Cookie stays ‘in the doghouse’ because she loves digging under rosebushes and stealing sweet treats! When Lexi’s grouchy, old, next door neighbor is found murdered, Lexi and her bestie’s, Teri and Cat, begin sleuthing for clues to whodunnit.

I enjoyed the book club Macaroons, who meet to discuss and sort through murder clues. There are a bevy of potential suspects beginning with those associated with a fierce gardening competition with a huge monetary prize for the winner. Lexi is an aspiring writer and the creepy local Detective Berg seems to have it in for her, plus he’s angry at Cookie’s digging, and at Lexi for rebuffing his romantic advances. The plot moved at a steady place through about 60%, then it seemed to lose it’s wind until the final wrap-up. I did enjoy several of the characters and look forward to seeing them grow in future stories.

I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane. All opinions are my own. Thank you.

[Tahera · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in a new cozy mystery series set in a town in Oregon called Confection and with a town by that name it is not a surprise that all businesses, roads, streets, rivers, etc are named after something remotely do with everything sweet & sugary. Lexi Jones, the MC, runs a bookshop called Sweet Fiction, manages a book club called the Macaroons and even has an adorable and very clever dog named Cookie. This sweet, little town even hosts a 'bazillion events' (according to Lexi) and while one such event, the CGC's annual Central Oregon Gardener's Prize is underway, Lexi's neighbour Gil Cloutier is found murdered. Gil was grumpy and not well liked by anyone but does his murder really have to do with the hefty Gardener's Prize Money he was touted to win?? Lexi who has worked as an editor and has hopes to be a budding crime fiction writer takes it upon herself to find out the 'who dunnit part' while being the main suspect and getting ample research for her own book along the way.

This was a good start to the series. It was loads of fun and entertaining with equally entertaining characters and Cookie was the star of the book!  This is one of those books where I honestly had no problems with any of the characters and liked everyone. The plot and the mystery was done well with a lot of funny and witty moments and enough red herrings to keep you guessing who the culprit is and the motive behind the crime.

[Books Yada Yada · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
Great debut Ms. Crowe! Confection, Oregon is a place that makes you envision a town like Candlyland except with MURDER! Kitt Crowe does a brilliant job of taking the reader into the world of Confection, Oregon. This is a place you wish existed in real life. Perhaps, it does. The author paints this "sweet" little town as a sort of Candyland (the children's game) meets Charlie & The Chocolate Factory with places like Soda Creek, Lemon Loop, and Cinnamon Avenue. I wanted to be there.
Digging Up Trouble is a wittily written mystery with plenty of LOL moments. Our main character Lexi is a sassy borderline obnoxious but likable hot mess who fortunately has a great group of friends and relatives to help her "simmer down now". However, Lexi's dog, Cookie, is really the star of the story. My only caveat with this book is Lexi's use of the terms "idiot" and "doofus" when talking to or about Cookie. For me personally, I found that in poor taste. DON'T. DISS. YOUR. DOG. Especially when your dog is smarter than you. Although, I did chalk this up to Lexi being "filter challenged". I hope this is remedied in the next book which I will definitely read. I loved Lexi's sass when it came to various characters in the story. Overall, a really fun read!

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digging up Trouble is the first book in the new Sweet Fiction Bookshop Cozy mystery series. I enjoyed the book and the characters. There is a large cast of diverse characters, beginning with the protagonist Lexi and her sweet but troublemaker dog Cookie. There are plenty of characters to like and I am looking forward to seeing the character growth. There are two possible romantic interests for Lexi which is what gives me pause. I don't particularly care for the romance triangle so I would have preferred that not potentially be part of the story. Lexi's two close friends and her book club provide plenty of assistance as she attempts to solve the murder of her next-door neighbor to prove she didn't kill him.

The mystery was well done and has plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing. The author does drop plenty of clues along the way and I was partially right about the killer's identity but was surprised by the motive. The only criticism here is how quickly the police jumped to Lexi as a suspect when the victim was not liked in the community at all.

This was a cute, quick read and I will be looking forward to seeing what the author does with the next book in the series. I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I seem to have fallen into a rut when it comes to cozies. All these new ones don't seem to live up to what I want them to be. Yes, they're still light mysteries in quaint towns with quirky characters but not much more than that. This particular cozy had the cute town and quirky characters. Its failing is in the HUGE number of characters, so many that it was difficult to keep up with all of them. It also seemed to move pretty slowly and did not hold my interest. I'll read the next one because I've been approved for it and hope the author has improved.

I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars. A fun and sweet cozy with good characters. The real star of the show is Cookie, Lexi’s dog. Overall, the mystery is good but it gets a bit mired down about 2/3 of the way through and then picks up at the end again. I would read another story in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're going to find your horrible neighbor apparently bludgeoned to death with a pipe, it's probably best if you haven't been working on a mystery novel where a stand-in for your neighbor is also bludgeoned to death with a pipe. But if that's the kind of morbid hijinks that work for you (and they certainly do for me), then Digging Up Trouble, first in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop series, should be your next read.

Lexi, writer and bookshop proprietor, has been in an ongoing feud with her neighbor, Gil, over just about everything, but especially about her dog Cookie's digging tendencies. When Cookie slips through the fence again, Lexi follows and discovers Gil's body, a copper pipe, and a detective already on the scene who suspects her of murder.

Fortunately for Lexi, author Kitt Crowe, in digging up a solid mystery, has provide a host of other wacky potential murderers. Crowe obviously has a love for the cozy genre, and it's hard not to imagine her writing some of these over-the-top side characters without a tongue planted firmly in cheek. To clear her name, Lexi bands together with her book club and stumbles through an investigation involving some squabbling brothers, potentially buried treasure, and the most nefarious of groups: the local garden club.

While this investigation would be fairly straightforward, Lexi's cheeky attitude frequently lands her in situations that are incredibly funny, but also keep her from plowing through the mystery too quickly. She's somewhat brash, often pushing suspects until her book club buddies pull her back. Remember: she's someone who has no problem fantasizing about ways of fictionally killing her neighbor. It's appealing having a sleuth who almost has a compulsion for not playing by the rules, and it's no surprise when she eventually does find herself in some dangerous situations. By that point, because of the humor cut by the frequent affection she shows for those closest to her, you do end up hoping she'll be okay.

Digging Up Trouble, with a genuinely likable sleuth and a quirky sense of humor, ultimately works because it feels somewhat off-kilter. It has all of the elements I think of when it comes to cozies: a murder, a cute animal, a sleuth on a mission. But its offbeat humor also makes it feel fresh. It's a heck of a lot of murderous fun.

Note: I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher.

Review also posted at pluckedfromthestacks.wordpress.com/

[samantha vogel-Hespos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was adorable. The author is definitely a dog lover. I liked Lexi’s character. Even though everyone blamed her as a murderer she never gave up proving herself to be innocent. Cookie the dog.. cute and silly but also a good detective… I think the cop likes Lexi.. dash also likes Lexi. I hope there are more books to read by this author.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Digging Up Trouble
Author: Kitt Crowe
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Rating: 3.0 out of 5

Sometimes cozy mysteries featuring pets are so charming and well-done and sometimes I think they’re cliched and overblown. Cookie felt like a caricature, not a believable animal. That’s too bad, as that made the whole thing feel like a cartoon. And Lexi…felt pretty self-absorbed and oblivious. This could all just be a “me” problem, as the writing was solid, but the story was on the verge of boring because of the character issues.

(Galley courtesy of Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.)

[Kav · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Fun start to a new-to-me cozy mystery series. Has lots of elements I love -- bookstore owner heroine, fantastic canine sidekick, a bookclub turned sleuth club and a whole lot of small town charm...well, when you can get past all the sordid secrets. :-)

Not a fan of the love triangle looming ahead -- hopefully it will be short lived.

of note: some 'light' cussing

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digging Up Trouble by Kitt Crowe has Lexi Jones managing her families’ bookstore in Confection, Oregon. Lexi’s dog, Cookie has managed to escape the yard once again and has landed her in hot water with Detective Berg (again). The next day, Lexi awakens to find Cookie has done a Houdini and is in her neighbor’s yard along with Detective Berg. Gil, Lexi’s grouchy neighbor, is dead and Cookie has the murder weapon in his mouth. Lexi is at the top of the suspect list after Gil was seen yelling at her the previous afternoon. Lexi with help from the Macaroons digs into the case in the hopes of exposing the killer. Digging Up Trouble is the debut of A Sweet Fiction Bookshop Mystery series. Confection, Oregon is a small town where the residents lavish their time and attention on their gardens. The upcoming contest with the large cash prize has people pushing for their gardens to look their best. They do not appreciate a cute dog digging in their flowerbeds. Lexi Jones has returned to her hometown where she manages the family bookshop, Sweet Fiction and, in her spare time, is working on a novel. I would have liked to learn more about Lexi (lack of background). There are a number of secondary characters that include Lexi’s besties, her uncles, and the Macaroons (the book club). The whodunit is straightforward. There are several suspects and I thought there were too many red herrings. There are clues a plenty to help readers arrive at the solution before the reveal. I did not understand why Detective Berg was so focused on Lexi. The story flowed well until about two thirds of the way through. It slowed down then until the reveal scene. The author has set up a love triangle that I wish was not a part of the book. Cookie was the highlight of the book. He is a smart, wily, and entertaining canine. Digging Up Trouble is a lighthearted whodunit with crafty canine, rampant rumors, flower garden fanatics, a devious digger, a cunning killer, curious clues, and a surfeit of suspects.

[Mary Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Joanne Fluke, a bitter discovery is made in a sweet-as-candy town, in Kitt Crowe's Sweet Fiction Bookshop series debut.

Life is sweet when you live in Confection, Oregon. Or, at least, that's how it's supposed to be. But on a summer day, when tourists and locals alike gawk at the majestic mountains, quaint Craftsman houses, and lovely flowers--particularly the renowned Confection Rose--the last thing anyone has come to see is a dead body, unearthed from a shallow grave by a curious dog.

A bathrobe-clad Lexi rushes next door to her neighbor's backyard to find her pooch, Cookie, stalwartly sitting watch over a body in the vegetable garden. Cookie, encrusted in dirt, grips a copper pipe between her teeth. Was this the murder weapon? And was Lexi the murderer? It sure looks that way, seeing as she was spotted squabbling with the victim just the day before. The case becomes all the more perplexing when the real murder weapon turns out to be a garden stake. Then where does the copper pipe fit in? And might a more likely suspect let Lexi off the hook?

All the volumes in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop, and all the specials at Eats n' Treats, prove of little help in jogging Lexi's brain to find a solution. Fortunately, Cookie is not finished digging up clues. As the fur flies, can this trusty border collie mix save sweet Lexi from a bitter end? (less)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Lexi, Cat and Teri are all good friends and enjoy each other's company. When Lexi’s crotchety neighbor is fould murdered, Lexi becomes a person of interest. The three of them will try to figure out who the culprit is. They will also have help from Lexi’s dog, Cookie, who is happy to dig up clues to help them out.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is talented in her descriptive writing and it helped me to feel at home in Confection, Oregon, and to be a part of it. The mystery was well plotted and I was surprised who the murder was.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love cozy mysteries, and this book - first in a new series - was a perfect setup for the future. Lexi has moved back to Confection to run a bookstore and, with the “help” of her dog, runs into dead bodies and trouble. Will she be able to solve the whodunnit before she’s arrested or killed? There’s two love interests, a rapscallion dog, small town secrets, no terrible interference in police investigations (I can’t STAND that!), a couple of friends, a bookstore, lots of action, and baddie I picked early on in the story with a twist I didn’t!

I thought it was really well paced. It took a few chapters to get into the character of Lexi and the particular brand of small town life, but once I got there I loved the snark and minutiae. and I enjoyed the cast of characters that were featured (especially a couple of the book club members). I thought it was well paced, with a decent amount of action and some very well placed red herrings.

I’d definitely recommend this for anyone who likes to read cozy mysteries, and I’ll be following for the next one!

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Kitt Crowe kicks off her brand new Sweet Fiction Bookshop series in this instalment, Digging Up Trouble in style! Set in a small touristy town called Confection in Oregon, it features Lexi Jones along with her doggy, Cookie, a border collie. Twenty-seven-year-old Lexi is a former book editor who is looking after her parents' business while they are away; they are bookshop proprietors. Lexi also facilitates a book club known as the Macaroons and they get involved when Lexi is placed at the top of the list of suspects after arguing with cantankerous neighbour Gil, who is later found dead.

I found Digging Up Trouble a fun, thoroughly enjoyable and humorous read with the possibilities of not one, but two love interests. I'm already hotly anticipating a return to Confection. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Kathy Coatney · Rating 5 out of 5]

DIGGING UP TROUBLE by Kitt Crowe is a Sweet Fiction Bookshop Mystery set in Confection, Oregon. It's a fun cozy mystery that has something for everyone.

Lexi Jones, manager of the Sweet Fiction bookshop, and her dog, Cookie, are out to find who murdered her neighbor—the crankiest, most cantankerous man in all Confection. Assisting her search are her best friends, her uncles, and the Macaroon book club. 

The list of suspects is long and there is plenty of motive to go around between the coveted Central Oregon Gardener's purse, worth $15,000, to the mysterious treasure map that has someone digging up roses all over town 

DIGGING UP TROUBLE has it all, a cast of quirky characters, murders to solve, and a hint of a maybe romance between the heroine and her high school crush, or will it be the hunky detective? The mystery kept me up late to find out whodunit. A totally fun read!

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Main Character: Lexi Jones - 3 - too perky and bubbly, takes some getting used to
Business Managed: Bookstore - 5
Home Town: returning home, tourist town - 5
Townsfolk Support: Macaroons Book Club, very hilarious and presence of family - 5
Pet: Dog (rescue), new owner - 5
Mystery / Plot Twist: Solved - easy to deduce - 2
Love Triangle - developing - very obvious - 2

Something Different:
a) A high school nemesis, harmless competition - interesting banter, kept Lexi on her toes- 5
b) Mystery side story - first time to read one - not expected - 5
c) Managing her parents' business only, not owned

So I picked this up because I inadvertently requested book 2 in Net Galley. The OC in me refuses to start with book 2 in a series, even if stories are stand-alone. Promising series from a new author.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the new characters I was introduced to.
It seems that Lexie Jones and her canine companion are causing quite a stir among the residents of small town Confection. Someone is digging random holes around the neighborhood, and it seems everyone is pointing their finger at Cookie. While Lexie takes some responsibility for her dog, things take a drastic turn when Cookie and Lexie find a dead body. It's up to Lexie to clear her name, and prove that Cookie isn't the only one digging up trouble.
If you enjoy a fast paced cozy mystery, add Digging Up Trouble to the top of your list.

[Anjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this cozy mystery centred around a book shop and a book club, we plunge into the chaos that is Lexi's life with her mischievous dog from the very first page. She is back in her home town after a not-so-happy stint outside in a bigger city. As with many of the 'towns' that feature in books like this, this one also has a focal point. Here it's gardening and festivals.
Lexi is struggling to write her own book and finding it hard to choose between two men (as lead protagonist for her fictional and real-world). In this already unsteady life, she finds her neighbour dead. The police are called in, and an official investigation begins, with Lexi doing an unofficial one.
The formula is present, with helpful and unhelpful compatriots, some twists and a naughty dog. It works well in combination with the actual turns the story takes. I partly guessed the solution but found it a little unfair because we do not get appropriate information for it when we should, making it almost impossible to see the ending coming.
I reserve my recommendation to others to try this series until I try out the next book in the series, which I might get to at some point soon.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[PugMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know it's going to be a good cozy mystery when a dog finds a body!
Great setting and interesting characters. I'm looking forward to the next book to see what trouble Cookie will get into!

[Ellen Little · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn’t warm up to the main characters. Several times one of them refers to her friends’ behavior as being like junior high kids & I agree; made it not my cup of tea. But also, by the end, the murderer was being called the murder victim’s name. Not well edited!

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars because of Cookie and I couldn't put it down.

Lexi returned to her hometown of Confection, Oregon, about a year and a half ago to run her parents' bookshop, Sweet Fiction, as her parents travel the country. She was happy to come back to the place where everyone knows her and her best friend still reside. Along the way, Lexi picked up a mischievous mutt she named Cookie, and the one thing Lexi can't stand about her hometown is the Confection Garden Club, a group of overzealous garden enthusiasts who treat her dog like a criminal! After Cookie nearly digs up the town's prize rosebush, Lexi tries to be extra careful but somehow Cookie slips out and under the fence next door to the yard of Gil Cloutier, Lexi's cranky elderly neighbor who already has it out for Cookie for digging in his garden the day before. Lexi discovers her pup with a copper pipe covered in blood and the police are already there looking into Gil's murder! They seem to think Lexi killed Gil because he's never been a good neighbor and loathes Cookie. Lexi knows she and Cookie had nothing to do with this. She's determined to clear her name and for that she has to learn to trust her friends in her book club known as "The Macaroons." The problem is: which one/s can she trust? Her besties, Cat and Teri, of course but who else because someone set Lexi up and if she trusts the wrong person, she'll end up in jail.

I wanted to love this novel. Books + dogs + even some baking so naturally it has all my favorite elements. I really liked the way the dog was worked into the story and not just a pet, but the novel was too long, the plot was too convoluted and there were way too many characters. I never even had a clue whodunit or why. It seemed to be so random when all was revealed. It was very strange. Even though this is a professionally printed book, there are unacceptable errors. A few typos and at the end, the name of the victim and the name of the murderer are switched. The author resorts to the lazy way of describing people- by their race. I don't need to know that at all about the secondary characters. Why mention it?

Lexi is sweet, calm, a good friend and terrible pet parent. Cookie has Lexi wrapped around her paw and is basically in charge. I liked the way Lexi held her own in the shop and with the book club members trying to change her. It was funny that she's writing a romantic suspense crime novel that mirrors her real life. I did not like Lexi in general. She's TSTL. She repeatedly badgers suspects, pushing buttons, even after she's told not to because it's dangerous, even after something happens to scare her. She behaves like a complete idiot in front of men, staring at them, objectifying them and imagining them as the hero of her novel. She wouldn't like it if a man did that to her. She's clueless as to what a real romantic hero looks like even when he's right in front of her face-two of them! Her Uncle Jimmy and Uncle Elvis are a hoot. They love Lexi, especially Jimmy who sees himself as Lexi's surrogate father while his brother is away. I was impressed they had the courage to be themselves in this conservative town.

Lexi's best friends since childhood, Teri and Cat, are completely different. Teri is a conspiracy theorist and into the paranormal and horror films. She's also into designer fashion and sometimes waitresses at her brother's bar when he needs her to. They don't seem to always get along as siblings do but they have each other's backs. Cat is a former pro basketball player, a bit socially awkward and an amazing baker. I want the recipe for the S'More Books, Please cookies! I didn't like how both women behaved around their crushes. It was immature and the constant rehashing of their dates was pointless. Dash, Teri's older brother, was once the man of Lexi's dreams- when she was much younger. They're grown now and he doesn't even read so how could she have a relationship with him? He still acts like an overprotective big brother and a testosterone filled jerk most of the time. He has his moments when he's sweet with Lexi when she needs some tenderness but mostly I don't like him. Lexi thinks Detective Berg is an arrogant jerk. He may be handsome, with icy cold eyes but that's about all he has going for him. Actually, she's the problem. He's trying to do his job and trying to shop and she just has to act like a moron and give him a hard time. I think he like LIKES Lexi. He's definitely into her but she can't see it. I grew to like him better than Lexi. Cat's love interest is police officer Roger Halston. He's not too bright but he's kind and appreciates Cat the way she is. Plus they share a love of basketball! He's nicer than Berg but can't see how he's being pumped for information. Good thing Cat does genuinely like him.

Darcy Mason is Lexi's least favorite Macaroon. She's a snob and loves to gossip. Her gossip is somewhat malicious and she doesn't care if it's true or not. I suspect she turned Lexi in to the cops because she was snooping and found something meant to be innocent but makes Lexi look bad. Nestor and Peggy Donahue are a wealthy older couple, deeply religious and conservative. Peggy is snippy and unfriendly as all the garden club members seem to be. That is, except the Danvers. They're friendly enough and take pride in their flower garden and their flower shop. Nadine, owner of confection coffee is Lexi's antagonist. Lexi provokes Nadine and they both end up saying rude and unkind things. Nadine can't be a bad person, she likes Cookie! Stefanie Connett, a Texas transplant, member of the garden club AND Macaroons, is unpleasant. She speaks her mind and tells it like she sees it which makes her rude. She and her BFF Alison Wills do everything together and seem to share the same thoughts. They're trying to change who Lexi is and that's not right. Alison turned out to be a big surprise. I kind of liked them both. Kay, another Macaroon member and mom of a large family, is fun and lively. She's the most enjoyable of the bunch mainly because she doesn't have time to gossip!

The murder victim, Gil, was an angry, bitter man. Life dealt him some hard blows, like losing the love of his life and his youngest son becoming an alcoholic. Gil sounds like he had mental health issues himself because one week he's swearing and screaming, insulting his son and then the next week they're patching things up and working on their relationship. He was always rude to Lexi for no good reason, like leaving a light on or Cookie barking (once, when Gil was mowing his lawn at 6:30 AM on a Saturday). I don't blame her for that! He probably did it to provoke Lexi. Gil's pride and joy was his garden. He tended it like a baby and freaked out if Cookie so much as approached her side of the fence, which really needs to be filled in underneath. He didn't offer to help Lexi close the gap Cookie keeps slipping through, just yelled and swore so the whole neighborhood and tourists on the garden tour could hear him. He was a lousy father as well. Was the murder connected to his family or to the gardening club prize he was sure to win -again!?

His eldest son, Scott, is a tech guru, married and wealthy. He is Gil's favorite because of his success. Scott is a reader and member of the Macaroons, one of the only men. He acts genuinely sad his father is dead and seems like a nice person. He's a reader so he can't be the murderer! Yet the guys say Scott is an arrogant jerk when he's alone with other men. Could that be true? Could he have the same personality disorder as his father or is he faking his niceness? Second son Mark lives in Portland and owns a chain of smoothie shops. He's discounted as a suspect because he lives so far away. Youngest son Abe is an alcoholic and recently seen in public arguing with his father. I think Abe seems nice and like a kinder person than his dad. It must be psychologically damaging to have your dad think you're a loser. I didn't get the impression Abe had it in him to murder but if he was drunk or they were arguing? Plus he has a motive. He was spotted at the bar showing off a treasure map his dad left in the house. It's supposed to show the location of Gil's buried treasure. All three sons are skeptical but are they serious about doubting their father or are they secretly hunting for treasure while Cookie takes the blame for the messes they leave behind?

The Confection Garden Club includes many unpleasant people like Ed Mullins who doesn't like dogs and is inclined to blame Cookie for all the dug up plots of dirt around town. Is she the ONLY dog in town? Are the holes even made by paws? Why is no one thinking about these things? Bill is the winner of the best vegetable category three years running. He's eager to claim the top prize. How far would he go to get it? Does that include murder? Joe Jacobs is also obsessed with gardening and wants to claim the hefty prize. Could HE be the murderer? Lexi overhears something that makes her rethink the people she's known all her life.

Mandy, a photographer, seems to be the only person in town unrelated to Gil to mourn his loss. Why is she taking random pictures of rose bushes and other scenes around town? Is it for a magazine? I think she's suspicious and either is the murderer, was having an affair with Gil or is up to something not good. Anna and Bob are tourists. They're garden enthusiasts and treasure hunters. Something about their relationship seems wrong to me. The way he touches her is not nice and they keep popping up in town. I think they're suspicious. I think they're the ones digging up the town, not being aware of the OBSESSION these people have with their rose bushes.

I didn't like this book enough to want to read the next. TSTL heroines are not my thing.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a hectic career as an editor in Seattle, Lexi Jones is back in her hometown of Confection, Oregon, running Sweet Fiction and taking care of her rescue dog Cookie. She's surrounded by family and friends and life would be great if her dog wasn't a digger in a town with too many competitive gardeners getting ready for the annual garden contest. Cookie has drawn the attention of new police officer Chad Berg who keeps threatening to give Lexi a citation if she can't keep Cookie on her leash.

Lexi's next door neighbor is a cranky old gardener who complains about everything Lexi and Cookie do. So when Cookie gets out in the yard and climbs under the fence into Gil Cloutier's yard, Lexi is quick to try to get her back. But Cookie has made an interesting discovery; someone has murdered Gil and buried him in his yard.

Lexi looks like the perfect suspect since she's a beginning author who wrote a death scene starring Gil after their last argument. Lexi recruits her best friends Cat and Teri along with the Macaroons - the book club at the store - to help her clear her name and find out who really murdered Gil.

Finding Gil's enemies isn't hard. It seems he's angered quite a number of people in town including his three grown sons and the other members of the Confection Garden Club. While Lexi investigates, against Detective Chad Berg's strong advice, she learns a number of town secrets. She also finds herself the target of someone who doesn't want her looking into Gil's death.

I liked the interesting group of characters and the small town setting of this story. Lexi is the narrator of the story and I really like her voice and style. I liked her two potential love interests, Detective Chad Berg and her best friend's older brother Dash who might finally be seeing Lexi as someone other than his little sister's best friend.

This was an entertaining start to a new cozy series. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful start to a new series. The characters are likable and relatable. The mystery is entertaining and full of twists and turns. I am looking forward to more in this series.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Digging Up Trouble is the first book in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop series by Kitt Crowe.

Lexi Jones has left her job as editor in Seattle and has returned to her hometown of Confection, Oregon, to take over her parent’s bookstore. Confection is known for its beautiful gardens cared for by competitive gardeners. For Lexi, all of the town’s gardens aren’t the best thing as her rescue dog, Cookie, is a digger and has them into trouble. Detective Berg has warned Lexi the next time Cookie is seen digging, a ticket will be issued.

One morning, as Lexi gets out of bed, she hears a bark from Cookie, figuring she has to go potty. She grabs her robe and heads downstairs to let Cookie out. She finds the doggy door slightly ajar and heading next door to her cantankerous neighbor’s, Gil’s, house. Hoping to sneak into Gil’s yard and get Cookie back home before anyone sees them, but luck wasn’t on her side. What she did see was Cookie sitting in a shallow ditch with a piece of copper pipe in her mouth and Detective Berg and another officer next to Cookie and Gil’s dead body in the ditch.

Berg can confirm that the pipe was the murder weapon, and Lexi will become a person of interest when the police learn that she had a loud disagreement the previous day.

Many of the residents of Confection didn’t care for Gil., but it is not clear why Gil was killed. It’s thought that someone didn’t want Gil to win the $15,000 prize for having the best garden in the annual garden judging, where others believed the rumor that Gil had a map for possible buried treasure.

Since Lexi doesn’t have a lot of faith that Detective Iceberg, the name she gave the detective, would find the killer, she sets out on her investigation. Lexi will get help from her book club, The Macaroons, and her uncle and his partner.

The book is well-written and plotted and has an interesting and believable cast of characters. I am looking forward to learning if there will be any romance in the future for Lexi, and hopefully, Cookie won’t get into any trouble.

I’ll be watching for the next book in the series.

[Lizz Axnick · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, there were parts that made me laugh and I love the banter between Lexie and Chad "Iceberg" Berg. On the other, I thought this book went on for far too long and towards the middle it got a bit tedious.

Lexie Jones is home running her parents' bookshop, Sweet Fiction, in the cute little town of Confection, Oregon. Apparently, the gardening competition in this community is fierce and the CGC is akin to cult status. Lexie discovers someone has been digging holes in the prized gardens' yards and angry gardeners are blaming her dog. When Lexie's next door neighbor, whom no one likes, ends up murdered and Lexie is the prime suspect (for a bit) she launches her own investigation to prove her innocence.

Lexie's dog is the best character in this story. I did like all the other characters, none of them felt unnecessary or out of place, although I admit that sometimes I had to refresh my who was who memory. The author has a great ear for dialogue, which made the story much better and is what kept me in there until the very end. The whodunit is a clever one. I would read another in this series. I will say that since this is an ARC, perhaps more editing will be done to pare down the book a little. Overall 3.5 stars.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

[LittleRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lexi is running the family bookstore while her parents spend the year traveling. Having returned to Confection, Lexi lives in her grandmothers old house with her dog, Cookie.

With the annual Garden tours coming up, the local gardeners aren’t happy with Cookie. It seems she’s been digging holes around town wherever a rose bush is located. But when Cookie leads Lexi to a big hole in her neighbor’s yard this one is bigger and contains the body of her next door neighbor. Now Lexi is in the hot seat as a suspect and she must clear her name unless she wants to go to prison for a murder she didn’t commit.

The first book in a new series set in Oregon, I found the setting, characters, and whodunit quite enjoyable. There’s so much excitement when a new series in launched and holds great promise, and this book provides just that. Looking forward to the next entry in this series.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mysteries themselves were a nice blend of puzzles. There is a rumored buried treasure. There's a missing sibling. There's a dead curmudgeon who was apparently a sweetheart to a select few. With the possibility of treasure and the gardening shenanigans, the book reads like a blending of Read and Gone by Allison Brook (2018) and A Curious Incident by Vicki Delany (2021).

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I DNF'd this book.
I found myself putting it down with no desire to pick it up again,
I found the main character immature and that was tough to get past for me.