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The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree
(The Darling Dahlias #1)
by
The good old ladies of Darling, Alabama, are determined to keep their town beautiful. The Darling Dahlias garden club is off to a good start until rumors of trouble at a bank, an escaped convict, and a ghost digging around their tree surface. If anyone can get to the root of these mysteries, it's the Darling Dahlias.
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Hardcover, 290 pages
Published
July 6th 2010
by Berkley Publishing Group
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Start your review of The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree (The Darling Dahlias #1)
This was a delightful read. Entertaining, light, relaxing and informative with a wicket curl in the tail.
Loved it.
Loved it.
I love Susan Wittig Albert. First, there is something rather endearing about her author photo; she's kind of unglamorous and apparently doesn’t give a hoot about it.
And second, she’s made me realize that I may, after all, be a person who likes “cozy mysteries.” I had no idea! I picked this up from my library’s new book shelf and brought it home--despite the fact that it’s a mystery-- because it takes place during the Depression and in a small southern town and involves ladies who garden. I didn ...more
And second, she’s made me realize that I may, after all, be a person who likes “cozy mysteries.” I had no idea! I picked this up from my library’s new book shelf and brought it home--despite the fact that it’s a mystery-- because it takes place during the Depression and in a small southern town and involves ladies who garden. I didn ...more
VERY good read! I admit, in the beginning I thought "what a lot of gossip" ... but very quickly learned to laugh at all the gossip as it truly is just like that in small towns around the country. Each character is well developed, and well introduced so I feel I know them, though there are quite a few and it's hard to keep them straight. (I'm sure a few more books will remedy that!) I know people just like many of these ladies. The historic references to the Civil War, the depression, the run on
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Once again this author has pulled me into the story so much that I would love to have lived in Darling and joined the Garden Club. The time period for this series is perfect. The characters are robust and so true to the time period. Well done and I can’t wait to get the second book in this series. I do appreciate the recipes and tidbits that go along with this book!!
Usually I like Albert’s cozies but this one just didn’t do it for me. I hate giving up on books and I did this one. It’s not in my book count for the year. This was just so incredibly slow. I think some of it was intentional, to give it that slow southern feel. The basic plot, it’s 1930, the Dahlias, a gardening club, just got a house bequeathed to them (much to the consternation of the nephew who was expecting his aunt to give it to him). I figure he’ll end up dead or cause them problems or som ...more
THIS was a very good read; I am so happy I "accidentally" got the 7th book in the series through NetGalley and now have to read all of the ones leading up to that one!!
There are quite a few characters, but many are just peripheral and you only have to really keep track of 4, which isn't too bad. Set in 1930 in the South, when everything was hard for everyone, this book shows the resilience that was America back then and how people kept it together in the face of adversity. And murder. Because ...more
There are quite a few characters, but many are just peripheral and you only have to really keep track of 4, which isn't too bad. Set in 1930 in the South, when everything was hard for everyone, this book shows the resilience that was America back then and how people kept it together in the face of adversity. And murder. Because ...more
The Dahlia garden club has decided to do their own sleuthing when their local femme fatale is found dead, of a presumed car crash. Each lady has their own niche to assist in their investigation and oh, the clues they do find. Seems the lady of (bad) luck is the Kevin Bacon of yore. But they get the results they sought and save a few perils in their doing so. So many goings on in this little town, set shortly after the end of slavery. The period vocabulary was fun to read, the customs and general
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I would have loved this book had it not been for the profanity and inappropriate content at times. What a shame!
A delightful stroll down the garden path to 1930 - a small southern town, party lines, lots of gossip, and a murder!! These Darling Dahlia garden club members are a bunch of delightful characters. A bit of Miss Julia and a smidge of Miss Marple. I can hardly wait to read the rest of the series. This book left me with a big smile on my face, I just loved it 😊
Don't read it for the mystery. Read it for the 1930s Alabama small town ambiance. The ladies of the Darling, AL gardening club, called the Dahlias, stand by each other in thick and thin. They find a murderer, an embezzler, an escaped convict, and someone who is just a darn fool. A handful of foods mentioned have recipes at the end. Anyone up for trying peanut butter meringue pie? My teeth ache just at the thought, but I'd give it a try.
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Sweet Escape
If you like getting to meet new characters, like the historical time of the 1930’s, and love to see the good guys win, you’ll like this book. It’s a cozy mystery that takes place in a fictional town of Darling, AL. I fell in love with the strong , independent women and the town of Darling. There’s some recipes at the end of the book of the food that was mentioned throughout the story. I’m looking forward to trying one!
If you like getting to meet new characters, like the historical time of the 1930’s, and love to see the good guys win, you’ll like this book. It’s a cozy mystery that takes place in a fictional town of Darling, AL. I fell in love with the strong , independent women and the town of Darling. There’s some recipes at the end of the book of the food that was mentioned throughout the story. I’m looking forward to trying one!
I think this is my new favorite Susan Wittig Albert series! The series is set in 1930s Alabama and it feels real. I liked the characters, the dialogue, and the mysteries. Yep, there's more than one big mystery, rather there are several small ones to go with the main mystery. Definitely a good one to read or listen to. Can highly recommend it.
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This first book in Susan Albert's newest mystery series is a charming read, with well-drawn characters and beautiful sense of place and history. It's a great book to pick up when you want to immerse yourself in a small town and its era, and just enjoy the story unfolding. It's also quietly subversive. In sum: a real delight!
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Steel Magnolias without the drama. :)
I love the Darling Dahlia's, the sense of time and place (Alabama 1930) and a good simpler times, southern cozy mystery. I'll continue with this series!
Ps. I also enjoy her other series, starting with "Death at Bishop's Keep" under the pseudonym Robin Paige (Victorian era mystery set in England) ...more
I love the Darling Dahlia's, the sense of time and place (Alabama 1930) and a good simpler times, southern cozy mystery. I'll continue with this series!
Ps. I also enjoy her other series, starting with "Death at Bishop's Keep" under the pseudonym Robin Paige (Victorian era mystery set in England) ...more
Picked up my copy yesterday and read it last night. It is great love the darling dahlias, such a wide range of characters and a multi layered mysteries You did it again Susan. I am ready for the next one.
I absolutely love these Darling Dahlia Stories. I like to think back on times when life was simpler. In some respects that is. Putting the wash through the wringer and hanging it out to dry is not that appealing. But the stories are nice.
Kinda like if we got to see Mayberry from the perspective of Aunt Bea and all her friends rather than Opie and Andy Griffith and Barney Fife. Oh, and if there was violent crime and truly scandalous behavior.
I really enjoyed this. It's charming in a good, old fashioned way. Everyone involved is genteel and sweet. I'll look up more of Albert's Dahlia books.
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This book was a delight to listen to in the car!
I accidentally started out with one of the later books in this series, and enjoyed it, so I went back to the beginning (this one). And now, I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up going through the series. I like the author's other mystery series (China Bayles) and so I'm not really surprised to like this one too, although it is different in that it is a historical series, set in the thirties in Alabama. This is definitely a cozy, with several mysteries, but no really hard core murders. It's not one
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4.5 stars. The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree was an excellent cozy mystery, set in the south of Alabama in the 1930s. I can see a movie in my mind from the excellent writing and I sure would like to spend some time in Darling or with the Dahlias if they weren't fictious. Reminds me of the older women in Steel Magnolias if they were solving crime. I'm so glad this is a series because I'm looking forward to the next!
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Not for everyone but I enjoyed this glimpse of the old south and a ladies' garden club.
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Guess it just wasn’t for me. Was quite bored through the book.
It started out a bit slow but the characters were being introduced to us.
Then the storyline picked up.
It is a book set in the south during the Depression. So the storyline is a bit slower than some others but still enjoyable.
Then the storyline picked up.
It is a book set in the south during the Depression. So the storyline is a bit slower than some others but still enjoyable.
Nice easy read. Better than her "China Bayles" books.
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I was trawling around the mystery section of the library, as one is wont to do, and I came across these books. The author, Susan Wittig Albert, has written a lot of books in a lot of different series, but what attracted me to these were the covers (and the clever titles).
I have to admit, I was a little hesitant. Set in Depression-era southern Alabama, with a huge warning in the front of the book for possibly offensive language when referring to the black characters, I nearly put it back. But aft ...more
I have to admit, I was a little hesitant. Set in Depression-era southern Alabama, with a huge warning in the front of the book for possibly offensive language when referring to the black characters, I nearly put it back. But aft ...more
Susan Wittig Albert is well-known for her cozy mystery series featuring China Bayles with titles such as Thyme of Death and Rosemary Remembered. She also writes a Victorian series with her husband, Bill Albert, under the pseudonym Robin Paige. If you are a cozy fan and have read any of these you will be delighted to know she has started a new series, taking place during the depression, in a fictional town in Alabama (probably based on Monroeville) called Darling, "which has 4 churches, 907 good
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If you enjoy Susan Wittig Albert's books, you will probably enjoy this one. Somewhere between her China Bayles series and her Beatrix Potter series, this one is a fairly light hearted romp into a different world and time.
The Dahlias are a gardening club in the small (fictional) town of Darling, Alabama. When a friend of two of the members is discovered dead, they decide to investigate the unusual circumstances surrounding it- and the funny goings-on at the bank at the same time.
The book is well ...more
The Dahlias are a gardening club in the small (fictional) town of Darling, Alabama. When a friend of two of the members is discovered dead, they decide to investigate the unusual circumstances surrounding it- and the funny goings-on at the bank at the same time.
The book is well ...more
You probably know by now that I have a thing about titles. I want to remember them and this one also falls into the category of forgettable.
However, if you've ever read Susan Wittig Albert, you always want to read Susan Wittig Albert. And a new series. How could I resist.
The story begins with a slow pace, lots of wonderful description (she does incredible research on all her historical novels), in Darling, Alabama in May 1930. Post depression in the south combines with the women's gardening clu ...more
However, if you've ever read Susan Wittig Albert, you always want to read Susan Wittig Albert. And a new series. How could I resist.
The story begins with a slow pace, lots of wonderful description (she does incredible research on all her historical novels), in Darling, Alabama in May 1930. Post depression in the south combines with the women's gardening clu ...more
This was a bit of a slow start because there are so many characters and this had 4 mysteries to solve. I fell in love with the Dahlia's. They remind me of a women's group I am a member of. They are a warm loving group of women who are each very interesting and independent personalities. They accept ( but don't like) the attitudes of the males with whom they come in contact. Since the time of this novel is in the 30's South, chauvinism is rampant.They choose not to buck the system. When they solv
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bookworm Bitches : July 2013: The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree | 17 | 161 | 22. Oktober 2017, 18:04 Uhr | |
| Play Book Tag: The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree by Susan Wittig Albert 3 stars | 1 | 10 | 27. August 2017, 17:49 Uhr |
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Susan is the author/co-author of biographical/historical fiction, mysteries, and nonfiction. Now in her 80s and continuing to write, she says that retirement is not (yet) an option. She publishes under her own imprint. Here are her latest books.
A PLAIN VANILLA MURDER, #27 in the long-running China Bayles/Pecan Springs series.
Two Pecan Springs novella trilogies: The Crystal Cave Trilogy (featuring ...more
A PLAIN VANILLA MURDER, #27 in the long-running China Bayles/Pecan Springs series.
Two Pecan Springs novella trilogies: The Crystal Cave Trilogy (featuring ...more
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The Darling Dahlias
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