Jess Dylan

"Fatal Flowers" is a cozy mystery that features an amateur sleuth with an interesting career of running a flower-themed cafe. As she plans for a fast-approaching wedding for which she will provide flowers, Sierra encounters a murder scene involving the wedding planner. The novel describes how Sierra and company work to assist in solving the murder.

The setting and theme is unique, as is the tangled threads leading up to the murder. Readers who enjoy learning more about flowers and their uses, as well as a lot of description and more than a touch of romance, might enjoy this novel.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.… (altro)

Fatal Flowers by Jess Dylan is the third book in The Flower House Mysteries. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone. I wanted to give this series one more chance. I found the pacing to be varied throughout the book. Frequently the pacing was gentle as Sierra went about her days (working, time with friends, walking the dog, breakfast with parents, chatting with her grandmother, thinking about Calvin, spending time with Calvin). I have mixed feelings about Sierra. I wish she was less wishy washy. I am amazed her business is making any money with her business practices (her website is not updated, went to meeting without portfolio, and does not have updated pictures of flower arrangements readily available on phone are a couple of examples). Some of the other vendors thought she was naïve, but it is more the matter of Sierra not putting enough thought into matters (too many brain cells occupied with thoughts of Calvin). I like Deena, Sierra’s employee and friend. She is a good friend who stands by Sierra. There is humdrum dialogue and activities. The murder of the wedding planner is straightforward. There are a handful of suspects that include the other vendors for the wedding. I wanted more questioning and investigating (less of the namby pamby approach). At a bakery, Sierra had the perfect opportunity to speak with the owner (the woman was in her office with no way to avoid Sierra). Instead of knocking on the office door, Sierra decides to sit in the café and wait for the woman to come out (so she can keep avoiding her). I wanted to yell at Sierra to get her act together. There are some incidents, but the emotions are lacking to make them feel scary or dangerous. Instead of fury (or anger), Sierra is more “oh my, what am I to do.” The killer is easy to identify long before the reveal. I felt that more time is spent on Sierra and Calvin’s romance than on the mystery. At times, it felt that I was reading a romance instead of a cozy mystery. I wanted the murder to have a tie in to flowers. I felt that this was a missed opportunity. I did like learning about edible flowers and seeing them used in the tasty treats served in the flower themed café. Fatal Flowers has all the elements of a cozy mystery: quaint small town, friendly residents, a charming shop (flower shop), a murder, and an amateur sleuth. I just feel the story (the whole series) needs to be livelier with a more complex crime. I read the book, but I did not get into the story. I just kept wondering if the story would ever end. While Fatal Flowers was not for me, I suggest you obtain a sample to judge for yourself. Fatal Flowers is pretty as a posy with a puffed-up wedding planner, creative cookies, a soothing spa, a missing automobile, an alarming motorcycle, a mystifying murder, a warm mother-of-the-bride, and an interfering florist.… (altro)

Petals & Poison by Jess Dylan is a 2021 St. Martin’s Press publication.

Sierra is about to open a little café as an extension to the flower shop, but things once again go awry when a college professor and a group of students descend on the Flower shop to observe the orchids.

Apparently, this was an annual excursion for the university students, but Felix, the previous owner of the shop, failed to pass that information along to Sierra, who is caught completely off guard. The interesting thing though is that Cal knows the professor and the two were not friends. This puts Cal directly at the top or the list of suspects when the professor is found murdered in the flower shop storeroom…

The first book in this series didn’t wow me- but showed enough promise I decided to give the series a fair shake and see how it proceeded once we got the premise established and the characters introduced. Unfortunately, for me this follow up didn’t improve over its predecessor. The outline is there, the story is structured and there isn’t really anything wrong the execution, the plot and the characters are just really bland, with the exception of Gus, the Corgi.

While the series seems to be well-received overall, I’m not making a connection with it- so I’m going to stop here with this one. I do hope the author's success with the series continues- it just wasn’t for me.… (altro)

Petals and Poison by Jess Dylan is the 2nd A Flower House Mystery. Petals and Poison can be read as a standalone if you have not indulged in Death in Bloom. Petals and Poison contains good writing and developed characters. Sierra, Denna, Calvin, Granny, Rocky, and Sierra’s parents are some of the residents in this southern town. I like Sierra’s upbeat attitude and her plans for the business. Granny is a fun character with her superstitions and folklore. There are a couple of quirky characters included which is natural in any small southern town. I like the setting of Aerieville, Tennessee. It is the type of town where you can relax on your front porch with a glass of sweet tea and chat with your neighbors as they go by. The mystery was well-plotted with a variety of suspects and good clues. I like that Sierra actively investigated with help from her friends. I was able to identify the guilty party early in the story, but I did not know why. I thought the why was unique for a cozy mystery and it tied in nicely with the theme of the series. The café with edible flowers and plants was a clever idea. It was interesting learning more about edible plants. I could have done with less romance in the book. Sierra is interested in Calvin, and I thought it took up too much of the book. Denna and Rocky have a budding relationship as well. I do not mind some romance as long as the focus is on the mystery. Petals and Poison is a lighthearted Southern cozy mystery with edible eats, a perished professor, sweet tea, cavorting college students, puzzling poppies, and romantic endeavors.… (altro)