Please Don't Push Up the Daisies by Diane Vallere

 

First Line: "This is the last of it," Tex said from behind the wheel of a moving truck.

 

Meeting her boyfriend's family for the first time is stressful enough, but interior decorator Madison Night doesn't know the half of it. Tex Allen's sister Lily has been trying to finalize her divorce from her botanist husband for years. Left alone to raise four high-energy boys on her own, Lily is more than happy to accept a move-in ready house as part of her divorce settlement. There's just a little matter of picking up the signed papers, and Madison is more than happy to go along as moral support. 

 

Instead of completed paperwork, Madison finds the ex's body lying in a corner of the arboretum where he works. And with Tex sidelined, it's up to Madison to find the killer. 

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Please Don't Push Up the Daisies is an essential new chapter in the life of intrepid interior decorator Madison Night, and I have enjoyed watching one of my favorite fictional characters rising to each and every occasion as this series progresses.

This newest installment is all about relationships and family. Past events in Madison's life have always made her feel like the person on the outside looking in, but meeting boyfriend Tex Allen's sister and four nephews begins to change all that. (And while I'm on the subject of those nephews, let me just say that I was not amused by their "antics". There's a difference between high-spirited and "Call 9-1-1!") 

One of the departures in this book is the sidelining of Tex Allen. Madison is effectively cut off from her investigative mainstays, and she has to look elsewhere for help. The help she receives often surprises her, further highlighting the importance of relationships and family. 

Please Don't Push Up the Daisies is another enjoyable entry in one of my favorite series. Whodunit surprised me, which I always love, and there's a bonus epilogue available which I heartily recommend reading. If you enjoy strong female characters, intriguing mysteries, humor, and a strong dash of creativity, this series is the one for you. Begin at the beginning with Pillow Stalk so you don't miss a single step of Madison's journey.

Please Don't Push Up the Daisies by Diane Vallere

eISBN: 9781954579743-

Polyester Press © 2023

eBook, 236 pages

Cozy Mystery, #11 Madison Night mystery

Rating A-

Source: Purchased from Amazon.