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Book Reviews of Mulch (Gardening Mystery, Bk 1)

Mulch (Gardening Mystery, Bk 1)
Mulch - Gardening Mystery, Bk 1
Author: Ann Ripley
ISBN-13: 9780553577341
ISBN-10: 0553577344
Publication Date: 1/5/1998
Pages: 304
Rating:
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 33

3.5 stars, based on 33 ratings
Publisher: Crimeline
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

8 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

CozyLover avatar reviewed Mulch (Gardening Mystery, Bk 1) on + 335 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I like my mysteries to be light & comfortable. In a word: Cozy. This one definitely does not fit that description! Too dark, with a murderer that is too twisted for my tastes. and, some of this was downright gruesome. I hope the rest of the series is lighter or I've wasted my time gathering them.
reviewed Mulch (Gardening Mystery, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 2
I thought this book had an excellent start, before it began to drag for me. I thought it would be interesting to learn about some gardening tips, but there weren't many for me to apply to my current residence next to the dry Rocky Mountains. This mystery was average for me, and because I'm involved with many other cozy series I think I'll put the following books in the series to rest.
reviewed Mulch (Gardening Mystery, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 2
Very different! A mystery. Almost like Desperate Housewives of the garden set.
reviewed Mulch (Gardening Mystery, Bk 1) on + 27 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Amateur gardener and housewife Louise Eldridge is new to Washington DC suburb. Collecting discarded piles of leaves for her Mulch, she finds a bag full of body parts.... good series
mlg avatar reviewed Mulch (Gardening Mystery, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 1
excellent gardening murder mystery
reviewed Mulch (Gardening Mystery, Bk 1) on + 302 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
can you imagine mulching your back yard with leaves and finding body parts?
ladycholla avatar reviewed Mulch (Gardening Mystery, Bk 1) on + 2081 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Good mystery. Enjoyed.
reviewed Mulch (Gardening Mystery, Bk 1) on + 174 more book reviews
If you like gardening and flowers mixed in with Washington politics, murder and a good mystery then you should really like this book by Ann Ripley. It is the first in her Gardening Mystery series.

Louise and Bill Eldridge are a married couple with two daughters, but only one, Janie, is at home. Martha is in college away from her home and family. Bill has a job with the government and Louise is a wonderful gardener who wants to write, but first wants her woodsy property and new home to look nice with her favorite flowers and trees. Louise spends so much money on plants that Bill tells her she has to curb her spending, so instead of buying mulch, she and Janie go around the Alexandria,VA neighborhoods picking up people's bags of leaves to use as mulch.

It becomes a very useful activity until they open a couple of the last bags to spread the leaves around a low spot in the back property. What they find in the leaves is a shock that they'll never forget.

I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. It's a good mystery, lots of information on different plants and I love the Eldridge family, especially Louise. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.