The Perennial Killer: A Gardening Mystery
Read The Perennial Killer: A Gardening Mystery Online
Authors: Ann Ripley
Tags: #General, #Mystery & Detective, #Fiction
Green Thumbs Way Up for the Gardening Mysteries of Ann Ripley!
THE GARDEN TOUR AFFAIR
“A riveting whodunit … a wonderful way to pass those gray days when you can’t get into your garden.”
—
Chicago Sun-Times
“A killer serpent among the guests … and the extra benefit of good gardening tips.”
—
Booknews
from The Poisoned Pen
DEATH OF A POLITICAL PLANT
“The next time your yard calls out for a good weeding, nurture the gardener first. Plop down on the lawn chair, ignore the june bugs, and enjoy the read.”
—
USA Today
“[A] well-paced tale … peopled with fully dimensional characters … her gardening tips are both intelligent and relevant to the story.”
—
Publishers Weekly
DEATH OF A GARDEN PEST
“A hybrid of a traditional whodunit and an up-to-the-minute gardening guide.”
—
The Denver Post
“Gardening and murder make a fascinating combination in
Death of a Garden Pest
. Gardener-sleuth Eldridge offers an enchanting view of gardens while facing down dauntingly evil opponents.”
—Carolyn G. Hart
MULCH
“Ann Ripley plants clues in unexpected places, develops a plot with interesting dirt, and seeds her story with colorful characters, including a captivating noxious villain.
Mulch
is not your garden-variety mystery.”
—
New York Times
bestselling author Diane Mott Davidson
“
Mulch
is one of those little gems.”
—
Mystery Lovers Bookshop News
Also by Ann Ripley
DEATH OF A POLITICAL PLANT
DEATH OF A GARDEN PEST
MULCH
THE GARDEN TOUR AFFAIR
TO TONY
A
FEW DETAILS OF
B
OULDER
C
OUNTY
’
S LAND
-scape, that is, an occasional hogback, stream, and cliff, had to be altered for this story. And the public officials described herein in no way are meant to resemble the real people holding these jobs. Many thanks to staff members of Boulder County and its Department of Parks and Open Space, with special thanks to Tina Nielson; Rich Koopmann; Michael Sanders; Cindy Owsley; and Nancy Dayton. The chief of the Lyons Sub-Station, Sergeant Pamela Housh, provided valuable details, as did Dr. Anngwynn St. Just and Dr. Peter Levine, experts in post-traumatic stress. The Denver Botanic Garden’s librarian, Susan Eubank, was, as always, a tremendous help. Trux Simmons of KRMA-TV, Denver, guided me again through the realities of public television; Richard Romeo, LL.D., through the legal questions. Karen Romeo added her expertise on Colorado ranches. Michael Ogden of Santa Fe, who designs wetlands, generously shared his knowledge. Others who deserve sincere thanks are Judy Visty, park ranger at Rocky Mountain Park; Andy Amalfitano of the Boulder Rescue League; Bob Tanem; Enid Schantz; Margaret Coel; Sybil Downing; Karen Gilleland; Beverly Carrigan; James Hester; Carol Dow; Dr. Robert A. Sammons, Jr.; Jessie Lew Mahoney; Irene Sinclair; Win and Jane Brunner; Kay Brunner; Allison Sauer; Jim Munson; David Barnes; Rose Linan; and my six perceptive daughters. Particular thanks to my agent Jane Jordan Browne, and my editor at Bantam Books, Stephanie Kip.
by Ann Ripley
O
PEN
S
PACE
: F
OR
P
LANTS
, H
UMANS
…
AND
P
RAIRIE
D
OGS
S
USPICIOUS
I
NTERLOPERS:
W
EEDS IN
A
MERICA
I
F
O
NLY THE
S
TONES
C
OULD
T
ALK
: G
ARDENING WITH
R
OCKS
D
ARK
W
ATER
…
AND
H
OW TO
M
AKE
I
T
P
URE
A
GAIN
L
IKE
C
LUES
, G
ARDENS
C
AN
S
PRING
U
P
A
NYWHERE
C
OVER
-U
P
: W
HAT’S
N
EW IN
M
ULCH
, M
ANURE, AND
C
OMPOST
J
UST
L
IKE
P
LANTS
, D
ETECTIVES
M
UST
S
HOW
T
HEIR
M
ETTLE
: P
ERENNIALS
T
HAT
K
NOW
H
OW TO
S
URVIVE