Book Review: To Catch a Leaf by Kate Collins

To Catch a Leaf
A Flower Shop Mystery #12
Author: Kate Collins
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Released: November 1st 2011
Review Source: Purchased
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Flower shop owner Abby Knight is aglow with happiness now that she's officially engaged to her longtime beau, Marco Salvare. Nothing can possibly dampen her joy-until wealthy dowager Virginia Newport is killed, and Abby's assistant Grace Bingham is the prime suspect. The plot thickens when they stumble upon mysterious stolen art and a missing cat, all part of an elaborate heist. Before Abby can throw her bouquet, she'll have to save her friend and throw a killer and a thief in jail...

To Catch a Leaf is the first book I have read in the Flower Shop Mystery series and it won’t be my last. There is enough mystery, love and suspense to keep me guessing and reading to the very end. Even though this was the 12th in the series, I was never lost or confused. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone.

Abby Knight is a florist and part time private snooper, I mean investigator. One day as she is on her way to the flower shop, she has to slam on her breaks in order not to run over a cat. Terrified, she gets out of the car and goes and looks under her car expecting the worse. Luckily the cat doesn’t seem that bad but sees that its leg is hurt and takes it to a vet. Since the cat is a stray and she feels guilty for almost running the cat over, she takes it home. After that ordeal she goes to the flower shop. Later on that day one of her employees and also friend, Grace, went to visit a friend for lunch and discovered her dead. So now Grace is being accused of killing her friend, Constance Newport. Suspicions start to rise when Ms. Newport’s will is read and she demands that someone contract the art appraiser and have him appraise the art pieces that are scattered around the house. The kids are not too happy about their mother’s last wishes and now everyone is a suspect in Abby’s eyes.

To Catch a Leaf was a fun fast paced mystery that had me guessing to the very end. I wish I would have known about this series before. I will definitely be reading the next installment.