Dollycas’s Thoughts

I have been so excited about this new series from Kate Collins and she sure doesn’t disappoint.

We meet Athena Spencer who has come home to her big Greek family in Sequoia, Michigan with her son Nicholas after her divorce. Her grandparents have a Greek restaurant and her father owns the local garden center. Athena and her sister work at the garden center with her father. The center also has a resident troublemaker in the form of a raccoon that makes himself quite at home.

The patriarch of a prominent Talbot family has passed away and Athena’s pappoús (grandfather) brought a valuable statue at the estate sale. Because of the statue’s size, it was brought to the garden center until her grandfather finds the perfect place for it.

But a hunky stranger surprises Athena late one night stating his family is the rightful owner of the statue. As if Althena needed another problem to solve. With his dad out of the picture, Sonny Talbot has decided to move forward with a previously dead plan to demolish all the shops know as Little Greece on Greene Street including her grandparent’s restaurant. His decision draws the rath of the whole area and raises suspicions that maybe the senior Talbot’s death was not due to natural causes. When another man linked to the family is killed Althena feels the heat to not only save her family’s restaurant but to bring a killer to justice.

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Ms. Collins has served up a big cast of Greek characters. They are unique and genuine and we have just scratched the surface at getting to know them. Like all families, especially Greek families, everyone has an opinion about Athena’s love life.

In addition to the Spencer family, we meet Case Donnelly. There is a spark between Athena and Case but her family believes her destiny is with Kevin Coreopsis, a lawyer who has also recently returned home to Sequoia. Athena has a special way of dealing with her overbearing family though, and I love it. She writes a blog “It’s All Greek to Me” under the name of Goddess Anon. Her family loves the blog not knowing that it is penned by their own Athena.

As is the case in most first books in a series which spends a great bit of time introducing characters, the mystery while well-crafted was pretty easy to solve. That being said I was completely captivated by it. I enjoyed the way Case and Athena worked together. There were twists and tension and plenty of humor too. The pacing was perfect, it was hard to put the book down.

This series is off to a splendid start. Statue of Limitations was a fun and entertaining read filled with characters I can’t wait to visit again.

If you thought you had a loud boisterous family. you need to meet Althena and her Greek family. It is reminiscent of My Big Fat Greek Wedding - so if you have seen that movie you will understand. The nosy sisters, the overbearing mother, and the love that can be found despite everything.

Althena is divorced with a son and living back in her hometown with her family and working at the family garden center. She is the secret author of a blog that features her family but they don't know it even though they read it every day. One day they are going to realize it is about them! Althena is dating Kevin. Kevin is not going to win any awards with Althena but she can't figure out how to extract herself from him without hurting him or having her mother start back down the matchmaking path. Everything is going along swimmingly until Case Donneley appears inquiring about a statue in their garden center. He claims it was stolen from his grandfather's museum. Is he going to try and take it back? Will he be able to find the provenance to prove his claims?

This is a fun new series that had me giggling and trying to figure out the mystery. I had my suspicions in regards to the killer but couldn't decipher how they were involved until near the end as nuggets of clues were dropped into the story. I felt for Althena dating someone like Kevin that she obviously doesn't like but doing it to keep the peace in the family. Case could be an interesting new twist because I think there is some chemistry between the two and will be interested to see how a relationship plays out for them.

We think this is a great start to a new series and can't wait to see what is in store next for Althena and Case. We give it 5 paws up.

This is a charming new series by the author of the Flower Shop Mysteries Kate Collins. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity . My review opinion is my own. This is a well crafted fun mystery that has likable charcters and will be a favorite of cozy readers. Our new favorite protagonist is Athena Spencer. She has recently had endured a divorce and come home to the coast of Michigan to return to her families garden center to work. She has a son and her pet is a raccoon who adds many laughs to the book. Her family is a large Greek family that owns multiple businesses including a restaurant . The restaurant is under threat as a powerful family in the area wants to tear down the shops . Her family and Athena vow to fight the threat and soon are embroiled in old animosities . When a murder occurs in the powerful family suspects are many and suspicions fall even on her family.

When she is closing the business one night a man appears who expresses a interest in a particular statue her Grandfather bought. As the conversation progresses she becomes suspicious of him and his reasons for wanting more information on the statue and its origin. At the same time she found him charming and wanted to know more about him. When she finds out that he is a suspect in a local murder she decides to stop up and help clear his name. As they work together the clues abound and soon Athena has multiple suspicious circumstances that may have led to the victim's death as well as her rambunctious family to deal with and the mystery surrounding the statue that may tie into the murders.

This was such a enjoyable read and a well crafted mystery. I loved the rich charcters and Athena proved to be a savvy protagonist. I look forward to the next in series.

Athena Spencer is a divorced, single mother who decides to return to her large Greek family and their garden center business in Michigan. Her mother wants to match her up with a new guy, but Athena has ideas of her own. What her parents, grandparents and sister s do not know is that Athena secretly writes a blog. Her family loves it, but how would they feel if they knew she was the author?

There are bigger mysteries for Athena and her family when the wealthy Talbot family is prepared to tear down the businesses in “Little Greece” which would mean disaster for her family and friends. When the Talbot’s patriarch turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, they find themselves at the mercy of his greedy son.

To add to her troubles, a stranger claims the valuable statue her grandfather bought actually belongs to his family. The stranger is accused of the murder, but Athena isn’t buying it. She vows to prove his innocence. Athena has her work cut out for her as she tries to prove ownership of the statue and find a murderer at the same time.

Kate Collins is an author I’ve been wanting to read for the longest time. She writes the Flower Shop Mysteries. I haven’t had a chance to read those so when I heard she was starting a new series, I couldn’t pass it up. I’m so glad I read this one.

The characters are well-developed. Not stiff like some new characters and series can be. Athena’s family is fun and sweet. They are a big family who truly cares about each other. I enjoyed every minute of getting to know them.

The storyline is fast-paced. I wasn’t too surprised at who the killer turned out to be, but it is fun getting through all the puzzle pieces and fitting them together to get all the answers. I hope this series will be going for a long time. I want to meet up with the Spencer family once again.

Divorcee Athena Spencer has returned home with her son to the welcoming arms of her parents who own Spencer's Garden Center in the heart of "Little Greece." To save a little of her sanity caused by an over-zealous family, Athena (Thenie) has created a blog she calls "It's All Greek to Me" by Goddess Anon in which she vents some of her frustration from time to time. Tidbits of comedy. The rest of the family has no idea she is writing it and they love to read and comment.

She is writing on her blog one night at the garden center after it's closed when she confronts an intruder, Case Donnelly. He's come to claim the statue that her grandfather had purchased in an auction from the local money mogul Talbot Sr. Receipt.

The Talbots (senior and junior) want to raze Little Greece to build a condo, but senior changes his mind. The problem is, he died in a suspicious accident about the same time as his signed document disappeared. It's not long before an additional death occurs and caught on home security video is Case Connelly.
...Uh oh...

This is an amusing and immersive start to a new series. Strongly character-driven while hatching red herrings, twists, and some amazingly bizarre scenarios. She and Case (now Dimitri) are full-on trying to keep him out of jail while getting to the bottom of the whodunit. Of course, we know whodunit, but not all the reasons why or how. Enter more absurd characters.

So, can they expose the real perp, save Little Greece, and manage to keep their beloved, but very valuable, statue? I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative right through the conclusion where the climax definitely heated up.

We received this digital download by the publisher through NetGalley and really appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Light, fun, hoot of an entertaining read and I'm looking forward to reading Book 2. Highly recommended.

STATUE OF LIMITATIONS by Kate Collins
The First Goddess of Greene St. Mystery

When Athena Spencer hears a noise in the garden shop after hours she things it's the mischievous raccoon who has been hanging around. Instead she finds a handsome stranger who claims the statue her grandfather bought actually belongs to him. If that wasn't enough a greedy businessman wants to tear down Little Greece to put up condominiums. Taking a chance, Athena joins forces with the stranger, now a fugitive, to stop the town tyrant and find justice.

You have to take a leap of faith in the first Goddess of Greene St. Mystery. Athena goes well out of her way to help Case...someone that is trying to take her grandfathers statue as well as being wanted as a murder suspect. That's somewhat implausible. But once you accept that Athena is acting rationally, or at least in the best interest of her family and community, everything falls into place. And a delightful place it is!

I loved just about everything in STATUE OF LIMITATIONS. A fantastic group of characters liven up the pages. Athena's eccentric family is charming and fun from her ditsy sister Delphi who "sees" things, to her meddling mother, even her son who knows more Greek than she does. Then there are the despicable characters-the Talbot family and their minions and the traitors among the Greek community. There's a bit of romance and a darn good mystery!

I love the Greek details woven into the story, particularly the language. I think Athena's blog is hysterical, more so because of her mother and sisters comments about it. I appreciate how Athena picks up on things that are incorrect, but necessary for the plot, like why there wasn't an autopsy on Talbot Senior, and weaves it into the story.

Athena wanted some space from all things Greek, but finds herself embracing her culture and her family as she fights for justice and Little Greece. STATUE OF LIMITATIONS is a delightful mystery that left me with a smile on my face.

Statue Of Limitations is the first book in the A Goddess Of Greene Street Mystery series.

Recently divorced Athena has returned to her hometown of Sequoia Mi with her son Nicholas and is working at her father’s garden center. Athena comes from a large Greek family and what she’s not looking forward to is her mother trying to convince her to find “a good Greek boy”. She’s been dating a young man that her mother has set her up with, but she doesn’t feel that it will go anywhere.

To keep her mind off her personal life she’s been writing a blog about a Greek family, which sounds awful like her own. Luckily her mother hasn’t caught on. One evening as she is working on her blog at the garden center she hears some noises outside, but she thinks it is just a young raccoon that been coming around in the evenings. Finally, she goes outside and finds someone inspecting a statue that her grandfather has recently purchased at an estate sale. The man identifies himself as Case Donnelly. Donnelly claims that the statue was stolen from his family in Greece. He soon leaves but the next morning Athena sees his image on a news report leaving the home of Grayson Talbot, Jr., where the late Grayson Talbot, Sr.’s assistant had been murdered making Donnelly the prime suspect. Athena believes Donnelly innocence and hides him while they try to find the killer.

Also, Athena is very concerned about the pending demolition of the block of Little Greek businesses. Talbot, Jr. is planning on building a condo once the buildings are torn down. But, reportedly, Talbot Sr. had agreed to cancel the development of the condo, but no can find the document. Hopefully, the document will be found before the demolition is started.

I always enjoy reading Collins’ books and this new series is no exception. The story is well-written and reads at an even pace. It also has a cast of well-developed and believable characters.

Floral tips for longer-lasting arrangements are also included in the book.

I will be watching for the next book in this interesting new series.

Statue of Limitations kicks off a brand new series from Kate Collins, and cozy mystery fans will love it! It’s full of great characters, humor, and mystery!

Some minor spoilers ahead.

Athena Spencer loves her big Greek family, but since moving home, she feels like she’s losing her individuality. The “Greekness” of Athena’s family (especially her mother) can be overwhelming. Her mom insists on teaching Athena’s son, Nicholas, Greek; and though that’s not a bad thing, it makes Athena feel like she’s losing control. Her mom’s already fixed her up with “a good Greek boy” whom Athena just tolerates for the sake of keeping the peace. She writes about all of these things in her blog which her family faithfully follows. However, they’ve got no idea that it’s Athena who’s writing the blog, and the way they react to the blog is hilarious especially since she’s writing about them!

Well, as in all good cozy mystery books, the main character (Athena, of course) gets caught up in a murder investigation when she has a run in with the falsely accused suspect, Case Donnelly. Though the two start off on the wrong foot, Athena and Case make a great team, and their friendship leads to a budding romance (which, of course, we all see coming!). They work together to find the real killer to clear Case’s name. Since he can’t be seen around Little Greece (his face is everywhere since he’s a murder suspect!), Athena disguises his looks and creates a new persona for Case. Thankfully it (mostly) works, so they can question suspects, gather clues, and solve the mystery.

I really enjoyed Statue of Limitations, its characters and the Little Greece of Sequoia, Michigan setting. I’m looking forward to bonding with these characters and solving new mysteries with them.

Statue of Limitations
A Goddess of Greene Street Mystery, Book #1
Kate Collins
5 Stars

Synopsis:

In this delightful new series by the New York Times bestselling author of the Flower Shop Mysteries, Athena Spencer comes back home to work with her crazy big Greek family at their garden center. But she never expected a return to her roots would mean protecting her family from murder . . .

After her divorce, Athena has returned to coastal Michigan to work in her family’s garden center and raise her son, while also caring for a mischievous wild raccoon and fending off her family’s annoying talent for nagging. Working alone at the garden center one night, Athena is startled by a handsome stranger who claims to be the rightful owner of a valuable statue her grandfather purchased at a recent estate sale.

But she has even bigger problems on her plate. The powerful Talbot family from whom her papous bought the statue is threatening to raze the shops on Greene Street’s “Little Greece” to make way for a condo. The recent death of the family’s patriarch already seemed suspicious, but now it’s clear that a murderer is in their midst. Athena will have to live up to her warrior goddess namesake to protect her family from a killer and save their community from ruin . . . (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Athena is a hard worker, she is smart and she loves her family. And what a family she has. They are boisterous, meddling and very loving. I enjoyed the interactions between Athena and her family a lot, and it brought a lot of humor to the book. I really enjoyed that Athena writes a blog and no one knows that she is the owner of the blog and that the inspiration comes from her family. I thought that was very funny.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the book from the beginning. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The mystery was well plotted and carried on well throughout the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and getting to spend more time with Athena and her family.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

This was such a fun fast paced mystery story! Although you pretty much know the whole time who the murderer is; and it has so much other stuff going on family wise, I adored it and became so engrossed in the characters I hated for it to end! Can't wait for the next installment! 2021 tell me it ain't so!!!! Anyhow I fell hard for Case the moment I <strike>met</strike> well it felt like I was right there! Lets begin again I fell so hard for Case the moment he came into the story. He was funny, lovable, and a smart butt all at the same time. And I know you're not "supposed" to judge a book by its cover, is that not a gorgeous and fun cover? Loved it!


*I received a free copy of this story for an honest review.

Fun, Fun, Fun. This book made me giggle. It reminded me of the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". Athena Spencer is back home in the middle of her Greek Community and nosy family. She tried to escape everything Greek and now she is back with her son who is wholly embracing the culture. A murder puts Athena on the trail of a killer along with Case Donolly who is a person of interest in the murder.

I found this book extremely entertaining. Between Athena trying to dodge her nosy sisters, her matchmaking mama, and boyfriend mama has arranged, the hilarity ensues. The characters are fun, some larger than life. Even though you know who the murderer is, it's the chase that is fun. The story moves quickly and kept me turning the pages. The plot was engaging and the writing style was easy-to-read.

Statue of Limitations by Kate Collins is the 1st book in A Goddess of Greene St. Mystery Series, and it was great. I have never read the Flower Shop Mysteries by this author, but I better give them a try. So many books, so little time. Athena Spencer returns home to Michigan, after her divorce, and to her big crazy Greek family and the garden center they own. When the local wealthy man has two suspicious deaths in his home, the mystery begins. I guessed the murderer pretty early in the book, but I really enjoyed quirky characters, and all the action in the book. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book to all cozy mystery lovers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A meddling, close knit family, a town council under the thumb of a wealthy resident, a controversial death, and a statue of great value obtained under questionable circumstances.
This book has all the makings of an intriguing new cozy series or a Hallmark Mystery movie.
Cameo appearances of a cute raccoon, as in the movie Caddyshack, add some fun moments to this book as well.
Athena thought she had married well when she moved to Chicago to follow her dreams. It was only as a last resort that she returned home to Michigan with her son when her marriage failed. Her mother is trying to pair her up with a suitable Greek man, her father has handed her a position in the family business and her Grandmother wants to fatten her up. Life back home is safe and predictable.
Until a greedy town resident wants to develop main street and demolish the established Greek shopping community. Athena is chosen to stand up to fight for the shopkeepers but finds herself fighting for her life.
A strong start with characters ripe with potential for growth. I look forward to seeing where this series will take us.

I absolutely loved this book, especially the ending! When I saw that the next is coming in 2021, I was thinking "oh noooo, I can't wait that long!" The characters were great, and I fell for Case the minute he came onto the scene. It was like the Greek wedding movies meet a cute little Hallmark town by the sea. Athena had an awesome family and son. She'd been trying to get away from all the Greekness of her crazy but fun family. Eventually, she realized that she really did want to be surrounded by all of this love and companionship. Just from the little he was in the book, I thought Nicholas (who wanted to be called Niko) was a pretty great kid.

The showdown was a bit different (don't worry, in a good way!) with a great twist leading to what I think was a super sweet ending complete with all bad parties taken care of. Which is why I think it'll be so hard to wait a year for the next book.

In this first book of the series we are I introduced to Athena, a single mother who has moved back home to work in her family's garden center after her divorce. She loves her big Greek family but they drive her crazy at times, sticking their noses into her business, trying to fix her up, and tell in her now to raise her son. That's what families do though, especially when they are close. One evening while working alone after the garden center has closed she hears a noise, thinking it's a racoon that they have been caring for she goes to check things out. Instead of it being their mischievous racoon it's a man, he says he is there to reclaim his family's statue. Athena isn't sure what to make of the man and asks him to leave, deciding she needed to investigate a bit and find out if what he says is true. Meanwhile she has to worry about the most powerful family in town destroying not only her family's livelihood but the Greek community all together. With not one but two murders occurring during this time everyone e is worried about a murderer being among them. Follow along as Athena tries to make sense as of everything that is going I and find a killer to help save the community she loves.

Thank you @netgalley for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

When I get asked for recommendations on good cozies to start with, Kate Collin’s Flower Shop series is always high on that list. It’s a long running series that I just absolutely adore.

I was beyond excited when I heard that she was starting this new series, A Goddess of Greene St. Mystery. Not only does it take place in a gardening center, but it centers around a really loud, fun, meddlesome Greek family. The characters in this book are beyond fantastic. They work together, eat endless amounts of scrumptious sounding food and know everyone’s business. They all play great parts throughout this story. Athena is the lead character. I love that she’s a working mom who is starting over after a nasty divorce. The fact that she writes an anonymous blog and no ones realizes they are her inspiration for the popular rants, makes for some really funny scenes. Her son is the sweetest as he begs to be called Niko and learns Greek sayings too.

The mystery starts when Athena stumbles upon a charming stranger examining a valuable statue within the gardening center. He claims it was stolen from his family. A few hours later he is taped leaving the residents of the person thought to have made the original sell. Problem is that person is found dead shortly afterwards. Athena doesn’t quite believe the accusation and soon finds herself harboring a fugitive on her grandpa’s houseboat.

Talk about a fun setting. The chemistry between Athena and Chase / Dimitri was fantastic. I loved all of their interactions and smart dialogue. They seems like real sleuths since they didn’t stumble upon all of the clues or answers too quickly. The mysteries definitely held my interest as I tried to sort out all of the numerous clues and red herrings.

Overall, this was a wonderful start to a new series. Great characters and a fast-paced, captivating story full of humor and plenty of mystery. I look forward to reading a sequel!!

Kate Collins is back with another promising cozy series, this time featuring Athena and her large and outspoken Greek family. After her divorce, Athena has moved back to her hometown in Michigan to work in her family's garden center. Of course that means engaging with her family on a daily basis which can be trying at the best of times. Things take an interesting turn when Athena is approached by a mysterious yet charming man, Case, who claims the statue rightly belongs to him and was stolen from his museum. When the local man who sold the statue to Athena's grandfather is murdered, suddenly Case becomes the main suspect. The murder victim is a wealthy developer who had been working on a plan to tear down the local Greek businesses, including Athena's family owned diner and garden center. At the last council meeting however it looked like the plan was going to be abandoned but with the main developer dead before the papers could be filed, it seems like things are still up in the air. Together, Case and Athena are determined to not only save the businesses but also uncover the murderer and clear Case's name.
Statue of Limitations was a promising start to a new cozy series. Athena makes for a great protagonist with plenty of quirks we can relate to. However what really stole the show was Athena's large Greek family. The sister's in particular added comical antics throughout the story, adding a loving vibe that cozy readers seek out. Athena and Case made a great team and there were plenty of sparks flying between between the two. I am curious to see how that will play out over the course of the series. The plot was fast paced with plenty of clues that were easy to follow. Although I had the mystery solved before the grand reveal, I still enjoyed following along with Athena and Case as they uncovered the clues. There were no limitations to my enjoyment of this novel and I hope to see more stories featuring Athena, Case, and the family in the future.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a wonderful start to a new series for Kate Collins. I've loved all of her Flower Shop mysteries and she definitely did not disappoint in this new series. The story is entertaining and fun with characters I can't wait to get to know better. I give this book an A+ for meeting expectations. Enjoy! 📚

What happens when a statue,it’s origin,and two healthy humans interact? A fun tale,with a very nosy,lively Greek family . Athena ,one of four Greek daughters is home restarting her life. At first she is chafing under the Greekness everywhere but by the end finds herself embracing her heritage and the community. At the heart of this story is a development deal that would displace her grandparents and their friends and business neighbors,enter Athena and the mysterious Case, he is half a Greek and gorgeous. Case has arrived to authenticate a statue prominent in the Garden center her family owns. The two spar quickly and often until Case is seen running from the scene of a murder. Athena’s intuition has her protecting and finding shelter for him. A psychic sister, a selfish son , and a framed wife all combine to keep you reading to the end. Enjoy
T

A Cozy New Series!

Statue of Limitations is the perfect first book in a new cozy mystery series by author Kate Collins. Meet Athena Spencer, a newly-single mom who, after her messy divorce returns to her hometown in Michigan to rebuild. She is living with her parents and working at the family garden shop. Athena has a big family, and I enjoyed the details of their lives and getting to know them alongside Athena. There is a large cast in this book, but Collins does a great job giving individuality to the characters and setting them up for appearances in future books without taking focus away from Athena and her story.

One night Athena hears something while she’s on her own at the Garden Center, and finds herself face to face with an intruder, Case Connelly. Case claims that the prominent Athena statue (no relation) her father has on display in the Garden Center rightfully belongs to him. Intertwined with this plot line of “who’s statue is it” are sides of breaking & entering, murder, and kidnapping, oh my! Mystery, quirky meddlesome family members, intrigue, romance, and garden-related tips are expertly woven together as murder suspect Case reaches out to Athena for help in proving his innocence. The clever, sassy, strong, and loyal characters that we loved so much from her Flower Shop Mysteries have found their sisters-from-another mister in this new series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. I’m a fan of Kate Collins’ work, and was so sad when the Flower Shop Mysteries came to a close. This is an excellent beginning to the Goddess of Greene Street line, and I’m anxious for more!