Death in Bloom by Jess Dylan is the debut of a new cozy craft series, the Flower House Mystery. Sierra didn’t expect to return home to small-town Aerieville but after her relationship explodes and her singing career didn’t happen, here she is at 28. Working part-time as a florist, trying to figure things out, trying to stay positive..

Sierra’s excited when Felix, the owner, is on board with her idea of holding a flower arranging class. She’s less excited when he phones her to say he’s going to be out of town indefinitely and she’s in charge. Then it gets worse. Someone drops dead during her class. Then truly terrible - Abe Ranker didn’t just die, he was murdered so Sierra and the other attendees are suspects.

Now she has to figure out who did it, to prove her innocence and avoid becoming the next victim.

I read cozy mysteries because knowing what to expect is part of my enjoyment. Death in Bloom ticked a lot of the cozy mystery trope boxes for me.

It’s set in a charming small town with several locally owned businesses with owners ranging from friendly to Sierra to those who seem to be hiding things to the downright hostile.

Craft cozy mystery means getting flower arranging tips while enjoying the mystery.

There’s a slightly mysterious new guy living in the apartment above the Flower House who’s also a potential love interest.

There’s the potential bestie who’s willing to investigate and maybe even commit some B&E with Sierra.

The supportive if not always understanding family. Sierra’s dad is friends with Aerieville’s chief of police which is a mixed blessing for her.

Sierra’s Granny is a delight. Full of common sense, no-nonsense advice plus herb lore made her a fun character. I hope we see more of her in future books.

Plus there’s Gus the puppy! When Felix, Sierra’s boss leaves town, he also leaves an adorable and energetic pup behind so Sierra adopts him.

Death in Bloom is a fun, quick, gentle read with an endearing amateur sleuth full of positivity, a great cast of supporting characters plus a bonus puppy sidekick - the total package for a cozy debut. For fans of Kate Collins, Lynn Cahoon, and Daryl Wood Gerber.

Sierra Ravenswood is the star of this new series by Jess Dylan. Returning home is bittersweet for Sierra, and when she returns to her part time job at the local flower shop, bizarre things begin to happen, including the sudden disappearance of her boss.
As a first in a new series, Death in Bloom is a fairly decent read. Some parts did seem a bit stagnant, but overall I enjoyed it.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Sierra Ravenswood has returned home to Aerieville,Tennessee after chasing her dream in Nashville. While she’s living on her own, she’s back at the same job she held in high school and still keeping the faith she’ll hit it big.

In the blink of an eye, Sierra goes from part-time employee to running the flower shop when her boss disappears and a man is murdered in the shop. First a guy shows up looking for her boss saying he rented the apartment over the shop from him. Then Sierra finds her boss wants to sell the shop to her for $1. If she is even going to consider taking the shop over, Sierra knows she’s got to find the murderer and hopes she’s not going to be digging her own grave in the process.

This series has potential. I love the rural setting, Grant Mae, Gus, Deena, Calvin and Sierra. I hope the author weaves in more folk stories and herbal healing from Granny in future installments.

If you like a quick read that you’ll love, grab this cozy mystery! Twists and turns keep your guessing. The pace keeps you going.

Death in Bloom is a new series by Jess Dylan. The main character Sierra is an employee at a flower shop in Aerieville, TN.

In her mind, this is a temporary job. However, a customer drops dead in the middle of her bouquet-arranging workshop and her boss disappears after selling her the shop for $1.

Overall, the characters are well-crafted and the plot is believable and keeps you interested until the very end.

Looking forward to book 2.

This is a crisp, fresh first in a new cozy mystery series.
It has all the standard elements you would expect to find in a cozy.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

We are introduced to Sierra Ravenswood and the reasons she came back home to Aerieville. All goes to pot when a customer dies at her workplace and her boss goes missing.

What happened next has Sierra wondering where her missing boss is while looking for a murderer hiding in plain sight. I enjoyed all aspects of this debut whodunit from the solid plot to the likable cast of characters to the engaging dialogue to the setting of a small town that also includes other store owners, her parents and her granny who is a delight to get to know. The mystery was nicely staged to kept me engrossed in all the details that involved a bevy of suspects and planted clues that kept me in the game. When I thought I had a picking of who did what to whom, the author changed direction which enhanced how well this story was being told. I look forward to more adventures with Sierra and her friends in this entertaining new series.

After not making it in Nashville, Sierra Ravenswood is back home and working part-time at The Flower Shop. Her first flower arranging class ends in disaster when a member of the town zoning board drops dead, and to make matters worse Sierra's boss has left town on a geocaching adventure.

You may have noticed that many cozy mystery titles feature puns. Jess Dylan has gone a step further with Calvin, the pun loving tenant renting the apartment above the flower shop. The ensemble cast gave me serious Scooby Doo vibes, and I can't wait to catch up with Sierra's grandmother again and see what folk remedy she prescribes next!

Back in her hometown in Tennessee after an unsuccessful stint as a singer, Sierra Ravenswood finds herself thrust into the middle of a murder investigation. When Abe Ranker drops dead in the middle of her flower arranging class, everyone thinks it was caused by a heart attack. But when the police say Abe was poisoned and it was murder, Sierra worries about her missing boss and owner of the Flower House - Felix. She decides to investigate on her own.
This is the first in a new series and I think there is potential in this character

A new mystery series that shows a lot of potential. Sierra has returned to her home town of Asheville and is working part time at the flower shop. While running a flower arranging class, her boss skipped out on, a man is poisoned and someone in the class must be responsible. Her boss has gone completely AWOL so she alone is running the store and taking care of his new corgi puppy. When he sells her the store for $1 she is determined to get to the bottom of these mysteries.
Enjoyable characters, good plot. I’m looking forward to the next installment.