Lilly Jayne returns with her Garden Squad in another great murder mystery. Or should I say murders. The owner of the theatre has died and the manager of the Goosebush Players thinks she’s the new owner. Will Lilly be able to solve these murders and how many are there really? I love this group of mature characters and their community involvement.

“Wreathing Havoc” Earns 5/5 Curtain Calls…Clever and Engaging Fun!

Today is a sad day for many of Goosebush, Massachusetts. Leon Tompkin had been a key figure in the theater community. Although he came to theater late in life, he fell into it well, showing talent, and loved every minute: Goosebush was home and the theater community was family. Leon didn’t publicize the fact that he actually owned the Stanley theater since he inherited it from his father-in-law, and due to serious concerns about his failing health, he was making sure the future he wanted for the theater would be realized. His death, deemed a heart attack came before final steps could be made; paperwork, wills, and contracts along with meetings and announcements he planned were all in question. Lilly learns there was coffee in Leon’s system and the police are stumped as to who, where, and how he got it. The situation becomes more complicated, entangling Lilly, when another suspicious death occurs, a struggle for control of the theater ensues, and questions about other deaths related to the theater over the decades are raised. Lilly wonders if there are connections.

Curtain Up! Light the Lights! Julia Henry has “got nothing to hit but the heights” with fourth book in her Garden Squad Mystery series. Holiday gatherings, festive events, and readings of “A Christmas Carol” create quite a buzz, but the “palace intrigue” among the theater folk may interfere with all the holiday cheer. Leon’s death becomes suspicion making everyone’s movements, connections, and motives items of interest to Lilly and her squad, and when another death occurs to complicate the drama, it became clear…I wasn’t putting this book down! There are a lot of characters that could be overwhelming for a first-time reader of Henry’s series, like me, but there was a core group on which one can focus making it easier. There was a delightful mix of generations to interest all ages of cozy fans, but I personally enjoyed Lilly Jayne as an intelligent, strong, witty woman of a mature age. Henry’s writing style is well-rounded with vivid descriptions for the various settings, the holiday projects, the food, and the people along with dialogue to illustrate the emotions and varied personalities, and the well-developed plot, steady stream of clues, motives, and suspects, and not until the final chapters, a conclusion that made me “gasp,” defines this book as a real page-turner experience. Delightful. Intriguing. Well-worth my time. Although I was curious about adding cold vodka to pie dough, Julia Henry adds a dozen Gardening Tips as a special bonus for experts and amateur gardeners alike.

This was not a great read for me unfortunately. I love this series and the characters and again [much like the previous book] was excited to revisit them in this new book. The problem lies in that, while I know this is an ARC and all that [I know that is is uncorrected, but one expects spelling errors or grammatical errors, not a complete miss in the editing department], there was so little editing done to this story, that I spent a good chunk of the book editing it myself [which I do not enjoy and takes away from the whole flow of the book]. There were major issues with continuity and while the previous book was lacking in the fleshing out of characters and stilted conversation, this one was just full of superfluous conversation and and overabundance of unneeded detail.

That said, there WAS quite a bit of this book I really liked. First, I still love the characters and their love for their town and for each other. I love how they strive to pick people up and support them [even the ones they don't really like] and how they try and work WITH the police to solve the crimes. I love the town itself and its love of tradition and family and keeping the small-town vibe alive. I wish more small towns were like that [coming from someone who lives in a "dead" town]. I also loved that I didn't know the killer and was also surprised by a second reveal, though that one was slowly done through the whole book. The author leads you down one path only to show you how wrong you were to travel that with her. ;-)

So it was a mixed bag read for me. I love these characters enough to keep reading and can only hope we get back to the caliber of books the first two in this series were.

Thank you to NetGalley, Julia Henry, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Garden Squad is back with another action packed adventure. Headed by Lilly Jayne who always seems to be in the middle of things . Long time friend Leon Tompkins dies unexpected and some of his ole acting buddies and buddyettes gather to say good bye.. Leon had issues but no one expected him to go this quickly. When new evidence points to a not so natural death Lilly knows she needs to start digging and when a second member dies she knows something is a foul.. But how are the two deaths related? Or are they? The more Lilly and her friends dig the more they uncover and the more they put themselves in the pathway of danger. Can they solve the mystery and still come out alive??

I thoroughly enjoy characters of a certain age who are still sharp, kind, and open to possible romance while solving difficult mysteries. Such is the case with Lilly James and her housemates, neighbors and friends. Former members of the Goosebush Players gather for the memorial services of Leon Tompkin, local theatre owner. The mystery of the deaths over decades is fascinating and Lilly and the crew are dogged in their efforts to unravel the clues with great peril to themselves and others. It is wonderful to be exposed to characters who are at their core kind and thoughtful people, and that makes a visit to Goosebush, Massachusetts enjoyable. I look forward to going there again soon.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is the 4th installment of the Garden Squad Mystery series by cozy author Julia Henry. I adore this series and was pleased to received this next in series for review. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. My review opinions are my own. I appreciate that the author is featuring seniors as smart, savvy and capable where most cozy series do not feature seniors at all. Each charcter is done to perfection and readers appreciate the author featuring seniors in this series.

It is Thanksgiving time and the Garden Club members are making wreaths for the library fund raising. A friend of their was recently murdered and they are all grieving. He was a local theater actor and a popular addition to the town theater missed by all. When another murder occurs connected to the same theater Lilly and her crew are investigating along with the local police to solve their friends murder and find the true suspect. Clues and red herrings abound and soon Lilly and friends are on the right path of the killer or killers.

This was a fun addition to the series and a well crafted mystery to conclusion. I love the supporting charcters and gardening theme of this series. Very well done to the author.

Lilly is fairly new to Goosebush but she was fond of Leon, who owned the local theater. She didn't know Jeremy when he lived in Goosebush before becoming a star so she's learning a lot when she,. along with her friends from the Garden Squad take on the investigation after he's murdered. Scooter, who had been considered the main suspect didn't do it, so who did? This group of, ahem, mature sleuths are a delight and while this installment of the series has them making wreaths rather than gardening, that didn't matter much to me. Lilly and her younger friend Delia have great give and take. I'm a fan of the series and think this will be fine as a standalone, especially for fans of the genre. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a classic cozy with enough red herrings to keep you guessing.

This series is so enjoyable, and I'm always excited when I discover a new installment from author Julia Henry! It's late November, and the residents of Goosebush, Massachusetts are shocked when after longtime theater patron Leon dies suddenly (seemingly from a heart attack), visiting celebrity Jeremy Nolan is poisoned! Never fear, Lily and her Garden Squad are on the case - and still manage to enjoy a lovely Thanksgiving meal!!! Ms. Henry always keeps me guessing, and always keeps me up past my bedtime turning pages as fast as I can! 5 stars and A+++ to Wreathing Havoc, the 4th Garden Squad Mystery!

This is the fourth book in the series and Lily Jayne and her garden squad are back.

Their friend Leon, a theater owner, dies after being ill, so it’s not suspicious at first, but what comes next is what has Lilly sleuthing. Jeremy, a Hollywood actor who’s from Goosebush and comes back for Leon’s memorial ends up being murdered as well and now Lilly and her friends have a mystery to solve.

The mystery was gods with a red herring or two thrown in. But, for me, the best part of these books is the characters. They’ve been nicely developed over the previous books and it almost makes you feel like you’re catching up with friends. Add in the fact that you can picture Julia Henry’s Goosebush nicely and you have a wonderful cozy read.

I’m looking forward to more books in the series!

I enjoyed reading Wreathing Havoc. I’m usually good at figuring out “who done it” mysteries, but I didn’t figure this one out.
MS. Henry did a great job keeping my interest.
I recommend this book to those who like a good mystery. I also like the gardening tips at the end of the book. I think they might help any gardeners who read this book.

Mourning the death of one of Goosebush's most famous residents, Lilly Jayne and her friends prepare a small memorial to commemorate Leon Tomkins' life. The memorial includes a reunion of some of the best and brightest alumni from the theatre including two movie stars - Jeremy Nolan and his ex-wife actress Annabelle Keys. When someone else dies at the memorial, Lilly and Bash decide maybe Leon's death needs to be looked into more closely. There are plenty of suspects as the theatre crowd shows their not so friendly side. Another exciting and intriguing book in the Garden Squad series.

I’m so happy to be reading another Garden Squad cozy, I read the first three last year & they were such a highlight. This is blissfully autumnal & Lilly Jane is a delightful protagonist. One of the best things in this series is the supporting cast. They are one of the most endearing & well developed ones I’ve ever read in a cozy series, which is a huge bonus. This time around Lilly & her squad are getting caught up in the theatre world. Lilly Jayne is simply one of the best protagonists to read about, she’s elegant, kind, generous & helpful. It’s no wonder the whole town relies on her in one way or another! This series is one of the best that I read & will continue to read.

I came into this series on the second book and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I keep telling myself to go back and read the first one.

In book 4 we join Lilly and the Garden Squad on Thanksgiving weekend as they attend a memorial for a dear friend who owned the local theater. One thing leads to another and murder takes center stage.

I like the clean reading this series provides and how open and accepting the characters are of each other's lives. They just genuinely love each other for who they are.

The author does a phenomenal job of writing that you can start with any book in the series and be ok.

Wreathing Havoc releases on 9.28.2021.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley. All opinions expressed above are my own.

A fun cozy read. This is book four in the series, but you could jump in here and not be lost. The other books are worth reading as well.

Firstly I am grateful to Kensington Books for my e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. How is this book 4? This is my first book by Julia Henry and now I have to go back and read the other book because my interest is piqued. The beauty of this book is that you can totally read it as a standalone as the author makes you feel like you have read the other books.

The book is set in the Fall and follows our, main character Lily Jayne who is a busy bee and is no surprise that she is busy working on the wreaths for the library's fundraiser. Her shovel is stuck in the ground when the theatre owner Leon suddenly dies and one of the volunteers is deemed the main suspect. The Garden Squad takes matters into their own bucket to save their own. Totally enjoyed how fast-paced this book was, how lovable the characters were and I blame this book for making me think of gardening.

This series has become a hit or a miss for me. I enjoyed the first two, but the latest two just didn’t hold my attention.

Lilly Jayne and the rest of the residents of Goosebush, Massachusetts are mourning the sudden death of theater owner Leon Tompkin and are having a memorial in his honor. The memorial quickly becomes a sellout, especially because some Hollywood stars agree to appear at the memorial. When one of those stars is murdered at the memorial, the police are quick to arrest a local resident for the murder. Lilly, however, isn’t convinced that the police have the right person, so she and the rest of the Garden Squad set out to find the real killer.

“Wreathing Havoc” is the very nicely done fourth book in Julia Henry’s Garden Squad cozy mystery series. Although I am far from a gardener, I am loving this series more and more with each book. I really love the fact that most of the main characters, outside of Delia, are older – it’s a nice change from the twenty and thirty year olds that so often appear as main characters in cozy mysteries. Lilly as a character has grown on me as a character as the books progress – she’s a good friend, loyal to her town, generous behind the scenes, but not afraid to speak her mind – I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side! The rest of the characters are as equally well done as Lilly – especially the members of the Garden Squad. The theater aspects were well done although I did get confused at times as to the different theaters and who was in charge of what. Still, I wish I could see some of the plays they put on! The mystery itself is well done with plenty of suspects and twists and turns and some real excitement towards the end as the killer is revealed. Well done by Henry!

“Wreathing Havoc” is a nicely done cozy mystery.

A warm, cozy mystery with good friends that is a perfect match for the fall turning into winter season that is depicted in the story. This is part of a series but the first that I have read and I didn’t feel that I was missing anything by starting with this book. It is easy enough to remember the characters and their relationships to each other. While this series focuses on gardening, there isn’t that much in this particular book because of the fall time period. Instead, the theater takes front and center stage. Henry does a good job in portraying the fascinating and potentially tension filled world of drama, actors, money providers, directors and all the supporting cast that makes a production possible.

I really enjoyed the characters and their relationships to each other. It felt like visiting with friends. I also enjoyed the mystery which was more complex than you find in some cozy series. I guessed who the culprit was but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment, particularly because it had more substance and surprises I didn’t expect. I will definitely read more of this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This book did not hold my interest at all. It moved very slowly. I grew bored very quickly. I have never read this author before.

Wreathing Havoc is the fourth book in Henry's series set in the historic town of Goosebush on the coast of Massachusetts. Lilly - the 65 year old sleuth - is the descendant of a wealthy ship captain, and lives in the massive family home. Lilly is philanthropic, and cares about others and her town. At this time, she has several friends living with her.

The plot focuses on conflicts - current and past - in the local drama community. As well as pre-Christmas drama activities, the town is in the midst of preparations for a wreath contest, and an outdoor sculpture contest.

Henry has assembled a huge cast of characters whom I struggled to keep straight. Plot lines are complicated, and for me, too complicated. The action in the book really starts about two-thirds of the way through, and I found the last third much more enjoyable than the preceding chapters.

Lilly and her friends should be really likeable people, but Henry gives little information on how they feel, and this made them difficult for me to relate to. Lilly talks to and does things for many people in Goosebush, but I don't feel she has a deep connection with them. In future books, I hope Lilly becomes more three-dimensional.