This is the first book in the new Desert Flowers series.

I have tried to read this book several times and to be honest, the story and the characters do not interest me and I just couldn't get invested in Poppy, a widowed retiree and her pals (Violet and Iris).

I really did try to get through it but this is one of the rare "did not finish" on my list. Many people must love Poppy and friends, because there are many more in the series but it's just not for me.

When Poppy finds out she is broke, she and Iris and Violet form a detective agency. They use her daughter’s boyfriend to be the face of the agency to get clients. The first case is finding the stolen jewelry of a singer in a retirement village. A murder occurs during the investigation which complicates the case. First in a new series.
Goodreads

I liked Poppy, Iris and Violet and how Poppy's friends showed their support when her husband died and she found out that he had left her a mountain of debt. All three ladies are in their 60s and use their life experience to help Poppy create a new life for herself. She is a former actress that expected to spend her golden years comfortably, but now has to figure out what she can do to make a living and support herself. She decides that she wants to become a private investigator, which her daughter Heather is opposed to, but her friends support and help her to open an office. Heather's boyfriend Matt ends up playing a larger part in the story than I anticipated when his character was first introduced. I hope that the ladies get more recognition for their sleuthing skills in the next book. Overall this was a good story and I would recommend it to other cozy readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Poppy Harmon is a more mature sleuth, who has to find a job to support herself after being involved in charity work and raising her daughter. She finds herself penniless and in debt after the death of her third husband. She was an actress who worked on a detective series earlier in her life, and using what she learned on the set, assisting the writer, as well as her skills of observation and solving puzzles, she applies for a Private Investigator licence. With the backing of her two best friends, Violet and Iris, she opens the Desert Flowers detective agency. Unfortunately, no one is interested in hiring a group of middle aged women as PIs. Deciding to take on Matt, Poppy's daughter's boyfriend as a front (think Remington Steele) they get their first case, a robbery. Of course, during the investigation, a murder occurs and they have more on their plate than they expected.

Poppy is a great character. She refuses to take charity from her friends, Violet and Iris, and make a go of her new career. She is smart, intuitive and extremely observant, all great skills for her new profession. Violet is a hoot. She brings in her 12 year old grandson, Wyatt, to be their technical advisor and he has some wicked skills. Poppy is pretty apprehensive about his hacking, but Violet is more results driven. Iris takes a bit getting used to. She is a gruff, tell it like it is woman, who is loyal to her friends and wants to help Poppy recover. Then there is Matt. He is a struggling actor, extremely handsome, and thinks this is a great gig to improve his acting. He is a bit of a media hog and takes the credit for Poppy's investigative work, but by the end of the story, he comes around a bit and I actually liked him. Poppy's daughter, I had some issues with. Not only was she keeping secrets from her mother, but was rather demeaning to her. Again, my opinions changed as the story wrapped up. The mystery was well written. There were a lot of suspects in the murder, as well as the robberies. Were they connected was another puzzle. I enjoyed how Poppy and her friends puzzled it out, used their acting skills to throw suspects off and had fun doing it. This is a great start to a new series and I am looking forward to seeing what Lee Hollis has in store for her readers in the next book in this series.

Poppy Harmon is a bright and intrepid woman, but she's had a bit of a shock. Her recently deceased husband turned out to be a gambler who has run through all their money. She was an actress in her youth, but has few resources or job prospects.
She turns out to have unsuspected skills as a detective. But convincing anyone to hire a lady of a certain age as a sleuth is harder than she thought it would be. Fortunately, Poppy has a posse of friends with surprising abilities. Soon she's embroiled in a complicated case.
This is a sprightly introduction to what I hope will be a long series. Quirky characters and a nice desert setting make for an enjoyable read. The writing is smart and breezy.

Poppy Harmon is adorable and who could blame her for wanting to take control of her life when it seems completely out of control. Lied to and deceived, feeling like a has been, Poppy goes from being a Hollywood detective's secretary to the detective. But who is going to take her seriously even with the proper credentials? Her two closest friends do, the other desert flowers. After enlisting the help of her daughter's boyfriend Mark, to be the "face" of the agency they get their first case. Who knew that there could be such mayhem in a retirement community and not just because someone has been helping themselves to the good stuff, like diamonds and dough. Then there is the murder and now the agency is solving the B&E as well as clearing the name of a fellow actress/songbird with boy- toy lothario for a husband. Plenty of gossip and good suspects in the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. Great read, can't wait to see how the next one goes. The twists and turns and complete surprise ending had me on my proverbial seat, second guessing the "who done it" and never seeing who it really was until the very end!

Poppy Harmon finds after her husband's sudden death that he had a gambling problem and lost all their money. Broke, the only way that Poppy can think to fill her coffers, is to become a Private investigator. Passing the test and getting her license, Poppy opens the Desert Flower Detective agency with her two friends Iris and Violet but discovers that people don't want to hire old ladies to do their investigations. Poppy persuades her daughter's boyfriend, an actor, to become the face of the agency while the ladies handle the investigations. A local celebrity hires Desert Flowers to find some stolen jewelry which leads to the discovery of the murder of a suspect.

The characters came off well for a start but I see vast room for expansion of their personalities. Great start.

This is book 1 in the new Desert Flowers Mystery series and it's a wonderful beginning. Poppy Harmon is retired and living in Palm Springs. When she becomes a widow and penniless she needs to earn some money, opening a private investigation office. When she hires Matt to pose as the lead investigator she gets a case to find missing jewelry right in her retirement community. It soon becomes a murder investigation. I think there are plenty of characters to make this an interesting series, my only complaint is the cover is a little misleading that the series is about older characters although I'm sure there are women who could carry that look. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed this debut mystery starring a mature protagonist and set near lovely Palm Springs. A retired actress, Poppy should have had some money to fall back on, but not much when her gambling husband leaves her without much inheritance. She applies for her P.I. license after all, it can't be that hard if you can play one on tv. With her well written friends Rose and Iris, the agency opens and the fun and mysteries begin.

This is the first in the Desert Flower Mystery series. I am super glad I got in on this cozy series early! This book was such fun! I love all the characters, well Poppy's daughter is not my favorite, but perhaps in time. How wonderfully corny that Poppy's friends are Iris and Violet. Iris, the German with the feisty attitude and Violet is so sweet, but clever also. Matt, well Matt saves the day in more ways than one! I cannot wait for book two. What fun can these amazing ladies who are such great friends with such varied backgrounds and their handsome face of the agency, Matt, find in their next adventure? I did not realize I had read a Lee Hollis book previously until I went to Goodreads. I read the 10th installment in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series. I loved that book also and have plans to read the previous 9 books. Not only is that a great series, but also, the writing format of the book was unique and fun! I highly recommend both series. Lee Hollis, a brother and sister writing team, is officially on my list of favorite authors. I am giving this a 4.5 star review rounded to 5-stars.

Princess Fuzzypants here: We almost gave up on this book in the first chapter. Poppy’s husband has died suddenly and if she had known the things she discovers after his death, she might have killed him and got off on Justifiable Homicide. I mean it is a total downer. She finds out he has left her broke with huge debts and that is but the beginning. As a former actress who gave up her career 30 years ago, she has to start again as a lady of a certain age. In a world that dismisses women who have the nerve to age, she must reinvent herself. And how she does this is when the story turned around for me. She is one plucky, feisty and smart lady despite being ignorant of her husband’s double life.
She realizes she is too old for Hollywood but when she starred on a tv series, she discovered she had a knack for solving mysteries. What better way to earn a living than to become a PI.
Sadly, the world is not ready for a sixty-something lady PI so she and her partners in crime enlist a young sexy guy, who happens to be Poppy’s daughter’s actor boyfriend. Poppy has reservations about Matt but there is more to him than meets the eye...and the eye candy is sweet. A la Remington Steele, the ladies do the work and Matt takes the bows.
They have a humdinger of a first job. Initially they are hired to find the jewellery stolen from another icon from the past and then, when her arch rival is found murdered, they switch gears to prove their client did not murder the woman. They are good at what they do. Really good. So good that they find the jewels, and prove the innocence of the client. Unfortunately, they are so good they find the murderer and it is not whom they think. In fact, the reader will be as surprised as Poppy is to learn who did it
It is a great story with fascinating characters who show that ladies with a few wrinkles and some mileage still have what it takes. Matt is also quite endearing after starting off like an obnoxious twit. I suspect and hope we will be treated to future adventures. It will be interesting to see if the ladies finally take the spotlight from Matt. I can hardly wait.
I give it five purrs and two paws up.

Poppy Harmon is just what the cozy mystery world needed! A fun character with a unique way of investigating it is a book that I really enjoyed reading three times. I know I am specific here but I haven't had a chance to read it again. Anyways, I have really liked this author and this latest series is sure to be a home run! Three cheers for Poppy!

Ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner! This is a wonderful first installment to a new cozy series. The quirky characters are fun. The plot is very well written. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. Thanks to netgalley for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a delightfully charming start to a new cozy series. I enjoyed the story and characters and look forward to more from Lee Hollis.

A light-hearted cozy mystery with an eclectic cast of characters. Slightly reminiscent of the old TV show “Remington Steele”, but that just adds to the fun. The answer to the mystery was a complete surprise to me. I liked the characters and wanted to love this book, but there was just too much “Hollywood scandal” in this one for me, I liked the author’s writing style, however, and I’d read another of her books.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This is a great cozy mystery series debut ! I loved this book and the introduction of a savvy senior protagonist is so very welcome in the cozy world. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the ARC for review. My opinions are my own,
Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis is the first novel in A Desert Flowers Mystery series. Poppy Harmon i learns that her recently deceased 4th husband, Chester gambled away all their money and left her deeply in debt. Poppy with the aid of her two friends, also senior ladies,, Iris Becker and Violet Hogan open The Desert Flowers Detective Agency.
Unfortunately, people do not want to hire three mature women to solve their cases and their business is soon to go down the tubes before it starts. Poppy gets a great idea for marketing and recruits her daughter’s actor boyfriend, Matt Cameron to be the face of the agency. Matt, though, prefers a more hands on approach. Their first client is entertainer, Shirley Fox who lost uninsured jewelry in a recent break in. It turns out that there have been a rash of burglaries in the same complex. Shirley wants the agency to retrieve her cache of jewels. While investigating the thefts, Poppy finds a well known actress, Olivia Hammersmith dead . Are the thefts and the murder connected? Poppy, Iris, and Violet along with Matt are determined to solve the mystery and make a success of their new business.

Iris, Violet, Heather Poppy and Rose are lively ladies in their 60s who are ready to take on this business 100%. . The supporting charcters are all adding depth and humor to the story. The two mysteries are well crafted and interesting. The interactions between Poppy, Iris and Violet are delightful and their funny antics will have you giggling. I enjoyed it and look forward to the next in this fun series. It is such a refreshing change to read about senior sleuth's in a cozy. Thank you to the author as we all tire of the proverbial pretty 30th something with a tiny waist . The combination of these senior ladies are what makes this series great !

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This series is off to an incredible start!

When life deals her lemons, retired actress Poppy Harmon makes a fantastic batch of lemonade by contacted an old friend to give her the credentials she needs to become a private investigator. Together with her friends Iris and Violet the Desert Flowers Detective Agency is born. The only problem no one wants to hire a bunch of senior ladies comfortable with a man for their investigation. Poppy does a little fast footwork and lines up her daughter’s boyfriend Matt, also an actor to be the face of the business. People are more comfortable with a man as the head sleuth, and they get a client. There has been a rash of burglaries at the Palm Leaf Retirement Village and a wealthy elderly actress has lost her jewelry valued at more than all the other thefts put together. Poppy is on the case but then she discovers a Palm Leaf resident dead and she happens to be a bitter enemy of Poppy’s client. Hang on tight because as she investigates Poppy finds a tie to the husband that left her penniless in the first place.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. Poppy Harmon, a socialite has her life turned upside down when her 4th husband dies after spending their fortune. She was completely in the dark. Their home was mortgaged to the hilt and she has no way to make the huge payments. In her time of need, her friends Iris and Violet come to her rescue offering a place to live and money to tide her over. She has always liked solving mysteries, she even played a secretary to a P.I. on a television show. Her friends think it is an excellent idea and Violet even brings in her grandson to set up their website and social media accounts. After a little snafu with the website, they know they need to bring in a man, Matt. He is excited about the role he is to play, but his girlfriend thinks all 5 of them have lost their minds. These characters are fun and very engaging and their presence just leaps off the page. I want to know all of them better.

After introducing the characters, Hollis doesn’t just give us one mystery, but two. The jewelry thefts and the murder. Filled with more twists than I ever imagined possible I couldn’t put this book down. Up reading late, the final twist blew me totally away. In fact, I had to go back and read it again to be sure my tired brain wasn’t playing tricks on me.

Lee Hollis gave me everything I look for in a cozy mystery and made is super easy to escape right into the story. A gifted storyteller mixing outstanding characters and a marvelous mystery. The exact right amount of humor was added too. The real bonus is that Poppy, Violet, and Iris are vibrant active women in their 60’s. Gives me hope as I am quickly approaching that age. If I could I would shout about this book from the rooftops! It will without question make my Best Reads of 2018 List.

Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis is the 1st book in A Desert Flowers Mystery series, and a great beginning. I have always liked Ms. Hollis's Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series, so I was excited to read this new series. Poppy is a 62 year old widow who learns her husband left her broke. Not only is she going to lose her house, she needs to find a job. With the help of her two friends Iris and Violet they start the Desert Flowers Detective Agency. I really loved this book, it was laugh out loud funny, and I like that the book features strong middle age women. I am looking forward to the next Poppy and friends adventure. I recommend this book, if you like fun cozy mysteries.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis is the first novel in A Desert Flowers Mystery series. Poppy Harmon is shocked when she learns that her recently deceased husband, Chester gambled away all their money and left her deeply in debt. Poppy with the aid of her two friends, Iris Becker and Violet Hogan open The Desert Flowers Detective Agency. Unfortunately, people do not want to hire three mature women to solve their cases. That is when Poppy recruits her daughter’s actor boyfriend, Matt Cameron to be the face of the agency. Matt, though, prefers a more hands on approach. Their first client is entertainer, Shirley Fox who lost uninsured jewelry in a recent break in at her home in the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. It turns out that there have been a rash of burglaries in the complex. Shirley wants the agency to retrieve her cache of jewels. While investigating the thefts, Poppy finds actress, Olivia Hammersmith dead in her home. Are the thefts and the murder connected? Poppy, Iris, and Violet along with Matt are determined to get answers and make a success of their fledgling business.

Poppy Harmon Investigates has an adorable cover and it is what drew me to the book. I thought the book was easy to read. It is a little bit of a slow starter, but the pace picks up as you get further into the story. The author took the time to set up Poppy’s character along with Iris, Violet, Heather and Matt. Poppy, Rose and Violet are lively ladies in their 60s who are ready to take on a new challenge. How Poppy obtained her private investigators license was a little farfetched. Her “experience” does not qualify her for the work. The mystery did not begin until I was 40% into the story when the agency is hired to investigate Shirley’s jewelry theft. The murder does not occur until later in the book and I wish it had been more of a feature. It is an interesting mystery. The two mysteries are not difficult to solve especially for those readers who devour cozy mysteries. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story (my mother laughed her way through the book). She thought the ladies and Matt’s antics were quite entertaining. I was not fond of Heather and her treatment of her mother. She feels that it is silly for her mother to embark on this venture at her age and does not hesitate to let Poppy know what she thinks repeatedly (it was inappropriate and uncomfortable). Heather does not appreciate Matt getting involved in her mother’s shenanigans (Heather’s words). Iris has her grandson, Wyatt set up their website and utilizes him for his other handy computer skills (hacking). I did not like how they encouraged his hacking (and hope that they do not get caught). The interactions between Poppy, Iris and Violet are delightful and their hijinks will have you giggling. My rating for Poppy Harmon Investigates is 3 out of 5 stars. A Desert Flowers Mystery series has potential. I hope the author will add a more compelling mystery in the next book that is the focus of the story and develop the characters further. Poppy Harmon Investigates is a light, amusing cozy mystery that will appeal to fans of Lee Hollis.

Poppy Harmon Investigates is great fun for fans of madcap stories like those featuring Stephanie Plum and Serge Storms!

Poppy discovers soon after her husband’s death that he has gambled away their life saving and over-mortgaged the house. Poppy, a 62-year-old former C-level actress, must find some way to support herself. Her most famous television role as a private detective’s ditzy secretary makes her decide to open her own detective agency in her hometown of Palm Springs. Poppy’s daughter Heather feels her mother is wasting her time pursuing detective work. However, Poppy hires her daughter’s actor boyfriend Matt as the young and handsome face of the agency along with her two retired friends, blunt Iris and shy Violet, and Violet’s techie 12-year-old grandson Wyatt. Poppy soon gets her first case—a burglary of an elderly, still somewhat famous singer (think Doris Day) Shirley Fox. Shirley’s gated retirement community has been victim to a rash of these crimes. When a body is found by Poppy, the game suddenly gets real.

Poppy Harmon Investigates is a hilarious look at how aging is viewed in our society. I absolutely loved the characters in this book! It is hard not to see myself in Poppy’s desire to be a private eye and solve mysteries like the ones in the books she has been solving all her life. You have to admire her chutzpah in getting her California PI license and setting up her agency. When life gives her lemons, Poppy buys some vodka and makes a Vodka Collins! Heather, Matt, Iris and Violet are all characters ripe for exploration in future entries in this series.

Poppy Harmon Investigates is perfect for mystery readers of a certain age but others will also be amused by the gang’s shenanigans. It’s as if Stephanie Plum has aged 20 years, opened a detective agency but kept her zany wit. I can’t wait for the next book in the series. 5 stars!

Thanks to the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.