I enjoyed this book much more than I thought that I would. I had liked the first couple in this series but then found that later books just didn't keep my attention as well. However, I found this story kept my interest and kept me up late at night finishing it.

The characters seem to me to be 'meshing' a bit better and the writing was top-notch.

This is a series best read in order to appreciate the growth of the characters.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were believable and interesting. The book is set in Alabama and it kept the rural town of Darling alive through the words. Would recommend.

Many thanks to Susan Wittig Albert, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught.

It’s Christmas in Darling, AL and the Dahlias are getting ready for the community puzzle competition. Mildred and Earlynne are preparing for the grand opening of their bakery. Meanwhile, the police department is trying to solve the mystery of some questionable events at the nearby prison.

This book 8 in the series but my first book. I had no problems following the story so the book can definitely be enjoyed as a stand-alone mystery. The characters are realistic, unique, and quirky. The book takes place in 1934 Alabama, being an Alabamian I learned a lot about life during this time in places that I have been often. The storyline grabbed me from the beginning and held my attention until the end. The friendships and other relationships felt real and the well placed red herrings keep the mystery intact. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more of this series.

I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.

The story is set in Darling, a small town where I found really nice and interesting characters. The plot is easy but intriguing. Thank you Netgalley for this cozy read.

This is the first time I've read any of Susan Wittig Albert's work, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Set in 1934, in the rural Alabama town of Darling, the story revolves a close knit group of residents whose lives merge together on a series of problems and events. Everything from a jigsaw puzzle solving contest to murder, and moonshine, and possible abduction, and a new bakery, and even a touch of romance make this story memorable. I was fascinated by the small historical facts brought out about the time period as well. This author is a real story teller, and I can't wait to read another of her books!

#TheDarlingDahliasAndThePoinsettiaPuzzle #NetGalley
I received this ARC from NetGalley and it was darling ( smiling), actually it was a great read and sorry I have not explored this series before this! I loved the fact that Susan Wittig Albert explained what book certain events would have happened in, which is terrific, since this was my first.

The author is a favorite of mine and I have read and reviewed many of her books( A Wilder Rose, The General's Women, Loving Eleanor) and read two of her series (Robin Paige and Beatrix Potter ) Not quite sure why I did not try this one but that can soon be remedied.

The town, the Dahlia's and all the supporting characters were so well done, as was the mystery and how it was solved. The romance between Mr. Moseley and Liz was such a good ending, as was the murder/bootlegging prison investigation and arrest which preceded it.

Please read this to find out about the Poinsettia Puzzle and "Hide the Cupcake" and you will enjoy it as I did

This is the first book of the series that I've read. It's a charming story set in Darling, Alabama during the great depression. The Dahlias are adorable. My favorite part of the story is the town. It's an atmospheric read that cozy mystery fans will enjoy.

This most recent book in the Darling Dahlias series takes place during the holiday season and, once again, the Dahlias are called upon to take care of one of their own. There are multiple story lines in this book, but Ms Albert handles them all quite well. Interspersed throughout the story are glimpses of life during the Depression and just prior to WWII. Even though it doesn’t seem to have quite as much of this kind of insight as some of the other books in the series, it is still interesting from an historical perspective.

The mystery itself is quite simple and, for me, isn’t the main focus of the book. Instead, I enjoyed getting reacquainted with the residents of Darling. For an afternoon read, this cozy mystery might be just the ticket.

Many thanks to NetGallley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

The Dahlias series of books is as much about the town and its inhabitants as the murder. The town is worried they'll lose the talented Cupcake to her feckless Father and do everything they can to protect her.

Its an interesting insight into 1930s America still suffering from the depression.

Everybody in this story has a crisis of some kind. But the Darling Dahlias are up to to meeting the challenge. So are the other town people.

Persevero Press and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It has already been published and you can grab a copy now.

The newspaper editor finds his wife is writing a monthly check for someone. He doesn't know why. A man is killed in a traffic accident and his killer commits suicide at the prison. But it isn't suicide. A little girl who can sing and tap dance is being threatened by her father. He wants her talent and the money she'll make him even if he tried to give her away for adoption after her birth. A new bakery is opening but nobody knows how to make bread. The prison is making moonshine. The old sheriff took payoffs to ignore it. The new sheriff isn't going to do that.

With all those problems, the story keeps you reading and wondering what's going to happen next. The characters are enjoyable. They're working on winning a puzzle contest. You want to do a puzzle with them?

I have read a number of books by this author and have enjoyed them all, so I had high expectations for this book and it did not disappoint. Although it was classified as a mystery novel, I think it is much more than that. The mysteries in this novel seem almost incidental to the plot, which involves the lives and relationships of the residents of a small southern town, just after the Great Depression. This novel is well researched and gives some insight into how people lived during this time. The characters are interesting and well developed and even though there are quite a few of them, the author has endowed them with enough individuality for the reader to keep them straight.

I really liked this book and feel that it would appeal to a broad range of readers.

It’s 1934 and the town of Darling, Alabama is still in the throes of the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world - The Great Depression. The ladies of the local garden club (the Dahlias) are all engrossed in their personal interests, aspirations and conflicts. Two are taking the plunge and opening a bakery on the town square, while others are gearing up for the local jigsaw puzzle contest, there is a little “Cupcake” whose future may be in jeopardy, and the sheriff believes he may have stumbled on a murder as well as other criminal activity at the local prison farm and has enlisted the help of Charlie Dickens, the publisher of the local newspaper. On a more personal level, it appears that there may be romance on the horizon for one of the Dahlias as well as a career opportunity.

These are just a taste of the many things this clever book has going on but author Susan Wittig Albert manages to keep “all the balls in the air” in this entertaining juggling act. Her characters are strong, loyal and magnetic, the cultural and community details of the era informative and the various story threads keep the reader glued to the page.

Ms. Albert has even placed a cherry on top of this delightful confection in the form of recipes for some scrumptious Southern goodies that are sure to tempt your sweet tooth not to mention the helpful botanical and gardening information for those with a green thumb.

This cozy is a fun, quick read to add to your holiday season…..or you can hold off and welcome spring with a visit to this idyllic Southern town.

Charming book about life in a small town. The characters are funny and endearing. It's Christmas 1934 and there are a lot of mysteries going on for such a small town. Fans of cozy mysteries will be charmed.

I have read all the other books in this series, and must say, up front, that this is not and will never be my favorite. A lot is happening in depression-era Darling, AL. The Darling Dahlias are plenty busy with all that is going on and, besides, it is the hectic, busy Christmas season. The group decides to join in the community puzzle contest, so their team is busy practicing putting puzzles together in preparation for the big event. Surprising facts come up about a recent suicide, leading law enforcement to question what really occurred. The town’s beloved niece of one of the group’s members, “Cupcake’s” mysterious past has come to call, and she may now be in danger. Liz finds that even the town lawyer, for whom she has worked for years, has had to cut back on her hours because of the depression, and she must seek out new avenues to follow to stay afloat financially, while new love interest emerges. Two members of the Dahlias open a start-up bakery, with all the problems/work that involves. As I said, a lot is going on in Darling during this holiday season.

As with the other books, the author brings the reader right into the heart of downtown Darling, AL, with all its quirky but wonderful citizens and their daily struggles and successes during this depression era. I enjoyed reading about their lives, as I have in the other books. One thing I found distracting almost to the point of being a turn-off was the way the author kept referencing other books in the series by name whenever she discusses things about various characters. It almost seemed as if she was pushing her books on the reader, if he/she had not already read them. Providing some back story might have been a better approach and would definitely have seemed less like the author was pushing her books. There also is not much of a story here. I agree with other reviewers that there is just too much going on to focus on one central plot, so you end up with a mis-match of different occurrences/events loosely tied together in the book. Any one of the events/occurrences could easily have provided enough for one solid book. Still, I enjoyed reading about the Dahlias and their lovely small town. I am sure anyone else who has enjoyed the other books in the series will enjoy this one. There is an underlying Christmas theme also very present but not too overwhelming. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

“The Darling Dahlias and the Poinsettia Puzzle” is the first one I read in this series, although I read many other books by this author. It was well worth the time to read it! I was drawn in to the characters from the beginning of the book. The historical setting from the past brought the 1930’s to life. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters, and learning more about police procedures in the time period. Many of the characters reminded me of ladies I knew when I was growing up in the 1950’s! The plot moved along to maintain my interest and reveal new bits of information at every turn. The seasonal aspects of the story added to the spice of the novel, but did not overpower the main plot. This novel served as an “appetizing” introduction for me, and I intend to read more in this series.
I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I've read other Susan Wittig Albert books but this was my first time reading a Darling Dahlias adventure. The 1930s time period of the book is interesting and makes for a good setting for this mystery. If you are looking for a fun Christmas cozy, this is a good choice. It made me want to decorate for Christmas and start a jigsaw puzzle!

Once again, this series takes us directly to the 1930s, providing us with detail that allows us to see and feel like we're right in Darling as silent characters. More information came forth regarding various main characters, leading me to believe there may be another book in this series. One can only hope! Anyone who is a fan of Susan Wittig Albert's other series, must add this series to their 'to be read' list.

I've only read one book previously in this series and that was the one that was published before this one. But, I've read a number of Susan Wittig Albert books and I pretty much want to read anything she writes. And as always (nowadays) did I both listen to the audiobook as well as reading parts of the book. What can I say, the perks with my job is that I can listen to audiobooks all day long...

One thing that I find so great with this series is that, despite it having so many characters, is it easy to get into the story. Much thanks both to the character list as well as a few tidbits the author gives during the stories progress about the people in Darling. The Darling Dahlias is such a charming series and I loved to once again return to this little town in Alabama. Also, I love books set in the 30s, it such an interesting time period. As for this book, there are several things going on, a new bakery is open up (with lots of drama involved). Little Cupcake father is out to try to get her back after discovering her sing talents. And an old case has to reopen ... and much more happens in Darling. Oh, I almost forgot the puzzle competition set in Darling...

A lovely book that I recommend warmly!

This is the first book that I have read in this series and I loved it! I must now go back and start with number one. The characters are enjoyable and the historical setting is perfect. Thanks to Persevero Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.