Wreathing Havoc by Julia Henry is an excellent cozy mystery that is the fourth installment of the wonderful A Garden Squad Mystery series. I loved this one just as much as every book before it.

It was so wonderful to visit the picturesque town of Goosebush, MA again. The vast array of interesting, endearing, quirky, and entertaining characters/inhabitants never leaves us short in reference to material and antics.

The Garden Squad is at it again, beautifying, improving, and simplifying one dilemma after another. At times it is horticulture, at other times it is solving a murder/mystery. This book is no exception. I loved visiting with Lilly, Tamara, Delia, Ernie, Roddy, and the gang again. I really enjoyed following along while they are thrown into another suspense-filled, intriguing, and beguiling murder mystery and weed through all of the culprits. I was surprised by the ending and enjoyed spending time again with this heartwarming set of friends. Can't wait for the next book.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Kensington for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Goosebush, MA, and the Garden Squad are devastated by the unexpected death of their friend, Leon Tompkin. Everyone knew that Leon was ill, but still, his death was a surprise. Then they learn that his death was suspicious, and Lily Jayne and her gardening friends swing into action to find out exactly what happened. I really like the secondary characters in this series, as I've mentioned before, but Lily herself is just too perfect: her house is always perfectly maintained, her garden is always perfectly maintained, her self is always perfectly maintained. It makes her an unsympathetic character to this reader, although others may not be irritated by all that perfection. However, in this entry in the series, the secondary characters assume slightly more prominence, to its enrichment. Roddy remains my favorite character, and I hope we learn more about him. He's clearly being set up as a romantic interest for Lily, which, to be honest, I'm not sure I want to read. But I do appreciate that Lily is presented as fashionable and attractive in her 60s, although some of her attitudes and behaviors seem far older than those espoused by the 60-year-olds I know (and as of this writing, I'm 56). The murder of Leon is linked to events that happened decades ago at his beloved local theater. This book rather obviously but with some deftness weaves the two storylines. However, the murderer was obvious from the beginning, and that always disappoints me a little. I'm actively trying to not figure out whodunnit because I want to be surprised. The series is pleasant, and it's always nice to read about late autumn and early winter when the temperatures are 108*F and rising outside. Goosebush is growing on me, and I'm willing to suffer Lily's insufferable certainties to visit every now and then.

I enjoyed this book. It's an interesting story with lots of details. The characters are great. The reveal of the killer was intense. #WreathingHavoc #NetGalley

I loved the idea of holiday wreaths with a literary twist. The characters are entertaining and have great chemistry within their "squad." The mystery is fun and engaging, with well-placed red herrings to keep the reader in suspense of whodunit. I recommend this book to cozy mystery fans.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

It's Fall and Lily Jayne and the Garden Squad are busily working on wreaths for a library fundraiser. However, when a a theater owner suddenly dies and a celebrity, who came home to star in a production is murdered, death takes a chilling turn as one of Lily's friends may be a murderer!

These books are a joy to read - from the character of Lily who is tough but kind, a mystery you can't put down, the diverse personalities of the Garden Squad and the lovely descriptions of Goosebush, Massachusetts! The characters are relatable and feel like old friends. This mystery was maybe my favorite because it delved into the theater world and the tangled relationships among a group of actors and friends.

I am ready for another Goosebush mystery!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The owner of the local theater has died. He'd been ill, but no one (including Leon) realized how short his time was. Lilly agrees to help Leon's son settle his estate. When an actor ends up being murdered in the theater and it somehow could be connected to incidents from the past and maybe even Leon's death. Lilly and the garden squad start asking questions.
This book takes place in the fall and there isn't too much gardening going on in the story, but Ms. Henry includes quite a few fall gardening tips at the end of the book. Lilly is not always the most likable character, but she certainly gets things done. I love the supporting characters, Tamara, Delia, and Ernie. I think they soften Lilly and make the books more enjoyable.

There was a lot of moving parts with Wreathing Havoc, which to me made it all the more interesting. The theater production - the wreaths - the garden sculptures - the treacherous waters of people who have a long history together - the changing and deepening dynamics of the Garden Squad themselves. I loved how Julia Henry tied everything together. Henry weaves a tight narrative and an engrossing mystery, one where you may think you know the culprit, or why they did what they did, but you truly have no idea what Henry will do next. It makes for such a lovely mystery and reading experience.

Something that I have said before about this series and no doubt will say again is that every time I read a Garden Squad mystery, I feel like I am returning to a group of dear friends. I truly like all of the characters, and am invested in their health, well-being, and happiness. I love their bond, I love how supportive and kind and generous they are with one another, and I love how they are understanding of each other’s flaws and still care for each other regardless. They take care of each other, and to my mind are truly the definition of a found family. These are the kinds of relationships we as readers should all wish for and work toward.

As always, I cannot wait until the Garden Squad’s next adventure to see where it takes them.

A Plethora Of Suspects…
The fourth in the Garden Squad Mystery series and Autumn has arrived in Goosebush. A sudden death creates a dark cloud over the season, a reunion and memorial goes awry and another death really throws a spanner into the works. With a plethora of suspects, will the real killer ever be found? Fun cosy mystery with a likeable and wonderfully diverse cast of characters and a fast moving storyline. A worthy addition to the series.

Fabulous! I love this series. I think this might be my favorite book in the series, so far. Looking forward to MANY more in the series! The mystery was very interesting, and I'm not at all familiar with the theater. The pages turned too fast and it was over way too soon. The characters are great, especially the main character, Lilly. I love that most of the characters are young seniors, and gardening always makes a presence. I can't wait for the next Garden Squad mystery.

Wreathing Havoc is the fourth installment in the A Garden Squad Mystery series set in Goosebush, MA and featuring Lilly Jayne and her friends. It's late Fall in Goosebush and the community is mourning the loss of theater owner Leon Tompkin. Prior to his death Leon had arranged for past members of the community theater group, the Goosebush Players to perform a reading of Dickens' Christmas Carol.

As the saying goes, the show must go on - that is until one of the players winds up dead. Jeremy Nolan is now a Hollywood movie star so with the increasing paparazzi presence in town, the pressure is on Chief Sebastian "Bash" Haywood to catch a killer and he's going to need all the help he can get from Lilly and her friends. The problem is that there was just too much going on behind the scenes of the theater and now there are too many suspects.

A fun addition to the series, the regular cast of characters continues to bond and welcomes newcomers, both human and feline, into their group. The author does a great job blending Senior Citizens with younger members of the community.

I received an advanced copy of Wreathing Havoc from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

This series is really coming into it's own! I love that they've incorporated a cast of all different ages and there's LGBTQ representation, and that no one blinks an eye. I'm hopefully that after this book, this will feature more BIPOC as well. As for the mystery, or mysteries, great as always. I love being able to follow on along with Lilly to see if I can figure out the mysteries and it's great to see that she's not just dismissed because of her age. I guessed the murderer correctly, but I definitely didn't get the why until they spelled it out for me.

Set around Thanksgiving, this a fun well written read with great characters and mystery. Very enjoyable series.

small-town, senior-sleuths, friendship, family-dynamics, law-enforcement, actors, murder, murder-investigation*****

(A Garden Squad Mystery #4)
Community theater is out of my comfort zone, but a murder with a hint that this is not the first is right up my alley. The Garden Squad is a group of friends who have lived in the area and have known each other for enough decades that many are retired. The backdrop is a a library fundraiser with everyone making wreaths based on a famous novel. There are some hinky things going on and a director with delusions of grandeur, the a visiting renowned actor is murdered by poison and the state police are very interesting. Let the sleuthing begin!
It's a good fun read full of twists and red herrings, and some really delightful characters, and I loved it!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Lily Jayne and the Garden Squad are some friends I would enjoy having. Goosebush can you image living there. The owner of the local theater is murdered. When a friend is under suspicion the squad gets to work.
#WreathingHavoc #NetGalley

I've enjoyed her other books, but this one just wasn't my cup of tea, I'm afraid. Other readers may enjoy it very much, though.

Julia Henry wrote another gripping, heartwarming and entertaining story and I thoroughly enjoyed it turning pages as fast as I could.
There's plenty to love in this book: great characters like Lily and the Garden Squad, new characters and a complex mystery, full of twists and turns. The solution came as a surprise and be ready for a lot of surprises.
I missed a bit the guerrilla gardening part but I loved this story.
Can't wait to read the next novel, this one is strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Carve out some reading time for this book! I absolutely LOVE Lily Jayne and the Garden Squad. Great plot with characters that have become like family members to me. Goosebush is definitely a place that I want to visit. This is such a fun series and once again Ms. Henry has delighted her fans! Do yourself a favor and read this book! Thanks #netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The local theater company has lost their benefactor and head of their board. With former members in town that made it big in town for the funeral, they decide to join a special presentation the man was planning before his death. But the lead actor is poisoned after the public performance and everyone seems to have a claim to the theater he owned.

With Lily and the gang, they seem to find a few things that don’t sit right with them and suspect the first death may have been a murder as well. Now the Garden Squad is sleuthing and trying to find the killer and put the town at ease. Hopefully the Garden Squad isn’t buried as a result of their efforts, but to reap, you must first sow and they’re willing to get their hands dirty in the name of justice.

I really enjoy this series. Smart characters and a strong protagonist that I want to be when I grow up…yeah, it’s that good! Every town has their challenges, but Goosebush has the Garden Squad to help make it a better place all around. I have yet to be disappointed in one of these entries and look forward to many more to come.

It is Thanksgiving and the Garden Club members are grieving the death of a friend, Leon, connected to the local theater. His death does not seem suspicious at first, but then a visiting movie celebrity is murdered. Events from the past at the theater may be the reason for current threats to the residents. Lilly and her friends are pulled in to the investigation when they start thinking Leon's death may not have been natural. The older characters in this series acknowledge the wear and tear on their bodies and take an occasional nap, but their minds are sharp and they try to help the younger chief of police when they can. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lilly Jayne and the garden squad are at it again in this fantastic addition to this series penned by Julia Henry.
As Lilly prepares for the Thanksgiving holiday, her joy ends fast when a dear friend dies, leaving everyone saddened and confused. Tempers run wild when everyone has their own idea that they should be included on the decisions regarding the theater that they all love.
This is an incredibly exciting story and I enjoyed every minute of it. I highly recommend this series to any cozy mystery fan.
#WreathingHavoc #NetGalley