This cozy mystery was entertaining, although I was no fan of Luke. It is no easy feat being the main suspect in a murder you didn’t commit, especially on your second day in town. It had an engaging and intriguing storyline.

When Luke’s aunt, Marguerite, was killed in a hit-and-run accident, she left a thriving antique business and her cottage to him. Luke was surprised that he was her sole beneficiary because he hadn’t talked to her in over 20 years. Not wanting the business or cottage, Luke plans to visit Crescent Cove, settle his aunt’s estate, sell everything, and head back to Toronto. But that is easier said than done. Luke is assaulted at the cottage by a man who insists that his aunt is holding a box for him. The following day, that man is found dead in the back garden of the cottage. Luke is forced to stay in Crescent Cove while the Mounties investigate the death. But, when the antique shop is broken into and an employee is hurt, Luke decides to look into what is happening. Using his skills as an investigative journalist, Luke soon discovers that Crescent Cove has secrets, and someone doesn’t want their secrets uncovered. What secret is so life-altering that someone is willing to kill for it? And will Luke realize that Crescent Cove might be the perfect place for him to be?

The Body in the Back Garden was one of the last books I downloaded from Crooked Lane Books. I discovered that I needed to improve in the cozy mystery department and decided to download a few Read Now books on their NetGalley page. I got a variety of books, and I enjoyed reading most of them. The Body in the Back Garden was in the category of mysteries I enjoyed.

The Body in the Back Garden is the first book in a queer mystery series (the NetGalley and Goodreads pages didn’t state what the series name is). Because it is the first book, you can ignore what I usually write in this section.

The Body in the Back Garden was a medium to fast-paced book set in Crescent Cove on Vancouver Island. The pacing for this book did suit the storyline (the storyline took place within a week or so of Luke’s arrival). I did not have to go back and reread chapters, which was a massive plus for me (I don’t particularly appreciate doing that).

The main storyline centered around Luke and the murders. This book has a well-written storyline. The author focused on the murders and the investigation (Luke and the Mounties). Sometimes, it slipped, but the author quickly returned the focus to where it belonged (for example, the date with Kieran).

I wasn’t a big fan of Luke when he was first introduced in The Body in the Back Garden. He was rude and wasn’t particularly nice to people. I didn’t get it. But then the author started explaining things (and I wished he had done it earlier in the book). Luke caught his ex cheating on him with an intern at work and threw him out. Shortly after, he finds out that his aunt was killed in an accident, and he inherited everything. Luke also has trauma from his family throwing him out and disowning him when he came out to them as a teenager. Once all of that was shared, I understood why he was so defensive and prickly. Once all that was out in the open, I started to understand him better, and then I started to like Luke. By the end of the book, I loved him.

I also liked that Luke was an investigative journalist. He had contacts and knew how to help (or not help) in an investigation. I liked that he worked with the Mounties (sharing his knowledge) on the case. It was a refreshing read from the cozy mysteries I have read where the people bumble through the investigation and don’t share the information with the police.

The mystery angle of The Body in the Back Garden was terrific! There were three different mysteries in the book: the murder of Joel (the stranger), Marguerite’s accident, and (this was introduced much later in the book) the mystery of the box. I liked how the author connected everything. I also loved the twist at the end of the book. Not only was I not expecting the killer to be who it was, I didn’t expect that person to be involved with Marguerite’s death and the reason why that person did everything. It was a huge shock and left me shaking my head.

The romance angle in The Body in the Back Garden was very subtle but there. The chemistry between Jack and Luke was nonexistent at first (because Jack was salty about something that Luke had no control over as a teenager), but the author started to amp it up. They were sparking by the middle of the book (the scene at the Collingswood manor). I also liked that the author didn’t have sex scenes. But he did have Luke thirsting over Jack in his Mountie uniform (and that did give me a chuckle; who doesn’t like a man in uniform?)

The end of The Body in the Back Garden was your typical cozy mystery ending. I liked how Jack and Luke put two and two together about everything. I did feel bad for Luke when the killer was confessing everything. I also liked what Luke decided at the end of the book and what he said to Jack. It made me very excited to read book 2.

I would recommend The Body in the Back Garden to anyone over 16. There are no sex scenes, but some very mild kissing scenes. There is also violence and some mild language. There are trigger warnings, too. They would be cheating (off page and mentioned), bigotry (off page and explained to Luke about the town at one point), racism (off page and explained to Luke during the same talk with the bigotry in it), and homophobia (off page, Luke gets thrown out of his house as a teenager and his family cuts off contact with him).

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Mark Waddell for allowing me to read and review The Body in the Back Garden. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

There is so much that is unusual in this cozy mystery. The author is a male and he is making it a queer cozy mystery. I found it very delightful to have a new approach to this genre plus to place it in a small town on the beautiful Vancouver Island and many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this book. and to give an honest review. Luke has returned to settle the estate of his aunt that he has not seen for years and he can’t get the house and antique shop sold quickly enough. Unfortunately a dead body has been found on the property-a person he had run off the person just hours before the discovery. Guess he isn’t leaving town as he had wished particularly when a certain Mountie wants to make him the main suspect.

This is the author's debut novel and apparently the first in a series.

Luke Tremblay returns to his hometown after many years when he inherits property from his Aunt. He rediscovers things from his youth including old friends, one of whom is Sergeant Jack Munro. When a body is found in his garden Luke is the chief suspect and he begins to try and clear his name by finding the murderer himself.

This is a well written cosy made slightly unusual by having a male main character and a gay relationship. I enjoyed the characters and the setting on Vancouver Island and I will certainly look out for more in this series.

This is the first in the Crescent Cove queer cozy series. It's a good start!

Description:
Crescent Cove, a small hamlet on Vancouver Island, is the last place out-of-work investigative journalist Luke Tremblay ever wanted to see again. He used to spend summers here, until his family learned that he was gay and rejected him. Now, following his aunt’s sudden death, he’s inherited her entire estate, including her seaside cottage and the antiques shop she ran for forty years in Crescent Cove. Luke plans to sell everything and head back to Toronto as soon as he can…but Crescent Cove isn’t done with him just yet.

When a stranger starts making wild claims about Luke’s aunt, Luke sends him packing. The next morning, though, Luke discovers that the stranger has returned, and now he’s lying dead in the back garden. To make matters worse, the officer leading the investigation is a handsome Mountie with a chip on his shoulder who seems convinced that Luke is the culprit. If he wants to prove his innocence and leave this town once and for all, Luke will have to use all his skills as a journalist to investigate the colorful locals while coming to terms with his own painful past.

There are secrets buried in Crescent Cove, and the more Luke digs, the more he fears they might change the town forever.

My Thoughts:
This is a good cozy murder mystery. I liked the characters and the story moved well and kept my attention. As Luke becomes the main suspect in the murder, he feels he has to investigate to find the real killer and get that cute Mountie's focus off of Luke as the prime candidate. The flirting between Luke and Jack is fun to read. I'll look forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

The Body in the Back Garden is the first book in the new Crescent Cove Mystery series by Mark Waddell. Taking place on Vancouver Island, Canada, the author provides such descriptive prose, I thought I was there on the island with newcomer, Luke Tremblay. He just inherited a home and business from his late aunt, and this is his first return to the island in decades. He didn't realize what he left behind until stepping into the cottage, then the store, and finally coming face-to-face with Sergeant Jack Munro.

After a run-in with a man who claims his aunt owes him something, an altercation ensues. When Luke finds the same man dead behind his house the next morning, Luke becomes the primary suspect. Luke knows he wasn't responsible but the police seem to only be focusing on him. To clear his name and get everything in order to sell the cottage and business, then hightail it back to Toronto, Luke puts on his amateur sleuthing cap.

The Body in the Back Garden is such a wonderful cozy mystery. The author has created a world, setting, and characters that I'm truly interested and invested in and he did that from the very beginning. The book is so well-written that I could not put it down. I was pulled from page-to-page, needing to know what predicaments Luke was going to get into, how he was going to act around Jack, and what clues he was going to obtain to exonerate himself.

Luke is a typical armchair sleuth. He didn't follow protocol, entered crime scenes without authorization, and a was general nuisance, and I loved every single minute of it as he tried to redeem himself. I loved how he acted around Jack and the super slow-burn dance they did around one another. I am so impressed by this queer cozy and cannot wait to read the next book.

Dollycas's Thoughts 

Former investigative journalist Luke Tremblay has returned to Vancouver Island following the death of his aunt. He used to spend summers with her until his family found out he was gay and turned their backs on him. He can't believe she left him her seaside cottage and the antique shop she has owned for 40 years. He had no intention to return to Crescent Cove so now all he wants to do is sell all her properties and belongings as quickly as possible and return to what's left of his life in Toronto.

Then a stranger comes to his aunt's door claiming her had purchased something from her before her death and he wants it now. With no idea what he is talking about and him without any kind of receipt Luke roughly sends him away.

The next morning he finds the stranger dead in his aunt's back garden. When the authorities arrive the lead officer appears to think Luke is his prime suspect. It isn't until Luke goes to the station for questioning that he learns he has a past with the handsome Mountie. The man in front of him was his best friend whenever he came to visit his aunt all those years ago. A man who was really hurt when Luke stopped coming to Crescent Cove. But that old friendship doesn't get Luke off the hook. If he ever wants to get back to Toronto he is going to have to tap into his investigative skills and clear his name on his own. The small town has plenty of secrets. Secrets that may explain his aunt's death and why a man ended up dead in her back garden.

_____

I enjoyed meeting Luke. I really felt bad for him, the way his family treated him and for the way his relationship with his aunt came apart. The fact that she died before they could reconnect was heartbreaking. We also see it not only affected them but his friend Jack. I know she was trying to make amends by leaving him her entire estate and that it would bring him back to a now more open-thinking Crescent Cove but I wish they could have been closer before she was killed. She meant so much to him and clearly him to her.

I am happy that Luke and Jack reconnected and that their best sleuthing moments were when they worked together. Their interactions and flirtations were so true and at times very funny. As you can see, these characters felt so genuine that they found a place in my heart pretty quickly.

The setting of Vancouver Island was new to me but Mr. Waddell's descriptions painted wonderful pictures in my mind. The cover is also beautiful and gave me some cozy feelings before I started to even read the story.

The mystery was pretty straightforward and I was able to hone in on the killer much earlier than Jack and Luke but that did not hinder my enjoyment of the story at all. Tagging along with Luke and Jack was very entertaining. Following the clues, and looking for a key item, along with the secrets that sent the whole book into motion were so interesting. The reveal was exciting and emotional.

The Body in the Back Garden is a well-written "queer cozy mystery" with engaging characters and a compelling mystery, set in a charming small town on an island that in real life is now one of the areas plagued with wildfires. It is a place a would love to visit someday but for now, I will settle for another trip there via the next book in this series. I am very curious to see what he has planned for Luke, Jack, and the rest of the residents of Crescent Cove.

What a fantastic series debut! I enjoyed reading every bit of this marvellous quozy (queer + cozy). This was a very cute story... with a dash of murder mystery, of course. I loved our main character Luke - he's a tad clumsy, you know, the kind who acts before thinking. *wink* I don't know why but Luke reminded me of Dan from Schitt's Creek.

Excellent storytelling and character portrayal. Unlike other series debuts where the spotlight is on scene setting and character introduction, The Body in the Back Garden had a perfect mix of scene setting, character portrayal, series-plot setting, and a murder mystery to keep one guessing till the end.

Speaking of ends, the perp's identity was a huge shocker. Plenty of red herrings made it impossible for me to guess their identity.

I am eagerly looking forward to knowing what's next for Luke. If you are looking for a sweet yet engrossing and unique cozy mystery, I highly recommend The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell.

The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell is the debut of A Crescent Cove Mysteries. The cover is what drew me to this book (love the shoes sticking out of the garden). Luke Tremblay is a bland main character. Several of the side characters outshone him (like Barnabus). The story is written in the first person which means we are subject to Luke’s every thought (repetitive details and the ogling of Sgt. Jack Munro). I thought Luke would question more facts especially considering his profession as an investigative journalist. I also felt he should have learned more about his inheritance from the lawyer. An example is that he did not know that his aunt had an employee who happens to live in the apartment above the antique shop. I know his name was added to the deed of both buildings so he did not have to wait for probate, but I do not believe it applies to the contents. I was curious how he could sell the buildings when the contents had yet to be inventoried. I enjoyed the descriptions of Cresent Cove. I would love to own the cottage Luke inherited from his aunt (I would love to spend days in her library). I was not a fan of the judgmental attitudes of most of the townspeople. There was a diverse cast of characters. I liked Barnabus Delacruz’s unique style of dress. Unfortunately, the town was not always open to those who were different (smart, unique hair color, clothing choices) or who are LGBTQIA. The mystery was simplistic. I was able to identify the guilty party early in the book. One detail had me on this person’s trail and another fact clenched it for me. There are a handful of suspects. For an investigative journalist, I felt Luke’s sleuthing skills were subpar. Details regarding the crime are repeated throughout the story. I was surprised at the mistakes Luke made during the investigation (it would have a defense attorney chuckling with glee). The whodunit is neatly wrapped up at the end of a long reveal. At times, The Body in the Back Garden felt like a romance instead of a cozy mystery. I thought it was a little soon for Luke to be on the market. Luke reconnected with a childhood friend who has turned into quite a striking Mountie (Royal Canadian Mountain Police). I would have preferred less romance and more complex mystery. Overall, The Body in the Back Garden was an okay story. Do I wish to read the next book in the series? While I like the rare cozy mystery setting, this series is not for me. The Body in the Back Garden transports readers Vancouver Island where there is a vile victim, a handsome Mountie, a bevy of boxes, gorgeous gardens, a loaded library, intimidation demands, and rampant rumormongers.

This book was a lot of fun to read. It takes place in a small town in Canada. The protagonist, Luke Tremblay, has just broken up with his cheating boyfriend when he finds out his aunt has passed and left him her home overlooking the ocean and antique business in a small town he left a long time ago. What used to be a summer haven for him turned into a depressing hole in his life when his aunt stopped speaking to the family.

While there, Luke literally discovers "a body in the back garden" after having an altercation with the victim just the day before., Luke's old friend Jack, a mountie, is on the case and is ready to toss Luke in jail. Luke is in a hurry to put this all behind him and wants to clear his name.

I could picture the beautiful backdrop of this place, surely the scene of a Hallmark movie, through the elaborate descriptions used by the author. I enjoyed Luke's banter with Jack and although I did guess whodunit, the ride to get there was wonderful. I do hope this might become a series.

My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this delightful ARC.

3.5

As a mystery, this was pretty basic and I didn’t find the “whodunnit” particularly interesting or innovative; however, I really liked the setting and the characters, and for me that is the most compelling part of a cozy mystery.

I loved the seaside town of Crescent Cove and all of the characters we meet along the way. While I think some of the details on interpersonal relationships could have been better communicated to the reader, I also believe this is intended to be the start of a series and I look forward to learning more about the residents of Crystal Cove. Luke is an interesting main character, having worked as an investigative reporter and been forced to return to the place he spent his childhood summers. Jack is the Mountie leading the investigation and was Luke’s childhood friend and now potential love interest.

It seems like despite the increased popularity of queer cozy fantasy, I haven’t seen that spill into other cozy genres so I was thrilled to find a queer cozy mystery.

A nice start to a new series! Luke is back in Crescent Cove because his aunt Marguerite was killed in a hit and run- and left him her cottage and antique shop. It's a lot and then Joel shows up, makes accusations, gets aggressive, and then is found murdered in (wait for it) Luke's garden. Geez. Jack, assigned to investigate by the RCMP, is an old, mostly forgotten pal, and he tells Luke that he's the main suspect- which sends Luke off to investigate. Cozy fans know how this is going to go but know that this is distinguished by its characters and the Canadian setting. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read and I look forward to the next one.

5/5 stars: This is the debut in Waddell's Crescent Cove Mystery series that takes place in a small Canadian Vancouver Island tourist town and it's a delight. Waddell's cast of characters are not only incredibly likable but represent a wide variety of the 2SLGBTQIA+ spectrum. Luke is great and I very much look forward to seeing where his relationship with Jack, the handsome Mountie, goes. Oh and Barnabus, the antiques shop clerk, is quite the unique character and I very much enjoyed the humorous friction between him and Luke. And of course, Waddell's mystery perfectly blends just the right balance of suspects, clues and red herrings that will have you guessing until the last page. Can't wait to read more!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

The first in a new cozy series finds Luke traveling across Canada to settle his aunt’s estate. When a collector arrives, claiming Luke’s aunt had promised him an antique, Luke is skeptical. Things get even stranger when that collector is murdered right outside Luke’s place. Luke starts to investigate to clear his name.

This one was a really good cozy debut! It was different from a lot of cozies too since it has a male protagonist who is queer. I enjoyed it a lot though. Luke is a good protagonist and the antiques shop setting will lend itself to a lot of interesting crimes I think! Definitely a series to follow!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

When his aunt dies as the result of a hit-and-run accident, Luke returns to Crescent Cove to settle her estate – a cottage by the sea and an antiques shop in town. He intends to sell both and head back to his life in Toronto, but when a body is found on his property, and it turns out to be a man he had an altercation with just one day earlier, he leaps to the top of the police’s list of suspects. To clear his name so he can leave town, he must conduct his own investigation.

This is what I hope will be the first book in a new series, because I really liked the story. I’ll admit that I was a bit hesitant to read a book with a gay main character, as that is not something I read often, but after the first chapter or two, that was no longer a concern. The major characters all work well together, even some of those who seemed rather truculent at first, and Luke’s career as an investigative journalist seems like exactly the ‘in’ he will need to help solve future mysteries.

Most of the books I’ve read that are set in Canada have taken place on the eastern side of the country, so I liked the descriptions of the town and Vancouver Island itself. They paint vivid pictures that made me want to spend time there, especially if I can find accommodations near the sea. I also liked learning a bit more about the Canadian Mounties, and was both surprised and a bit disappointed to realize that their daily uniform is more like the uniform our local police wear than the image I had in my head of what is apparently their dress uniform. Live and learn!

The murder victim in the story was a visitor to town, but in one way or another, had offended nearly everyone, so there were a lot of potential suspects to think about. My mental list kept changing as more clues were uncovered, but I was surprised to learn the identity of the killer. The motive made sense, but it made me shake my head at what some people think is important enough to kill for.

If this is indeed the start of a new series, I look forward to reading the next book.

The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell is set on the beautiful backdrop of Vancouver Island before it is tainted by a dead body in Luke's back garden.

Will Luke Tremblay get to the bottom of the case?

Luke Tremblay
The main character, aka our sleuth, is Luke Tremblay, and he hasn't been back to Crescent Cove, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, since the summer before his last year of school. The reason is that he came out to his parents as being gay, and they told the rest of the family not to talk to him. Years later, Luke is back to take care of his aunt's properties as she left them to him in her will. He becomes a sleuth due to a dead body in his backyard. The body is someone he threatened, so the Mounties are considering him.

Luke is an okay sleuth. Throughout the story, to me, he seemed wishy-washy about many things happening to him. I didn't feel that he was a believable sleuth.

Joel Mackenzie
Joel Mackenzie rubbed everyone he met in the wrong way. He made enemies everywhere he went, and here in this small town wasn't helping him in any form. Joel had a goal in mind: to get rich fast, which he had a plan for. He was just a major sleazy guy who thought he deserved more than what he was dealt. I honestly didn't care for the guy; the more we learned about him didn't help matters.

Three Stars
I am giving The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell a three-star rating, and if anyone wants to give it a shot, they can. I didn't care for Mr. Waddell's writing style. Many things took me out of the story. Mr. Waddell has an interesting concept in mind for the book, and I wish I liked it better.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

Book one of this series finds Luke returning to Crescent Cove to settle his late Aunt's estate and trying to get back to Toronto as quick as possible. But when a body is found he becomes suspect number one. He figures the only way to clear his name is to investigate himself. After all he is a investigating reporter. Good story even though I figured out who was the killer.

This is a great cozy mystery! There was some cringy funny investigation. There is some past events for him to work past. The town of Crescent Cove and his cottage are just so cute! The ‘bad guy’ was a surprise. I had figured out part o the reason why, but the who was a total surprise. The romance was well done also. It looked as if there was going to be a bit of a love quadrangle, but even at the beginning we clearly see the type of boyfriend they are, so it didn’t feel like a real competition. I liked the way that worked out. My only tiny complaint, that will probably be fixed in book 2, is that he didn’t spend enough time at the antique store.

This story lacked detail and was hard to follow. Sometimes the characters helped the story line move along. However it just couldn’t keep my interest. I did like the background and such so I am willing to give the author another try.

In this new series starter, we meet freelance investigative reporter Luke, who has inherited his Aunt's seaside cottage and antique store in small-town Canada. He's determined to sell off the properties as quick as possible and return to Toronto, but when a dead body appears in his backyard and he becomes a person of interest, he's forced to stay in town. Determined to clear his name and satisfy his curiosity, he can't help but poking his nose into the death, much to the chagrin of his former childhood friend and now super handsome Canadian Mountie.

This a a great series starter! Very classic vibes, hitting all the standard marks, and not trying to do too much--in a good way. Cozy mysteries are notorious for their lack of diversity, but with an LGBTQ lead (and the hint of romance on the horizon) and racially/ethnically diverse cast of townspeople, this one takes its old-school vibes into the modern era in all the ways that matter. Some of Luke's involvement I'm surprised the police let fly (but I guess a handsome face will do that to you), but it was overall a fun read and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Pride Book Tours for my ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 8/10