I was drawn to this because of the gardening theme which is unusual in the cozy mysteries I have read. There were interesting characters, a small town setting, and a mystery with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. This was a good debut novel and I hope it is the start of a series.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I enjoyed The Gardener's Plot as it is a little different from other cozy mysteries I have read and I especially liked the gardening aspect. Maggie is back living in her grandmother's home in the Berkshires after the death of her husband in Boston. She is a master gardener and loves working in her yard and working as the assistant director of a local garden where people can plant their own little garden plot as they wish. Thinking life would be slower and simpler in her small hometown was a mistake. Life is typical small-town life sprinkled with spending time with her best friend Sally and her family and seeing other old acquaintances, some great but some not. But then two murders, an annoying cousin, missing friend, and being a person of interest can put a damper on things. Things get a little tense when Maggie and Sally do their own investigating. I hope this will be the start of a new series.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

I finished this ARC for The Gardener's Plot by Deborah J. Benoit and I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. It features Maggie, our FMC, who has gone through a rought patch and moved 'home' to Marlowe. Her grandmother died recently and Maggie bought her home from the estate. Maggie is a writer and a gardener and the town is about to open a community garden. Maggie volunteers to help and she is working with Violet Bloom on the project. On the morning the garden is supposed to open so everyone can begin gardening, Violet leaves a note for Maggie on her porch that she is running late. So, Maggie opens the community garden, and they find a body. And, Violet is missing. I really like the character of Maggie, for purposes of this story, and any future stories, it is convenient that Maggie hates her cell phone and does not typically bring it with her. Maggie has a great best friend who lives next door with her hubby and young kids. And, the built-in mean girl from high school who is now married to the police chief and the high school boyfriend of Maggie. There is even a hint, the barest whisper, of a possible romance for Maggie, but it is very faint. I enjoyed this read and give it 3.75 stars. If there is another book featuring Maggie, I will read it. Thank you to #netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my advance reader copy. This book comes out tomorrow, November 5th!

The Gardener’s Plot was a mystery about a woman who inherited her grandma’s house, got involved in the community garden and found herself mixed up in a murder investigation. This book was just fun. It was highly entertaining watching the main character, a strong female lead, and her best friend take on their own investigation while also trying to keep their own names clear. It was suspenseful with so many red herrings and just had that cozy mystery, small town vibe.

The Gardener's Plot may be crippled somewhat by a few tired cozy mystery cliches (the high school enemy, the hunky detective, the cheating ex-husband, and an amateur sleuth who thinks she's ten feet tall and bulletproof). Still, I'm smart enough to realize that what may make my eyes roll back in my head can be exactly what other readers are looking for.

Although I did start this review with a grumble, Benoit's book is an enjoyable read. I like Maggie Walker's attachment to her friends, her persistence, and her love of gardening. There's also a good, solid cast of locals who should provide plenty of fodder for future stories. There may be plenty of formula in The Gardener's Plot, but it's a good formula that should make for a long, healthy growing season.

The horticulture references in The Gardener’s Plot by Deborah J. Benoit went over my head, but the book didn’t really dig that deep into garden jargon, so brown thumbs are welcome. Maggie Walker is back in her hometown after the death of her estranged husband, where some things have changed, but small-town gossip and high school grudges are still going strong. She runs into Catherine, a high school bully who never got past being a mean girl (I don’t know how Maggie refrained from calling her Cathy, Katie, or Cat every time she saw her just to get under her skin), greedy developers, an entitled cousin, assorted power struggles and of course, a murderer. Fortunately her buddy, Sally still lives next door – now with a family – and she is only too eager to act as her sidekick.

On the day Maggie shows up to open the community garden with her friend, Violet Bloom (Really?), there is a body in the garden and Violet is missing. If murder was the only crime, Maggie probably would have left it to the professionals, but nobody knew where Violet was and few seemed very concerned other than Violet’s husband and Maggie. This was despite Violet missing several commitments which was very much out of character.

One thing The Gardener’s Plot did very successfully is maintain an ongoing sense of menace. I was much more worried about Maggie’s welfare than she was. It seemed like there was no limit to the threats facing her. I was worried she would be assaulted or killed, framed for murder, lose her house through lawsuit or fire, arrested or kidnapped, or lose friendships or respect from lies and misunderstanding.

The ending was surprising to me, but not a “no fair” kind of surprise. I had several suspects in mind, but this was not one of them.

This book is Benoit’s debut as a mystery writer. I’m hoping A Gardener’s Plot is the first in a series; the author has set the stage for that to be the case. Fans of cozies will enjoy this one.

I received this Advanced Reader Copy of The Gardener's Plot from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Gardener's Plot by Deborah J. Benoit is a delightful mystery, full of small-town atmosphere, including a sense of community, but also some negatives like vicious gossip and social power plays and perfect for those who love gardening and cozy mysteries.

Maggie Walker moved back to her hometown of Marlowe, where she volunteers to help Violet Bloom set up a community garden. When opening day arrives, Violet doesn’t show up and one of the gardeners complains about a boot in his plot. When Maggie pulls on the boot, it turns out that a body is attached to it. The police keep asking questions about Violet while Maggie doesn’t believe her friend is the killer; which means she needs to do some sleuthing to prove it.

This is an entertaining, well-written, murder mystery novel. It has a likable, intelligent, strong and capable female protagonist, small town drama, supportive friends, a loyal canine, murder, mystery, intrigue, the beauty of gardening, and a satisfying conclusion. I am looking forward to reading more mystery novels featuring Maggie Walker.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#TheGardenersPlot #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

Good start to a new series. I liked that, despite the murder, the story continued to focus on gardening rather than losing the theme in the investigation as some often do. It took me awhile to warm to Maggie but she grew on me and I was intrigued by the myriad of tasks she had to keep up with, especially her various fights for her property from developers and family alike. There was quite a bit of repetition in the book but hopefully that will be smoothed out if this is a series.

Maggie is thrilled to be back in the small town where she spent so much time as a child. She loves gardening and is excited to help Violet get a community garden off the ground. But when opening day arrives, Violet is nowhere to be found – and Maggie finds a body in one of the garden’s plots. Violet’s absence catapults her to the top of the police suspect list, but Maggie is convinced her friend is innocent and sets out to prove it.

This appears to be the author’s first novel, and it was a pleasant surprise. The small town atmosphere is alive and well, with many of the stereotypical residents – the gossip, the town bully, the cliques – but it all worked. I liked Maggie, and I liked the tidbits about gardening and plants.

I wasn’t surprised to learn who the victim was, and there were plenty of suspects to consider. Thanks in part to the red herrings scattered about, I kept changing my mind about who the killer was, but I started to suspect one person more than the others a bit before Maggie and the rest figured it out. I did not work out the motive, but it made sense given the character.

There’s nothing on Goodreads or Amazon to indicate that this is the first book of a series, but I hope it is, as I would love to read more about this town and these people, and maybe pick up more gardening hints too.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you Minotaur Books for the advanced reading copy!

This was such a cute and interesting read! Super unique storyline and love the community garden feature. It could be hard to keep track of all the characters, but in a non-distracting way that made the story super unpredictable. Maggie was a super cute and likeable main character. Cozies always come with a feeling of unrealistic coincidence to me, but this one didn't have too much of that to be frustrating in any way. Overall a cute and cozy mystery with a big twist and loveable MC.

‘maybe she was watching us and smiling at the crop of gardeners she’d grown’

My dog absolutely hated this book because I planned on taking a quick sneak peek at chapter one before bed and proceeded to stay up half the night because I couldn’t put it down and I’m not the only one to love it. It won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel competition in 2023. I can’t wait to see what she grows next!

‘maybe she was watching us and smiling at the crop of gardeners she’d grown’

My dog absolutely hated this book because I planned on taking a quick sneak peek at chapter one before bed and proceeded to stay up half the night because I couldn’t put it down and I’m not the only one to love it. It won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel competition in 2023. I can’t wait to see what she grows next!

I had a great time while reading this. Maggie is a great character. After some tragedy, she left her grandmother's home. A place that always made her feel safe and loved. She is trying to make a life, living next door to her best friend, and working with Violet to open a community garden. She does have some push back, her cousin Simon is making a nuisance of himself wanting more of the inheritance than he has a right to, an obnoxious real estate agent who won't take no for an answer when it comes to selling her house, and a weird rivalry with a woman she went to school with who seems to go out of her way to be hateful towards Maggie.
Then she finds a body.. along with the rest of the community gardeners, although from the way the police are acting it seems she is more of a suspect than a witness. And when no one can find her friend Violet, the woman she was opening the Garden with, and the police don't seem that interested in finding her, Maggie and her bestie go off on their own to figure out where Violet is, and who really killed the person in the garden plot.

Maggie and her friend are of course repeated.y warned away from the investigation by a hunky Statie.. Could there be some chemistry? I hope so! but they are determined and actually discover evidence the police missed.. I really enjoyed going along with Maggie as she investigates and gets herself in a bit of hot water both with the police and with the killer.

This was a fun and fast-paced read that had me entertained from beginning to end, and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for book 2!

This is a small town cozy mystery with gardening themes.

Maggie returns to her hometown and takes over an old house. She offers to help Violet with a community garden, but on opening day there is no sign of Violet. When a body is found in the garden, Maggie is a suspect.

Maggie becomes the amateur sleuth, trying to find Violet and figure out why there was a body in the garden. I liked Maggie's character, and there were quite a number of secondary characters all of whom contributed to quirky village life.

Several subplots kept you guessing, as Maggie tries to uncover what is going on.

Hopefully the start of a series.

The Gardener's Plot was a truly delightful cozy mystery. Ms. Benoit is an author I have not experienced until now, but I find her writing to be very captivating and charming. Overall this was a super enjoyable book, and I look forward to more in the future!

What to do when a dead body shows up in one of the plots on opening day of the community garden?
Maggie Walker, assistant to the project leader, is having a bad weekend. Now she is a "person of interest." What will this tragedy mean for the gardens in the Berkshires? Here are four things I liked about this one:

🌼 The cover! How delightful to have such a bright and flowery cover for a November cozy release.

🌷 Maggie is a lovable and relatable MC. I would be up for more mysteries featuring her well-intentioned meddling. Her sidekick Sally is a perfect investigative partner. The mystery kept me in the dark until the last couple of chapters.

🌹 Hanging out with the gardeners is a good way to learn some tips.

🌻 The author went meta and had the characters watching 'Murder, She Wrote' in one of the scenes while wishing they had a clear line of clues like Jessica Fletcher.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

A missing person, a dead body and a community garden kick off this first in a new small town cozy amateur detective series. I liked protagonist Maggie Walker, the quirky cast of older side characters, the touch of romance, the misdirections and the charm of the Berkshires setting.

This was an enjoyable, quick debut that was good on audio and had a great cover. I'd definitely pick up another one whenever it comes out. Recommended for fans looking for a feel-good story light on grit. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Typical cozy mystery characters. I did enjoy the best friends aspect of the story. The friendship seemed real, and was enjoyable to read. The plot was simple, though the author did a good job at portraying the gossipy movements of a small town. There were a few moments that bordered on boredom, but the author quickly got the story moving again.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are my own.

3 out of 5 Stars!

When Maggie Walker volunteers to help to set up a community garden, she is shocked to find a body in one of the plot's opening days. Maggie grew up in the Berkshires community, and she has come back for a fresh start. When Violet Bloom asked for her help in the community garden, she jumped at the opportunity to do meaningful work. So, it is surprising when Violet isn’t at the community garden opening day to help. And when the body is found, there are rumors about Violet's disappearance being connected. Maggie wants to solve this murder, and find her friend.

First off, can we discuss how ADORABLE the cover of “The Gardener’s Plot” by Deborah J. Benoit is. This book really stood out, especially in the mystery/thriller section. I am so used to dark and mysterious covers, so this was a breath of fresh air! I felt like the story was a slow burn. There is a lot of buildup and character introductions. It was a slower pace than I would like, with lots of characters to remember and lots of conversations happening. I really did like the plot, it was simple yet refreshing. Benoit did an excellent job at making this a realistic mystery. I felt like everything said and done took at a normal pace.

I really liked our main character, Maggie. She was so smart and determined. I felt like she was making realistic assumptions and actions. I would have liked to learn more about her backstory, she kept hinting at it, and I was waiting for her just to finally open up. Leaning into that, I felt like there were some unanswered questions when finishing the book. Maybe Maggie will be making another appearance in a sequel so we can get those questions answered?

Overall, I wish the execution of this book was better, but I really did not see the ending coming. I still enjoyed this mystery, with such a refreshing take and different from what I normally read in this genre.

Pick up “The Gardener’s Plot” by Deborah J. Benoit on November 5th, 2024!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Deborah J. Benoit, and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This is a good mystery with great characters. Maggie has come home, and it hasn't been easy for her. She has her friend next door, but she also has an old enemy who will not leave her alone. Her cousin thinks he should have gotten more money from their grandmother's will and there is a man who keeps bugging her to sell her house. She has gotten involved in a community garden with another woman, but when the woman doesn't show up for the opening day, Maggie is left to go on. But then she discovers a dead body in the garden. The other woman is nowhere to be found. Her husband has been searching for her and no one has seen her. As Maggie and her best friend start asking questions, someone keeps trying to stop them. Will they find the killer before it is too late?