I really enjoyed “The Gardener’s Plot” by Deborah J. Benoit. I originally chose this book because of the setting in the Berkshires. When a dead body is found at a local community garden, one of the leaders, Maggie Walker who has recently returned to town, can’t resist some amateur sleuthing. I loved the small-town setting and how the cast of characters and town gossip played into it. Good mixture of suspense and a cozy setting. I hope that Benoit decides to make this into a series, because I appreciated Maggie’s character and would like to see more of her and her friends. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

This is a wonderful cozy mystery. The story is second in the series and set in a small town. Maggie just wants to settle into her home and be able to garden. The characters in the story are fun and interesting. The plot is intriguing and will grab the attention of the reader. The dialogue flows well and is easy to read and understand.

After losing her cheating husband and her beloved Gramma, Maggie Walker buys her Gramma’s old Victorian and moves back to Marlowe. She reunites with her old friend Sally and makes a new friend Violet. Violet and Maggie have been working hard to bring a new community garden to Marlowe, but on opening day Violet is a no show and isn’t answering her phone. To top it off a boot is discovered sticking out of one of the freshly tilled plots. When Maggie tugs at it, she finds a big foot too.
In this heart warming cozy mystery a curious woman is determined to find her missing friend. She keeps digging for clues despite the danger to herself and her best friend.
I really enjoyed this story with its smart, competent amateur women detectives. They give the pros a real run for their money for sure. I guessed the identity of the murderer fairly early on, but I still loved the book. With its small town charm, warm friendships and enthusiastic gardeners this one is a winner. 4.25 stars

*Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It is a beautifully crafted tale that leaves readers with a sense of tranquility and a deeper appreciation for the natural world. Whether you have a green thumb or not, this book is sure to cultivate a lasting impression.

Master Gardener Maggie Walker has returned home to Marlowe, a charming small town in the Berkshires, and is restoring her grandmother’s house and gardens. When super volunteer Violet Bloom asks her to help plan a community garden, she eagerly agrees. When the opening day for the garden arrives, Violet is a no show and there’s a body buried in one of the plots with only a boot sticking out of the soil. Small town gossip abounds. Who is buried in the garden? Where is Violet Bloom? Why is someone trying to buy up houses in Maggie’s section of town? Cruel gossip spreads that Maggie herself is responsible. She’s questioned by handsome detective Matt Quinn who has other suspects in mind. Then there is another murder that Maggie has a personal interest in solving. Can Maggie find the murderer before she becomes his next victim?

The Gardener’s Plot is the first in a new series by the talented Deborah J. Benoit. Maggie Walker is a delightful character, the Berkshires location shines and the plot is stronger than expected for a cozy mystery. I am looking forward to what Maggie does next. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Deborah J. Benoit for this ARC.

This is a lovely cozy mystery. If you enjoy gardening and sleuthing this book is perfect for you. I enjoyed Maggie’s character and thought that she did a great job piecing together what happened to her friend Violet. I think readers will enjoy going along for the adventure.
Thank you to St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Overall, this was an enjoyable cozy mystery. However, the mystery tended to feel like b plot to gardening. I understood based on the title that gardening would be evolved. I didn’t expect this to feel a little like a “how to” guide. I wish the side characters were fleshed out more as well some of the background/history.

This is such a charming garden based cozy that all cozy readers will enjoy. I loved the setting of the Berkshires and a community garden project.

Our main character Maggie Walker has signed onto participate in a community garden. Much to her chagrin she discovers a body buried at the community garden. The mystery deepens as she discovers not everyone liked the victim along with red herrings and suspects abound. I loved the garden, the atmospheric setting in the Berkshires and the humor infused throughout this books. A fun cozy read that I highly recommend. This is a cozy mystery done to perfection with all the perfect cozy elements we readers love. Well done to the author.

This cozy mystery takes place in spring but can be read any time of year. I liked the community garden storyline, but the mystery felt a little too dragged out and I started skimming through the final third. Read when you’re looking for an easy story with a mystery that isn’t scary or gruesome.

Thank you so much to Minotaur Books for the ARC!

Title: The Gardener's Plot
Author: Deborah J. Benoit
Pub Date: November 5, 2024

Cozy mystery lovers, this one is for you! Much in the veins of Finlay Donovan is Killing It and Thursday Murder Club, this one is cute and fun with a side of mystery and murder.

Our main character, Maggie Walker discovers a body buried in one of the plots at the community garden! I love that this book is full of humor and puns, even the title is adorable with it's double meaning. We have a character named "Violet Bloom", talks of "digging up the dirt" on people, etc. I thought it was all a blast, but my favorite thing about this book was Maggie! She was such an easy character to root for (see what I did there?)!

It was the perfect light and easy read/listen that kept me entertained the whole time! If you're weeding through November releases, I definitely think you'll DIG this one!

After a few setbacks in life, Maggie Walker moves back home to her small town in the Berkshires. She purchased the house she practically grew up in, her grandmother's, and is trying to settle in by helping out her friends and neighbors with the communal gardening plot. However, Violet Bloom, the director of the garden, goes missing on opening day and Maggie finds a boot stuck in a neighbor's soil. With the foot and body attached. Soon Maggie is launching her own murder investigation and search for Violet. But someone is willing to go a long way to protect their secrets.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this e-arc.*

What a great debut! I love a good cozy mystery and this hit all the spots. Good characters, Good plot. Good twist. Good ending. Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

The Gardener’s Plot
By Deborah J. Benoit
Narrated by Patricia Santomasso
4 ⭐️

This light small town mystery was a good listen. It was well paced, full of small town drama, and held my attention without a lot of effort. I enjoyed the garden theme of the story. I also liked that most of the characters were older - maybe their mid 30s/early 40s? This was a great cozy Sunday read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Deborah J. Benoit, Dreamscape media and St. Martin’s press for this audio and eARC.

Deborah J. Benoit’s book, The Gardener’s Plot, is a delight for those who love gardening and cozy mysteries. This debut features Maggie Walker who has moved back to her hometown of Marlowe. 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 there’s a body attached to it. The police keep asking questions about Violet while Maggie doesn’t believe her friend is the killer. That means she decides to do some sleuthing to prove it.

Maggie is a master gardener and writes a gardening column for the newspaper. She needs to find the answer to whatever question pops into her head. She also is organized, uses lists, and has a natural curiosity. She’s an easy character to like unless you are the police trying to solve the murder. The other characters have a variety of depths based on their roles.

This mystery is full of small-town atmosphere, including a sense of community, but also some negatives like vicious gossip and social power plays. The world-building is well done and the writing flows well. While I guessed the killer, the journey through some twists and red herrings that kept me engaged. The author is a master gardener and was born and raised in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. Her expertise in gardening and familiarity with the area added a level of depth and realism to the novel.

Overall, this is an entertaining and fast read with good characterization and a few suspenseful scenes. I would love to see this turned into a series.

St. Martin’s Press and Deboroh J. Benoit provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for November 05, 2024.

I’m a cozy mystery girl and The Gardner’s Plot hit all the spots for me. It’s got the typical sleuth putting herself in danger and going out of her way to investigate when she probably should have left it alone, but it was so well-done overall and super stinking cute. I liked the small town and the cast of characters. I liked Maggie’s backstory with her grandmother and ex-husband. I liked the neighbor friendship and, though Benoit didn’t dive super into the unrequited-long-lost-love storyline, but there’s definitely something there and if this became a series I’d definitely read on for all these aspects. I felt the mystery wrap-up was believable. Overall, just an excellent cozy mystery I’d definitely recommend.

This is a good mystery and especially if you’re into gardening this is a great one for you in my view. From a general perspective, I was hoping for a slight bit more sleuthing earlier in the book, but that only really started at about 40% in and that was slightly late for my taste. But then the pace really picked up and I have to say the showdown was way more thrilling than I expected from how the book progressed.

I liked the characters and Maggie as a main character. She is a passionate gardener and very engaged in the community gardening project. I liked how she would not sit still and let the investigation progress slower than possible, but how she took the matters in her own hands. Sally is Maggie’s friend and fellow sleuth. I liked how she contributed to the investigation and the friendship she shows toward Maggie. The other characters were great for the storyline and it was just the right amount of participants for a good mystery so to say.

All in all I enjoyed the mystery a lot and also the characters and storyline. A solid 4⭐️ for me.

(A review will be posted on Oct 30th, 2024 on both instagram and Goodreads)

"The Gardener's Plot" by Deborah J. Benoit is a captivating cozy mystery that draws you into the vibrant community of Marlowe. Maggie Walker’s return and her efforts to launch a community garden are heartwarming, but the plot takes a suspenseful turn with the discovery of a dead body and the mysterious disappearance of organizer Violet Bloom. The story is enriched by an engaging cast of characters, including local "mean girls" and Maggie’s supportive best friend, Sally, who lives next door. Benoit’s clever writing creates an immersive experience filled with intrigue and charm. (I received an advance listener copy and all opinions are my own.) A delightful read for anyone who loves a good mystery!

Maggie Walker has returned to her hometown in the Berkshires. She purchased her grandmother's home and is renovating it as well as bringing back its garden to life. She has also been recruited to be the assistant director of the new community garden in town. She soon has more than gardening problems with a dead body is found in a plot in the garden and the garden's director is missing.

What a fantastic book...I could not stop reading! The mystery was a darn good one! I was stumped to the end. The plot was well crafted, and the characters made you either root for them or not like them very much. It did have some intense moments as well, where I was holding my breath. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait till book two. This is one of the best first books in a series I have read this year.

Thank you, St Martin's Press/Minitour Books, and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC,

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC ebook.
The Gardener’s Plot was a delightful story of resilience and growth - both within yourself and in nature. The characters were relatable and their journey’s were inspiring. This was a heartwarming and uplifting read. I really enjoyed it!

An enjoyable red that is will written with a fully developed plot, well rounded characters and great dialogue.