Kate Collins (1)Critiques

This installment of the Goddess of Greene St. Mysteries shares the character from Flower Shop mysteries, Abby Knight. Abby comes to town to hire Athena and her partner Case Donnelly too help clear her cousin who is accused of murdering a model during a fashion show.

I think that the plot was a little too messy, trying to fit all the characters together. There was too little of Athena and Case and too much of Abby.

Gone But Not for Garden by Kate Collins is the fourth book in the Goddess of Greene Street cozy mysteries, and another good read in the series.

As always, Collins characters are written so well and I always look forward to seeing what her large Greek family is up to. We also get a crossover with some of the characters from Collins Flower Shop mysteries, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I’ve read about nine books in the series and really enjoy Abby, Marco, and Jillian, but I didn’t like how Athena interacted with Abby. Athena is always such a strong character, but she was like a wilting flower when she was around Abby, constantly deferring to her and acting like she’s never investigated a murder before. But then when she’s with her boyfriend she does a complete switch-up and is back to knowing what to do and delegating tasks.

But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book. Delphi is still amusing with her psychic abilities, Nico and Oscar, the raccoon, have some fun scenes, and I didn’t figure out the killer until Athena did.

All in all, another great book in the series!

Athena Spencer works at her family's garden center while raising her son, Nicholas. She also, after solving a few murders, has a new PI agency with her partner and love interest, Case Donnelly. Their latest case involves the death of a local model, who was found dead in her dressing room. The main suspect is a woman named Jillian, who happens to be the cousin of another PI.

Abby Knight Salvare, who owns a flower shop and a PI agency with her husband Marco, is is town asking for Athena's help in finding a killer. She's going to stay as long as it takes to find out the truth. Unfortunately, two of the other suspects are the wives of top officials in Sequoia, and they aren't happy to be on the hotseat. But it's up to the three to figure out what happened and why, and they aren't giving up until Jillian is a free woman -- even if it puts their own lives in danger...

This is the fourth book in the series and I have read them all. I was surprised to see a "cross-over" in this book, but I enjoyed it immensely. Abby is the protagonist of the author's Flower Shop Mysteries, and a successful sleuth in her own right. In this book, we have the two women joining forces, and Athena gets to see how Abby goes about conducting her own investigation. While Athena isn't as assertive as Abby, she's learning from the seasoned veteran, and the two women together are formidable indeed.

It turns out there are even more suspects in the wings, and eventually they get help from an unexpected source (a person I would like to see more of in future books); and while Case is working on another case out of town, the two women are much on their own. Between working the case, Athena also has her other duties to take care of, and of course, spend time with her son. (Just reading about it all makes me exhausted!).

There is plenty going on here, along with a county fair, her sister Delphi keeping secrets, and, of course, her mother trying to set up another one of her daughters in a relationship. It all makes for an entertaining read that's intriguing and full of fun, and when the ending comes and the killer is revealed, it's a bit of a surprise; also surprising (but great) the climax itself. This book is probably my favorite of the series so far, and I heartily look forward to the next one. Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

Athena and Case partner with another PI in this mystery. Abby, the out-of-town PI, is trying to prove that her cousin is innocent of the murder she is accused of committing. Abby needs Athena’s help because she knows all the hometown players. Abby is the more experienced PI, and together, they make a pretty good team. They will need all their skill and a bit of luck to solve this one without getting hurt - or worse - themselves. Set in Michigan, the heart of these stories is Athena’s Greek family with all its love and interference and support that surround and sometimes overwhelms her. The characters are larger than life, the mysteries are intriguing, and the stories are sprinkled with humor with just enough suspense thrown in to make it gripping. This well written series is certainly one that cozy mystery readers will thoroughly enjoy.

Athena and her large, crazy, quirky, noisy, nosy Greek family are back for adventure #4 in Gone But Not For Garden, a worthy addition to the Goddess of Green St. Mystery Series. A lot has happened in a short time since we first met these folks: murder, murder, murder, a wedding gone wrong, a fundraiser disaster, and all with Athena pretty much in the middle, snooping around and putting herself in danger. Case (that cute, mysterious guy from out of town that Athena teamed up with in the first book) came back and got his PI license. Since Athena has gained a reputation for crime-solving through her snooping – oops, sleuthing – anyway, Athena and Case decide to make investigating official and have partnered to open a PI business together. There might be a little “other” partnering going on, too!

A death at a local fashion show brings our favorite character from author Kate Collins’ bestselling Flower Shop Mysteries series to town. Who else could it be but Abby Knight? Abby’s whiny, entitled, clueless cousin Jillian (who could forget her??) is in jail as a – the main – suspect. Abby has heard about Athena’s crime-solving success and comes to Michigan from Indiana to ask Athena and Case to investigate since they know the local area and have had such success in the past.

When Athena starts making inquiries, knowing the locals might not be such a good thing after all. She’s forced to tiptoe around the wives of the town’s mayor and police chief and deal with insinuations that she is being disloyal to the Greek community. The plot moves quickly. Suspects are plentiful, but you have to put on your thinking cap.

Just as we would hope and expect, Abby and Athena hit it off. But there’s no time for a blooming friendship; there is a mystery to solve and a murderer to find. It's fun to be back in Michigan with Athena and all these unforgettable characters. She is still writing that blog – has to stop from becoming any crazier, right? Her father has figured out she is “Anonymous” but is keeping her secret, since that blog is the first thing her family turns to every morning. They love it. Her sisters are as endearing and irritating as ever, her mother keeps pushing her way into Athena’s life, and Pappoús and Yiayiá are still adorable, if also still stubborn. Nicolas – now firmly Nico – loves this big family of grandparents and aunts and people who care about him. And then there’s Case. Slowly, slowly but seems to be something there. Sweet. Abby Knight is a joyful bonus.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing an advance copy of Gone But Not For Garden via NetGalley. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions are my own. It was a delightful read and I cannot wait for the next installment.

Statue of Limitations is a cute start to a new series by author Kate Collins. Athena is the odd duck in her family. She doesn’t look Greek. She doesn’t want to BE Greek. But here she is back in coastal Michigan surrounded by her large, crazy, quirky, noisy, nosy Greek family. Just like you see in the movies, right down to the Greek restaurant owned by her grandparents Pappoús and Yiayiá. Athena and two of her sisters were named after Greek goddesses: Selene after the moon goddess; Maia after the goddess of the fields and Athena after the goddess of war and wisdom. Her mother, Hera, had been named after the mother goddess. Her youngest sister Delphi was the exception, named after the Oracle of Delphi. Still Greek. Even her father, who is not Greek, willingly stepped into this lunacy they call daily life. So after her divorce Athena and her ten-year old son Nicolas did what was most sensible even if not most desirable – they moved back home and Athena began working at the family garden center. Her mother immediately sets her up with “a nice Greek boy.” No spark with this pushy, controlling man but it keeps her mother off her back. To maintain her sanity, Athena writes a popular anonymous blog describing life with her exhausting loving family. Can you blame her?

With a set up like this, how can Statue of Limitations be anything but marvelously entertaining? There’s a status (of course), a cute, mysterious guy who shows up from out of town, a couple of murders, and some serious sleuthing and danger. There are lots of clues about where the danger is coming from, but the plot is solid and keeps you guessing – and worrying about Athena – until the end. Don’t miss this one by fabulous author Kate Collins.

Michigan, cozy-mystery, law-enforcement, small-business, small-town, cultural-heritage, situational-humor, verbal-humor, Greek-heritage, private-investigators, family-dynamics, friendship, relationships, relatives, sisters, series*****

Fine addition to a good series. Just goes to prove that books in series keep getting better--unlike TV/films.
The publisher's blurb is good but doesn't reflect the fun! I devoured the book in one day and will wait impatiently for the next.
Good sleuthing, interesting red herrings, inventive plot twists, and some delightful laughs. I really enjoyed it!
I requested and received an EARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley, Thank you!

Athena enlists Case’s help in solving the murder of a local photographer. Hugo had sent them some incriminating photos, along with a note saying he would have explanation for Athena later. Unfortunately, he was dead before he had the chance. Digging for clues, trying to determine who is guilty of accepting a payoff and who isn’t takes up a lot Athena’s time. She still must work at her parents’ garden shop and find time to write her (mostly) anonymous blog. Case is getting his private eye license, and Lila is setting up his office. These three “partners” are having a somewhat difficult time finding their own niche in this partnership! This series just keeps getting better, and the end of the book leads me to believe that the next one will be better still. The mysteries are good ones, but the Greek flavor that permeates the stories and the delightful characters that people them are really the heart and soul of the series. Highly recommended for cozy readers.

Abby is a bridesmaid as well as providing the flowers for her cousin’s wedding. It’s complicated, since the groom is the brother of Abby’s ex-fiancé. It gets even more complicated when one of the groomsmen turns up dead and another is held for his murder. The bride is upset that the wedding may be cancelled and Abby is worried that she will be stuck with loads of flowers and no payment for them. Abby wants to solve the murder, but she really gets in over her head in this one! It’s an exciting mystery, with engaging characters in an intricate plot.

Abby, new flower shop owner, is trying to build her business into a more profitable one. She doesn’t need the hassle of bogus parking tickets, having her car sabotaged, or being rammed while driving. Yet all that and more happens to her in this first book of the Flower Shop Mystery series. It’s pretty intense for a cozy. The plot is intricate and well structured, and the characters are well developed. The shop’s employees are likable, and the friendship between Abby and her roommate is well done, complete with an adorable cat. There is a love interest in the wings to add some romance, and an ex-fiancée to balance it all. Throw in a quirky mother who thinks she is an sculpting artist, and who has country club aspirations for her daughter, though the daughter doesn’t concur, and you a pretty entertaining tale.

Nothing stops a upcoming wedding faster than finding the groom with a pair of scissors embedded in his back. When they turn out to be Selene’s hairdressing shears, stolen from her workspace at the salon, she is arrested as the primary suspect. Now Athena, assisted by her friend Case, is determined to prove her sister’s innocence. The author does an excellent job with dropping clues along the way as well as some quite well-written red herrings. This second installment in the series continues the story of this dynamic Greek family, so be sure to read the first book before you start this one. I appreciate all the Greek flavor in the stories, and I’m not just talking about the food, although it all sounds delicious. The ending really entices me to read the next book. It sounds like some upheaval may be in store in Athena’s personal life.

Athena Spencer has invited her new beau Case Donnelly to the Save Our Dunes fundraiser and art festival to distract him while he waits for his PI license. However, while they are taking a walk along the nature trail they come across a body and get immersed in the ensuing investigation for the murder. The victim had wanted to meet with Case but was that why he was killed? Did he know something that the killer didn't want revealed?

I have enjoyed this series as it has continued to evolve, especially the family interaction.

Athena's family owns a garden center and a restaurant called the Parthenon. When her hairstylist sister Selene is asked to be a bridesmaid for her friend Mandy, she agrees. The rehearsal dinner is at the restaurant, and everyone is waiting for Brady, the groom, to show up. But he never does. And when Mandy's brother goes looking for him, they find that Brady has been murdered. But things get worse when the police discover Selene's scissors in his back, and she can't give a solid alibi, they arrest her for the murder. Now Athena and her friend Case are determined to find evidence to get Selene off the hook. But between dodging Mama's attempts to get Athena married, and a rich woman's attempts to get Case, things aren't going to be as easy as Athena wants. She just hopes she can find the evidence before Selene is formally charged and brought to trial...

This is the second book in the series and I did like it a bit better than the first. Unfortunately, I really don't like Athena's mama. She's a nag, and even with a daughter in jail for a murder she didn't commit, she's still trying to get Athena married off. How much sense does that make? She sets her up on blind dates knowing Athena doesn't want anything to do with it. I also don't care for the 'evil nemesis' in the form of Lila; I really abhor those in books and wish she'd disappear.

While I thought the plot was done well, and the writing was very good, there were parts that were slow-going, and I just didn't understand Mitchell's obsession about Mandy. It was almost unhealthy, if you know what I mean.

But other than this, the plot flowed and kept me interested in the book and I did like the interactions between Athena and her father. They are very close, and it shows. I also liked the fact that her relationship with Case is moving forward.

The way Athena and Case went about asking questions was never invasive, and I liked that they shared the information with police officer Bob McGuire. It's always nice to have a police officer who's helpful and not nasty to you.

In the end, I did enjoy how everything was resolved; when the murderer is discovered, it was both sad and yet done in such a way that you couldn't hate the killer. I felt everything was done nicely while giving us a touch of what is going to happen in the next book. Recommended.

An engaging mystery plus romance with humor and a variety of intriguing characters. One thing to note: I love the character of the cat Simon, but his habit of playing with rubber bands is dangerous--and he shouldn't be drinking milk which is bad for cats.

Meh, meh and meh.

The writing is good, the characters are likeable, but they're all two-dimensional; they lack depth even by my standards. The murder plot was not a surprise, but not stupid-obvious either.

I've pretty much felt this way about every book in this series, so the real mystery here is why I've read 15 of them, with the 16th in the TBR. As I re-arranged my books in my library today, I eyed this series with two thoughts in my head: I'm not likely to ever re-read these and donating them will free up a LOT of valuable space. So I think after book 16, I'll "throw in the trowel", say good-bye and wish the author well.

I had really already decided to stop this series after the last one because it's just not my thing, but I bought this one by accident so I had thought to give it a try. I picked it up this afternoon and after reading this on the back:

"Meanwhile, Abby keeps secret from Marco her own investigation into the home's inhabitants..."


No. Just, no. Not my thing at all.

Of course, I'm not going to rate it since I haven't even opened the cover. On the plus side, my shelves just gained about 2 feet of empty space. :)

I really enjoyed Statue of Limitations, the first book in the Goddess of Greene Street Mysteries by Kate Collins, but book two had me wanting to throw my Kindle at the wall for all the wrong reasons, so I was a bit anxious when I went to read book three, Big Trouble in Little Greektown… but Collins has redeemed the series for me!

Collins has a talent for character development and writing characters that you want to be part of their family, and she continues to do a wonderful job with this in Big Trouble in Little Greektown. Her family is trying to figure out who Goddess Anon is, Delphi decides what she wants to do with her matters of the heart, and Athena makes great strides in a personal relationship.

What had me so annoyed with book two was the mystery and Athena holding back information. In book three she works much better with others and actually uses her head a bit when it comes to what might put her in danger… and we still get an intense scene (more like you would find in a suspense than a cozy mystery) with the killer at the end. There was a side story with Athena’s son that ties into the main story which may make it easier for readers to figure out what is going on early in the book, but I didn’t feel that it took away from the final reveal.

And I am super excited about the very, very end that has Athena’s world colliding with another character from a fantastic series. I am really looking forward to book four in the Goddess of Greene Street Mysteries to see where Collins takes this new development!

cultural-heritage, bribery, cozy-mystery, law-enforcement, private-investigators, small-business, small-town, family-dynamics, friendship, secrets, situational-humor, verbal-humor, amateur-sleuth*****

Of course the murdered man is a sleaze, but there are more problems than that. Athena is part of a large Greek family in Sequoia, Michigan and has had some experience as an amateur sleuth, so she takes it all on so as not to cause problems for her special friend as he doesn't yet have his PI license. Meanwhile her family is carrying on like a Greek Tragedy because of dodgy problems in local politics, Athena's surreptitious but very popular blog, and their suspicion that Athena's friend is not Greek.
Good sleuthing, interesting red herrings and plot twists, and some really good laughs. I really enjoyed it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley, Thank you!

I wanted really bad to like this. My mom LOVED this whole series - but I just felt that this cozy mystery was over the top. It's repetitive, far fetched, and there was far too many moving parts. Abby Knight dropped out of law school and bought a flower shop and a yellow Corvette. Business isn't exactly "blooming" so she passes the time by sticking her nose into everyone else's business. Abby is short, skinny, VERY busty, and has the brightest red hair for miles - so she's not exactly inconspicuous. When someone backs into her convertible and speeds away, Abby is convinced that person was a murderer after she learns that someone was murdered right around the same time and area. Abby then finds a new bar owner (who is an ex-cop and very studly) to partner up with. Filled with bad flower puns, flat characters, and an exasperating storyline. I'm really hoping the Hallmark series is a lot better. I will give the second one an attempt... someday.

Athena Spencer works at her family's garden center keeping the books. She also helps out at the family diner on occasion. When a wedding rehearsal dinner is booked at short notice (her sister, Selene, is an emergency bridesmaid) Athena jumps in to help. But nothing can help the fact that the groom is a no-show and later found stabbed to death with her sister's hair shears. Athena is positive that Selene is innocent even as circumstantial evidence continues to point Selene's way. Enlisting the help of Case Donnelly, Athena is definite they can find the evidence unmasking the real killer.

The mystery was good, but I felt like the characters needed a bit more definition, more dimension. - right now they seem a might two dimensional. Maybe next book½

Abby Knight Salvare is already busy running Bloomer’s, her flower shop, but is thrilled that she and her Private Eye husband Marco have another case to investigate. Although his wife says he has merely gone fishing, Sylvie Freeman is convinced that her twin brother is missing and asks Abby and Marco to investigate. In the meantime, Tara, Abby’s teenage niece, is doing some investigating of her own – she is convinced her neighbor has killed his wife and is hiding the body in a shed in his backyard. Tara drags Abby into her investigation but is she dragging her into danger?

“Till Death Do Us Pot” is another nice entry in Kate Collins’ Flower Shop cozy mystery series. Although this is a novella, it feels like a full length novel. All the favorite characters are here – Abby, Marco, Grace, Lottie, Jillian, Abby’s mother (Collins does a delightful twist on Maureen’s latest art creation), and Tara. It is nice to see Tara play a big part in this story – she is a teenage version of Abby with her inquisitiveness and penchant for getting into trouble – I hope this continues in future entries in the series. As for the two mysteries in the book, Collins does a great job with both of them. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book, eager to find out what would happen next - truthfully, if I had been reading a print edition instead of a Kindle, I would have flipped through the pages to get a glimpse of who the killer was! When I did get to the end of the book I was satisfied – there was just the right amount of tension and danger as the killer was revealed - well done by Collins!

This is book 4 of the Flower Shop Mysteries. I liked this better than the Bakery Shop Mysteries. This was also the basis for the series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries staring Brook Shields. In the book, Abby Knight is about 27 years old, short with red hair. In the movies, she is Brook Shields who left her job as an attorney to open a flower shop after her husband died. In the book, she flunked out of law school and has not been married.

I jammed both feet on the brake and brought my old yellow convertible to a screeching halt mere inches from the groin of a dragon. Okay, not a dragon in the fairy tale sense of the word. This dragon was the flesh and blood human variety - one Z. Archibald Puffer, a former JAG officer turned law professor who was often referred to as Puffer the Dragon. He was called that not because of his last name but also because of his ability to destroy even the bravest law student in one fiery blast of fury.

A Big Fat Greek Wedding is the second book of the A Goddess of Greene Street Mystery series.

Athena Spencer has returned to her hometown of Sequoia, MI, along with her ten-year-old son. Her family owns a garden center, and Athena works there. Her grandparents own a nearby restaurant, The Parthenon, where this story begins.

The Parthenon is hosting Mandy and Brady’s wedding rehearsal dinner and Athena’s sister, Selene, is a bridesmaid. The dinner is about to be served when and the groom hasn’t arrived yet. Calls to his phone go unanswered, and soon the groomsmen leave for his apartment. A short time later, the party will learn that Brady has been found dead. Soon, Mandy is accusing Selene of having an affair with Brady and of murdering him. When the police determine that the scissors used to kill Brady were Selene’s hairdressing scissors and that Selene had had a bad experience with Brady, the police will arrest her for his murder.

Athena knows that her sister isn’t a killer, and she will team up with Case Donnelly, who has returned to town, to hunt down the killer.

Like all of Ms. Collins’s books, the story is well-written and plotted. The characters are well developed and believable. I particularly liked Athena’s sister Delphi, who claims to have psychic abilities; whether she is or not, her readings are enjoyable. And the pet raccoon is a special edition.

Delicious sounding recipes are also included in the book.

I will be watching for the next book in this delightful series.

Athena moved back home after she lost her job and her husband divorced her, bringing her young son with her, and moving in with her family. She works at her family's garden center, and has so far accepted that this is her new life. One night she comes across a man in the center, looking at a statue of Athena that her grandfather bought at an estate sale, and he tells her that it rightfully belongs to him. After finally getting him to leave, she vows to tell her father about it, but doesn't get the chance when she sees the news the next day and recognizes the man running from the Talbot home as the one she came across. It seems a man was murdered at the estate and he's suspected of being the murderer.

But when the man - Case Donnelly - convinces her that he's been framed, she agrees to help him find the real killer and clear his name. But in doing so, she puts herself in danger...and she just might be the next victim...

Well, I liked the blurb about this book, so I really wanted to read it. Unfortunately, I just thought it was so...dull. Not even the murder mystery could save this, in my opinion. I absolutely hated everyone in her family except her father. They were all so stereotypical of the 'noisy, overbearing Greeks' that it really bothered me. Her sisters were completely over the top, and her mother was way too interfering, considering Athena is thirty-four years old. Also, all of them live in one house? How big is this place, anyway? Why aren't any of her sisters married? Oh, right...they're annoying. (I have three sisters, and if they were anything like any of these three, I wouldn't tell them where I lived).

Speaking of Athena, we know she has a son, but it was like he was wallpaper. He was there when needed, but otherwise out of the picture. I also have to wonder about his father, who would divorce her and then just walk away from his child - and we're not given the reason why he was so willing to abandon his son.

Then the ending...well, the mystery was wrapped up nice and tight, just like it's supposed to, so that is a good thing. I knew pretty much early on who the killer had to be and why, but still wanted to see Athena and Case figure it out. It left us something to look forward to in the next book, if I decide to read it. At this point, I'm not sure I want to visit the Spencer household ever again.

small-business, small-town, cozy-mystery, family-dynamics, friendship, amateur-sleuth, cultural-heritage, situational-humor, verbal-humor*****

Athena’s sister Selene is the chief suspect in the murder of her friend's groom-to-be due to the fact that her salon shears were stuck in his back and she has no alibi. The victim was a sleaze who worked in a gym and had a history with women, but Selene had ratted him out to management some time before so the local law added that to the physical evidence. Athena is part of a large Greek family in Sequoia, Michigan and has had some experience as an amateur sleuth, so she takes it all on with the help of a friend. Good sleuthing, interesting red herrings and plot twists, and some really good laughs. I really enjoyed it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley, Thank you!