caitkom's review
4.0
Nina's sister, Maria is getting married and Nina has agreed to do a backyard makeover as a wedding present. When Maria's fiance goes missing and a body turns up in the backyard, Nina's life gets even more complicated. To make things even more confusing Nina is trying to come to terms with her cheating ex-husband who wants her back and a persistent vice-principal as well as a panty thief on the prowl in her neighborhood.
kittykolektor's review
4.0
Very cute cozy mystery. Nina is still coming to grips with her separation from her cop husband after his infidelity. She is a landscape artist that creates surprise garden makeovers, while raising her teenage stepson.
Nina's needy sister Maria is getting married and boy does that create more work for Nina. when Nate (Maria's fiance) goes missing, Nina gets deeply embroiled in the case. Meanwhile at home, Nina's neighborhood has an unusual number of break ins, her step son is keeping her on her toes, and she ends up with a shivery little chihuahua named Gracie.
I love the crazy cast of characters in Nina's life, which include ex cons, a feisty curmudgeon ex-teacher, an old man nicknamed Flash, and a smoking hot assistant principal. Some how they all come together to create a fun, dual-mystery full of laughs and surprises.
I did not like some of the parts with her Ex, but that's a personal opinion, nothing that takes away from the writing. Really liked the ending and look forward to reading book 3.
Nina's needy sister Maria is getting married and boy does that create more work for Nina. when Nate (Maria's fiance) goes missing, Nina gets deeply embroiled in the case. Meanwhile at home, Nina's neighborhood has an unusual number of break ins, her step son is keeping her on her toes, and she ends up with a shivery little chihuahua named Gracie.
I love the crazy cast of characters in Nina's life, which include ex cons, a feisty curmudgeon ex-teacher, an old man nicknamed Flash, and a smoking hot assistant principal. Some how they all come together to create a fun, dual-mystery full of laughs and surprises.
I did not like some of the parts with her Ex, but that's a personal opinion, nothing that takes away from the writing. Really liked the ending and look forward to reading book 3.
moondance120's review
3.0
"Thou, Nina Colette Ceceri Quinn, shalt come back as an only child in any future lives."
Nina is redoing her sister's backyard as a wedding present from her future father in law when the groom goes missing. The landscaping turns up a body and Nina goes into sleuth mode.
Nina's cheating husband is making overtures to return and Riley's principal is still in the picture. Throw in a Peeping Tom, a panty thief and a high maintenance Chihuahua for a quirky ride.
I enjoyed this book as much as the first one. I wanted to smack Nina's sister, Maria, in every scene she was in. What a prima donna! I could not deal with her on a daily basis. Her choice in the maid of honor dress was enough for me to call it quits. Riley is still being a bit of a surly teen, Kevin thinks he can waltz back into Nina's life and a burglar frightens an elderly neighbor to death.
I love all the quirky characters that Ms. Webber creates and shares with us. She has obviously lived with a Chihuahua. They have got to be the most difficult dogs alive to house train. My sister has one that drives me nuts.
The mystery unfolds and flows effortlessly. I did have suspicions of the culprit but enjoyed learning the truth with Nina. I enjoy this series and look forward to the next installment.
This was a fun afternoon read.
3.5 stars
Nina is redoing her sister's backyard as a wedding present from her future father in law when the groom goes missing. The landscaping turns up a body and Nina goes into sleuth mode.
Nina's cheating husband is making overtures to return and Riley's principal is still in the picture. Throw in a Peeping Tom, a panty thief and a high maintenance Chihuahua for a quirky ride.
I enjoyed this book as much as the first one. I wanted to smack Nina's sister, Maria, in every scene she was in. What a prima donna! I could not deal with her on a daily basis. Her choice in the maid of honor dress was enough for me to call it quits. Riley is still being a bit of a surly teen, Kevin thinks he can waltz back into Nina's life and a burglar frightens an elderly neighbor to death.
I love all the quirky characters that Ms. Webber creates and shares with us. She has obviously lived with a Chihuahua. They have got to be the most difficult dogs alive to house train. My sister has one that drives me nuts.
The mystery unfolds and flows effortlessly. I did have suspicions of the culprit but enjoyed learning the truth with Nina. I enjoy this series and look forward to the next installment.
This was a fun afternoon read.
3.5 stars
booklover81's review
Trouble In Spades
Heather Webber
Mystery
274 pages
copyright: 2005
isbn: 0-06-072348-3
Landscaping is Nina Quinn's business, but trouble seems to be her middle name. Saddled with a recently expelled, faithless local-cop husband, a teenaged terror of a stepson, and the yappiest, most unhousebreakable Chihuahua in capitivity. Nina needs a respite--and the backyard makeover she's undertaking for her sister Maria and Nate, Maria's fiance, may do the trick.
But, of course, Nate vanishes mysteriously, and Nina's gardening, magic inadvertently turns up a corpse. And with a thief on the prowl who's preying on the neighborhood elderly, a suspicious Pandora's Box of a package arriving on her doorstep, and yet another body inconveniently turning up, Nina's going to have to dig into her community's dirtest littel secrets to regain her peace and sanity--if she can manage to stay alive long enough to enjoy it
Heather Webber
Mystery
274 pages
copyright: 2005
isbn: 0-06-072348-3
Landscaping is Nina Quinn's business, but trouble seems to be her middle name. Saddled with a recently expelled, faithless local-cop husband, a teenaged terror of a stepson, and the yappiest, most unhousebreakable Chihuahua in capitivity. Nina needs a respite--and the backyard makeover she's undertaking for her sister Maria and Nate, Maria's fiance, may do the trick.
But, of course, Nate vanishes mysteriously, and Nina's gardening, magic inadvertently turns up a corpse. And with a thief on the prowl who's preying on the neighborhood elderly, a suspicious Pandora's Box of a package arriving on her doorstep, and yet another body inconveniently turning up, Nina's going to have to dig into her community's dirtest littel secrets to regain her peace and sanity--if she can manage to stay alive long enough to enjoy it
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