Dead Head

It's hard to resist a tag line that says "fugitive mom". As a resident of this small Connecticut town, Paula Holliday has already enjoyed some success as a sleuth in the earlier books in this series. I got a kick out of this mystery,and didn't find it a problem to enter the series with book three. Rosemary Harris has written a smart, contemporary style cozy. For those who turn up their noses as cozies because they think they always involve little old ladies and cats, think again! This is worth a look, from the mystery to the romance to the Dead! Can't wait to read Slugfest!

Paula Holliday is a gardener for hire. She landscapes mansions, their smaller cousins and even smaller relations set outside front doors and local businesses. She also solves murders, but that’s not always her volition nor fault. Like a weed, she just happens to be in the wrong place at the right time.

When a well-to-do customer/friend asks Paula to go into business with her, all expenses paid, it seems a bit hard to believe. Then, when said friend is picked up as an 20 year escapee under alias, things start to get dicey. The husband, relying on Paula’s past accomplishments, asks for her help in finding out how his wife was found, the dice begin to roll, and not always in Paula’s favor.

Sleuthing her way into numerous threatening show more scenarios, she again uncovers the ills that threaten and gains another notch on her garden sheers. show less

Paula Holiday left the stress and grind of New York City for a “smaller and simpler life” in Springfield, CT. She runs a landscaping business, Dirty Business, helping realtors dress up the houses they’re selling and local businesses put in pretty patios. Her friend and client, Caroline Sturgis, has approached Paula about opening a business. The offer appears to good to be true and you know what they say about offers like that. When Caroline is arrested and “Monica Weithorn” is the name on everyone’s lips, Paula agrees to help get to the bottom of this identity mystery in Dead Head by Rosemary Harris.

This is a great little cozy mystery. Cozies are the kind of stories that take place in small towns, with nice folks that remind show more you a bit of your neighbors. There’s usually not a lot of violence or sex, certainly nothing too explicit. Which means, of course, they are missing a lot of the things I really like in my mysteries! But there is definitely a place for a more sedate story, especially when it comes with such entertaining characters.

Read my full review here. show less

DEAD HEAD by Rosemary Harris is an intriguing contemporary cozy mystery set in present day Connecticut. It is the third in "Dirty Business Mystery",but can be read as a stand alone. Book One,"Pushing Up Daisies,Book Two, "The Big Dirt Nap". It is written with depth and details.The characters are witty,intriguing,and love capture your heart. The plot is easy to follow and believable.It has a fugitive from justice,murder,female gardener's, mystery,suspense,Paula Holliday,a wise cracking amateur sleuth,unraveling the past,and finding justice. This is a fast paced story that will have you laughing in some parts and crying in others. It is a fresh look into mystery/murder with a female sleuth,friends,and of course a little dirty show more business.This is not just an amateur sleuth book but it also has a little romance,with a mix of social wit
and a gutsy heroine with some very offbeat characters.If you enjoy a cozy,intelligent,story with lots of character and style this is the book for you. It will appeal to all cozy mystery readers,and some romance readers.This was a read,must read story that will leave you refreshed and in need of the next installment.This book was received for the purpose of review from the author and details can be found at Minotaur Books,A Thomas Dunne Book, an imprint of St. Martin's Publishing Group and My Book Addiction and More. show less

Review: Dead Head by Rosemary Harris
4 STARS
I enjoyed reading Dead Head. It is the third Dirty business mystery. I now want to go back and read the first two and look forward to the fourth one coming out soon.
Paula Holiday is a gardner and she is known to look into things sometimes. She doesn't have an office but she hangs out in a diner and does planting for it.Caroline A friend wants to go into business with her and buy the old Nursery plant business. Caroline would front the money and put it in Paula's name.
Before Paula could except Caroline was arrested for a jail break. Monica was her real name and when she was a cheerleader busted for selling drugs and got 40 years sentence. After 18 months she was on a work release job and got show more away.
Grant Caroline's husband had no idea that his wife had hidden such a thing from her. Grant hired Paula to find the mystery caller that turned his wife in.
Than Grant and most of the town thought it was Paula herself who turned Caroline and Paula was looseing lots of business. So to clear her name she needed to keep looking.
It was a good mystery that kept you guessing who was doing what and why.
Plus some comedy of errors. I was given this book by Rosemary and asked in exchange to give honest review. show less

Enjoyed this small-town mystery were everyone hangs out at the diner. Pauline tries to help her friend Carolina and finds lots of suspects and surprises. Very good.

I love the books in this series but I have to say that this book was horribly edited. I'm talking about the grammatical errors and typos. Why don't publishers worry about this stuff anymore? It was very distracting.