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Authors: Kate Collins

Sleeping with Anemone

BOOK: Sleeping with Anemone
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Table of Contents
 
 
Praise for the Flower Shop Mysteries
Sleeping with Anemone
“Who knew a pretty flower shop called Bloomers could be fraught with so much danger and treachery? Kate Collins’s Flower Shop Mysteries is one of my very favorite mystery series, featuring proprietor Abby Knight, an amateur sleuth who’s spunky, courageous, and smart. Her family, friends, and neighbors are as quirky and delightful as a potful of pansies, and sexy hero Marco is worth his weight in sighs. Their latest adventure,
Sleeping with Anemone
, is a treat not to be missed, with some seriously creepy villains and an intricate plot that will keep you twisting and turning and guessing until the very end.”
—Kate Carlisle, author of the Bibliophile Mystery series
Evil in Carnations
“Collins isn’t losing steam in her eighth foray into the world of florist and part-time accidental detective Abby Knight. The fun, family, and romance are still fresh, and the mystery is tidily wrapped up, with just enough suspense to keep readers flipping pages.”

Romantic Times
“Ms. Collins’s writing remains above par with quality and consistency: fun and breezy, intriguing and suspenseful, excitement and sizzle. She continues to get better and doesn’t disappoint.”
—Once Upon a Romance Reviews
Shoots to Kill
“Colorful characters, a sharp and funny heroine, and a sexy hunk boyfriend . . .
Shoots to Kill
is a great mystery read!”
—Maggie Sefton, author of the Knitting Mysteries
“Once again Kate Collins delivers an entertaining, amusing, and deliciously suspenseful mystery.”
—Cleo Coyle, author of the Coffeehouse Mysteries
A Rose from the Dead
“The tale is wrapped around the wonderful hallmarks of this series: a spirited heroine surrounded by zany characters, humor, and irreverence.”

Romantic Times
“The latest Flower Shop Mystery is an amusing graveyard amateur sleuth that will have the audience laughing.”
—The Best Reviews
 
Acts of Violets
“Abby’s sharp observations bring laughs, while the intriguing, tightly plotted mystery keeps you guessing.”

Romantic Times
 
“A delightful, lighthearted cozy.”
—The Best Reviews
 
Snipped in the Bud
“Lighthearted and fast-paced, Collins’s new book is an entertaining read.”

Romantic Times
 
Dearly Depotted
“Abby is truly a hilarious heroine. . . . Don’t miss this fresh-as-a-daisy read.”

Rendezvous
 
“Ms. Collins’s writing style is crisp, her characters fun . . . and her stories are well thought out and engaging.”
—Fresh Fiction
 
Slay It with Flowers
“Upbeat, jocular . . . an uplifting, amusing, and feel-good amateur sleuth tale.”
—The Best Reviews
 
“What a delight! Ms. Collins has a flair for engaging characters and witty dialogue.”
—Fresh Fiction
 
“You can’t help but laugh. . . . An enormously entertaining read.”

Rendezvous
 
“Collins has created a delightful amateur sleuth.”

Romantic Times
Mum’s the Word
“Kate Collins plants all the right seeds to grow a fertile garden of mystery. . . . Abby Knight is an Indiana florist who cannot keep her nose out of other people’s business. She’s rash, brash, and audacious. Move over, Stephanie Plum. Abby Knight has come to town.”
—Denise Swanson, author of the Scumble River Mysteries
 
“An engaging debut planted with a spirited sleuth, quirky side-kicks, and page-turning action . . . delightfully addictive . . . a charming addition to the cozy subgenre. Here’s hoping we see more of intrepid florist Abby Knight and sexy restaurateur Marco Salvare.”
—Nancy J. Cohen, author of the Bad Hair Day Mysteries
 
“A bountiful bouquet of clues, colorful characters, and tantalizing twists . . . Kate Collins carefully cultivates clues, plants surprising suspects, and harvests a killer in this fresh and frolicsome new Flower Shop Mystery.”
—Ellen Byerrum, author of A Crime of Fashion Mystery series
 
“As fresh as a daisy, with a bouquet of irresistible characters.”
—Elaine Viets, author of the Dead-End Job Mysteries
 
“This engaging read has a list of crazy characters that step off the pages to the delight of the reader. Don’t miss this wannabe sleuth’s adventures.”

Rendezvous
 
“This story was cute and funny, had a good plotline [that] entwined a lot of interesting threads . . . an enjoyable read and a fine debut for this new mystery series.”
—Dangerously Curvy Novels
 
“A charming debut.”
—The Best Reviews
 
“This amusing new author has devised an excellent cast of characters and thrown them into a cleverly tumultuous plot . . . a terrific debut!”

Romantic Times
Other Flower Shop Mysteries
 
 
Mum’s the Word
Slay It with Flowers
Dearly Depotted
Snipped in the Bud
Acts of Violets
A Rose from the Dead
Shoots to Kill
Evil in Carnations
OBSIDIAN
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto,
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices:
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
 
First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
 
First Printing, February 2010
Copyright © Linda Tsoutsouris, 2010
eISBN : 978-1-101-18469-1
All rights reserved
 
OBSIDIAN and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
 
 
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
 
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.
 
 
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

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To my loved ones, who always give me purpose:
Julie, Jason, Natasha, and Jim.
To my support team: Nancy, Mary, Barb, Bonnie,
and Nanci S.
To Aunt Marian, whose courage, kindness, and gentle spirit
always inspired me.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
So many facts go into a book that it’s impossible to remember where they all came from, but I sincerely hope to thank everyone who provided information.
Leon Dean, horticulturist, landscape designer, agriculturist, educator, and uncle, for his tremendous knowledge and support.
James V. Tsoutsouris, Esq., as always, for his legal expertise and delicious Greek salads.
Harry E. Ramsey, MD, for his medical counsel.
Aaron Rhame, for his assistance with police procedure in the K-9 division.
Diana Nielsen, florist, A.S.K. For Flowers, Plymouth, Indiana; and
Nulita, florist, Love In Bloom, Key West, Florida, for their knowledge and guidance.
Linci C., for a thirteen-year-old’s point of view.
Barbara Ferrari, educator and friend, for her tireless and devoted promotional efforts.
Sergeant Lester O’Brien (1926-1987), police officer. Were he alive today, I imagine he would be the father Abby’s dad is.
Writers spend hours researching information that may show up in only one sentence in the book—or be edited out entirely. Some information is made deliberately vague to fit the purpose of the plot. Nevertheless, I strive for accuracy and apologize for any errors I may have made.
PROLOGUE
A
man stepped from the shadows into a circle of yellow light cast by a single bulb hanging from the high ceiling. He circled the rickety desk chair, the heels of his dress shoes striking the concrete floor, echoing in the chilly chamber. A predator circling his prey.
In the chair sat a large, bulky man, beads of sweat inching down his temples as he watched the other’s every move. He jumped when the figure spoke.
“You ask me to believe this situation was caused by a florist?”
His manner was low-key, his voice smooth, almost amused. Still, the sweating man knew better than to trust outward appearances. Woe to the unwary who failed to sense the danger behind those hooded eyes and that deceptively calm demeanor. “I know it sounds crazy, but you don’t understand how persistent the woman is.”
“Perhaps not, but I’m beginning to understand how incompetent you are, my friend.”
BOOK: Sleeping with Anemone
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