In Harrison's sprightly fourth gardening mystery (after 2001's Lilies That Fester), savvy florist Breta Solomon finds herself looking into the suspicious deaths of a landscaper and a hair stylist shortly before an extravagant wedding in River City, Mo. The persnickety mother of the bride-to-be is planning a lavish spread for hundreds of guests, including all the town dignitaries and notables, with thousands of flowers and candles for the evening ceremony. In her delvings, Bretta discovers that the wedding coordinator, hair stylist, caterer and photographer were close girlhood friends linked by an enigmatic rhyme. Breta is in the process of redesigning her own house and garden when the arrival of her long estranged father, who's intent on making up for past neglect, complicates what has become a murder investigation. A belligerent, half-admiring and half-angry sheriff, a charismatic new love interest and the inner voice of her late husband lend spice to the narrative. Wildflower lore, a past childhood prank, quotes from Aristotle, fire and death—Breta must pull all the threads together as the suspenseful, twist-filled plot accelerates toward a fitting climax. (Dec. 16)
