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The Avid Reader
, November 04, 2021
(view all comments by The Avid Reader)
Digging Up Trouble is the debut of A Sweet Fiction Bookshop Mystery series. Confection, Oregon is a small town where the residents lavish their time and attention on their gardens. The upcoming contest with the large cash prize has people pushing for their gardens to look their best. They do not appreciate a cute dog digging in their flowerbeds. Lexi Jones has returned to her hometown where she manages the family bookshop, Sweet Fiction and, in her spare time, is working on a novel. I would have liked to learn more about Lexi (lack of background). There are a number of secondary characters that include Lexi’s besties, her uncles, and the Macaroons (the book club). The whodunit is straightforward. There are several suspects and I thought there were too many red herrings. There are clues a plenty to help readers arrive at the solution before the reveal. I did not understand why Detective Berg was so focused on Lexi. The story flowed well until about two thirds of the way through. It slowed down then until the reveal scene. The author has set up a love triangle that I wish was not a part of the book. Cookie was the highlight of the book. He is a smart, wily, and entertaining canine. Digging Up Trouble is a lighthearted whodunit with crafty canine, rampant rumors, flower garden fanatics, a devious digger, a cunning killer, curious clues, and a surfeit of suspects.
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