Rooted in Deceit (Greenhouse Mysteries)

By Wendy Tyson

Rating: 5/5 Stairs

For any regular readers of Hidden Staircase, you know how much I enjoy reading Wendy Tyson’s Greenhouse Mysteries. Rooted in Deceit, the fourth (and newly published) book in the series proved to be no exception. And another beautiful garden-themed cover. I feel like these are seed packets? Or maybe just ads for produce available on Washington Acres Farm. Either way, they are nostalgic and lovely.

It’s summer in Winsome, and Megan’s is busy getting ready for the opening of their second restaurant – a brick oven pizza restaurant right on the farm. But the success of their new venture isn’t the only thing weighing on Megan’s mind. Her father Eddie and his new wife Sylvia are in town (but not spending much time with the family), a new health center (“Peaceful Summit Yoga Retreat Center and Spa,” complete with an upscale restaurant) is opening nearby, and her boyfriend Denver is returning to Scotland to help his sister recover from an accident.

All this before Megan’s ex-best friend is murdered just outside the Center. And both Sylvia and a close family friend are suspects in the murder.

Megan’s got her hands full.

The mystery has plenty of suspects as we follow Megan in her investigation to try and clear Sylvia and her family friend’s name. As always, my favorite part of the story is following the characters and their personal stories that unfold along with the mystery. Will Clay’s brick oven pizza idea succeed? Can Megan start to build a relationship with her estranged mother? Will Denver decide to stay in Scotland? And exactly how many scones does her grandmother Bibi make when she’s upset? (I bet her kitchen smells divine.)

I’ve said this before of the Greenhouse Mysteries, and it’s still true with Rooted in Deceit. You’ll come for the mystery but stay for the characters.

Don’t miss out on the rest of the Greenhouse Mysteries:

• A Muddied Murder
• Bitter Harvest
• Seeds of Revenge