A Corpse for Yew - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

As you read the excerpt below, picture a group of elderly ladies, all members of the Shamrock Historical Society due to their ancestors and proud of it. Picture these ladies standing in the middle of a cow pasture as they search for a grave that has been long forgotten. And now listen as they reminisce about another outing that took them in search of a grave from the past.

"It doesn't really matter," Geneva said. We're within our legal rights to visit the grave since Mrs.. Waynewright is a direct descendant. MCWhirter can't keep us away."

Dorothy grimaced. "Remember that time we had to sneak into that abandoned cemetery out by Salisbury? Those terrible dogs! I'm not sure what w would've done if Mr. Hawkins hadn't been with us. He took that bite like a man."

"After that, the dogs seemed fine with us being there." Annabelle shrugged.

"But poor Mr. Hawkins had to have rabies shots. He was such a gentleman about it."

Peggy is the owner of a garden shop called the Potting Shed located in Center City, Charlotte. She's also a part-time forensic botanist for the Charlotte Police Department. When her mother, Lilla, talks her into joining the Shamrock Historical Society and their quest to rescue bones that have been buried under Lake Whitley for years, she didn't expect to discover the body of one of the Society's own members, Lois Mullis, who also turns out to be the Aunt of the Police Chief. Was it accidental or murder? The Chief believes it was an accident. The members of the Shamrock Historical Society believe it was murder and they put their faith in Peggy to prove them right and to find the killer.

A Corpse for Yew is a book of humor and mystery, as well as a book that spiked my interest in plants. Joyce and Jim Lavene provide a description of the plants as they are introduced into each chapter, giving you a little history of the plant's origin and it's uses. As they introduced each member of the Shamrock Historical Society, I found myself picturing each lady perfectly. When I put the mental pictures of these ladies together to form the full group, I could see their every move as they persuaded Peggy to help them find the killer of their friend. And with my living in Charlotte, NC, I knew almost every location visited by Peggy and her group of ladies.

A Corpse for You is one of the most enjoyable books I've read in some time. It became a real mystery as I tried to decide who would want to harm the late Mrs. Mullis. But with it's humor, it was a very relaxing book to read. ( )

This is another satisfying mystery in this series. The characters continue to grow and the addition of Peggy's parents adds some comic relief as well as a common dilema: do you ever stop being your parent's baby even when you have grown children of your own?
As well, there is some great gardening information woven into the story (rather than just a blurb at the beginning of the chapter or at the end of the book),and the mystery is actually connected to plant matter.
My one complaint is the relative absence of the "night flier" character who played so prominently in the earlier mysteries. I get the feeling that the character was introduced early on, and now the author(s) aren't quite sure what to do with him.
But overall, a very enjoyable cozy mystery and I look forward to the next. ( )