Silent Bud Deadly (Book 2: The English Cottage Garden Mysteries) by H.Y. Hanna

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 – 4.5 stars

When Poppy Lancaster inherited a cottage house and gardens she was thrilled, but maintaining her inheritance hasn’t come easy. She’s in need of some extra cash, so when a wealthy couple offers her a job sprucing up their garden for a generous amount of money, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. But when the nosy neighbor next door gets poisoned, Poppy wonders who could have murdered the meddling menace.

H.Y. Hanna’s cozy mysteries are always fun and addictive, and Silent Bud Deadly was no exception. I love how she effortlessly and cleverly weaves in the back story so that you won’t feel lost no matter where you enter the series. The recurring characters are a pleasure to revisit. I was glad to see that Bertie, Poppy’s neighbor who invents strange things that he tends to try out on unsuspecting people, was back in book 2. His antics brought many chuckles during the story. My favorite cat, Oren, the very vocal tabby, and its owner, the enigmatic writer, Nick Forest, were also present in book 2 to my delight.

I also learned much about various poisonous houseplants. Discovering something new while reading an H.Y. Hanna mystery is always a highlight.

Overall, this whodunnit was plausible and highly enjoyable. I definitely recommend this series, especially if you like intelligent cozy mysteries with fun, quirky characters and a great plot.