I read the first in this series after hearing Rosie speak about it at the Brightlingsea Literary Festival in 2023. Having thoroughly enjoyed it, when I saw the second one advertised, I instantly asked to have it for review.

I love cosy crime novels but unless something happens to one of the main characters, it's rare for me to have an emotional reaction to the plot. However, in this case, the victim was so beautifully written that when they were murdered, I was genuinely upset. I had assumed that as they were a nice character, they were going to be part of a sub plot, not the main one. Often in this genre, the victim is an unpleasant character and there are many reasons why they might have been killed, but here, the vicim seemed to be a genuinely likeable person.

The crux of the plot gradually emerges and Steph eventually unravels the mess the victim had got themselves tangled up in. The book also takes a close look at the effect that a sudden death can have on the victim's family and friends, particularly in the case of murder and it is interesting that genuinely grieving people can often leave themselves open to suspicion of involvement because of the random nature of how grief can strike.

I also love that we are now beginning to get more of Steph's personal story. In the first book, we were introduced to her family and ex-husband. In this instalment, although we don't necessarily learn anything new about them, the plot is definitely thickening around her ex-husband's whereabouts and I am sure something nefarious will come out at some point. We already know he's not a pleasant man!

It's hard to discuss many more details of the plot without giving anything away, because every part of it is so intricately interwoven, but it kept me hooked from start to finish and already I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

Ultimately, if you enjoy cosy crime novels, this is definitely one to pick up. However, I would also argue that even if it's not your usual 'go-to' genre, give the series a go, because there's more to it than a run-of-the-mill cosy crime. The gardening adds an extra-dimension and of course for pet-lovers, there is the gorgeous Mouse, who finds friends of all varieties in this book.

I really enjoyed this book and am in love with a fictional dog. Lovely plot and really well drawn characters, Uncle Angus is especially notable. I really liked the last book in the series too, despite having no interest in gardening. Looking forward to the next book.

I had not read the previous book before reading this one but I believe the author made the past events clear enough that my reading pleasure was not affected.

The main character, Steph Williams, is a garden consultant, and in [book:Murder Takes Root|173599512] she is staying at an ancestral home to oversee plans for restoring the old gardens. She is living at the house with her dog Mouse and a large group of other employees. When one of them is found dead Steph does not believe it was suicide and begins her own investigation.

This is an interesting cosy mystery with some good characters. I enjoyed the time spent in the gardens and learned a bit about orchids. Four stars.

This is the second book in what's turning out to be a wonderful series. Steph's latest gardening project is on the Ashford Manor estate and it quickly becomes clear that an infestation in the garden will be the least of her worries. Sir Angus a nonagenarian who thinks someone is poisoning him, shouting and arguing in the middle of the night, a hostile and secretive head gardener and a suspicious sudden death all create a tense atmosphere of mystery and danger.
Lightheartedness and heartwarming scenes emerge primarily with Steph's dog, Mouse and the estate's dog, Belle. The side characters are a friendly and likable bunch of people and it made me sad when the murder happened as the young victim was fun loving and had taken on the responsibility of caring for his autistic brother.

The mystery kept me guessing as there were one or two characters I thought could definitely be involved and I was surprised when the big reveal came.

Because of the temporary nature of Steph's jobs there aren't a lot of recurring characters such as friends or romantic interests for Steph. But, her family do make appearrances and I so enjoyed their interactions especially those between Steph and her Dad. I'm intrigued as to what will happen when Steph meets her biological mum!

Murder Takes Root by Rosie Sandler is the second in the charm-drenched Gardener Mysteries series. It's deliciously cozy but it has oomph, too.

Garden Consultant Steph is newly responsible for restoring Lady Clara's fabulous gardens. She gets to know the staff and others and passionately digs into her job. However, she gets more than she bargains for when a staff member is found dead in his room. Something about it doesn't feel right so Steph investigates. She unravels the mystery, bit by bit, and has help.

As a master gardener, my heart soared while reading the horticultural side of things. Not only are the descriptions lovely but most of the characters are endearing, including Mouse and Belle. There are plenty of clever red herrings and twisty turns. Though there is some predictability, my reading joy wasn't let down one iota. This novel clicked with me as I basked in the beautifully-written words and allowed myself to be utterly transported to Ashford Manor and its upstairs/downstairs feel. Autism is sensitively and deftly handled.

My sincere thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this engrossing novel.

A great second book in the Gardeners Mysteries series and it's been great being back on the adventures with Steph and Mouse again. There seemed to be a number of mysteries this time for Steph to dog around in and each of the characters seemed to have something to hide.
The descriptions of the garden plans Steph was working on for Lady Clara sounded amazing and I love how we see Steph in her natural environment in these stories.

Steph has arrived at her new job as garden consultant at Ashford Manor. Everyone is nice, apart from Blythe - the head gardener, they are all very welcoming.
During the night Steph hears arguing and asks the other staff about it in the morning, but no one else heard anything. When, a few days later, a dead body turns up and the Police are very quick to label it as suicide, Steph has other ideas. With her trusty dog Mouse in tow, she decides to find out the truth.
A very entertaining read.

Murder Takes Root is book 2 in The Gardener Mysteries series.

Steph has been hired as a garden consultant at the Ashford Manor where she is also given a place to stay in a fairytale-like tower. The staff at the manor are welcoming and friendly with Steph all except for the head gardener. But when one of the staff allegedly commits suicide, Steph is certain that it is in fact a murder!

So I wanted to read a nice, cozy mystery and found the first book in the series through Prime reading and when I finished the book I had a look for this book and if it was available to read but saw that it hadn't been released it yet. But then I thought I'd check on NetGalley to see if they had an ARC and to my surprise they did!

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first and liked how it takes place in a different setting with new characters. I look forward to reading the next book in the series soon.

Murder takes Root takes place at a British country manor. Steph has been hired to oversee the formal gardens and is looking forward to working there. Everyone is very pleasant except for the gardener - he is outright rude and hostile. When a young staff member is found dead, the police believe it is suicide but Steph does not agree and investigates.
This is the second book in the Garden Mysteries and I look forward to reading more. I like the author’s writing style - it flows well and she has interesting characters. A truly enjoyable cozy mystery.

A Derbyshire country house estate provides a charming setting for this mystery. Steph Williams has been employed by Lady Clara to recreate some of the estates important landscape features as originally designed by celebrated landscaper George London in the late 17th century. The house and gardens are delightfully described and the botanical references throughout provide a nice addition to the story.

There are quite a few characters in the story and part way in I did have to recap on the first couple of chapters and make a list. Steph’s character is well developed as is that of her dog, Mouse. I felt that some of the characters were not always portrayed consistently and the scenes with the investigating police officers were a little weak.

Overall though I enjoyed the story and would definitely read others in this series.

The novel gets off to a good start. We are introduced to a murder before we even reach the first chapter. The setting is very reminiscent of Downton Abbey and there are some colourful characters here, my favourite being Sir Angus. Steph Williams, our protagonist, is a very motherly sort of character who takes the younger characters under her wing. I was pleased that we got deeper into Steph's personality and background this time. Her lovable dog Mouse really steals the show and he is always there when she needs him. The central plot was clever, but it jumped around a lot for me, I would have liked for Steph to take the lead much earlier in investigating the murder than she did. I like hearing about food, but there were too many breakfast scenes for me and long conversations that stalled the plot. Overall, this novel had a very good premise and I could tell it was written by someone with a keen gardening interest but it needed to have more pace and action to get me more absorbed in the story. I am interested in reading the next book to find out more about Steph’s storyline. 3.5 stars

This book starts off a little slowly but does pick up pace about 40% of the way through. There are numerous suspects, twists and turns and red herrings to keep things interesting, and I didn't guess who the culprit was either. I especially enjoyed the characters of Steph and of course Mouse. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I had read the first in the series, but you don't need to have done that to enjoy this because Rosie catches you up with the bits you need to know.

Steph Williams is a garden consultant; her new commission is to restore the landscape gardens of Lady Clara's ancestral home. She and her lovely dog Mouse get on well with most of her fellow employees at Ashford Manor - apart from one, who doesn't seem to get on with anyone. But then the most popular staff member is found dead. The police think it's suicide, but Steph is sure it's murder - and so she investigates.

Good characterisation; tight plot; lovely snippets of gardening; good red herrings; and Angus is an utterly fabulous character!

Five stars.

A good second book. Steph and mouse are thrown into yet another crime! Read as she navigates her new surroundings, dealing with gardening, family drama and an unexpected border to solve! Can she find out what really happened before it’s too late?

A well written, brilliant cosy mystery! The perfect sequel!

Murder Takes Root

The Gardener Mysteries Book 2

Steph has been commissioned to restore the stately gardens at Ashford Manor. Steph and her dog Mouse are readily accepted by all of the staff, with the exception of the surly head gardener. When one of the staff is found dead in his room, the police are quick to deem it a suicide, but Steph is sure it was murder, and is determined to find justice for her young friend. This book starts off slowly but picks up pace about halfway through. There are multiple suspects and red herrings and I was surprised by who the culprit turned out to be. I like that each book takes place in a new setting with Steph and a new cast of characters. I especially enjoy the antics of Steph's sweet dog Mouse. My thanks to netgalley and Embla Books for this book read and review.

contemporary, local-law-enforcement, local-gossip, family, family-dynamics, autism-spectrum, pet-dog, hired-gardener, amateur-sleuth, unputdownable, divorced, suspense, relatives, witty*****

I only struggled through this book because the first in series had been TTS enabled and I loved it.
This one has the same delightful family and canine characters plus a new employer and a closed minded local law. There is vividly clear world building, unusual twists and creative red herrings. I loved it! The story is a fun read, but I sure hope the next installment will not be a pain in the eyes.
Not TTS enabled for visually impaired!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Embla Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Pub Date 03 Apr 2024 #TheGardenerMysteriesBk2 #BritishCozyCrime

Murder Takes Root was really more of a gardening and plant lesson for dog lovers than a murder mystery.
The repeating of the toy, sleeping in various postures, licking, playing, running, barking, and being the best dog someone could have are just a few of the things a reader can endure about Mouse.
I find it hard to comprehend how Steph concluded this was murder based only on her observation of the body from a distance, especially without any reasons just a feeling, since others who witness a person hanged claim it was suicide .
My issue with the hidden clues was that they were a gamble bet on being found given their lack of acquaintance over the week ..
Over all, this is a sad disappointment as I was taken in by the 5 and 4 stars.
An independent review for NetGalley / Embla Books

Cute, cozy mystery. For being short, I feel like a lot of characterization and setting is packed in. I would definitely read more books in the series. I like especially that Steph is a landscaper and so independent, it reminded me a bit of Circe by Madeleine Miller.

Steph has a wonderful job - she is a consultant on historic gardens and this post looks nearly perfect. Then a young servant is found dead and Steph is sure it was not suicide. Lots of charming gardening details, a very likable hero and her dog and an ever changing setting. Cannot wait to read the next title.

I was really excited to get approved for this one, but to be honest, it fell a bit flat for me. It was really slow to start and just didn’t capture my attention