Murder and a Dahlia

Murder and a Dahlia: A Sunrise Flower Shop Cozy Mystery Book 2

Elizabeth Clover

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Sweet Sunrise Donuts in Scottsdale is hosting an episode of Knead for Speed, a reality baking show. Dove Davis finds herself in the middle of a mystery when a contestant in the bakery competition drops dead from a pistachio allergy. As she works to identify the killer, she is also entangled in her own personal dilemma. Con man Matteo Rossi has found her and wants her to solve the mystery of his brother’s death. Will Dove be able to solve both cases?

As the second book of the Sunrise Flower series, Clover does a nice job of providing the reader enough backstory in the first chapter to help new readers jump in without confusion. The main plot is interesting, though the abundance of subplots can be a bit overwhelming and can distract from the central mystery. I like the main characters in the series and am hoping that they become a bit more developed as the series continues. Overall, I’d give this book 3.5 stars. While it has it’s rough spots, it show a lot of potential and I look forward to seeing this author grow in her storytelling.

*I was given an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.