Shoots to Kill
Flower Shop Mysteries # 7

by Kate Collins

Shoots to Kill has an interesting premise—mistaken identity, but to the max—a young woman replicating every single aspect of her quasi-inamorata, her former babysitter, down to driving the same car and opening a nearly identical shop in the same town as Abby. Then if the idea of Abby having a creepy "double" is not enough, there appears to be another suspect in town who’s connected to the mystery as well.

Collins’ writing is crisp and contains many unpredictable turns. The prologue sets the novel off to a great start: "As far as I knew, being a five-foot-two inch green-eyed redhead wasn’t a crime. . . yet there I was, jailed for being a five-foot-two inch green-eyed redhead." These words are uttered just before Abby Knight is arrested by a state trooper, which immediately lets the reader know it’s going to be one heck of a story.

The pacing of Shoots to Kill is pretty swift, with just the right blend of narrative and dialogue. Abby as a character is witty, sharp and determined, which is a good mix for a mystery heroine. The romantic subplot regarding Marco is exciting, and there’s a touching scene between Abby and him near the end that is well done.

Shoots to Kill is a fun and well-crafted addition to the Flower Shop Mysteries series. Abby Knight is a character well worth spending time sleuthing with.

Reviews of other titles in this series

Mum's The Word #1
Slay it with Flowers #2
Dearly Depotted #3
Snipped in the Bud #4
Acts of Violets #5
A Rose from the Dead #6
Shoots to Kill #7
Night of the Living Dandelion #11
To Catch a Leaf #12
Nightshade on Elm Street #13
Seed No Evil #14