Product Description
Eight years ago, Abby Knight babysat for a problem teen named Elizabeth. Today, Elizabeth’s back, with a new name (Libby) and a whole new life (stolen)—namely, one that already belongs to Abby. Libby’s even trying to steal Abby’s boyfriend, Marco. But imitation really becomes the sincerest form of trouble when Abby finds herself the accused dupe in a bizarre murder plot.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 8 reviews)

Murder and mistaken identity

Elizabeth Blume has returned to town. When she was eleven, Abby Knight babysat her. Now Elizabeth is imitating everything in Abby's life and no one else seems to see it. She's changed her name to Libby, buys a similar car, and opens a shop that looks identical. She's even put a wedge between Abby and Marco.

Abby is accused of murder. Then Libby is accused of murder. Could Libby been imitating Abby just to cover up the murder. Or is someone else framing both of them? Abby sets out to figure things out before she ends up in jail for a murder she didn't commit.

I love this series. Abby is such a fun character. The sparks always fly when she and Marco are together. The two women who help Abby in the flower shop are fabulous, too. Abby's mom is irritating, but then she's supposed to be.

I always devour these books in a couple of days. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

November 24, 2008

By far the best one yet

I have all the flower shop mysteries and I can safely declare this the best one yet. Kate Collins has a loveable hero in Abby Knight and a great antagonist in her nemsis, Libby Blume. She writes Libby's character to be so obnoxious you want to reach through the pages and attack her yourself by the third chapter.

For a brief summary, Libby is Abby's former pain in the neck baby-sitting client who wrecked her life as a teenager and appears to be back for the sequel. She copies Abby's life to a T and when Libby's mother turns up dead with an APB out for a 5'2" redhead suspect, Abby is arrested fasely due to Libby's doppelganger status. Libby is taking over all aspects of Abby's life and Abby is determined to get to the bottom of things before her life falls out from under her.

I was a bit disappointed by the last flower shop mystery because everything seemed to rushed and the book didn't seem to have much depth to it. This one is so much better. I couldn't put it down. Keep them coming please!
October 06, 2008

Best one yet!

Book 7 of the Flowershop mysteries - I loved it and it is my new favorite of the set (so far.) Abby's old babysitting client comes back to town, opens a shop across from Abby's flowershop on the square, cuts and dies her hair to match Abby's, even gets a Corvette like Abby's. Is it 'imitation' as flattery, or something more sinister. Cute cozy. Looking forward to book 8 in Feb 2009!

This installment is slightly longer than the previous books, which really shows in the development of the plot.
September 25, 2008

Enjoyable Cozy Mystery

Abby Knight is not thrilled when Elizabeth Blume returns to town. Abby babysat Elizabeth years ago which was not a happy experience and Abby doubts Elizabeth has changed much over the years. Sure enough, Elizabeth soon changes her name to Libby, dyes her hair red, and imitates Abby in many other ways. All of this is irritating, but when Libby seems to come between Abby and boyfriend Marco, Abby is furious. Even worse, Abby is a chief suspect when there is a murder. Now Abby has to solve the murder, try to win back Marco, and get Libby out of her life, all this while trying to run her flower shop!

I always enjoy my visits to Abby and her flower shop and "Shoots to Kill" is no different. This is the seventh book in the Flower Shop cozy mystery series and the characters feel like old friends at this point. It's nice to see Lottie and Grace, Abby's helpers in the flower shop, also help Abby solve the mystery, although I was less thrilled that Abby was helping Marco in his private investigating - it felt too much like Stephanie helping Ranger in Janet Evanovich's books. There is a nice sense of humor throughout the book (Abby's mother and her artistic endeavors provide most of the humor) mixed in with a sense of seriousness (Libby's brother Oliver is very troubled). Unfortunately, while author Kate Collins does her best to breathe fresh air into the plot line of someone stealing someone else's identity, (and it does provide some good plot elements involving Abby's relation with Marco), the plot line is limiting. Collins does do a good job of providing several suspects, but it's pretty easy to figure out who the killer is and it becomes a matter of figuring out how and why.

"Shoots to Kill" isn't the best book in the Flower Shop cozy mystery series, but it's still an enjoyable read.

September 22, 2008

Nice mystery series

I haven't read this book yet, but I've read others in the series. It's set in a small Indiana town, and the heroine owns a flower shop. The mysteries are lightweight and entertaining, and I've enjoyed the ones I've read in the series so far. This one is now waiting on the shelf for me.
September 09, 2008

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