A Hoe Lot of Trouble

by Heather S. Webber

Paper Book, 2004

Status

Available

Call number

Fic Romance Webber

Publication

New York : Avon Books, 2004.

Description

Fiction. Mystery. HTML: Taken by Surprise, Nina Quinn's landscaping firm specializing in surprise garden makeovers, is the only thing in her life that seems to be thriving. Her marriage to adulterous police detective Kevin Quinn has wilted. Her antisocial stepson Riley is spreading trouble like pungent manure. Even her gardening tools are disappearing, including a rather valuable set of hoes. Worst of all, the delightful old man who first introduced her to the joys of horticulture is dead�??and not by natural causes. Something evil has taken root in Nina's small Ohio town, and the local police�??including dearly unbeloved Kev�??are baffled. But it's amazing what a resourceful gardener can dig up when she puts her mind to it�??though, by sticking her hands too deeply into this fetid, fertile soil, Nina might well end up planted beneath her own pe… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Helcura

I liked the interpersonal relationships in this book quite a bit. The author grasps the complexity of emotion that a step-parent can feel for a child, that a woman can feel for a man who has cheated on her, and for neighbors who are both annoying and engaging.

Unfortunately the story itself is

contrived and requires the protagonist to do things that only someone quite a bit stupider than she is would do.

A good airport or hotel book, but there are better cozy mysteries out there.

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LibraryThing member elbakerone

Nina Quinn has a thriving business running Taken By Surprise landscaping (think Extreme Home Makeover: Yard Edition) but the rest of her life is quickly falling apart. She's thrown her cheating husband out of the house; her teenage stepson seems to be involved with some questionable friends; and to

top it all off, her best friend's father - the man who taught Nina all about gardening - has died of not-so-natural causes.

Driven to help her friends while keeping her police detective soon-to-be-ex-husband out of things, Nina shoulders the investigation but soon finds herself entangled in more than weeds and thorns. When threats start piling up and Nina finds herself in the crossfire she knows she'd better dig up the truth fast.

Heather Webber does a great job with this fun, cozy mystery. Nina's emotional anguish as a scorned woman and her determination as a businesswoman and amateur sleuth are perfectly balanced with her lively spirit and clever wit. As the title indicates, A Hoe Lot of Trouble is a mystery that will make you laugh even as you sit on the edge of your seat, eager to know what happens next. The ending was a bit of a surprise (and perhaps a tad unlikely) but overall Webber sets the stage for a charming series and readers will be looking for a hoe lot more of Nina Quinn's adventures.

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LibraryThing member susiesharp

I enjoyed this book it’s a good cozy mystery. I enjoy Heather Webber’s writing it pulls you in and you’re hooked. This did remind me a bit of Diana Mott Davidson’s Goldy Bear mysteries which isn’t a bad thing because I enjoy those too. I liked the character of Nina she is going through a

divorce from her philandering husband , she kicked him out but he left her with his teenage son Riley who is going through some things of his own. I loved when she threatened to handcuff herself to him if he kept skipping school. I look forward to reading the rest of this series!
4 Stars

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LibraryThing member robindejarnett

I finally tracked this book down on MobiPocket. The author switched publishers, it seems, and this book is out of print.While this is obviously her first book, it has the same flavor and convolution of her later mysteries. Riley, Nina's stepson is still one of my favorite characters, and seeing him

from the beginning adds a lot to his growth as a character throughout the series.As far as the mystery goes, Webber is good at creating credible red herrings. Though the sub-plot with Riley was pretty easy to figure out, the murder was more complicated. Definitely an enjoyable afternoon read!

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LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey

I tried, I really did. But I was never able to get through this, despite starting it three times. I don't _care_ about the piled-up troubles of a newly-divorced garden designer with a teenage son; I never even got to the actual murder. Not for me.

LibraryThing member murderbydeath

I started this book thinking it was part of a series I'd read years ago, but this is a brand new series to me. After I figured that out, I enjoyed the book. Nina is a great character and she has an interesting cast of friends and family. The mystery was a good one, with an ending I didn't figure

out right away - and I enjoyed the mini-twist at the end. I'll have to search out the rest of the books in this series.

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LibraryThing member JanetArmentani

pretty good!

LibraryThing member Catherine_Dilts

The opening scene of A Hoe Lot Of Trouble, a cozy mystery, had me laughing out loud as Nina struggled with a literal balancing act that symbolized the real-life trials of impending divorce, running a business, raising a snotty teenager, finding a runaway boa constrictor, and solving a murder.

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