Tulips and Treason by Tristi Pinkston

Tulips and Treason (Omni Orchids Mystery)

Author: Tristi Pinkston

Publisher: Walnut Springs

Published: April 9, 2014

ISBN13: 978159929002

Paperback: 246 pages

FTC FYI: Received a PDF copy in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary 

The town of Omni has a thorny problem. Two rival crime syndicates have chosen the quiet mountains of Utah as their hideout. Now they want to join forces and become stronger than ever. When the FBI needs to send two undercover agents to infiltrate the mob, they call on Jack and Molly field operatives of experience and skill to pose as floral-shop-owning Mormons so they'll blend in to the conservative background. Jack bears a resemblance to Joe Baker, notorious mob hit man, and stands the best chance of going undetected. The biggest challenge? Teaching Molly how to arrange a dozen roses. Compared to that, bringing down the Mafia will be a tiptoe through the tulips.

My Review

Tulips and Treason is another extremely enjoyable read from Tristi.  I really loved her Secret Sisters series and was thrilled when my favorite characters appeared in the Omni Orchids Mysteries Series too.

Molly North and Jack Coleman are FBI agents.  They are also partners who secretly got married, having kept it a secret from everyone but their boss.  Now their marriage is in a rough patch.  But they are still partners and have been given a special assignment.  A lead has come on an investigation of a mob case the FBI is following.  Molly and Jack are being assigned to a small town in Omni, Utah to run a flower shop as a married Mormon couple.  Normally this assignment would be exciting for the couple, but Molly has her doubts.  How are they going to pose as a married couple when they are on the brink of a divorce.

Jack and Molly head to Omni and are in need of "Mormon" lessons.  That is where Ida Mae, Tansy, and Arlette come in.  Molly and Jack have to run a flower shop to keep up the mob front and to find their contact.  Molly is lost and is really nervous about it.  As they are moving things around the shop, a wall gets busted and they hire a fix-it man to come.  When he gets murdered, the mystery begins.

I loved this book.  Tristi's books are full of fun, humor, heart, and good ole-fashion mystery.  I loved having my favorite ladies from the Secret Sisters series make an appearance in this book.  I have missed them.  Having said that, the new characters held my attention and Tristi's writing, as always, was solid.  I would email her back and forth while I was reading to update her on who I thought was the murderer... Let's just say, I better not quite my day job.  :)

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Trifecta Books / Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Deseret Book

Till Death Do Us Part by Tristi Pinkston

Till Death Do Us Part

Author: Tristi Pinkston

Publisher: Walnut Springs Press

Published: May 2013

ISBN13: 978-1-59992-880-7

Paperback: 245 pages

FTC FTI: Received a paperback copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Summary

Will Ida Mae survive her own wedding?

When charming—and mostly bald—widower George Gilmore asked Ida Mae Babbitt to marry him, she was surprised and delighted. But now he has made another proposal—to hold the wedding in two weeks, while all his children are in town. Flustered but sure she can handle it with the help of her friends, Ida Mae
agrees.

The plan doesn’t go over so well with George’s family, however, and Ida Mae finds herself the victim of a plot to stop the wedding. At first the incidents seem like harmless pranks, but they escalate until Ida Mae finds herself in real danger—and in real pain. Bells are ringing, but are they wedding bells or death knells?

My Review

Till Death Do Us Part finds Ida Mae knee deep in trouble again.  This time is seems that someone from George's family doesn't want her to marry George.  Right away events occur that rattle her nerves, but (as always) Ida Mae stands her ground.   George has not told Ida Mae that he is very wealthy, and it appears that someone from the family doesn't want Ida Mae taking what they think it theirs.  Danger lurks around every corner (and elevator) as Ida Mae and her friends try to plan her wedding to George.

There is nothing more delightful then a Secret Sisters mystery by Tristi Pinkston.  I have grown to love these characters and their endearing quirks.  As I'm reading I remember what a fantastic writer Tristi is.  (Not that I had forgotten :) Consistent, consistent, consistent is how she writes.  Every line is important and most of the time, very funny.  I was thrilled to learn that Ren reminded Ida Mae of Ewan McGregor, "only without the light saber and with a temple recommend." (page 37)  I was happy that the love triangle between Eden, Ren, and Kevin was quickly solved so I could focus on other aspects of the story.

I could quote the whole book for it's humor and cleverness, but this was one of my favorite moments:

The officers waited until Arlette got the minivan turned around, and then they climbed into their own vehicle.  Ida Mae was surprised when one of them flipped on red and blue lights built into the front of the car.  All the vehicles ahead of them edged out of the way, and Arlette followed the officers down the canyon and toward Federal Heights. 

"If this weren't so extremely frightening, it would be exciting," Tansy remarked. 

For once, Ida Mae knew exactly what she meant. (page 144)

5 out of 5 stars.  This is the last book in the series.  If you are new to the Secret Sisters, definitely start with the first.

Author Links

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Deseret Book