Please Don't Push Up the Daisies: A Madison Night Cozy Mystery

Diane Vallere

Jun 2023 · A Madison Night Mystery (series continuation) Book 11 · Polyester Press

About this ebook

She killed him, she killed him not...

 

When interior decorator Madison Night finally meets the family of boyfriend and police captain Tex Allen, the circumstances are less than joyful. His sister’s broody botanist husband left Lily to raise their four rambunctious boys on her own, and she’s at wit’s end. The only bright spot is the mid-century ranch he gave her in their divorce settlement. 

 

The soon-to-be-ex has one request: a face to face with Lily before he says goodbye. Madison offers to go along for moral support, but in lieu of signed settlement papers, she finds the ex’s body crumpled in the corner of the arboretum where he works. When swarm of angry bees sideline Tex, it’s Madison’s job to dig up the secrets that led to the murder — but if she’s not careful, the dirt she uncovers could fill her grave instead.

Can Madison weed through the daisy chain of clues or will she risk pushing up daisies herself?

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National bestselling author Diane Vallere writes funny and fashionable character-based mysteries. After two decades working for a top luxury retailer, she traded fashion accessories for accessories to murder. A past president of Sisters in Crime, Diane started her own detective agency at age ten and has maintained a passion for shoes, clues, and clothes ever since.

Diane-Fans describe "her vintage Vallere goodness," and say she is a "great storyteller" with "a way with creating strong female characters and intrigue" who is "a superb and very humorous writer." Her gift of creating "spunky sleuths in fun settings" take readers to Dallas, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Pennsylvania, and outerspace. 

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For readers who love: humorous mysteries, unique amateur sleuths, over 40, over 50, mid-century modern, doris day, decorating mysteries, series, vintage style, women's fiction, character growth, Cleo Coyle, Kate Carlisle, cozy mysteries, contemporary mysteries, books set in Dallas, Texas.

Ratings and reviews

The indomitable Madison Night is back. I adore all of the books in the series, but this one grabbed me in a really personal way. I walked around with my Kindle up to my face, groping at things one-handed so I did not have to be separated from Madison's current mystery. Over the course of the story, I quite literally snorted with humor and welled up with tears. Madison has some stuff to deal with, and is put in a position where she really has to decide how she wants to view her life and the people in her chosen family, as well as her birth family. She has some serious choices to make and comes to a point of new understanding and acceptance of what family is for her. Meanwhile, there is a terrific mystery, the answer to which I never saw coming. Wonderful book of mystery, mid-century modern design, family, and an adorable dog or two.

This clever and absolutely delightful mystery is beautifully crafted by one of my favorite contemporary authors. Madison finally meets Tex’s family when his sister & nephews hit town. Murder is not far behind when Madison finds the body of the sister’s estranged husband. This book has it all! Plenty of suspense and plot twists, nicely developed characters, and great writing, all topped off with a big dollop of mid-century modern design.

Another one of author Diane Vallere's excellent series. Madison Night is always a treat to have an adventure with. Highly recommend.

About the author

Diane Vallere is the national bestselling author of over forty books, including the Material Witness and Madison Night series. She edited the Agatha Award-winning essay collection Promophobia: Taking the Mystery out of Promoting Crime Fiction. Diane majored in art history at the College of William and Mary and worked in luxury retailing before reigniting her love of fiction. She currently lives in Pennsylvania where she spends her free time discussing classic movies or curled up with a book.