Review: Poisoned Primrose by Dahlia Donovan (Motts Cold Case Mysteries #1)


Note: An advanced reader copy (ARC) was provided by Tangled Tree Publishing via Other Worlds Ink.

Dahlia Donovan is a hidden gem that more readers seriously need to discover. I've loved her writing from the moment I read my first book penned by her in 2018. Over the past year, she's been writing more cozy mysteries, and the transition from M/M and M/M/M romances to this genre has been seamless. Her newest series, Motts Cold Case Mysteries, is headlined by thirty-seven-year-old Pineapple Meg Mottley, nicknamed Motts by her uncle, who is a self-described asexual, biromantic autistic that creates paper flowers for a living. She's moved into her late aunt's cottage in Polperro, toting her cat, Cactus, and her turtle, Moss, with her as she leaves behind her parents' home in London. This first stab at true independence fills Motts with both anticipation and trepidation. She has family and friends close by, but not even they know what to do when skeletal remains are discovered in Motts's garden. As she digs deeper into the cold case, will Motts solve the crime or become a victim instead?

This series starter was a fun read with a heavy emphasis on the mystery aspect of the story and a dash of romance between the main character, Motts Mottley, and Detective Inspector Teo Herceg. Dahlia Donovan kept me guessing with as far as who the villain was, although my final suspect turned out to be the right one. When an author can keep me on my toes while reading a mystery novel, that's an absolute win in my book. Motts was also an interesting main character. She was a high functioning autistic and I loved her independent spirit. Her support system in the form of relatives and friends who lived close by was the sort that recognized that need for freedom and independence yet remained within reach should Motts need them. Then there's Teo who was quiet and reserved but showed through his actions that he cared for Motts. Poisoned Primrose is a 4.5-starred start to what I hope will be a long series.

Date Read: 24 July 2020

Learn more about Dahlia Donovan.

Purchase Poisoned Primrose on Tangled Tree Publishing | Amazon | Apple Books | B&N | Kobo.

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