Victoria Trumbull is a feisty ninety-two-year-old who refuses to let her age stop her from having fun—or investigating crime. When Victoria's knowledge of her native Martha's Vineyard helped to solve a murder in Deadly Nightshade, she earned her own baseball cap emblazoned with "West Tisbury Police Deputy." Now the authorities will turn to her again to help uncover another scandal on the idyllic island.
Phoebe Eldridge, a short-tempered woman who lives alone, has sold the family land to a developer who made an offer that seemed too good to resist. When the Conservation Trust enlists Victoria to search that land for an endangered plant, she and her eleven-year-old after-school assistant are rewarded with the discovery of a little nest of cranefly orchids—and a body.If Victoria isn't careful, a killer might take her off the endangered list—and make her extinct.
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"What a fun story! Light and easy reading......love Victoria. I aspire to be like her as I mature. Was especially fun for me as I know the area and have able to stay on island several times."
— Tiffany (4 out of 5 stars)
“This mystery unfolds as nicely as the Vineyard spring it so lovingly depicts.”
— Publishers Weekly“Readers who enjoyed the charming series debut, Deadly Nightshade, will be delighted to get another dose of Victoria’s sharp tongue.”
— Booklist“Upholds the promise of her first...Deadly Nightshade.”
— Library Journal“Here's hoping Victoria Trumbull is solving crimes for many years to come.”
— Barnes & Noble editorial review" Book 2 in Martha's Vinyard series. Includes search for rare species of plants and animals to prevent development on still natural coastal area. "
— Janet, 7/15/2013" I like this cozy series by Cynthia Riggs. If you know Martha's Vineyard, you'll enjoy these stories even more. Well-plotted and always an unexpected but plausible culprit. "
— Suzanne, 5/29/2011" Pretty bad, but I couldn't resist the title as I study crane flies (misspelled in the title as a single word). "
— Jessica, 4/25/2010" Descriptions of the weather, the ocean, the natural beauty of the land and unusual plants make this book a great read for a weekend. "
— Kathleen, 12/5/2009" Not a bad setting; characters moderately interesting. "
— Lynn, 11/25/2009" Liked this book , but got lost at the end. "
— Liz, 5/4/2009" This is an excellent 'cozy' series; setting of Martha's Vineyard is described nicely; main character (in her nineties) is person who is reasonably crochety and ornery. Details are amusing and interesting; good escape reading! "
— Glynn, 11/24/2007" a Martha's Vineyard cozy. made me want to visit the place. the main character is over 90, and less of a sissy than Miss Marple. She does make baked beans though..... "
— Refmonster, 11/23/2007Cynthia Riggs, a thirteenth-generation Islander, lives on Martha’s Vineyard in her family homestead, now a bed-and-breakfast catering to poets and writers. She has a degree in geology from Antioch College, an MFA in creative writing from Vermont College, and a US Coast Guard masters license.
Davina Porter has been enthralling listeners for over twenty-five years with her ability to mine the psychological depths of the characters she reads and bring them convincingly to life. In 2006, she won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Female Narration and in 2004 for Best Inspirational Literature Narration. She has been honored as an AudioFile Golden Voice and has won nineteen AudioFile Earphones Awards. As an actress, she has appeared on stage at the Vineyard Playhouse and the Square One Theater, among others.