Product Description

Landscaper Nina Quinn makes her living from surprise garden makeovers. It's not her fault that someone duped her into digging up the wrong yard. And she certainly can't be blamed when her handiwork turns the unsuspecting real owner apoplectic and he drops dead from a heart attack . . . can she? Nina's got enough trouble already, with her divorce from faithless hubby Kevin nearing completion and her unruly stepson up to his teenage neck in possibly illegal mischief. Now she's in danger of losing her business! But there's something screwy about this rather convenient "accidental" death of a man whom apparently no one could stand -- not even the "grieving" widow who's threatening to sue Nina's overalls off. To save her livelihood -- and her skin -- Nina's going to have to dig deeper into the dirt than she ever has before . . . and see what sort of slimy secret things crawl out.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8364011 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-06
• Format: Large Print
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 349 pages

About the Author

Heather Webber writes mysteries in between running her three children to and from various sporting and school events, actively avoiding housework, and wishing someone would give her backyard a Taken by Surprise makeover. This native of Massachusetts was uprooted and transplanted to a little cranny of southwest Ohio shortly after marrying her high school sweetheart.

Customer Reviews

Another Webber Winner!
I LOVE this series by Heather Webber. All of her books are terrific with delightful characters. I love her relationship with her step-son.

Ms. Webber is wonderful at writing humor. She makes the absurd sound so normal that it's even funnier.

In this book, Nina faces the shambles of her marriage and taking charge of her life while her business and employees go wild.

If you haven't read any of the NINA QUINN mysteries, start with the first and expect a lot of fun. If you have read the first books, you'll enjoy this one greatly.

Delightful Read!
Probably the best cozy I've ever read! I have to admit I was skeptical at first, as the premise didn't sound all that interesting to me, but based on the two previous reviews, I decided to try it, and I'm glad I did. The dialogue is realistic and naturalistic--doesn't sound overly expository. The characters were interesting and quirky without being annoying and forced. The main character is nicely drawn and enjoyable to spend time with. Nothing felt formulaic. The plot kept me guessing, and there was just a touch of sexiness to keep things moving along. I plan to pick up Webber's other two books and start from the beginning. If you're looking for a bloodless cozy with charming characters and an easy, enjoyable read, give this one a try!

Nina Gets Taken by Surprise!
In the 3rd book in the Nina Quinn Mystery series, Nina is hard at work completing a new backyard make-over for the relatives of her soon-to-be ex-husband's deceased wife. It seems complicated, but Nina cannot stop herself from the opportunity to snoop about her ex's first wife, and rushes into a makeover for their dilapidated yard. In the midst of the one-day makeover, the real owner of the property comes home early from work, to discover Nina and her crew excavating his backyard. Keeling over from shock, the homeowner dies...apparently from a heart attack. His wife quickly shows up on the scene, and threatens Nina with a lawsuit that could put an end to her successful business. Nina discovers that the people that hired her for the makeover are really the next-door neighbors, who owned a health food restaurant with the deceased. Adding to Nina's distress is her upcoming divorce (in less than two weeks), and the premature labor of her efficient office manager, Tam. Nina works overtime to save her business, and quickly discovers murder is part of the surprise after all.

I love this series! Nina is a great character, and I found myself laughing aloud at times while reading this book. I couldn't put the book down, and found myself guessing at the outcome. The book contains wonderfully vivid characters and a great premise...it seemed like it was only a matter of time before Nina performed a make-over on either the wrong house or was hired by someone other than the owner. I cannot wait for the next installment in the fun mystery series!

If you enjoy the Meg Langslow mystery series by Donna Andrews, you might want to consider giving this series a try.

The first book in the series is called "A Hoe Lot of Trouble". Enjoy!