Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

April Showers Bring Dead Flowers by Krista Lockheart is book one of the Murder on the Vine series. Heather Moore is a flower and animal lover who has taken her life in a new direction with a job as a greenhouse director at a local university. She's determined to bring new life back into the garden she inherited with the help of a few animal companions. When she discovers a body, she takes it upon herself to dig up clues and solve the mystery before the killer has a chance to put her in the ground. But it's not all stormy skies, as Heather meets a charming flower enthusiast whose connection with her quickly blossoms into romance.

The opening sets an interesting tone for the story as beautiful flowers are a source of happiness for Heather while also creating an ominous setting for murder. Krista Lockheart does a charming job of building a quirky setting around the love of flowers and animals with writing that establishes a cheery, colorful, and humorous tone. This is a world that you want to be part of and immerse yourself in. It just happens to have a dash of murder. Romance is incorporated throughout with a sweet and genuine relationship that balances out the murder mystery while also creating the sense of a new beginning in her life. Heather and Lars' dynamic starts with their shared love of flowers and then steadily turns into a sweet connection that adds elements of romantic comedy to the mystery. Heather is a character with a great sense of humor and confidence in herself that's infectious, such as her feeling ready to conquer the world and be on top of it. She's a character that you'd want to be friends with in real life. April Showers Bring Dead Flowers is a charming story with a great sense of humor, delightful animal characters, a strong love of gardening, a sweet romance, and a well-written murder mystery.