Just Jennifer

Slugfest by Rosemary Harris (Chestnut Hill Books, June 2012)

Anthony and Agatha Award-nominated Rosemary Harris’s fourth book Slugfest is now available in trade paperback with a kicky new cover. Originally published by St. Martin’s Minotaur imprint, Slugfest continues the story of gardening professional Paula Holliday from Springfield, Connecticut. Paula finds herself in Manhattan as the exhibit booth manager for a reclusive garden sculptor at The Big Apple Flower Show. She is hoping for busy weekend full of gardening tips and ideas, but instead uncovers professional jealousies & rivalries, exhibit sabotage including headless gnomes and the Javits Curse. When a body is found floating in the exhibit’s river, Paula is unwittingly left holding the bag, literally, that contains the clue to the murderer’s identity. Add in a pesticide that the inventor claims is a sure thing and Paula and a no-nonsense security guard have more than exhibits to keep their eyes on. Rosemary’s first novel, Pushing Up Daisies is an Anthony and Agatha Nominee for Best First Novel and was on Library Journal’s best first fiction list in 2008. In addition to writing mysteries, Rosemary is a Master Gardener, has been on six Habitat for Humanity trips, built the Chalula Library in Tanzania and is an avid hiker and kayaker and has hiked to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. Rosemary is a strong advocate for libraries and is a gracious speaker we have been very pleased to host twice at the Hunterdon County Library. Be sure not to miss this great series that will appeal to not only gardeners but also to mystery fans who enjoy a witty, sassy, no-nonsense heroine. Read alike authors include Susan Witting Albert, Sarah Graves and Harley Jane Kozak.

The lobby display at the Headquarters Library from Rosemary's 2008 visit.  Rosemary provided packets of daisy seeds with the cover of her new book for everyone and one lucky winner took home a gardening gift including an autographed copy of her new book.