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Louise Eldridge is the hostess of a PBS show on gardening called Gardening With Nature. She's in Hawaii to tape segments for it with her program's co-host and her production people. They are there to film segments at a convention of world famous botanical experts. Louise is surprised to find that the experts are at angry competition with each other about who discovered rare plants first, and then who profits commercially when the plants are made into medications. Tensions and egos flare up easily and Louise has a hard job deciding if any of the botanists are more than just walking egos and who might become a friend if she gave them half a chance. Though the tension between the experts is high, Louise is determined to enjoy her time in 'paradise' though her husband's business prevents him from accompanying her there. As she explores the beautiful island walking on the beach one day, she comes across the bloody body of one of the botanists and she tries to administer CPR, but the doctor is already dead. When Louise finds out later that he was murdered, everyone who knows her background in crime solving expects that she will do some investigating on her own, but Louise is determined not to have anything to do with the murder this time. She wants nothing more than to enjoy her holiday. As the conference continues, she finds herself and her co-host in sudden danger as another botanist is killed. Now Louise can't help but be motivated to help find the person responsible for the violence. With her husband's help over the phone and a willing Hawaiian policeman, Louise investigates with a passion. This is the latest in the long-running series and it is yet another enjoyable familiar cozy. The location of the island of Kauai in Hawaii is described in such glowing detail that the readers can't help but long to get there themselves. The mystery is paced well with plenty of suspects and a fine resolution. The only drawback to this story is that Louise has no interest in solving the case and shows no enthusiasm for getting to the bottom of it all. I found it a bit tiresome that she refuses to show any interest in anything other than sunning herself for so much of the book. After all, we all know that by the end she will find the guilty party, so she might as well have some gusto about getting on with the investigation. Yet, no matter the small imperfections, this book is written by an old hand at such mysteries, Ann Ripley, so the story is of a good solid quality. Reading DEATH IN THE ORCHID GARDEN will make you understand why Louise loves Hawaii, even though she has to bother solving a murder while she's there.
Reviewed by Sharon Katz, November 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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