The Body in the Back Garden

by Mark Waddell Narrated by Daniel Henning

Overview

Crescent Cove, a small hamlet on Vancouver Island, is the last place out-of-work investigative journalist Luke Tremblay ever wanted to see again. He used to spend summers here, until his family learned that he was gay and rejected him. Now, following his aunt's sudden death, he's inherited her entire estate, including her seaside cottage and the antiques shop she ran for forty years in Crescent Cove. Luke plans to sell everything and head back to Toronto as soon as he can . . . but Crescent Cove isn't done with him just yet.



When a stranger starts making wild claims about Luke's aunt, Luke sends him packing. The next morning, though, Luke discovers that the stranger has returned, and now he's lying dead in the back garden. To make matters worse, the officer leading the investigation is a handsome Mountie with a chip on his shoulder who seems convinced that Luke is the culprit. If he wants to prove his innocence and leave this town once and for all, Luke will have to use all his skills as a journalist to investigate the colorful locals while coming to terms with his own painful past.



There are secrets buried in Crescent Cove, and the more Luke digs, the more he fears they might change the town forever.

Editorial Reviews

Lola's Reviews

The narrator worked well for this book, although I thought he did the male voices better than the female voices.

From the Publisher

Praise for The Body in the Back Garden:
“There may be both a romantic and sleuthing future for this pair.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“[For] readers who crave LGBTQIA+ cozies.”
—Library Journal

“A light, entertaining read with memorable characters, small-town nostalgia, and plenty of twists.”
—Booklist

“Waddell’s debut, The Body In The Back Garden, hits every cozy mystery beat perfectly while adding a fresh and much-needed perspective to the genre. I can’t wait to read more of Luke Tremblay’s adventures in Crescent Cove (both in sleuthing and with his handsome Mountie ‘friend’)!”
—Mia P. Manansala, author of the Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Award-winning Arsenic and Adobo

“Waddell has crafted an enjoyable and satisfying mystery with a sympathetic sleuth, a small beach town to fall in love with, and a twisty plot that will keep you turning pages well into the night.”
—Dianne Freeman, author of the award-winning Countess of Harleigh mystery series

“Mark Waddell’s The Body In The Back Garden may be the new kid on the block, but don’t let that fool you. Everything about this story, from the Vancouver Island setting to mysterious denizens of Crescent Cove, is utterly delicious.  All I can say is, move over Jessica Fletcher!”
—Ellen Hart, award-winning author of the Jane Lawless and Sophie Greenaway mysteries

“A quaint coastal island setting; a whip-smart writer-turned-amateur detective; a cozy cast of characters and lots of local flavor. The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell is like a modern-day Murder, She Wrote—only set in Canada, and with a queer millennial man in the Jessica Fletcher starring role. Throw in his handsome Mounted Policeman love interest (Red Serge tunic, midnight-blue jodhpurs? Yes, please!) and this humorous whodunnit sizzles with enough romantic tension to keep readers turning/scrolling those pages. A welcome addition to the ‘quozy’ mystery genre.”   
—Frank Anthony Polito, author of Renovated to Death

“Well plotted, perfectly paced, and wittily written, The Body in the Back Garden is a wonderful launch to what I hope will be a long-running series. I greatly enjoyed my visit to Crescent Cove, and can't wait to visit again!“
—T. G. Herren, author of A Streetcar Named Murder

“A supremely clever twist on the village mystery. Our hero, Luke Tremblay, is an impossible-not-to-root-for former journalist leading the charge. This is sure to be your favorite new mystery series of the season.”
—Zac Bissonnette, author of A Killing in Costumes

Library Journal

06/01/2023

DEBUT Luke Trembley hadn't been back to Crescent Cove, a small town on Vancouver Island, in 20 years. He loved it there as a boy, but when he came out to his family at 18, everyone rejected him, including his beloved Aunt Marguerite. Now, after she was struck by a car and killed, Luke has inherited her house and her antique shop. He only returns to arrange to sell the properties, because his life as a freelance writer is across the country in Toronto. He catches a man snooping around the house and argues with him. The next day, Luke is shocked to find the man's body in the garden. He can't understand why the investigating Mountie, Jack Munro, seems angry with him. Jack warns Luke to stay in town, so he sets out to solve the case and prove his innocence. He only angers Munro more as he lies to the officer, steals evidence, and runs away when the police spy him at the scene of a break-in. VERDICT Luke is an exasperating amateur sleuth, but readers who crave LGBTQIA+ cozies may enjoy his escapades.—Lesa Holstine

Kirkus Reviews

2023-06-21
The hit-and-run death of his aunt brings a freelance writer to Canada’s Vancouver Island and a confrontation with his past.

Luke Tremblay has just broken up with Bryce, the boyfriend with whom he shared a home in Toronto, when he gets the unexpected news that his estranged aunt has left him her house and antiques shop in Crescent Cove, which may be just the lifeline he needs. Still bitter over the fact that his beloved aunt Marguerite had joined the rest of his family in cutting him off when he came out as gay, Luke plans on selling the place to finance his future. But memories of happy childhood summers with Marguerite come flooding back when he returns to her beach-view cottage. The first hint of trouble arrives when belligerent Joel Mackenzie insists that he’s bought something from Marguerite and wants it now. Luke has to physically remove him, and the fight, which is witnessed by a teenage delivery girl, puts him in an awkward spot after he discovers Mackenzie facedown in Marguerite’s ornamental pond. Luke, who finds Sgt. Jack Munro of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police both attractive and intimidating, is shocked to realize that he was the boyhood friend who shared his outsider status. Afraid that Jack isn’t looking at anyone else for the murder, Luke decides to use his own investigative skills. Apparently, Mackenzie was searching for letters worth a fortune if he used them for blackmail, and someone was willing to kill to keep them hidden. As his relationship with Jack heats up, Luke learns enough to make himself a target.

There may be both a romantic and sleuthing future for this pair who share wounds from the past.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159669513
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	09/12/2023
Series:	Crescent Cove Mystery , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos