Mulch: A Novel - Hardcover

Ripley, Ann

3.33

202 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312110294 ISBN 13: 9780312110291

Publisher: St Martins Pr, 1994

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

Louise and Bill Eldridge and their teenage daughter Janie have only recently moved into their lovely suburban Washington home. With her children grown, her husband working, and no close friends in the neighborhood, Louise finds herself somewhat at loose ends until her gardening practices provide a tremendous distraction by way of a dead body.
A devoted organic gardener, Louise has been filling in the low spots in her yard with bags of grass clippings and leaves that she has collected from various homes in the area - much to the embarrassment of overly sensitive Janie. However, embarrassment is the least of their problems when body parts turn up in some of the bags.
One of their neighbors is a murderer, but which one? And whose body is it anyway? The corpse is lacking hands, feet, and head for identification purposes, and no one is missing in the immediate area; the police don't even know whom to look for. With curiosity and time to spare, Louise can't help poking around for clues - even Janie gets involved, with the help of a newfound friend.
But for a high-profile killer with everything left to lose, Louise's activities are no little threat, and may get her into even more trouble than her gardening did.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

From the Publisher:

"Certain to appeal to mystery readers with green thumbs!"
--The Denver Post

"Very impressive."
--The Washington Times

"A fun, fast read."
--Purloined Letter

"Fun...entertaining...Ann Ripley sure knows how to move the story along....definitely recommended!"
--Mystery News

From the Inside Flap:

a killer can dig you a grave...

Amateur gardener and housewife Louise Eldridge has big plans for her family's new Sylvan Valley home, situated among the flower of suburban Washington, D.C., society. Some Japanese iris here, some skunk cabbage there...and her own cozy cabin for her horticultural writings. But barely has she turned the topsoil when her organic mulching unearths the unidentifiable remains of a murder victim. Suddenly her elegant garden is a crime scene blighted by garish yellow police tape.

And Louise--cultivating the rich and restless wives of the neighborhood and their hothouse secrets--must find out who has gone missing. For only then can she root out a rare species of killer who could soon be digging her grave.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.