The Blue Rose: An English Garden Mystery by Anthony Eglin

Alex and Kate Sheppard have just moved into their dream home in the English countryside. A discovery in the garden - not a body, but a blue rose - turns their peaceful world upside down. The rose is worth a fortune, but Alex and Kate will be lucky to get out of the mess with their lives, as the rose becomes an object of desire to dangerous men. Professor Lawrence Kingston, a professor of botany "among other things," helps them sort out the mystery. All in all, an entertaining read, especially for gardeners. Sometimes it seemed like I was in a scene from Cottage Living magazine (my personal favorite), as we peek into the lives of these European professionals. The action keeps up at a moderate pace throughout, with plenty of interesting botanical tidbits. However, the characters use a lot more rough language than I enjoy. Other books in the series include The Lost Gardens and The Water Lily Cross.