Wednesday, 16 July 2025

Review: The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening by Naomi Kuttner

A cosy mystery set in NZ by a Kiwi author? Deadly force restrained by cosy vibes? I knew I had to read this immediately and I'm glad I did.

Dante's anonymous retirement is almost immediately scuppered by his choice to settle in a small town - which any small town resident or reader can tell you is the opposite of anonymous. It's further disrupted by faux affable blackmail, expensive fireworks, and a dead woman. His involvement in the resulting murder investigation lands him in an unlikely alliance with a stately older woman and his nervy young gardener - and all while keeping an eye on the rare corpse flower in his greenhouse.

I found the mystery quite straightforward and there were a couple of investigative holes that irked me, and the paranormal aspects felt a little unnecessary, but the characters and overall vibe of the book is extremely charming - not to mention Dante's recovery support group.

If any of the above sounds good to you, pick this up and enjoy!

4.5 stars, rounded up for national pride

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