The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell

The story builds up to an exciting ending. There are other characters to the story that add to the adventure. This story takes Luke on an adventure which I will leave to the reader to read and enjoy. Luke had been a investigation reporter at one time. Luke realizes that he must find the killer since he is the first suspect. Luke also met Juliana Kestenbaum the local doctor when she came to see the body. He indicated that Luke was the prime suspect as he had fought with Joel. He was bullied and was upset when he didn't come back. Always looked forward to Luke's visit with his aunt. When he goes to the police station that afternoon Jack tells Luke that they were friends when young.

Sargent Jack Munro from the Canadian Mounted Police comes to investigate. The next morning Luke goes outside with his coffee and finds a body in his backyard face down in the pond. He becomes unruly and gets into an altercation with Luke. After he comes back from a walk on the beach he encounters a man named Joel McKenzie who tells him that he is here to pick up something that he bought from his aunt. He is planning to put the cottage and business up for sale. Luke Trembley, the main character, has come to the island as he has inherited a cottage and antique shop named Forget Me Not Antiques that he inherited from his aunt Marguerite who was killed in a hit and run. It takes place in the town of Crescent Cove on Vancouver Island, Canada. The Body in the Back Garden is the first of A Crescent Cove Mystery. There are secrets buried in Crescent Cove, and the more Luke digs, the more he fears they might change the town forever. 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. 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. The next morning, though, Luke discovers that the stranger has returned, and now he’s lying dead in the back garden. When a stranger starts making wild claims about Luke’s aunt, Luke sends him packing.

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.

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. He used to spend summers here, until his family learned that he was gay and rejected him. In this queer cozy series debut perfect for fans of Ellen Byron and Ellery Adams, Luke Tremblay is about to discover that Crescent Cove has more than its fair share of secrets…and some might be deadlier than others.Ĭrescent Cove, a small hamlet on Vancouver Island, is the last place out-of-work investigative journalist Luke Tremblay ever wanted to see again.

The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell