The Darling Dahlias and the Silver Dollar Bush

Description

The New York Times bestselling author of the China Bayles Mysteries takes readers back to Darling, Alabama, in the spring of 1933-where the women of the Darling Dahlias' garden club are betting their bottom dollar there's going to be trouble... When the local bank suddenly closes, the small town of Darling is caught short on cash. To avoid disaster, town leaders hatch a plan to print Darling Dollars. The "funny money" can serve as temporary currency so the town can function. But when the first printing of the scrip disappears, the Darling Dahlias set out to discover who made an unauthorized withdrawal. Meanwhile, County Treasurer Verna Tidwell questions whether she can trust the bank's new vice president, Alvin Duffy-or the feelings he stirs up inside her. And Liz Lacy learns her longtime beau may be forced into a shotgun wedding. Seems other troubles don't just go away when there's a crisis. There'll be no pennies from heaven, but if anyone can balance things out, folks can bank on the Darling Dahlias... INCLUDES SOUTHERN-STYLE DEPRESSION-ERA RECIPES!

Susan Wittig Albert grew up on a farm in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley. A former professor of English and a university administrator and vice president, she is the author of the China Bayles Mysteries, the Darling Dahlias Mysteries, and the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter. Some of her recent titles include Death Come Quickly, Widow's Tears, The Darling Dahlias and the Confederate Rose, and The Tale of Castle Cottage. She and her husband, Bill, coauthor a series of Victorian-Edwardian mysteries under the name Robin Paige, which includes such titles as Death at Glamis Castle and Death at Whitechapel.

"Albert once again tells a sweet story laced with personable characters and a strong sense of time and place." -Richmond Times-Dispatch "Albert is a wonderful author...I would recommend The Darling Dahlias and the Silver Dollar Bush to any cozy reader, garden lover, and anyone interested in life in the thirties." -Open Book Society "Albert...does such a wonderful job of making the people in her stories come alive...Her characters are real and dealt with real issues." -Debbie's Book Bag