One of the more interesting sub-genres of the mystery that we have previously neglected is the so-called garden mystery--i.e., a mystery where plants are a major thematic plot element (as a location or cause of death [e.g., poison], or where the value of a plant or plants is a major plot element because of the plant's theft or disappearance). [Some critics actually consider this a sub-sub-genre, of the well-known cosy sub-genre of mysteries, the best-known author of which is Agatha Christie.]
One of the best-known modern novelists plowing this fertile ground (pun intended) is former newspaperwoman and organic gardener Ann Ripley:
Greenhouses and potting sheds are popular settings for such mysteries...
...and landscapers and florists often do the sleuthing in such mysteries:
Because these mysteries usually feature long passages of authentic gardening advice, they are particularly popular with folks for whom gardening is a popular pastime....
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