Valpo author, favorite sleuth solves latest crime

In her latest book, Kate Collins, author of The Flower Shop Mystery series, takes us back to the era of traditional mysteries –– a genre exemplified by Agatha Christie who specialized in stately mansion murders where everyone seems to have a motive. Of course, Christie never had Abby Knight, the flower shop owner and sleuth who this time has to solve the crime to save her assistant Grace who is suspected of killing the matriarch of the wealthiest family.

"But there's more than just murder at stake," says Valparaiso resident Linda Tsoutsouris describing the plot of her latest book "To Catch a Leaf" (Signet 2011; $7.99). Tsoutsouris writes under the names of Kate Collins. "There's a very clever art thief at work in the mansion as well."

As usual, Abby is helped by her hunky, longtime boyfriend Marco Salvare who has been upgraded, finally, to fiancé.

"There are always surprises in my stories," says Tsoutsouris when asked about any bombshells she might be throwing readers' way. "One of them is finding out what horrendous piece of art work Abby's mom will dream up next, and in 'To Catch a Leaf,' she doesn't disappoint. It's hilarious. I never know what to expect."

This is the 12th book in the Flower Shop series and Tsoutsouris has no plans to stop. Even though she's doing signing events for the book, she's also working on the next Flower Shop Mystery and has an idea for the one following that.

"I'm about halfway done with 'Night Shade on Elm Street,'" says Tsoutsouris, who is known for her witty titles with their flower puns. "In that one, Abby is called upon to help her ex–fiancé, something she really has to struggle with because of how he treated her after she flunked out of law school. There is a huge surprise in it, too, which I promised my characters I would not give away."