What do you think?
Rate this book
Blooms, Bones & Stones #1
The Secret of Chestnut Hall
A contract to restore an old garden and a handsome client…what more could a girl ask for? Well, a good mystery of course!
Jasmine Summer � or "Jazz� as her friends and family call her, takes on a contract to restore an intriguing old garden for her client, Evan Sutherland.
Evan � He’s quite a famous mountaineer who is trying to leave behind a shattered life and an ex-wife that almost ruined him.
Chestnut Hall � Evan’s house and garden have a mysterious past that intrigues Jazz and Evan. The discovery of a secret grotto leads them both into situations that they would never have dreamed about� and into unforeseen dangers.
Will Evan be able to leave his past behind? What dangers lie within the grotto? Will there be a happy ending for Jazz and Evan?
This is an alternate cover edition - ASIN: B075LR3JSV.
Jasmine Summer � or "Jazz� as her friends and family call her, takes on a contract to restore an intriguing old garden for her client, Evan Sutherland.
Evan � He’s quite a famous mountaineer who is trying to leave behind a shattered life and an ex-wife that almost ruined him.
Chestnut Hall � Evan’s house and garden have a mysterious past that intrigues Jazz and Evan. The discovery of a secret grotto leads them both into situations that they would never have dreamed about� and into unforeseen dangers.
Will Evan be able to leave his past behind? What dangers lie within the grotto? Will there be a happy ending for Jazz and Evan?
This is an alternate cover edition - ASIN: B075LR3JSV.
107 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2017
219 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Olivia Swift
29books62followersOlivia Swift loves writing cozy mysteries! Her stories are inspired by her varied interests…gardening, spirits, crystals and so much more. Of course, there must be a romance or two in her books and a happily-ever-after ending!
Growing up in a small English village, Olivia is only too familiar with the various characters that make up a community. There is always an event, drama, or mystery amongst the village folk.
Only a few years ago, Olivia and her husband chose to take an early retirement and moved to the Aquitaine region of France. There, in her sun-filled study, she is able to sit and write her books. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the window overlooks her lovely French country garden.
Growing up in a small English village, Olivia is only too familiar with the various characters that make up a community. There is always an event, drama, or mystery amongst the village folk.
Only a few years ago, Olivia and her husband chose to take an early retirement and moved to the Aquitaine region of France. There, in her sun-filled study, she is able to sit and write her books. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the window overlooks her lovely French country garden.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
May 4, 2023
2.75 stars ... Loaded this box set from KU months ago and finally decided to give it a look. (Ngl ... the covers caught my 👀!) Went in with low expectations, however ... I'm not a novella/short story kinda reader and these are all a little over 100 pages. Obviously, there is no real character development. The story (mystery ?) is as thin as the Rocky Mountain air. This wasn't bad ... I guess it's about what you would expect. If you're okay with short, shallow tales, this should work for you ... it didn't for me.
March 28, 2018
Last night I read The Secret of Chestnut Hall by Olivia Swift. This is a book I got on Amazon.ca and one that I chose as it was a cozy mystery short. I admit I chose it for its cover and I really liked the story. The mystery was a good one too, lots of good twists and turns. Great characters that even though this was a short story, I still felt like I got to know the characters and felt like I really want to read more so I can learn more about the supporting characters in future stories. At one point I thought the author was going to take us on a predictable journey but I was surprised and pleased at just how wrong I was. A good little read and one I would pick another book in the series in a heartbeat .
August 20, 2018
In The Secret of Chestnut Hall by Olivia Swift, Evan Sutherland has just moved into a small mountain community in Colorado and bought Chestnut Hall, which has remained vacant and off the market for the 30 years since the previous owner died. He has hired the gardening firm of Jasmine (Jazz) Summer to put the gardens back in good shape. Very soon the two discover a strong attraction to each other as they work together. There have been rumors of murder, treasure, and everything in between surrounding this mysterious property. So it is with excitement that Jazz finds a piece of wood that, when she moves it, reveals a grotto that no one knew existed. A secret nighttime intruder, a couple old discoveries, and a skeleton uncovered when they were trying to dig a 8hpond lead to many elements of a 30- year- old mystery.
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at
September 16, 2017
I rated this ARC as a three --- the theme was typical of Romance Mysteries � well written but as a Gardener I got thoroughly tired of looking up all the strange words she was using in the garden she was working on. Well written and short making for a comfortable fast read!
May 28, 2020
The story and characters were interesting but the book needed an editor badly. You couldn’t really tell which character was speaking at any given time. It was very hard to follow.
March 27, 2018
I am not sure why this book got so many 4 and 5 star reviews. It was ok.
Cozy mystery read. The dialogue between the characters did not flow and at times I had to read the passage twice to figure out who was saying what. That took me out of the story. For me there was no emotional engagement as a reader to the main characters. This could have been so much better.
2 stars.
Free for kindle on amazon.com
Cozy mystery read. The dialogue between the characters did not flow and at times I had to read the passage twice to figure out who was saying what. That took me out of the story. For me there was no emotional engagement as a reader to the main characters. This could have been so much better.
2 stars.
Free for kindle on amazon.com
October 3, 2017
First time I have read this author and I have totally enjoyed this book. With mysteries, light romance and gardening as the motivation of this series, this book will hold your attention to the last page.
Excited to see where this series goes!
Excited to see where this series goes!
apuntados
September 17, 2017Amazon - 17/09/2017
July 30, 2022
This was a short and sweet cozy, I would say it leaned heavily to the romance side, which progressed quickly, but because it is a cosy never it never went further than kissing. There is a mystery and I liked how you we were never sure what it actually was, with the twists the author wrote in. I do like my stories longer because you get to know the characters better but for a novella and the start of a new series it was fun. There might have been slightly too many characters (especially with it being short) that other than the main ones, I lost who everybody was because you didn't get to know that great. The gardening job was an unusual occupation for the main character, you don't get to many gardening sleuths but don't worry you weren't confused with lots of Latin plant names etc and It was more of a way to uncover the bones and a mystery.
Jasmine has been asked to restore an old garden for a new home owner, Evan. There she discovers more than a growing attraction to the handsome owner when she discovers a secret grotto and a knife buried in the dirt. Is it a murder weapon? The previous owners wife did disappear. Can Jasmine and Evan find out what went on in the house?And if a murder really did occur where the dead is?
The narrator was okay. I did have to change the listening speed because she either spoke to slowly or to fast and I found it hard to concentrate but when I got the speed right she was pleasant enough.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review
Jasmine has been asked to restore an old garden for a new home owner, Evan. There she discovers more than a growing attraction to the handsome owner when she discovers a secret grotto and a knife buried in the dirt. Is it a murder weapon? The previous owners wife did disappear. Can Jasmine and Evan find out what went on in the house?And if a murder really did occur where the dead is?
The narrator was okay. I did have to change the listening speed because she either spoke to slowly or to fast and I found it hard to concentrate but when I got the speed right she was pleasant enough.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review
September 14, 2017
The Secret of Chestnut Hill by Olivia Swift was a cute short story filled with bits of romance, suspense, scandal, and mystery. Overall, I enjoyed reading Ms. Swift’s story. Near the end of the story there were some minor typos or grammatical errors that momentarily stopped the flow of the story. The only other thing that took me off guard was how quickly Jazz and Evan’s relationship turned from professional to romantic. It is not to say that people can’t fall in love right away, but I felt as if this was forced. I didn’t feel any emotion from Ms. Swift’s writing. There are bits here and there where the dialogue and or interaction between characters just seemed too unrealistic. Again overall, I did enjoy the story as I enjoy a good mystery with a little romance and scandal mixed in, but I wished that I could’ve felt more passion and emotion from the author and seen more relatability from the characters.
The character of Jazz shows the readers that women can be soft and gentle while being a strong and dedicated hard worker. Ms. Swift did skillfully lead me to think one way about who the possible suspects were. Like in any good mystery or suspense leaving the readers guessing and implementing little subtle hints or implementing clues that might lead one off the "woodland path" makes for a really good story.
This is the opinion of a writing student and one received an advanced copy of this story for an honest review.
The character of Jazz shows the readers that women can be soft and gentle while being a strong and dedicated hard worker. Ms. Swift did skillfully lead me to think one way about who the possible suspects were. Like in any good mystery or suspense leaving the readers guessing and implementing little subtle hints or implementing clues that might lead one off the "woodland path" makes for a really good story.
This is the opinion of a writing student and one received an advanced copy of this story for an honest review.
September 14, 2017
The Secret of Chestnut Hill.
Jasmine "Jazz" Summer finds love and adventure in a new garden design job for mountaineer Evan.
Sister Kim, who runs the Nursery left them by their father, stands by her sister as they face mysteries, mayhem, twisted bygone murder plots, missing family heirlooms- and a slew of baddies who should have just let them be.
All the action would likely have died off as rumors from the past, if some guilt acting characters had just minded their own business, and let the remodel go on undisturbed.
Jazz finds beauty in the garden and makes new paths for her life and her heart in this action packed cozy.
Who would have thought that an alpine garden design would be an action packed mystery adventure?
I originally received an advanced reader copy of this book. I voluntarily offer my opinion that this is a mountain of fun, and a great read for anyone who likes cozy mysteries that are just a bit off the beaten path.
Jasmine "Jazz" Summer finds love and adventure in a new garden design job for mountaineer Evan.
Sister Kim, who runs the Nursery left them by their father, stands by her sister as they face mysteries, mayhem, twisted bygone murder plots, missing family heirlooms- and a slew of baddies who should have just let them be.
All the action would likely have died off as rumors from the past, if some guilt acting characters had just minded their own business, and let the remodel go on undisturbed.
Jazz finds beauty in the garden and makes new paths for her life and her heart in this action packed cozy.
Who would have thought that an alpine garden design would be an action packed mystery adventure?
I originally received an advanced reader copy of this book. I voluntarily offer my opinion that this is a mountain of fun, and a great read for anyone who likes cozy mysteries that are just a bit off the beaten path.
December 21, 2021
This story is as much a romance story as it is a mystery. The characters have chemistry, at least for the amount of time you get to spend with them. The mystery (and romance) are satisfying with plenty of characters along the way to give you a pool to guess from. The ending does feel a bit abrupt, however.
Overall, the audible narrator is alright. She starts off reading one sentence at a time. To clarify, there’s a pause after every sentence, as if it’s the end of a paragraph which is distracting as well. She mispronounces prescribed as “perscribed�. I can’t stand narrators who mispronounce basic English words. Especially when they’re staring right at it as they read it.
NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.
Overall, the audible narrator is alright. She starts off reading one sentence at a time. To clarify, there’s a pause after every sentence, as if it’s the end of a paragraph which is distracting as well. She mispronounces prescribed as “perscribed�. I can’t stand narrators who mispronounce basic English words. Especially when they’re staring right at it as they read it.
NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.
November 29, 2021
3.5 stars
This is book 1 in Swift's series Blooms, Bones & Stones. A short, clean, cozy mystery read / listen. Narration was good but sounded monotone, not a lot of depth to the voice or tone / pitch change when portraying other characters. Main characters Jazz and Evan. Evan is a notable mountaineer looking to escape to a quiet place only to discover he's purchased a home with a mystery surrounding it. Jazz who is the gardener he's hired finds herself not only in a mutual attraction with Evan but also in the midst of finding the who done it in the mystery that surrounds Chestnut Hall.
Overall well written, short/quick read / listen with a smooth flowing storyline.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read.
This is book 1 in Swift's series Blooms, Bones & Stones. A short, clean, cozy mystery read / listen. Narration was good but sounded monotone, not a lot of depth to the voice or tone / pitch change when portraying other characters. Main characters Jazz and Evan. Evan is a notable mountaineer looking to escape to a quiet place only to discover he's purchased a home with a mystery surrounding it. Jazz who is the gardener he's hired finds herself not only in a mutual attraction with Evan but also in the midst of finding the who done it in the mystery that surrounds Chestnut Hall.
Overall well written, short/quick read / listen with a smooth flowing storyline.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read.
September 18, 2017
First of series, and the first book of this author's that I have read.
Jazz runs her own gardening business and takes on a contract to restore a large garden in an old house. She meets Evan, the owner, an attractive ex mountaineer who is very enthusiastic about his new home and garden and get involved with the work. They unearth a secret grotto which soon leads to a murder mystery that has very long shadows, having been committed long before Evan bought the house. But the killer will not allow this murder to be resurrected and will stop at nothing to prevent Jazz and her friends from finding out whodunit.
Interesting plot and good characters, I enjoyed this murder mystery very much and will be looking out for more of Olivia Swifts books.
Jazz runs her own gardening business and takes on a contract to restore a large garden in an old house. She meets Evan, the owner, an attractive ex mountaineer who is very enthusiastic about his new home and garden and get involved with the work. They unearth a secret grotto which soon leads to a murder mystery that has very long shadows, having been committed long before Evan bought the house. But the killer will not allow this murder to be resurrected and will stop at nothing to prevent Jazz and her friends from finding out whodunit.
Interesting plot and good characters, I enjoyed this murder mystery very much and will be looking out for more of Olivia Swifts books.
November 13, 2017
I enjoyed reading The Secret of Chestnut Hall. After reading several deep complex sagas a light upbeat whodunit was just what I needed and I was not disappointed. The storyline was consistent from the beginning to the end leading the reader exactly where they needed to go. No straying allowed. Along the way, you met the right people at the right time and hung on to some once you met them throughout the story. Jesse, the main character had a great personality and as a gardener, she gained many extra points as having gardening as an occupation. There were unexpected twists and turns around the whodunit which created a level of danger that got the heart racing and pages turning. The end was initially sad but then the good won out with the case closed. I mean, don’t all good whodunits end with the case closed. RECOMMENDATION: Buy and Read the Book � you will enjoy. –Tex.
May 13, 2018
I honestly cannot tell you why I finished this dreck. The writing was beyond terrible, the characters one-dimensioned, the action scenes utterly flat and without drama, the plot clunky and pointless... it was awful.
OK, I know why I finished. I wasn't ready to commit to a new "real" book yet, and this one was waiting half-read on my Kindle. It was easy and undemanding to finish. It had no gore, none of the graphic and offensive love scenes or love triangles that immediately turn me off, and just enough initial interest to get me past the first few chapters. So I guess I Should give it two stars. But I won't.
Seriously, I know back in the day there were "Penny Dreadfuls." We need a new term for electronic-only, free or very cheap amateur written mystery romances. Hmm.... Kindling?
OK, I know why I finished. I wasn't ready to commit to a new "real" book yet, and this one was waiting half-read on my Kindle. It was easy and undemanding to finish. It had no gore, none of the graphic and offensive love scenes or love triangles that immediately turn me off, and just enough initial interest to get me past the first few chapters. So I guess I Should give it two stars. But I won't.
Seriously, I know back in the day there were "Penny Dreadfuls." We need a new term for electronic-only, free or very cheap amateur written mystery romances. Hmm.... Kindling?
September 18, 2017
I received this as an ARC & the opinion expressed is my own.
I really enjoyed this book. Olivia Swift writes a fun, sexy story with a lot of twists & turns that will keep you reading to see what happens next.
Jasmine "Jazz" Summer has been hired to restore the gardens at Chestnut Hall.
Evan Sutherland has bought Chestnut Hall for a quiet retreat after drama from his divorce.
The two meet when Jazz comes to start work on the gardens. Both are attracted to the other. Together they uncover a mysterious grotto. Events occur after that create a mystery, danger & suspense. I highly recommend this book.
I really enjoyed this book. Olivia Swift writes a fun, sexy story with a lot of twists & turns that will keep you reading to see what happens next.
Jasmine "Jazz" Summer has been hired to restore the gardens at Chestnut Hall.
Evan Sutherland has bought Chestnut Hall for a quiet retreat after drama from his divorce.
The two meet when Jazz comes to start work on the gardens. Both are attracted to the other. Together they uncover a mysterious grotto. Events occur after that create a mystery, danger & suspense. I highly recommend this book.
October 4, 2017
Although I prefer much harder hitting Crime novels, these little Cozy Novellas can be a lot of fun .. you just need to pick the right ones. This one was quite a good tale, with interesting characters that actually had some depth to them and a mystery, rather than a murder, to solve. The garden featured could be based on any number that I have visited, so that was a good visual for me. The romance element was quite subtle and there was a couple of little off-tangent storylines in the book. Would read another by this Author.
August 7, 2018
Quick love & action story
A 30 year old murder, a 100 year old skeleton, and Unexpected love and a new beginning...all things Even hadn't expected when he moved into Chestnut Hall trying to seek out a quiet peaceful life for himself. Little did he know that when he hired Jazz to renovate the garden, they'd both get way more than they bargained for!
A quick read, 107 pages, there's mystery, murder, romance, action...something is going on in every single chapter. You will be wondering what's going to happen next!
A 30 year old murder, a 100 year old skeleton, and Unexpected love and a new beginning...all things Even hadn't expected when he moved into Chestnut Hall trying to seek out a quiet peaceful life for himself. Little did he know that when he hired Jazz to renovate the garden, they'd both get way more than they bargained for!
A quick read, 107 pages, there's mystery, murder, romance, action...something is going on in every single chapter. You will be wondering what's going to happen next!
July 10, 2020
Wow, short and sweet.
For only being 110 pages long, this book certainly manages to unpack a lot of stuff. I liked the premise, and the characters, although a bit lacking in development, have enough personality that you immediately get swept away in the story. The secondary characters are bountiful, but not crammed in to pad out that plot, and the mystery had a few twists and turns that I enjoyed. Not a brain teaser of a whodunnit, just a fun cosy mystery to enjoy over morning (or afternoon) tea.
3.5 stars ⭐️
For only being 110 pages long, this book certainly manages to unpack a lot of stuff. I liked the premise, and the characters, although a bit lacking in development, have enough personality that you immediately get swept away in the story. The secondary characters are bountiful, but not crammed in to pad out that plot, and the mystery had a few twists and turns that I enjoyed. Not a brain teaser of a whodunnit, just a fun cosy mystery to enjoy over morning (or afternoon) tea.
3.5 stars ⭐️
November 14, 2021
The Secret of Chestnut Hall (Blooms, Bones and Stones Mystery #1), my first read from author Olivia Swift. A thrilling cozy mystery. The plot is consistent & clever steadily building to a satisfying. Becky Boyd's narration adds to the enjoyment. “I received a free Audible copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to the next book in this series The Secret of the Jewel Shop. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
September 21, 2017
I enjoyed this cozy mystery very much. It had a very nice beginning where the reader knew what was going on, then the mystery started to come into play bit by bit. Of course there is a small amount of romance in it. The story has very nice developed characters, and the story line is easy to follow. You will be rooting for Jazz, Evan and the gang in this book. I was given ARC of this story. The review is of my own opinions and done voluntarily.
September 22, 2017
This was a quick and enjoyable reading story. I liked how the characters interacted with each other and developed the romantic love plot line. My only complaint was that the murder mystery part of the book played a much too small role in the overall scope of things. Hopefully, as the series develops, there will be a greater emphasis on the murder and mayhem portion of the stories. This is a voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of the book.
September 24, 2017
What a fun cozy mystery. The secret of Chestnut Hall is full of fun, mystery, romance, intrigue and suspense. You have a restoration of an old home and garden leading to possible romance. Then you add in a murder and a mystery to this old house and there is a great story. The twist and turns keep you on edge and turning the pages.
This is a fast, fun read that is sure to please. I received a gift copy of this book and voluntarily give this review
This is a fast, fun read that is sure to please. I received a gift copy of this book and voluntarily give this review
September 30, 2017
This is the first book in the "Blooms, Bones and Stones Series. The mystery begins with Jasmine 'Jazz' takes on a job to restore an old garden. Her client is mountaineer Evan and he is quite famous. Chestnut Hall garden has quite a mysterious past. Well written with a great plot and interesting characters who do everything from solve a murder to reclaiming the history of the estate. An entertaining read. I received an arc copy and voluntarily chose to review this book.
September 19, 2017
A truly good story. Could not put it down, had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. The characters were great and the twist at the end, well it was an unexpected surprise. You will love the characters, the story and the mystery. Watching the mystery unfold was very entertaining. Highly recommend this book to all mystery fans.
September 20, 2017
RreA Great Read
Lately I have been finding more and more excellent Free books for my Kindle. The Secret of Chestnut Hall is definitely among the top 5. I''m not a huge fan of the Romance genre but give me an exciting cozy mystery such as Olivia Swift has written here and you can add the Romance with no penalty.
Lately I have been finding more and more excellent Free books for my Kindle. The Secret of Chestnut Hall is definitely among the top 5. I''m not a huge fan of the Romance genre but give me an exciting cozy mystery such as Olivia Swift has written here and you can add the Romance with no penalty.
September 24, 2017
I enjoyed the book and all the different personalities,
For me, a little romance goes a long way and this book is your typical romance novel. Not my cup of tea but at least the writing was good. Ms. Smith, thank you for the opportunity to read your work. It was a relaxing read for me.
For me, a little romance goes a long way and this book is your typical romance novel. Not my cup of tea but at least the writing was good. Ms. Smith, thank you for the opportunity to read your work. It was a relaxing read for me.
September 24, 2017
A Great Cozy Mystery
I love cozy mysteries. Reading them are like floating down a river and taking in the scenery. So much to take in. So enjoyable but exciting too. This book was definitely interesting, enjoyable, exciting and relaxing. I give it four stars because I thought the ending felt a little rushed. Would follow this author.
I love cozy mysteries. Reading them are like floating down a river and taking in the scenery. So much to take in. So enjoyable but exciting too. This book was definitely interesting, enjoyable, exciting and relaxing. I give it four stars because I thought the ending felt a little rushed. Would follow this author.
July 7, 2018
Things are never totally buried and forgotten.
An okay but slightly confused plot. An abandoned house, a new owner, renovations and skeletons. Can a gardener and a mountain climbing celeb find the truth out about what actually happened in the past? The characters are vivid and full but a shame that the plot let it down somewhat.
An okay but slightly confused plot. An abandoned house, a new owner, renovations and skeletons. Can a gardener and a mountain climbing celeb find the truth out about what actually happened in the past? The characters are vivid and full but a shame that the plot let it down somewhat.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.