Tulips and Trouble is Book 5 in the Port Danby Mystery series and I think I love this one the best of all. Then again I think that every time I read one of these gems of a story! This book has everything you can want in a cozy mystery, and more.What I love in these books as a whole is all of the wonderful characters we have gotten to know over the course of reading this series, and the continuing relationships between some of the characters, as well as their quirks, fears, what makes them happy and the usual things that happen to people on a daily basis-until someone gets murdered!It is spring in Port Danby and Lacey "Pink" Pinkerton is getting ready for Easter at her Flower Shop with the help of her perfect worker Ryder, as well as her pet crow Kingston, and her cat Nevermore who accompany her from home to her flower shop most of the time. There are so many beautiful colored tulips and so many orders to fill!It's the time of year for the annual Flea market which draws all types of people to come and browse or buy! Lola her friend from across the street will be bringing her antiques, and next door to Lacey, at the Bakery, Elsie is baking up a storm!Detective James Briggs stops by Lacey's shop as he is walking a huge goofy looking puppy. He tells tells her that someone had left the dog tied up at the police station, and so now he was trying to find a home for the dog but so far no luck. Of course he hasn't named the dog, he stated as he is not keeping it. On top of this the puppy has been chewing everything up in the police station and at his home, like all young pups are bound to do! Lacey tells James he should just keep and train the dog!As Lacey and Detective Briggs walk the pup down by the sea, they see 5 artists painting together, and one is a young girl who likes Ryder named Denise, another is Letty, and Ms. Dean who used to teach art at high school is leading the class. They also notice the Lighthouse keeper Marty Tate is out and about and talk to the decades old man. He lets Lacey know the Lighthouse will be open that weekend of the Flea market so anyone can go up in it and look out. Ms. Jodie Dean makes a point of stopping Det. Briggs to say hello as he was a student in her art class in high school. She also mentions she had just seen Dash, Lacey's neighbor, and unfortunately a person Det. Briggs dos not get along with at all, and the feeling is mutual between the two men. This was a mystery Lacey wanted to solve, but no one opened up about. Give her time!On the way back from the beach they could see all the sellers setting up and they also saw Mayor Price who called Det. Briggs over and totally ignored Lacey who he did not like at all because of her pet crow! The Mayor had tried different routes to make Lacey quit bringing Kingston to town, but so far nothing stood up and so many people liked the crow.Elsie has been suffering with a bad back, and she finally falls down and everyone heard the crash! They all run to help her. She is distraught as all the baking she did will not be sold as she is unable to get up so Lacey volunteers to sell the cupcakes at the flea market for her! A couple of new to Lacey people are at the flea market the next day, one is a retired chef that is selling all his equipment, and an elderly Lady named Fiona who has cleaned out the attic of her childhood home, and she has all kinds of paintings and old things to sell.Unfortunately, someone also notices and decides to buy paintings, leaves and comes back and the painting she was looking at has sold! That night after everyone eats at the restaurant that were in the artist class leaves, murder happens!It is up to Det. Briggs to find out who killed one of their citizens and why. He asks Lacey to go with him, and while they are waiting the body is found right beneath the lighthouse! After the body is taken away, Briggs and Lacey go down to where the body was discovered. Lacey and Briggs team up once again!Throughout the weekend all kinds of things happen and you will have to read and find out what. There is also other things not related to the crime happening, and Lacey finally gets an answer to a question that had been plaguing her. On the way from the lighthouse someone tries to kill Lacey and she screamed loud enough to be heard and she is rescued by Briggs, who is very upset about the incident.After this things move fast and you will love how it ends! I loved the plot, the fast paced read, and all the wonderful characters I have come to know and love. These cozy books are so great I can't wait for another one to come out!I gave this book 5***** awesome stars for a wonderful book I sat and read until I finished, I could not put it down! Although you can probably read as a standalone you will get so much more out of it if you read the series from the beginning. Here is a list of the other four books:Marigolds and MurderCarnations and ChaosMistletoe and MayhemRoses and Revenge all read in this order with Tulips and Trouble as Book Five!