Gnomus gardinia.Garden gnome. Field biologist Robyn Devara had never felt the urge to study this particular species...until now.

The Holbrook garden gnomes have come down with a case of itchy feet. Paris, Vienna, even the Serengeti; the gnomes have been vacationing everywhere, returning to their homes with photographs of their travels. But the gnomes aren't the only ones in need of a holiday.

Woodrow Consultants is in Holbrook to clean up an abandoned pesticide plant, a site scheduled to be converted into a toxic waste treatment facility. But with a fragile wetlands and heron colonies mere kilometres away, many of the town's residents oppose the project, including whoever's taking potshots at Robyn's co-workers with a .22.

Left out of the action because of a broken leg, Robyn has surreptitiously followed her co-workers (including the attractive but elusive Kelt Roberson) to Holbrook where she is to rest and recover. The local garden gnome-nappings may have started as a harmless prank, but they quickly take a darker turn when a missing gnome shows up alongside the brutally murdered body of Richard DeSantis, an environmentalist with family connections to the waste treatment facility.

Amidst looming controversy and long-buried secrets, Robyn begins to suspect everyone: a psychiatric patient with a history of violence, the victim's stepfather, a disturbed accountant, the faceless saboteur, even her best friend's mother. Physically vulnerable and emotionally torn, Robyn struggles to find the killer--or killers.

Too bad the gnomes aren't talking....

Karen Dudley wrote a short stack of wildlife biology books for kids before trying her hand at mystery--mostly for the satisfaction of ‘bumping off’ people who irritate her in real life. Then after four environmental mysteries, she had an epiphany . . . she wanted to write fantasy! So she did. Her historical fantasies take place in ancient Greece, and they still include the odd corpse (which is not surprising, given the number of annoying personalities in the world) as well as deities and the odd mythical monster. Her first Epicurian Epic, Food for the Gods, has been nominated for the prestigious Aurora awards, the Boney Blithe award for Humours Mystery, A High Plains Book Award nomination for best culinary book as well as the Mary Scorer Award for Best Book by a Manitoba Publisher. It's follow up, Kraken Bake will be released next spring.

Karen Dudley's profile page

"Karen Dudley's first mystery with an ecological twist, Hoot to Kill, got her nominated for [an] Arthur Ellis Award. This one ... is better." --The Globe and Mail