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Retired assassin's guide #1
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening: A New Zealand Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Dante has come to the small coastal town of Te Kohe, New Zealand, for a fresh start in life. But he doesn't want to open a BnB, or save a charming bookshop, or start a romance with a single mother in need of rescuing.
He just wants to forget about his past career (which involved a lot of dead bodies) and have everyone leave him the heck alone. Unfortunately for Dante, life has other plans...
He just wants to forget about his past career (which involved a lot of dead bodies) and have everyone leave him the heck alone. Unfortunately for Dante, life has other plans...
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2025
1083 people are currently reading
1512 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Kuttner
9 books51 followersNaomi Kuttner writes urban fantasy and cozy mysteries.
Living in New Zealand, Naomi spends her free time (ha!) raising her twin son and daughter, writing, taking the dog to the beach, and getting out on the water whenever possible.
Living in New Zealand, Naomi spends her free time (ha!) raising her twin son and daughter, writing, taking the dog to the beach, and getting out on the water whenever possible.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
May 11, 2025
When I saw a review for this book, before I read anything but the title I knew I was acquiring the book and reading it forthwith. And I did, I downloaded and finished it within 24 hours. I absolutely loved it.
Kuttner could have gone fully into Assassin mode, Jason Bourne with a gardening apron and people would have likely accepted that but it wouldn't have been a cozy mystery anymore. Instead she writes a nuanced, charming, fish-out-of-water story about an Assassin that is in recovery from being a killer. Add to that ghosts, and they aren’t the ghosts of the assassin’s victims, and done in an interesting way.
The mystery was well put together. You won’t guess the final outcome from the start. It builds nicely throughout, adding clues and having the reader be along for the ride.
It’s a good mystery, well written, well paced. An enjoyable read.
Kuttner could have gone fully into Assassin mode, Jason Bourne with a gardening apron and people would have likely accepted that but it wouldn't have been a cozy mystery anymore. Instead she writes a nuanced, charming, fish-out-of-water story about an Assassin that is in recovery from being a killer. Add to that ghosts, and they aren’t the ghosts of the assassin’s victims, and done in an interesting way.
The mystery was well put together. You won’t guess the final outcome from the start. It builds nicely throughout, adding clues and having the reader be along for the ride.
It’s a good mystery, well written, well paced. An enjoyable read.
May 13, 2025
Not much about gardening...
I'm not sure what would be a better title for this book, but the story definitely was not what I was expecting. Echoes of Grosse Pointe Blank were there, but otherwise this is more of a small town sleuth story told from the perspective of 3 unlikely friends. Terrific characters, small town New Zealand life and a mystery that kept me guessing. Really worthwhile read.
I'm not sure what would be a better title for this book, but the story definitely was not what I was expecting. Echoes of Grosse Pointe Blank were there, but otherwise this is more of a small town sleuth story told from the perspective of 3 unlikely friends. Terrific characters, small town New Zealand life and a mystery that kept me guessing. Really worthwhile read.
January 26, 2025
I quite enjoyed this. The story flows well, and following Dante's adjustment to living in "normal" society after returing is quite amusing. Eleanor is an endearing take charge charater, and I appreciate her sneakiness. This is a sweet murder mystery set in New Zealand, and has vivid descriptions of the local flora.
April 5, 2025
A weird and wonderful book!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Retired Assassin's Guide! The title certainly caught my attention, and the book read beautifully. We got the POV of three main characters, learning enough personality and backstory to engage my empathy. I am about to buy the second book and continue their exploits!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Retired Assassin's Guide! The title certainly caught my attention, and the book read beautifully. We got the POV of three main characters, learning enough personality and backstory to engage my empathy. I am about to buy the second book and continue their exploits!
August 9, 2025
Tres estrellas. De 0 a 10: 6.
Novela simpática, entretenida e ingeniosa.
El trío protagonista son personajes encantadores, con sus cosas...
Aunque desde el principio se sabe el quien, no pierde interés: la novela se centra en intentar probar lo sucedido y que el culpable pague por lo que ha hecho.
Novela simpática, entretenida e ingeniosa.
El trío protagonista son personajes encantadores, con sus cosas...
Aunque desde el principio se sabe el quien, no pierde interés: la novela se centra en intentar probar lo sucedido y que el culpable pague por lo que ha hecho.
July 26, 2025
Loved it! Can’t wait to meet up with these characters again in the next book!
June 13, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ I loved this book so much!! Characters were instantly likable, unique, and dynamic. I’m a sucker for a quirky crew of outcasts becoming friends. Enjoyed the pace and unraveling of the mystery as the story progressed. It kept me entertained and I was really satisfied with how it all wrapped up in the end. I’m so looking forward to the sequel!
March 26, 2025
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐️
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐️
World Building: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🚫
Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️
This is a perfectly cozy mystery. Retired assassin Dante has settled in a small New Zealand town.
When the local harpy is murdered during a town gala very one is stumped.
The local business man Ted, is the shadiest of shady.
Throw in Charlie the gardener and Elinor the helpful socialite to get the full cast of suspects and the quest to solve the murder is on.
For some reason up until about the 50% mark this book was a chore for me to get through. It crawled by. Thankfully the 2nd half was much easier to settle into the story and enjoy. Which I definitely did. The characters are easy to love or hate. There are a few words I wasn’t really familiar with and had to use my kindle dictionary. In doing this I learned that some aren’t listed, so context clues it is. I assume this means they are geographical colloquialisms.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐️
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐️
World Building: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🚫
Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️
This is a perfectly cozy mystery. Retired assassin Dante has settled in a small New Zealand town.
When the local harpy is murdered during a town gala very one is stumped.
The local business man Ted, is the shadiest of shady.
Throw in Charlie the gardener and Elinor the helpful socialite to get the full cast of suspects and the quest to solve the murder is on.
For some reason up until about the 50% mark this book was a chore for me to get through. It crawled by. Thankfully the 2nd half was much easier to settle into the story and enjoy. Which I definitely did. The characters are easy to love or hate. There are a few words I wasn’t really familiar with and had to use my kindle dictionary. In doing this I learned that some aren’t listed, so context clues it is. I assume this means they are geographical colloquialisms.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 1, 2025
Great writing, good mystery, and I loved the characters and the little found family they formed. Definitely recommend.
June 13, 2025
In the end I enjoyed the book, but it was rather a chore to read. Seemed to go on and on and on. I was reading it for a purpose or I'd have DNFed.
The characters were quirky and interesting, but I hate a narrative with multiple POVs, and the focus wasn't on the assassin, as promised, or even the gardener; I'd argue Eleanor was the true main character, which is unfortunate because I found her pretty annoying. She didn't act her age, she was pushy, manipulative, arrogant, and narcissistic (very like the villain, actually), and her general purpose was ex machina: she inexplicably knew facts about people and circumstances and of course had helpful contacts from her own shady past. The story couldn't have happened without her, she propelled it, yet we know absolutely nothing about her except that she's 60 years old and a former art thief? Or forger? It was vague. I couldn't even appreciate her fledgling romance with the inspector; they were both such unlikable people that the idea of a romance between them was cringy.
Dante and his adjustment to civilian life (resisting the urge to kill people, lol) was entertaining, and I appreciated his dry humor, but I don't understand why he was written as if he was an emotionless/lifeless robot programmed only to kill and magically became a sentient human once he retired. He was a government agent, not an automaton. There's no reason he couldn't have had experiences in relationships and animals and plants and food, for god's sake. He might not have had much chance to explore those things, but it was an odd choice to act like life itself was a completely foreign concept to him. Like he was born 39 years old.
I also didn't care for the little chapter epigraphs that hinted at/summarized what the chapter was about. Quit teasing and get on with it.
I wanted more ghosts. We don't really see much of them until the last third/quarter.
And some romance would have been nice. One that didn't make me cringe.
So the book was good but far from great. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say it was an intriguing concept with questionable execution. That said, I did appreciate its efforts to be quirky and different.
The characters were quirky and interesting, but I hate a narrative with multiple POVs, and the focus wasn't on the assassin, as promised, or even the gardener; I'd argue Eleanor was the true main character, which is unfortunate because I found her pretty annoying. She didn't act her age, she was pushy, manipulative, arrogant, and narcissistic (very like the villain, actually), and her general purpose was ex machina: she inexplicably knew facts about people and circumstances and of course had helpful contacts from her own shady past. The story couldn't have happened without her, she propelled it, yet we know absolutely nothing about her except that she's 60 years old and a former art thief? Or forger? It was vague. I couldn't even appreciate her fledgling romance with the inspector; they were both such unlikable people that the idea of a romance between them was cringy.
Dante and his adjustment to civilian life (resisting the urge to kill people, lol) was entertaining, and I appreciated his dry humor, but I don't understand why he was written as if he was an emotionless/lifeless robot programmed only to kill and magically became a sentient human once he retired. He was a government agent, not an automaton. There's no reason he couldn't have had experiences in relationships and animals and plants and food, for god's sake. He might not have had much chance to explore those things, but it was an odd choice to act like life itself was a completely foreign concept to him. Like he was born 39 years old.
I also didn't care for the little chapter epigraphs that hinted at/summarized what the chapter was about. Quit teasing and get on with it.
I wanted more ghosts. We don't really see much of them until the last third/quarter.
And some romance would have been nice. One that didn't make me cringe.
So the book was good but far from great. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say it was an intriguing concept with questionable execution. That said, I did appreciate its efforts to be quirky and different.
May 10, 2025
I enjoyed this, and it was fun to read and enjoy the New Zealand setting. Main characters were likeable and interesting, so I will be watching for book 2. Villain was impressively evil with a capital E.
Just a few quibbles: Lots of misspellings. And Eleanor is way off for her supposed age. She is supposedly in her 60s, but talks, acts, and dresses much older. I am just a little younger, and can say with conviction that Eleanor acts and 'feels' like my mom and not like a peer. Maybe the author doesn't interact with that age group much? YMMV, of course. I enjoyed it but that did keep throwing me out of the story. Also, I thought NZ was very multicultural? Maybe I skimmed over those cues?
Just a few quibbles: Lots of misspellings. And Eleanor is way off for her supposed age. She is supposedly in her 60s, but talks, acts, and dresses much older. I am just a little younger, and can say with conviction that Eleanor acts and 'feels' like my mom and not like a peer. Maybe the author doesn't interact with that age group much? YMMV, of course. I enjoyed it but that did keep throwing me out of the story. Also, I thought NZ was very multicultural? Maybe I skimmed over those cues?
August 26, 2025
4.5
This book was such a lovely surprise! I went in not really knowing what to expect, but it ended up giving me so much more than I imagined. The three main characters were the heart of it all. Dante, antisocial, but full of depth; Charlie, brings vulnerability and heart; and Eleanor is the kind of character who steals every scene. Together, they felt both funny and touching, each one balancing the others in the best way.
There were so many moments where I laughed out loud, and plenty where I felt really moved. The whole story is creative, original, and just plain fun to read.
These are the kind of characters you get attached to right away — the ones you want to keep following from book to book, like Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, or even the trio from Only Murders in the Building. I really hope there’s more to come, because I’d happily join them on every new adventure.
This book was such a lovely surprise! I went in not really knowing what to expect, but it ended up giving me so much more than I imagined. The three main characters were the heart of it all. Dante, antisocial, but full of depth; Charlie, brings vulnerability and heart; and Eleanor is the kind of character who steals every scene. Together, they felt both funny and touching, each one balancing the others in the best way.
There were so many moments where I laughed out loud, and plenty where I felt really moved. The whole story is creative, original, and just plain fun to read.
These are the kind of characters you get attached to right away — the ones you want to keep following from book to book, like Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, or even the trio from Only Murders in the Building. I really hope there’s more to come, because I’d happily join them on every new adventure.
June 14, 2025
The hero, Dante Reid, belongs to AA (Assassins Anonymous); they keep track of how long its been since a kill. (I really love Dante.) There are other characters with varying backgrounds and talents. And there's a lot of interesting background info about New Zealand, plants, and, of course, weapons. And there are murders and a really nasty villain.
There's a lot of territory to cover, and I want to avoid spoilers, though some characters are dead. This is a keeper, and I'll be rereading it soon.
There's a lot of territory to cover, and I want to avoid spoilers, though some characters are dead. This is a keeper, and I'll be rereading it soon.
July 2, 2025
This was a funny book. I've never been an assassin, so I'm not sure how they would react when they retire, but I would love to think it was like this. Living life like your earning your AA (Assasins Anonymous) chip. Included likable characters and just a fun read. I am looking forward to the next book.
August 4, 2025
Fun cozy mystery
Great characters, lovely setting, exciting but still cozy! I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to the next one.
Great characters, lovely setting, exciting but still cozy! I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to the next one.
August 12, 2025
Such a fun little read. Gives some Richard Osmonde vibes. Looking forward to the next
May 8, 2025
A bit of a disorganized start but once it gets going, it's very good
September 3, 2025
Dante has hung up the balaclava and retired to a quiet village in New Zealand to relax and enjoy the small things. We meet him at 89-days kill free where he’s indulging in second breakfasts, learning to garden, and attending weekly group therapy on zoom. It’s a peaceful, if not humdrum existence until a cat with three white socks infiltrates his domain and a lady gets shot by a sniper. Dante is forced to team up with a transient art thief and a teenage gardener to unmask the murderer, which will test his commitment to the code and worse, force him to engage in small talk. There’s real estate fraud, blackmail, hidden treasure, catnapping, and a lot of ghosts milling about. It’s not easy to catch a killer without killing, but Dante might pull it off as long as the botanical society stops requesting an invite to look at his corpse plant. Ain’t nobody got thyme for that.
August 25, 2025
Reading for the Free box in the Book Bingo. It looked interesting and as soon as I read the first chapter, I was hooked.
Now finished - I loved this book. If you enjoy a cozy mystery with a hint of paranormal, run, don't walk to your Kindle and read this delightful book. It made me happy every time I opened it. Plus, it was easy to open because the chapters were very short and compelling. If you need a feel good mystery with a bad guy turning good, I highly recommend this. I think it will go down as one of my favorite books of the summer.
Now finished - I loved this book. If you enjoy a cozy mystery with a hint of paranormal, run, don't walk to your Kindle and read this delightful book. It made me happy every time I opened it. Plus, it was easy to open because the chapters were very short and compelling. If you need a feel good mystery with a bad guy turning good, I highly recommend this. I think it will go down as one of my favorite books of the summer.
July 20, 2025
This takes a bit of an everything and the kitchen sink approach to a cozy murder mystery: small town setting in New Zealand! Old lady amateur detective who was once a con artist of some kind! Retired assassin! Young man who can see ghosts! Slightly antagonistic but ultimately indulgent police inspector! It blends all these elements together well enough to make this a fun read. Could use a more thorough edit though.
May 17, 2025
Good, but...
First off, this was a highly enjoyable read.
That said, this is hardly perfect. It's self-published, and it shows. Odd word choices, typos, bad formatting, continuity errors, and plot lines that go nowhere.
I did enjoy it a great deal, despite the flaws. The characters are interesting, the setting is lovely, and the murder is well done.
I'd love to see what this author could do working with a couple of good editors.
If you're willing to look past the flaws, you'll get a gem of a story.
First off, this was a highly enjoyable read.
That said, this is hardly perfect. It's self-published, and it shows. Odd word choices, typos, bad formatting, continuity errors, and plot lines that go nowhere.
I did enjoy it a great deal, despite the flaws. The characters are interesting, the setting is lovely, and the murder is well done.
I'd love to see what this author could do working with a couple of good editors.
If you're willing to look past the flaws, you'll get a gem of a story.
August 30, 2025
This was very entertaining and well written, about a recovering deadpan assassin for M13 who retires to a tiny village in New Zealand only to get swept up in a murder mystery involving an older lady sleuth and a young man who can talk to ghosts. It doesn’t sound very promising but as usual, everything all depends on how it’s done.
February 14, 2025
Thankyou to Booksirens for the ARC.
This is a fairly solid cozy mystery, where, arguably, the characters and their relationships and arcs are the stronger focus than the mystery itself.
Luckily the characters were the strongest part of this book for me. They're all colourful and interesting and there weren't any that I felt were badly written or boring, even minor characters felt like they had plenty of personality so kudos on that front. Our main trio were by far my standouts though, Dante, the retired assassin trying to fumble his way through "normal" human interactions and situations. was a delight every time. Charlie the sweet and awkward gardener who can see ghosts was very loveable and given he's one of the suspects and we spend the book trying to prove his innocence he was very easy to root for. Then there's Eleanor, sophisticated and mysterious who seems to have a shady past and loves manipulating people by putting on an airhead act when she's anything but. They were all great.
The actual mystery side of things sort of took a back seat as mentioned earlier. This is less of a whodunnit and more of a howdunnit as it's fairly obvious who's responsible, our trio just needs to find a way to prove it to the uptight Inspector Avery, preferably before he arrests Charlie. And honestly, I didn't mind that so much because the characters made up for it but if you're looking for a twisty small-town murder mystery with clues and theories a plenty, this isn't it.
But, if you are looking for a small-town story with a cast of loveable (and hateable) characters with a dash of mystery and a sprinkling of ghosts then this is for you.
This is a fairly solid cozy mystery, where, arguably, the characters and their relationships and arcs are the stronger focus than the mystery itself.
Luckily the characters were the strongest part of this book for me. They're all colourful and interesting and there weren't any that I felt were badly written or boring, even minor characters felt like they had plenty of personality so kudos on that front. Our main trio were by far my standouts though, Dante, the retired assassin trying to fumble his way through "normal" human interactions and situations. was a delight every time. Charlie the sweet and awkward gardener who can see ghosts was very loveable and given he's one of the suspects and we spend the book trying to prove his innocence he was very easy to root for. Then there's Eleanor, sophisticated and mysterious who seems to have a shady past and loves manipulating people by putting on an airhead act when she's anything but. They were all great.
The actual mystery side of things sort of took a back seat as mentioned earlier. This is less of a whodunnit and more of a howdunnit as it's fairly obvious who's responsible, our trio just needs to find a way to prove it to the uptight Inspector Avery, preferably before he arrests Charlie. And honestly, I didn't mind that so much because the characters made up for it but if you're looking for a twisty small-town murder mystery with clues and theories a plenty, this isn't it.
But, if you are looking for a small-town story with a cast of loveable (and hateable) characters with a dash of mystery and a sprinkling of ghosts then this is for you.
June 3, 2025
I enjoyed it - against my own expectations, I must add. I don't often read mysteries, but this one worked for me. It reminded me of the ROCKY START series of books by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. Like there, in this novel, one of the lead character is a retired assassin Dante, formerly an MI6 operative. After 20 years of killing people all around the globe, Dante settles for a quiet, post-assassinations life in a small town in New Zealand, but his retirement is interrupted by a murder. Someone else committed it, for a change, but Dante's young gardener Charlie is the prime suspect, and Dante feels the urge to help Charlie clear his name. Mayhem ensues.
The pacing was quick, the narrative decent, and the long stretches of high tension were interspersed with lighthearted or humorous interludes, featuring Dante's cat or Charlie's ghosts.
I liked Dante and his friends. I also liked Charlie. And I definitely liked the paranormal aspect of this story - the ghosts. The only thing I didn't like was the villain. He was too all-knowing, always a step or two ahead of the good guys, and that offended me.
Despite that one flaw, I'm thinking of buying the second book of this series.
The pacing was quick, the narrative decent, and the long stretches of high tension were interspersed with lighthearted or humorous interludes, featuring Dante's cat or Charlie's ghosts.
I liked Dante and his friends. I also liked Charlie. And I definitely liked the paranormal aspect of this story - the ghosts. The only thing I didn't like was the villain. He was too all-knowing, always a step or two ahead of the good guys, and that offended me.
Despite that one flaw, I'm thinking of buying the second book of this series.
May 31, 2025
absolutely fascinating and thoroughly entertaining. I love it
Rating: 4.5 🔍⭐️
Another great new to me author, another new book and series that I found absolutely fascinating and thoroughly entertaining.
Naomi Kuttner’s new paranormal cozy mystery is unusual in its use of multiple main character voices to provide the story. It took me a while to get the feel for the flow and framing of how these three highly detailed, yet very different characters would be pulled together to form a compelling trio of unlikely friends who solve a mystery. Or mysteries.
The town of Te Kohe, New Zealand exhibits plenty of main character energy on its own, due to its unique community and character, including its citizens who have a tendency to reveal unexpected sides to themselves.
It starts with Dante, a retired assassin, who’s moved to Te Kohe, New Zealand and now, mostly due to his choice of homes, finds himself living with a life he never anticipated. He expected isolation, and instead he gets a nonstop flow of visitors, and then a gardener.
That arrival of Charlie Wilson, a lovely gardener with his own secrets, sets off an entire ripple of events and murder mysteries to solve. The redoubtable Eleanor is right there , to help them, especially Dante, navigate through the town in their investigations.
Each is such a fantastic character. Dante has been focused on his work as an assassin so now adjusting to being an actual person who’s a part of a team and community is a challenging process. As written by Kuttner, Dante’s personality is realistically chilling in places, hilariously lacking in social skills, and his growth is a result of his own decisions to act on Charlie’s behalf. Eleanor is one revelation after another, a woman of strengths, ingenuity, and a hidden past. And then there’s Charlie, a young man whose story is the basis for the mystery.
Set in New Zealand, the story and characters are well defined by their location and their respective nationality. From the nature, plants and fauna ( I had to look up several of the birds and trees Charlie referenced to my delight), to the languages and foods, I absolutely knew I was in a small town community in New Zealand. That dynamic of the real nature of a type of place where everyone knows everyone is a prerequisite of a cozy and Kuttner has it down.
The small trio of strangers that becomes friends through mystery investigations is a fascinating and great storyline. It fit perfectly into the classic cozy format albeit with a paranormal addition of ghosts here.
There’s no romantic element between the three main characters. They are, at least here, firmly in the friend zone. Eleanor appears to have the promise of one in the future with a great side character.
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening: A New Zealand Paranormal Cozy Mystery by Naomi Kuttner is just terrific. Self published, it’s full of amazing twists, great storylines, wonderful characters, and a fascinating town of citizens to explore.
I can’t wait for the next book to be released.
Highly recommended for lovers of cozy mysteries and fantastic stories.
Retired Assassin's Guide (2 book series)
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening #1
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Orchid Hunting #2 - Dec 16,2025
Rating: 4.5 🔍⭐️
Another great new to me author, another new book and series that I found absolutely fascinating and thoroughly entertaining.
Naomi Kuttner’s new paranormal cozy mystery is unusual in its use of multiple main character voices to provide the story. It took me a while to get the feel for the flow and framing of how these three highly detailed, yet very different characters would be pulled together to form a compelling trio of unlikely friends who solve a mystery. Or mysteries.
The town of Te Kohe, New Zealand exhibits plenty of main character energy on its own, due to its unique community and character, including its citizens who have a tendency to reveal unexpected sides to themselves.
It starts with Dante, a retired assassin, who’s moved to Te Kohe, New Zealand and now, mostly due to his choice of homes, finds himself living with a life he never anticipated. He expected isolation, and instead he gets a nonstop flow of visitors, and then a gardener.
That arrival of Charlie Wilson, a lovely gardener with his own secrets, sets off an entire ripple of events and murder mysteries to solve. The redoubtable Eleanor is right there , to help them, especially Dante, navigate through the town in their investigations.
Each is such a fantastic character. Dante has been focused on his work as an assassin so now adjusting to being an actual person who’s a part of a team and community is a challenging process. As written by Kuttner, Dante’s personality is realistically chilling in places, hilariously lacking in social skills, and his growth is a result of his own decisions to act on Charlie’s behalf. Eleanor is one revelation after another, a woman of strengths, ingenuity, and a hidden past. And then there’s Charlie, a young man whose story is the basis for the mystery.
Set in New Zealand, the story and characters are well defined by their location and their respective nationality. From the nature, plants and fauna ( I had to look up several of the birds and trees Charlie referenced to my delight), to the languages and foods, I absolutely knew I was in a small town community in New Zealand. That dynamic of the real nature of a type of place where everyone knows everyone is a prerequisite of a cozy and Kuttner has it down.
The small trio of strangers that becomes friends through mystery investigations is a fascinating and great storyline. It fit perfectly into the classic cozy format albeit with a paranormal addition of ghosts here.
There’s no romantic element between the three main characters. They are, at least here, firmly in the friend zone. Eleanor appears to have the promise of one in the future with a great side character.
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening: A New Zealand Paranormal Cozy Mystery by Naomi Kuttner is just terrific. Self published, it’s full of amazing twists, great storylines, wonderful characters, and a fascinating town of citizens to explore.
I can’t wait for the next book to be released.
Highly recommended for lovers of cozy mysteries and fantastic stories.
Retired Assassin's Guide (2 book series)
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening #1
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Orchid Hunting #2 - Dec 16,2025
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June 3, 2025This book was very different from most cozy mysteries I've read (or watched, in movie form). I really enjoyed the unique setting in a very different location, and having a "retired assassin" be a main character was also fun and different. The strange crime-solving trio, each with their different skills, made for some entertaining scenes and dialogue.
Dante's character was very well-written, with funny scenes showing how skilled he is at his main trade vs how clueless he is on something that pretty much everyone in the "normal" world knows how to do, like making toast. His relationship with the four-footed friend in his life was also fun and made for some good dialogue that wasn't just info-dumping. He's also very funny and doesn't know it, which makes things even funnier. The humor throughout the story added a lot to the charm.
There were several things that pulled me out of the story and made it harder to want to keep picking it up and keep reading: there were lots of typos (grammar, missing words and fragment sentences) that didn't make much sense. Details changed from one sentence or paragraph to the next in the same scene (car makes/models changed, or a character was running in socks and then seconds later, he's barefoot. One character that has lived in the town for years should know most details about the main antagonist, yet she doesn't know some information that is generally common knowledge.
I also felt that there was a lot of confusion about who's the protagonist of this story. Dante seems to be the main focus in the book summary, but he kind of just goes along for the ride and doesn't seem to be doing any of the actual mystery-solving--that's all left up to the oldest one of the trio. I would have loved to see his character do some more evolving from a hired gun who follows instructions to taking his first steps to independent thinking.
In cozy mysteries, profanity is generally not something readers enjoy, and I didn't enjoy seeing it sprinkled throughout this story. It doesn't really fit the genre and vibe. Also, in the big ending climax, I had a hard time believing that the antagonist had so much power that he could do whatever he wanted and nobody could stop him from majorly damaging the town. I think people would be calling police and hiring lawyers and demanding permits.
The main charms of this book are the unlikely trio that work together to solve the mystery, along with Dante and his gradually-reforming character as he learns to care about people and work with them. I would be interested in reading more books about Dante and his new town if some of the rough parts of the stories were smoothed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Dante's character was very well-written, with funny scenes showing how skilled he is at his main trade vs how clueless he is on something that pretty much everyone in the "normal" world knows how to do, like making toast. His relationship with the four-footed friend in his life was also fun and made for some good dialogue that wasn't just info-dumping. He's also very funny and doesn't know it, which makes things even funnier. The humor throughout the story added a lot to the charm.
There were several things that pulled me out of the story and made it harder to want to keep picking it up and keep reading: there were lots of typos (grammar, missing words and fragment sentences) that didn't make much sense. Details changed from one sentence or paragraph to the next in the same scene (car makes/models changed, or a character was running in socks and then seconds later, he's barefoot. One character that has lived in the town for years should know most details about the main antagonist, yet she doesn't know some information that is generally common knowledge.
I also felt that there was a lot of confusion about who's the protagonist of this story. Dante seems to be the main focus in the book summary, but he kind of just goes along for the ride and doesn't seem to be doing any of the actual mystery-solving--that's all left up to the oldest one of the trio. I would have loved to see his character do some more evolving from a hired gun who follows instructions to taking his first steps to independent thinking.
In cozy mysteries, profanity is generally not something readers enjoy, and I didn't enjoy seeing it sprinkled throughout this story. It doesn't really fit the genre and vibe. Also, in the big ending climax, I had a hard time believing that the antagonist had so much power that he could do whatever he wanted and nobody could stop him from majorly damaging the town. I think people would be calling police and hiring lawyers and demanding permits.
The main charms of this book are the unlikely trio that work together to solve the mystery, along with Dante and his gradually-reforming character as he learns to care about people and work with them. I would be interested in reading more books about Dante and his new town if some of the rough parts of the stories were smoothed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 22, 2025
I love when KU surprises me with books like this. I mean, with a title like "The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening", how could I not pick this fellow up and see what was inside?
And what I found was quirky, entertaining, and altogether delightful.
The story follows a retired (and recovering) assassin named Dante, who moves to a small town in New Zealand and purchases the home of a recently deceased woman that held a passion for gardening. Little did he know that he would also end up 'inheriting' a young misfit named Charlie, who - get this - sees ghosts. Oh, and a stray cat to boot.
When a public murder occurs in broad daylight, adventure, peril and vigilantism ensue. Unlikely friendships are forged, secrets are revealed, and many balaclavas are donned.
The murder-mystery aspect was very engaging, but the characters are really what made this novel for me. You just can't help but get a kick out of small-town personalities (and those of the ghosts that have stuck around). And while I absolutely loved Dante and Charlie and their dynamic, I must take a brief moment to give a shoutout to the character of Eleanor: a sophisticated, 60-something year old lady hailing from New York, with a complicated history of her own and a penchant for skirting the law. Intelligent, confident, and genuinely loyal to her friends - I loved everything about her. She is a character that I just haven't seen in a lot of books.
The humor in this story (driven mostly by Dante) was so incredibly deadpan and I adored it. The filtering of thoughts through the mind of a recovering assassin led to many chuckles, as Dante adjusts to life post-MI6, learns how to make friends, and tries his best not to kill anyone.
The paranormal aspect of this book was definitely unexpected, but handled in a lighthearted fashion - which I appreciated, as I don't tend to read books that heavily feature ghosts.
My few criticisms of this book are as follows: There were a few grammatical and formatting mistakes, but it wasn't enough to really bother me - though it was noticeable. I also questioned some details in regards to the murder and what was eventually revealed, but as I'm not an expert on ballistics I don't really have firm ground to say things were 'wrong'. They just didn't necessarily make total sense to me.
All in all, "The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening" was a breath of fresh air! I absolutely cannot wait to read the second installment.
And what I found was quirky, entertaining, and altogether delightful.
The story follows a retired (and recovering) assassin named Dante, who moves to a small town in New Zealand and purchases the home of a recently deceased woman that held a passion for gardening. Little did he know that he would also end up 'inheriting' a young misfit named Charlie, who - get this - sees ghosts. Oh, and a stray cat to boot.
When a public murder occurs in broad daylight, adventure, peril and vigilantism ensue. Unlikely friendships are forged, secrets are revealed, and many balaclavas are donned.
The murder-mystery aspect was very engaging, but the characters are really what made this novel for me. You just can't help but get a kick out of small-town personalities (and those of the ghosts that have stuck around). And while I absolutely loved Dante and Charlie and their dynamic, I must take a brief moment to give a shoutout to the character of Eleanor: a sophisticated, 60-something year old lady hailing from New York, with a complicated history of her own and a penchant for skirting the law. Intelligent, confident, and genuinely loyal to her friends - I loved everything about her. She is a character that I just haven't seen in a lot of books.
The humor in this story (driven mostly by Dante) was so incredibly deadpan and I adored it. The filtering of thoughts through the mind of a recovering assassin led to many chuckles, as Dante adjusts to life post-MI6, learns how to make friends, and tries his best not to kill anyone.
The paranormal aspect of this book was definitely unexpected, but handled in a lighthearted fashion - which I appreciated, as I don't tend to read books that heavily feature ghosts.
My few criticisms of this book are as follows: There were a few grammatical and formatting mistakes, but it wasn't enough to really bother me - though it was noticeable. I also questioned some details in regards to the murder and what was eventually revealed, but as I'm not an expert on ballistics I don't really have firm ground to say things were 'wrong'. They just didn't necessarily make total sense to me.
All in all, "The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening" was a breath of fresh air! I absolutely cannot wait to read the second installment.
July 21, 2025
I fully expected to enjoy this book (which is, you know, why I picked it up to read it), but I absolutely didn't expect to be so delighted by a retired assassin being forced to (gasp) begrudgingly interact with individuals PLUS use his (now retired) skills to help an absolute ray of sunshine beat a murder charge. Honestly, Dante was just fun. You know, for a guy who used to engage in wetworks and all. Throw in the folks around town who might or might not have just as colorful pasts as him (maybe not AS colorful, but there are definite shades of gray in more than one of the people Dante interacts with) and I was all in from the start.
So. Our erstwhile former assassin has chosen the small town of Te Kohe to enjoy his retirement in. Except, when a man has done what he did for a living, it's hard to let go. To find the rhythm of a non-assassin-y way of life. To not immediately assume anyone approaching him is a threat. But Dante is trying. He's going to his AA meetings (which are probably not what you think). He's learning the art of small-talk (he's not great at it, but he knows NOT small-talking makes him stand out and he really doesn't want that). He's trying his hand at gardening. Okay, he's leaving the actual gardening to Charlie, but he's REALLY good at making sure all the gardening implements are extremely sharp.
They he gets roped into helping one of the town bigwigs with security. And things go sort of downhill from there. Mostly because someone who is not Dante's client ends up deceased at the party Dante's running security on and he and his new sunshine gardener are the main suspects.
Dante knows he didn't do the deed and he's pretty sure Charlie didn't either. So when he's approached by a lady who is FAR more than she seems to help clear both his and Charlie's name, Dante grudgingly uses all his former skills to figure out who actually committed the crime. As an aside, it's a VERY BAD IDEA to catnap a former assassin's cat. Just saying.
A little subterfuge, a house that's been turned into a veritable fortress, a cat who chooses its person, ghosts, more ghosts, a gardener with a secret, a lady who is more than a match for anyone, and a retired assassin who's finding out it's hard to put the past behind you. Sort of. Let's just say that retiring and enjoying life is almost a full-time job in itself for Dante. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
So. Our erstwhile former assassin has chosen the small town of Te Kohe to enjoy his retirement in. Except, when a man has done what he did for a living, it's hard to let go. To find the rhythm of a non-assassin-y way of life. To not immediately assume anyone approaching him is a threat. But Dante is trying. He's going to his AA meetings (which are probably not what you think). He's learning the art of small-talk (he's not great at it, but he knows NOT small-talking makes him stand out and he really doesn't want that). He's trying his hand at gardening. Okay, he's leaving the actual gardening to Charlie, but he's REALLY good at making sure all the gardening implements are extremely sharp.
They he gets roped into helping one of the town bigwigs with security. And things go sort of downhill from there. Mostly because someone who is not Dante's client ends up deceased at the party Dante's running security on and he and his new sunshine gardener are the main suspects.
Dante knows he didn't do the deed and he's pretty sure Charlie didn't either. So when he's approached by a lady who is FAR more than she seems to help clear both his and Charlie's name, Dante grudgingly uses all his former skills to figure out who actually committed the crime. As an aside, it's a VERY BAD IDEA to catnap a former assassin's cat. Just saying.
A little subterfuge, a house that's been turned into a veritable fortress, a cat who chooses its person, ghosts, more ghosts, a gardener with a secret, a lady who is more than a match for anyone, and a retired assassin who's finding out it's hard to put the past behind you. Sort of. Let's just say that retiring and enjoying life is almost a full-time job in itself for Dante. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
January 14, 2025
The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening is a delightful and intriguing novel that seamlessly blends humor, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural. The story centers around Dante, a retired assassin seeking a peaceful life in the charming New Zealand town of Te Kohe. However, his hopes for tranquility are dashed when he finds himself entangled in a web of local secrets and a murder mystery.
Dante's journey of adapting to a slower pace of life and navigating the complexities of small-town dynamics is both amusing and relatable. His dry wit and pragmatic approach to life, honed by years of dangerous assignments, provide a unique perspective on everyday situations, making for highly entertaining reading.
The novel is enriched by a cast of quirky and memorable characters. Charlie, the enthusiastic gardener with a penchant for communicating with ghosts, adds a delightful layer of whimsy to the story. Eleanor, a sophisticated and enigmatic woman with a hidden past and a network of unusual connections, is a force to be reckoned with. The supporting characters, from the gossipy townsfolk to the eccentric members of Dante's support group, are vividly portrayed and contribute to the novel's vibrant atmosphere.
The murder mystery keeps the reader guessing, with twists and turns that keep the suspense high until the very end. The integration of Charlie's ability to communicate with ghosts adds a unique dimension to the investigation, providing clues and insights that would otherwise remain hidden. The novel's resolution is both satisfying and unexpected, leaving the reader with a sense of closure and a lingering smile.
Overall, The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening is a highly enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of cozy mysteries, quirky characters, and a touch of the supernatural. It is a novel that will leave you wanting to visit Te Kohe, perhaps with a newfound appreciation for the secrets that even the most unassuming gardens can hold.
ARC for unbiased review
Dante's journey of adapting to a slower pace of life and navigating the complexities of small-town dynamics is both amusing and relatable. His dry wit and pragmatic approach to life, honed by years of dangerous assignments, provide a unique perspective on everyday situations, making for highly entertaining reading.
The novel is enriched by a cast of quirky and memorable characters. Charlie, the enthusiastic gardener with a penchant for communicating with ghosts, adds a delightful layer of whimsy to the story. Eleanor, a sophisticated and enigmatic woman with a hidden past and a network of unusual connections, is a force to be reckoned with. The supporting characters, from the gossipy townsfolk to the eccentric members of Dante's support group, are vividly portrayed and contribute to the novel's vibrant atmosphere.
The murder mystery keeps the reader guessing, with twists and turns that keep the suspense high until the very end. The integration of Charlie's ability to communicate with ghosts adds a unique dimension to the investigation, providing clues and insights that would otherwise remain hidden. The novel's resolution is both satisfying and unexpected, leaving the reader with a sense of closure and a lingering smile.
Overall, The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening is a highly enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of cozy mysteries, quirky characters, and a touch of the supernatural. It is a novel that will leave you wanting to visit Te Kohe, perhaps with a newfound appreciation for the secrets that even the most unassuming gardens can hold.
ARC for unbiased review
June 3, 2025
This book left me with a lot of mixed feelings. On the one hand, I liked the plot, and it's written just fine. It has a great rating and good reviews, which made me buy the book in the first place. On the other hand, it feels like the research was done by AI and never validated. So those small NZ details that the author got wrong are a big stopper for me. I won't buy the next book in the series, simply because the small stuff is incorrect.
For example, there's a constable wearing a black uniform, but a few chapters later, the police are referred to (correctly) as the 'boys in blue'. Some NZ police staff are wearing black uniforms, but constables have been wearing blue since the 1970s. Or there's a reference in passing to 'opossums' - we have possums in NZ, opossums are a different species on a different continent. Or a Pasifika character is referred to as 'Polynesian' - which is not how people are described in the country. Then the characters in the book throw their used cardboard ice cream containers in the recycling - who does that, really? Every tidy Kiwi knows not to put contaminated stuff into recycling.
But what really was the last nail in the coffin for me was a villain from Belarus. I happen to come from that part of the world, so I was very surprised to learn that 'draniki' is a pastry - it's actually a hashbrowns type of food. And when the guy broke in somewhere wearing a balaclava in colours and patterns of the flag of Belarus, I lost it completely. This is just silly for anyone with the context knowledge.
Now, nothing I listed affects the plot or matters on the grand scale. It's not important to any arcs or conflicts. It just adds to the vibe of poor research/fact-checking.
Disclaimer - I am details-oriented and I appreciate good research and accuracy, even when it doesn't matter.
For example, there's a constable wearing a black uniform, but a few chapters later, the police are referred to (correctly) as the 'boys in blue'. Some NZ police staff are wearing black uniforms, but constables have been wearing blue since the 1970s. Or there's a reference in passing to 'opossums' - we have possums in NZ, opossums are a different species on a different continent. Or a Pasifika character is referred to as 'Polynesian' - which is not how people are described in the country. Then the characters in the book throw their used cardboard ice cream containers in the recycling - who does that, really? Every tidy Kiwi knows not to put contaminated stuff into recycling.
But what really was the last nail in the coffin for me was a villain from Belarus. I happen to come from that part of the world, so I was very surprised to learn that 'draniki' is a pastry - it's actually a hashbrowns type of food. And when the guy broke in somewhere wearing a balaclava in colours and patterns of the flag of Belarus, I lost it completely. This is just silly for anyone with the context knowledge.
Now, nothing I listed affects the plot or matters on the grand scale. It's not important to any arcs or conflicts. It just adds to the vibe of poor research/fact-checking.
Disclaimer - I am details-oriented and I appreciate good research and accuracy, even when it doesn't matter.
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