A hometown celebration, a deadly blast and fireworks with fatal consequences. The Labor Day Carnations Festival should’ve gone off with a bang, but not like this. When a fiery explosion at the fireworks finale leaves prominent town matriarch Maxine Whitaker dead, florist Iris Bennett finds herself tangled in a mystery as layered as her floral arrangements. The red carnations she dyed for the festival now feel like a warning especially as whispers of sabotage, secrets, and long-buried grudges ripple through the town. With Winston, her one-eyed Persian cat, keeping close watch, and Detective Mark Cooper asking all the wrong questions, Iris begins digging into secrets someone desperately wanted to stay hidden. But in a town where everyone owes someone something, collateral damage is inevitable. As Iris follows the trail of smoke and betrayal, she’ll have to how much truth is too much and is justice worth the cost? ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Awesome It was very entertaining and delightful. Great easy read. Characters were charming and endearing as well as a bit complex. Loved it. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Carnations & Collateral is a great story about Iris a Florist and her special, clever cat Winston. Something happens at the Labor Day Carnation Festival and a mystery starts. Iris assists Detective Mark to look for the clues as she interprets clues in a different way and they work as a team. Excellent story and series that I highly recommend you read.