Niagara Archives - Sandra Orchard

Murder by Marigolds was the working title for what later became my 5th published novel and first mystery trade book–Deadly Devotion.

The idea germinated from a dream about the greenhouse where my children worked. As I researched herbal remedies and gleaned valuable insights from my daughter, a student at the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture at the time, the story blossomed and flourished into a three-book series–Port Aster Secrets.

Admittedly, I received a lot of hate mail after this book released, because while each book tells a stand-alone mystery story, a romantic suspense thread arcs the series. So, the letters all said something along the lines of:

“How could you make me wait a year to find out what happens next?!” 😕

Fortunately, today, readers can read the next two books as soon as they want.

Herbal Remedies

The heroine is a herbal researcher and my own research for the series sparked a growing passion for herbs. It also proved my husband’s steadfast faith in me!

You see, for three years, a Book of Poisons sat on my kitchen counter as I squeezed research in during meal prep time. And my dear hubby never sweated it…much. 😆

Set in Niagara, Canada

I set the series in the fictional town of Port Aster modelled after Niagara, as it existed thirty to forty years ago. Sadly, since then rampant housing developments have overtaken much of the farmland and the borders between towns have blurred. People familiar with the area, however, will recognize my own version of what we once called the experimental farm in Vineland, and of Balls Falls, and the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture.