Welcome! A Deadly Brew by Lynn Cahoon comes out on September 4. It is the latest A Tourist Trap Mystery. Hitting the Books by Jenn McKinlay releases on September 11 and Silver Anniversary Murder by Lucy Stone comes out on September 25.
Flowers and Foul Play by Amanda Flower is the first installment in A Magic Garden Mystery series. Fiona Knox is having a rough time. Her fiancé has left her for their cake
decorator, her flower shop has folded up after a discount floral chain opened
nearby, and her godfather has passed away.
When Fiona receives the call from Alastair Croft, her godfather’s solicitor,
that she has inherited Duncreigan, she hops on the next flight to
Scotland. Duncreigan is the ancestral
home of the MacCallister clan and Ian MacCallister was the last of his
line. Fiona is happy to see Hamish
MacGregor, the caretaker, upon her arrival and he takes her to see Ian’s pride
and joy—the walled garden.
Unfortunately, everything in the garden is dead including Alastair
Croft. Chief Inspector Neil Craig is in
charge of the investigation, but he sets his sights on Hamish as the
culprit. Fiona knows Hamish would not
harm a soul, and she sets out to find other suspects for the handsome
inspector. It turns out that Alastair
was not well liked in Bellewick. Fiona
also discovers that Duncreigan has a secret and she is the key—well,
technically the Keeper. Come along for
an enchanting adventure in Flowers and Foul Play.
Flowers and Foul Play is a
delightful new cozy mystery. The setting
is beautiful. I especially enjoyed the
descriptions of Bellewick, Duncreigan, and the walled garden. Fiona is a charming main character. She is engaging, smart, personable,
inquisitive and open to magic (what a joy).
Fiona is not going to let Hamish go to jail for a crime he did not
commit. She immediately goes to the
village to meet the locals and do some subtle questioning. Hamish is a gentle giant who the perfect
counterpart for Fiona. Duncan, the red
squirrel, is adorable and I look forward to finding out more about him (I bet
there is something special about him). I
hope we see more of Presha (from the tea shop) in the next book. I bet there is more to her story. I found
Flowers and Foul Play to be well-written and have a nice steady pace. The mystery was intriguing, and I always love
when buried treasure is included. I just
wish that it had been harder to solve. I
did find the background details on Fiona to be light. I am hoping we will get to know her better in
Death and Daisies. There are other
pieces of information missing from the story (cheating fiance’s last name, where
did they find the treasure and what did they do with it). I want to know why Fiona is tied to the stone
when she is not a MacCallister. Flowers and Foul Play is a whimsical, magical
cozy mystery. I am rating Flowers and Foul Play 4 out of 5 stars. I am eager
to return to Scotland in Death and Daisies. Flowers and Foul Play will be available on Tuesday, May 8.
I hope you have found a new book to read. I will return tomorrow with my review of Room on the Porch Swing by Amy Clipston. May you have a day filled with happiness and few household chores. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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