Fairy garden store owner Courtney Kelly believes in inviting magic into your life. But when uninvited trouble enters her shop, she’ll need more than a sprinkling of her imagination to solve a murder . . . Since childhood, Courtney has loved fairies. After her mother died when she was ten, she lost touch with that feeling of magic. A year ago, at age twenty-nine, she rediscovered it when she … rediscovered it when she left her father’s landscaping business to spread her wings and start a fairy garden business and teashop in beautiful Carmel, California. At Open Your Imagination, she teaches garden design and sells everything from fairy figurines to tinkling wind chimes and trickling fountains. Now she’s starting a book club tea.
But the light of the magical world she’s created inside her shop is darkened one night when she discovers neighboring dog-grooming business owner Mick Watkins dead beside a fountain. To make matters worse, the police suspect Courtney of the crime. To clear her name and find the real killer, Courtney will have to wing it. But she’s about to get a little help from an unexpected new friend . . .
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A Sprinkling of Murder is the first book in a new series titled ‘A Fairy Garden Mystery’ written by Daryl Wood Gerber in 2020. I’ve ready a few of the author’s other series (both cozy mysteries and more suspenseful ones), and she’s already written the second book in this series due out in 2021. I really enjoy her writing style and character creation, so when she had a new series, I decided to give it a try.
The story takes place in a small town where Courtney Kelly runs a magical fairy garden shop. Most people cannot see the fairies, but Courtney can, and possibly a few others around her. While the books have a paranormal element to them, it is not entirely set in a magical world. Courtney had the gift as a child until something happened and it disappeared. Her ability to talk to fairies, in particular Fiona, a fairy who’s been an unruly teenager of sorts and was kicked out of her world until she behaved better), recently returned. So… Courtney set up her garden in a larger complex of stores. Some people don’t like her and think she’s a fake. Others adore her. Her dad’s a former cop but retired. Her bestie works at the shop. And one day, a fellow shopkeeper turns up dead. Whodunit?
The mystery was my favorite aspect of this debut novel in the series. There are at least ten viable suspects, and it’s a little more than normal because the author has to set the stage with the characters and background. It’s handled well, and I kept jumping around in my decision on who was most guilty. Gerber does a great job presenting the possibilities, and when we finally settle on the top two or three, it looks mighty suspicious; there’s something bigger than this individual death going on, but how does it tie into the property, the town, and the anger between tenants? Gerber presents Courtney as a smart amateur sleuth by accident. The guy died in her garden, so she looks the most guilty. We know she’s innocent, and I enjoyed the tale as it unfolded.
Although I enjoyed the story and the writing, I didn’t click with the characters in this one. The book is written well, but perhaps because I’m not that interested or knowledgeable about fairies, I didn’t feel a strong connection. Fiona is the main fairy we get to know, and she helps solve the case… but because she’s a bit of a nuisance at times, I didn’t take to her… it might get better for me in the next book. The stage is set well, and I see lots of promise. That said, Gerber excels as she always does in these types of books. I will definitely read the next one, and I ended up with a solid 4 that might get higher if I found my connection to the fairy garden world.
That said… it’s purely my personal taste for paranormal or magic… sometimes it’s not quite right for me…but the author is great and the mystery is wonderful, so I’m a fan and I’ll keep reading. You should give it a chance, especially if you like a little magical realism, and you might be the one to give it the full 5 stars it deserves!
What a wonderful start to the new Fairy Garden Cozy Mystery series by gifted author, Daryl Woods Gerber. I was immediately captivated by this fun and enchanting read and couldn’t put this must-solve mystery down until I read the last word. I felt an instant connection to Courtney Kelly, owner of Open Your Imagination, a magical fairy garden business and tea shop, in beautiful Carmel, California and loved her dynamic with the whole cast of characters especially her assistant, Joss, and fairy Fiona. Invite a bit of magic and mystery into your life by reading “A Sprinkling of Murder”. I look forward to more fun and adventure with Courtney and her friends. I received an advance reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review.
“A Sprinkling of Murder” is the first book in a new cozy series, and author Daryl Wood Gerber does not disappoint! I am a huge fan of the author, and was eager to give this new series a try. I’m very glad that I did.
First, this is a magical realism cozy, meaning that it’s mostly a regular-world story, but with a bit of magic added in. In this case, that magical element comes in the form of fairies being real. Main character Courtney saw fairies as a child, and has recently opened her own fairy garden shop. She has a resident fairy names Fiona, who is very much an active character in the story. I especially enjoyed that certain adults (who truly believe) can see and interact with the fairies. Animals and some children can see them as well.
It is important to note that, while Fiona and other fairies have special gifts and powers, they do NOT sweep in and magically solve the entire mystery. Instead, they help by observing and providing useful information. Courtney is left to her own devices to utilize this information as she tries to unravel what really happened to the victim.
There are plenty of characters and suspects, but a handy “who’s who” guide is provided at the start of the book. My advice is to NOT read over it upfront….instead, refer back to it if you come across a character you don’t remember. The list looks overwhelming if you tackle it first….I found that by meeting the characters as they appeared in the story, I had no trouble keeping everyone straight.
On the subject of characters, Courtney is a great one! She is realistic, with real-life strengths, relationships, and problems. Her open heart and faith (which allows her to see fairies) make her even more likeable. I also enjoyed meeting her father, friends, and frenemies, and look forward to seeing these relationship evolve over the course of the series. (I’d especially love to see Courtney’s dad have a bigger role next time around.)
The mystery itself was ideal, with plenty of possible suspects and motives to keep things interesting, but never so many that things became confusing. In the end, I was satisfied with who the guilty party was, and with the motive. Everything made sense, and the savvy reader could have figured it out with the clues provided, but not too early in the story.
I’ll conclude that I loved the addition of the fairy aspect, and am eager to learn more about the fairy world and fairy gardens in Courtney’s next adventure!
Five out of five perfect slices of provolone!
I admit I am not a fairy believer but I love to read about them. A Sprinkling of Murder is a fun read filled with fairy magic and of course murder. After all it is a cozy mystery. I appreciate that there was no love triangle and was a clean read language wise.
It has sparked my interest in creating a fairy garden for my front porch. I believe it would be relaxing to look at and dream.
There are many yummy recipes included and several are gluten-free. I love minestrone soup and will definitely be trying this recipe once the weather turns cooler.
Book two is scheduled to be released in the Summer of 2021.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
This is the first book in the Fairy Garden Mystery series and I loved it! I really liked the main character, Courtney. She is the owner of a fairy garden store. I really enjoyed the fairies in the book,also! This book has me wanting to make a fairy garden. I highly recommend this book.
I reviewed a digital ARC provided by Netgalley and Kensington Books for an honest review. Thank you
A Sprinkling of Murder by Daryl Wood Gerber is the debut of A Fairy Garden Mystery series. Courtney Kelly owns Open Your Imagination, a fairy garden and tea shop, in Carmel-by-the-Sea. She has a sweet cat named Pixie who comes to work with her. Open Your Imagination has its own resident fairy named Fiona. Only those who truly believe can see her. Courtney is awakened during the night by Fiona about danger at the shop. She arrives to find Mick Watkins, owner of Wizard of Paws, dead by the fountain on her patio. Detective Dylan Summers considers Courtney a person of interest since her alibi of being online in the Fairy Garden Girls Dig It chat room cannot be confirmed. Courtney, with help from Fiona and a few friends, digs into the case to prove her innocence and find the guilty party. A Sprinkling of Murder is an enchanting cozy mystery. I thought the story was well-written with delightful characters. I enjoyed the descriptions of Carmel-by-the-Sea with the cute cottages and variety of shops. It really is a fairy tale town and perfect for a shop featuring fairy gardens. I liked that this series has the unique concept of fairy gardens. I just loved the vivid descriptions of these diminutive, creative creations and cannot wait to create one in my front yard. Courtney Kelly is a friendly character with a rich imagination and a green thumb. She is also smart and determined. Courtney is a good sleuth because she pays attention to details and is good at deduction. She comes up with some good theories regarding the crime. Her cat, Pixie is a adorable, but my favorite character is Fiona, a righteous fairy. Fiona is one spunky fairy who adds humor and whimsy to the story with her antics. I hope we learn more about fairies and their world in future books. The mystery was well thought out with a variety of suspects. Courtney asked good questions and kept Detective Summers in the loop (though he did not appreciate her theorizing). I enjoyed reading A sprinkling of Murder and I am looking forward to devouring future books in A Fairy Garden Mystery series. There are recipes at the end including one for the caramel blondies featured in the story (there is a gluten free recipe too). A Sprinkling of Murder is a whimsical cozy mystery with a fierce fairy, a cute cat, fun fairy gardens, a murdered Mick, a defensive dad, and a prying planter.
Synopsis:
Fairy garden store owner Courtney Kelly believes in inviting magic into your life. But when uninvited trouble enters her shop, she’ll need more than a sprinkling of her imagination to solve a murder . . .
Since childhood, Courtney has loved fairies. After her mother died when Courtney was ten, she lost touch with that feeling of magic. A year ago, at age twenty-nine, she rediscovered it when she left her father’s landscaping business to spread her wings and start a fairy garden business and teashop in beautiful Carmel, California. At Open Your Imagination, she teaches garden design and sells everything from fairy figurines to tinkling wind chimes. Now she’s starting a book club tea.
But the light of the magical world she’s created inside her shop is darkened one night when she discovers neighboring dog-grooming business owner Mick Watkins dead beside her patio fountain. To make matters worse, the police suspect Courtney of the crime. To clear her name and find the real killer, Courtney will have to wing it. But she’s about to get a little help from an unexpected source . . . (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well wounded. Courtney is friendly, curious and smart and she does not back down when things get tough. When she finds a dead body in her shop, and she is the prime suspect, she knows she has to figure out the culprit so she does not land up behind bars. She will have help figuring out the mystery from her friends Meaghan and Joss. And Fiona, Courtney’s fairy, is there to take care of Courtney, help her figure out the killer, and to be friends with Courtney. I enjoyed the relationship between Fiona and Courtney. The secondary characters added a lot to the story and some of them were suspects as well.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The descriptions formed pictures in my mind’s eye and I learned a lot about fairies and fairy gardens. The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted mystical cozy mystery. This book was a great beginning for the Fairy Garden mystery series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Daryl Wood Gerber’s enchanting new series, takes a refreshing turn in the cozy mystery genre. I was immensely pleased as I read, A Sprinkling of Murder, with its main character, Courtney Kelly, the owner of At Open Your Imagination, a unique shop that combines her love of all things fairy, gardening, and the Sweet Treats, tea shop. From the very beginning we are swept into the fairy world as we meet Courtney’s own fairy, Fiona, a “Righteous” fairy, as well as her adorable ragdoll cat, Pixie. With a loveable cast of characters, and some not so loveable, we become immersed in the story as we enjoy the quaint backdrop of Carmel By the Sea. With Ms. Gerber’s wonderful descriptions, I could picture myself as a part of the story. Clues are sprinkled throughout the book leaving the quest to find the killer challenging for the arm chair sleuth. This delightful first in series, with its magical draw, has me anxiously awaiting the next. I received an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Kensington Books, Netgalley, and the author for giving me the opportunity to review.
Courtney Kelly believes in bringing a little magic into your life in the form of a fairy garden. Courtney has a background in landscaping but decided to follow her dream of opening a fairy garden and tea shop. Courtney has believed in fairies most of her life, although she could not always see them. Everything seemed to be going great for the shop until the store’s fairy, Fiona, comes to inform her that there is a dead body in the shop. Courtney rushes to her shop and calls the police, only to become a prime suspect. Courtney, along with Fiona, set out to clear her name and save her business.
I loved reading this book. This is a fun and unique cozy mystery. I fell in love with Courtney, her cat, Fiona, and Joss (the bookkeeper for the shop). The characters are well-developed and have great chemistry. The store, Open Your Imagination, is a charming and magically setting for the book. I loved reading about how to make fairy gardens. I have a small one of my own in my reading nook. While reading, I had to urge to rush out and get items to expand my fairy garden and try out the new ideas I had just read about. The mystery is well developed. It has many twists and turns and red herrings to keep the reader involved in solving the murder right along with Courtney and Fiona. I have read books from Author Daryl Wood Gerber other series. I have enjoyed the books of hers that I read, but I think this series is going to be my favorite one of her series. I am excited about reading the next one in the series!
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way, I have been influenced by anyone.
I loved this whimsical new cozy debut. Although I’ve yet to create my own fairy garden, I’ve imagined them and enjoy looking at pictures that others have designed. Protagonist, Courtney Kelly believes in fairies because she has real one—Fiona! Only those who ‘believe’ can see Fiona. Even Courtney’s precious kitten can see her.
The Mystery begins when a death occurs on the patio of Open Your Imagination, Courtney’s fairy garden and tea shop. I was delighted to find a story written with the combination of the two! The plot zips along with Fiona helping Courtney find clues that pinpoint the killer. The author shares tasty recipes with readers, too.
A SPRINKLING OF MURDER is an enchanting beginning to what I hope will be a long-running cozy series.
I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington. Thank you.
A Sprinkling of Murder is the first book in Daryl Wood Gerber’s A Fairy Garden Mystery series. The protagonist, Courtney Kelly, has opened a fairy garden business and tea shop called Open Your Imagination. When she finds a fellow business owner dead in her shop, she immediately becomes one of the main suspects. With the help of her fairy friend, Fiona, she is determined to clear her name and find the real culprit.
I thought this was an enchanting and well-written read. I enjoyed the rich descriptions of the charming small town of Carmel, California, and the fairy gardens. Fiona was my favorite character. I loved the friendship between her and Courtney and thought they made a great sleuthing team. Courtney was a likable main character. She was friendly, determined, and smart in her sleuthing. I look forward to seeing what’s in store for her business and how the relationships in her life develop. I would also like to learn more about Fiona’s world. The mystery has plenty of twists and turns to keep readers on the edge of their seats. I was unable to figure out the culprit’s identity until the reveal.
Overall, I loved this book and thought it was a wonderful start to a new series. I look forward to the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The first book in a magical series. I enjoyed the mix of fantasy and fun this book provides. Courtney is exploring a new time in her life and the possibilities for her to grow in this series are endless. The world the author creates flows so seamlessly between fantasy and reality you can’t help but believe.
https://cozyexperience.com/a-sprinkling-of-murder-book-review/
“Sprinkling of Murder” by Daryl Wood Gerber the first instalment in “A Fairy Garden Mystery” series. What a great start to a new cozy series, I love all the whimsical characters and learning about fairy gardens.
I found the story to be charming, whimsical and especially liked that Courtney had a Ragdoll cat named Pixie and a Fairy named Fiona. I always enjoy cozies with a hint of magic and this was no exception. The side characters were also intriguing and I can see them developing more over the next few books.
It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises. I didn’t guess the ending either so that was nice.
I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
A Sprinkling of Murders is a fabulous start to A Fairy Garden Mystery series by Daryl Wood Gerber! I had just finished a different cozy mystery that was just okay and what makes the difference between that one and a great cozy is showing not telling when it comes to the story, characters I could see myself being friends with in real life and wanting to come back book after book to read what is going on in their lives, and a hobby or town that is talked about in detail. Gerber does all three of those things perfectly in A Sprinkling of Murder.
Getting to know Courtney, her friends, the fairies, and the pets (there were as many pets as people… if not more!) was very enjoyable. Courtney has a great community in her little village and the fairies and fur babies added another level to it all.
There was no jumping right into the story with a love interest which is a nice change of pace. And even better, for a moment I thought there might be a love triangle, but I was happy to see that potential mate was already with someone else by the end of the book. Courtney isn’t hooking up with a police officer or someone on the newspaper staff so I’m looking forward to seeing how Gerber deals with that in future books, since so many authors have their amateaur sleuth getting help from people in those professions in their book series.
One of the things that draws people to cozies is the hobby or cooking that the series centers around, and learning how to make fairy gardens is such a fun concept. I am super excited to take the knowledge I gather from A Sprinkling of Murder and make one (or many!) for my backyard.
This is the first book in a new series by author Daryl Wood Gerber. I am a fan of Ms. Gerber’s other cozy mystery series so I was looking forward to seeing what she cooked up this time around. I found A Sprinkling of Murder to be an entertaining read. The protagonist, Courtney Kelly, has opened a shop that is dedicated to fairy gardens, complete with her own fairy. The inclusion of the fairy theme and the fact that Courtney, as well as some of the other cast of characters, can see them adds both whimsy and just a hint of paranormal to the story. Fiona, the fairy, is a bit of trouble maker and as such is on probation. She must help humans in order to earn her fairy wings. Fiona gets her first chance as Courtney becomes a prime suspect when the dead body of a fellow merchant is found in her story. I like this author’s writing and find that she does a good job introducing the characters and providing a sufficient backstory to get the series started.
The mystery was well done and kept me engaged. Ms. Gerber introduces a number of viable suspects for her readers to choose from. She sprinkles in plenty of clues that will keep a reader doubting his/her opinion about the identity of the killer. Courtney is what I like to call an accidental sleuth. She is inherently nosy and doesn’t go looking to solve a crime. She becomes a sleuth by necessity – to clear her own name. Ms. Gerber has written Courtney as a smart amateur sleuth; she doesn’t take unnecessary chances and is not out to “show-up” the local police department. In fact, she does what she can to keep them informed even though they think she is just trying to shift suspicion.
This was an entertaining start to a new series, with the next book due out in 2021. If you are a fan of this author, I think you will enjoy the book and the bit of whimsy she has added with the introduction of fairies.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
I really liked the concept for this cozy mystery. The main character builds fairy gardens and also sees fairies. The unique concept is what convinced me to give this one a try. This was such a fun read and I really liked the whole fairy concept, the fairies had a fun role in the story without overtaking the plot and the fairy garden store was great to read about.
The mystery is the one thing that didn’t fully work for me actually. When the owner of the dog grooming business is found dead in Courtney’s store she gets involved in the mystery. For some reason that I still don’t understand she becomes a suspect. And she is determined to clear her name. I liked the fact that not only did she try to find the real murderer, but she also tried to prove her innocence, although it did bother me that the police didn’t look into that as it was an easy way for them to cross off a suspect, but instead with the help of her friends she had to try and find the proof that she was at home during the murder.
The mystery seemed to go in multiple directions. There were plenty of suspects, but no motive or suspect seemed quite right somehow. The dead guy wasn’t always liked, but none of the suspects really seemed to have enough of a motive for murder. It continued that way for most of the book and I thought the reveal was a bit anti climactic. It was a bit sad and not as intriguing. It does explain the course of the mystery when you know what actually happened. I do like that there were plenty of red herrings and that Courtney actually manages to cross some suspects off her list. I also liked how her investigating was pretty subtle for the most part and it made sense how she handled things.
I liked main character Courtney, with how she believes in fairies and has her own store. She is curious, but not too nosy. She seemed like a kind person who cared about others and I liked how she gave some people the benefit of the doubt. I liked reading about her and learning more about fairy gardens and her her store.
The book has quite a lot of side characters, it could be a tad difficult to keep them all straight at times. But it got easier once the book progressed, even so I think it could’ve benefited from a few less characters as now the ones with a small role could be hard to remember as there are already plenty of side characters with bigger roles, like Courtney’s friends, customers and suspects. I liked Courtney’s fairy and her friends Joss and Megan. Although the focus is mostly on Courtney and the mystery and I hope we get to know the side characters more in future books.
There is a little hint of possible future romance, but it really is nothing more than a hint at this point. The love interest seemed nice enough and I liked how they had a bit of history and already knew each other from school. I was happy that the police officer wasn’t the love interest in this case as that’s so common in cozies. The police officer could be a bit gruff and they did seem a bit incompetent at times, but mostly they seemed to want to do their job well, so I was happy with that as far as police characters go in cozies.
To summarize: This was a fun cozy mystery with a sprinkle of magic. I liked the fairy and fairy garden theme of this book. I liked how the fairy theme was sprinkled throughout the book and was a solid part of it, but didn’t overtake the plot. It was fun and interesting to read about Courtney’s store and how she made fairy gardens. The mystery didn’t fully work for me, I didn’t really like the reveal of who was the murderer and the mystery seemed a bit directionless at times with how no suspect or motive seemed quite right or believable. I do like how some suspects were crossed of the suspect list throughout the book and the way Courtney got involved was well done and I liked how most of her investigating was done. I thought Courtney was a likable character and there were some fun side characters as well. I did think the amount of side characters was a bit much as I had trouble keeping them all straight at times. All in all I enjoyed this book and look forward to more books in this series.
A Sprinkling of Murder by Daryl Wood Gerber is the first in a new magical cozy series that was an absolute delight to read.
Ms. Gerber has set this mystery in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA in a courtyard of small businesses. Courtney Kelly has opened her own business, Open Your Imagination, a fairy garden and tea shop. Courtney believes in fairies and has one in her own garden, Fiona. This well crafted mystery has well developed characters, a little humor, provided by Fiona, several suspects, red herrings and twists which kept me reading until the end. I had only a small inkling who was behind the murder but wasn’t ever sure if I had guessed right. I am already looking forward to the next one in this series which will be out in the summer of 2021.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
This book is a wonderful start to a new cozy mystery series by Daryl Wood Gerber.
Courtney owns a fairy garden shop, in Carmel, California. That actually has its own fairy named Fiona. Courtney also has her cat companion handpIcked.
When the shop owner across the courtyard turns undead in her shop, Courtney needs to clear her name.
An enchanting story that will keep you engaged to the end.
Can’t wait for the next book!
I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it. Thank you Daryl Wood Gerber and Kensington Publishing.
A SPRINKLING OF MURDER by Daryl Wood Gerber
The First Fairy Garden Mystery
Courtney Kelly wanted some magic back in her life, as well as a measure of independence. So she left her father’s landscaping business to start her own gardening shop, one that specialized in fairy gardens. Hard work and a positive attitude, along with a little something special, have helped Open Your Imagination thrive, but when she discovers her business neighbor dead in her shop, Courtney finds her store in trouble and herself a suspect. While Courtney never had a problem with the dead dog groomer, several other people did, including his wife and his landlord. Did they have something to do with his untimely death? Or was Courtney’s neighbor, who decries that fairies aren’t real and has been trying to undermine Open Your Imagination, behind the murder? With a sneaky reporter, an overprotective father, and a nosy councilwoman trying to get involved it’s a good thing that Courtney has a very unique helper.
I was thrilled when I heard that there was going to be a mystery series with a fairy garden theme. I love fairies and have been wanting to create a fairy garden for some time. With A SPRINKLING OF MURDER Daryl Wood Gerber has created a wonderful world and inspired me to play in the dirt and welcome fairies to my garden and my life.
A SPRINKLING OF MURDER is adroitly penned with enough suspects to provide several twists and turns to the story. Aside from the possible villains, a variety of other interesting characters inhabit the Fairy Garden Mystery series; the best friend whose last name is Brownie and thus wants to sample every type of brownie made, the easy going old high school friend who will become a love interest, and Courtney Kelly herself, the likable protagonist with a good heart who wants to spread her wings. In fact, her heart may be too good. Courtney goes above and beyond to befriend those who vilify her making her a much better person than I! But my favorite character has to be the mischievous fairy Fiona. Yes, there are real fairies to be found amongst the pages here. Fiona is a feisty fairy determined to help Courtney…and have fun as she tries to get back in good graces with the fairy queen.
A SPRINKLING OF MURDER is an enchanting mystery that asks you to believe. Believe, not only in fairies, but in yourself and the intrinsic goodness of people.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
A SPRINKLING OF MURDER by Daryl Wood Gerber is the first book in the A Fairy Garden Mystery series. It’s the delightful, well-written cozy mystery centered around Courtney Kelly, her store Open Your Imagination located in Carmel -by-the-Sea, California, her resident fairy – Fiona, and the untimely murder of a local store owner.
When Mike Watkins, owner of Wizard of Paws – the pet grooming salon across the courtyard, is found murdered inside Open Your Imagination’s patio and it was reported that Courtney and he had quarreled just that afternoon. Plus the fact that Courtney didn’t have any way to collaborate her alibis, she becomes the main person of interest in Mike’s murder.
The crime is investigated by Detective Dylan Summers and Officer Rodriguez. Although likeable folks, they aren’t giving Courtney any leeway and until proven wrong they keep Courtney on their radar. This makes Courtney and all that know her more determined than ever to prove her innocence – even if it means sticking their noses in where they don’t belong. After all, one of their own isn’t going to jail for a crime they most certainly did not commit.
Courtney is fortunate enough to be blessed with Joss Timberlake, her elfin built clerk and bookkeeper, as an employee and good friend. She seems to be one of the few that are able to see and hear Fiona, the righteous fairy that lives in the store and who watches over Courtney. Both are using everything within their power to help find evident to confirm where and when Courtney was during the time the crime took place. Although on probation from too many pranks in fairy school and her powers are limited, Fiona still has a few tricks up her sleeve to help out.
Evidently Mike had gotten in through a secret passage. Who all knew about that entrance and why hadn’t she ever been told about it? Why did he want to get into the shop late at night way after normal hours? Who would have wanted to harm Mike that it would come to murder? Was it his wife? Was their marriage as happy as it may appear? Was it the landlord? Rumor has it he wanted to rid the courtyard of its residences in order to sale the property due to financial problems, but Mike’s lease was one he couldn’t get out of? Did it have something to do with a long running feud? Are there secrets worth killing over to make sure they are keep secrets?
In A SPRINKLING OF MURDER we are introduced to the people of this quaint and quirky artist and tourist town by the sea and given the chance to learn about fairy gardens and the magical world of fairies all while playing detective trying to figure out who the murderer is and why they killed Mike while proving Courtney innocent. Daryl Wood Gerber weaves this well-crafted cozy mystery to where you feel as if you have lived there for years or vacationed there often. She introduces us to the magical world of fairies – how the fairy system works and their jobs, how it takes being open and an imagination to see and hear them, and how they themselves can get into trouble as well as their limitations. It’s a great whodunit with an occasionally curve ball that leads one on a few false directions and a dead end or two until she masterfully leads us to the final reveal where upon it all makes perfect sense. LOVED that many the recipes for delectable goodies mentioned in the story are including in the back of the book.
I can’t wait for the release of A GLIMMER OF A CLUE, the second book in the A Fairy Garden Mystery series, so I can gather with old friends, check out more adventures of Courtney and to see what tricks Fiona has up her sleeve and her progress to getting her adult wings. A SPRINKLING OF MURDER gets my rating of FIVE STARS!