National bestselling author: Florist Fiona Knox left behind her gloomy life for a magical garden in Scotland, but a murder on her shop’s opening day spells doomFiona Knox thought she was pulling her life back together when she inherited her godfather’s cottage in Duncreigan, Scotland—complete with a magical walled garden. But the erstwhile Tennessee flower shop owner promptly found herself puddle … found herself puddle boot-deep in danger when she found a dead body among the glimmering blossoms. One police investigation and a handsome Chief Inspector names Neil Craig later and Fiona’s life is getting back on a steady—though bewitched—track. Her sister Isla has just moved in with her, and the grand opening of her new spellbound venture, the Climbing Rose Flower Shop in Aberdeenshire, is imminent.
But dark, ensorcelled clouds are gathering to douse Fiona’s newly sunny outlook. First, imperious parish minister Quaid MacCullen makes it undeniably clear that he would be happy to send Fiona back to Tennessee. Then, a horrific lightning storm, rife with terrible omen, threatens to tear apart the elderly cottage and sends Fi and Isla cowering under their beds. The storm passes, but then, Fi is called away from the Climbing Rose’s opening soiree when Kipling, the tiny village’s weak-kneed volunteer police chief, finds a dead body on the beach.
The body proves difficult to identify, but Kipling is certain it’s that of the parish minister. Which makes Fiona, MacCullen’s new nemesis, a suspect. And what’s worse, Isla has seemed bewitched as of late…did she do something unspeakable to protect her sister? The last thing Fiona wanted to do was play detective again. But now, the rosy future she’d envisioned is going to seed, and if she and Craig can’t clear her name, her idyllic life will wilt away.
Perfect for readers of Paige Shelton and Sheila Connolly, Death and Daises is the second floral Magic Garden Mystery by national bestselling author Amanda Flower.
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Death And Daisies is the second book in the A Magic Garden Mystery series.
Fiona Knox has been living in Scotland for a couple months and is beginning to settle in to her new life. Fiona’s sister, Isla, has just finished college and has come to visit while she thinks about what to do with life. Isla’s arrival has come at the right time as Fiona is busy putting the final touches on The Climbing Rose Flower shop that will be it’s grand opening soon. A day or two before opening her nemesis Quaid MacCullen, minister of the local parish church leaves a threatening note saying she won’t be around long and that the “evil magical garden” will be destroyed. Fiona has also been denied attending Sunday services in front of many members of the parish church.
Opening day comes and traffic could have been better, but she did have a couple of wedding prospects. Plus she was pleased to see that Inspector Neil Craig took time to stop by and congratulate Fiona on her new shop.
But the celebration is marred when Constable Kipling comes in and announces that a body has been pulled from the harbor and is sure it is the body of MacCallen.
What with her past with MacCallen and with Inspector Craig seeing the threatening note, she is certain that she will become a person of interest and determined to learn who killed MacCallen. And she soon finds no shortage of possible suspects.
I’ve read all but, maybe 2 or 3 of Flower’s books and think highly of all of them. They are well-written and well-plotted with very interesting cast of characters. I particularly Hamish and his pal Duncan, a squirrel. Also Raj Kapoor and his twin-sister, Presha. Raj is owner and bartender at The Twisted Fox and Presha owns Presha’s Teas. They have taken instantly to Fiona and are always looking out for her without be overbearing about it. On the not-so-positive side, I felt that Isla was a little flighty and whiny for my taste.
I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in this wonderful series.
Fiona is putting the finishing touches on her Climbing Rose Flower Shop and working on making Duncreigan her own cottage. Her baby sister has flown over from Nashville to “find herself” after college. Fiona is also learning that not everyone in town is welcoming her with open arms. Minister MacCullen thinks she is trouble like her godfather and wants nothing to do with her or her business. After one of worst storms to hit the area in decades the minister is found washed up on the beach. Will Fiona’s new love, Chief Inspector Craig, suspect her once again?
In book two of the Magic Garden Mystery series we seem to jump right back in to Fiona’s life. I love when you can open a book and feel like you never left. Just as the first book, it was a fast-paced read that you do not want to put down. Fiona is still strong and a take no prisoners kind of gal. My judgment is still out on the addition of her sister Isla. She adds to the story but she can be whiny to the point I want her to go back to Nashville.
There is some magic in the book with the garden and Fiona being able to see visions but the magic is more background. It doesn’t overshadow the mystery.
I would definitely suggest you read this series in order so you don’t ruin the surprises each book offers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
Scotland, murder, law-enforcement, magic, urban-fantasy, family-dynamics
I was disappointed that there was more focus on Fiona’s git of a sister than on the magical aspects of the garden and its menhir.
The background to the murder was very well done and the characters are interesting and engaging complete with many side dramas. The investigation itself certainly had a good dose of suspense and proved to be quite twisty. As far as atmosphere and scenery, I couldn’t have asked for better, but my favorite aspect was that her Uncle Ian was the ever present red fox.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley.
I so liked everything about this fun book. It was almost like reading an adult “Secret Garden”. Except that the Secret Garden was published in 1910 and this one is much more up to date. What I am trying to say is that the storyline is delightful and it centers around a very famous and magic garden. A garden that this author makes you want to be able to see with your own eyes. To sneak in and sit in the quiet and enjoy all the flowers. She even makes you want to spend time weeding if you can imagine. Since that’s true it must really have been a magic garden to me. And then just when Fiona, the new keeper of the garden, thinks her new flower shop will finally be her success, she finds of course…a body.
This is a quirky easy and fun read. Well-written by an author who seems to be able to surprise us with her murderers and keep us a little on our toes. One who seems to make her own characters real to us as we read. The descriptions of the flower shop are as vivid as those of the garden.
Not only is this the 3rd book in a series titled “A Magic Garden Mystery” but Amanda Flower has written several interesting series each with very good reviews. I think I’m going to try out a few of each of them.
***This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are definitely my own.
This is the type of good mystery I have no problem reading more series on.
This book was even better than the first in the series and it was great! Fiona has decided to stay in Scotland and open a flower shop, but there are lots of things that go awry that may lead to Fiona’s downfall! Her younger sister shows up on her doorstep, the local minister has decided to go full out hate on her and a dead body washes up on shore that seems to connect to Fiona. An excellent multi-layered plot that is well thought out and intriguing. Add in fantastic characters with well fleshed out personalities and you have a winning book on your hands! An excellent choice for an afternoon of entertainment!
I liked several of the same things in this second book of the Magic Garden series—the mystical garden, the animal characters, and several secondary characters, Hamish, Presha, and Raj—that I enjoyed in book one. In this story, although Fiona should be enjoying the opening of her florist shop, Climbing Rose, instead she’s pulled into a murder involving a prominent citizen in the Scottish village, who had made it clear he didn’t like her or her ancestors before her. There are several suspects to sort through their relationships with the deceased, however, the killer reveal didn’t really surprise me. There aren’t near as many magical garden scenes, and I felt the tone of the plot was overall dreary. Fi’s sister, Isla, has come to stay with her and they bicker constantly. On a positive note, the author continues her great world building and characterization and seems to set the stage for more mystical revelations in the third story. I recommend reading the first book before you read this one or you’ll be lost as to what’s going on.
Death and Daisies by Amanda Flower allowed me to visit Scotland again and I enjoyed every minute of the mystery. I’m already looking forward to the next one in the series.
Fiona is now settled into her home at Duncreigan and has decided to open a florist shop in town, The Climbing Rose. The magic garden seems to be thriving under Hamish and Fiona’s tender care. The red fox who visits Fiona in the garden is a mystery and yet maybe not as he has Ian’s, her godfather, blue eyes. I do believe that he is there to watch over Fiona as she learns her new role as ths garden’s guardian. Readers are introduced to Isla, Fiona’s younger sister, in this book. She has recently graduated from college and come to live with her for the summer.
Ms. Flower has penned a quickly paced plot with many likable characters that are developing well in this second book. There were several threads in this story regarding romance, drugs, an abusive marriage as well as the murder mystery that are all weaved into the story of the murder of the local minister. Yet I never felt lost or confused as they all tied into the main plot. I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down until I finished it.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.