Carole J. (PianoLady357) reviewed on 6/15/2018 + 157 more book reviews

Flowers and Foul Play is atmospheric, whimsical, and absolutely enchanting ⦠I loved this story and can't say enough good things about it!

Dead ivy covering the garden wall that turns green as Fiona walks by ⦠mouth-watering Shepherd's Pie from the village Twisted Fox Pub ⦠a chill in the air from the North Sea coast â¦

As a rule, I don't care for paranormal stories at all, but Flowers and Foul Play is that rare exception, and it works incredibly well in this story. I've been wanting to try one of Amanda Flower's books for a good while, but the bottom line is that I'm drawn to British fiction and could not resist the Scottish setting and appealing storyline â and what an enjoyable time I had! The dictionary defines âwhimsicalâ as being âplayfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way,â and that perfectly describes this story. From a mysterious âmagicâ garden, to the cutest quirky animals, I was fascinated and really didn't want the story to end.

"Flowers died but always came back, be it through a bulb, a cutting, or a seed. They always found a way to go on. I wanted that kind of resilience in my own life." (Fiona)

Fiona Knox actually does have that resilience and her inner strength shines through in spite of all that recently happened in her life â a fiancée who dropped her for the cake decorator, the loss of her flower shop thanks to a chain store, and the death of her beloved godfather, Ian MacCallister. The story opens as Fiona arrives at the picturesque Scottish cottage bequeathed to her by Ian, where she is met by the caretaker, Hamish MacGregor, Duncan (a most fascinating pet squirrel) â and a dead body in the garden. There's also the fascinating Chief Inspector Neil Craig, who I am inexplicably drawn to.

More characters are slowly introduced as Fiona visits the nearby village of Bellewick, intent upon discovering more about the deceased lawyer, Alastair Croft, and I loved how we're given time to get to know each one. Amanda Flower is a gifted writer with quite an imagination, and I wavered between wanting to read quickly for the solution, but slowly so as to savor each word and nuance. There's also a twist and conclusion that I never saw coming.

Amanda Flower has written several series, so if you're a cozy mystery fan, I encourage you to pick up this book or one of her others and be prepared for a treat. Flowers and Foul Play gets 5 stars from me and goes on my âbest of the bestâ list. Can't wait to see what comes next!

Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book through The Review Crew. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

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