Kristina A. reviewed on 5/8/2018 + 1528 more book reviews

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 joyâthe 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 keyâwell, 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.

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