This is book 2 in the Magic Garden Mystery series and is an easy stand alone read. Fiona Knox is now a resident of Duncreigan, Scotland with the inheritance of her Godfather's cottage and his magical garden. She's convinced he has come back as a fox who is living there. Her sister Isla is visiting from Tennessee and the local parish minister is making both their lives miserable and spreading rumors about the new American opening up a flower shop. When he is found dead the small community is suspicious. Ms. Flower has several nice cozy series that I've enjoyed and this one is a good one in an unusual setting. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Do you love a good mystery? Do you love to travel? Do you love a subtle romance? Then this is the book to read! You will keep guessing to the very end of this book. You will feel like you have traveled to Scotland. You will love the romance between Fiona and the handsome Neil Craig.

Fiona once again is involved in a murder mystery and once again, she just can't resist the urge to invest the murder....even after the Chief Inspector Neil Craig cautions her to stay out of it. This isn't the first time that Fiona has found herself in the midst of a murder. She just can't seem to avoid trouble following her. I am once again fascinated by her special garden with its magical powers. I've always thought it would be exciting to have a special garden. I love to travel and Amanda Flower provides such detailed descriptions that you will feel as though you are actually in Scotland.

I am rating this book 5 stars and I highly recommend it to readers who love a good mystery.


I received a copy of this book from netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Death and Daisies is the second book in the Magic Garden Mystery series and is a continuation of the story of Fiona Knox's new life in Bellewick, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. She inherited her godfather, Ian MacCallister's cottage, Duncreigan, along with a walled garden that is magical. If the assigned keeper of the garden dies, so does the garden. When Fiona went to the cottage in the first book, the garden, which had died when Ian died, came back to life. Fiona made the move to Scotland from Nashville after her fiance' left her for the cake decorator for their wedding. She is using her Uncle Ian's money that he left her to open the Climbing Rose Flower Shop. Now, her younger sister, Isla, a recent college graduate, is staying with her while she is considers her next move and is helping Fiona out in the flower shop.
Minister Quaid MacCullen of the Presbyterian church doesn't like the MacCallister family, including Duncreigan, the magical garden and Fiona. In fact, he ran her off as she tried to attend church. When he was mysteriously murdered, Fiona gets involved in trying to find his killer to prove that she wasn't responsible. Everyone in the small village knows how the minister felt about the Fiona and her home.
Chief Inspector Neil Craig, whom we met in the first book, is quite fond of Fiona and encourages her to stay out of the investigation to remain safe. But for different reasons, she can't stay out of it.
Things heat up when she gets threatening notes and verbal threats. There is a cast of possible suspects to chose from-locals who have been in trouble before and some underlying tension among church members. This is a good addition to the series with returning characters and an action packed plot filled with danger, suspense, a little romance and some surprise in store for Fiona.
I received a complimentary ARC from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley. The thoughts and opinions stated are mine only.

This was the first book I read in this series and it is the second book in the series. It involves an American girl who moves to Scotland to become caretaker of her Godfather's estate and "magical" garden after his death. Once she arrives she of course discovers a body and mayhem ensues.... In this book she is busy opening her new flower shop in the village with the help of her younger sister Isla. Things become dangerous when she finds a member of the community dead after a vicious storm. The mystery was entertaining and I loved the magic garden concept. I only wish that was explored more in this book, but perhaps it was heavily covered book one? The characters were very charming but the mystery was predictable. I would read another from this series as I was sucked onto the world, but not so much so that I need to run out and get book one or another from the series immediately. Solid 3.5 stars.

This is a wonderfully magical series. Fiona Knox is becoming more confident in her role as the garden's caretaker. She also seems happier at least most of the time to have her sister visiting her. Fiona is a great leading character and is made stronger by wonderful secondary characters. Both lead and secondary characters have both strong and quirky personalities. I like the relationship that is developing between Fiona and Inspector Craig. The setting is delightful especially with mixed Fiona's background being from Tennessee. The mystery had quite a few twists and turns that kept me guessing on whodunit.

This book has a touch of humor, romance, magic, and lots of suspense and
I recommend this book to cozy fans. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.

Fiona Knox is still learning what it means to be the Keeper of the Garden at Duncreigan while juggling the opening of her new business, the Climbing Rose Flower Shop. Unfortunately, not everyone in Bellewick is happy with Fiona’s legacy. The local parish rector, Quaid MacCullen, despises everything about Duncreigan and is determined to make Fiona aware of how unwelcome she truly is. Fiona isn’t the only one unhappy with Minister MacCullen, however, as his body washes up on the beach and now Fiona finds herself embroiled in another mystery to clear her name.

DEATH AND DAISIES is the second book in the <i>Magic Garden Mystery</i> series. Readers new to the series can jump right in and enjoy the story as Amanda Flowers provides enough of the back story on the characters. However, I suspect readers will quickly find themselves wanting more of this fascinating world.

Sometimes a book enchants you so much that it’s hard to find the words to express just how much you love it. DEATH AND DAISIES is definitely one of those books! I love each and every aspect of the story line, from the characters who I (mostly) want to meet to the exquisite world building that incorporates such a magical garden. Fiona, Isla, Hamish, Kipling, Presha, and all the other residents of the village have me completely charmed.

Amanda Flowers is starting to give us hints about the origin and mystery behind the garden. We already know the basics about the first Keeper, Baird MacCallister, and how the sea spared him due to his promise to remain in Scotland forever to help others. However, we have all sorts of unanswered questions about the menhir, the garden itself, and of course the ever-present fox whom Fiona assumes is her Uncle Ian.

I absolutely adore the <i>Magic Garden Mystery</i> series! Amanda Flowers has definitely hooked me as I want to see more of the enchanted garden and her fascinating characters. If you love cozy mysteries with a solid dose of magical realism, then look no further than DEATH AND DAISIES as Amanda Flowers has a real treat in store for you!

*review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*

This book and series are simply magical, Fiona is a great sleuth and the location is a character in itself. Fiona's sister Isla moves to Scotland to help her open a flower shop., When a body is discovered and Fiona is a suspect. Fiona has to clear her name and open a flower shop. Luckily she has magic on her side. If you love the Majestic country of Scotland and like a little magic in your mystery, then this is the book for you.

Death and Daisies by Amanda Flowers returns us to Bellewick, Scotland. Fiona Knox has been busy getting her new flower shop, Climbing Rose Flower Shop ready to open with the aid of her sister, Isla. Isla showed up at the beginning of the summer after she graduated from college and has yet to return home. She has been acting cagey recently and spending a great deal of time texting. The day before the grand opening, Minister Quaid MacCullen stops in and once again expresses his dislike for Fiona. He recently barred Fiona from attending church by blocking the door and stating he did not want her corrupting the villagers (what a charmer). That night a terrible storm hits the area and thankfully blows back out to sea by morning. Fiona’s shop opening is a success until Kipling, the villages volunteer police chief, stumbles in crying murder and then promptly faints. Kipling stumbled upon the reverend’s body on the beach. Chief Inspector Neil Craig rushes away to secure the scene and a curious Fiona is not far behind him. It is well known in the village that MacCullen disliked Fiona which puts her at the top of the suspect list. Fiona has just started to set down roots and has no intention of letting her new life go to seed. The only way to stop the speculation is to sniff out the killer with a little help from the magical garden at Duncreigan.

While Death and Daisies is the second book in A Magic Garden Mystery series, it can be read alone. Everything a reader needs to know is included in this tale. I thought the book was well-written with steady pacing throughout. Amanda Flower has an engaging, conversational writing style that drew me into the story and it kept my attention until the very last page. I like the characters and they are nicely developed. We are still getting to know Fiona (it is only the second book), and she learns some new information about herself in Death and Daisies. Hamish is such a sweetie and we learned something new about him that makes him even more endearing. I am not a fan of Fiona’s sister, Isla. I am hoping we will see her mature and become less self-centered. The village sounds quaint with friendly residents except for the minister. The murder of Reverend Quaid MacCullen is expected since he is such a nasty character. There are several suspects, misdirection and good clues. I wish the mystery had been more of a challenge. However, I still enjoyed reading this beguiling narrative (I knew who now I wanted to know why). I especially enjoy the addition of the magic from the garden, the stone and the fox. It enhances the overall story as well as the mystery. I like that new details are revealed in each book. Carver Finley, a historian, has taken an interest in the garden, and I believe he will be a formidable foe for Fiona. Death and Daisies is an enchanting cozy mystery with a charming village, friendly characters, a hint of romance, adorable little critters, magical assistance, and a murder mystery.

Death and Daisies by Amanda Flower is the second book in the cozy A Magic Garden Mystery series. Each book of this cozy mystery series has it’s own mystery to be solved within the book so they could be read as a standalone if choosing to do so. However the characters personal stories do carry over from book to book so reading in order is always best.

Readers were introduced to Fiona Knox in the first book of the series when she got a call from a lawyer in Scotland informing her that her godfather had passed and she would be inheriting his estate. Within days of receiving the call Fiona’s fiancé ran off with the cake decorator and her flower shop went out of business so what better to do than hop on the next flight to Scotland and claim her inheritance.

Now Fiona feels like she’s getting her life back on track in Duncreigan, Scotland becoming the caretaker of her godfather’s magical garden and cottage and opening her own shop. However, the parish minister Quaid MacCullen is not a fan of Fiona and the magical garden she’s inherited and makes that fact well known so when he’s found murdered Fiona ends up a suspect and needing to clear her name.

While I haven’t been able to catch up with all of Amanda Flower’s cozy mysteries I have however really enjoyed the ones that I have read and this was no exception. This series takes readers to Scotland and mixes in a touch of magic making it a unique read but along with likable characters and a solid mystery it’s definitely a series I’ll keep coming back to to see what else is in store.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

DEATH AND DAISIES is the charming sophomore entry in the Magic Garden Mystery Series full of relatable characters, a wonderful setting, a solid murder mystery, and a touch of magic.

When Fiona Knox inherits her godfather’s estate in Scotland, she takes the opportunity to make a fresh start, leaving her ex-fiancé and failed flower shop behind in Nashville. She learns that she is the “Keeper” of a magical garden, but she does not really know what that entails. In this installment, we find Fiona busy opening her new flower shop and her younger sister Isla visiting. Fiona has high hopes for her new endeavor, but if local minister Quaid MacCullen has his way, she will surely fail. After humiliating Fiona by very publically making her unwelcome at church and reinforcing his opinion with a preopening visit to the shop and a nasty note, MacCullen is found washed up on the beach, the apparent victim of a violent storm. When it becomes clear that foul play is involved, Fiona again finds herself the prime suspect (again) and must weed through a variety of suspects to get to the truth.

I really enjoy this series. The Scottish setting is delightful, and the characters are well developed and, for the most part, likable. I have not warmed up to Isla yet but do hope she grows on me since it looks like she will be a recurring character. She comes across as bratty and immature to me. Fiona is a bold protagonist, unafraid to meddle in other people’s business to ferret out secrets and truth. She discovers one secret, unrelated to the murder, which has the potential to change her world. The supporting characters add variety and are endearing. The touch of romance with DI Craig is sweet but does not overshadow the mystery.

The mystery itself is strong, but I guessed whodunit very early in the book. I just did not know why he/she did it. The clues along the way make me second guess myself, but once everything is revealed, the mystery comes to a satisfying conclusion.

DEATH AND DAISIES is a wonderful read, and I cannot wait to see what adventures lay ahead for Fiona and friends. I highly recommend it to any cozy mystery reader.

I received and e-ARC of this title from the author/publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.

Death and Daisies is book 2 in the A Magic Garden Mystery series by Amanda Flower.
We return to Scotland where Fiona is getting ready to open her flower shop in the near by village of Aberdeenshire. On top of worrying about her new adventure, her younger sister arrives and moves it with her. Isla can be a bit flighty and self centered. Just when Finoa thinks everything is ready for the opening, she has another run in with the parish minister who has let it be known he would love to see her return to the states.
When he shows up dead of an apparent drowning, Fiona feels something is not right. Once it's discovered he was murdered, she knows she will once again be having to clear her name, after all, she is the newcomer to the area.
I will say, the beginning, I felt, was a bit slow and drug out but once I kept reading, it did keep my attention.
The story has a great setting. You are taken to Scotland and will feel like you are in the village. The main characters are great, her sister does need to grow up a bit though. I only wish Hamish was involved more this time. The supporting characters are also well written.
The mystery will have you guessing until the end with plenty of twists and turns.
Flower also sets up for the next installment with a jaw dropping ending.
Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane books for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This is the second book in this series, and we are still in Scotland and with Fiona, and now her sister is also here.
Wow, a lot of bombshells that I never saw coming, and they made this book a compelling page-turner.
Hamish is still here and you want to hug the man, and who wouldn’t want to see his pet Duncan, picturing his little cup! Loved it!
Of course, there is another murder, and sadly I wasn’t unhappy as to who the victim was, but is Fiona going to be a suspect again?
Loved how this book moved along, and we walk in Fiona’s shoes, so be careful, not everyone is how they appear.
I for one want more, a very enjoyable cozy read!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Crooked Lane Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

I think the reason I like this series so much is because it feels real. Fiona Knox is an American with strong ties to her new home. Her godfather, Ian, left her his home and his land which includes the magical garden. She is its new Keeper. As she starts her new life owning a flower shop, The Climbing Rose. she must also deal with her visiting younger sister. She seems to be keeping a secret. With the opening of her shop mere hours away, Fiona is confronted by the very angry local minister - he wants her to leave the village and makes some nasty threats. No surprise when he turns up dead on the beach after a rather violent storm. All eyes turn towards Fiona as a probable suspect.
Fiona has respect for the police (and more than a little bit of romantic attraction for one police inspector) but her natural inclination is to investigate. Needless to say, that leads her into danger of the life threatening sort. There are lots of secrets in the village and people gossip. Fiona is good at listening and connecting the dots. The pacing of the mystery reflects the flow of small village life.
The characters are, for the most part, people I would enjoy spending time with - Presha and her lovely tea room, her brother Raj and his tavern, and Bernice who owns the jewelry store. A few I would give a wide berth. I want to know more about the garden, of course with its resident fox who seems to be her guide. Might it really be her Uncle Ian? She thinks he is. As for animals, added to the fox are a pet squirrel and Fiona's cat, Ivanhoe.
While this, the second in the series, can easily be read as a stand alone, if you haven't read Flowers and Foul Play, add it to the top of your to be read list.

Death and Daisies is the second book in the Magic Garden Mystery series. We meet up again with Ms. Fiona Knox, and she’s settling into her new permanent home in Scotland and getting ready to open her new floral shop, Climbing Rose. At the grand opening, the mean minister of the village who hates Fiona winds up dead, and guess who the number one suspect is? Again, Fiona finds herself wrapped up in another mystery, but is this one too much to handle?

I absolutely love love LOVE this series! I will literally never get sick of it. Everything about it is just amazing. The setting is richly described and beautifully displays the unique atmosphere of Scotland—the lush pastures, salty shores and shuddering winds.

The characters are all really fun and entertaining. The blossoming romance between Fiona and Craig was nicely done, and I can’t wait for them to get even closer. I didn’t really like Isla, Fiona’s sister too much. I found her to be utterly annoying, bratty and entitled. She slowly started to grow on me toward the end, but still—I can’t with her. Hopefully, she redeems herself in book three.

The mystery itself was very captivating and intense. It flowed very well, and every chapter ended on a cliffhanger, which I loved. It kept my blood pumping. There were lots of good twists and surprise moments that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Overall, I loved this book! Very enjoyable, and if you liked the first book in the series, then definitely pick this up. Or if you’re in the market for a new cozy series, definitely try this. It’s a really fun and creative series!

I liked the first book in this series and I liked this one.
It's a nice read with a likeable cast of characters and a lovely settings.
The book was entertaining and fun to read.
On the plus side there were the development of relationships between the characters and the introduction of Fiona's sister.
On the other side the mystery seemed to take the backseat to what was going on in the heroine life and the paranormal element was a bit lacking.
A good book, more women's fiction than mystery, that can be read as a standalone.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this ARC

Death and Daisies is the perfect blend of mystery, romance and paranormal with believable characters you wish you could befriend in real life.

Fiona has lived in Scotland for two months after inheriting her godfather’s house and magic garden. Why didn’t her godfather explain how to help people using the century old menhir and climbing rose in her garden that is the source of the magic? The rules are vague:
1. Visit the garden as much as possible to cement your connection to it.
2. Care for the garden like any other garden.
3. Touch the stone menhir to learn what the garden wants you to know. However, you may see things you don’t want to know.

Fiona’s sister, Isla, visits to help open Fiona’s flower shop. The day before the grand opening, the local minister threatens Fiona in person. The next morning Fiona finds a hostile note from the minister stuck in her door. During the grand opening, the handsome Chief Inspector Neil finds the note. When the minister is found murdered, suspicion falls on Fiona so she decides to find the killer to clear her name. Good thing her best friend in town, Cally, is also a lawyer.

It is hard to explain why I like the characters so much in this book. Perhaps it is the fact that one has a red squirrel as a pet who sits on his shoulder. Or the old seaman who Fiona calls Popeye in her mind because she has forgotten his name. Everyone in the village has strange quirks that make them memorable. Realistically, it may be the difficult but enviable choice that Fiona has between two burly Scotsmen as potential beaus. As Isla tells Fiona, “You will have your own Scottish love story a la Outlander without the hassle of time travel.”

Though Death and Daisies is the second entry in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. It is highly recommended for cozy readers looking for authentic characters, an unusual setting and a good mystery. 4 stars!

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first of Amanda Flower's book that I have read but it will not be the last.
Fiona had moved to Scotland to take care of the Magically Garden left to her when her Uncle Ian died. In the beginning of this book she is opening her Flower shop and Parish Minister has given her a horrible time since coming to Scotland. He wouldn't allow her to put up a flyer in her window to raise money to for the Chapel ruins.
There is a horrible storm the night before Climbing Roses Grading opening, and the next day on the beach they find the parish minister dead.
Fiona helps the inept local authority and the handsome volunteer police chief and the handsome chief inspector clear her name.
I recommend this book and the surprises you will get as you read.

Fiona is adjusting to life in Scotland when her younger sister, fresh out of college, arrives for a visit. While the sisters finish the last minute preparations for the grand opening of Fi's shop, The Climbing Rose, a terrible storm hits the area. The next day, a body is found on the beach, and it's obvious that it was not an accidental death. Fi is one of the prime suspects, so of course she and Isla work to find out what really happened.

This is the second book in the Magic Garden series, and I liked it more than the first book. The descriptions of the village make me want to spend time in Aberdeenshire, visiting the shops and meeting the people who live there. The way they work together to help one another reminds me of the small community I grew up in, where everyone knew and cared about everyone else. The mystery itself was a good one, with a handful of suspects for the reader to sift through. I thought I had figured out the identity of the killer relatively early, but my suspicion wasn't confirmed until near the end of the book. I look forward to reading the next installment of this series.

Death and Daisies is a creative and enjoyable cozy mystery with a touch of magic that will make any reader fall in love. I haven't read many of the authors books but you can bet that will immediately change after introducing me to her work with this book. Now I just have to go back and see how this wonderful series started!

I love these stories. Fiona is a fun character. She just can't keep herself from investigating. She has just opened her flower shops in the small village of Bellewick. Minister MacCullen, who didn't like her godfather nor her. The Minister if found dead and Fiona just can't leave it alone. She sets out to find out who killed him.

Fiona is a fun character who is kind and very curious. Inspector Neil Craig steps in to work the case. He is strong and interested in Fiona (who is oblivious). The are many characters in the village, some likeable, some not so likeable. I enjoy that there is also an ongoing mystery revolving Fiona's inheritance from her godfather of the Garden at Duncreigan. This is an easy-to-read cozy. Very enjoyable.