Great start to a new and delightful series. Refreshing theme and just perfect for a cozy series. I enjoy the books that this author writes

This was a great beginning to a new series!

To be honest, I think I misread the jacket on this book, and it sat in my TBR list for months, because I wasn’t in the mood for a fantasy book. When I was trying to choose a new book, I took a second look and realized that this was a cozy mystery!

I loved the characters, especially Courtney Kelly, the owner of Open Your Imagination, a shop specializing in all things fairy garden. Courtney has recently struck out on her own, leaving her job as a landscape designer to open this shop. There is also a touch of magic, as Courtney has a fairy in residence.

I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a touch of whimsy with their cozy mystery.

I wanted to love this so much as I love fairy gardens and the cover is just so pretty. Unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me. The mystery was well done and the reveal was a surprise but I didn't always enjoy getting there. My primary issue was I really disliked pretty much every single character. Courtney was okay though a bit immature but most of the other characters were argumentative, quick to judge, and just didn't seem to be very nice. Really it just seemed like most of the page time was spent with different characters (including the detectives) bickering loudly with each other. I'm not a big fantasy reader so the bits about the fairy rules and whatnot took some getting used too but that wouldn't have bothered me very much if I had enjoyed spending time with the characters. I was never bored with this one and I did end up really enjoying the last quarter of it. This is an author I would like to read more from but my dislike of the characters will probably keep me from revisiting this series.

Here is a brief and to the point review.

That was adorable. A solid cozy mystery.

Here's what I liked most....

I loved the Fairy garden shop. Delightful.

Of course I loved Fiona, the fairy.

The writing was easy to read....the book flowed nicely.

The characters were fun and interesting.

I would recommend. If you like a bit of magic realism with your cozy....this series is for you!

A cozy mystery with real life varies -- sign me up. It took me a second to realized that this cozy mystery had a paranormal side kick. The book jumps right in and leaves no room for doubt -- fairies are real. Even if they are a fairy-in-training after being in trouble. Once I wrapped my head around that, I flew though this book. Although I loved the idea of a fairy - inspired garden shop, I hope that we see Courtney expand in the future books. I also hope we see more of the fairies and understanding their world.

There was plenty of foreshadowing that I pegged the killer pretty early on, but I really enjoyed watching the secrets unravel during the second half of the book. I also think there is plenty of undiscovered secrets that will continue to unravel as the series continues. I look forward to seeing where the series goes.

A great unique series that is set in Carmel by the Sea and is set in a store that helps people make fairy gardens. It even has a fairy who lives at the store trying to get back in good standing with the other fairies. The storyline was n great and the must had good twists and turns

This author had done it again. What a great and fun read. You can't go wrong with a book that has fairies. In this story, Courtney has rediscovered her magic. Now in Carmel, she starts her own garden business - Open Your Imagination.

She teaches design and sells all things fairies. All is going well until she finds a dead body beside her patio fountain. Now Courtney is on the hunt to find the killer.

The story was believable and had me guessing until the very end. Great job!

Can't wait to read more from this author.

From Amazon:

"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 . . ."

Daryl Wood Gerber's new magical series is just that, magical. I love Daryl's other series (Cookbook Nook and French Bistro) and this one definitely has lived up to the hype and her reputation as one of the best in the cozy mystery world.

A charming start to a new cozy mystery series. I had not read the author before but will definitely search out more and look forward to the next book.

A fun first in series! If you are a fan of fairy gardens you will definitely enjoy this cozy. Just the right balance of mystery and whimsy! Daryl Wood Gerber does not disappoint with this well-planned mystery!

This was the coziest book I’ve read in some time! Absolutely adored it! Fairy Garden, Mystery, Tea Shop oh MY! What else could one ask for? First in this series and I Can NOT await the second book! Fun, well written, great kick off to a new series. Give me a cozy and I am happy as can be! Great Job!

The debut book in a new series from Daryl Wood Gerber, A Sprinkling of Murder features Courtney Kelly and her Fairy Garden Shop in Carmel California. Courtney recently opened her shop called “Open Your Imagination” and hosts fairy garden workshops, tea, and community events like book club with the help of her assistant, and her fairy companion. When Courtney finds neighboring business owner Mick Watkins dead in her courtyard she is drawn into the mystery of what happened, why, and by whom.

I thought the setting of the book was idyllic, and Gerber does an excellent job painting pictures of Carmel-by-the-Sea. I was transported to the open side town with its charming shops, beach front waves and weather, and eclectic residents. I loved the intrinsic knowledge Courtney displayed as she crafted fairy gardens both in the shop and at home. The cast of characters was a perfect blend that I would enjoy getting to know in further books.

Unfortunately I found the inclusion of “real” fairies too much for my imagination to carry, and every time Gerber pulls in details about fairies using magic, flitting about, or discussion about the fairy societal constructs I was jarred from the book and had to refocus on the story to get back in. The fantasy of fairies just did not blend into the realism of the story for me. As a result I probably will not read further books in this series despite the promise it held in every other area.

In this cozy mystery that I thought I would love because it was something different a heroine that loves fairies and fairy gardens. But like most cozy mystery's with a heroine she gets involved with trying to solve the murder to clear her own name. which seems to be a standard for first books in a cozy mystery series. Just once I want a first book in a cozy series to not be about the heroine trying to clear her name. Just once I want a cozy in which she's not the prime suspect. This one was till a good cozy mystery it was just a little to predictable.

This is the first book in a new series, the Fairy Garden Mysteries. It’s a great cozy mystery with a little bit of magic as well as murder. The book is very well written, and I really liked the sense of place I got when reading about Carmel, California.
Courtney, the main character, owns a fairy garden shop that has its own private fairy that very few people can see. I really loved the descriptions of the fairy gardens, and considered making one of my own when I finished this book. I liked the combination of magic and crime solving. It was a really enjoyable read with a completely original concept..

I highly recommend this book, and look forward to the next one in the series. 5 stars.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review..

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

A Sprinkling of Murder, the first book in the new Fairy Garden Mystery Series by prolific cozy writer Daryl Wood Gerber, is entertaining, but it did not quite live up to my hopes.

Courtney owns a fairy garden store and even has a real fairy sidekick Fiona. Everything is going well until a neighboring business owner is found dead next to her store’s fountain. Even though she did not have more than a passing relationship with dog groomer Mick Watkins, the police have their sights set on her as the prime suspect. Courtney is determined to clear her own name and unmask the real killer.

I was excited to read this new book by Gerber because I enjoy her other books, and I thought the fairy garden theme would be fun. Apparently, I do not find the fairy gardens all that interesting after all so the emphasis on this subject turned out to be a poor fit for me. One would think that with a character that is a real fairy the story would be firmly in the paranormal side of the cozy genre, but it lacks the whimsy and quirkiness that I have come to expect from paranormal cozy mysteries.

Courtney makes a good amateur sleuth. She is naturally curious but not obnoxiously nosy, and she is mature in thought and actions (she is twenty-nine years old). I like Joss, her no nonsense shop assistant and bookkeeper. She is salty without being abrasive. Courtney’s father is also a lot of fun, and I hope we see more of him in the future. Courtney’s potential love interest and best friend round out the nuclear characters.

The suspects and other townspeople are not nearly as endearing, but they do provide variety and plenty of motives. The story moves along at a steady pace, and there are clues and red herrings sprinkled throughout to keep readers guessing whodunit. Fiona the fairy does play a part in solving the crime, but again, I am not convinced that she is necessary. I know, I sound like a party pooper.

Truly, I liked A Sprinkling of Murder; I just did not love it. I recommend it to cozy readers looking for a fresh protagonist’s occupation and theme with the tiniest sprinkle of the paranormal.

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 was a fun, light, entertaining mystery, I liked the unique twist that the amateur sleuth’s partner in crime is her fairy. Courtney has recently opened up a fairy garden shop in her home town of Carmel. Courtney has a resident fairy, Fiona, who had previously gotten into some trouble and is working towards redeeming herself. Fiona gets an opportunity in this story when a man is murdered during the night in Courtney’s shop. Courtney is a suspect and feels her best chance of not going to jail is to solve the crime herself. This was a great start to a new series with a unique setting and cast of characters.

This was just an OK read for me. This is the first book in a new cozy series. Courtney believes in fairies and loves creating fairy gardens. She owns and operates Open You Imagination, a garden shop specializing in fairy gardens. When a neighboring shop keeper is found dead in her shop and she becomes a suspect she sets out to solve the crime with the help of her fairy and friends. I enjoyed some of the characters and the Carmel, California setting. The mystery was OK and there were enough suspects but there was no suspense, even at the end. More time was spent on making fairy gardens than on the mystery and it slowed down the story. Every time "learning the craft" was mentioned my eyes glazed over. I will still read the next book in the series since I enjoy this author's other books and I hoping this is just first book syndrome. There are some wonderful recipes in the back.

A Sprinkling of Murder is a light, quick cozy. The characters are interesting, the setting beautiful, and the story easy to follow. I'm looking forward to seeing more in this series.
I received a copy of this title from the author and/or NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am becoming a huge fan of the cozy mystery genre due to books like this. You can read this as an escape from the everyday in a weekend. A really good mystery.