Courtney Kelly, owner of Open Your Imagination, a fairy garden/tea shop and an amateur sleuth, finds herself in the middle of a tragic situation when a friend is accused of murdering a hated art critic during a charity event. Now, Courtney may be a target of a deranged killer and her friend and fairy Fiona has to help her solve the mystery!

Wow, there were so many twists and turns in this mystery and it made for very entertaining reading! I couldn't put the book down. The descriptions of Carmel-by-the- Sea were gorgeous and I felt as if I was there hunting for clues. I loved the fairy characters of Fiona, Merryweather and Zephyr and could visualize them zipping around. Before I read the first book, I wasn't sure about the premise but now, I'm absolutely a fan! The book has everything I want from a cozy - a great mystery, likable characters, humor, red herrings with a story that keeps you reading!

I'm looking forward to another visit with Courtney and Fiona!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read in this series, and I’m so excited that I did. The story is so much fun, I love the fairies, and the characters are really easy to like.
Courtney is busy with her shop and all things fairy, but when murder happens and her good friend is arrested for the nefarious deed, she refuses to stand by and watch her friend be falsely accused.
I loved everything about this book and I’m eagerly awaiting the next one.

Love this series and author. I highly recommend reading her books. She has several different series. If you haven't this series yet. Read them in order

A magical series that I would so love to visit and make my own fairy garden and see Fiona. Colorful characters, wonderful setting make this and the series a welcome vacation from reality.

I really like this series. It could be saccharine but the plot is well done and the mystery excellent. I was so intrigued by Fairy Gardens that I went shopping and my niece and I made a lovely one in her back yard.

An Idyllic Setting....
Set in Carmel, California, this is the second of the Fairy Garden series of mysteries featuring Courtney Kelly owner of a fairy garden tea shop. Amidst an idyllic setting murder lurks when an art critic is found dead and Courtney’s friend is in the frame. Enjoyable cosy with a likeable protagonist and a colourful supporting cast of characters. A worthy addition to the series.

Courtney Kelly and her fairy Fiona are making fairy gardens for an upcoming charity fund raiser. All is calm and peaceful in the shop until they hear shouting outside and go to see what the problem is. They find two locals, Wanda, her BFF’s mother and art rep, and Lana, an art critic going at each other. Courtney hoses Lana down to get her to cool off and end the fight, but something is off in Carmel.

At the charity event, Lana is found murdered with Wanda hovering over her body, setting Wanda up as the prime suspect in Lana’s murder. Courtney and Fiona don’t believe Wanda is the killer, as do many other locals, but the police need facts and evidence, not character references. Courtney and Fiona are on the case and vow to get the evidence the police need to clear Wanda and find Lana’s killer. If only they can do it without getting in a pickle and having the killer make Courtney the next target.

I adore Carmel by the Sea and the enchanting cottages that are part of the fabric. This series is magical and feeds my soul when I am longing to travel and spend time there again. Daryl Wood Gerber is a master story teller and every single one of her books immerses me in her story telling, the setting and the mystery. With plenty of red herrings to keep you on your toes, you will never be disappointed with any of her series. If you have not yet read her work, be prepared to binge on all of her other series an entries as well…and be waiting with bated breath for her next entry.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Kensington Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

An art critic who is too critical gets stabbed to death but who is the killer?

Things do not look good for Courtney’s friend who happened to have a very noticeable wrestling fight still cause trouble at a fundraiser before her demise as she threatens a lawsuit and throwing insults along the way.

Soon the victim will be found stabbed by a decorative knife from Courtney’s fairy gardens and her friend Wanda will be standing near the body asking what she did. Wanda has a habit of sleep walking and is in a daze. Could she have done the crime or was it someone else who the art critic pissed off?

Courtney will not have an easy task to save her friend from jail. A smart cozy read to savour.