Another great book by Amanda Flower!
Fiona Knox hasn’t been easy as of late. After losing her flower shop and her husband to their cake decorator, she’s in desperate need of change. She flies to Scotland looking for a new beginning as she inherits her godfather’s cottage and a possible magic walled garden. But when she arrives at the house, she finds the once beautiful garden destroyed and a dead body. Fiona’s life takes a turn when she’s dragged into a murder investigation by handsome Chief Inspector Neil Craig. Can she solve the mystery and clear the name of the people she loves?
This novel is the perfect mix of magic and mystery. It’s the perfect book to sit and relax. The setting is beautiful, even if I just imagined it. Amanda Flower has the ability to bring places to life with her simple yet colourful descriptions, especially of all the animals we get to see throughout the story.
The plot is easy to follow and to understand, flowing at a steady pace with a few twists along the way to keep things interesting. The story follows a murder investigation and explores how an enchanted garden comes to life when Fiona is present. The reader is taken on a colourful trip through an original reality. It’s a fresh concept that is developed on a solid base. Flower leaves enough space to develop a collection between discovering more of Fiona’s gifts, the development of characters and, of course, other murders.
The characters are delightful. Fiona is a likeable main female character with a rough life. After her life pretty much falls apart, she wants to start from scratch and ends up being part of a murder mystery. Her resilience, her intelligence, and her quickness to adapt to the circumstances make a great character to follow and feel for. I really liked how Flower introduced the background story of the garden and the role Fiona has to play. I was rooting for her the whole book. Hamish is a memorable male lead and I could imagine his pet squirrel Duncan, cute and fluffy. Other characters Raj and Presha, are very nicely introduced and Flower leaves you hanging for more. I’m curious to see how all the characters will play throughout this new collection.
I recommend this novel to fans of cosy-mysteries and magical gardens!
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.
Book Traveller 