Death and Daisies by Amanda Flower is a wonderful cozy mystery. I recommend this book to all readers who enjoy cozy mysteries.

This is the second book in the A Magic Garden Mystery series, a cozy mystery set in Duncreigan, Scotland, written by Amanda Flower. The series centers around Fiona Knox, a transplant from Nashville, Tennessee, who moves to Scotland when she receives an inheritance from her godfather that includes Duncreigan and a magical garden. Full disclosure: I didn't read the first book in this series, but I feel like the background of the character and how she came to be in Scotland was explained well enough that I was able to follow the story without any problems. In this book, Fiona is excited about the opening of her florist shop, Climbing Rose, with the help of her younger sister, Isla, who showed up on her doorstep quite unexpectedly two weeks prior. Everything is going well until a local cop bursts in with the news that the local Reverend (who had a huge problem with Fiona, Duncreigan, and the magical garden) had been murdered. Because of the enmity between Fiona and the Reverend, she is one of the top suspects.

I enjoyed this book very much. The characters were well developed, the setting was beautiful, and the mystery was engaging. It really was a quick read because of all of this.

I highly recommend this book to those interested in mystical, magical cozy mysteries. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amanda Flower, and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I'm sorry but I couldn't get past the over writing at the beginning of this book. Too much purple description in one go. The narrator is overly describing stuff she already knows (driftwood counter, heart-shaped face, Tennesee accent - if I was talking to my sister, I wouldn't describe her accent). And from the off it smacks of padding.

Such a shame as it indicated promise.

I won't give a poor star rating to a book I didn't finish, so this won't be going any further.

A good book. Well written with great characters and a good plot. The storyline flows and the mystery is enjoyable. I highly recommend.,

What an adorable cover to go along with a very nice mystery. We meet Fiona who is a florist and owns her own flower shop in Nashville. However, her godfather Ian MacCallister has left her his shop all the way in Scotland as her inheritance. What a quaint place with beautiful flowers everywhere and a magical garden. Fiona is only too happy to move and start over in another country. The story unfolds to tell us about bodies that are hard to identify at first and the secrets that the magical garden hold. There are accusations and investigations that will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. Can you actually wait to see what happens next?

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am in love with this series, the town, the characters, etc.

Fiona is finding her place in the community, as a citizen and a business owner, getting to know the chief inspector, and spending time with her sister. Things are going great until another dead body shows up and Fiona may be considered a suspect, again.....

The charm and details of the everything about these books are beyond delightful, you truly feel like you are there. The touch of Magic is just enough to make you picture this beautiful fairy tale garden. That's exactly it!! These novels make me feel like I am reading a beautiful, mysterious fairy tale.

I love anything Amanda Flower puts on paper.

I had both a digital copy from NetGalley and the audio version of this book. I highly recommend the audiobook, Eilidh Beaton is a fabulous narrator.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. You can get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Daisies-Magic-Garden-Mystery-ebook/dp/B078M3K4VN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3JJ4EZ0EVMT1I&dchild=1&keywords=death+and+daisies+by+amanda+flower&qid=1595869891&sprefix=death+and+daisies%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-1

This was such a cute book! I mean, come on, just look at the cover with a cute little kitty on the cover! This is the second book in the series. There is a slight story arch. Reference as to how Fiona had arrived in Duncreigan a d discovered a dead body and was wrongly accused of the murder.
This book starts with Isla trying to carry too many flowers and just about drops them, but is rescued by her sister. The book starts in a flower shop called The Climbing Rose Flower Shop in Bellewick, Abersdeenshire, Scotland. Do not ask me to say that more than once! This isn’t her first flower shop that she had run. She had run a flower shop in Nashville, far cry from Scotland!! After receiving a unique inheritance from her godfather, Ian MacCallister which included a charming moorland cottage and a magical garden. Fiona, the older, wiser sister had to reassure her sister that they were not going to die during a thunderstorm. She brought along her cat, Ivanhoe. We learn that Fiona not only had a failed flower shop in her past, but also a failed engagement. One where her fiancé left her for the wedding cake decorator. Fiona is drawn to a menhir stone in the garden, but a fox that had eyes just like her Godfather’s and tendencies like his intervenes. There are three rules of the garden that she needs to follow and it seems that the fox will hold her to the rules. The garden holds quite the magical power. The local Minister, Reverend Quaid MacCullen is not a fan of Fiona being there. He visits unannounced and sends letters about the garden destroying her. Everything is coming up roses, until a dead body washes ashore. We are then taken through the investigation as to who done it. Bodies who wash ashore tend to be hard to identify at first. This book covers quite a bit; an unexpected murder, unexpected accusation, an unexpected engagement and then an unexpected paternity discovery. Oh man, this book left me wanting more! I hope that I get to review the next book in this series!

Fiona Knox is in the midst of opening her new flower shop when a murder takes place. Not only does she need to ferret out the real killer who is among them, she discovers more about her relationship between her family and her godfather who left her the magic garden. Isla, Fiona's sister, has suddenly moved in after her graduation and is a spoiled and pampered character. Things don't go smoothly between the sisters either. Hamish, the rustic, unassuming, and down-to-earth caretaker of the property is a character I simply love. Chief Inspector Neil Craig is the cop romantic interest. And then there are the great animal characters including a mischievous blue-eyed fox that Fiona believes (somehow, someway) is her godfather Ian, a cat who adopted Fiona named Ivanhoe, and Hamish's companion red squirrel, Duncan, that are additional magical touches.

Duncreigan and the nearby town, Aberdeenshire, are charming and picturesque, adding atmospheric and delightful Scottish touches. The ruins of an old stone church ruins that are to be preserved also lend some creepy additions to scenes. Nicely done overall.

The plot is all around who would kill the sanctimonious minister, because it was a minister after all. The pacing had plenty to keep the story moving swiftly along. The killer reveal was wonderfully suspenseful and couldn't have been better. The wrap up answered final questions and was satisfying on all counts.

Although it is traditionally published, there were a number of typos and out-of-place words. Which goes to show it isn't just self-published works. That didn't effect the story for me any. The magical touches are just enough to make the story delightful. This was a delightful second book in the series that is fast becoming one of my favorite cozies. I can't wait for the next book

Rating: Excellent - Loved it, a fun read that had a good grip on me! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

I apologize due to a death in the family I was unable to read and review this book. I apologize to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my inability to follow through.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Fiona Knox is super excited to be opening her new flower shop, the Climbing Rose with her sister Isla by her side. But everyone is not happy about Fiona’s shop or her continuing to stay in the cottage she inherited from her godfather. Parish Minister Quaid MacCullen has gotten up close and personal to warn Fiona she doesn’t belong in Duncreigan, Scotland tending a garden or opening a flower shop.

The sisters face a terrible lightning storm that rocks their little cottage mightily but when the storm passes everything seems okay until they learn a dead body has been found on the beach. Kipling, the volunteer police chief believes the body is none other but the parish minister who was threatening Fiona. So again she is up to her ears in another police investigation with handsome Chief Inspector Neil Craig, But Isla is acting strange. Could she be involved in the minister’s death or know someone who is?

______

I loved the first book in this series and don’t know why it took me so long to get to this one.

I really enjoy the Scottish setting and the magical garden. This time the garden took a little bit of a backseat as Fiona worked hard to open her new flower shop. There were a couple interesting garden scenes though, I just wish there were more as Fiona continues to learn her caretaker status and all the magical mysteries the garden holds.

The character development continues with the inclusion of Fiona’s sister Isla. Typical sibling rivalry erupts as the sisters find their way as Isla plans to stay in Scotland. With the opening of her shop, the sisters meet many more residents Aberdeenshire and previous relationships continue to grow. With this character increase the suspect options expand as well. The author takes her time introducing each character too, so they are all very easy to keep straight.

The mystery was very well-plotted with twists, turns, secrets, and misdirection. While the main mystery is wrapped up well there are several strings that carry over into the next book. One that could really turn Fiona’s life upside down.

Death and Daisies is a fine addition to this series. I was entertained the entire way. Daisies are my favorite flower and I love seeing fields of them. This story gave me a wonderful virtual view.

I am super excited to read Mums and Mayhem. It will be released on July 7, 2020.

The second in the series set in Scotland. Fiona is starting her flower shop, and dealing with her sister. When a minister who was very vocal against the American upstart is found dead, Fiona steps u[ to help hunky Craig find the killer. A great cozy mystery and one that was hard to put down. Highly recommend this book and author.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book before it was published.

I think this book was okay, I read the previous book in the series and thought that one was alright as well. I most likely will not be picking up the third book in this series as I didn't enjoy myself while reading them.

I do like the magical aspects of the story and the squirrel.

I love this cute series, from the setting to the characters to the magical garden. This was one of those books I was happy to see the victim meet his end, what a right dobber! The plot moved along at a good pace, and with the addition of Fiona's sister and the new tea shop, the world is coming alive like a garden in spring.

A lovely and entertaining read and this series is firmly in my to-read list.

Fiona's inherited cottage has a beautiful, somewhat magical walled garden. Some place that sounds lovely to visit. Flower always writes well and the story moves quickly.

I love anything Amanda Flower writes. This book did not disappoint! Her plots are always well written and exciting to read and her characters great.

I love this series, and would love to see more of it. DEATH AND DAISIES is the second book in Amanda Flower’s magical garden series. In it, Fiona Knox finds herself investigating the murder of the local minister, a man who has done his best to dissuade her from staying in Bellewick and keeping the magical garden left to her by her godfather.

While the murder was a mild surprise in the end, I also felt like that part was a little weak and rushed. This book had way more of the series plot points that were needed to build on (the relationship/friendship between Fiona and the Chief Inspector, Uncle Ian’s story/connection with Fiona, the relationship between Hamish and his nephew Seth, etc.). I just hope we see another book from the series soon!

Fiona Knox is settling in to her new life in Scotland; caretaker to a magic garden that will work its magic only for her, and anticipating the opening of her new flower shop in town. She was also surprised when her younger sister Isla turned up on her doorstep announcing she wanted to visit Scotland before she went home and looked for a job after her college graduation. She certainly has her hands full, but there's trouble on the horizon when the local minister makes an unannounced visit to her yet-to-be-opened shop and tells her that she's not wanted.

When there's a terrible storm and Minister MacCullen is found dead on the beach, Fiona believes she'll be a suspect, and sets out to find out who wanted the minister dead. But while it becomes apparent that many people disliked him, she also finds that the little town is hiding more secrets yet, and not only is a killer still on the loose, it seems that person has set their sights on her as the next victim...

This is the second book in the Magic Garden series, and I wanted to like it as much as the first, which was, for the most part, a delight. Unfortunately, I couldn't stand Fiona's younger sister Isla. She's a petulant child who never should have been let off the family farm (but that's just my opinion).

While there were plenty of suspects and red herrings strewn about, I would have liked to have Fiona involved more with the garden. She was there only once or twice, and Hamish was barely in this book, and he is a character I truly like. Yet in the end, I was surprised by the killer, but I did feel that it all came together nicely. However, you really do need to read the first book to understand the reasons why Fiona made Scotland her home in the first place, and it will help you understand things in this book. I am also pleased to say that my suspicions in the first book came to pass in this one.

The writing was very good, and I enjoyed revisiting Raj and his sister Presha, and, of course, Detective Inspector Neil Craig. It was interesting watching Fiona deal with her feelings in that regard; and of course, Ivanhoe, without whom the book just wouldn't be complete.

I know that Ms. Flower is a talented and prolific writer, and I also read and enjoy a couple of the others. Hopefully, though, we will see the third book in this series emerge before too much more time passes. Recommended.

Oh how I love this series! Amanda Flower has such a way with building characters and places that you just fall in love with! Can’t wait for the next in the series!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

Amanda Flower creates some of the best mysteries around and this was for sure one of her top novels. It was a quick read for me as I usually devour any of her books and I was surprised in the end to see who our culprit was. It wasn’t who I expected.

This is my first experience of the world of cozy mysteries of Amanda Flower. Though second in the series, Death and Daisies can be read as a standalone.



Fiona Knox moves to the countryside in Scotland from Tennessee after her life there is turned upside down. Inheriting her grandfather’s cottage with a magical garden gives her a second chance and Fiona plans on starting over. But not everyone is happy to have Fiona there… On the day of the grand opening of her flower shop, the local parish minister who had seemed opposed to Fiona’s presence in the town is found murdered. Fiona’s new beginning at life is dampened when she becomes the prime suspect in the murder case. Her sister, Isla’s presence and weird behavior are not helping either. Will the very handsome Chief Inspector Neil Craig be able to solve the mystery and let Fiona get her second chance at life?



The author has done an amazing job of setting up the story in a countryside backdrop. The description of the setting is well done and I could imagine the Scottish scenery in my mind. It certainly helps the readers to ease into this cozy mystery. The major players in the story are well developed. I liked Fiona for most parts but was torn about Isla. There are some supporting characters that I really liked especially for their temperaments. As is usually the case with most cozy mysteries, the story rides on the back of the characters and their relationship dynamics. And, together the whole cast makes this book an interesting read.



The story flow is very smooth and I loved Amanda Flower’s story telling style that made me feel like I was right there with the characters. Her language is simple and affable that furthers the feel of the setting. For mystery buffs, it would be easy to identify the perpetrator halfway through the book, but that doesn’t take away from the reading experience at all. I am pretty sure that I am going to pick up the first book in this series… and I am definitely going to start on the ‘The Magical Bookshop’ series by the author. Will you join me for a read along?