Mums and Mayhem by Amanda Flower is a delightful cozy mystery. I recommend this series to all readers who liked cozy mysteries.

I read pretty much everything Flower writes and I think I read the first book in this series but didn't really remember it.

I like the more grounded characters (though Isla is a bit too much at times) and, in a way, more common place setting that the slightly over the top setting of the Candy Shop and Matchmaker mysteries. It's the lack of including the garden in a truly meaningful way that doesn't please me. If it's called A Magic Garden Mystery, I would expect the garden to really play a role in solving the mystery and it doesn't. Despite Fiona mentioning she's invested in the garden, I didn't really feel it either.

The mystery element was still interesting enough to finish, but since I've read a number of Flower's books fairly close together, I see a pattern of the killer outing themself instead of truly meaningful investigative work that figures it out. I see that in other cozies too and wonder if that's become part of the genre. The killer could have easily left town and not been caught because no evidence was found at all. No one knew the motive.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I should be ashamed I had this on my NetGalley for so long but I was sad to learn this was the last of the series so I held off on reading it.

It was an enjoyable read. I was happy we got to learn more about Fiona's parents and their past. The situation was handle in a realistic manner. I still was not a fan of her little sister but I do need to remember the age difference. Her little sister is a grown-up brat.

This series is perfect for fans of Scotland. The descriptions of the town are beautiful.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Mums and Mayhem by Amanda Flower is another fun installment in the Magic Garden Mystery series. I found myself wanting more of the main character's romantic relationship, but other than that the story was solid. I'm so disappointed that this is the final book in the series! I plan to try some of the other series by the author.

Mums and Mayhem by Amanda Flower is the third 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 for those that read all the books from the beginning.

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, the Climbing Rose Flower Shop. But now Fi’s parents have come all the way from Tennessee to visit just in time for a world famous fiddle player, Barley McFee, to end up murdered and Fi quickly finds out that her own father has ties to the famous musician.

Being someone that enjoys all kinds of genres when it comes to reading I really enjoy when authors put a twist on a genre and add in elements of another so the A Magic Garden Mystery series is right up my alley adding in a bit of fantasy to a cozy. I’m also a fan of a couple of Amanda Flower’s other series so I already knew I loved her writing and I continued to do so with this series. This series also takes readers to Scotland so it fits right into my love of virtual travel too and add that in with another fun mystery this is a series that I loved returning to and would continue to do so.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Mums and Mayhem by Amanda Flower is book #3 in the Magic Garden Mystery series. Picking up right where book #2 left off, Fiona Knox has several questions for her parents regarding her birth certificate when they come to visit. As if that weren’t enough, Fiona now has a murder to solve when her father becomes a suspect. This author always does a great job in giving us so many plausible suspects that I always have a hard time figuring out who did it. I really like Fiona and her sister Isla and, of course, Inspector Neil Craig, Fiona’s love interest. I also love all the cute animals. I am eagerly awaiting book #4. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Mums and Mayhem

by Amanda Flower

Fiona Knox transplanted herself from Tennessee to the east coast of Scotland when she inherited Duncreigan, a very small cottage with its magical garden, from her godfather Ian. She became Keeper of the garden and is learning how to care for it through trial and error. She also owns a floral shop in the little town of Bellewick where she has made a number of friends despite some animosity against her as an American.

In this mystery, world famous fiddler Barley McFee has returned home for a concert, but there are complications to his visit. Fiona’s parents have also come to Scotland for a visit. She plans on pinning them down on the identity of her biological father. Fiona and her sister Isla also want to introduce them to the men in their lives. Complications added into the plot are disputes in Barley’s backup band, a historian who wants access to the magic garden, a businessman who wants to restore a tumbling manor house, a fire at sea, vandalism in the magic garden, and a murder.

With so much going on in the little village, Fiona is stretched to her limits, but her boyfriend, Chief Inspector Neil Craig, her friend Presha, and her Scottish Fold cat, Ivanhoe, are a constant source of support.

Amanda Flower’s Mums and Mayhem is a cozy mystery with a Scottish flair and a sprinkle of magic of the whimsical variety. Fiona is desperate to restore the magical garden and the conclusion not only reveals the murderer and resolves the personal conflicts with her parents, but also shows Fiona regarding the garden in a new light.

I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #3 in the Magic Garden Mysteries, but can be read as a standalone allowing the author to fill in any needed background information.

Publication: July 7, 2020—Crooked Lane Books

Memorable Lines:

The American tendency is more and bigger and better and new. We don’t always buy into that in Scotland. We appreciate old and tradition.

My heart sank. I wanted to grab the words out of the air and shove them back into my mouth. But it was too late for that.

“I think it’s the right thing to do. It feels right, in any case, and when dealing with the garden, I have learned that going with my gut has always been the best choice.”

I really enjoyed Mums and Mayhem by Amanda Flower. It's been awhile since I read the 2nd book in this series, so it was nice to finally read more about Fiona and the village of Bellewick. This book brought Fiona's parents into the story quite a bit. It was great having a couple mysteries in the book that weren't about murder as well. I have to hand it to the author that I never suspected who the killer was or why they did it. I was convinced it was someone else entirely and for a very different reason. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see how Fiona's decision about the garden plays out.

Mums and Mayhem is the third book in Amanda Flower’s Magic Garden Mystery series. I love Amanda Flower’s cozy mystery series, but this was the first book I read in this series. I can’t wait to go back and read the first two.

Fiona Knox is a an American who inherited a Scottish property that came with a magical calling. She is living in the small village and has opened a flower shop while her sister lives nearby and helps her out. Lots of secrets unravel when her parents come to town and a famous town celebrity is murdered in the middle of a homecoming concert in the village.

Fiona finds the body and can’t help but investigate even though she also needs to save her magic garden.

Amanda Flower has a lovely style that makes you connect to the characters and breeze through her books. This was a joy to read!

I am thankful for the electronic copy of this book I received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

MUMS AND MAYHEM is the third book in Amanda Flower’s A Magic Garden Mystery series.

It’s taken me a while to get to this ARC, because NetGalley really needs to add a note of when a book isn’t the first in a series. I don’t like reading out of order, so it’s taken me until now to get caught up. That being said, if I’d read the first book before I requested this one, I might not have.

Flower is my favourite cozy mystery author, and I’ve never NOT enjoyed one of her books, but I just don’t love this series as much as the others.

MUMS AND MAYHEM has a pretty solid mystery and the characters inhabiting Bellewick throughout the series are generally interesting and appealing. In this installment particularly, we got to see a bit more of Fiona’s irresponsible sister, Isla, and got to meet plenty of new and intriguing characters, some of which I’m really hoping will become regulars.

Unfortunately, I had two issues with MUMS AND MAYHEM and, if I’m honest, the Magic Garden series as a whole.

1 – It’s set in Scotland. I’m Scottish (and live here). I guess this might be a general reading rule of thumb: be cautious when you’re very familiar with a setting. There were little things scattered throughout, little phrases or comments, that jarred me as wrong, and it through me out of the story here and there.

2 – The magic. Fiona’s enchanted garden and the prophetic dreams it gives her. I kind of want this to be either more or less. I don’t think there’s enough magic (or flowers) involved in the actual plot if that’s what the author’s building this series around. At the same time, in MUMS AND MAYHEM specifically, it felt like the dreams were used as a handwave for Fiona to find the killers, rather than using any actual clues of sleuthing. It felt like a bit of a cheat.

MUMS AND MAYHEM is a good, solid cozy and it’s a great installment for fans of the series. It’s just isn’t as brilliant – for me – as Flower’s other books.

Barley McFee is a fiddler who's famous worldwide and he's returned home for a special concert. Fiona Knox volunteered to help put the concert together but is starting to regret her decision especially when she finds Barley's body on his tour bus. As she's pulled into the investigation, she soon has trouble closer to home when someone breaks into the magic garden and cuts the climbing Rose away from the stone. Is the magic gone for good, or can Fiona restore it?

This book will grab you from the beginning and keep you engaged until the end. I highly recommend this book and series which I suggest you read in order. This is the third book in the magic garden mystery series. I am a huge fan of Amanda Flower and this is no exception.

Oooh, I enjoyed this one!! We finally get to learn more about the back story of Fiona’s uncle. Amanda Flower is such a good author! She never disappoints! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

Book 3 in the series.

I think this one is my favorite in the series so far, even though it moved a bit slowly.

I liked getting to see more of Fiona's family (and can see why both she and her sister were happy to move thousands of miles away to an entirely different country, haha.) At times I felt like her parents were gaslighting Fi a bit, making her into the bad guy because she wanted to know more about her birth and the circumstances/relationship behind it.

I loved that the garden featured more in this book, as Fiona had to figure out how to save it, and I love that she's opened the garden to everyone. It has always felt like a lovely place that more than just Fiona and Hamish should share.

The one thing that drives me nuts about this series though, is Fiona's sister. She's young, in "luuuuuurve," and selfish, and really annoying because of it. Less Isla and more garden, please.

From Amazon:

"A famous fiddler has been kilt. A magic garden's left to wilt. Does Fiona Knox's father hold the guilt? Will florist Fiona's blood be spilt?

World-famous fiddle player Barley McFee arrives in blustery Bellewick, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, for a grand homecoming concert organized by jeweler Bernice Brennan. Fiona Knox, owner of the Climbing Rose Flower Shop, is starting to regret volunteering to help with the concert. Bernice is an exacting taskmaster, and Fiona has enough tension dealing with her parents, who have traveled from Tennessee to visit Fi and her younger sister, Isla, and to reveal a secret about Fi's birth. But when Barley is found dead in his trailer during the concert's intermission, and his death is shockingly tied to Fiona's father, Fiona discovers there are more secrets surrounding her family than she realized.

Much to the chagrin of handsome Neil Craig, Chief Inspector of the County Aberdeen Police, Fiona delves into the case to clear her father's name. To make matters worse, Fiona learns that Duncreigan, the magical garden that she inherited from her godfather, is dying. At some point during the concert, someone broke into the garden and cut the centuries-old climbing rose--the source of the garden's magic--from the standing stone.

The stakes are higher than ever and Fiona could lose all that she's grown unless she's able to dispel this terrible curse and dig up the truth--fast."

Amanda Flower is brilliant...again. This is fast becoming one of my favorite cozy series. This installment did not disappoint. I highly suggest adding this series to your to-be-read pile. Also, follow Amanda on social media. It will be a bright spot in your day, I promise!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Secrets on top of secrets are revealed within the pages of Mums and Mayhem.

Fiona’s parents arrive from the States for a visit while she has her hands full with her flower shop, her magic garden, and helping with a concert to welcome back Barley McFee. Barley is a fiddle player known around the world but calls Bellewick, Aberdeenshire, Scotland home. Sadly his concert comes to an abrupt halt when he is found dead. Fiona’s world is rocked when she learns her father is the prime suspect in his death.

To add to her troubles someone broke into her beloved Duncreigan, the magic garden she inherited along with her cottage from her godfather while she was at the concert. She has been entrusted with the garden’s care and some thief has taken the source of the magic and everything is dying.

Will Fiona be able to save her father and her garden? or will the killer come after her next?

I really enjoy these escapes to Scotland and while under dire straights I was happy the garden took more of a leading role in this story than the last. The author’s descriptive writing style clearly paints pictures of the whole area but especially Duncreigan. The turmoil of the dying garden brought tears to my eyes. Something so beautiful and magical struck down was truly heartbreaking. I felt so bad for Fiona.

Speaking of Fiona, she is an incredible protagonist. She continues to find her way in Scotland and learning about the precious gift she has been given. In this book, she has many things thrown at her at once but in the end, she perseveres. The relationship with her sister continues to immerge. They are as different as night and day. Fiona is the responsible one, Isla is more by the seats of her pants. I love the way they banter. Having their parents in town brings a new twist especially because they have a history in this town. Also, Fiona’s relationship with Chief Inspector Neil Craig continues to evolve but with her dad in the hot seat, romance could be pretty difficult.

To bring together all the many facets of this story the author has to be steadfast with a clear plan. Her plotting twists all the plotlines together in a way that grabs the reader right away and holds them in her grasp until the final word. She provides plenty of suspects and plants clues precisely making it so much fun to follow each seed right along with Fiona. I was kept guessing until the very end when all the clues come together to bloom.

Well-crafted characters and an exciting mystery make Mums and Mayhem a compelling cozy. One I thoroughly enjoyed. Mums, mystery, mayhem, and magic make for a marvelous read. A Perfect Escape!

Mum’s and Mayhem is a great addition to the Magic Garden Mystery series.

I read this story back in June, but with my job taken over my life this year, I haven’t been able to get back to review this book until now. Even though it’s been several months since I read this, I still remember this story vividly and I have to say you don’t read many books that it will come back to you without having to read a few chapters to bring it back to your mind.

This installment has Fonia working hard to clear her dad from the murder and to find out what made her garden die.

Love Fiona and learning more about her and the magic she holds with the garden in each installment.

Amanda Flower gives us another Magic Garden mystery with Mums and Mayhem. Fiona Knox, American, has inherited a magic garden in Scotland and runs the Climbing Rose Flower Shop. When a famous band performs in the village, the fiddler Barley McFee is murdered. At the same time Fiona's garden withers and she can't revive it. Are the two events connected? Fiona's parents are visiting from America. What connects all these events? Fiona has to fix the garden, find the murderer and solve the mystery of her parent's connection to her foster father, the former owner of the magic garden. What could go wrong? Excellent cozy.

This third magical garden mystery has two mysteries to be solved. First, the magical garden has been attacked and the climbing rose attached to the menhir has been cut causing the flowers and surrounding foliage to start to die. Unless, Fiona, the garden caretaker, can bring life back to the garden, the magic will end. At the same time, Fiona is part of committee for the Coming Home Concert of Barley McFee, a famous fiddler. When Fiona also finds Barley murdered midway through the concert, she is compelled to try to find out who did it and why. The reputation of the village is at stake.. While all this is happening , Fiona is also being visited by her parents who have been harboring a secret which she wants answers to.

The story was very involved and the interconnection of the different parts propelled the story forward quickly. Some of the solutions are still pending but overall, I loved the tale.

Delightful magical, I love this series and enjoyed learning more about Fiona’s legacy and meeting her parents. The mystery was intriguing and I was at the end of the book way to fast, I highly recommend this book and series

The village of Bellewick is all abuzz with excitement. Famous fiddler Barley McFee is returning home for a concert and folks from neighboring villages are here to see his performance. Fiona Knox is part of the committee hosting the event, but she has more on her plate than the concert. Her parents are also visiting Bellewick and they haven’t yet addressed some deep family secrets. Someone has also killed her magical garden, and Fiona is terrified she’s failed her duties as Keeper of the three-hundred-year-old garden. Unfortunately, things only get worse when Barney is murdered and now Fiona’s father is a potential suspect. Can Fiona unravel all of these thorny issues and uncover the real murderer?

There’s just something enchanting about a magical garden in Scotland! I want to visit the Duncreigan estate and just relax in the garden after roaming the nearby village. Amanda Flower does a marvelous job at crafting a world that is vividly alive to the senses as I can easily both envision and smell the garden blooming from her beautiful descriptions. The village, too, seems so real as I want to sip some tea before heading over to the local pub for a meal. What an enchanting place Amanda Flower has created!

As for the mystery itself, there are red herrings galore. Barley McFee wasn’t the most likable person to some but there are all sorts of hidden issues, both past and present, coming to light with his death. Fiona is about to learn far more family and village history than she intended, even with the plethora of questions she has for her parents about her own heritage.

MUMS AND MAYHEM is the third book in the Magic Garden series and I’m officially hooked. MUMS AND MAYHEM has it all- an intriguing plot, well developed characters, a dash of magic, and as a bonus it’s set entirely in Scotland! I would suggest reading at least the prior book, DEATH AND DAISIES, in the Magic Garden series in order to fully acquaint yourself with some ongoing story arcs but I can’t imagine getting a taste of the Magic Garden series and not wanting to read all of the books! Amanda Flower continues to be one of my favorite cozy mystery authors and MUMS AND MAYHEM is yet another hit by her!

*review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*