A Glimmer of a Clue by Daryl Wood Gerber

Item: A Glimmer of a Clue
Rating: 5
Author: karenbaron

Posted June 20, 2022 by karenbaron in #BookishRecipe, Mystery, Paranormal, Review, Series / 1 Comment

A Glimmer of a Clue

by Daryl Wood Gerber

Series: Fairy Garden Mystery #2
Series Rating:

Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation on June 29, 2021
Genres: Cozy Culinary Paranormal Mystery
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon
Also in this series: A Sprinkling of Murder, A Hint of Mischief, A Flicker of a Doubt

From Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber, the second in an enchantingly whimsical series featuring Courtney Kelly, the owner of a fairy-gardening and tea shop in Carmel, California. It's a special place brimming with good vibes, lush greenery, miniature fairy accessories, and soothing fountains; the perfect venue for book club teas and home to a cat named Pixie. But in Carmel-by-the-Sea, things aren't all sweetness and fairy lights...

When Courtney's friend Wanda gets into a ponytail-pulling wrestling match in public with a nasty local art critic, Courtney stops the fight with the help of a garden hose. But Lana Lamar has a talent for escalating things and creating tension, which she succeeds in doing by threatening a lawsuit, getting into yet another scuffle--in the midst of an elegant fundraiser, no less--and lobbing insults around like pickleballs.
Next thing Courtney knows, Lana is on the floor, stabbed with a decorative letter opener from one of Courtney's fairy gardens, and Wanda is standing by asking What have I done? But the answer may not be as obvious as it seems, since Wanda is prone to sleepwalking and appears to be in a daze. Could she have risen from her nap and committed murder while unconscious? Or is the guilty party someone else Lana's ticked off, like her long-suffering husband? To find out, Courtney will have to dig up some dirt...

A Glimmer of a Clue by Daryl Wood Gerber kept me entertained to the ending. Fiona is such a hoot of a character.

Will Courtney get Wanda out of trouble with the police?

Courtney Kelly and Fiona

I feel like Courtney is turning into an awesome sleuth as she grows with each installment. She tries to get the people she cares about to see Fiona or any of the amazing fairies in Carmel. Courtney tries so hard to stay out of police business, but when it is someone she cares about, she has to intervene to put a stop to it, especially when she knows they are wrong. Courtney is great at helping Fiona stick to the rules that the fairy queen has set for Fiona as well. She has a good head on her shoulders for not only her business but for her friends and helping them get out of trouble they don’t belong in.

Fiona is a righteous fairy sent by the fairy queen to Carmel and into Courtney’s life. Not only that, but Courtney has to help her stay on the path that the fairy queen wants Fiona to take, which is problematic. Fiona, at times, acts like a teenager, but she is growing up. She earned her first set of adult wings in the first novel, and hopefully, she will earn her second set in this one. Fiona’s personality is shining in this story, and I love her sassiness along with her love of Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

The Victim

Lana Lamar is the primary victim of this novel. Many people actually disliked Lana and are all outstanding suspects for killing her. Well, if the matter was as simple as losing a pickleball match that made the loser commit murder. Which it isn’t. Wanda was seen at the crime scene holding the letter opener, and everyone knows they fought earlier that week. Many people could have committed the murder, and I was right about two people who seemed iffy to me. Did you happen to solve it as fast as I did?

Five Stars

Ms. Gerber does a fantastic job writing this series. I love the way she has weaved the bits of paranormal aspects into the world Ms. Gerber created for her series. The fairies and the way they are just fantastically done bring a little joy to each story. I am giving five stars to A Glimmer of a Clue by Daryl Wood Gerber and recommending it to anyone that likes reading Cozy Paranormal Mysteries.

Don’t forget to check out the recipes at the back of the book; they are Adult Lemonade, Baked Fried Chicken, Blueberry Lemon Muffins (regular version), Blueberry Lemon Muffins (gluten-free), Cheddar Artichoke Appetizer, Cinnamon Swirl Scones (regular version), Cinnamon Swirl Scones (gluten-free version), Double Chocolate Cookies, Lemon Thyme Biscuits, Mint Chocolate Brownies (regular version), Mint Chocolate Brownies (gluten-free version), Mushroom Cheese Puffs, and Nana’s Sugar Cookies. All of these sounds so delicious!

Fairy Garden Mystery Series

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of A Glimmer of a Clue by Daryl Wood Gerber.

Until the next time,

Happy Reading!

About Daryl Wood Gerber

Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber is best known for her nationally bestselling Fairy Garden Mysteries, Cookbook Nook Mysteries, and French Bistro Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes the Aspen Adams Novels of Suspense as well as stand-alone suspense. Daryl loves to cook, fairy garden, and read. She has a frisky Goldendoodle who keeps her in line. And she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane and hitch-hike around Ireland alone.

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