Death and Daisies by Amanda Flower

As much as I loved "Flowers and Foul Play" (book 1 in the series) by Amanda Flower, I knew I would also enjoy "Death and Daisies", the second book. The story is set in Scotland, and the book is filled with wonderful descriptions of the delightful small town, surrounding countryside, and sea/cliff/dock areas. The main characters, as well as the key minor ones, are realistically drawn and likable. In this installment, we meet Fiona's sister and learn more about Hamish, Kipling, Raj, and Presha. The animals are also wonderful: There is Duncan the delightful tame squirrel, a mysterious fox who enjoys visiting the garden at Fiona's cottage, and Fiona's newly acquired cat. The mystery itself was well-plotted and complex, with plenty of suspects, clues, and red herrings. Trying to solve the mystery along with Fiona was even more fun this time around, as I already knew a bit about some of the possible suspects. Of course, new characters (and motives) were introduced as well, further complicating matters (in a good way). Perhaps what made this story stand out most for me was the inclusion of the magical element. I have read paranormal cozies before, typically featuring witch/vampire characters. I would consider this a "magical realism cozy", which is a different thing altogether. I loved the magical element of the garden, which played a role in the story without turning the book into a paranormal mystery. I look forward to future installments, in which Fiona will (hopefully) learn more about the garden and use what she learns to help others. (This time around, she was too busy with opening her new flower shop and solving a murder to learn much about the garden.) I'm very much looking forward to future installments, and seeing how Fiona uses her flower shop to incorporate her garden's magic into the lives of the townsfolk.