A Glimmer of a Clue
The Blurb
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.
The Details
Series: A Fairy Garden Mystery – Book #2
Author: Daryl Wood Gerber
Genre/Category: Cozy – Garden/Fantasy
Publisher: Kensington Books
ISBN: 1496726367
Page Count: 336
Rating: 
The Review
Courtney is a wonderful character, her garden shop is fantastic. I like that she isn’t afraid to jump in when a friend requires help, even physically. The fact that she can see and talk to fairies is a bonus. In A Glimmer of a Clue, Courtney has her hands full when her friend Wanda gets in a scuffle with Lana, a not-so-nice or friendly town bully. Lana turns up dead, and all eyes are on Wanda. Fairy’s come to the rescue, or at least they try, but in the end, it’s up to Courtney to stop a murderer.
The characters in this story, and so far in the series, are colorful, easy to like, and have a sense of whimsy. Not everyone can see fairies or wants to, but those that do work at it and strive to be worthy. I was skeptical when I started reading the first book in this series, but after reading the book, I was hooked. The garden center that Courtney owns is delightful; I would love to have something like it in my neighborhood! My goal is to build a fairy garden just like one of Courtney’s fabulous creations. The people who come and go throughout the book keep things interesting, and the fairies, although I do not feel there are enough of or play a significant enough role, are fun to read about and picture. Fiona, Courtney’s Fairy, and recent Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts is especially thrilling to imagine.
There are plenty of suspects, the victim caused problems wherever she went, and it doesn’t take much to convince the reader that she would be murdered sooner or later. Red herrings abound. The reader may find themselves not sure who the killer is but happy when at long last, they find out. Courtney turns her sleuthing skills into actions, and by the end of A Glimmer of a Clue, she has unmasked the killer and saved her best friend’s mother with her fairy’s help, of course. I am happy to recommend this book and series to readers who want a touch of whimsy, a great mystery, a garden shop to spend endless hours imagining, and unforgettable characters.
The Author
Daryl Wood Gerber is an Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling author. Under the pen name Avery Aames, Daryl writes another series. As a girl, Daryl considered becoming a writer, but she was dissuaded by a seventh-grade teacher. It wasn’t until she was in her twenties that she had the temerity to try her hand at writing again, for TV and screen. Why? Because she was an actress in Hollywood. A fun tidbit for mystery buffs: Daryl co-starred on Murder She Wrote as well as other TV shows. As a writer, she created the format for the popular sitcom Out of This World. When she moved across the country with her husband, she returned to writing what she loved to read: mysteries and thrillers.
Daryl is originally from the Bay Area and graduated from Stanford University. She loves to cook, read, golf, swim, and garden. She also likes adventure and has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. Here are a few of Daryl’s lifelong mottos: perseverance will out; believe you can; never give up. She hopes they will become yours, as well.
Other books by Daryl Wood Gerber readers will want to check out include the first book in the “A Fairy Garden Mystery” series, A Sprinkling Of Murder, or from the “A Cookbook Nook Mystery” series, Shredding the Evidence.
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