A Hint of Mischief - (A Fairy Garden Mystery) by Daryl Wood Gerber (Paperback)

Another wonderful and whimsical entry in the enchanting A Fairy Garden Mystery series. I cannot recommend this series enough. It's just so fun! I started reading this book and couldn't stop until I was done. I love Courtney, Fiona (her fairy), and all the characters they interact with. The mystery is intriguing and kept me guessing until the end (so many red herrings and "Could it be this person? Or that person? Or...??). And now I really, really want to make a fairy garden....or at least a fairy door. Or maybe I can find a fairy circle... Many thanks to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

A Hint of Mischief by Daryl Wood Gerber is an enchanting cozy mystery. We return to Carmel-by-the Sea where Courtney Kelly owns Open Your Imagination. The town is full of quaint shops (I want to visit and check out all the shops in the various courtyards). It was nice to catch up with Courtney, Joss, Fiona, Megan, Pixie, and Brady. There is a helpful list of the characters at the beginning of the book. I thought A Hint of Mischief was well-written with great characters. I like the author’s engaging writing style. I found myself drawn into story. I love the fairies in the story and that Courtney can see them. Fiona adds humor to the story. I like that we get to learn more about the fairies (the various types) and their capabilities. There is one main mystery and two side mysteries. Misty Dawn hires Courtney to organize an adult fairy birthday party for one of her sorority sisters. When one of the party goers ends up dead, Courtney with help from her righteous fairy begins investigating. This was a well-plotted mystery. I had fun following the investigation and solving the crime. One of the clues was cleverly done. Courtney needs to work on her questioning technique (be less obvious because she does not want to alienate her neighbors). There are several suspects, a red herring or two, and helpful clues. The mystery is nicely wrapped up with all of the questions answered. Someone is stealing from the shops in town. Courtney intends to discover who is behind the thefts. Fairy doors are appearing around Carmel-by-the-Sea. No one knows who is installing the fairy doors. I enjoyed the fairy party planning. Joss and Courtney came up with some clever ideas. I love the fairy gardens that were created by Courtney and customers in Open your Imagination. It gave me inspiration. I like how the romance is progressing between Courtney and Brady. I like that they are not rushing things. I loved the epilogue where we learn something special. While A Hint of Mischief is the third A Fairy Garden Mystery, it can be read as a standalone. The author provides the necessary background information. There is a preview of A Flicker of a Doubt which is the next A Fairy Garden Mystery at the end plus there are recipes for some of the treats featured in the story (Brookies, Chocolate Crinkles, Fairy Cookies). A Hint of Mischief is a magical mystery with flitting fairies, fabulous fairy gardens, a slain sorority sister, a playful Pixie, baffling fairy doors, covert thefts, and a curious Courtney.

The third book in 'A Fairy Garden Mystery' series, A Hint of Mischief is as enchanting as the first two. Drop all your disbelief of the existence of the Fae Folk and just jump in! Owner of a tea shop and fairy garden emporium, Courtney helps people build fairy gardens, offers tea and sweets, and helps solve murders. Seems reasonable. With the help of her trusty fairy, Fiona, Courtney is on the job. A party for sorority sisters is being planned, but without much time to get everything done. One of the sorority sisters is now a famous actress and has been found murdered. There are many suspects. Our girl Courtney is on the job! Can she get to the bottom of this case? Will she question the wrong person? Is she falling in love? Mystery, murder, mayhem, and muffins. You can't go wrong with this book! This book is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. I do feel that there is much backstory that you benefit from if you read all of the books in order.