A Glimmer of a Clue

Written by Daryl Wood Gerber

Narrated by Sandra Murphy

Courtney Kelly has a shop full of delights, a cat named Pixie, a green thumb—and a magical touch when it comes to garden design. 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. …

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781705026113

Daryl Wood Gerber

Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author Daryl Wood Gerber writes the popular Aspen Adams novels of suspense as well as standalone thrillers. As a mystery author, Daryl pens the bestselling Fairy Garden mysteries and Cookbook Nook mysteries. As Avery Aames, she wrote the Cheese Shop mysteries. Intriguing Tidbit: Daryl has jumped out of a perfectly good airplane and hitchhiked around Ireland by herself.

Reviews for A Glimmer of a Clue

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoy the mix of mystery with fantasy that Daryl Wood Gerber has achieved in this entertaining series. With real fairies flitting about and a murder in the midst of everyday life, what more could a reader wish for! Fiona is a fairy still trying to get all her wings. Courtney owns Open Your Imagination, a shop with all the things you need to create fairy gardens. People come to the store not only to shop but in the hopes of seeing a fairy. Not everyone can, but some are getting closer. Fiona is always around to keep Courtney company, and to play with Pixie the cat. But not everything is sweetness and fun in this town: a hair pulling fight between Wanda, Courtney’s friend, and Lana, a local pickleball star gets everyone’s attention. And things really heat up when Lana is found dead with Wanda kneeling by her body. Courtney is determined to prove Wanda innocent, and she has plenty of suspects, since Lana was not the town’s favorite person. The mystery is a good one, the characters, especially Fiona, are delightful, and the writing is well done. Readers will learn a bit about fairy gardens, and recipes for some good sounding dishes are also included. I love the way the author has included interesting secondary characters, along with their struggles, and how all these characters interact with each other. I know one things for sure - fairies make everything better!

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A Glimmer of a Clue by Daryl Wood Gerber is the 2nd book in A Fairy Garden Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone if you have not indulged in A Sprinkling of Murder. I thought A Glimmer of a Clue was well-written with developed, engaging characters. Courtney Kelly owns Open Your Imagination where people can create fairy gardens. The author’s vivid word imagery allows me to envision the shop, the charming fairy gardens, the town, and the characters. I especially enjoyed the various fairy gardens created. I loved the different themes and the gardens created in the teacups. It gave me some ideas for a fairy garden of my own that I am eager to try out. The mystery was entertaining. Wanda finds herself arrested for the murder of Lana Lamar. Wanda has been a second mother to Courtney and her daughter, Meaghan is Courtney’s best friend. Courtney is naturally going to investigate. She is observant and picks up on details. Courtney has help from her fairy, Fiona as well as Meaghan. Other residents plus gossip help fill in gaps. There are several good suspects since Lana was not liked (with good reason). I wish I had not been able to pinpoint the killer so early in the book (I like more of a challenge). It did not, though, detract from my enjoyment of this spellbinding cozy mystery. A Glimmer of a Clue is a fun and relaxing tale to read. There are delicious food items created throughout the book and the author kindly included recipes at the end. I like that Courtney creates her dishes with fresh herbs she grows in her kitchen. I loved the reference to one of my favorite cozy mystery series when Courtney mentions to Didi that she knows a bookbinder in San Francisco (Brooklyn Wainwright). Pickleball has become a popular sport and I thought the author provided clear explanations of the game. It is certainly a competitive game especially when Lana Lamar is playing. I am looking forward to reading A Hint of Mischief next summer. A Glimmer of a Clue is an enchanting cozy mystery with fairy garden fun, delectable delights, pickle ball play, aggressive arguments, and flitting fairies.

[cyderry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Courtney Kelly likes that she has fairy friends and enjoys her business of Fairy gardens and Tea shop but sometimes things are not always happy and fun. After breaking up a catfight between Wanda nd Lana in front of her shop, Courtney is hoping that they will stay away from each other but a few days later at a charity fundraiser, she finds Wanda over the murdered body of Lana holding the murder weapon. Wanda is dazed and not sure what happened. Can Courtney and her fairy friends find a way to clear Wanda of the murder?What fun to picture the fairies whizzing back and forth trying to learn secrets from others! The characters are fun and the setting and mystery entertaining.

[joannefm2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Courtney Kelly owns a fairy garden shop in Carmel. She helps people create their own fairy garden while she cultivates hers, and communes with her own little fairy, Fiona. Fiona in turn helps Courtney in order to gain her full set of wings. Courtney's been asked to create two gardens for people to bid on for a local fundraiser by her friend Wanda, who is her best friend Meaghan's mother. But while at her shop one morning she hears a commotion, and goes outside to see a fight between Wanda and Lana Lamar, an art critic, and it's turned physical. Lana has Wanda by the hair and refuses to let her go. So Courtney does the only thing she can: she grabs a hose and waters both of them down to stop the fight.But Lana isn't about to be deterred, and continues to hound Wanda, even up to the point of the fundraiser, where she has no problem making a scene with anyone and everyone. When Wanda feels a bit tired, she goes to lie down, and later Courtney hears a crash and runs toward the sound. She finds Wanda kneeling over Lana's body, holding the end of the letter opener stuck in her -- the one that Courtney had used in the now-smashed garden. Now Wanda is the main suspect, and if Courtney doesn't find the true killer, her friend's mother won't wake up from this nightmare...This is the second in the series and I found it just as delightful as the first. The idea of a little fairy helping Courtney solve a murder is indeed a cute plot addition, and it makes for a fun read. While Courtney starts looking at Lana and who would want her dead, she comes up with a plethora of suspects, none of whom seem to have solid alibis. There's also a couple of secondary plots which keep the story going without a lull in the action, and these are engaging as well. I do like the fact that whatever information Courtney digs up, she immediately transfers to Detective Summers. While he gets annoyed with her, at least she's offering up what she discovers and doesn't try to accost her own suspects and accuse them of murder face-to-face. One gets tired of protagonists who confront suspected murderers without the police knowing about it. Courtney is intelligent and caring, with her heart and mind open to not only seeing fairies, but helping others as well. I do like her character.When the ending comes and the murderer is revealed, I pretty much had gathered who it was early on, but finding out the motive for murder was what I was waiting for, and I wasn't disappoint in the outcome. All in all, I do like this series and wait eagerly for the next book. Recommended.

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

fairies, small-business, small-town, family-dynamics, friendship, murder, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, situational-humor, verbal-humor*****If you like the idea of friendly fairies helping to solve a cozy mystery, you'll love this! No problem figuring out who the victim will be. The murderer not so much! The characters are fun, the investigation twisty, and the red herrings surprising. I enjoyed the afternoon I spent reading it.I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley.