A Hint of Mischief (Fairy Garden Mystery 3), by Daryl Wood Gerber

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I won a signed copy of A Hint of Mischief (Fairy Garden Mystery 3), by Daryl Wood Gerber, last year and I had been waiting until this spring to read it. I like to read books when they are "in season" and I thought this one took place in the spring. I was wrong; it actually takes place in early February. However, it still fits with the weather my area has at this time of year. It takes place in Carmel-by-the-Sea in California where they get rain, not snow. Another reason why it is perfect timing for me is that it has a birthday theme, and today happens to be my birthday!

Courtney, owner of Open Your Imagination, is tasked with planning a 40th birthday party with a fairy garden theme for Odine. Odine's old sorority sister, Misty, is throwing the party for her. Farrah Lawson, a now famous actress, is flying in for the party, which could be great news for Courtney's business. 

That is until crime plagues the usually quiet town. A string of thefts occur, as well as a murder. In addition to these crimes, fairy doors are mysteriously popping up everywhere. Are the three mysteries related, and if so, how? Courtney and her amateur fairy sidekick sleuth, Fiona, set out to find some answers.

This is another delightful installment in the Fairy Garden Mysteries. There are plenty of suspects with motives and opportunity, as well as red herrings leading us in different directions. I did correctly identify the culprit(s) before Courtney did, but that wasn't until about three quarters of the way through the book. Even after that, it was still fun to watch the story unfold. 

Courtney makes mistakes along the way, one  that almost costs her, her life. Her mistakes remind us that she is an amateur, not a professional, and I am okay with that. I was on the edge of myself hoping things didn't backfire and asking "Why are you doing that???", but all of that makes her human. She has a lot to learn and I'm eager to watch her grow in future installments of the series.

If you like a touch of romance in your cozies, you will see some of that in this one. There was growth and yet there is still more room for growth. For me, it was just the right amount of romance without distracting us from the mysteries.

The fairy theme seemed even more prominent to me in this installment than in the previous ones and that was beautiful to see. A few fairies make appearances in this one. One I really liked was Cedric Winterbottom, and older fairy. I smiled every time he spoke in his charming British accent. 

Pixie, Courtney's ragdoll cat, and Fiona continue to have a playful relationship. Like Courtney, Pixie can see Fiona, and their antics are so much fun to watch. It makes me think that when my cats see things that aren't visible to me, perhaps they are seeing fairies.

I really enjoyed the birthday theme, especially since I read the book in the days leading up to my own birthday. It made me wish for a fairy garden party, but I'm glad I could at least enjoy the festivities through this book.

A Hint of Mischief ends on a purely magical note. It was something that took me by surprise and took my breath away. It reminded me of how I felt at the end of In The Company of Witches. It left me with such an indescribable feeling of hope.

One thing I always appreciate in the Fairy Garden Mysteries is the list of characters in the front of the books. When there are a lot of characters in a book, I tend to forget who some of them are. To help with this, I sometimes jot down notes (or highlight if I'm reading it in e-book format). None of that is necessary to do when each character is listed in the front of the book, with a brief description of who they are. I didn't need to look at it often, but sometimes I did find it helpful.

It occurred to me while reading this book, that it's perfect for National Poetry Month, which is April. Each chapter begins with a poem or quote about fairies. It's one of the reasons why I like having my own copies of the books in this series. 

I listened to the first installment in this series, A Sprinkling of Murder, after I read that book. When I read the book, I had in my own mind what the voices sounded like. When I listened to the audiobook, it wasn't they way I had imagined it and I was disappointed. For that reason, I will not listen to anymore audiobooks in this series. I'd rather just rely on my own imagination to help me hear them speak. 

If you're looking for something light and fluffy, with a bit of mystery to read, I recommend The Fairy Garden Mysteries, by Daryl Wood Gerber. If you like recipes, you are in for a treat. There are several at the end of this book. As with most cozies, it can be read as a standalone, but reading them in order helps you see how the main characters and their relationships grow. I am really looking forward to reading A Flicker of a Doubt, the fourth installment in this series, which was published just a few weeks ago.

How do you feel about magic in cozies? Is it something you enjoy or are you more of a realist? I can tell you that before I discovered the Fairy Garden Mysteries, I wasn't interested in reading anything with magic in it. This series has completely changed my perspective. Magic is now my favorite theme.