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A TWINKLE OF TROUBLE is the fifth book in the Fairy Garden Mysteries by Daryl Wood Gerber. This charming book starts each chapter off with a literary quote about fairies that evokes delightful childhood stories and imaginary friends. The author brings the world of fairies to life through her vivid descriptions, and you can’t help but want to meet them yourself. Instead, be content to see them through the eyes of the protagonist, Courtney Kelly, owner of Open Your Imagination fairy garden shop. Another aspect you can count on in Ms. Gerber’s books is the kindness of the core characters…be they human or fairy. They are people you’d like to actually know and become friends with, along with visiting their shops at Carmel-by-the-Sea. The story is a mixture of mystery and magic, both bringing enchanting entertainment to the pages. The author does an admirable job combining the two, to create a tale that captured both my imagination while trying to solve a puzzling whodunit.
As the time approaches for the annual Summer Blooms Festival, tempers flair when local influencer, Genevieve, begin posting negative reviews about local businesses. Angry over not being allowed to participate with a booth at the festival, the influencer seems intent on ruining those who are. There’s a slow build to get to the murder, so it’s not much of a surprise when Genevieve’s body is discovered. Courtney, her friends, and her fairies are soon pulled into investigating when it seems several of her friends are under suspicion. Courtney is quite bold in her questioning, maybe even a bit forceful. But she uncovers clues and… another body. With the second of her friends to be murdered, Courtney worries it’s only a matter of time before she becomes a target. There are clues aplenty and suspects galore, as so many people were targeted by the angry influencer. Once the murder(s) happens, the pace picks up until the edge-of-your-seat reveal. If you enjoy whimsical fairies with your mysteries, then I highly recommend this series!
There are a multitude of delicious treats shared amongst the friends throughout the book. Be prepared to be hungry, or better yet, make one of the many recipes included at the back of the book before sitting down with a cup of tea and read while you nibble. I couldn’t wait to try out the recipe for Lemon Raspberry Delights and was equally delighted with the tasty combination of flavors. These cake-like cookies are loaded with frozen raspberry pieces (and I appreciate that it uses real raspberries instead of jam) that complement the tangy flavor of lemon zest and juice. And the gorgeous color of the raspberries makes these a beautiful addition to any cookie platter or afternoon snack plate!
Amazon Synopsis
Courtney is delighted when her tiny friend Fiona returns from the fairy realm, appearing at the base of a Cypress tree. When her Ragdoll cat, Pixie, emerges from her own portal—aka the cat door—the three set off for a busy day. Busier than usual, since Courtney has rented a small plot of land at the Flower Farm, where she hopes to grow her own supplies for her fairy-garden business. Plus, the annual Summer Blooms Festival is coming up, and Courtney has booked a booth . . .
But the murder of Courtney’s friend, Genevieve, casts a pall over the festival. Ever since Genevieve sold her floral business, she’d been building a career as an influencer. She was perennially opinionated—but in her new role she’d become surprisingly vicious, dissing local entrepreneurs with nasty posts and unwarranted bad reviews. That’s landed a couple of Courtney’s other friends on the suspect list—including Flower Farm owner Daphne Flores. And when a second victim is discovered, seeds of doubt about Daphne’s innocence sprout in Courtney’s mind. With only a germ of a clue, Courtney will have to overturn every rock to get the dirt on the real killer . . .
A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering an ARC print copy of A TWINKLE OF TROUBLE and to Daryl Wood Gerber for some swag to one lucky winner! Contest ends May 5, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
From Yvanna: These spread. They're sticky. and if you have to bake in shifts, the second shift might be "redder" because the frozen raspberries will have melted. No matter what, you will really enjoy them. The marriage of lemon and raspberry is sublime. PS they freeze well! Like an icebox cookie.
Yield: 24 - 30
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Zest of 1 lemon, abut 1 tablespoon
- Juice of 1 lemon, about 2 tablespoons
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1-1/2 cups raspberries, frozen and crushed
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
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In a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium for two minutes. Add the vanilla extract, egg, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix well. Add in flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix on low until just combined.
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Add in the frozen crushed raspberries and stir gently. Don't overmix. I like to put the raspberries in a baggie and crush with a mallet. No mess.
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Using a spoon, drop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, about 1 tablespoon per cookie. The dough is quite moist, so if you have a cookie scooper, use that.
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Bake for approximately 15 - 17 minutes until they are just brown around the edges.
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Remove from oven and cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
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I made a powdered sugar drizzle for the tops of the cookies. While the cookies are superb on their own, the drizzle adds some extra sweetness and pizzaz. To make the drizzle, mix 3/4 cup powdered sugar with 2-1/2 teaspoons of water. Stir until absorbed. Add a tiny bit of water at a time (1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon), stirring well until combined, until desired consistency is reached. The key is to not add too much water all at once.
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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I can’t wait to read the next installment! I plan to make these yummy cookies. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Love the book cover! So pretty! Those cookies sound so refreshing! I love lemon desserts.
Can’t wait to read and review A TWINKLE OF TROUBLE and to try these delicious sounding Lemon Raspberry Delights.
Thank you for both the recipe and the chance to win an ARC copy!
Kim, thanks so much for the lovely review and the gorgeous pictures of these delish cookies!! You are the best. ~ Daryl
You are very welcome, Daryl! It’s always a huge pleasure hosting you on the blog!!
Looking forward to reading this book and trying out this yummy recipe. Thanks for the chance to win.
These look so lovely for spring.