Death at Daffodil Inn

Cinnamon Falls #2

by R.L. Killmore

A budding new romance. A dead body. Who can you trust? Filled with twists, tension and undeniable chemistry, Death at Daffodil Inn is a must-read Cinnamon Falls mystery. Perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls, Pretty Little Liars and the Dream Harbor series.

Spring is blooming in Cinnamon Falls and the annual Daffodil Jubilee is in full swing.

Morgan Taylor, who is reluctantly helping her parents host the event at the Daffodil Inn, wishes she could be left alone to daydream about Will, the dangerously hot single dad she can’t seem to get out her head.

As the Jubilee draws to a close with the Petals and Promises dance, Morgan’s finally finds herself face to face with Will. But their magical moment is swiftly shattered by a bloodcurdling scream.

A guest has been found dead in the inn’s garden maze, and whispers ripple through the Murder.

With the inn’s future at stake, Morgan teams up with Will to solve the mystery. Can they uncover the truth before it’s too late, or will their search only end in heartbreak?

Tropes
* Single dad
* Amateur sleuth
* Love triangle
* Flawed victim
* Friends to lovers
* Small-town setting

Praise for the Cinnamon Falls series… (***** star reader reviews)
‘Oh. My. Goodness. YES! This book ticked all the right boxes for me’
‘The sweet meets sinister in this perfect autumnal read’
‘SCREAMING!!! I usually rotate with a thriller and a romance novel, but this had it all in one’
‘Encompasses all I love in a book!’
‘A little bit of romance alongside a good mystery, plus a cosy atmosphere - just what you need for a good night in’
‘If I could rate it 10 stars I would!’

Genres: Romance, Crime, Mystery, Cozy, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary

Audible Audio

Published February 26, 2026

About the author

R.L. Killmore is the pseudonym for US-based author Necole Ryse. Necole has been writing since she was four years old, when she triumphantly wrote her ABC's on the hood of her grandmother's brand new Volvo. When she's not writing, she's weeping into a stack of unfinished manuscripts, abandoning exercise regimens, scolding innocent children in libraries, or listening to other people's conversations.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Cristina Lazăr · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Enigma de la Daffodil Inn” de R.L. Killmore era de ceva vreme pe lista mea cu lecturi pe care le aleg în funcție de starea de spirit, așa că mă bucur tare mult că am reușit, în sfârșit, să ajung la ea. Aveam deja o idee despre stilul autoarei după ce am citit primul volum al seriei, așa că am știut la ce să mă aștept în mare parte. Am regăsit aceeași atmosferă plăcută, personaje care îți stârnesc curiozitatea și o poveste care îmbină romantismul cu un mister suficient de interesant încât să mă facă să vreau să aflu ce s-a întâmplat. A fost genul de carte pe care am citit-o cu drag, mai ales pentru felul în care reușește să te introducă în viața unei comunități mici, unde fiecare pare să știe câte ceva despre ceilalți, iar evenimentele importante ajung să fie subiectul tuturor conversațiilor.

Mai multe în recenzia de pe blog: https://carti.blog/2026/10/18/enigma-...

[Bianca Stanciu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️/5⭐️

[Corina · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
Morgan are maturitatea emotionala a unei lingurite. Orice neintelegere minora este tratata ca un eveniment catastrofal, iar comunicarea pare sa fie un concept complet strain pentru ea. Drama queen este putin spus.
Will este atat de dispus sa isi ceara scuze pentru orice incat ma mira ca nu si-a cerut iertare si pentru schimbarile climatice.
Politia este complet inutila. Noroc cu consatenii bagaciosi, experti in barfe si investigatii dupa ureche, care reusesc sa rezolve cazul. Pentru ca de ce ar fi competenti oamenii care sunt platiti sa investigheze?
Plotul is not plotting. Dialogurile sunt stangace, personajele sunt frustrante, iar atmosfera nu compenseaza absolut nimic. Nici macar nu ma pot consola cu ideea ca este o carte de vibe, pentru ca nu am simtit nimic in afara de iritare.

[Cláudia Oliveira · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Gostei muito e foi muito viciante! Só senti que arrastou um bocado, porque íamos a 70% +/- do livro e tínhamos poucos avanços e pistas sobre o caso… era a única coisa que mudava!

De resto, um mistério de small town angustiante e viciante! O romance entre o Will e a Morgan foi muito fofinho e slow burn autêntico 🥹🫶🏼

[Sabina_bere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tale serija mi je pa kar luštna.😄 Tudi ta zgodba vsebuje ravno pravšnji koktejl romance in detektivke za odklop, njen najbolj šibek del pa je razplet, ki bi bil lahko bolj dodelan.

[Amanda Almén · Rating 4 out of 5]

Döden på Daffodil Inn överraskade mig! Jag brukar bli lite uttråkad av cosy crime men den här hade både fart, spänning och värme. Jag tror jag uppskattar att den största vikten lades på själva mordet: karaktärerna jobbade mer med lösningen av det än med det relationella. Hade det varit större del kärlekshistoria och bara ett mord i bakgrunden hade jag tyckt sämre om den.

Vi följer två karaktärer: Morgan, vars föräldrar äger Daffodil Inn där mordet sker, och Will, som arbetar som trädgårdsmästare på området. De är båda på väg in i en relation tillsammans när mordet sker och deras världar skakas om på olika vis. Wills dotter Angel är nära sammankopplad med den gamla damen som hittas mördad och hennes teckningar och kryptiska meddelanden är en bidragande faktor till att mordet nystas upp. Jag älskar sånt! Slutet är minst lika rafflande som i vilken deckare som helst och jag slår nöjt ihop boksidorna efteråt. En cosy crime med fokus på crime - helt i min smak.

[Phoebe Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

All good and fun, until the last few chapters where someone was being held at literal gunpoint after being abducted and the author wrote ‘unalived’ instead of killed. Either censoring (boo), booktokification (boo), bad writing (boo) or ai use (boo) so like 🤷🏻‍♀️

Oh also the main guy was meant to be like drop dead gorgeous but the first time we meet him he’s wearing like slim fit jeans, a tight black shirt, a PURPLE BLAZER and SNAKESKIN BOOTS AND MATCHING BELT. NO. AND A PONYTAIL. HUH.

[Cloe · Rating 1 out of 5]

The amount of cliched sentences was hard to stomach for me. Also I dont't think that the plot makes any sense: rezoning doesn't force you to sell anything, and can't imagine rezoning being so specific that an inn and a spa are not in the same category.

[Nola · Rating 2 out of 5]

I predicted the plot and I didn’t feel any chemistry between them.

[Sarah P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death at Daffodil Inn is cute in its own cosy‑mystery way, with the murder and mystery adding just the right amount of intrigue to keep the story moving. It’s sweet rather than intense, and the romance woven through it fits that tone perfectly - gentle, warm, and not at all spicy, but still satisfying.

Morgan is such a lovely character. A nursery teacher who adores her job and her kiddos, she’s kind‑hearted and steady, even if she’s been unlucky in love and hesitant to put herself out there again. Will, a single dad to Angel, handles his crush on Morgan with real respect - waiting until Angel is no longer in her class before making any kind of move. It’s thoughtful, patient, and exactly the kind of behaviour that makes you root for him.

Together, Morgan and Will find themselves drawn into solving the murder of Ms Eleanor, Angel’s new best friend. Their teamwork and growing connection make the mystery feel even more engaging.

A sweet, lightly suspenseful romance with charming characters and a cosy small‑town mystery at its heart.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3.5
This story is set in the small town of 'Cinnamon Falls’ during there annual Daffodil Jubilee celebrations, which are always hosted at the Daffodil Inn by Morgan (MFC) family. Morgan is reluctantly helping her parents with the festivities but is distracted by her growing attraction to Will (MMC), an attractive single dad. Their romance has a 'magical moment' during the Petals & Promises dance, but it's abruptly halted as a guest is found dead in the inn’s garden maze!!

As it mixes suspense with romance, the book really draws on the tension, as you get hints, twists & turns + a few red herrings that kept me engaged throughout.

Overall, if you like a cosy, mystery novel with elements of romance giving a flavour of the 'Gilmore Girls' vibes, then this book will appeal you.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cosy whodunnit, set in Cinnamon Falls and following on from the first novel, although can be read as a standalone.
Lighthearted and good to curl up with for a feel good romance, alongside a murder in the style of Midsummer Murders or Death in Paradise.

[karla_bookishlife · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death at Daffodil Inn is a cosy mystery romance and is the second book in the Cinnamon Falls series by R. L. Killmore (a pen name for Necole Ryse).

In the small town of Cinnamon Falls, Morgan Taylor returns home to help her family run the charming Daffodil Inn during the town’s lively spring festival. Between guests arriving, events to organize, and the pressure to make everything perfect, she’s already got plenty on her plate. But the festive atmosphere is shaken when a guest is found dead on the inn’s grounds.

With the town buzzing and suspicion spreading, Morgan gets pulled into uncovering what really happened. As she starts asking questions, she realizes that even in a close-knit community, people can be hiding more than they let on.At the same time, Morgan is navigating complicated feelings for Will, a kind but guarded single dad, which adds a layer of emotional tension alongside the mystery.

The story blends a light, cosy tone with intrigue; focusing on friendships, small-town dynamics, and a growing romance as Morgan works to uncover the truth before the situation spirals further.

[Lisa (Two Bookish Brits) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death at Daffodil Inn brings us back to Cinnamon Falls and another murder mystery is upon us.

We first meet Morgan in book one of the Cinnamon Falls series and she intrigued me and she’s just as intriguing in this one.

Morgan is reluctantly helping her parents at the Daffodil Inn getting ready for the festivities but things take a turn when a dead body turns up in the Inn’s garden Maze.

Will the local landscape Gardner is designing the maze for this years festival so when the body is found he needs answers. Will was such a sweet and lovely dad, his relationship with his daughter was so adorable. I loved that the author gave depth to this character and showed his past.

Morgan and Will work together to try and figure out what happened and it’s fun watching them do so.

I loved the whole community and how close everyone is. The characters are easy to love and I can’t wait to see who gets a story next.

R.L. Killmore created an intriguing cozy mystery with a whole lot of small town charm. It’s fun, it’s tense and it’s been a joy to read.

[Jess Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death at Daffodil Inn 🌼💛

The wrong season, seeing as I am feeling very autumnal 🍁

A cosy whodunnit mystery, set in small town Cinnamon Falls. Like with the first book in the series, the author does write atmosphere well. Cinnamon Falls has a nostalgic, quirky, lovable charm to it, with spring flowers, delicious food and a slow mystery to solve.

I did enjoy reading the relationship between Will and his sweet daughter Angel, but I didn’t find myself caring too much for Morgan or the relationship between her and Will. There were quite a few clues sprinkled throughout, but it was enjoyable to read along all the same.

I also don’t know if this was just my reading experience, but there were some slightly uncomfortable parts, commenting on women’s lack of cooking skills, and women’s weight.

Overall, a sweet, fast-paced, cosy mystery 🧡

⭐️⭐️⭐️

[heleenethebookaholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Cinnamon Falls series.

I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about this series. I really like the atmosphere, and the setting of the town is really charming. I also enjoy that the mystery isn't too intense — sometimes that's exactly the kind of book you need! With all its cosy vibes, I think this series would make a perfect fall read.

I didn't really care for the romance, if I'm honest. I just didn't see much chemistry between Morgan and Will, and their relationship didn't add much to the story for me. There's also something about the writing style that doesn't quite work for me, although I can't put my finger on exactly what it is.

Overall, it was a decent mystery, and I'd recommend it if you're looking for an easy, cosy read ✨️📖

[Nicoleta Deca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este al doilea volum din seria Misterele din Cinnamon Falls și îmbină misterul unei crime cu o poveste de dragoste într-un orășel plin de secrete. In fiecare primăvara, în Cinnamon Falls, orașul se pregătește pentru Jubileul Narcisei, cel mai important eveniment al anului. Morgan Taylor își ajută părinții să organizeze festivalul la pensiunea familiei, Daffodil Inn, deși tot ce își dorește este să petreacă mai mult timp cu Will, un tată singur de care este îndrăgostită de ceva vreme. În timpul balului de închidere, chiar când Morgan și Will sunt pe punctul de a se apropia unul de celălalt, un țipăt întrerupe petrecerea. Unul dintre invitați este găsit mort în labirintul din grădina pensiunii. Moartea este declarată crimă, iar întreaga comunitate intră în panică. Cum Daffodil Inn riscă să-și piardă reputația și clienții, Morgan decide că trebuie să afle cine este ucigașul. Împreună cu Will, Morgan începe propria investigație. Cei doi descoperă că victima avea numeroși dușmani și că aproape fiecare suspect ascunde câte un secret.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

ARC Review

Picking back up in the second book of the Cinnamon Falls mystery with a new murder to solve. I enjoyed this a lot more than the first book, while one of the twists was predictable the characters in this were a lot more enjoyable to read. Angel was such a good standout character and it was so good making her the key to unlocking what happened.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

[chenaey ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

my rating: ★★★★☆

aesthetic: 🌼👧🏽🍂🔪☕️🎧🌿💇🏽‍♂️🏨🪻👩🏽‍🏫

There’s something about a small-town mystery wrapped up in a budding romance that is so easy to get swept into, and Death at Daffodil Inn delivered plenty of that cosy, springtime charm. With the Daffodil Jubilee in full swing, a beautiful inn setting, a suspicious death and a variety of characters, this was an enjoyable addition to the Cinnamon Falls series.

Morgan finds herself caught up in a mystery when a guest is discovered dead in the inn’s garden maze, and what starts as an attempt to protect her family’s inn quickly turns into a much bigger investigation. The mystery kept the story moving, and there were enough twists and suspicious characters to make me question who could actually be trusted.

One of my favourite aspects was the small-town atmosphere. Cinnamon Falls has that cosy, slightly quirky charm that makes you want to curl up with the book and stay there for a while. The Daffodil Jubilee also added such a fun backdrop to the mystery, and I loved how the celebrations contrasted with the darker events unfolding behind the scenes.

And then there’s Will! The chemistry between him and Morgan was definitely one of the highlights for me. Their relationship has that friends-to-lovers tension I always enjoy, and I liked seeing them work together while their feelings continued to develop. That said, I did find myself expecting a little more romance than the story ultimately delivered. Considering how prominently the romantic tension is teased, I would have loved more time devoted to Morgan and Will actually exploring their relationship.

The mystery itself was entertaining, although I did manage to guess the villain fairly early on. While that took away some of the suspense for me, I still enjoyed seeing how everything unfolded and watching the pieces eventually come together.

Overall, Death at Daffodil Inn was a cosy, entertaining mystery with a charming small-town setting, intriguing secrets and just enough romance to keep things interesting. While I would have loved a little more romance and a more unpredictable reveal, I still had a great time returning to Cinnamon Falls.

[Karen Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though Morgan is desperate to make her own way in life, her parents’ inn takes over her life. At the annual Daffodil festival things go horribly wrong when the former owner is discovered dead in the maze.
Business, understandably, takes a hit. A local businessman offers an obscene amount of money to buy the inn, but those close to Eleanor are all too aware that she was suspicious about events. With a lot of luck, and some fortunate coincidences, the murder is solved and another case gets resolved.

[Matteja LV · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knjiga me je pritegnila, všeč mi je bil poudarek na romanci, se mi je pa potem na zadnji tretjini branje malce ustavilo, je trajalo kar dolgo, da sem jo prebrala. Ni imela veliko zapletov, ena taka cozy mystery, veliko likov, tudi iz 1. dela knjige se vrne.

[Jenny E. · Rating 2 out of 5]

En helt okej fortsättning i serien. Denna gång var jag lite mer med på att allt inte är vad man tror än första gången.

Betyg 2,5 av 5

[Gerty · Rating 5 out of 5]

ik hou van dot soort verhalen. Het leest lekker weg, zit een beetje spanning in
en ook nog een love story

[Ruth Haigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new romance , a dead body and a seven year old sleuth. Plenty of plot twists - but enough clues so the reader can solve the mystery. Looking forward to the next book out this summer.

[Maarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
Kuulasin seda audioraamatuna, sobib kenasti kiireks ja mõnusaks suviseks lugemiseks.
Väikelinna olustik, natuke mõrvamüsteeriumit, sassis suhteid ja armastust.

[Tasha Cutts · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Joanna Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!

[Živilė · Rating 2 out of 5]

This took me quite some time. I was thinking of DNFing way too much, the book is cute, romance was average, mystery was a decent one

[Lydia Kealy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 🌟

[EllysLovesBooks · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

Purtroppo i difetti che avevo riscontrato nel primo volume della serie si sono ripetuti anche qui e credo ormai sia proprio lo stile dell'autrice.

I protagonisti Morgan e Will si girano intorno dal primo volume e in questo sembra concretizzarsi la voglia di conoscersi, almeno nelle prime pagine, ma quando avviene un omicidio nel giardino della locanda dei genitori di Morgan tutto viene sconvolto.

La signora Eleonore non era amatissima a Cinnamon Falls, ma chi è che da un'antipatia arriverebbe addirittura ad uccidere?

Angel la figlia di Will si era affezionata alla signora e lui vuole indagare su ciò che le è successo perché la figlia sta vivendo male questa morte e Morgan vuole indagare perché un omicidio per la locanda non è di certo una buona pubblicità e i clienti stanno cancellando le prenotazioni.

E qui arriviamo al punto, entrambi indagano ma non ci pensano proprio a farlo INSIEME come le persone normali, no, scoprono cose o hanno delle intuizioni ma non se lo dicono e soprattutto non lo dicono alla polizia, che sta ovviamente indagando sull'omicidio.

No Will pensa di essere più intelligente e Morgan più furba e quando arrivano al punto cruciale lei si mette in pericolo come una stupida ragazzina, invece che andare insieme anche soltanto con un'altra persona per essere tranquilla visto che c'è un assassino in giro a piede libero.

Quindi la non comunicazione è il perno che tiene insieme la storia.

L'altro difetto che ha in comune con il primo libro è la storia d'amore, non la voglio come trope principale, ma neanche a bistrattarla così.
I due protagonisti più che incontrarsi volutamente s'incontrano sempre per caso e l'unico appuntamento che hanno lui lo manda a putt*ne, facendo capire che effettivamente insieme non suscitano nessuna emozione romantica e neanche sensuale.
Zero.

E presi singolarmente sono anche peggio:

- lui parla di un suo certo passato difficile ma in realtà la sua vita gira intorno alla figlia e ai problemi che le ha causato la sua ex.

- lei non ha personalità, a meno che vestirsi interamente di viola dalla seconda elementare non si possa definire personalità... è noiosa, scontrosa, rancorosa con i suoi genitori e dice tanto di essere diffidente ma si fida del primo uomo affascinante che passa senza conoscerlo per nulla.
Alla faccia, ma un po' di coerenza?

Il vero problema però è che se vuoi scrivere un mistery dovrebbe esserci un mistero, ma dalle prime pagine devi seminare indizi, invece il colpevole si palesa a metà romanzo e di misterioso non c'è proprio un bel niente, si capisce tutto in pochi capitoli e si continua a leggere solo per vedere se alla fine è davvero tutto scontato come sembra.
E sì, è tutto scontato come sembra.

La fortuna è che i capitoli scorrono e quindi si lascia leggere, ma è decisamente calato il livello rispetto al primo romanzo che aveva pure lui molti difetti ma una storia e personaggi più interessanti.