Tag: cozy-mystery

Review: Black Magic Murder

BLACK MAGIC MURDER by Polly Holmes

Fiction, Paranormal Cozy Mystery

4****

Blurb: Careful what you wish for! Graduating to a fully-fledged witch on my upcoming birthday should be a momentous occasion, but when a local hairdresser turns up dead, I know it’s going to be one hell of a week. Saltwater Cove’s resident infuriating fae looks like a good suspect for the murder, but insists she’s innocent and reveals a huge secret too amazing to be a lie. But if she didn’t do it… then who did?
The murder triggers the return of a dark force… dark enough to send even the most experienced witches into panic mode. Harriet, Jordi and Tyler join me as I try to find the culprit, putting my magical abilities to the ultimate test. When the killer strikes even closer to home, I need to up my game if I’m going to keep evil at bay.…or have I finally met my supernatural match? If you like witty witches, talking cats, and magical murder mysteries, then step into the fun and flirty romantic paranormal cozy mystery world of the Melting Pot Café series where the spells are flowing, and the adventure is sure to leave you craving more.

THOUGHTS: This was a fun story with a lot of twists and turns. Although this is the sixth in the series, you don’t really have to have read the others to understand what’s going on. I didn’t – though I’m going to. And is seriously suggest you do as well so you do get some of the nuances of the story – like them hunting for a Sphere that appears to be a continuing plot line.

In this one, Evelyn is approaching her twenty-fifth birthday which is when she’ll become a full-fledged witch. If she passes the test of the Council. Everyone wants to throw her a grand party, but she wants nothing to do with that. Especially since she has to prove to the cops that she wasn’t responsible for a recent murder.

I enjoyed the quirky characters, the family/friend dynamics- and the ending (not giving it away, but it was good). But the series is definitely not over as the thread of the Sphere and the mystery surrounding the deaths of Evelyn’s parents continues on.

Recommended.

Review: Balloons, Allies, & Dead Guys

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, #7 in series

4****

Blurb: From USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Fischetto comes a locked-room mystery that will leave you chilled to the bone!There’s nothing more important to ghost whisperer Gianna Mancini than family. Which is why for Pop’s 60th birthday, she’s planned an intimate family get-together, just before an impending Nor’easter hits their town. A quick catered dinner and cake, and everyone will be home before the first snowflake falls.Or so she thought.Pop’s eccentric extended family from New Jersey decides to crash their quiet celebration, and before Gianna can do more than react, she’s hit with another unwanted surprise—in the form of a dead body. As if murder wasn’t enough to put a damper on the partying mood, the blizzard arrives early, forcing Gianna and her family to spend the night with a killer.With the help of her police detective brother, Enzo, Gianna knows she needs to get to the bottom of this mystery… before more family ends up dead. Who would want the deceased gone? Why would they do it at Pop’s party? And where are they hiding… or perhaps, are they hidden in plain site among the party guests? Too bad the dearly departed isn’t giving up any clues. Secrets unfold, suspects emerge, and as Gianna gets closer to the truth, she fears the killer may be one step ahead of her…

Thoughts: I love this family! They are incredibly weird, but also such a tight-knit group who love each other no matter what. Gianna and Julian are with her family to celebrate Pop’s 60th birthday. What is supposed to be a small, quiet gathering turns into a madhouse when Pop’s sister and her large family arrive. Then it starts to snow. And blow. And they’re stuck there, so Gianna goes to look for sleeping bags, and finds a dead body. 

So now both family’s are stuck in the house during a blizzard with a murderer. Gianna, Julian, and Gi’s brother Enzo (a cop) go to work with very little help from the ghost of the dead man since he doesn’t want his past revealed.

The family is kooky and a little spooky, but always full of love and laughter.

Recommended.