Series:
Witches' Brew Mystery (Book 1)
Phoebe Winchester’s beloved aunt Eudora has a taste for
adventure—and a knack for making magical tea. It’s even rumored that she just
might be a witch. So when Eudora passes away and leaves everything to her
niece—her Victorian mansion, her bookshop/tea store, The Earl’s Study, and one
very chubby orange cat named Bob—Phoebe gets more than she bargained for. And
she knows she’s in deep when a dead man is found on the shop’s back step,
apparently killed while trying to break in.
Two suspects immediately emerge among the townspeople of
Raven Creek, Washington. There’s village busybody Dierdre Miller, who seems
desperate to buy Eudora’s house, and handsome PI Rich, one of Phoebe’s
childhood friends—but how well does she really know him after all these years
apart?
Phoebe knows she should leave it to the professionals,
but as she starts to dig into the underbelly of Raven Creek, she begins to
uncover the truth about Eudora. What’s more, her aunt might not have been the
only witch in the family, as Phoebe soon discovers she has unique and
unexpected gifts of her own.
Now, it’s just a matter of putting her newfound power to
the test and cast a spell that could catch a killer.
What a fun book! I don't think I've read a cozy since
Annette Blair's Vintage Magic series and Karen Olsen's Tattoo Shop series, but
this was a great reintroduction to the genre. This one caught my eye with its
combination of bookstore, tea shop, and magic. It is set in a small town in
Washington with quirky residents and interesting shops. As the first book in
the series, the introduction of the characters, setting, and situations was
done smoothly without feeling like the first few chapters were an infodump.
Newly divorced Phoebe has just inherited most of her Aunt
Eudora's estate, from her home (and cat!) to her thriving business. Phoebe has
fond memories of summers spent with her aunt, hanging out in the bookstore, and
learning to mix tea varieties. She's not sure how she'll do now that it's hers,
but she's looking forward to the new start. I loved Phoebe's memories of her aunt
and the adventurous life she led. I enjoyed seeing Phoebe explore her new
surroundings and her puzzlement at some of the things she learned. Not the
least was the realization that her aunt's reputation as a witch may have been
more literal than the New Age hippy variety that Phoebe initially believed.
Her first encounters with some of her neighbors set the
tone for the book. First up is Dierdre, who claims to be a good friend of
Eudora's but was warned against by Eudora herself in a letter to Phoebe. After
first trying to suck up to Phoebe and offering to buy the properties, she
quickly turns angry and insulting when Phoebe firmly refuses those offers.
Dierdre doesn't give up and shows up later, accompanied by a big brute of a
man, still trying to bully Phoebe into selling. Phoebe later meets the man
renting the apartment above the store in a scene that made me laugh out loud.
You can see an immediate connection between them, one that is explained when it
turns out he is her old childhood friend, Ricky (now Rich). Some flickers of
attraction also bode well as a romantic touch. She also meets Amy, who owns the
bakery next door, and becomes an instant friend.
Matters become complicated when Phoebe receives a call
from the police about a dead body outside the back door of her store. She's
disturbed to identify the body as the man who had been with Dierdre and wonders
why he'd been behind her store. Does it have something to do with Dierdre's
desire to buy the properties? She's determined to do what she can to find out.
This is where some of the magic comes in. Phoebe uses
some of her aunt's Truth Be Told tea in a batch of scones, hoping that someone
will let something slip after eating one. The first taker is Dierdre, of all
people, and the next scene is hilarious. Phoebe decides that maybe she'd best
hold off on trying anything else until she's more comfortable with what she can
do. Other happenings soon convince Phoebe that Eudora wasn't the only witch in
the family. The realization is startling, to say the least, and sends Phoebe
looking for answers. Her conversation with Honey at the New Age store was eye-opening
and stirred up more questions.
As Phoebe delves more into Eudora's life, she becomes more convinced that she is
exactly where she's meant to be. But the questions surrounding the murder stir doubts
about whether she can trust her judgment. When she discovers Eudora's long-held
secret, she has to decide who she can trust. The final confrontation comes
quickly after this discovery. I was on the edge of my seat as Phoebe faced the
killer. The resolution was intense, with a unique method of foiling the
killer's intentions. The book concludes with a sweet scene between Phoebe and
Rick and a hopeful feeling for the future.
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