I am Molly Addison Renard, retired school teacher, wife, mother, and part owner of Smuggler’s Arcane. I’m also a multi-generational witch.
My coven and my life are shared with my friends, Elsie and Olivia, who are also mature witches of a certain age. Our witch family roots go back many lifetimes in the Wilmington, North Carolina community.
My husband, Joe Renard is a Wilmington PD detective, and my son, Mike, is in college. Neither of them are witches, and they don’t know about my magic. It has to stay that way so the Grand Council of Witches doesn’t take them away from me. Secrecy is the primary rule for our kind.
But one day – I don’t even recall exactly when – my magic started fading. Olivia and Elsie have the same problem. Tasks that we once used magic for now have to be done by hand. We don’t share this information, of course. It’s embarrassing enough to admit to ourselves.
So now we’re looking for three witches to take our places. We’ll hand our spell book to them, and the magic will continue while we retire to Boca where all the older witches live.
There’s just one recent hitch: Olivia, my childhood friend, has been murdered. We don’t know who did it or how it was even possible. Witches have a sense of these things. We know when we’re going to die and how we’re going to die. It’s difficult to sneak up on us.
What makes it worse is that Joe and his partner are investigating Olivia’s death. With magic involved, I can only hope he doesn’t find the killer. Joe would have no chance at all against a powerful witch.
And our spell book – the book our three families have written in for hundreds of years – is missing. Elsie and I believe it was stolen by Olivia’s killer.
The Grand Council of Witches is no help at all. I can’t let Joe find the killer. It looks as though Elsie and I will have to find the witch ourselves with what remains of our magic and wits. Spirits of the moon fly close.
“Molly!”
Excuse me. Elsie has accidentally turned our teapot into a crow. We’ll have to catch it before it turns back into a teapot and smashes down on someone’s head.
I seek to find what has been lost
With wand and light, I seek the way.
You can read more about Molly in Spell Booked, the first book in the new “Retired Witches” mystery series, published by Berkley Prime Crime.
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 6 p.m. eastern on December 17 for the chance to win a copy of SPELL BOOKED. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
A Fun Contest: Win a spellbinding gift package that includes a handwritten grimoire of spells, a print copy of Spell Booked, a willow wand, and a velvet bag to carry it in. Make sure you visit every stop on the TOUR as they will have some clue words in each post that can be put together they make a Witch’s Spell. To enter the giveaway readers will have to collect all the words and put them all together on the giveaway entry form after the last stop. Click HERE for the entry form.
About the authors
Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Penguin, Amazon, and Simon and Schuster along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family. Visit them at www.joyceandjimlavene.com
This story sounds like great fun! What’s going to happen next? Who murdered Olivia? I hope I can sleep tonight with so many unanswered questions! I have to read the end of the story! The suspense is killing me!
I would love to win a copy. This book sounds great. Thank you
I love new series! I can’t wait to try this one!
Would love to read this one.
Sounds like another winning series for this couple 🙂
Thanks for hosting us here today, Dru Ann!
Fantastic sounding…
Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
WOW…I just love the adorable cover of this book with all the cute kitties on it. I have never read anything by this author, but am anxious now to read this book. It looks like it will be a really awesome book. Thanks dearest Dru Ann for the chance to win this book. Looks super exciting!!!
I enjoy the books by these authors. Thank you for the chance to win
I have not had the opportunity to read your books, but this one certainly sounds like a great first read. I love a book that is fun, different, and a bit of a mystery thrown in. Thank you for chance to win
I have read other books by the Lanenes, but I haven’t read any of the witchy series. Love reading about women of a “certain age” so this should be right down my alley. I want to win this one!
Looks great and a must-read, thank you for the chance 🙂
Books and changed perception…great combo..my typre of book
This book sounds delightful! Thank you for the chance.
I love the Lavenes’ work—thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of this book!
Maybe I’ll be lucky and win this drawing. I’m always searching for new and ongoing mystery series so am looking forward to reading this new book. Thank you and good luck to some lucky winner.
The book sounds lovely. Hope I win. 🙂
Really want to read this book, hope I’m lucky 🙂
This sounds like a very fun new series! Thanks for sharing it Dru Ann!
Still reading Spell Booked, but I’m loving it! I’ll leave a review just as soon as I’m done!
This book sounds intriguing. Thanks for the post.
What a fun contest they have going on with their blog tour, and thanks for another chance to win this book. I really want to read it, especially since I have just retired!
would love to read your books.
This sounds like a great book~thank you for the contest!
This sounds like such a great book
I can see the classified ad:
Witches of a certain age seek youngsters interested in a life long career. Contact XXX-XXX-XXXX
Sounds like a fun new series.
I’m a huge fan of all the books the J’s have written and would love to add this one to my growing collection (especially since I’m cleaning up my bookshelves).
This looks like a very good read. Good luck all!
This sounds like a good start to a new series, thanks for the chance to win.
Joyce and Jim Lavene write great books and I’m sure this will be just as great. Thanks for the opportunity to possibly win a copy of it.
Thank you all for giving us some time to complete the hop and hunt. Life gets in the way sometimes.
I hope this will be a long running series.
wismomworks@mail.com
This one sounds really cool!
Thanks, Stephanie
It sounds like a fun read, and I love that cover. Thanks for having the giveaway.
Yes!! Can’t wait to read!!! Pick me😇
This sounds like a delightful book. Definitely on my TBR list
This sounds like the most fun contest ever. I just hope I’m not too ADD to follow all the stops & collect clues!
I’m also adding this to my TBR list as it’s such a great premiss. I lived near old Salem, though it was the one in NC (not the same, I know).
What a fantastic cover!!!!
This sounds like so much fun
Elsie makes me smile. She reminds me of the time I played “Aunt Queenie” in Bell, Book and Candle.
Retiring witches. Now that’s a new one I gotta read.
Sounds like this is going to be a great series!
I would love to try this new series! Thanks for the raffle!
Haven’t read anything by the Lavenes yet, but this sounds like it would be a good place to start. Thanks for the chance to win.
I normally don’t read a lot of paranormal, but this one sounds good.
Thank you for giving your book for the giveaway. I appreciate it and this book really grabs my attention.
Looks like a great new series. The humor at the end about the teapot and crow was fun. Thanks for the chance to win.
Shades of Kim Novak in Bell, Book and Candle. Really searching for those magic words. Much success with this series.
Magical.
Think I’m finally finding some magic words…
Right now I’d love to read this book that has taken me on this online adventure.
interesting
Really want this one. Retired witches – neat concept.
I like the Lavene’s other series so I’ll be happy to try this one too. Usually I’m not into witches very much.
Really want too read this book!
Sounds like another wonderful book from the Lavene’s!
I’ve never read a witch cozy before. What fun.
Thank you for this chance!
Thank you for a chance to win.
I love Jim and Joyce Lavene’s books. Love the opportunity to possibly win their new one.
Sounds like a fun series. Can’t wait to read it.
Would LOVE to start this series. Thank you for a chance
Your book looks so fun. I would love to read it. Thank you
Oh how fun does this book sound. I am drooling to get this for my kindle. Thanks for introducing me to a new cozy series.
Looks great. Thanks for the chance.
I can’t wait to read
Love books about witches and magic…can’t wait to read this one!
Spell Book is on my list of books to read. I can’t wait to read it. Thank you for the contest. Please enter me. 🙂
myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
Thank you. 🙂
Can’t get enough Joyce and Jim Lavene books, no matter which series. Each is a delightful read.
Have read some of your other books and love them!
Would love a book. Thanks.
contest is closed.