Witch Trial by Cate Conte

Series Name: Full Moon Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: December 28, 2021

Double, double toil and trouble,
A witch’s life is quite a muddle.

The Full Moon crystal shop in North Harbor, Connecticut, offers healing stones for all sorts of ailments. Unfortunately, there’s nothing among the gems that can help owner Violet Mooney learn how to wield the magick she inherited from both sides of her family—the legendary Ravenstar and Moonstone clans. As if being an apprentice witch weren’t difficult enough, Violet’s tutors are her estranged mother Fiona, a sister she never knew she had named Zoe, and a familiar in the form of a black cat, Xander.

Between learning spells, Violet is being investigated by the Magickal Council. A reporter out to debunk spiritualists was “genied”—her soul imprisoned inside a bottle—in Violet’s shop, and she can’t prove she didn’t do it. Meanwhile, her non-magickal life has become complicated when one of her crystal shop customers, Nicole St. James, goes missing and turns up dead, a victim of murder.

Determined to solve both crimes, Violet taps into powers she doesn’t understand, much less control—and finds herself conjuring up both supernatural and mortal enemies. . .

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Dru’s Short Musing:
This was a well-crafted and fast-paced whodunit that I could not put down, quickly becoming a page-turner. The mystery was executed with ease keeping me immersed in all aspects as Violet tries to keep a handle on all the activities affecting her being which included her mother, the murder victim, looking at suspects, gathering clues as well as a force doing more harm than good. I like how the author set things in motion with the telling of this tale with visually descriptive narrative, engaging dialogue, and the need to know what was happening with the various cast of characters and the pivotal role they play in helping solve the mystery that surrounds Vi. This fun and enjoyable drama was both whimsical and entertaining and I can’t wait for their next magical adventure.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the author.