Witch Way Out by Cate Conte
Series Name: Full Moon Mystery #3
Genre: Cozy, Paranormal
Release: March 28, 2023
Format: Print and Digital
Charmed meets Murder, She Wrote in this fast-paced, quirky cozy mystery series with a paranormal twist, featuring a fledgling witch who owns a crystals shop, her magickal family, and rivaling enchanted realms. Sure to appeal to fans of Heather Blake and Traci Wilton.
When Violet Mooney’s coworker and fellow witch calls to say that their Connecticut crystals shop, The Full Moon, has been selected as a vendor at the Spring Equinox Fair, it’s welcome news. Ever since she learned about her magickal ancestry, Violet has been struggling to learn her craft while staying out of trouble. It’s no easy feat when her family seems to be the target of a power-grab within the realm, putting the entire magickal community on edge—and setting Violet on a mission . . .
With her investigation conjuring more questions than answers, Violet tries to focus on the Fair, which is being run by one of her personal heroes. Horatio Hale is a proponent of ethical crystal mining, but apparently not everyone is a fan. Violet is shocked when she goes to attend a meeting and finds Horatio dead—with an axe stuck in his chest. To uncover the motives behind the mayhem in both the mortal and magickal worlds, Violet is going to need more than a crystal ball. And it’ll take all the powers she’s been honing—plus some she didn’t know she had—to save herself . . .
Dru’s Short Musing:
When her role model is murdered, Violet does what needs to be done to find a killer hiding among each other.
This was a nicely executed whodunit, and I enjoyed all facets, from the murder to the suspects to the witchery to betrayal to everything, in the telling of this story. I’ve been a fan of this author and her writing style makes it easy to follow along with each chapter, as well as the comfortable tone it sets. I like how the murder was staged and the investigative techniques (okay seeking out clues) that would lead to the killer’s identity. There were a few red herrings that kept me in the game and when I thought I had a handle on the person responsible, the author changed directions, all to enhance my reading pleasure. Boasting an eclectic cast of characters, engaging dialogue, and a whimsical atmosphere, this was a magical delight with a bit of mischief and mayhem afoot. I do like that some of the questions I had were resolved and with that, I can’t wait to see where we go next with Violet and her friends.
FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the author.