Spell Booked by Joyce and Jim Lavene is the first book in the new “Retired Witches” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, December 2014

Once upon a time in Wilmington, North Carolina, three witches ran a curio shop named Smuggler’s Arcane. But as the years passed, their magical powers started to fade—leaving them no choice but to conjure up a retirement package.

Before they could blink their eyes or twitch their noses, Molly, Elsie, and Olivia somehow became eligible for AARP. But they can’t fly off to Boca Raton just yet. First they must give up their magic, recruit and train three new witches, and pass on their cherished spellbook.

They’ve barely begun to consider potential practitioners when Olivia winds up dead and their spellbook is stolen. To honor their friend and reclaim their spells, Molly and Elsie are about to go wand-to-wand with a dangerous young witch more powerful than the trio was in their prime. And this time they’re going to need more than magic up their sleeves.

I like it. This was a fun read with a great cast of characters that includes Elsie, Molly and Olivia to name a few. The pacing and flow of this story made it easy to follow the mystery which had some twists that enhanced the storytelling. I enjoyed the interactions between the three witches, and at times a few of their capers had me chuckling a bit. I enjoyed this story that boasted great conversations, a small town magical feel and a supporting cast that envelopes our main protagonists.

previously posted on the Cozy Chicks blog