The Witch and The Dead {+ Giveaway}

◊ THE WITCH AND THE DEAD by Heather Blake

◊ Series: A Wishcraft Mystery, Book 7

◊ Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages

◊ Genre: Cozy Murder Mystery

◊ Publisher: Berkley (October 4, 2016)

◊ Language: English

◊ ISBN-10: 1101990139

◊ ISBN-13: 978-1101990131

SYNOPSIS:

          The national bestselling author of Gone with the Witch returns as wish-granting witch Darcy Merriweather uncovers dangerous skeletons in the closet—and the garage....
 

When Darcy moved to Salem, Massachusetts, she never expected her life to change as drastically as it did. But within a short time, the Enchanted Village has become her home, its mystical residents have become her family, and As You Wish, the personal concierge business formerly run by her Aunt Ve, has become her calling. Still, the time has come for change—and for Darcy to move out of Aunt Ve’s house.
          Darcy’s belongings are stashed in Aunt Ve’s garage, alongside a mess of memories, forgotten possessions, and, to both Ve and Darcy’s horror, a pile of old bones. It turns out they belong to Ve’s long missing second husband. Now Darcy must unpack old secrets to solve a cold case—and make sure her aunt isn’t looking at a spell behind bars.

Author Heather Blake has the knack for blending magic, murder, intrigue, and romance into a fascinating tale.

The magical community of the Enchanted Village comes alive through Blake’s rich descriptions and vivid details. She makes you feel the excitement of the village and its residents. Blake’s take on the enchanting seems normal.

The characters are quirky and mesmerizing. They are well-developed, likable and have traits readers can relate to while wishing they had magical powers too.

The story is captivating and holds your attention until the very end. Moving at a steady pace, the story will keep you on your toes with a few surprises along the way. There’s a good blend of mystery, murder, mayhem, romance, and friendship throughout the book.

THE WITCH AND THE DEAD can be read on its own. Filled with delightful characters, a magical setting, and an interesting murder mystery to solve what more could a reader ask for?

The Witch and the Dead by Heather Blake, A Wishcraft Mystery (Book #7), Berkley, @2016, ISBN: 978-1101990131, Mass Market Paperback, 320 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Penguin Random House, I have a print copy of THE WITCH AND THE DEAD by Heather Blake to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Saturday, Oct. 15.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. A winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Giveaway.” The winner will have 72 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends to make sure the notification email doesn’t end up there. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decided for whatever reason you don’t want to win (which is fine), once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Don’t you just love this cover? Do you enjoy a good mix of magic, mystery, and romance?

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Gone with The Witch {+ Giveaway}

When it comes to making magical and mysterious seem real and plausible, author Heather Blake has a natural talent for creating the right elements.

In GONE WITH THE WITCH, the sixth installment in Blake’s Wishcraft Mystery series, the combination of magic, murder, romance, mystery, and family comes together for an enchanting story. The smooth blend of these elements and more will hold you spellbound until the very end.

Darcy Merriweather, owner of As You Wish, has been hired to oversee the annual Pawsitively Enchanted Pet contest in the Enchanted Village. The show’s organizer fears someone is trying to sabotage the even with ‘accidents.’ But when the lead suspect in the accidents winds up dead, Darcy has her hands full searching for a new suspect. To make matters worse, someone is snatching up prize winning pets. Darcy has to pull out all the stops to save the event’s reputation and possibly the village’s livelihood.

Blake has created a spunky protagonist and a cast of quirky characters readers will be drawn to. The magical setting of the Enchanted Village comes to life through the author’s rich descriptions. The close-knit atmosphere of the community makes it a place readers will want to return to time and time again.

The easy flow of dialogue moves the story at a steady pace, while the twists and turns keep you guessing. GONE WITH THE WITCH is an entertaining read that will delight you senses, make you smile (despite murder) and have you believing in wishes.

This is a standalone book and can be read on its own. However, don’t be surprised if you feel compelled to check out the other books in the series as well. Readers get an added bonus in this book with a sneak preview of the next installment in the series, THE WITCH AND THE DEAD, coming in October.

Get ready to be mesmerized with magical powers and feel-good sensations from this bewitching tale Blake has created.

Gone with The Witch by Heather Blake, A Wishcraft Mystery (Book #6), Obsidian, @2016, ISBN: 978-1101990117, Mass Market Paperback, 336 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Penguin/Random House, I have a print copy of GONE WITH THE WITCH by Heather Blake to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Sunday, May 15.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. A winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Giveaway.” The winner will have 72 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends to make sure the notification email doesn’t end up there. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decided for whatever reason you don’t want to win (which is fine), once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope I've enticed you to check out this delightful cozy murder mystery. Do you believe in wishes coming true? Have you ever entered you pet in a pet show?

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A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake

Living in an enchanted village may sound a bit strange, but for Darcy Merriweather it’s beginning to feel normal - or as normal as can be for a wishcrafter.

Darcy and her sister, Harper, live with their Aunt Velma in the magic-themed town of Enchanted Village. This is a place were witches live and practice their craft without mortals realizing it. Darcy helps out with her aunt’s business, As You Wish, a personal concierge service.

Elodie Keaton’s mother has been missing for over a year. When Elodie hires As You Wish to clean out her mother’s cluttered house, Darcy doesn’t realize what she’s getting herself into. The house is a mess with piles of newspapers, boxes, and other clutter. But before the cleaning begins, Darcy uncovers Patrice Keaton’s decaying body in a suitcase among the clutter.

It seems Patrice owned the Anicula, a wish-granting amulet that may have lead to her death. Between the house cleaning and searching for the truth to Patrice’s death, Darcy places herself in danger when the killer believes she’s found the magical amulet.

While this is a story of murder and mayhem, it’s also sprinkled with humor, romance, and family loyalty. A WITCH BEFORE DYING flows smoothly and is an easy read enticing readers with twists and turns from beginning to end.

Author Heather Blake has created a strong protagonist in Darcy giving her independence and yet still a bit vulnerable when it comes to matters of the heart. The other characters are zany and realistic despite their magical abilities. The detailed descriptions of the village places the reader there with the characters. Readers can practically feel the magical energy around them as they read.

Darcy’s involvement with Nick Sawyer and his daughter, Mimi, gives a feel-good touch to the story. It also lends itself to some laugh-out-loud moments.

This is the second installment in the Wishcraft Mystery series, but can be read alone. However, to find out how Darcy came to be at the Enchanted Village, check out the first installment, IT TAKES A WITCH.

A WITCH BEFORE DYING creates its own magic as it draws you into this mystical world and holds you spellbound till the end.

Author Heather Blake’s website is http://www.heatherblakebooks.com/. She also writes under the name Heather Webber.

A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake, A Wishcraft Mystery, Obsidian, @2012, ISBN: 978-0451237637, Paperback, 320 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Would you like to live in an enchanted village? Does the delightful book cover remind you of the old TV shows Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie? Thanks so much for stopping by today.