Series: A Wishcraft Mystery, #2
Publisher: Signet
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Source: Paperback purchase
Rating: ★★★★½

Darcy Merriweather is Salem, Massachusetts’ newest resident Wishcrafter—a witch who can grant wishes for others. While Darcy isn’t able to grant wishes for herself, she does possess a certain knack for solving problems—including the occasional murder…

When Darcy is hired by Elodie Keaton to clean up her missing mother’s disorderly home, the Wishcrafter is certainly up for the task. After all, the motto of her Aunt Ve’s personal concierge service As You Wish is “No Job Impossible.” But beneath the piles of old newspapers and knickknacks Darcy discovers something much more disturbing—Patrice Keaton’s body.

Darcy’s determined to give Elodie peace of mind by investigating her mother’s disappearance and death. Patrice was last seen over a year ago after a fight with her Charmcrafter boyfriend. Was her murder a crime of passion? Or were Patrice’s troubles caused by the Anicula, a wish-granting amulet? Now Darcy has to not only find a killer, she has to find the Anicula— before the power of ultimate wish fulfillment falls into the wrong hands…

A WITCH BEFORE DYING is the second book in Heather Blake’s Wishcraft Mystery series which is set in a magical neighborhood of Salem, Massachusetts. Ms. Blake’s “witchy” cozy mysteries are a delight to read, and this one was no exception.

The mystery in this book was very good. It was complex with interwoven plot lines, and I was kept guessing until the very end. Wishcrafter Darcy Merriweather has her hands full when she’s hired to clean out a missing hoarder’s house, and she finds the dead body of the woman buried under all the junk. It was like an episode of Hoarders gone horribly wrong! Since it’s obvious foul play was involved and the woman’s dangerous magical amulet is missing, the daughter of the victim hires Darcy to find the killer. Though not an official private investigator (yet), Darcy is clever and has a knack for solving mysteries.

No big secrets of the Enchanted Village are revealed in this book, though we do get to know more characters – crafters, half-crafters, and a few who are just passing through. New relationships bloom, and old ones are severed. I especially loved seeing Darcy and Mimi’s bond grow stronger. Mimi is Darcy’s potential boyfriend’s daughter. Sweet! Like in the last book, the familiars Archie the macaw and Pepe the mouse were too funny.

This was an enjoyable read with unique characters, just the right about of woo woo, and a strong mystery that takes center stage.

Series: A Wishcraft Mystery, #1
Publisher: Signet
Released: January 3, 2012
Source: Purchased from my corner grocery store

Darcy Merriweather has just discovered she hails from a long line of Wishcrafters-witches with the power to cast spells by making a wish. She’s come to Enchanted Village to learn her trade but finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation…

———

I bought this book a year ago, and I’m sorry it took so long to read it. Great stuff! The blurb doesn’t say much about the story, so I’ll fill you in…

Recently divorced Darcy Merriweather and her younger sister Harper have just moved to Enchanted Village in Salem, Massachusetts, after the death of their father. Their Aunt Ve let them in on a little family secret – they’re both Wishcrafters. They inherited the power to grant wishes from their mother who died many years ago, but their father didn’t want them practicing witchcraft while he was alive. Now Darcy and Harper are living with Aunt Ve in the Enchanted Village, learning about their heritage and new found powers.

A town meeting is called to address the theft problem in the village. There’s a pickpocket on the loose, and business owners are concerned the crime spree will scare away the tourists. At the meeting, Darcy is introduced to several town residents, both magical and mortal (though she’s not sure who’s a crafter and who’s not). She also meets the very handsome and charming Nick Sawyer, a former military man and police officer hired to catch the thief.

The meeting takes an ugly turn when a wannabe witch is murdered in the alley behind the bookstore, and Aunt Ve’s boyfriend Sylar is found hovering over the body. Sylar is arrested, though the evidence against him is weak, and of course, Aunt Ve is distraught.

Darcy can’t believe that her aunt’s kind and lovable beau is a killer, so she does some investigating of her own. She finds out that the victim had more enemies than you could shake a wand at, and the town is full of juicy secrets.

What I loved:

• The setting: I loved the Enchanted Village with its many magical-themed shops. The town had a very cozy feel – it’s a place I’d love to visit.
• The intriguing characters: The book had a large cast of characters, but each of them was unique and easy to remember. I liked how the village was home to many different types of crafters and familiars, all with different kinds of magical talents.
• The well-constructed mystery: This was not an easy one to figure out (which I love). There were plenty of possible suspects and plot twists to keep me guessing. Darcy was a very clever sleuth!
• The budding romance: I love cozy mysteries with a hint of romance, and Darcy & Nick’s is setting up to be a good one, though they have some obstacles to overcome first.
• The fantastic twist revealed on the last page: Read it and find out what it is. ;-)

What I didn’t love:

• The magical secrets: For some reason, Aunt Ve wouldn’t share a lot of info regarding the craft with Darcy and Harper. A lot of stuff they had to figure out on their own, which didn’t make sense. Aunt Ve should be teaching them not keeping them in the dark.

Overall, this book was a captivating beginning to the Wishcraft Mystery series, and I can’t wait to read more!

Rating: 4½ Stars