Be Careful What You Witch For
Family Fortune Mystery, #2
Dawn Eastman
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Berkley
Date of Publication: July 1, 2014
Number of pages: 304
Cover Artist: Daniel Craig
Leaving a traumatic police career behind, Clyde Fortune has returned to her seemingly quiet hometown of Crystal Haven, Michigan. In spite of the psychic powers of its residents, there’s no telling what trouble is brewing in this burg…
The highlight of this year's fall festival in Crystal Haven is a bonfire with a witch’s cauldron resting over it. Clyde’s best friend, Diana, leads a ritual to divine the future, but it seems no one foresees that one of their own will drop dead—or that Diana will be a prime suspect.
Clyde already has her hands full with her eccentric family, runaway nephew, and burgeoning secret romance with a hunky homicide detective. But after another coven member is attacked, Clyde suspects there’s a witch hunt afoot and focuses her psychic and sleuthing skills to clear her friend’s name and catch a killer.
I won this book back during a book tour on Brooke Blogs back in mid July. I reviewed an ARC of the first book, Pall in the Family, last year and loved it. When I saw that the the second book was out, I haunted Brooke's site every day, trying for a copy and to my surprise I won!
For some reason, I haven't seen very many paranormal cozy mysteries. Since they combine two of my favorite reading genres, I am always thrilled when I find a good one. The main character in this series is Clytemnestra Fortune, or Clyde as everyone but her mother calls her. Clyde is a former police officer, who left her badge behind when she returned to her home town of Crystal Haven. Clyde's family has a history of being, let's call it sensitive. They aren't witches, they aren't Wiccans, they just have some extra special gifts. Clyde's mother is a tarot card reader, while her Aunt Violet claims to be a pet psychic. Clyde's sister has a special affinity for stocks. And there seems to be some speculation that the gifts haven't passed Seth, Clyde's nephew by either.
Clyde has a gift very similar to her dead grandmother's. The ability to see visions in her dreams. But Clyde never accepted them and so she did her best to suppress the ability and when with the cold hard logic of the law and a police uniform. Now that she is back in Crystal Haven full-time, she is coming to realize that she will need to learn to control her gifts.
Clyde does have a love interest in the book. Mac, her teenage boyfriend, is a fellow police officer and has recently transferred back to Crystal Haven as a Detective. There is quite a bit of history between Clyde and Mac and they are slowly testing the waters of renewing a relationship between them again.
There is an intriguing murder mystery to solve, but the real story driving this book is Clyde. Her family, her friends, her unwanted gifts and how she eventually comes to terms with them. Her relationship with Mac. While this book wasn't as strong as the first one, it was still a very good read. I very much enjoy Clyde's world and hope to visit again soon. 4 stars.
Yay for wins! And combos of the type you enjoy. It's always fun to see those mix mashed. Sounds like a nice read :)
ReplyDeleteI was. :) I decided it was time I started reviewing some of my Win Reads. I was thinking of doing some kind of thing like Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner Reads... But then thought it might sound a bit silly. I am still thinking on it.
DeleteMixing my two favorite things, sounds like this one was a winner.
ReplyDeleteIt absolutely was.
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