Murder at Magic Cakes Cafe Book Review

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Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Murder At Magic Cakes Cafe (English Village Witch Cozy) by Rosie Reed. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

Murder At Magic Cakes Cafe (English Village Witch Cozy)

by Rosie Reed

I received this book free; however, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no cost to you.

Murder At Magic Cakes Cafe (English Village Witch Cozy)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: ‎ Independently published (March 1, 2021)
Paperback: ‎ 307 pages

In a flash, she had magic. Can she use it to solve a mysterious death in her family?

Climbing a tree in a thunderstorm was always going to be a stupid idea, but when Evelyn Eldritch is struck by lightning, her magical powers are switched on. And she didn’t even know she was a witch!

When Evelyn learns that her biological mother has died under suspicious circumstances, she makes a journey to the quaint village of Maiden-Upon-Avon, where the residents consist of werewolves, witches, vampires and one annoyingly handsome-yet-gruff policeman. But who should she suspect? Who can she trust?

And if juggling her magical training, her mother’s café, and the town’s eccentric residents wasn’t enough, another body turning up at the local cricket match shows she’s definitely in well over her pointed hat…

Murder at Magic Cakes Café is the first book in the adorable English Village Witch Cozy series, set in the beautiful English countryside. If you love plucky heroines, small-town whodunits, and a touch of retro nostalgia, then you’ll love Rosie Reed’s fun and flirty tale.

Book review

Reading Murder at Magic Cakes Cafe was such a delightful break from the real world! I know we all desperately need one! This enchanting tale takes place in a small English village, and I adore those! I love watching British television and dreaming of living in an idyllic village. Of course, those don’t exist without real world problems, and Maiden-Upon-Avon has its own set of problems – namely the murder of one of its favorite town dwellers. That’s where Evelyn’s problems, and unbelievable adventures, begin!

Murder at Magic Cakes Cafe is filled with colorful, quirky characters. When Evelyn arrives in Maiden-Upon-Avon, she finds out that her birth mother Marilyn, who has died and left Evelyn her cafe, was a witch, that Evelyn herself is a witch, that werewolves and vampires are real…it’s quite a lot to take in. And some of the actual human residents are even more bizarre. One of the characters is a bit sex-crazed which I’d rather not have in a cozy, but she’s not in the story too much. The non-magical people aren’t allowed to know about the magical people because it puts them in danger though Marilyn’s assistant knows about the magical world. And she believes Marilyn didn’t just die, she was murdered.

There are multiple suspects from both “worlds” but Evelyn is determined to find out the truth. She might irritate the detective on the case, but she won’t rest until the case is solved. This book was a really fun one to read, so if you’re a fan of magical cozy mystery books, I think you’ll enjoy it!

Excerpt: Chapter One – Wednesday

A thunderstorm in a dingy London street. And a near-fatal accident involving a cat, a tree, and a lightning bolt…

You may think only an idiot would scramble up a tree in a lightning storm – the lethal combination of water and electricity being shockingly well-known to anyone with half a brain. But here I was twenty-foot up, clinging to a wet branch, and bracing myself for a frying like Frankenstein’s monster.

April showers? They sound so warm and gentle, don’t they? But I was utterly terrified. It was all the fault of my sister’s stupid cat, who’d waddled outside a moment ago when I’d slipped out with the rubbish. A giant clap of thunder had scared Princess up this ancient tree. And I’d stupidly climbed up to rescue her.

Death seemed on the cards…

The wind whooshed violently, shaking me around like a bucking bronco. I coiled my arms desperately around my branch, shouting through the wall of rain. “Princess, come here, you over-stuffed cushion!”

She hissed as I tried to grab her diamanté collar.

“I’m trying to help you, you moronic cat!”

She backed away, so I wriggled further along the slippery wood, straining to grab the scruff of her neck. She wailed as I yanked her towards me, then tucked her squirming body under my arm.

Right. Now, how was I going to get down?

The pummelling wind pounded my branch, making it creak. Oh butterbeans, no! I

clung on one-armed as Princess struggled, yowling as if this was my fault!

“Well, why did you come up here!” I shouted at her. “I know we don’t get along, but surely you don’t want me to get struck by lightning?”

In reply, a huge bolt of lightning flashed through my body, electrifying my bones with a zinging jolt, and lighting me up like a Christmas tree.

“Arrghhhh!”

At least I didn’t need to worry about how I was going to get down now. I held the screeching moggy close as we tumbled together towards the impending ground.

They say your life flashes before you when you’re facing death. But as the pavement approached me, my thoughts slowed to ponder how unhygienic it was that our weekly rubbish collection was left on the pavement every Wednesday. Thankfully, this unhygienic civic policy saved my life. I landed with a crash on a pile of squashy bin-bags – breaking my fall, and preventing me from breaking my neck.

I lay there for a moment, getting soaked by the pounding rain, and holding my breath as the rancid smell assaulted my nostrils. I still had Princess in my arms, and I drew comfort from her water-logged little body – fizzling with the aftermath of the lightning strike.

I groaned and sat up, feeling truly electrified. Then, straining to listen above the howling wind, I realised my phone was ringing in my pocket.

That phone call, I was soon to discover, would change my life forever.

I fished my wet hair out of my mouth. “Hello, Evelyn speaking?”

The caller’s voice was young and sweet. “Hello Evelyn. You don’t know me, but my name’s Leia Lucas – yes, my parents are Star Wars fans.”

“Er… right?”

“I’m a friend of your biological mother’s. Well, I was. I’m sorry to tell you, but

Marilyn… she’s been murdered!”

Buy Murder at Magic Cakes Café today. It’s simply electrifying!

Note from the author: Writing this series kept me sane during the very strange year of 2020. I do hope you’ll enjoy escaping into the beautiful surroundings of Maiden-Upon-Avon and having some fun with Evelyn and all the other magical beings who live there! Each book is set in a different season of the magical year – beginning with spring in Book One. You can enjoy a gentle journey around the village, whilst Evelyn tries to solve the murder. So, treat yourself now by taking the phone off the hook of life, and soaking awhile in the bathtub of the English countryside!

About Rosie Reed

I love writing, daydreaming, and creating stories. I often write for fun, even when I’m not planning on publishing. But it’s also wonderful to share my stories with you!

I’m a massive Agatha Christie and Terry Pratchett fan, so writing paranormal mystery comes instinctively! I love the understated gentle charm of cozies, and it’s always such a pleasure to spend time in the company of the wonderful sleuths and magical characters that my fellow authors create.

Writing the English Village Witch Cozy series helped to keep me sane during the very strange year of 2020. Evelyn and Alex have done a tremendous job of protecting my mental health, and it’s my pleasure to share this comfort with you.

I do hope you’ll enjoy escaping into the beautiful surroundings of Maiden-Upon-Avon, and having some fun with Evelyn and all the other magical beings who live there! So treat yourself now by taking the phone off the hook of life, and soaking in the bathtub of the English countryside for a while!

Purchase Links – Amazon US – Amazon UK

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