by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of this post on how to win a copy of Spellcasting in Silk, along with a link to purchase the book where a portion goes to help support KRL & an indie bookstore.

As the owner of Aunt Cora’s Closet, Lily Ivory would like nothing more than to spend her time preparing for Haight-Ashbury’s Summer of Love Festival: the celebration of the sixties and seventies has Lily’s vintage clothing store hopping to meet the demands of tourists and locals alike. But she’s distracted by San Francisco police department homicide inspector Carlos Romero’s news that Nicky Utley is the latest to participate in the Golden Gate Bridge’s long history of suicide jumps, and Nicky’s husband is blaming her death on a recent consultation with cuarandera Ursula Moreno.

With the mayor on a mission to crack down on fortune-tellers and psychics, the police are pressured into arresting Ursula on charges of fraud, gross negligence, and practicing medicine without a license. Carlos is more concerned with the disappearance of Ursula’s young granddaughter Selena, as well as the psychic chaos occurring within El Pajarito, their herbal store in the Mission.

The unofficial SFPD consultant for all things witchy, Lily is unable to resist looking into El Pajarito and whether Nicky could have been influenced into making her final leap. Even though Lily is a relative novice with spellcasting, she’s all too familiar with its dark side. Not only that, she’s become a magnet for coincidences as she finds a recent donation of vintage clothing has a connection to the Morenos that cannot be ignored.

This is a truly enchanting series that has grown along with its characters. Lily is a contradictory character, full of vulnerabilities despite an awareness of her increasing magical powers. Having grown up an outcast in West Texas and guided by her grandmother, Lily feels sympathetic toward the teenaged Selena, whom everyone seems to view as odd.

Lily also finds herself being forced to lower her guard in her relationship with Sailor, a psychic whose training with another Rom has Lily seeing green. Her continued companionship with Oscar, a goblin/gargoyle who hides under the guise of a Vietnamese potbellied pig, ensures that the novel contains the author’s trademark blend of humor and strong emotions. This is as much a fantasy series as it is a mystery novel, and it is always a joy to spend time in this charming world inhabited by such fascinating characters.

To enter to win a copy of Spellcasting in Silk, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Silk,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 18, 2015. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & short stories in our mystery section.

Click on this link to purchase this book & a portion goes to help support KRL & Mysterious Galaxy:

Spellcasting in Silk: A Witchcraft Mystery

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).