by Cynthia Chow
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a signed copy of Betting Off Dead & Tonya Kappes Loves Her Readers bracelet. We also have a link to order it from Amazon.
Maggie Park is thrilled that she has finally experienced her Witchy Hour and discovered her life’s journey. It means that at the age of twenty-eight, she can finally stop working in her family’s Louisville, Kentucky, diner. It’s not that she doesn’t love her Mother Nature-esque witch mother or her plant-magical Aunt Meme, but Maggie truly wished to find her own goal and path in life. Since that seems to be working with Interpol’s Secret Keepers of the Universal Laws, Maggie has had to keep her realization on the down-low from her very opinionated relatives. Part of that deception has been pretending that SKUL spy Mick Jasper is her boyfriend and not her coworker, which is not exactly a hardship on her part.
Mick returns to ask her assistance in another investigation, this time allegations of horse doping at Churchill Downs. Protecting the integrity of the Kentucky Derby is paramount to those who depend on it for their businesses, and Mick’s usual partner would be known to several of the suspects. To Maggie’s delight, and in spite of Mick’s misgivings, Maggie is being asked to go undercover as his wife and infiltrate the world of horse auctions and racing.
What Maggie lacks in spy training and experience, she more than makes up for with her magical ability to cast spells. Although forbidden from using magic arbitrarily and risk discovery, Maggie doesn’t see a problem with spells that make her investigation a little easier or suspects more welcoming. Another secret weapon is her familiar Vinnie, in the not-so-familiar form of a 1965 AC Cobra muscle car. Wearing a pendant connects Maggie to Vinnie and his on-board dashboard computer, which would be more helpful if he wasn’t always taking very judgmental actions again Mick.
This light-hearted mix of magic and mystery takes full advantage of the ostentatious lifestyle of horse racing owners and bettors. Considering the vast sums of money involved both in wages and in the maintenance of horses, many are willing to kill for what’s at stake. Just as integral to the plot is watching Maggie mature as a woman and as a witch, and both involve separating herself from her very loving but overprotective family. With a motto of “Coven, family, thyself,” finally taking a stand is not easy, especially when her aunt is always at the ready to call in a Spell Circle of her more unique friends. Humor and romance are the highlights of this second of the Spies and Spells series that is at its best when it shines a light on the South, competitive horse racing, and magic.
To enter to win a signed copy of Betting Off Dead & the bracelet, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “betting,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 17, 2016. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.
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Sounds kinda goofy….a laugh here and there is what we all need from time to time.
cactuspare(at)cox(dot)net
Loved this book….a fun read!
Great review! I love Tonya and her books ?
Sounds awesome! On my tbr, can’t wait to read! Loved the first book! Thanks for the chance!
angelhwk68@yahoo.com
Can’t wait to read this…
I love Tonya Kappes books. She is a phenomenal author. Thank you for this chance! areewekidding@yahoo.com
Loved this book! And I absolutely love Tonya! Her words are magical! Making me feel as if I’m inside the book with the characters!
Forgot my email jamie_witko@yahoo.com
This is an awesome series by Tonya! Love her books! fuades3@yahoo(dot)com
This is a very enjoyable read. Love Maggie and her family
Sounds like a great book 🙂
Love her charming cure series. Have to check this one out too. Sounds awesome!
Love this book. Congrats Tonya!!
Full of fun and laughter! Great read.
I truly enjoyed reading this book. An easy fun read.
This sounds like I’d enjoy it
I was raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin.
This sounds like I’d enjoy it
I was raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin.. I can laugh and relate to horse scent.
It’s on my TBR list, but I love the bracelet!
Love this lady and her books great to light up life
Thanks for the great review!! Can’t wait to read it!
This sounds so good! Thanks for the giveaway!
booklady2007(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks,
Stormi
Sounds like another great read. Zeta(at)iwon(dot)com
Love Tonya’s books!!!
I can’t wait to read this. Loving all your books!!!
would love to win a copy & the bracelet! love Tonya’s books; so much fun!
sparkle40175(at)hotmail(dot)com
Sounds like an amusing read! Maggie Parks sounds like quite a character. Can’t wait to read.
diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Sounds amusing. And these days, light is about all I can deal with.
I need this book! It sounds like fun! I love horses. Magic is always interesting.
Great article love Tonya kappes and love to read her books.
Awesome! Sounds like a great book!
A touch of suspended belief should be good for one occasionally. So reading about Maggie & her familiar (a car no less) should do me some good — laughter, relaxation, and solving a mystery, what could be better?…
donna (dot) durnell (at) sbcglobal (dot) net
I love the Spies and Spells series!!
I thoroughly enjoyed your review and Betting Off Dead#
I love Tonya Kappes books and would love to share this with my book club. And of course, the bracelet is fab. Kh38668 at yahoo dot com
I live Tonya Kappes’s books. Sounds like another awesome read.
Tonya Kappes books are just so funny and good love them. This is a great giveaway as it is a print book plus the bracelet. ptclayton2@aol.com
Absolutely love this book! Tonya has a ‘magical’ way with words that make me feel as if I’m standing with the characters watching their exchanges! jamie_witko at Yahoo dot com
Sounds like a fun and entertaining book
love to laugh. Adding to my TBR.
What a terrific cover. I read this genre occasionally, so it is nice to have a heads up about a new to me author.
karen 94066 at aol dot com
We used to live near the Washington PA Race Track (The Meadows) and I heard many stories about the betting, but none about killing!!!
kce 1976 at hotmail dot com
LOVE HER BOOKS!WOULD LOVE TO WIN, HATE FELL ASLEEP BEFORE I GOT THIS DONE! calicolady60@hotmail.com
Sounds like another great book of Tonya’s
I’d love to win a paperback! My email is somesmartcookle @ aol dot com. it’s cookle with an L, not an I. Thanks!