by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win either an ebook copy of A Charming Deception, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Lucky Thirteen!
A few years ago, June Heal, part mortal and part spiritualist, was strongly urged to relocate her homeopathic business to the nearby town of Whispering Falls, Kentucky, on the same spot of her mother’s former shop. A shop her mother had to abandon after the untimely death of her father. She christened her own shop “A Charming Cure, “ and with a trusty caldron, she creates magical concoctions meant to “cure” all sorts of maladies of the mind, body, and spirit. But, it’s her personal journey that has been the most mystical as she discovered truths about her family along with revelations, strengthening, and living with her own “spiritualist” abilities. Her childhood friend, now husband Oscar Park, also has magical tendencies and is a member of the local police force, which comes in handy when a mystery appears. The more quirky protectors in June’s life are Madame Torres, a talking crystal ball, and Mr. Prince Charming, a bothersome fairy-god cat. Other than several personal and professional revelations and building a plethora of mortal and magical friendships, June gets entangled with magic, creatures, and a few suspicious deaths that put herself and her friends in “charming,” yet perilous, predicaments.

A Charming Deception earns 5/5 Baby Announcements…Entertaining Fun!
What a delivery system for news and announcements in Whispering Falls! Faith Mortimer, editor-in-chief and clairaudient, “whispers” into the air the news and announcements for subscribers to “psychically” hear…definitely eco-friendly! This morning she leads with an announcement about the baby shower to celebrate June’s Little One’s impending arrival. It’s not known if it’s Little Girl or Little Boy since June prefers the surprise. However, first things first is a check-up with a non-magical doctor that June discovered had been her mother’s doctor when fresh out of med school. It was unclear why her mother had chosen a mortal doctor instead of a spiritualist, but going to the same doctor gave June a sense of connection to her mother and her father. Prepping for the doctor, June overhears a conversation between the receptionist and nurse Martha Perkins about the doctor and a letter. Later Madame Torres’s colors foretell danger. Spot on, the receptionist has been found…murdered, and June’s doctor is a suspect. But, worse yet is the murder could reveal the existence of the spiritual world.

Nice Way to Say Goodbye! Tonya Kappes has penned the final in her Magical Cures series with this delightfully fun, and apropos, thirteenth book. A clever murder mystery with some mortal motives along side some magical complications make for an entertaining investigation. The issues with June’s pregnancy are worrisome with the baby acting oddly, and the surprising revelations about her doctor complicate things further. Tonya’s writing style is a key factor to my enjoyment. Using a first person narrative, my favorite, from June’s viewpoint provides a vicarious role with the “I” perspective. Her use of descriptive language gives clear pictures of the setting, characters, and action along with dialogue that illustrates well the emotions, tone, and various personalities from secretive to boisterous, from helpful to obstructive, and from innocent to guilty. The witchy elements are fun, interesting with creative magical lore and background to the spiritual town of Whispering Falls. The different shops, shop owners, magical abilities, and familiars from the crystal ball to a feline add to the enjoyment. Although the basic conclusion was an entertaining surprise, like usual, the end of the series was also enjoyable. Complete. Endearing. The perfect ending to a popular series!

Be a Big Tonya Kappes Fan!
USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes is also one of my Top Ten favorite authors. With this, three-book Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery, she has a nine-book Camper & Criminals Cozy series along with exciting ghostly-, magical-, and caffeinated-themed series. For ghosts, she has the popular eight-book Ghostly Southern Mystery and seven-book Kenni Lowry series. Add some magic with the twelve-book Magical Cures Mystery and three-book Spies and Spells series. And finally, get a little caffeinated with her eight-book Killer Coffee Mystery. She also has an enjoyable online presence and various EVENTS enticing fans to gather to talk, share, and partake in the fun!

Facebook – Author Tonya Kappes
Join the “Cozy Krew”
Become a Member at the Website – Tonya Kappes

To enter to win an ebook of A Charming Deception, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “deception,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 5, 2020. US only, and must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying year 2 of retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband of 26+ years.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.