by Cynthia Chow
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of Familiar Motives, and a link to purchase it from Amazon, and an indie bookstore where a portion of the sale goes to help support KRL.
It makes sense that in a town full of witches, there would be a veterinarian in Portsmouth who specializes in familiars. Only recently aware of her magical heritage herself, Annabelle Amelia Blessingsound Britton makes an appointment to take her disappearing (literally, at times) cat familiar for a routine checkup. Alistair receives a clean bill of health, but the same won’t soon be said for Dr. Ramona Forsythe. During a party at the Midnight Reads bookstore to celebrate Anna’s new adult coloring book, Alistair has the most alarming reaction and draws her out to Ramona’s apartment and the corpse underneath her balcony.
Ramona had been boarding Ruby, the celebrity cat food spokesfeline known Attitude Cat, but after Ramona’s death, Ruby goes missing as well. So the question becomes who was the target, the valuable cat or the veterinarian who may have gotten in the catnappers way? Anna had witnessed an angry confrontation between Ruby’s owner Kristen Summers and Cheryl Bell, a former roommate now suing for cat ownership and profits. Able to pick up “Vibes” of emotions resonating within buildings, Anna detects a hefty amount of anger, fear, and greed emanating from Ramona’s apartment. Anna and Alistair weren’t alone in sensing a disturbance in the force, as also alerted was fellow practicing witch and New Hampshire police officer, Kenisha Freeman. The knowledge that someone may have used magic to break down Ramona’s protection wards has coven leader Julia Parris leading them into action, despite Kenisha’s advice to restrain their nosy tendencies. Under the guise of being the Portsmouth area Ladies Book Group and Bonfire Appreciation Society, Anna and her coven begin a literal witch hunt, with witches doing the actual hunting.
This continues to be an innovative mystery series that interweaves magical lore into a practical and complicated plot. Past rivalries, not to mention recent tragic incidents, influence the witches of Portsmouth, which uniquely leads to novice Anna having perhaps the most unbiased view in the investigation. She has made the admirable decision to come out of the broom-closet to reveal her status to the rest of her family at Thanksgiving, a move guaranteed to cause strife at the dinner table. The mundane aspects of the investigation are equally enthralling, especially when their magical interference hampers legal procedures and the train of evidence. Moral dilemmas, a very complicated mystery, and Anna’s struggle to balance her personal, business, and new magical life, are expertly written into a novel that will have readers anticipating Anna’s future with her new witch family.
To enter to win a copy of Familiar Motives, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “familiar,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen October 28, 2017. 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 & mystery short stories in our mystery section.
Use this link to purchase the book & a portion goes to help support KRL & indie bookstore Mysterious Galaxy:
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Just learned about this series last week. Got and quickly read the first two books this week. ???
acm05atjuno.com
My thumbs up emoticons became question marks after I hit submit. I enjoyed both books.
Sounds like a very interesting book — adore the cover!
Great review and great premise for a series! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I haven’t read this author yet. Thanks for this chance to win!
This is a new to me series but I like the idea of the witches and familars as part of the story line. Can’t wait to read.
Thanks for the review and what a cute cover!
kckendler at gmail dot com
I loved the first two books in this series and I’m excited to read this one, too. Thanks for the review.
I read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it. Has fun characters and I love the location. I lived in NH for over 20 years and know the area. Would like to read this book very much and if lucky enough I would like a print copy. pgenest57(at)aol(dot)com
I’m in love with this series. I’ve read it from the start and would love to add this one to my home library.
This book sounds like my kind of read. jawdance@yahoo.com
The review and book sound interesting. Thankyou for the opportunity.
minishoes(at)msn(dot)com
I love discovering new Cozy series!
This review of Familiar Motives, by Delia James just got added to my tbr list! Perfect for this time of year. Thanks for the chance to win it.
nschwenkner (at) gmail ( dot) com
Thank you for the chance. I would love to read Familiar Motives.
Sounds like a great book–ty for the giveaway! Legallyblonde1961@yahoo.com
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. Can’t wait to read “Familiar Motives”.
diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Sounds like a great book and with a beautiful cover! Thanks for the chance to win it. robbfan141729(at)yahoo(dot)com
Love this series. Thanks for the giveaway.
Sounds like a great series! Happy Halloween ?
Cheers~
Kelly Braun
Gaelicark(at)yahoo(dot)com
We have a winner!