Title: Magicians & Murder
Author: Lucinda Race
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
Welcome to Pembroke Cove, where witches and murders are multiplying...
Lily Michaels is working on her craft as a new witch, enjoying life, and running her shop in the quaint town of Pembroke Cove. …Until four magicians show up at the Cozy Nook Bookstore determined to get Lily's book, Practical Beginnings. The book isn’t for sale—not that they could use it anyway, as they’re not a Michaels’ family members. Her familiar, Milo, is ready to do all he can to protect his favorite witch.
Upon opening her store the next day, Lily discovers a body—one of the men who tried to buy her book. Detective Gage Erikson, her fiancé, turns the case over to Dax Peters since Lily is the main suspect in the murder. Despite her confidence in her friends on the police force, she must move quickly to learn who is responsible. She’s pretty sure one of the three remaining magicians should be the prime suspect, but which one? Or did they conspire to commit murder together?
As Gage and the rest of her friends from Pembroke Cove stand beside her ready to solve the case, Lily knows this puzzle will be her greatest challenge. Not only does she need to clear her name and protect her book but Lily discovers dark magic can lead to murder.
Magicians & Murder is the seventh novel in the A Book Store Cozy Mystery Series; although each book can be read as a standalone, it is best to read them in order. It is a sweet, clean, cozy mystery that guarantees the culprit is caught. Happy reading!
My Review:
When four magicians try to buy Lily’s family spell book, Lily is in the crosshairs of a dangerous witch and wanted for murder. Can Gage and Dax clear Lily’s name before the dark witch strikes her dead? Paranormal cozy mysteries are my weakness, and I couldn’t get enough of Magicians & Murder! From the beginning, I was hooked. The mystery itself is intricate while also prevalent with red herrings. The complex plot had me hooked from the beginning. The descriptive narration is flawless. The characters are delightful, even the bad ones. But it’s the puzzles embedded in the story which make Magicians & Murder an irresistible cozy mystery.
Let’s start with the characters. I’ve been reading this series since the beginning. The characters are quirky in this small town, yet I love them all. Lily is my favorite character, and, in this book, there are parts of her personality that come shining through. She’s accused of murder and the whole town doesn’t know what to make of it. Even her fiancé, Gabe, is at a loss. She’s innocent, of course, but the framing is too good, too precise. Her fearless nature wows me. Her innate ability to solve the puzzles is her superpower and I couldn’t get enough.
Lucinda Race is an exceptional writer, especially when it comes to paranormal cozy mystery. She uses world-building, descriptive narration, and characterization to create a realistic plot. Yet, what makes her cozies so fantastic is her mystery writing. She writes a mystery filled with detective work, clues, suspects, all convincing in nature. Her plot progression is natural, yet the mystery has false clues to steer the reader in the wrong direction. Brilliant in every way.
One of the aspects of the plot I really enjoyed was the book puzzle Lily and her friends had to solve. The killer crafted a clue of books written by Agatha Christie arranged in such a way that it had to be a message. I worked my brain trying to solve the puzzle before Lily, but she beat me to it. It was such an inventive plot twist. I loved it.
If you love paranormal cozy mysteries, you’ll want to read Magicians & Murder. It’s the best book in the series. I can’t wait to see what mischief Lily gets into next.
My Rating: 5++ stars
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Author Biography:
Award-winning and best-selling author Lucinda Race is a lifelong fan of fiction. As a young girl, she spent hours reading cozy mystery and romance novels and getting lost in the fictional worlds. While her friends dreamed of becoming doctors and engineers, her dream was to become a writer—a novelist.
As life twisted and turned, she found herself writing nonfiction but longed to turn to her true passion. After developing the storyline for the McKenna Family Romance series, it was time to start living her dream. Her fingers practically fly over computer keys she weaves stories with strong, quirky characters, snarky humor, and toss in a bit of romance. To date, she has published over 30 novels paranormal cozy mysteries, and romance.
Lucinda lives with her two little dogs, a miniature long hair dachshund and a shitzu mix rescue, in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts. When she's not at her day job, she’s immersed in her fictional worlds. And if she’s not writing novels, she’s reading everything she can get her hands on.
Social Media Links:
Goodreads – Lucinda Race- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10174985.Lucinda_Race
Youtube Lucinda Race https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lucinda+race+author
Universal Link https://books2read.com/ap/xyYO2g/Lucinda-Race
Bookbub Lucinda Race https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lucinda-race
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Lucinda-Race/e/B00Q0MMNUM
Lucinda’s Heart Racers Reader Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/118597305361578
Reviewed by: Nancy