4 out of 4 stars
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A dead body, a writer with witches in her family tree, a detective, and an albino cat….what more could you want in a book? The Magic of Murder by Susan Lynn Solomon is a murder mystery with a dose of witchcraft. It can be categorized in the Mystery/Crime Fiction genre. When Detective Roger Frey’s partner Jimmy Osborn is found shot to death, Roger’s neighbor Emlyn Goode assists in investigating the crime. While doing research for a book she is writing, Emlyn has just discovered that “special gifts” run in her family; she is a descendant of Sarah Goode, a Salem witch from the 1600’s. Witchy spells and potions might come in handy when tracking down a killer, especially when Emlyn becomes a target.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Niagara Falls, NY setting is vividly described. I was able to picture the cold, snowy small town where “everybody knows your name.” The characters are well drawn and believable with interesting backstories. Emlyn is a plucky writer who wants to help solve the murder while dealing with surprising news about her ancestry. Roger is a seasoned detective who is determined to find his partner’s killer. They have a quietly simmering attraction to each other, although the romance angle doesn’t overwhelm the central plot. Rebecca, a strange bookstore proprietor, becomes a friend/mentor to Emlyn. Even Elvira the cat has a backstory that dates back to 1600’s Salem. After the cat follows Emlyn home from Rebecca’s bookshop, they form a close bond and Elvira proves to be a helpful sidekick. Rebecca and Elvira’s roles in the story are clever and entertaining.
The murder mystery plot is woven together seamlessly with the unfolding of the story of Emlyn’s Salem ancestor. Each of these storylines would have been interesting by itself, but the mixture really turns the book in something more interesting than a typical murder mystery. There is a realistic feel to the passages where Emlyn skeptically experiments with concoctions. Chanting with herbal potions may not find Jimmy’s killer, but it’s worth a try. I thought I had figured out who the murderer was, but found myself changing my mind a few times through many twists and turns. Mystery fans will appreciate the challenge of solving the crime.
The conversational, often witty writing has an easy flow that propels the story forward at a steady pace. There is one confusing passage where Cotton Mather is briefly mentioned with no prior information about the person. It can be assumed from the context that the person was connected to the Salem Witch Trials, but there is no explanation about who he is. Also, there are approximately twelve pesky errors, mainly missing words, homophones, and incorrect tenses. I was surprised to see errors in a book that was otherwise very well written.
This book has earned 4 out of 4 stars. It has that X factor where all the ingredients mix well to create something special. I didn’t feel the errors warranted lowering the rating since the system doesn’t allow half stars and the book was wonderful in every other way. I would recommend this story to anyone who likes to curl up with a good book, particularly readers who enjoy mysteries and the subject of witchcraft. With apologies to Shakespeare, you won’t even need to boil “eye of newt and toe of frog” to read this book!
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The Magic of Murder
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