Elizabeth Pantley

Imaginative and engaging cozy paranormal mystery featuring a mysterious library and magical book club.

Shifting and Shenanigans, the first book in Elizabeth Pantley's new cozy mystery series, Magical Mystery Book Club, was a complete and total and happy surprise. I loved the premise that the book club group would be plopped down at the beginning of whichever mystery they had selected and seamlessly incorporated into the story. As Frank and one other member were hold-overs from when GeeGee ran show more the club, little tidbits of information about how things worked in the past kept coming to light.

I particularly enjoyed the discussion of how the writing style of the author of the selected book determined how the members saw or experienced the book's setting and other characters. If the author was very descriptive of the surroundings or spent a lot of time developing characters, the club members experienced a much more vivid and detailed setting, and the book's characters were more complex in their interactions with the group.

I liked how the story written in their copy of the book was only as complete as the group's progress. Also, if the cozy mystery had paranormal aspects, the possibilities for what the club members might find in the story were greatly expanded.

The club's investigation into the murder was simple and straightforward, but after establishing the foundational plot about the book club and the library, we don't really know much about the different club members themselves yet. Character development is a bit thin. But what we get is quite engaging, and I'm already looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Vampires and Villains.

I recommend SHIFTING AND SHENANIGANS to cozy mystery readers who would enjoy a very
imaginative paranormal storyline.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. show less

If you’ve been following Elizabeth Pantley’s Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club series, you already know how much fun these books are—and “Critters and Crimes” is a perfect example of why I’m completely hooked. And if you’re new to the series? You’re in for a real treat.

This is book #11, and once again Paige and her fellow book club members literally step into the book they’ve chosen to read. This time they land in a charming riverside town and almost immediately stumble into a show more death that’s officially ruled natural causes… but let’s just say the book club isn’t buying it. What makes this mystery extra fun is that the clues don’t just come from people—they come from the animals the deceased cared for, and those critters clearly have thoughts (and secrets) of their own.

The characters are warm, well developed, and genuinely feel like friends you want to spend time with. The banter—especially between Zell and Frank—made me laugh more than once. The setting is vivid and cozy, and I felt completely immersed in Rivershade, right alongside the club as they pieced everything together. The mystery kept me guessing and second-guessing right up to the end.

What I really love about this series is the strong sense of friendship and connection. While each book has its own self-contained mystery, I do think the series is best read in order so you can fully appreciate how those relationships grow over time. Elizabeth Pantley’s imagination never fails to impress—cozy, magical, clever, and just plain fun.

Bottom line: once I opened this book, I was swept away from everyday life, and I didn’t want to leave. Another delightful, twisty cozy mystery—and yes, I’m already impatiently waiting for the next one.

I received a free advance copy from the author. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. show less

If I could jump into this book myself, I would—though I’d probably leave the ghost-chasing and crime-solving to the pros (aka, our favorite book club gang)!

“Puzzles and Premieres” is everything I hoped for and more from Book 10 of the Magical Mystery Book Club series. This time, the club is transported into a glamorous mountaintop town during a film festival where the red-carpet sparkles and the mystery gets chilling. When a movie star vanishes, the club must unravel the case—one show more enchanted puzzle piece at a time. Yes, puzzles. Magical ones. That drop clues. It’s brilliant.

I laughed (thanks, Frank and Zell), gasped (those twists!), and couldn’t stop turning the pages. The setting was vivid and fun—I could practically feel the cold mountain air and see the glittering festival lights. The film festival details added a behind-the-scenes flair I loved, and the mix of new characters with our beloved crew kept things lively.

Thank you so much to the author for the digital review copy. All opinions are my own. show less

It's time for another book club meeting at the Snapdragon Inn!

Cowboys and Chaos is another delightful entry in Elizabeth Pantley's cozy mystery series, the Magical Mystery Book Club, and I hope there will be many more. This book is the club members' third outing, and I think their adventures keep getting better and better.

Most of the members from previous 'meetings' return, and though there are still some clashes between a few personalities, they've grown as a group, so these are mild and show more few and far between. They have progressed to more comfortable interactions with each other. The story has some good 'cat snark' from Frank, the Siamese cat member, and I enjoyed the sassy saloon girl ghost. Forrest's apparent delight at being in the Old West and arriving wearing a cowboy hat was endearing. I think it was a brilliant choice by the author to have the book club members appear in their book already dressed to blend.

I enjoyed the plot immensely; the book kept me up way late, wanting to read just one more chapter. The book club members ask good questions of their suspects and sources, try to put the pieces they collect into some logical form to develop working theories, and then track down the proof they need to solve the case. Zell has no subtlety or filter but gets answers.

One fun aspect of the series is that that group is always eating or drinking or both. In fact, they are described as taking their meals seriously and often. The new member, Atticus, is a font of interesting historical tidbits, so I learned that the beer in saloons at the time was served at room temperature. Later, Adolphus Busch would create pasteurization and refrigeration methods for his Budweiser brand, which would be the game changer.

With a great group of recurring characters and a well-paced and intriguing mystery to solve, I recommend COWBOYS AND CHAOS (and the entire MAGICAL MYSTERY BOOK CLUB series) to cozy mystery readers who like a unique and fresh paranormal storyline.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. show less