A Witch Before Dying

A WITCH BEFORE DYING is the second book in Heather Blake’s Wishcraft Mystery series which is set in a magical neighborhood of Salem, Massachusetts. Ms. Blake’s “witchy” cozy mysteries are a delight to read, and this one was no exception.

The mystery in this book was very good. It was complex with interwoven plot lines, and I was kept guessing until the very end. Wishcrafter Darcy Merriweather has her hands full when she’s hired to clean out a missing hoarder’s house, and she finds the dead body of the woman buried under all the junk. It was like an episode of Hoarders gone horribly wrong! Since it’s obvious foul play was involved and the woman’s dangerous magical amulet is missing, the daughter of the victim hires Darcy show more to find the killer. Though not an official private investigator (yet), Darcy is clever and has a knack for solving mysteries.

No big secrets of the Enchanted Village are revealed in this book, though we do get to know more characters – crafters, half-crafters, and a few who are just passing through. New relationships bloom, and old ones are severed. I especially loved seeing Darcy and Mimi’s bond grow stronger. Mimi is Darcy’s potential boyfriend’s daughter. Sweet! Like in the last book, the familiars Archie the macaw and Pepe the mouse were too funny.

This was an enjoyable read with unique characters, just the right about of woo woo, and a strong mystery that takes center stage. show less

The Good: I absolutely love this series. The books are light, fun and utterly magical. The mystery was really interesting - a missing hoarder, found dead under a pile of her junk. presumably killed for a magical amulet. With the world building out of the way, this book focused a lot more on the people and I really loved seeing a more in depth look at the town, its residents and their abilities. Darcy is a very likable character, who you naturally root for. Unlike too many other cozy mysteries heroines, she has a real reason to be involved in the investigations, making it that much easier to be sucked into the story instead of constantly wondering why anyone even talks to her.

The Bad: Aunt Ve's illness didn't work for me. It was show more transparent and irked me every time it came up in the story. It was a not particularly important subplot that I would have rather not been included in the story. As complaints go, it's extremely minor but it was the only thing that kept the book from being perfect. show less

Another fun installment in the A Wishcraft mystery series. I love the different types of magic used throughout the town and how Darcy is still discovering the town's secrets as she settles in to her new life. My favorite is Darcy trying to find out who had familiars and learning someone is a crafter.

In the first book, we meet Darcy, her sister Harper, Aunt Ve, and the town "regulars." Each character is unique and has their own story and I find that in the second book, I enjoyed getting to know them better as their roles within the Enchanted Village became clearer. All of the characters are engaging or quirky in a way that makes you feel connected to them, human or non-human. The magical setting only adds to the charm of the people living there. As I read, I am fondly reminded of old shows such as Bewitched or Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

I also enjoyed the gradual developing relationship between Darcy and Nick. Throwing them together right away would have, in my opinion, ruined the story. I enjoyed the way they kept meeting during the show more investigations. Darcy investigating on her own, and Nick always finding her in the wrong place at the wrong time also added humor to the story. Nothing was forced between them and as Darcy began to build a relationship with his daughter Mimi, the romance developed naturally. Even at the end of this story, we can infer that they are together but nothing has officially been established, leaving the reader something else to look forward to in the next story.

The main problem in the story was of course, the murder. However, we also had to solve the mystery of the peeper creeper, Aunt Ve's unusual sickness, and the missing amulet. All of these flowed together nicely as the book moved toward the ending. A few creative twists kept me guessing until the very end but the author wrapped it all up well and the pieces fell together perfectly. A Witch Before Dying was a fun read and I will definitely be picking up the next one soon. show less

When i got this book I really wasn't expecting much. I figured it would be a fast read and that's all I needed. I'm happy to say that it was a good mystery as well. The charactors ( both witch and mortal ) were good. Very believable. I'll be getting more of this series, just to see where the charactors end up.

I really like this series! Darcy is growing as a character and I like that she's finally getting unstuck from her divorce and embracing her can-do spirit. In this one she takes on the job of cleaning out the house of a hoarder, and finds a body (of course!). The mystery centers around a charm, the Anicula, that can grant any wish. Turns out getting what you want can be dangerous.

Darcy's second adventure in Heather Blake's new mystery is a lot of fun. I find I really enjoy the place where all these "crafters" live in plain sight at Salem's Enchanted Village (quite the tourist destination). Between manning a borderline hoarder house clean up for the family business, As You Wish and readying everyone for Aunt Ve's wedding, Darcy has her hands very full in this mystery. Great secondary characters, a running storyline about familiars--this cozy series has it all, with a little witchcraft thrown in.