The Grim Steeper (A Witches' Brew Mystery)

I’m not usually a fan of books about witches but the magic in this book is so much fun. It’s a hoot. I love how Phoebe’s magic worked to help catch the culprit in this book. I enjoy how her magic sometimes just happens and is not the result of her conscious choice/actions. I assume as the books go on she will have more agency with her magic. I especially appreciate the magic in these books because it’s interesting and sometimes hilarious and, most importantly, the non-magical parts of the story take up more pages than the magical parts.

It was laugh out loud funny at times. It was touching at times. It was slightly suspenseful at times but this is a cozy and there is nothing in the story that is too scary.

I love this town and show more its inhabitants, human and cat. I love how so many people knew about Phoebe’s and/or her aunt’s powers and just accept a witch, witches, in their midst. I love the store with its books and teas and food and I love the bakery next door and so much about the town. I adore Phoebe’s house and want much mor of it in future books. There are so many great recurring characters. The mystery is excellent too but it was the least important thing for me about the story, even though I enjoyed it.

The teas in this third book sounded particularly delicious. There are several recipes included at the end. The teas appeal to me more than the food. The savory food is too NOT vegan for me to get hungry, for which I am grateful. The sweet stuff does appeal because I can veganize it in my mind without any effort.

The Acknowledgments section is lovely I love how she says she wrote about what she knows and how her biggest passions in life are books, tea, bird watching and cat rescue and how she got all of these into this book.

I might not have read this series if not for Laura (and Margie gets some credit too) and I’m grateful because now I have a new favorite just for fun series. I only wish there were already more books out. I don’t think I will get tired of them. These first three books were prefect comfort reads for me. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to read the fourth book soon. I will keep reading this series as long as there are new books in it.

Note to self: The author’s home town was my mother’s home town too. show less

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is the third entry in Gretchen Rue’s Witches’ Brew Mystery series, featuring Phoebe Winchester, a witch of the benevolent sort, her bookstore and artisanal tea shop (she grows herbs and mixes her own blends) The Earl’s Study, and her inimitable cat Bob. It is as energetic and engaging as the others, and the author provides enough essential context to make it fine as a stand-alone. I strongly encourage lovers of cozy mystery, bookstore novels, cats and witches to read the preceding volumes, just for fun nonetheless.

In book 3, we find Phoebe, in her usual painstaking manner, attending to the details for an author reading and book-signing at show more The Earl’s Study. Sebastian Marlowe, a birding authority, has evidently spotted a rare bird, thought to be extinct, in her town of Raven Creek, already a draw among birdwatching tourists. Thanks to his good looks and social media presence, the ‘Backyard Birdman’ is also something of a heartthrob among his women readers. Phoebe doesn’t succumb so easily. Their first meeting, in fact, is off-putting rather than enchanting. He is tense, arrogant and stand-offish, and his new assistant Melody is shrill and patronizing. The personal assistant who had helped Phoebe with the arrangements seems to have been abruptly replaced; there are rumours of a falling-out. These are confirmed when he suddenly shows up just before the event begins, and is asked to leave by Marlowe and the obviously angry Melody.

Although Sebastian’s performance redeems him at the sold-out event, he is a no-show for the planned hike to find the bird the next morning. He is found dead at his B&B. Naturally the circumstances are suspicious. With the assistance of local PI Rich Lofting, as well as a furry co-investigator, Phoebe must uncover the truth. Marlowe was her first celebrity guest, and her fledgling bookstore can’t withstand the negative publicity.

What follows is an investigation both by-the-book and madcap, as the detective duo follow scarce clues toward a culprit who seems to adhere to the adage that ‘curiosity killed the cat,’ along with any people who share that feline trait. Of course the former assistant, Deacon, is a person of interest. ‘Fritzy magic,’ as she calls it, is both help and hindrance to an inexperienced practitioner, and Phoebe occasionally has to undo what she has done. The attraction between her and Rich, still in its early stages, is also distracting. And she has to deal with an aggressive lawyer representing development capitalists who want to take over Main Street, including her shop, for their own purposes.

The writing is lively, and having main characters endowed with talents both real and otherworldly is always fun. And Bob is truly a scene-stealer. I ended the book wishing The Earl’s Study, with its books and hand-crafted teas (and Bob) were in my town. show less

Phoebe is hosting a book signing at her book and tea shop. The author is an expert on birds, and has an exciting announcement. He believes a rare bird is in the area, and he will be leading a group to search for it. Unfortunately, he will unable to keep that commitment due to his untimely death. When a friend of Phoebe’s becomes a person of interest in the murder, she will use all her sleuthing abilities and a bit of her witchy powers to find the real murderer and not become the next victim. This tale has a nice balance of normal with paranormal. Phoebe is an amateur witch, just being to understand and control her powers. She is sometimes surprised by the things that happen that she can’t control. The mystery is an intriguing one. show more The secondary characters are interesting, and a budding romance adds to the entertainment. The story is a cute cozy, complete with a bookshop, baked goods, teas, and cats. And oh yes, a murder. show less