Witch Way to Murder

Witch Way to Murder is the first book in Shirley Damsgaard's Ophelia and Abby cozy mystery series. Ophelia Jensen is the librarian for a small town in Iowa, Summerset. She fled there after the murder of her best friend, Brian, four years ago (see the prologue). Her maternal grandmother, Abby, is from Appalachia, but her late husband brought her to Summerset 53 years ago. The townsfolk think that Abby is an herbalist, but she's a witch. Ophelia has inherited the gift, but she lost all faith in magic after the deaths of Brian and her grandfather. Ophelia lives in her own Victorian Cottage with her rescue dog, Lady and her cat, Queenie. Ophelia's emotional condition reminds me of that old Simon and Garfunkel song, 'I am a Rock'. Abby and show more her pets appear to be the only chinks in Ophelia's wall. Our librarian fears that someone, someday, is going to find out and reveal Abby's secret.

Unlike the song, it's not a deep and dark December. It's only November, but snow is indeed falling on the day handsome, brown-eyed Richard 'Call me Rick' Davis enters her library. There's something off about him right away, so far as Ophelia is concerned. Her bubbly, stacked assistant librarian, Darci, doesn't notice. To Ophelia's alarm, Darci has recommended that Rick talk to Abby for the information he wants..

If Rick seems suspicious to Ophelia, the feeling is probably mutual. He doesn't know a. she's hated being touched since Brian's still-unsolved murder, and b. he's setting off her psychic early warning bells. If you're a sexy man, aren't you going to expect a lady to enjoy having you near instead of babbling and trying to get away from you? show less

I love mysteries and I love the paranormal, but for some reason paranormal mysteries halfway fail most of the time. Either they’re cheesy and false-feeling or cursed by quirky cuteness so sunny I want to gag instead of grin. Thankfully this was a gem among silly stones, delivering what it teased.

I read this years ago and remember greatly enjoying it, but as time continues, my memory does it work and I forget. Rereading this one because I've been meaning to recapture the fun of it, and also to add another witch book to the Witch and Magic Challenge I'm doing this year, figured it'd be perfect.

My memory didn't fail me on how enjoyable it was - the plot is simple, making it a light and fun read, but it's not boring or cheesy. The main show more character, Ophelia, works as a librarian in a small town. She has a huge chip on her shoulder, mainly due to horrible events which took place four years ago. Her grandmother, Abby, is the town witch (although no one knows this!), and Ophelia tries as hard as possible to avoid magic and trouble while keeping her anonymity intact. This of course fails as murder hits the town, a nosy reporter who's too interested in her keeps stopping by the library, and fate takes its rightful place.

It's a pure mystery, but it doesn't end up being too deep or complex since the author really only introduces a small number of characters to suspect. The magic is pretty cool, it's unique and subdued. While there are psychic talents, they're not the typical ones. Ophelias is more dream orientated and she's frustrated on figuring out what they mean.

Her dreams about the ballerina are awesome and haunting. I can almost hear the creepy, sad music playing as the girl keeps whirling around and practicing. The authors ability to write well really drove this home, almost like watching a film. Loved it.

Sometimes Ophelias chip-on-the-shoulder was too heavy for me to carry, but she still makes a likeable enough heroine. I also love when heroines in mysteries are librarians, how cool. Who can resist Rick and Darci either? Rick is "hot" in the book but I don't feel attraction or excitement about their relationship, other than hoping just because he's sweet and interesting.

Darci is funny as a sidekick and not the typical one - she cracks me up with her enthusiasm. There were several laugh out loud moments, especially the bedroom closet scene. I suppose we're supposed to really dig the grandmother Abby, but honestly she faded a bit in the background to me.

Wasn't sure if the very ending was the best one, but it wasn't a killer for the enjoyment, but makes you want to read the follow-up. These pages ooze with charm and will appeal to mystery fans everywhere. Hopefully sometime, someday, I'll get the rest of the series and continue the magic. show less

Ophelia Jensen has built a wall around her heart ever since a close friend was murdered four years ago. Considering she has psychic powers, this wall is not easy to maintain, especially since her grandmother, Abby, is a witch who keeps urging Ophelia to embrace her gift. Ophelia has been able to resist Abby so far, but her resolve is threatened by a series of events. Handsome stranger Rick Davis arrives in town, claiming to be a chemical salesman, but asking far too many questions about the rash of fertilizer thefts the town has been experiencing. Ophelia doesn't trust him and does her best to avoid him, but he's persistent, and they are drawn together when Ophelia discovers a dead body. Already plagued by nightmares that may be related show more to the dead man, Ophelia wants nothing further to do with Rick. But, as Abby keeps reminding her, this is fate and she has no choice. As events unfold Ophelia finds out that her town and the people living there are not what she thought they were.

When I bought "Witch Way to Murder", I thought it would be a light, frothy read, sort of the book equivalent of "Bewitched". Instead, it was a complex and rewarding book. Ophelia is a great character, so intent on not getting hurt again that the walls she's built inside have kept her from really knowing people, like her coworker Darci. Ophelia's past is slowly revealed throughout the course of the book, so readers learn why she is the way she is, just as she herself does. Abby is another good character, content in who she is and not caring what other people think. I found Rick, with his incessant questions to be annoying at first, but he grew on me as a character once his true reason for being in town was revealed. The magick that Abby (and Ophelia to a lesser extent) perform is totally believable, as is Ophelia's struggle to accept her gifts and her past. The mystery itself is a bit darker than in most cozy mysteries, but pretty easy to figure out, since it's obvious from the beginning who the bad guys are. But that's fine, it's the characters that drive this book and make it worth reading.

Well done! show less

I love this series! It reminds me very much of cozy nights spent snuggling with my mom while reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. The biggest difference, of course, is magic! The grandma/granddaughter duo offer great plots, wonderful wit, charming (and depressing) backstory, and happy banter. Affection isn't always fluffy kisses!

3.5 stars

Ophelia is a librarian in a small town. Her grandmother, Abby, who also lives in the same town, is a witch (though no one else in town knows). When Rick, a stranger to town shows up, odd things start happening, including the discovery of a dead body.

I enjoyed this. I found Rick a little annoying, and I had to cringe a little bit at times for the author not giving a librarian enough credit to do better at her research! I'm not sure if I'll read the next one in the series or not.

Ophelia and Abby are grandmother and granddaughter. They are also witches, tho the later reluctant and in denial. An instance in their past left Abby’s best friend Brian, dead and is the reason she shuns “the way” she is gifted with. But now the realm is askew, there is a new danger afoot. Fertilizer and anhydrous ammonia are being stolen from farmers. There is a stranger in town who asks too much, looks too hard and plays a bit too unfairly. Then the body shows up.

Abby blames herself for the death of Brian. Since that time, she has shut herself off from physical and emotional contact outside her grandmother. (A fact that is repeated way too often throughout the book.) But current events necessitate the need for a confidant and show more someone to watch her back. After a few beers, some pizza and a near all-nighter, that need is met.

It's kinda the cliche love/hate relationship between Ophelia and stranger-in-town Rick, but there is so much else going on, you don't mind. Abby & Darci (co-worker at library with Ophelia) are my favorite characters. Fun, bawdy and totally on the ball.

I liked Abby's use of herbs (accurately) and her gentle ways, Ophelia gets on your nerves after a while, Darci..love her, and Rick was a nice add-in. The closer to the climax of the book, the faster the pages turned. It was a one day read, due to the action-filled ending. I sure hope now that Ophelia has accepted life as it is, the next book will be less "woe is me" and more of what made this one exciting. And I do intend to read the next one to see. show less

I'd heard a lot of good things about the Abby and Ophelia mystery series, so I was really prepared to like WITCH WAY TO MURDER. Unfortunately, it didn't happen.

The mystery is put together well enough - there's evidence that someone's operating a meth lab nearby, a brutally murdered John Doe turns up in a local park, and handsome stranger Rick Davis is passing through town, asking a few too many questions. The clues aren't too obvious, although the villains aren't too hard to spot, either.

What turned me off to this book was the protagonist, Ophelia Jensen. Her best friend was murdered four years before the start of this book, and she thinks that's a good excuse to be hostile, antisocial and snappish. An experience like won't make your show more outlook on life any sunnier, that's for sure, and will probably change you forever - but Ophelia's reaction is extreme, and she's hard to like.

She goes through the novel assuming her coworker Darci is a bimbo because she's got a great body, alternately telling her grandmother Abby that magic doesn't exist or insulting her for using it, badmouthing mysterious, handsome Rick (who kind of deserves it, I have to admit), and sniffing at the rest of the townspeople like day-old bread. I just wasn't rooting for her. At all.

WITCH WAY TO MURDER also lost major points from me because of the ending, which I thought was pretty badly botched. show less