Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates

A solid introduction to Katie and the new, interesting life she’s living, this book sets the stage for solving even more mysteries alongside our main character. As the first book of a currently 10 book series, if this hits the mark for you, you’ll have plenty of similar stories to dive right into. Perhaps a bit too cozy for me personally, this is a great one to check out if you like cozy mysteries, food, magic, and romance.

It really feels like Katie is just living her life and happens to solve a murder along the way. For the fact that there is a real murder with someone unknown responsible and Ben the most likely to take the fall for the crime, this one’s not very intense at all. With two possibilities for romance, Katie keeps things more lighthearted while she works to find the true murderer and clear her uncle Ben’s name. The magic is much more realistic than the fantastical magic I’m more familiar with in fantasy stories. Katie settles into her new home and learns about the more magical side of Lucy’s life. When Ben is suspected of murdering a customer, Katie and Lucy work their magic to find the real killer.Ī cozy mystery, this book keeps the stakes relatively low. Baker Katie Lightfoot is crafting her own magical wedding cake and tracking down a malicious murderer in the newest installment of this New York Times bestselling series.

That said, I enjoyed these people enough to listen a second time while I was doing other things around the house, and I will be happy to buy the second book in the series when it comes out in audiobook.Katie Lightfoot came to Savannah to help her aunt Lucy and uncle Ben open a bakery. I guessed whodunnit within minutes of the murder. Also, since it's the first book in a series, and there are a so many characters, more time is spent introducing people than developing the mystery. As far as negatives go, while the female characters are alive and textured, the male characters are flat and fall into stereotypes - good guy fireman, slimy reporter, cranky detective, thug, nearly invisible husband. I always wonder about that in a fiction book, so that was a nice discovery. If you enjoy things magical, the basic practices, symbols and herbs discussed are true to tradition as far as my experience. I haven't downloaded them yet, but there are a lot of yummy-sounding items at the bakery. If you enjoy baking, the recipes included in the book are available on a pdf at the publisher's website with a code given at the beginning of the recording. Actually, I think the fun might crumble in the face of too much over-thinking. As a cozy mystery, this story doesn't require deep thinking or puzzling. Johanna Parker is an excellent narrator as always, and Bailey Cates has created a quirky coven of colorful characters that are worth spending some relaxing hours with.

Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates