Book Review: Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti

Author: Bailey Cates
Publication Date: December 31, 2012
Publisher: Signet
Series: A Magical Bakery Mystery # 2

As a new witch—not to mention owner of Savannah’s most enchanting bakery—Katie Lightfoot is still getting used to casting spells, brewing potions, and mastering her magical powers. But that doesn’t mean she can’t find time to enjoy a picnic with firefighter Declan McCarthy…until she stumbles upon a corpse.

The dead man’s tattoo reveals he was a member of a secret society—and it turns out he's missing an object that was very important to the group. When Katie learns the killer was after more than the man's life, she and her Aunt Lucy leave the baked goods on the rack to cool and set off in hot pursuit of a killer.

“Pausing inside the front door of the Honeybee Bakery, I breathed in the aroma of freshly baked goodies and listened to the murmur of voices in conversation. The espresso machine came to life as Uncle Ben brewed a coffee confection for a waiting customer. Mungo, knowing he had to stay hidden when we were inside the bakery, snuggled deeper into the bottom of my tote bag.” – Paperback Copy pg. 11

 

“I shrugged. ‘Not much to tell, really. We happened to see a man lying under a rhododendron bush in Johnson Square this morning. I could tell something was wrong, so I took a closer look. Sure enough, it turned out he was dead. That’s when I saw the tattoo. De – the police came then, and Peter Quinn interviewed us. Him and his new partner.’ I made a moue, remembering Detective Taite.” – Paperback Copy pg. 35

 

“Something muffled his voice, and he seemed to be talking to someone else. His words became less garbled. ‘I’ll be right there.’ He spoke into the phone again. ‘Katie? I need to go now. But I do appreciate the call. Really. We’ll take it from here.’” – Paperback Copy pg. 97 (Isn’t this the exact type of statement that drives all great sleuths?!)

 

“I twisted around, searching the shadows. The air felt electric, a storm brewing on the horizon. Shaking my head at myself, I scooped up the little dog and hurried inside.” – Paperback Copy pg. 199

This is the second book in The Lightfoot Chronicles starring amateur sleuth and newborn witch, Katie Lightfoot. Katie has a better grasp of her sleuthing skills as well as her magical abilities in this installment and brings to the table a refreshing addition that I would go as far to argue that was better than the first. In this book Katie stumbles upon a dead body that sparks quite an interest for her. Her victim is covered in a few rather strange looking tattoos. Katie describes the stunning artwork to her Spellbook Club coven and they recognize the designs as belonging to the ancient Druid Clan. This not only sparks interest in Katie but also in the minds of her witchy friends as well!

 

I am going to argue, like I said before, that this book was even better than the first. Katie is new to the witching game as well as the sleuthing game and that makes her easier to follow because it feels as if I am learning the skills with her. Her personality and quirky manners have a way of lighting up the entire book and her relationships with Declan, her aunt, and her beloved familiar are all so personable. She also carries a determination about her that allows readers to jump on the bandwagon and strive to solve the mystery right alongside her. Katie’s character just keeps developing more and more the further I read into this series; I hope I see this pattern continue as the series progresses.

 

Not only is this series set in the perfect location, the backdrop being historical Savannah, but we are dealing with an amazing cast of secondary characters. The characters, I swear, are getting better and better the more the series progresses. Katie’s coven is even more a part of her life and involved in the mystery in this book and they are hilarious, witty, and everything comical and fun loving. The romance is even hotter and the mystery takes some twists and turns that are somewhat predictable, but still so much fun. I felt that the mix of the supernatural in this book was wonderful and I hope we see more things like it in the next book!

 

***A big thank you to the publishers at Signet for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review***