Book Review: A Potion To Die For

Author: Heather Blake
Publication Date: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Signet
Series: A Magic Potion Mystery # 1

TROUBLE IS BREWING

As the owner of Little Shop of Potions, a magic potion shop specializing in love potions, Carly Bell Hartwell finds her product more in demand than ever. A local soothsayer has predicted that a couple in town will soon divorce—and now it seems every married person in Hitching Post, Alabama, wants a little extra matrimonial magic to make sure they stay hitched.

But when Carly finds a dead man in her shop, clutching one of her potion bottles, she goes from most popular potion person to public enemy number one. In no time the murder investigation becomes a witch hunt—literally! Now Carly is going to need to brew up some serious sleuthing skills to clear her name and find the real killer—before the whole town becomes convinced her potions really are to die for!

Well, as normally as possible while practicing magic in this crazy Southern town.

Because Southerners embraced crazy like a warm blanket on a chilly night, not many here cared much that I called myself a witch, or that I practiced magic using a touch of hoodoo. But the town did believe I had all the answers – and expected me to find solutions.

Him being the dead man lying facedown on the floor, blood dried under his head, his stiff hands clutching a potion bottle.

Carly Hartwell, local healing witch and owner of Little Shop of Horrors, is on the run after a local man, Nelson Winston, was found dead in her store holding one of her potions. Everyone is quick to blame Carly, and she knows that she must discover the killer and fast because her potion store and her life depend on it!

I was so thrilled to find out that Heather Blake was going to be writing another magical/witchcraft mystery series. I have followed her previous series, the Wishcraft Mysteries, from the first book and I am sure that I will do the same with this series as well. I was very pleased with this book. It left me with the same feeling that her other series usually leaves me with. She writes characters and settings with such charm and detail that it is hard not to love every part of her stories.

Carly Bell Hartwell comes with as much spunk as the next witch and her mystery solving skills are top notch. The main character makes the cozy mystery book. I have always said this and will continue to stand behind it. You must like your leading lady, or man, if you are going to go on an adventure like solving a mystery with them. Carly comes with a little baggage, but this develops her more fully and makes her all the more interesting. She is a sassy little witch and I look forward to the next book in this series!

***A copy of this book was provided to me from the publishers at Signet in exchange for my honest review***