Customer Reviews

A Cast-Off Coven: A Witchcraft Mystery

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really enjoyed Secondhand Spirits: A Witchcraft Mystery, the first book in Juliet Blackwell's Witchcraft Mystery series featuring Lily Ivory. I found it well-plotted and well-written and was particularly impressed with its stellar characterizations. I was anxious to see if Blackwell could continue to impress me with book two.

Happily, the answer is "yes". Not only did Blackwell not disappoint, she drew me deeper under her spell with A Cast-off Coven. I am declaring myself a fan.

As the story begins (only a week after the events of Secondhand Spirits conclude), odd sounds, ghostly footsteps and doors opening and closing on their own have students from the San Francisco School of Fine Arts spooked and stopping into Lily's vintage clothing store in search of protective talismans. At her assistant Maya's request (and in exchange for some Victorian clothing recently found at the school), Lily agrees to check things out and attempt to calm the students' fears. Instead she finds a dead body and comes across evidence that has her wondering if someone at the school has summoned a demon.

A Cast-off Coven is a solid mystery and a nicely creepy ghost story with moments I found somehow reminiscent (in feeling) of the old Julie Harris - Claire Bloom film "The Haunting" (which is #1 on my official list of "Movies That Scared the Heck Out of Me When I Was A Kid and Still Pretty Much Freak Me Out Even Though I Am Now All Grown Up"). The story is wonderfully paced and plotted, with touches of humor, strong friendships and possibilities of romance.

Enhancing that plot is Blackwell's ability to take pieces of myth and legend that seem at least vaguely familiar and twist them just enough to make them seem new and - in most cases - more intriguing. Her depiction of Lily's craft has depth and a degree of detail that make it seem believably real and it comes across as an essential part of Lily rather than something she "practices". Simply put, the paranormal world of A Cast-off Coven really works for me. And Lily, while she knows a lot about this magical world, also knows that she has a lot to learn. This helps make Lily accessible to us and we are allowed to learn alongside her.

Blackwell also does a terrific job of making San Francisco come alive. Her rich descriptions enable me to "see" the city and deepen my determination to visit it someday soon. Elements of the city's history - including the Great Earthquake of 1906 - have been woven into the story.

However, as with Secondhand Spirits, it is the wonderful characters that really pulled me into A Cast-off Coven. I like these people. I admire many of them. And I am intrigued by all of them. These are smart, strong, complex and interesting characters with layered histories that Blackwell is revealing to us bit by bit. This slow reveal keeps me on my toes while reading because I never know when another fascinating little detail about someone will be made known to me and I don't want to miss anything. There is so much we have yet to learn about each and every one of them that I can only hope Blackwell has many, many more volumes in the series planned. But whether it's one book or ten, I am so there.

I'm also going to give Blackwell's other stuff a try. I have ordered If Walls Could Talk: A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery (Haunted Home Repair Mystery), the first in her new series which is due to be released in December, 2010. And sitting in my TBR pile is Feint of Art (Annie Kincaid Mysteries, No. 1), the first in a three volume mystery series she co-wrote in 2006/2007 with her sister, Carolyn, and published under the name Hailey Lind.

I highly recommend both Secondhand Spirits and A Cast-off Coven. Enjoy!

Lily Ivory is a bona fide powerful witch who has made a home for herself in San Francisco as the owner of Aunt Cora's Closet where she sells vintage clothing. She is promised a trunk full of clothing if she exorcises what is scaring the students. They hear ghostly noises and movements at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts. The students and faculty also hear moans and footsteps that a ghost can't make, but nobody sees anyone walking.

She enters the building believing she is dealing with a ghost and in a sense she is right because someone committed murder at the school decades ago. When she goes to the bell tower she finds the dead body of billionaire businessman Jerry Becker. After the police rope off the murder scene and finish questioning everyone who was in the area, Lily enters the closet where the trunk is. She sees and hears something that makes her realize someone called up a demon but didn't bind it. With each new day, the demon grows stronger. While the police investigate the homicide, the demon targets humans with no defense against its assaults; only Lily stands in the way.

This awesome paranormal mystery stars a terrific heroine who for the first time in her solitary life has friends, a home, a job she loves, and a responsible boyfriend who does not belittle or assault her. The supernatural subplot does not overwhelm the whodunit because there are several human suspects who could be the killer and have summoned the demon. Lily has to figure out if she is dealing with one or two antagonists as either scenario is plausible.

Harriet Klausner

A GREAT SECOND BOOK IN THIS NEW SERIES. IT PICKS UP JUST WHERE THE FIRST LEAVES OFF BUT THE STORY CAN STAND ON IT'S OWN. READING THE FIRST BOOK IS NOT MANDATORY TO ENJOY THIS BOOK AS THERE IS JUST ENOUGH REMINDERS TO LET SOMEONE NEW TO THE SERIES CATCH UP BUT NOT BORE SOMEONE THAT DID READ THE FIRST BOOK. AS SOMEONE THAT STUDIES THE WICCAN PRACTICES THE REFERENCES IN THE BOOK ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO ENHANCE THE STORY BUT NOT GET SOMEONE IN TROUBLE TRYING TO DUPLICATE THE SPELLS AND CHARMS. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE THIRD BOOK IN THE SERIES TO BE RELEASED AND HAVE ALREADY PRO-ORDERED. IT SEEMS TO BE A REALLY GOOD SERIES - HUMOUR, ROMANCE,MYSTERY AND GHOST STORY ALL ROLLED TOGETHER!

I've recently started reading this author and her books are a lot of fun. Great atmosphere mixed with good spooky stuff and humor. This one was particular fun for me because my daughter is a graduate of San Francisco Art Institute (the actual place where the book is set)and now teaches there. It would be a fun read without actually being familiar with the school, but I have to say, it did add an extra layer of enjoyment for me! And yes, the tower is rumored to be haunted. I can't wait for her next book.

This is the second in a series of really great mysteries. The heroine is captivating and charming as are her friends. I can't wait until the next one comes out.

#2 in the so-called "Witchcraft" series featuring Lily Ivory, a witch and vintage clothing shop owner in San Francisco. Lily is asked by her employee Maya, who is also a student at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts, to come to the school and look around on behalf of the woman who runs the school. She's offered a chest full of vintage clothing they found in an old trunk in a closet, but hopes Lily can use her powers to find out about a visitation by a suspected ghost in the bell tower of the school and perhaps do something about it. The noises and ghostly presence has ramped up recently and become disruptive.

While at the school, a man falls--or is pushed--down the bell tower steps on the exact site of a suicide several decades earlier. The natural conclusion drawn by many is that the ghost killed Jerry Becker--a rich big-wig with lots of money invested in the school, as well as a daughter, Andromeda, who attends there. Lily is pretty sure that Becker's killer was human, and since he wasn't well-liked and had lots of money, there are plenty of people with motive. Further investigation leads her to believe there is indeed an evil presence at the school, but not from a ghost--rather, from a demon that someone has summoned.

Along the way, Lily has to deal once again with Aidan Rhodes, a powerful witch who makes her uncomfortable on several levels, and Max Carmichael, a journalist whom she went out with once and who definitely interests her (and vice versa) but who is a bit of an enigma and who finds her whole witchiness very discomfiting. She also encounters several other men who briefly caught Lily's attention as the story progressed.

I enjoyed the book for the most part, although at times I'm not sure if the author is trying to pass Lily off as a witch...I mean, a real witch, or if she's got her living in some type of a paranormal world. I suppose given that she has a goblin familiar who disguises himself as her pet potbellied pig, I really shouldn't take any of it too seriously, right? LOL This should probably be classified as light urban fantasy rather than mystery. There are things that were semi-accurate, though--and some of it just accurate enough to perhaps confuse people who aren't familiar with *actual* witch/Pagan practice and belief.

The one other gripe I have is that the author's propensity to make every man Lily met or came across a potential love interest, however briefly, was really annoying. And of course there are at least a couple of permanent romantic interests to keep Lily pulled in two directions, which is one thing that has put me off many so-called mystery series that started with promise and then devolve into romantic baloney, with the mysteries taking a back seat--no, more like being hogtied in the trunk while the romance and sexual tension steer the series. (The whodunit in this one was sort of a no-brainer.)

That said, I like the writing style, I like Lily and her shop and her circle of friends for the most part, and Blackwell really is able to provide a wonderful sense of place, making the city of San Francisco one of the main characters in the book. I also love Oscar to pieces! LOL I'll give the series one more read, and if the next book is obviously continuing down the romance road, as much as I like the other parts of the book, I'll probably stop there.

I loved book one and I love book two. Fortunately, the Characters from Second Hand Spirits maintain their persona and personality in A Cast Off Coven. Once again the story flows well and draws you into a believable world. As with the first book, I finished this book within hours of starting it... a great read.

Book three needs to come soon!!!!!!!!

I liked this book as much as I liked Secondhand Spirits. This series has to be one of my favorites of all time. Lily is such a fun main character and it's really easy to relate to her. I give this book five stars too!

Just like the first one, this is a fantastic follow up book. In this time around, Lily get wind of a Haunted School of the Arts. Some students want her to come in and check it out to see if it really haunted. After all, students and professors heard lone footsteps and lone breaths in certain spots in the school. Then a murder happens, and everyone thinks it was the ghost. Lily isn't so sure. As she gets deeper in the mystery, she soon understands that there's more to meet the eye, and the School of the Arts, may have something much more dangerous than a typical ghost. Lily has to figure out who/what the ghost is, see what else is there, and find a murder.

I love this series. The characters seem so real and lifelike, I feel that I actually know them. I love Oscar, he's a hoot, and I'm glad he was in this one, and hope that he's in future ones. There is a little romance in it, but it's not that bad. I'm not much for romance in books, and it's so light here, it didn't really bother me. We also get some clues to some character's background, and introduced to some new and interesting characters.

Not to many plot twists, but you don't really need it to hold your attention in this series. The writing style by Blackwell, is refreshing. When it comes to magic and magical elements, she knows what she's talking about. That shows a lot of research on her part, she's not just phoning this in, but does what she needs to, to make this a wonderful reading experience.

I can't wait for the next novel.

This book keeps you in suspense until almost the end. I did think the villian was the one it turned out to be but until the author said it was, I had my doubts as I am usually wrong.