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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Return to Witch Mountain, March 28, 2010
This review is from: The Seventh Witch (Ophelia & Abby Mysteries, No. 7) (Mass Market Paperback)
With centenary birthday celebrations for the estimable Great-Aunt Mary imminent, Ophelia and Abby have returned to their North Carolina home for the festivities. However, things are not going as planned: the usually sprightly Abby is becoming mysteriously listless while Great-Aunt Mary becomes ever more crotchety. It's not long before the malicious Sharon Doran makes her presence known. A thorn in the side as far as Ophelia's extended family is concerned, Sharon is not averse to using her brand of magick to get what she wants no matter what the consequences may be.
Shirley Damsgaard again conjures up a very entertaining story. The setting is nicely evoked as is Ophelia's growing sense of unease: family secrets are gradually unearthed much to the matriarchal Great-Aunt Mary's chagrin. Ophelia and Abby's extended family, often referred to in previous stories, are introduced to the series in this seventh instalment. We have, of course, already met Aunt Dot before. However, under the watchful gaze of her sister, she is more muted in this story than in The Witch Is Dead (Ophelia & Abby Mysteries, No. 5). One disappointment for me was that Ophelia's best friend, Darci, is absent from the proceedings except for one short scene. Her sassiness and sense of fun have always been one of the highlights of the series for me. Ophelia turns instead to her cousin Lydia for comfort and guidance here.
Although each book in this series can be read as a novel in its own right, I'd recommend new readers to go through the stories in the correct sequence. There are a number of characters who reappear throughout the series and events in preceding stories are often referred to. This is a very gentle cozy mystery/paranormal series populated by an immensely likeable group of central characters. In my opinion, the opening novel, Witch Way to Murder (Ophelia & Abby Mysteries, No. 1) is the weakest in the series. My own favorite is Witch Hunt (Ophelia & Abby Mysteries, No. 4), but they're all entertaining stuff.
Book seven of the Ophelia and Abby mysteries could be the final instalment of the series. The author reports on her website that although another story is not being ruled out, there are currently no plans to produce one. The good news, however, is that Shirley Damsgaard is working on a new stand-alone novel.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Okay but not the best, February 5, 2010
(Spoilers ahead)
In this book Ophelia never really uses her magick, which does not mean I did not enjoy her using her head, but we never really got to the reason why. Her runes fail her and we never find out why?
Ms Damsgaard touches on the mistrust of people in the Appalachian Mountains (or maybe the Blue Ridge never find out) as far as the use of magick but also shows the hypocritical side by those very people using magic. She never really follows through on that course which would have made for some interesting inserts.
Tink is allowed to use her magick but that whole scene feels cut short. I love the idea of the standing stones, the name of the seven sisters. I think she could have gotten a lot of mileage out of the cleansing scene but again she seemed to cut it short. Also it would have been nice if a few passages were added to indicate what first started the decline of the space and then what happened to the land after it reverted back to the family. Was there an immediate recovery or just a single flower? I would have also like to see more of the ancestors attached to the stones.
The plot involving Aunt Dot and her fairies was left under developed too. You first get the house elf being insulted and then nothing until he is happy with Ophelia again. What is it that he did in the house that wasn't getting done? If Tink can see them, or at least sense them, why was there not more dialog with Tink sharing what she sees of the fairies? Here was an opportunity for some real funny moments that will never see the light of day.
I did enjoy the new family members and how the folks in the area respect their elderly and will drop everything to help them out if called upon. Not enough of that in the real world.
She did have to phone a friend and bounce her issues off Darci back home. And Cobra shows up and things try to start as far as a relationship goes, sort of. But he was working undercover and that plot line never fully develops either. The two plots actually kind of trip over each other.
I also wonder if she studies a pagan faith or just researches it for the stories because there are a few scenes that I would question or that need a little more substance. I think anyone who writes about magick needs to do so with a certain amount of responsibility. There seem to be people out there who believe what is written and try to do magick on their own with out really finding out the basic rules, never do a spell without a circle of protection, never leave the circle after it is cast, never influence or cause harm to others and never forget to close the circle. In the cleansing scene where the negative energies were let loose the circle was never closed. In real life that could be dangerous.
Overall the book was okay. If you really want to read it check it out at the library or Kindle it.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent, March 7, 2010
This review is from: The Seventh Witch (Ophelia & Abby Mysteries, No. 7) (Mass Market Paperback)
Ophelia Jensen's trip to North Carolina was supposed to be just a family celebration for her Great-Aunt Mary's 100th birthday. Instead, she finds danger lurking in every corner of this small, Southern town. Ophelia's family of witches has a secret hidden, one that threatens her own beloved grandmother, Abby. Just who is Sharon Doran and why does she harbor such animosity towards Ophelia's family? And why hasn't Ophelia heard of another magickal family in the area?
THE SEVENTH WITCH is the seventh book in a series featuring the amateur sleuthing duo of Ophelia and Abby. Ophelia's family heritage is explored in this episode and fans of the series will appreciate the additional insight into the characters of Abby and Ophelia, particularly in relation to their feelings about their magickal gifts. However, THE SEVENTH WITCH can be read as a stand alone as Shirley Damsgaard provides all the necessary history so the reader can enjoy visiting with these wonderful characters!
Shirley Damsgaard does a magnificent job at capturing some of the quaint aspects of a small Southern town. The focus on food and the sense of self-sufficiency and determination to handle things by one's self shine through clearly in THE SEVENTH WITCH and provide a tiny glimpse into the psyche of the South. The lunch scene at Cousin Lydia's makes me giggle even now, for it truly epitomizes the Southern family gathering.
THE SEVENTH WITCH is difficult to classify into any one genre as it blends elements of the paranormal, mystery, and romantic suspense genres. Shirley Damsgaard delves into dark secrets and the power of magick without overwhelming the casual reader with too much esoteric material. THE SEVENTH WITCH is my first foray into the Ophelia and Abby mystery series but it will definitely not be my last! Bravo!
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