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Let’s get cosy with 3 comforting reads about magical adventures, murder mysteries and found family.
With the spookiness of October on the horizon, now’s the perfect moment to curl up with a book that’s equal parts charming and mysterious.
Cosy mysteries offer the ideal balance of intrigue without the heart-pounding terror—because who says you need nightmares to get into the Halloween spirit?
From small-town sleuths to unexpected witches, cosy books bring all the fun of a mystery, minus the messiness.
This week, we’re featuring 3 delightful reads to get you in the mood for all things autumn. Murder on the Rocks by Karen MacInerney brings a murder mystery set in a quaint island bed-and-breakfast. In Seances are for Suckers by Tamara Berry, we’ve got a ghost-hunting hoaxer who stumbles into a mystery she can’t fake her way out of. And for those craving a little magic, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna offers a heartwarming, magical adventure that’s just as cosy as a cup of hot chocolate.
Grab your blanket, light a candle, and settle in—it’s time for a cosy escape!
Happy Reading, friends!
Series or Standalone? :
This is Book One in the ‘Gray Whale Inn Mystery‘ series.
"Murder on the Rocks" Book Blurb:
Innkeeper Natalie Barnes has traded in Texas heat for Maine’s tangy salt air and risked her life savings on the Gray Whale Inn, a quaint bed and breakfast on bucolic Cranberry Island. She loves her new life of picking blueberries, watching the lobster boats putter around the island, and whipping up buttery muffins and other rich breakfast treats for her guests… until Bernard Katz checks in. The overbearing land developer plans to build a resort next door… right on top of a colony of endangered black-chinned terns. Worried about the birds–not to mention the sweet little town and the Gray Whale Inn’s survival–Natalie speaks out at the town meeting, letting the whole island know what she thinks of the entitled developer. But the town board sides with Katz, greenlighting the resort… and the possible end to both her Maine island paradise and the inn she’s gambled everything to buy. Just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, Natalie finds Katz dead on the cliffs next to the inn. Now the police–and much of the island–are convinced the recent Texas transplant is a murderer.
Why Should You Pick It Up?:
The lead character in this series is a hoot! She’s SO nosy! If you stayed at her Inn, your bags would be gone through in a heartbeat, and she’d be telling everyone on the island all your business haha.
“I was tempted to check the drawers, but decided I’d done enough snooping for the day. Besides, the inn was crawling with police.” (p110)
Grab yourself a copy:
Series or Standalone? :
This is Book One in the ‘Eleanor Wilde Mystery‘ series.
"Seances Are For Suckers" Book Blurb:
When something goes bump in the night – it’s most likely a plumbing problem. But fake medium Eleanor Wilde is happy to investigate and cleanse your home of spectral presences—for a fee. Hey, it’s a living. Ellie has an ailing sister to care for and working as a ghost hunter who doesn’t believe in ghosts helps cover the bills. When she’s lucky, it also pays for the occasional tropical vacation. On her latest job, though, she may be in for some genuine scares. The skeptical, reserved, and very rich Nicholas Hartford III has flown her all the way to his family’s ancestral estate in England—supposedly haunted by a phantom named Xavier. Nicholas thinks it’s all just as much a crock as Ellie’s business is, but his mother is sure that Xavier is real, and he’s willing to employ Ellie if she can put a stop to the nonsense. But when an actual dead body appears—and subsequently disappears—at Castle Hartford, she’ll have to apply her talent for trickery and psychological insight to solve a flesh-and-blood murder.
Why Should You Pick It Up?:
If you like your cosy mysteries with a supernatural twist, a fake medium and spooky castles – this might be for you.
“Eleanor Wilde: spiritual medium, cat wrangler, doer of unpleasant tasks. Cleanses homes of ghosts and murderers. Sometimes in the same day.” (p215)
Grab yourself a copy:
Series or Standalone? :
This is a standalone novel.
"The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches" Book Blurb:
Mika Moon follows three rules: hide your magic, keep your head down, and stay away from other witches. Mika is good at being alone, and she doesn’t mind it … mostly. But when an unexpected invitation arrives to teach three young witches at the mysterious Nowhere House, Mika jumps at the chance for a different life. As she comes to care for its quirky inhabitants – and Jamie, the handsome but prickly librarian – finally belonging somewhere feels like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world – is it worth risking everything to protect the found family Mika didn’t know she was looking for?
Why Should You Pick It Up?:
If you’re after a found-family, cosy magical book with a grumpy/sunshine romance – this one might be for you. I liked the witchy society and the history between Mika and her mentor/guardian Primrose, and seeing the 3 new kid witches run through their lessons.
Grab yourself a copy:
‘The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches’ by Sangu Mandanna
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