Book 87, 2016
Nov. 6th, 2016 11:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I used my "extra hour" last night to finish reading Putting on the Witch by Joyce and Jim Lavene. It's the third book in their "Retired Witches" mystery series.
Molly, her friend Elsie, and their protege Dorothy, are invited to the home of Dorothy's boyfriend, Brian, for Brian's birthday. Brian comes from money, and the event promises to be posh and elegant. Their friend, Olivia, is not welcome, since most witches abhor ghosts. Olivia, however, finds a way to tag along.
The entire Witches' Council is there that evening, and Molly and her coven come across one of the Council members, who has been attacked and left for dead. The woman manages to speak her last words to Molly, but Molly can't make sense of them.
Brian's grandfather, a Council member, puts the entire castle on lockdown for 24 hours to find the culprit, and he also summons the witchfinder, an actual member of the Spanish Inquisition, whom the witches have imprisoned for centuries. The first person he wants to interrogate is Molly.
There was so much going on in this story! From the murder, to the reappearance of Dorothy's father, to a familiar who turns out to be a shapeshifter, to interference from the Bone Man. Molly and her coven are run ragged, trying to hunt for clues, dodge the recriminations of other witches, keep Olivia hidden, and keep themselves out of trouble.
I felt like some loose ends were not adequately tied up, which was disappointing. Also, I learned that Joyce Lavene passed away before the book was published, which makes me wonder if her husband will continue with the series.
Favorite line:"And I was longing for a bit of intelligent conversation that didn't have anything to do with giggling or the cat."
Four stars:
****
Molly, her friend Elsie, and their protege Dorothy, are invited to the home of Dorothy's boyfriend, Brian, for Brian's birthday. Brian comes from money, and the event promises to be posh and elegant. Their friend, Olivia, is not welcome, since most witches abhor ghosts. Olivia, however, finds a way to tag along.
The entire Witches' Council is there that evening, and Molly and her coven come across one of the Council members, who has been attacked and left for dead. The woman manages to speak her last words to Molly, but Molly can't make sense of them.
Brian's grandfather, a Council member, puts the entire castle on lockdown for 24 hours to find the culprit, and he also summons the witchfinder, an actual member of the Spanish Inquisition, whom the witches have imprisoned for centuries. The first person he wants to interrogate is Molly.
There was so much going on in this story! From the murder, to the reappearance of Dorothy's father, to a familiar who turns out to be a shapeshifter, to interference from the Bone Man. Molly and her coven are run ragged, trying to hunt for clues, dodge the recriminations of other witches, keep Olivia hidden, and keep themselves out of trouble.
I felt like some loose ends were not adequately tied up, which was disappointing. Also, I learned that Joyce Lavene passed away before the book was published, which makes me wonder if her husband will continue with the series.
Favorite line:"And I was longing for a bit of intelligent conversation that didn't have anything to do with giggling or the cat."
Four stars:
****