Book 13, 2026

[chez_jae]

Shifting and Shenanigans by Elizabeth Pantley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Finally finished my latest book, which was Shifting and Shenanigans by Elizabeth Pantley. It’s the first in the “Magical Mystery Book Club” series. The main characters are pragmatic Paige and her impetuous Aunt Glo.

Paige and Glo inherit a lovely old inn from Paige’s grandmother, GeeGee. Paige is still finding her footing after a divorce, and Glo is always up for an adventure. As they explore their new digs, they find the key that unlocks the basement, where GeeGee never allowed them to go. Paige and Glo find a fantastic library, along with Frank, the talking cat who guards it. From Frank, they learn they are meant to establish a book club and meet in the library. Paige and Glo end up recruiting a diverse group, and as they are attempting to select which book to read first, they are inadvertently sucked into the narrative. Frank tells them they are in the book until the mystery is solved. Everyone gets into the spirit, and they soon apply their various talents to interviewing suspects, searching for clues, and working together to solve the mystery.

Cute story with a fun premise. There was a touch of romance and a paranormal element (in addition to the talking cat!), and I enjoyed meeting all the quirky characters. I did find the plot to be meandering at times.

Favorite lines:
♦ “Pfft. It’s like you’ve never heard a talking cat before.”
♦ I was a bit concerned that our “experts” were a talking cat and a wildly uninhibited octogenarian.
♦ “Not sure what all the hiding behind trees is going to do for you. There’s like eighteen of you clowns.”

Lite and lively, four stars