Witch and Wolfhound

West Side Witches #2.5

by Kate Moseman

Before there were spells and sandwiches, there was a witch and her wolfhound. Poppy’s uncontrollable mind-reading magic makes her an outcast in the Manhattan magical community, but when an enchanted statue is stolen from an exclusive organization of witches, she’s recruited to track down the thief. With the help of her beloved Irish wolfhound and an old friend from out of town, Poppy must follow the clues through magical New York—a mysterious lab, a fake date, and the heart of an old neighborhood—to solve the mystery of the dancing statue! This prequel is part of the West Side Witches series, and is best read any time after Spells and Sandwiches. Previously published as Mystery of the Dancing Statue.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Audiobook, Ebooks, Cozy Mystery, Witches, Contemporary

58 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 18, 2023

About the author

Author of cozy fantasy and romance about women who discover that life is magical.

Reviews

[Chantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, fast-paced witchy story with a mystery to solve. Great audiobook narration. Really enjoyed more insight into Poppy’s story. She’s my favorite character in the West Side Witches series. Would love to read a book about Poppy’s coming of age story.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this novella in audiobook and decided to give it a try. As it's a shorter length the story gets resolved pretty quickly, but I felt the pacing was pretty well done for most of it. The ending felt a bit too fast and I would've liked a few more details about the statue and why it was stolen and the motives of the culprit.

There were enough details to give a feel for the main character and why she was trying to find the missing statue and why she got involved made sense. It just was missing something for me and didn't really was engaging as I had hoped. That might be because of the shorter length and I plan to try out one of the author's full length stories eventually. The narrator didn't quite work for me as I didn't really like her voice and the volume went up a bit too much at times when she spoke more excitedly.

[Cathy Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read! Poppy had a tough time making friends due to her ability to read thoughts… an ability that even as a witch, she wasn’t able to turn off. With her only companion being her wolfhound, Georgiana, she finds an invitation that leads to an opportunity that she can’t resist. She could become a member of a coveted witches’ social club as long as she is able to solve the mystery of a stolen enchanted object. Could Poppy’s abilities finally be seen as a gift instead of a curse?

This was a lovely novelette that was filled with magic, humor, and mystery. I really liked Poppy’s character and thought all of her dog-related scenes were very realistic (spoken from someone who has had many of her sweaters decorated with dog hair). I thought the author’s writing style flowed well, and the story was a perfect mixture of urban fantasy and cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series!

[Susannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)
Witch and Wolfhound by Kate Moseman was my first cozy witch mystery — and honestly, I absolutely loved it! 🧙‍♀️🐾
Poppy was such a fun, quirky main character, and her mind-reading magic made for some hilarious (and chaotic) moments. Add in her loyal Irish wolfhound, a sprinkle of mystery, and a dash of magical New York charm, and I was completely hooked. The story had that perfect blend of whimsy, intrigue, and heart that made it feel like a warm cup of coffee on a fall morning. ☕️✨
I also loved the “fake date” and “old friend” elements — they added the perfect touch of personality to the mystery. This book definitely gave me cozy vibes while still keeping me guessing about the stolen enchanted statue!
Even though it’s a prequel, it totally stands on its own, and now I’ve officially added the entire West Side Witches series to my TBR. If you’re in the mood for magic, mystery, and a giant lovable dog sidekick, this one’s a total treat! 💫

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the West Side Witches series by Kate Moseman. Poppy is a middle-aged witch with the gift of telepathy, but she is unable to control it. Her ability makes her an outcast in Manhattan's magical community. When a magical statue goes missing from the League for Women's Welfare (or Ladies Who Witch), an exclusive witches' organization, Poppy is recruited to solve the mystery. With the help of her loyal Irish wolfhound, Georgiana, and her old friend from out-of-town Bruce Hawkins, she visits a mysterious lab, goes on a fake date, and explores her old neighborhood. This short-story blends humor, heart and a dash of spell craft. I really enjoyed this wonderful short-story paranormal cozy mystery novella.

[Konrie Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t read this if you are new to the series or you won’t be invested enough in the characters. It is a novella and an in-between the books in the series so I was left feeling incomplete because only so much can happen in an in between novella. I feel like Poppy’s description of herself is conflicting. She grew up in high society and yet doesn’t care at all that she has dog fur on her when she goes to a fancy event… i feel like people that used to attend fancy things at least remember enough to blend in but generally chose not to… for someone that can read minds she sure isn’t trying very hard to impress them… i wish she was… i feel like she would be really fun to know from an outside perspective…. But i didn’t like being in her head.

[Dayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and fast novelette

This was such a quick novelette and it brought a look into Poppy and Geogiana’s lives before we met them in book 1. Poppy wants desperately to make witchy friends and when she finds an invitation to the League of Women’s Welfare—or, the Ladies Who Witch— she couldn't turn away. But rather than receive her initiation, she is tasked with a job first.
Poppy is such a lovely character. She is genuine and while she isn't able to control her mind reading abilities, it doesn't mean that she doesn't deserve friends. Learning more of her life before she meets the others was nice too, as brings more understanding. The narration on this one was great as well! The accent was well done and switching between voices was seamless.

[Sally Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 3 1/2.

Cute, light, mildly amusing, good characters, but the pacing is off. The set-up goes on for quite a while, but it's like the author ran out of time, so she rushed through the actual crime solving. Ebooks can be as long as they need to be, it's not like the all-print days when you had to make it fit the paper space. So there's no reason not to have a steady pace.

Also, the 1st person MC loves her dog. We get it already. How about cutting a few paragraphs of rapturous swooning and putting in more on the plot? It's a short story, novelette at most, so this is another pacing problem.

Good: middle-aged heroine, no grammar or spelling errors that jumped out at me.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute But Felt Choppy

Nice story that evolved in a believable pattern. While we learned a lot about Poppy, it felt more like a partially developed character.

The story seemed to jump into episodes instead of transitioning smoothly. The shortness of the story may have contributed to over editing. Although a mystery and burglary were solved, there were a lot of loose ends and open questions.

Pleasant to read and hopefully there will be more meat in the next story in the series.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little novella about Zelda's roommate Poppy from the West Side Witches series and how she came to be a member of the LWW. Her uncanny ability to see what people are thinking about will come in handy to help her with the task that the leader of the LWW puts before her. This series is a quirky, fun read that will delight, entertain and definitely make you laugh! This book could be read before starting the series, but really at any point as long as you realize that this story takes place before Zelda and Poppy become roommates.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy is an outcast in the magical community due to her mind reading skills. She is losing another roommate that just doesn’t want to deal with her abilities. Poppy finds the roommate’s invitation to the LWW (Ladies Who Witch) in the trash – she recovers it and decides she will go. The head witch calls her into her office and offers Poppy a deal – find a missing statue to gain membership into the LWW. Poppy hops on the deal and is happy to use her skills! A great short story! Love this series!

[Ken Finlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poppy, a middle-aged fire witch, has always had a problem - she can read minds and she can't turn it off.
It has made her a pariah among the witches of New York and her personal life is scorched earth.
Accidentally finding an invitation from a local coven she is surprised when she isn't given the old heave-ho on the spot.
Instead she's given an assignment - find a stolen magical statue asap.
She does.
It's a short piece of very readable fluff.
3 Stars.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute short and fun story. Poppy is a transplant from across the pond, her magic is something else and she just wants a friend. A mystery plops into her lap while trying to join a club but she wasn't exactly invited. Oh well she is and she very much wants to stay. Poppy and Georgiana, her Irish wolfhound, do make quite a pair. But oh my what a lot of fun this story is!

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needed more info

This was a great short novella but felt like I was dropped into a world without any idea about the background. Didn't need a ton of space. Just like 3-4 paragraphs on Poppy, fire witching, and who the magic society is. Especially since this is a freebie, an intro to the series. And there will be many like me.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, cute read about a witch who can read minds and ends up losing her roommate over it. Poppy ends up finding an invite to the Ladies Who Witch society in the garbage her roommate left behind and gets entangled in finding the culprit who stole a magical statue. Halloween vibes but not set during Halloween.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun introduction with a plot that moves quickly and an endearing MC who just might surprise her detractors and, even more importantly, herself with her abilities.

Although it was my pleasure to receive this free from the author, it was completely my choice to share my honest review.

[Sharon M. Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely Short Story!

This is a very quick read but a great story. In fifty pages you get drama, explanations, great characters, and even a dog. It definitely makes you want to read on to find out more about what is going on, like a really tasty appetizer!

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, quick read. A witch who "reads" people and isn't very popular because of it. When she tries to join a witch's organization she's told that her membership depends on her solving the mystery of a statue they've had stolen.

[C.A. Phipps · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read that sets the reader up for a new series. A clumsy witch, Poppy is lonely and endearing. Her mind reading isn't perfect and other witches hate her talent, so she is always on the out with them. I love the Irish Wolfhound!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short, quick read. The story was enjoyable, but did leave some questions unanswered. Having those questions resolved would have made the story a bit more satisfying. The author writes well, creates interesting characters and tells an overall entertaining story.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute, quick story. The narrator did a fantastic English accent, yet a very normal "American" accent. Loved the different voices. The mystery was solved rather quickly (it WAS a novelette) but pretty well explained. An enjoyable audiobook to pass the time as I drove.

[Lorraine O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute short story!

Well written story which would be a couple of chapters in a good book. Likeable heroine whose sidekick comes whenever she needs him, as long as she stays 6 feet away. You'll have to read it to understand why.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Beginning was really choppy, and I understand that you want a reader who has not read books 1-3 to pick up things quickly (and I have not read books 1-3), but there was far too much repetition in the first few pages. Honesty, if I am going "you already said that", it's not a good sign.

[Maura Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

A prequel to the series, which could result be read first, but no harm in reading it third. It's a quick novella to enjoy. I like the paranormal NYC Ms. Moseman has created and I like the narrator. I'm looking forward to more.

[Dasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

El caso es que creía que esta era la primera novela (corta) de esta serie y nop 🤣
Un misterio brujeril, cortito y divertido.
Conseguí una copia gratis en una de las promociones que me mandan por email.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy is a mindreading witch - if she's near you, she's reading you. Naturally the other witches aren't fans. She's largely an outcast until a statue is stolen.

Treasure hunt

[CONNIE BALTHROP · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's short, and a really good way to see if you want to start the series. Yes I do.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining , face paced quick read. Very interesting characters.

[Ronnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute

Never read this author before. Not big on short stories (not enough development) but this was cute enough that I'll look into her other stuff.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story