Witchy Way to Murder

by Adrienne Blake

In the magical shadows of Philadelphia, every creature has a secret. Goblin witch Dionne Cruz is ace at sniffing them out. When her goblin business partner and a local magic shop owner are abducted, the trail of clues lead her and Detective Liam Wells deep into the sordid supernatural underworld— and to its ruler, the murdering capo di tutti goblin, Redcap. His notorious pub, The Rotting Corpse, is the last stop before the bottom of the Delaware river for any paranormal creature foolish enough to cross him. To save herself and the handsome detective, Dionne must use her street smarts and attitude to solve the mystery of their disappearance. Fail, and no magic on earth will save them from the terror of the grave that awaits.

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Magic

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 18, 2023

About the author

Adrienne Blakes lives in the Mid-Atlantic surrounded by rarely-seen neighbors whose lives are shrouded in mystery. Forever peeping through the curtains, she dreams of catching one to learn of their covert ways and the secret behind their bizarre WiFi handles. Adrienne lives to read and write and is forever in search of that one character that makes sense of it all. You’ll find her stalking out her next adventure at her website AdrienneBlake.com, on Facebook, www.facebook.com/AuthorAdrienne/, or send her an email: authoradrienneblake@gmail.com.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A goblin witch FMC and her PI partner and a warlock? Heck yeah!! The PI and warlock are kidnapped so our FMC comes to the rescue! Also, if you read close enough you’ll catch the author’s humor she casually adds(; I see you Adrienne!

I received this ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily, all thoughts/opinions above are my own.

[Annabelle Donnelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witchy way to murder
Release date: July 18th
4 stars out of 5

Philadelphia is under the rule of the Goblin mafia, and they have kidnapped Dionne's detective partner. She will have to find a way to save him with the help of her on/off flirt (and also cop), Liam.

Some of it might sound a little bit corny, I still can't believe I just wrote Goblin mafia, but it actually works when you read this book. Adrienne Blake effortlessly introduces us to a new world, not so far away from ours, but where goblins and witches are a common occurrence. This literary world is close enough to ours that it's believable, and we just follow along the story like everything makes total sense. Even the goblin mafia. I mean, if goblins did exist, they would organize themselves along those lines, no?

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5. It was highly entertaining, but there were some moments that were a little less onpar. For instance, Patsy (one of the key characters in the book) annoyed me a lot, mostly because I believe she was just an amalgame of too many clichés. That being said, as a lover of cozy mystery, this hit all the boxes. It's nice to find a good one that doesn't involve baking or cats 😉

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in return of my honest opinion.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the Trail of the Missing Persons . . .

Dionne Cruz is of mixed witch/goblin heritage with a mildly green complexion. She is a private investigator whose partner Harrison has disappeared. She gets help from a non-magical human, Detective Liam Wells, to begin the search for both P.I. Harrison and warlock Derek who may have actually been abducted. Everything they find seems to be leading to a goblin mob where no one can be trusted. This is going to take courage and street-smarts for the two of them to survive in the places they will need to investigate. Can they find the missing supernaturals? Or have they been “disposed of” already by Redcap in the convenient Delaware River? An eyewitness can put Redcap at the scene of the crimes, but he denies everything. Are they going to have to walk away from this one? Or is there another way to get to the truth and live to tell about it?

[JammieDodger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fast-paced, enjoyable paranormal mystery / urban fantasy that had more twists and turns than the maze at Hampton Court Palace! I honestly wasn't sure what was going to happen next - and our FMC Dionne was a wonderful companion on this rollercoaster ride. The worldbuilding was particularly fascinating - this was not a stars and rainbows fairy tale but a gritty goblin led story, but lightened with the strong relationships that our FMC had with her mother and group of friends.
There was a satisfying conclusion to the current mystery but some unsolved questions which I hope mean we will be revisiting Dionne and her friends in another outing - and I for one will certainly be planning to join them.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is off to a fantastic start! Meet Dionne Cruz a Goblin witch who’s a PI operating in the magical shadows of Philadelphia. Things go awry when her business partner goes missing and she enlists the help of non magical detective Liam Wells to find him. It’s an exciting paranormal mystery brimming with suspense and intrigue as we dive into the depths of this paranormal world. Who is friend and who is foe, alliances are made, friendships are forged as secrets and lies come to light and I look forward to reading more.

[Educator · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974


Dionne is a half long. But she's not a Fae, she's a witch and a goblin. This an amazing start to the series. It is a fast read with romance, action and mystery elements. Can't wait for part 2.

[S. Wigget · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, LibraryThing and CityOwlPress, for the free ebook galley of Witchy Way to Murder by Adrienne Blake.

(Goodreads FINALLY let me log in after nearly a month... but only if I'm uaing my browser on my smartphone. No app and no laptop.)

Witchy Way to Murder by Adrienne Blake combines two genres: mystery and fantasy. It’s a whodunnit/detective story set in a slightly different reality in which humans are accustomed to Fae folk and magic.

This fantasy world includes witches, a diverse variety of Fae folk, and werewolves. The protagonist is half witch and half goblin—which is what makes this book truly original. I wouldn’t expect a main character to be a goblin or half goblin. This feels like the beginning of a series.

I appreciate that a couple characters are queer—a human and a goblin. But I wanted more.

The paranormal mystery novel is full of rich details about setting and characters. I also like background info like when Dionne reflects on how they got their private eye office (renting from a half-troll, half human). Great world-building and magic.

Once the initial dream scene is over, it’s clearly a quirky and humorous novel... never mind that the snarkiness isn’t my cup of tea. Snarkiness reminds me of the Midwest and perpetual playground bullies. Empathy-challenged people who are out of touch with their emotions. However, I’m sure this book/series will appeal more to people in their twenties and thirties, especially Midwesterners.

The protagonist used to be a cop, and one of the major characters is a cop who used to be her coworker. We need to stop writing, producing, and publishing copaganda. There’s waaaay too much of that. The system is broken and rooted in slavery.

The pixies are interesting—I especially like when they’re eating the muffin and drinking the sugar water, offerings. They remind me of hummingbirds. Well, talking humanoid hummingbirds.

“Gyp”? If that’s what I think it is, it’s a racist term against the Roma. Please don’t use words like “g*ped” or “G*psy.” They are slurs. Use Roma when referring to the people.

The observation that a woman has a bruise she’s trying to hide—followed by “I wonder what she did to Redcap to deserve that” really needs to be rephrased in a way that isn’t victim-blaming. Obviously she didn’t deserve to be physically assaulted by a murderous mobster. At minimum, “deserve” should be in quotation marks.

Ha, this book contains the phrase “the goblin market”! As in... Christina Rosetti. I’m guessing this was a deliberate reference.

[JaywhyGee Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has magic and spells galore. Main character, Dionne, is a part witch part goblin private investigator whose PI partner goes missing. She teams up with her non-magic friend, Detective Liam, to find her abducted PI business partner. They quickly dive into a whole goblin-mafia-mob-boss crime world where you don’t know who to trust.

What this book does not have is romance. Unfortunately from the blurb and since it was categorized under romance, I was expecting a paranormal romance with adventure and magic. For the HEA crowd: I would describe this as a first person single POV urban fantasy/mystery paranormal buddy cop series. There are goblins, werewolves, witches, pixies, jinns, and more magical creatures, but there is no romantic counterpart.

There were many things that confused me. I found myself wondering about the age of Dionne, and where & when the story was set. References Dionne used did not seem 20-something because on one hand she referenced “Kelly Garrett from the original Charlie’s Angels” and Betty Crocker, and having a phone landline in her apartment, and the business having an answering service but then on the other hand she had a MacBook and mentioned taking an Uber. The story is supposed to be set in Philadelphia but the characters used phrases that sounded not-American like “who do you fancy for it?” or “now I’m having a nice cup of tea and a natter” or “popped your clogs.”

At one point Dionne thought “I didn’t bother mentioning that he was as gay as a yellow silk handkerchief” and I googled it and I still don’t get it.

You might like this if you like a new paranormal crime solving series where there is urban fantasy and mayyyybe a potential romantic interest in the far far future. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goblin/Witch UF x Cozy Mystery? Count me in.

This book starts with a bang, literally. When Dionne, the FMC half-goblin/half-witch, is visiting a friends store, it's attacked and she better figure out what they're looking for before they do. Along the way we meet her human friend, and current detective Liam, her witch mother, and a supernatural cast, and you better watch out for the goblin mafia.

What brought me in to reading this book was that it is a cross between Urban Fantasy/Cozy mystery, and I particularly enjoyed that we see a half-goblin/half-witch mix which is really unusual. It combines some of my favorite types of book and especially in the second half of this book it was really easy to immerse yourself in this world. There are some areas where the pacing might feel a little off, but if you stick with it to the second half it picks up.

Overall I'd rate this a 3.5/5, but I would definitely pick up the next book in the series to see what happens next.

Type: Urban Fantasy/Cozy Mystery
FMC:: Dionne - half goblin/half witch partner of The Goblin Dicks Paranormal Detective Agency (WHY THIS NAME?!), ex-police
What is being solved?: 1st half of book - Why a place was ransacked, 2nd half -Why the mob boss was killed
Clear Wrap up of Mystery: Mostly, it felt like there were some loose ends, some of which would set up for a sequel
Romance: None, potentially hinted at

Thanks to Netgalley and City Owl Press for the ARC

[KS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining read.

New author to me and the start of a new series - double bonus!! This was an interesting read. It has lots of paranormal elements, including witches, goblins, and your regular humans as well as some surprises.

Dionne and Harrison are partners in their own private investigator agency and former cops. There is an explosion and an abduction which leads Dionne and the handsome Detective Wells (aka aforementioned human) to investigate with the help of an unexpected character. All things point to the goblin mob capo, but what ensues will leave you guessing.

There are several elements in this story which keeps you interested. And Dionne has a couple of amorous choices for future opportunities which I look forward to. This does end with an interesting setup for the next story (a bit of a jaw dropper), so I am already looking forward to Book 2.

Entertaining paranormal adventure for sure!

I voluntarily requested and read an advance reader copy.

[Lauren Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd book. I'm very much into a good paranormal procedural however this one had a few off points for me. Most of the characters talked like they were out of a film noir movie but not in a well thought out way. It just didn't feel right with a modern US city sort of vibe. There was also the fact I could tell the author was a transplant from the UK before reading the bio. The language choices like with words like rasher, lead, etc. These aren't words someone from the city portrayed in the book would speak. And while the author may indeed speak that way the main character gave no reason why she talked and thought like a Brit. Having taught English for many a year that bugged me. The plot was pretty see through and the characters were so shallowly written that I really didn't see any reason why I should root for them. All in all it was an okay book, but not one of my favorites to date.

[Kcaroth1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This first-in-a-series novel is a lot of fun! Set in Philadelphia with both "normies" and various paranormal folk, it features mostly goblins as the main characters. This took me a while to get used to, since my mind usually conjures up small, misshapen creatures rather than attractive people who may or may not tend toward green skin, but it works.
The mystery was decent--I actually didn't guess who did it--although it did seem fairly obvious once the murderer was revealed. I think I might not have been paying close attention.
As some others have noted, some Britishisms did make their way into the story which seemed a little odd, and occasionally pulled me out of the narrative.
This is an interesting mix between cozy paranormal mystery and more gritty urban fantasy with a potential for romance, likely a triangle.
The touches of humor, the FMC's relationship with her mom, and the goblin mob succession issues have me intrigued enough to pick up the next installment.

[Laura Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book by Adrienne Blake! Dionne, a goblin witch, her PI partner Harrison, and Warlock Derek, antique shop owner, find themselves in the middle of a magical mob attack. Harrison and Derek are kidnapped so Dionne works with Officer Liam Wells, a police academy classmate, to rescue them and the story unfolds from there. I liked the author's humorous writing style --- Goblin Dicks Paranormal Detective Agency is just an example. The story was fast paced with well written characters and kept my interest until the end. I look forward to reading more of Dionne's adventures with Harrison, Derek, Liam and maybe Jordan. You'll have to read the book to see where Jordan comes in.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dionne Cruz is a half goblin with the ability to go a bit more green, or a bit less

in a crossroads of magical and mundane societies, she has her witchy heritage at the tip of her wand

a mystery involving her private detective partner and a local warlock shop owner reveals species and size prejudices and rules among various underworld or mob elements

power structures are examined and sometimes destroyed, while secrets and lies are revealed and Dionne and a few friends and associates come close to death

weirdly steamy, humorous and unusual friendships and alliances, likes, loves and losses that break all the rules

[R J Mckay · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a bomb explodes in a local second-hand shop, private detective Dionne Cruz finds herself drawn into the investigation. The case really belongs to police detective Liam Wells, but between the two of them, they possess the skills and street smarts to suss out the culprit. Dionne is part Goblin and part witch giving her unique abilities and inside knowledge about the case.

Interesting characters and end-edge-of-your-seat exploits make this fast-paced and fun. There are hints of romance, a good dose of magic, a smattering of intrigue, and a bit of snark in the story. It all equals a fun tale. I’ll look forward to future books in the series.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is one I’ve wanted to read for a long time, so I was excited to get access to this book. I’m fond of urban fantasy, and this book did really fit that bill. It was engaging, fun, and interesting, and I really liked the characters, especially Dionne’s mother. I think there’s a story in Dionne’s parents’ past, and I’m wondering if that will be in future books. The only thing that bothered me in this book was how much at the beginning was the excessive use of the word “goblin.” That slacked off, though, and the book really flowed. I’m excited to read more in this universe in upcoming books. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Ashley Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was so much fun! This was a cute, cozy mystery with ex cop and paranormal twist. Dionne is a part witch/ part goblin, Dionne can do magic and has goblin traits. As she is no longer a cop, she’s now a private investigator. The mystery kicks off after her kettle does; when she, her partner, and the shop owner are blown up while picking out a new one. I liked the plot in this a lot, and I’m wondering about book 2 now- will we find out who wanted Dionne dead or why?

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know, I felt like the story was a bit flat. The characters don’t have a lot of dimension, and doesn’t really utilize the different species aspect, and introduced characters that did nothing the whole story. . Otherwise it did move the plot along and I didn’t suspect the killer but that was because the important piece of information wasn’t given until the last part of the book. I wouldn’t read it again. #WitchyWaytoMurder #NetGalley

[Katja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this cozy paranormal mystery. Dionne is a half goblin witch who works as a private investigator. She's looking for a kettle in a magic shop when they're attacked by a spell. Later her business partner goes missing and in the course of the investigation someone turns up dead. I enjoyed the characters and the understated humour. I did not see the solution coming. I received a booksprout copy and this is a voluntary review.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Rounded to 4 Stars

I’m a huge fan of Paranormal Detective books and this one was great. I love the easy mystery of the book and that it wasn’t super heavy. It’s a quick and cozy read and i was able to read it over two days. It was well written and had an easy flow. I enjoyed the Paranormal aspect of the books and all the different characters. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice urban fantasy. The story revolves around a half goblin/half human female PI. I enjoyed the clever female lead. Can be read as a stand alone; there is a cliff hanger but this story line is complete. Thank you to City Owl Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given.

[Rebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

New author for me. Plenty of paranormal elements, plus regular old humans. Entertaining for those who like paranormal. Cliffhanger. A new paranormal mob, Goblins. It reads more toward YA. A satisfying conclusion to the current mystery but some unsolved questions.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Szlachcic · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoy books featuring paranormal creatures , witches , magic , with mysteries thrown in then this light hearted book is right for you ......... make a note there are no romantic entanglements
The book needed some time to draw me in ..........but I persevered and found it enjoyable overall
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Korin: A Crone Running Amok · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely correct. It was a FUN read. Half witch half goblin PI is the main character. A djinn, a wizard, the goblin mafia (you read that right), pixies . . . vandalism, kidnappings, a murder. Whew! And it all hangs together. A wild & fun ride from behind to end.

[Cary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I see a new book from Adrienne is out, my heart does a little happy dance. Her books are always awesome and this one is too. I loved the characters and the story and also that there will be more!!!

[Liz G · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me at 15% because I knew by then that I couldn’t go the distance with the MC. She was immature and unintelligent. Such a shame!

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to get into this story. I liked the main character, Dionne is a ex police officer who is a smart accomplished half goblin/half human crime solver. The story was ok for me p but it struggled to hold my interest throughout the book. I loved the title and the cover.