Spellbound After Midnight

Ever Dark, Ever Deadly #1

by Jenna Collett

A spellbinding mystery leads an unlikely pair on the hunt for a killer.

Tessa Daniels needs a miracle. Preferably, the kind that comes with cold hard cash. Her magic shop is failing, and she'll be tossed into the street unless she clears her debt.

When a financial boon arrives in the form of a young woman determined to attend the prince's ball, a risky spell turns out to be the miracle she needed. That is until the woman is found dead at the stroke of midnight, and Tessa comes face-to-face with the kingdom's cold, and way too appealing, lead detective.

Detective Derrick Chambers has no use for the supernatural. As the rising star at the Royal Agency, he won't let magic, or the pretty witch that deals in it, get in the way of solving a murder.

His logic tells him to steer clear of Tessa's chaos, but a forced partnership soon turns into an attraction neither can resist.

With the body count rising, and the kingdom in a panic, an exposed secret will tear them apart and put Tessa in the sights of a killer where no amount of magic can save her.

Spellbound After Midnight is an enemies-to-lovers, slow burn romance, with a puzzling mystery, strong female heroine, and fairy tale elements.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Paranormal, Magic, Fantasy Romance, Witches

393 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 2, 2020

About the author

Author of paranormal romance with a fairytale twist. I'm currently writing a spin-off to the Ever Dark, Ever Deadly series that will release spring of 2025.

I also write paranormal rom-coms with the third book in the Witching You series coming out November 2025!

NEWSLETTER: https://witty-pioneer-5050.ck.page/39...
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/jennacollettauthor
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jenna...
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Jenna-Collett/...

As a reader, I enjoy all things romance, especially paranormal and fantasy. My all-time favorite series is the Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole. I also binge mysteries and thrillers, the spookier the better!

Let's chat about books!

Reviews

[kaylee ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished it!! this was a fun murder mystery/cinderella retelling read for October (even though I'm finishing it nearly a week into November 🤭). I picked this one randomly off of prime reading and ended up enjoying it! don't think it needed to be almost 400 pages long though.

~

wanted a book for Halloween, and prime reading recommended this so here we are 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Mahima · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

***ARC received in exchange of an honest review***

This was one of the best mysterious-romance I've read. This is my first book of the author but I would say her writing style is commendable.
The way this story flowed was mesmerizing. With each and every turn I could feel my excitement build up inside my heart.

Every character was so well establish. Being a mystery book the author has done really well to make the end as unpredictable as it could be, which has worked out really well. I loved Tessa from the page one. Her style, attitude, charisma was something else. Derrick on the other hand is so concentrated on his career that he forgot to have a personal life. When they both hit together sparks where all I could see.❤️❤️

The whole idea behind the story is very different. The whole set up of this kindgom with wierd characters which could see and talk to the ghosts added spices to the read.

Highly recommended.

[Darcey · Rating 4 out of 5]

this little fantasy mystery romance was so cute!! the plot was captivating and interesting, the characters had such brilliant personalities (i just wanted to give the fmc the biggest hug!!), and the romance was adorable. i flew through this in one evening! perfect proportions of fantasy, mystery, and romance, in my opinion.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tessa Daniels inherited her mother's magic shop when she died, and technically she's a witch, but let's just say that she might not be the best at magic. Not that it stop her from trying (a girl got to pay the rent and eat anyway😉). But she still had to borrow money and might now be in trouble. Surprisingly, not her biggest problem right now. Yesterday, a customer came for a spell and now Tessa just learned that the lady was murdered at the Prince's ball. The detective working the case is an handsome man (according to her friend), a cold and grim man (according to Tessa), but she's nothing but resourceful so Tessa will team up with him for the murder investigation.

For Detective Derrick Chambers, magic is mumbo jumbo and letting a stranger follow him on his case is certainly not his idea, but she's persistent and she have info he doesn't have. His job made him serious and lonely and both doesn't trust each other at first but the initial annoyance soon turn into awareness and attraction.

I didn't know what to expext when I started this book and what a great surprise it turned out to be! I love how Tessa and Derrick chemistry turned from irritation to a sense of well-being and like they found the person that were made for them. It's not that they changed through contact with each other, it was more that it helped them reach their true potential and bring to light some traits they couldn't use with other people before. Like it was already in them but they needed someone worthy of them to let it shine. The genre and era was less clear for me though. Pretty sure we can label it Paranormal Romance (because magic + some other paranormal element + romance) but I wish it was more present and to learn more about how this World work. Also, a few details says Steampunk to me. But I love that the fairytale retelling that will be part of the series was not about the romance but the murder investigation. Last but not least, a lot of the secondary characters were great addition and really happy to know Tessa's friend is next because she had an interesting presence.

[ß]

Concept was sooo very cool but I can’t do it I can’t the smallest hint of corniness takes me out of the romance ☹️

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 or 3.5 stars? 🗡️🔮🥀 Spellbound After Midnight is an easy-to-devour murder mystery with a fun cast of characters, limited world building (not a fault), spooky but not scary developments (easily scared 🙋🏻‍♀️), and cracked-black-pepper level spice 🌶️ (also not a fault- TBH closed door & less romance would’ve been preferable). The MC’s growth and emotional vulnerability is well done throughout many elements of the story, but even with interesting conflict within the relationship, the lack of romantic ambiguity overall was too saccharine for my taste.

Bringing me to my main qualms: The romance thread itself (it’s the genre I know), & The love interest (not a spoiler- see: genre), who is a cop Detective, and his love language is cop. to control. Protect! Although this trait is supported within the story, his words & actions kept pinging my warning radar 🚩 Also, in trying to contextualize language & behavioral choices, it felt glaring to me that we don't see him interact with any female peers. As it stands, the man has a female Love Interest, Suspects, Subordinates, and A Job To Do!™️ To be fair, I commend that the protagonist doesn’t suddenly gain a physical skill set with which she is able to perfectly defend herself.

Also don’t get me wrong- I love high stakes, fear of loss, and emotional tragedy, but no more stories where a man’s outbursts of anger are ‘because of' love for and/or pacified by the recipient of said anger, please. or at least not with such an imbalanced power dynamic

This book also suffers from:
• ‘Supporting Characters Arriving at Doorstep to Deliver Plotpoint’ although to be fair, I didn’t mind - fits a cozy ~Come Along To Solve This~ vibe ☕️
• ‘Witchcraft! You know, Candles & Sage!’ also Seances are Candles & Sage™️
• Disappointing final 20ish% at which point I felt less emotionally connected and honestly a little confused by the conclusion

This book delivers:
• A clever protagonist whose journey is *not* My Skills Are Mid But Oops I Became The Best (🙏🏼)
• Humor and Friendship! I could take or leave the rest of the series for fun, light reading, but I will make an effort if Viv is a MC
• Fantasy Ball 💃🏻 Love to see it
• About 5 seconds each of Enemies to Lovers & Contract Relationship
• YA/New Adult vibes (in the best way) for an easy, immersive read

Overall, there’s a lot of fun for fairytale lovers to enjoy in Spellbound After Midnight but I think it’d be best received by fans of the romance genre 🪦

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 stars. I really enjoyed that. Cinderella… except if Cinderella was murdered at the ball. Fun story.

I struggled with the heroine’s need to lie about everything. But appreciated the character development.

Swoony romance.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Kingdom of Ever, Tessa is the worst witch--ever. Her spells are catastrophes, her clients are demanding their money back, and so is her debtor. However, when her last client ends up dead, Tessa has a whole new set of problems, and she has a deadline to pay up or her bill will become past due indefinitely.

Here's what I didn't like: Cloaks do NOT have sleeves. It is widely accepted that the one thing cloaks and capes have in common is that they are a sleeveless garment. The last quarter of the book wasn't as polished as the rest of the book, and honestly, it felt a touch unbalanced--the main focus was Tessa and her relationship with Derrick, and once that got squared away, the rest of the plot happened, and it's also when the book didn't feel as polished, too. I pinned the culprits right away. Sometimes, they spoke funny, or used far too modern turns of phrases. Some things felt a little up in the air that Tessa didn't resolve, some personal stuff, in any case.

Here's what I liked: Tessa is flawed and likable. She's funny and this book was a light read.

Overall, this was an easy read, but I felt it was too long.

[Micheal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st novel in the series, "Ever Dark, Ever Deadly" by author; Jenna Collett. This is also my first read by this author. The first couple chapters I thought...."Oh no.....not another retelling of a Disney Princess story" but I kept reading anyway and it was not what I was expecting at all. I actually enjoyed reading this novel. I loved the characters and the chemistry, some parts had me chuckling. A very intriguing paranormal romantic mystery that really keeps the reader wanting to find out what happens. The author did an excellent job in writing this story. I look forward to reading more from her. I would highly recommend giving this novel and author a try. It will certainly keep you entertained.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 35%

Too many heated gazes and accidentally falling into his arms. So far, being able to talk to the ghost of the murder victim has not brought any insight to the case. The lead was both an unsuccessful witch and brilliant innovator. It felt inconsistent within the story.

I skipped to the end. The junior detective was the king's bastard son and killed everyone who got in his way or would expose him? I'm not sure what his plan was since I skipped 60% in the middle.

[Emmalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually pretty good.

[Gilwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je suis tombée sur cette lecture par hasard au détour d'une promo numérique. On m'avait vendu un combo "ennemies-to-lovers, slow burn, enquête et conte de fées" qui m'avait tout de suite attiré. Le résultat était au rendez-vous, avec un concept bien sympa en prime : Cendrillon se fait trucider au bal (oui, le fameux bal) et la sorcière un peu pas douée qui lui avait fait fourni le sort enchantant sa robe (mais pas le carrosse, parce que la citrouille a explosé 😅) va se retrouver mêlée à l’enquête, en compagnie d’un bien charmant détective un peu bougon. Si ça vend pas du rêve ça.
Un récit très efficace, une enquête plutôt bien ficelée, un duo qui tient la route et ce qu'il faut de petites émotions. Bref, une bonne lecture détente qui me donne envie de continuer la série. Le prochain tome part apparemment à la chasse au loup-garou, avec un autre couple qu'on a découvert dans ce premier opus.

[Kelsey 🦋 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The slump is over praise the lord.

This was a really cute and easy to read fantasy-murder mystery. Very easy going, fairly comical & likeable characters.

The actual writing was a bit… yeah but listen I’m not coming into this expecting a masterpiece right? I felt like it moved slow at times so if you’re not into slow-burns this isn’t for you.

No smut for my girlies out there wondering & if there was we’ll I skipped it because my frontal lobe has developed

[Kavi Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Randomly picked up this book and wasn’t expecting much. Unexpectedly a great murder mystery book + retelling of Cinderella with a few twists. Author’s writing style was different from most books of this genre but I loved it. Would recommend!!

[Lexie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It'll cost you Detective.

What a lovely book!

It reminds me a little of the magical fantasy-romances by Kathryne Kennedy (the Relics of Merlin series primarily), though this had a lighter, more mischievous tone overall.

Romance of course happened, with some fun nods to several fairy tales along the way. What I liked most however is that Collett built a world that felt living without telling us. While exposition existed, largely the world was felt and seen it moreso.

Tessa's glibness and Derrick's brooding intensity fit well together, however I do think the novel went a little overlong. Certain plot points could have been tightened. For instance Derrick and Tessa officially working together or during their investigation the red herring thrown out (considering some stuff later, that first red herring felt redundant and less organic).

The overall reason is fairly common, but some pieces relating to it are less so. I quite enjoyed this, though not sure I'll enjoy the next book given who the two lovers are.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbound After Midnight
ARC review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book has some characteristics of Cinderella. It's more like a murder mystery retelling of Cinderella. Which to me was very intriguing.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book. The leading lady is a witch, whose spells don't always turn out like she planned. The main guy is a detective, he is serious and very devoted to his work. The supporting characters were all so interesting and diverse. I enjoyed them all, especially the best friend.
I found this book to be an enjoyable read. It wasn't too complex and the romance was just right. I'm not a fan of books going pages and pages of emotional or sexual themes. This book does neither of those. I would have liked a bit more world building though. Something to set up how this world functions in relation to the views of magic. More on what time period it is or is that just how this world is. It felt like maybe the Victorian era with magic.
I found myself wishing that this series was already finished so I could immediately read the next book. Especially after it ended. No that's not saying this is a cliffhanger. This book wraps up the mystery that starts in this book, it just sets you up for the next one.
I would recommend this book to people who like the retelling of a classic story in a completely new way. I've read many Cinderella retelling books but none have put this kind of spin on it. I liked it. If you like romance but don't want to read pages of soft porn then read this. If you like books about witches that are not perfect but keep trying read this. Or just want a nice little book of a murder mystery with magic involved give this book a try.
I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book!

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a honest review in exchange for an ARC provided to me by the author.

I loved this book. It's a wonderful mix of paranormal romance with a fairy tale twist. I adore Tessa because she's not this all powerful, fated to be, only woman who can save the world character. She's real. She makes mistakes, finds it difficult, has good moments and bad ones. She's so relatable and I loved it! ❤️ And Detective Derrick isn't the macho stereotype, instead he's real. And behaves like a normal person, which makes me feel just a little bit in love with him. Tessa and Derrick are perfect together.

But the best part is the mystery. When Tessa first meets Ella, I wondered is this gonna be another Cinderella but with magic... But no! This is even better! 😍 Solving Ella's murder will keep you suspecting everyone, and even when I thought I knew who the killer was, I wasn't ready to put the book down.

This book made me angry, sad, laughing, fearful - basically the whole roller-coaster of emotions. The ending was absolutely perfect and makes we want to know what trouble Tessa is going to get into now. It's extremely well written and I'll definitely be following this series and author for more...🥰

[Kari Valdez · Rating 5 out of 5]

⁣
I downloaded Spellbound at Midnight awhile ago. I kept passing it over to read something else. Big mistake! Jenna Collette I loved your book. The chemistry between Tessa and Derrick is off the charts. They are such polar opposites. That’s why watching them come together made my heart sing.Tessa is a witch who is terrible at doing spells. She’s not always a follow the rules kind of girl. Derrick on the other hand is a detective and goes Straight by the book.⁣
⁣
I love how its like a “Cinderella”murder mystery. I totally didn’t figure who the killer was. There’s also a lot of side characters you will love. And there’s a positive message about believing in yourself.
⁣
I gave this book 5 stars. Highly recommend reading it. It’s free on Kindle Unlimited. And I already preordered the next one.

[mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This was such a fun read and one that I did in one sitting. I loved the chemistry between the main characters so much and the mystery wasn't too bad. The only thing I wasn't too into was how modern the text sounded. It kept taking me out of the time period it's supposed to be in.

I'm glad that this was the book I wrapped up my 2020 reading with. Can't wait to continue the series.

[Alex (HEABookNerd) · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPELLBOUND AFTER MIDNIGHT was such a unique and creative spin on a Cinderella retelling. What if Cinderella goes to the ball and ends up murdered and now the "fairy godmother" who isn't that great at magic is a suspect? The pacing was great and the story engaging and I never felt like any part of this lagged. Throw together a slow burn romance, an intriguing murder mystery, a suspicious Prince Charming, and a crime lord looking for his money and this was a lot of fun to read!

I especially liked Tessa and enjoyed her POV; she's determined, sarcastic, and self-deprecating. At the beginning she's pretty hard on herself for her lack of magical skills and I liked that we see her grow more emotionally strong as the book went on. She doesn't suddenly become great at magic but she does learn to use what she has and find a better purpose for herself. There's a lot of resilience in Tessa's character and she's an easy MC to root for.

Detective Derrick Chambers is investigating the murder and he butts heads with Tessa right away. Derrick is a by-the-books, rule follower who's dedicated to his job and not used to letting anyone get too close. I wasn't sure about Derrick as a love interest at first but once his subtle humor and true personality started to shine through I loved him. Tessa definitely throws him for a loop and knocks him out of his comfort zone and I was enjoying every minute of it.

While the romance between Tessa and Derrick was a slow burn with very mild spice, I still loved every second of it! The flirting between these two was so delicious and fun and they had amazing chemistry from the start. The banter was top notch and they were both equally witty and that just bounced back and forth between them perfectly. The side characters were dynamic and genuine and helped build the story instead of just being 2 dimensional props for the MCs. I especially loved Tessa's friend Vivian and I can't wait to read her book next!

Content Warning: past death of a sibling

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

The vibes:
- A witch and detective
- Cinderella reimagining
- Magic gone wrong
- Secrets and lies
- Open door

My thoughts:
He thinks she’s a suspect. She charms her way onto his case. Neither are ready for the sparks that fly.

This is a murder mystery with a romance on the side. This combination resulted in a fast-paced dynamic with a really great blend of depth while maintaining a lighthearted feeling.

The details of the murder case and who did it was hard for me to connect all the dots, but this book is what I would consider one to read for the vibes. The vibes are PERFECT for a fall read. I loved the tie-ins of the Cinderella fairy tale. And I really enjoyed seeing a detective working with a witch to solve a crime.

Overall this was a fun, spooky read perfect for the ‘BER months.

Note- open door (1 brief scene); Around half way - there’s a brief scene where a ghost possesses someone else’s body. At 90% there’s another possession that takes place that is planned and intentional. It’s brief. It’s not possession by a demon but of a spirit of someone who died. But wanted to note this for other readers who may have concerns.

[Nezha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A murder mystery in a dark fairytale-like setting?? Sign me tf up.

Okay, imagine (Cinder)Ella comes to you for an illusion spell - you whip up a beautiful gown and glass slippers and she happily goes to the royal ball... but the next morning you find out that she was murdered and you're one of the suspects.

This is basically what Tessa has to deal with - she wants to solve the murder, purely for the monetary reward of course, and the cynical detective she has to work with is annoyingly attractive...of course 🙂‍↕️

Tessa is so endearing with her clumsy magic, and the mystery aspect was so well written! I also love that the side characters get their own stories in the next books - and each book twists the elements of classic fairytales in a really unexpected way 👌🏻

I'd definitely recommend this series, all of the books so far have been 5 stars for me. These are (interconnected) standalones but they have to be read in order for the best experience 🤗

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Likes
- the friendship between Tessa & Viv
- how Tessa manoeuvred herself onto the investigation, seizing the opportunity of the Prince's appearance
- how Tessa teases Derrick and brings him out of his workaholic tendencies while still helping and staying focused on the case
- how Tessa & Derrick both bring out the better qualities in each other
- how Derrick sees and cares for Tessa
Not so keen on
- Tessa's constant harping on what a failure she is although I get why she thinks that and that her journey & self discovery are a major point of the story
- that Tessa didn't tell Derrick about Argus
Also I had my suspicions about the killer (altho not the motive) from moment Sophie appeared.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! I got it for free on my kindle and kind of expected it to be some cheesy poorly written fairytale retelling. However it blew my expectations out of the water! Don’t get me wrong it is a cheesy fairytale retelling, but the authors writing style is so good! The characters are so funny and relatable. First time in a while I actually laughed out loud reading! I absolutely loved the murder mystery aspect! This is definitely more of a romance book with a side of murder mystery, but that’s what I was looking for. However it still felt like the mystery aspects weren’t like rushed or just thrown together, it was pretty predictable, but I don’t always think that’s a bad thing. Overall a funny & easy little read. I immediately bought the second book in the series!

[Heather Blackburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so mad about how much I loved this book because now, even though I have at least 50 physical books to read (and more ebooks) I have to finish this series.

Cute little mystery/detective novel with a splash of romance and witches? And then she threw in some little fairy tail bits where you’re like “I see what you did there” and you’ve got a recipe for a fun book. Also loved the friendship between the FMC and her best friend. So relatable.

[Chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been on my list for what feels like forever! I'm so glad I finally picked it up. Perfect from start to finish. Tessa is hilarious and poor Derrick didn't know what to make of her. I loved watching Tessa annoy and frustrated Derrick. He fell hard for her though. He fought it but eventually, he fell. I'm so happy with how this book turned out. Can't wait to get to the rest of the series.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this story!! Poor Tessa, she's a bit down on her luck. When someone dies after Tessa placed an illusion on her, her luck goes from bad to worse because she's a suspect and the detective assigned doesn't look to fondly on witches.
I liked the world Collett built with her fairy tale reimagining. It was fun, detailed, and interesting. Tessa is a great character, she has lots of heart and always tries to do what's right, even if it's a little on the dumb side of choices. She also has a hilarious wit and I enjoyed her inner dialogue. Derrick was a bit of a grump, but I loved his and Tessa's interactions together!!
Romance-wise I'd describe it as sweet with heat.
It is a great book and fans of mysteries/romance and magic will enjoy it!!

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I’ve ready by this author and she didn’t disappoint. Although it was a fairytale mystery story the heroine had me laughing with her comments and the slow burn romance had me smiling for most of the book. It’s a 5 book standalone series and I plan to read them all. I gave it 4 stars because I would’ve loved to read the Detective’s POV.

[Ellie Barbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 - I wish I had read this book closer to Halloween, I think I may have enjoyed it more then? The Cinderella inspired romance/murder mystery plot was really fun so I’m not sure what about it didn’t fully click for me. I almost DNF’d in the first two chapters, but did get more into it as the story went on. If you enjoy fairytale inspired stories though you’ll like this one!

[Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I’ve gotten in a bad habit of forgetting to review books until after I have forgotten them.

I enjoyed this book it was a fun mystery retelling of Cinderellas godmother. It was a good amount of fun and fantasy.