The Case of the Invisible Witch

Poison Ivy Charm School

by Patrice Lyle

Thirteen-year-old Tulip Bonnaire, Witch PI, runs Spells & Spies out of her dorm room at Poison Ivy Charm School, a school for polite witches and warlocks. She only has 72 hours to figure out her latest case, or her classmate Missy will never be seen again. The mean triplets who call themselves the Belles have cast an invisibility spell on Missy. If Tulip can't crack the case, Missy will remain invisible forever.

194 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2013

About the author

Patrice Lyle writes in a variety of genres that include holistic medical suspense, teen paranormal romance, and tween paranormal mystery. Her lifelong interest in natural health began when she was a nanny in Europe where she bought a homeopathic remedy for a sore throat at a drug store in England. She later earned a PhD in Holistic Nutrition and became a Certified Traditional Naturopath. Her other passion is creative writing, and she has an MA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. For further details, please visit her website at www.patricebooks.com.

Reviews

[Diana Blackstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like Harry Potter, 13-year-old Tulip Bonnaire attends a school for witches. But that's where the similarity ends. The Case of the Invisible Witch by Patrice Lyle is a fresh, fast-paced detective story for middle grades. Smart, spunky Tulip is a private investigator at the Poison Ivy Charm School ("the school for polite witches and warlocks"). Classmate Missy Ulums has been made invisible by the snooty "Belle" triplets (Anabelle, Isabelle, and Rosabelle). Missy has only 72 hours to find out what she did to offend the Belles, or she will be invisible forever. With the help of her friends, Soili, Alexandria, and the tech-savvy Dexter, Tulip sets out to solve the mystery and discovers it's a more complex case than she first thought. When I review middle grade and YA literature, I evaluate it on the basis of how I would have liked it at that age. I would have loved this book as a kid. I would have identified with Tulip's love of everything purple, sparkly, and chocolate. I would have been inspired by her courage and quick wits under pressure. The loyalty and support she and her friends give to one another is endearing and a great example of what friendship is meant to be.

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

While searching for books to give my niece and nephew on their birthdays, I came across this book. It sounded interesting, so I decided to buy it and read it for my self. It is directed at middle school age students, and is well written. Missy Ulums has been turned invisible by the beautiful but nasty Belle triplets. The mysteries uncovered while Witch PI Tulip Bonnaire investigates are compelling and complex. The cast of PI assistants is fun and surprisingly effective. This is a good book for 11-14 aged readers with an interesting interpretation of magic, spells, and values.
I enjoyed it and I know most readers in that age bracket will too. The great news is a second book is coming out in October, so I know what I am getting for Christmas presents as well!(After I read a copy first!)
Fun read that will give kids lots to think about.

[Jeannie Platt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to my boys... they always wanted to know what was going to happen next. It kept them entertained and they didn't even mind that Tulip was a girl. They loved the ghost parrot Chester... I also enjoyed this book as it was a fun read. Tulip tends to skirt the line between following the rules and breaking them to solve a case. She is spunky, has some issues with her magic, and is a true friend. She deals with things that most children boys or girls go through and I love that about her. At the end of the book there is excerpt of the second book in the series, which I plan on buying for my boys. Overall great children's book fit for kids ages 9-13.

* I received this book from the author in return for my honest review.