Schooled in Murder: Witches of Archer's Hollow

by Constance Barker, Savannah Mills

Discover Archer's A Place Where Magic Isn't Just a Fairy Tale.

Where shadows whisper secrets and relics hold untold power...

Fiona Byrne is back in town, but this isn't the Archer's Hollow she once knew. As she inherits Aunt Agatha's quaint cottage, she's thrust into a whirlwind of enigma. Why is Aunt Cassandra so keen on driving her away?

Dive deep into a world where friends may be foes, where an ancient society of witches protects powerful relics, and where Fiona's lineage might just be the key to it all.

When a precious relic vanishes and the scent of murder fills the air, can Fiona embrace her latent witch's prowess to combat a looming darkness?

The handsome journalist, Levi, involves himself in the murder mystery and Fiona's business. Will he be friend or foe? Or something more?

281 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 5, 2023

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate giving reviews like this, but I simply despised this book. I didn't like the main character, the feline familiar was smart, but only until something happened and he could no longer talk. He also had no snark. Cats have snark. Familiars or not. I grew so bored or so in need of distraction through so much of this book I completely lost the thread of what was happening. And unfortunately didn't care enough to reread what I had lost. It was choppy. It did not flow smoothly. About this book says she inherited her cottage from her aunt, yet the story says it is her grandma. She was introduced as an archeologist, yet the majority of the rest of the book states she is an anthropologist. Those are different. Yes, you can be both, but she should be introduced as such then. She argued with her possible love interest at one point and I don't even know what about because there was almost no lead up to it. She seemingly just blew up on him. Her cousin was a little creepy, her aunt was a horror and then at the end of the book, apparently she's given the name of the bad guy, but the readers are not let in on that secret. Even though it states he was someone she once trusted. So... I am sorry to say I was extremely disappointed by this book and the only reason I finished it was because it was all I had downloaded while driving for work. Maybe others will enjoy it, and for the author's sakes I do hope so, but I will not be continuing this series.

[Melanie Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiona's life changes completely when her search for old bones becomes a search for dark magic. It amazed me how quickly she accepted who she was and who she was meant to be. The author points out parallels between her world as an anthropologist and her world as a witch so maybe she always knew she was something different. Those parallels and ties between her 2 worlds keep the book moving and added to my understanding of her quick acceptance of witch craft. Miles was an awesome addition providng Fiona a mentor and a friend when the betrayals hit. I think Levi will play an important role in the future and he definitely got both my and Fiona's attention hitting on her at a funeral. Considering, however, their first date was to a crime scene, they bonded quickly as friends and maybe....

We know Cassandra was evil. Her rotten heart was very apparent from word one and I think we were too believe she is the big bad and maybe she still is but her role in the ending was no more than thinly veiled threats. The author left a lot of strings tangling leading to a cliffhanger of sorts. I wasn't convinced if I would read the next book right away or wait as I have a read a lot of cozies of late. By leaving a cliffhanger and making sure she had my interest changed by plans. I would recommend reading this book but I would wait until you can get both one and two then binge them together.

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

[Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing to me

I’ve been dreading writing this review, because it wasn’t what I had expected. I had expected to love it! But I am always honest, so I have be honest here too: this wasn’t for me. Why not? Well, the story starts in a way that makes me think I missed something. Not a good start. This is book 1, so that feeling shouldn’t be there, but maybe I missed a prequel? I felt there wasn’t enough background. And actually, not enough feelings either, I’d’ve loved to get to know Fi better through her experiences and feelings, but that didn’t happen. Aunt Cassandra was a tad too mean. The conversations felt just a little unnatural, and the whole thing didn’t feel all that realistic. And I crave that, the feeling that things *could* be real, even though there obviously are magical elements, that allows me to escape. But this sadly didn’t. Something is off, I think the focus was too much on being practical. So yes, the worst for me was that the feelings were described in a way that still felt practical, distant, and I didn’t feel them. I was being left out.

Having said all that, the story was intriguing and exciting, even though not quite as exciting as I had thought.

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our heroine is back in town based on an inheritance from her aunt, but things are much different from what she remembered. She is going to have a much larger role in events than she anticipated and it is going to require learning some new skills just to keep afloat. Oh, and to solve a murder.

This is book one of the series, so all good there.

This is a cozy witch mystery with all that entails. The story is well written and easy to read with a well developed setting. The characters are also well done and provide an excellent cast to work with. This one does not pack in as much humor and silliness as some others of this genre, but it certainly provides an intriguing mystery which will keep things moving along nicely. Overall, this was a fun and engaging story and I look forward to more in the series.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.

[Judy Gittleson Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiona is an anthropologist who returns to Archers Hollow to her Aunts cottage. She starts to find things about her family and her heritage that change her life. She is a witch and her other aunt wants her gone. Friends arrive to help as several people are murdered and her heritage becomes known. Loved the characters, personalities, backstories and banter. The storyline was fun with lots of drama, some danger, entertaining situations and even a romantic connection. Several mysteries are not answered in this book so they must continue through the series. Totally enjoyed this book and can not wait for the next one.

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

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schooled in Murder is book #1 in the Witches of Archer's Hollow series by Constance Barker & Savannah Mills.

Fiona Byrne returns to Archer’s Hollow and decides to stay after inheriting a home and business from her grandmother, Agatha. She also learns she is a witch

This was an interesting book. Fiona has a lot to learn in order to save the town from dark forces. Things don’t always work as planned but she promises Miles, her familiar, to be careful. I love Miles! I suspect who is at the root of the evil doings, but I need to keep reading the series to know for sure. And, like Fiona, I’m not sure who she can trust.

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

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiona finds herself in the unenviable position of disposing of a home and business left to her by the sudden death of her grandmother

it becomes clear to Fiona that she needs to settle herself, her skills, her calling, and a mess of hazards to her family, coven and town

sorting out family, friends and foes reveals itself to be tricky, as several different parties and groups follow their own agendas

murder whodunnit meets epic power grabs and clashing folks trying to help resolve the challenges and bringing possible threats to each other along the way

intense and dramatic paranormal action and adventures

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character, Fiona, finds herself smack dab in the middle of what was previously unknown to her - the hidden magical part of the world. Specifically, the magic in her hometown. We, along with Fiona, meet Miles, the talking cat, and begin to unravel her lineage and discover her abilities.

Fiona has many things to figure out. Among them, there are perilous thingd afoot in her old hometown, multiple mysteries to solve, and she has to learn who she can trust - out of known "friends" and new acquaintances.

This is an enjoyable story.

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

[Mike Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

entertaining Paranormal cozy mystery series

This is a new paranormal cozy mystery series. Great cast of characters and an entertaining storyline. Fiona is an anthropologist/archaeologists who left town to go off and asked Lauren her own. Her grandmother passed away and she has inherited her house in antique shop. When Fiona returns She soon finds out that she has inherited a bit more than just her grandmothers house and shop. She also inherited her grandmothers legacy of magic. Unfortunately there are dark forces out to destroy our town and the legacy. Read on and see where this new adventure leads.

[Annalisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well written cozy sets the tone for a brand new series. Fiona is an anthropologist and budding witch. She found out about her legacy after her grandmother passed away leaving her a home. There have been strange happenings in town and now there has been two murders. Fiona and Levi are on the case. I really liked all the twists and turns. The characters are delightful and the story is so easy to read. I read through it in a couple hours. I thought it was light hearted and a quite interesting read.

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

[Kelley Kingman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The secrets of Archers Hollow

The secrets and intrigue find Fiona as she returns to Archers Hollow for her grandmothers funeral. She has also inherited her grandmothers cottage and business. When a reporter wants to talk to her about the symbol that was near her grandmothers body when she was discovered. Fiona leaps in to the secrets that may lead her to who killed her grandmother.
This was a fast passed story that makes you to keep reading. This was very good for the first book in the series.

[Jennifer Laird-Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiona returns home on the death of her grandmother. She learns some interesting things about herself and her family. Will she uncover the secrets of Archers Hollow. Great characters. I would recommend this book.

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

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to be a fun series! I love that Fiona decided to keep her grandmother’s house and fight for her town. I am curious how she will deal with her Aunt Cassandra and the hostility there. I hope Fiona can trust Levi, that could be nice. I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading the next book!

[L KQ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very fun read filled with mystery, suspense, betrayal and truths. A paranormal setting of sorts blends into what was once considered normal to Fiona as her heritage is revealed.

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

[Rebecca Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A awesome book by author Constance Barker.
Fiona Is a wonderful character coming home to Archer Holler because of her grandmother's death. I loved reading this awesome book. Can't wait to read book two....

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

[Donna Burns · Rating 2 out of 5]

cute storyline, but the tale itself was missing something. For one thing, it was a bit odd that a