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Trouble Down Under #1.5
A Curse for Christmas
Christmas back home in Arkansas sounded like a chance to put my feet up for a few weeks. Little did I know that a magical calamity would threaten the big day.
You know the real kicker? It was Mom—a renowned magical healer—who came down with a mystery malaise on Christmas Eve. I couldn’t remember a time where she had anything worse than a sniffle. To see her bedridden scared me to my core.
To examine the facts and solve the case, I had to think fast before Mom’s condition got any worse. With a new werewolf beau in her life, half the town of Tumbling Springs were whispering behind Mom’s back, the loudest of them a hex witch with a nasty view of weres. On the other hand, a new business rival in the next town over had Mom’s healing services on the rocks. The question was—did either witch have enough motive to do something as awful as all that to Mom?
If you enjoy paranormal cozy mysteries with a seasonal Christmas flare, this holiday special is for you.
You know the real kicker? It was Mom—a renowned magical healer—who came down with a mystery malaise on Christmas Eve. I couldn’t remember a time where she had anything worse than a sniffle. To see her bedridden scared me to my core.
To examine the facts and solve the case, I had to think fast before Mom’s condition got any worse. With a new werewolf beau in her life, half the town of Tumbling Springs were whispering behind Mom’s back, the loudest of them a hex witch with a nasty view of weres. On the other hand, a new business rival in the next town over had Mom’s healing services on the rocks. The question was—did either witch have enough motive to do something as awful as all that to Mom?
If you enjoy paranormal cozy mysteries with a seasonal Christmas flare, this holiday special is for you.
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About the author
P.A. Mason
32 books299 followersPaula Mason is an author based in regional Victoria, Australia, and creator of Gretchen's (Mis)Adventures. She enjoys fantastical stories and faraway places as her creative outlet from her busy day job and (even busier) family.
By day Paula is a social worker and has a deep grounding in social justice and Child Protection. She works within her local Aboriginal community and is keenly interested in reconciliation and restorative justice.
To connect on social media you can find Paula over at the following platforms;
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pamasonauthor/
BookBub - bookbub.com/profile/p-a-mason
Amazon - amazon.com/author/pamason
www.pamasonauthor.com
By day Paula is a social worker and has a deep grounding in social justice and Child Protection. She works within her local Aboriginal community and is keenly interested in reconciliation and restorative justice.
To connect on social media you can find Paula over at the following platforms;
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pamasonauthor/
BookBub - bookbub.com/profile/p-a-mason
Amazon - amazon.com/author/pamason
www.pamasonauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
December 29, 2025
This was an audio book. I enjoyed listening to this story while laying in bed during this Christmas season.
February 1, 2024
I got this for free on Stuff Your Kindle Day; I thought it would be cute for Christmas so I downloaded it.
This is an add-on novella to the Trouble Down Under series, a series I haven't yet read but am now looking forward to. I've been loving cosy witchy stories lately...
A Curse For Christmas sees our MC, Kat, going home for the holidays and then having to solve the mystery of the unexpected hex on her mother. Since this is an add-on I cannot comment on character growth but I am loving the characters themselves.
Overall, this is a good story and, I'm sure, a great addition to the series; I enjoyed it enough to want to read more of this series, so there's that.
PS. Turns out I also have a copy of the prequel to this series, A Flytrap Fiasco, on my Kindle app which I downloaded the previous SYKD.
This is an add-on novella to the Trouble Down Under series, a series I haven't yet read but am now looking forward to. I've been loving cosy witchy stories lately...
A Curse For Christmas sees our MC, Kat, going home for the holidays and then having to solve the mystery of the unexpected hex on her mother. Since this is an add-on I cannot comment on character growth but I am loving the characters themselves.
Overall, this is a good story and, I'm sure, a great addition to the series; I enjoyed it enough to want to read more of this series, so there's that.
PS. Turns out I also have a copy of the prequel to this series, A Flytrap Fiasco, on my Kindle app which I downloaded the previous SYKD.
January 7, 2023
What could have been a great cozy mystery ,just seemed to be missing something , just seemed to drag a little in the middle section
July 30, 2025
Brilliant!
A lovely Christmas para-cozy! I particularly loved the way the different social issues are presented in the story and to see Kat and family coming together setting aside their differences.
A lovely Christmas para-cozy! I particularly loved the way the different social issues are presented in the story and to see Kat and family coming together setting aside their differences.
December 19, 2022
Simple, clean, and fun. It's an easy read and a getaway from life's super-speed highway.
This book is more suitable for teenage girls but right now, this is exactly where my mush brain is at closing out 2022!
Warm wishes to all. 👍
This book is more suitable for teenage girls but right now, this is exactly where my mush brain is at closing out 2022!
Warm wishes to all. 👍
December 27, 2022
A Curse for Christmas by PA Mason is part of the "Trouble Down Under" series of witchy cozy mysteries. The main character is Katerina "Kat" Crowe, a 'green' witch who has moved to Australia.
Kat makes the trek from Australia to be home in Arkansas for Christmas. Not only does she want to spend the holiday with family, but she is also keen to meet her mother's new boyfriend, Jerome, who is a werewolf. Witches and weres typically don't mix, and Kat hears about it when she stops at the local diner before she even arrives home. Another local witch makes a caustic comment about Jerome, but Kat ignores her and sets out on the final leg of her journey. The next morning her mother, who is a renowned healer, ends up taking to her bed with an illness--something unheard of in a healer. Kat's Gramma is convinced someone has hexed Sharon, and she plans to put an end to it. Although the Crowe women have some suspects in mind, they may need to look outside the box for who may have wanted to harm Sharon.
For once, the mystery didn't involve murder, which was a refreshing change of pace. There really wasn't much sleuthing going on; it was more like the women went off half-cocked as they sought to uphold their family's honor. The identity of the culprit was sort of handed to them, but they still needed to break the hex and avenge Sharon.
An okay read, but nothing special. Average score.
Kat makes the trek from Australia to be home in Arkansas for Christmas. Not only does she want to spend the holiday with family, but she is also keen to meet her mother's new boyfriend, Jerome, who is a werewolf. Witches and weres typically don't mix, and Kat hears about it when she stops at the local diner before she even arrives home. Another local witch makes a caustic comment about Jerome, but Kat ignores her and sets out on the final leg of her journey. The next morning her mother, who is a renowned healer, ends up taking to her bed with an illness--something unheard of in a healer. Kat's Gramma is convinced someone has hexed Sharon, and she plans to put an end to it. Although the Crowe women have some suspects in mind, they may need to look outside the box for who may have wanted to harm Sharon.
For once, the mystery didn't involve murder, which was a refreshing change of pace. There really wasn't much sleuthing going on; it was more like the women went off half-cocked as they sought to uphold their family's honor. The identity of the culprit was sort of handed to them, but they still needed to break the hex and avenge Sharon.
An okay read, but nothing special. Average score.
December 29, 2021
Clearing out a lot of these Xmas shorts I downloaded (and yesss I downloaded a lot for my vacation!)
Kat is back home for the holidays. Little did she know that a magical calamity was going to be waiting for her. Kat's mom - who is a renowned magical healer - has come down with a mystery sickness. Along with her family, they have to find who did it and how to cure her...before it is too late. There are a lot of suspects from Mom's new werewolf beau to the hex witch who hates weres. Maybe it is her Mom's rival? It can be literally anyone.
Hadn't read a cozy mystery in a hot min so this is precisely what the doctor ordered. A mystery and a small town with paranormal elements.
I am curious about this world. The author talked a little bit about it, but I am curious to learn more. I wonder if there will be more books down the line. I wouldn't mind following Kat around more and another character. I'm game!
But yes - I good mystery and I wasn't sure how they were going to resolve this. I certainly did worry for good ol' Mom!! Poor thing didn't deserve the curse.
Overall, this was a fun holiday read. Magic, curses, werewolves, and a mystery. I want to understand more about the world. More please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll give this 4 stars. Very good, but it needs more.
Kat is back home for the holidays. Little did she know that a magical calamity was going to be waiting for her. Kat's mom - who is a renowned magical healer - has come down with a mystery sickness. Along with her family, they have to find who did it and how to cure her...before it is too late. There are a lot of suspects from Mom's new werewolf beau to the hex witch who hates weres. Maybe it is her Mom's rival? It can be literally anyone.
Hadn't read a cozy mystery in a hot min so this is precisely what the doctor ordered. A mystery and a small town with paranormal elements.
I am curious about this world. The author talked a little bit about it, but I am curious to learn more. I wonder if there will be more books down the line. I wouldn't mind following Kat around more and another character. I'm game!
But yes - I good mystery and I wasn't sure how they were going to resolve this. I certainly did worry for good ol' Mom!! Poor thing didn't deserve the curse.
Overall, this was a fun holiday read. Magic, curses, werewolves, and a mystery. I want to understand more about the world. More please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll give this 4 stars. Very good, but it needs more.
August 19, 2024
A Curse for Christmas by P.A. Mason is a witchy cozy mystery story. It's part of the Trouble Down Under series but can be read
as a standalone.
Katerina Crowe, a green witch living in Australia, returns to her hometown of Tumbling Springs for Christmas. Her visit begins on a sour note when she encounters a nosy busybody gossiping about her mother's new relationship. Despite the rough start, Katerina enjoys reconnecting with her family. However, the holiday takes a dark turn when her mother is hexed, thrusting Katerina into a race against time to uncover the culprit before it’s too late.
This short story, set just days before Christmas, is filled with intrigue and mystery. The plot is both engaging and full of surprises, with unexpected twists that kept me guessing until the end. The characters are charming and relatable, with Grandma standing out as a particularly delightful presence. The ending, where the family comes together, was especially heartwarming.
If you're a fan of paranormal cozy mysteries, this book is definitely for you.
as a standalone.
Katerina Crowe, a green witch living in Australia, returns to her hometown of Tumbling Springs for Christmas. Her visit begins on a sour note when she encounters a nosy busybody gossiping about her mother's new relationship. Despite the rough start, Katerina enjoys reconnecting with her family. However, the holiday takes a dark turn when her mother is hexed, thrusting Katerina into a race against time to uncover the culprit before it’s too late.
This short story, set just days before Christmas, is filled with intrigue and mystery. The plot is both engaging and full of surprises, with unexpected twists that kept me guessing until the end. The characters are charming and relatable, with Grandma standing out as a particularly delightful presence. The ending, where the family comes together, was especially heartwarming.
If you're a fan of paranormal cozy mysteries, this book is definitely for you.
February 1, 2024
A quick, two-hour mystery, thriller & suspense short read. Kat decided to travel home from Australia for Christmas. Shortly after her arrival, she learns that her mom has a werewolf as a boyfriend. As witches and were-folk don't tend to mix, some townsfolk are riled up. When Kat's mom, a healer witch, comes down with a troubling, possibly magical, illness, Kat goes chasing about the town and its surrounding area for the culprit.
Like many cozy mysteries, the amateur sleuth seeks answers based on rumors and innuendos. Eventually, new information becomes available that leads to the true culprit. The treasure of this story is the zany characters and the rural Arkansas, witch culture setting.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Romantic. Scary. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
Like many cozy mysteries, the amateur sleuth seeks answers based on rumors and innuendos. Eventually, new information becomes available that leads to the true culprit. The treasure of this story is the zany characters and the rural Arkansas, witch culture setting.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Romantic. Scary. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
December 15, 2021
Back home for the holidays, our heroine is hoping to kick back and relax. Too bad trouble seems to follow her everywhere. Guess this is going to be a working holiday.
This is a cozy witch mystery story. The story is well written and easy to read with a some wonderful characters and a nicely developed setting. I really liked our heroine as she has a great sense of humor and a nice approach to tackling the mystery. The added holiday elements make the entire thing just a bit more fun. I enjoyed the opportunity to visit with our heroine once again and am definitely looking forward to the next story..
Highly recommended
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
This is a cozy witch mystery story. The story is well written and easy to read with a some wonderful characters and a nicely developed setting. I really liked our heroine as she has a great sense of humor and a nice approach to tackling the mystery. The added holiday elements make the entire thing just a bit more fun. I enjoyed the opportunity to visit with our heroine once again and am definitely looking forward to the next story..
Highly recommended
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
November 6, 2021
Kat comes home to Arkansas, all the way from Australia, to celebrate Christmas. Kat finds that her Mom is dating a wolf shifter. Not everyone in the witches community is ok with that. So when Mom gets sick and falls into a coma, it's up to Kat, Grandma and cousin Marissa to figure out which witch put a hex on Mom before she gets even more sick.
Do they find out who put the hex on Mom and reverse it? Does, Jerome, the beau, stick around now that Mom is ill? To find out the answers, to these questions, your going to have to read this book. It's an easy, enjoyable read with likeable (well most of them anyway) characters.
I volunteered a honest review in exchange for an ARC copy of this book.
Do they find out who put the hex on Mom and reverse it? Does, Jerome, the beau, stick around now that Mom is ill? To find out the answers, to these questions, your going to have to read this book. It's an easy, enjoyable read with likeable (well most of them anyway) characters.
I volunteered a honest review in exchange for an ARC copy of this book.
November 27, 2024
Fun Paranormal Mystery
As I enjoy Christmas stories, love the holiday season, and have found an obsession for cozy mysteries, this short story called to me. The fact it had witches and werewolves just drew me in more. Adding a touch of romance and a great family dynamic, I was captured.
I devoured this tale from cover to cover. I literally read it in hours, as it was promised I would; I didn't want to put it down. The few editing flaws didn't matter because the story was fun and the characters real. I loved it.
If you're looking for a quick read with a splash of holiday cheer, I recommend this book. It's quite enjoyable. It's a good mystery with a lot of sass!
As I enjoy Christmas stories, love the holiday season, and have found an obsession for cozy mysteries, this short story called to me. The fact it had witches and werewolves just drew me in more. Adding a touch of romance and a great family dynamic, I was captured.
I devoured this tale from cover to cover. I literally read it in hours, as it was promised I would; I didn't want to put it down. The few editing flaws didn't matter because the story was fun and the characters real. I loved it.
If you're looking for a quick read with a splash of holiday cheer, I recommend this book. It's quite enjoyable. It's a good mystery with a lot of sass!
November 11, 2021
This is the third time I’ve been in this Trouble Down Under series, and it is always a delight. In this latest, Kat is back home in Kentucky for the holidays, and things take a turn for the worse when a family member seems to have been cursed. She, her grandma, her mom’s boyfriend, and a couple others do some sleuthing to find the culprit and turn around the holidays. This was a fun, well-written cozy, and I always have a good time with this series. I can’t wait to see what the next full-length book holds when she returns home to Australia. Recommend.
November 12, 2021
Breaking the Curse . . .
Kat has returned home to Kentucky to celebrate the holidays with family. To her surprise, her mom is in a coma and it looks like she has been cursed. Kat, her grandma, and her mom’s werewolf boyfriend Jerome begin investigating to find out who did this and to stop it before it’s too late. Was it a witch who hates werewolves? Was it a rival healer jealous of her mom’s skills? Or something more nefarious? Time is running out. Can they find the perpetrator? Is there a way to break the curse?
Kat has returned home to Kentucky to celebrate the holidays with family. To her surprise, her mom is in a coma and it looks like she has been cursed. Kat, her grandma, and her mom’s werewolf boyfriend Jerome begin investigating to find out who did this and to stop it before it’s too late. Was it a witch who hates werewolves? Was it a rival healer jealous of her mom’s skills? Or something more nefarious? Time is running out. Can they find the perpetrator? Is there a way to break the curse?
November 14, 2021
A Curse for Christmas is a novella in the Trouble Down Under series by P.A. Mason.
Kat travels from Australia back home to Arkansas for Christmas. She’s wondering about her mom��s new love interest who happens to be a lone wolf. Then her mother, a healer, becomes ill. Not the homecoming Kat expected.
It’s a fun, quick read. There’s a lot going on and it will make you Christmas get-together seem tame.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Kat travels from Australia back home to Arkansas for Christmas. She’s wondering about her mom��s new love interest who happens to be a lone wolf. Then her mother, a healer, becomes ill. Not the homecoming Kat expected.
It’s a fun, quick read. There’s a lot going on and it will make you Christmas get-together seem tame.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
December 18, 2021
I don't normally like short stories. But I did enjoy this one. It had develop characters, a bit of humor, and a good storyline.
Kat has flown home to Arkansas from Australia to have Christmas with her mom, and to meet her mom's new boyfriend.
They stop to pick up a pie when they get to town, and Kat is confronted by a local witch about her moms (shifter) boyfriend.
A couple of days later her mom is severely ill, and it's obviously due to a curse.
The question is? Is this witch crazy enough to start a feud with one of the most powerful witches (Kat's grandmother) in the town.
Kat has flown home to Arkansas from Australia to have Christmas with her mom, and to meet her mom's new boyfriend.
They stop to pick up a pie when they get to town, and Kat is confronted by a local witch about her moms (shifter) boyfriend.
A couple of days later her mom is severely ill, and it's obviously due to a curse.
The question is? Is this witch crazy enough to start a feud with one of the most powerful witches (Kat's grandmother) in the town.
November 17, 2021
Christmas what a wonderful time of the year! Kat decides it will be perfect time for her to head home to Arkansas to visit family. She arrives home to find her mother, a renowned healer, comatose in bed. She has to work fast to find out who might have placed this hex on her mother. They form a team Kat, her Grandmother and cousin Marissa. Did a witch put a hex on Mom because they don’t like her dating a werewolf? Or is it the new business rival in the next town over had Mom’s healing services on the rocks? You will have to read the book to find out. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 8, 2021
Enters a were wolf
It seems as if all the stories of witches and other paranormal beings have their own mark of distinction, this one no less so. Kat travels half way around the world for Christmas and meets upon a family emergency. The manner in which the members of the family went about solving the problem was very haphazard, without thought. The book was readable, short with likeable if hot headed characters.
It seems as if all the stories of witches and other paranormal beings have their own mark of distinction, this one no less so. Kat travels half way around the world for Christmas and meets upon a family emergency. The manner in which the members of the family went about solving the problem was very haphazard, without thought. The book was readable, short with likeable if hot headed characters.
December 24, 2021
Surprisingly good; short and sweet
This cozy mystery has a Christmastime setting AND witches?!? This was a great, super quick read that I downloaded as a lark and turned out to really enjoy. The characters are likable, the world is both familiar and supernatural, and the short length means the author could skip all the laborious world-building in favor of just presenting the facts. I'll be on the lookout for more stories by this author.
This cozy mystery has a Christmastime setting AND witches?!? This was a great, super quick read that I downloaded as a lark and turned out to really enjoy. The characters are likable, the world is both familiar and supernatural, and the short length means the author could skip all the laborious world-building in favor of just presenting the facts. I'll be on the lookout for more stories by this author.
December 25, 2025
I enjoyed the story of this book, but I will say I am not a fan of the AI narration. Especially with a story that involves werewolves. (The AI kept pronouncing it "were" instead of like "where".)
But, pronunciation aside, the story was a nice quick cozy mystery, with witches, werewolves, magic, hexes, and familiars. I do plan on looking for more of this authors books, just probably not in audiobook form.
But, pronunciation aside, the story was a nice quick cozy mystery, with witches, werewolves, magic, hexes, and familiars. I do plan on looking for more of this authors books, just probably not in audiobook form.
November 6, 2021
Kat has flown home to Arkansas for Christmas. She finds that her mother has a new male in her life, a werewolf. Some people are unhappy about it & when her mother is grievously ill (someone who as a healer is never sick) it’s a big worry as to who has done this evil thing. Eventually Kat realises where the threat has come from & they can deal with it. And they certainly do.
November 12, 2021
Great Novella! Kat Goes home for Christmas. Her mom is in a coma, and she needs to figure out who did it, with help from her family. I love the characters! This is a great series that I highly recommend! A fun read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 30, 2021
This was a fun novella for the holidays. The characters are engaging (especially Gramma) and the plot moves right along. Ms. Mason manages to pack a lot of action into a short read. If you haven't tried any of this series I highly recommend it. Well played Ms. Mason!
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
December 8, 2021
This was a clean fast read. A lot of talk, a lot of witch smack talk by grannies to each other. Some of the book chapters were supposed to humourous, but this reader did not find any of it amusing. The characters in the family had so much more potential. That is why the gaps were so disheartening.
March 26, 2022
What a lovely Christmas
Wow! This was another great story be P.A. Mason. A fun family of witches are getting together for Christmas along with one of the witches boyfriend, a werewolf. But something goes very wrong. Everyone works together to figure out the mystery. A great mystery and another book which was loads of fun.
Wow! This was another great story be P.A. Mason. A fun family of witches are getting together for Christmas along with one of the witches boyfriend, a werewolf. But something goes very wrong. Everyone works together to figure out the mystery. A great mystery and another book which was loads of fun.
November 8, 2021
Excellent Christmas story
Loved this story. It was a great addition to the series, entertaining, engaging and enjoyable. If you haven't started reading the series, I highly recommend it.
Loved this story. It was a great addition to the series, entertaining, engaging and enjoyable. If you haven't started reading the series, I highly recommend it.
November 11, 2021
Read books in order
Wow this adventure starts off with a BANG!! Twisted, lots of bad feelings, old feuds. can our girl save the holidays? Old angers, possible hexing, and ex's that come back to haunt you? great adventure cant wait for the next one!
Wow this adventure starts off with a BANG!! Twisted, lots of bad feelings, old feuds. can our girl save the holidays? Old angers, possible hexing, and ex's that come back to haunt you? great adventure cant wait for the next one!
November 12, 2021
This is a cute paranormal cozy mystery.. I liked it very much.. It is clever, fun-to-read, with lots of charm!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 15, 2021
Action packed, emotionally thrilling and laugh out loud fun journey filled with witty and engaging charters, heart racing twists and emotional moments. Really enjoyed this highly entertaining adventure. Great reading.
November 20, 2021
Visit Arkansas one day.
A blend of human and witches. A couple of werewolves thrown in for flavour. Christmas eve and human emotions come together to make a story with a magic ending.
A blend of human and witches. A couple of werewolves thrown in for flavour. Christmas eve and human emotions come together to make a story with a magic ending.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews