New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon continues her enchanting Kitchen Witch Mystery series featuring everyone’s favorite, spellbinding kitchen witch Mia Malone.
To keep her cooking school and catering business, Mia’s Morsels, afloat, Mia’s handed off oversight to her boyfriend Trent’s mother while she focuses on earning a steady paycheck. Too bad her mean-spirited boss at the lodge keeps the misery flowing as steadily as the money. At least her roommate, Christina, is still dedicated to Mia’s Morsels—though she’s also distracted, thanks to her clingy mother’s constant demands. And the distraction only grows when Christina’s old flame shows up in Magic Springs, Idaho, in his Escalade, claiming out of the blue to be her fiancé.
The arrival of some homeless kittens, as well as Trent’s new familiar, a cute little Maltese, brings more chaos—as well as a strange spiritual energy that seems to emanate from the animals. But before Mia can figure out what kind of paranormal pets she has on her hands, she finds herself with a murder to solve—when a dead body is found in the lodge rental of Christina’s suddenly attentive ex . . .
NYT and USA Today bestselling author, Lynn Cahoon, writes the Tourist Trap, Cat Latimer, Farm-to-Fork, Kitchen Witch, Survivors' Book Club, the Haunted Life, and the Bainbridge Island cozy mystery series. No matter where the mystery is set, readers can expect a fun ride Sign up for her newsletter at www.lynncahoon.com
Another fun entry in the Kitchen Witch Mysteries written by Lynn Cahoon, Five Furry Familiars tells the story of a former fiancé who is stabbed to death while visiting his ex. Mia struggles to figure out why her friends and family are haunted by these killers, and along the path, she also determines how to let someone down easily when he tries to win her back. Lots of catering scenes to make readers laugh... mostly the characters feel like extended friends we miss in between books. My only concern with this series is the last few chapters are always so surprisingly light. We're guessing on the killer's identity and then an odd scene that takes place days later where someone says, "oh year, this was the killer and we've all moved on." Love Cahoon's other series and novels... maybe these are just meant to be light endings! :)a
Five Furry Familiars is the 5th book in the Kitchen Witch Mystery series. It takes place in the mystical town of Magic Springs. Mia Malone is the main character who owns Mia's Morsels Catering Company, She is a kitchen witch along with her grandmother, Grams. She has had to take a second job as a catering director of the Lodge Inn. She works for her difficult boss, Frank Hines along with James, the kitchen manager. Christina Adams is her roommate and works with her as her second in command. Because she has had to take a second job, she has hired Abigail Major to run her catering company while she is working at The Lodge. Abigail is her boyfriend, Trent's mother. He runs his family's business, Majors Grocery Store.
Todd Thompson, a childhoon friend who believes that Christina is his fiance. When talking to him she informs him that she was never his fiance and that she was not going to marry him, He asks that she come and have dinner with him for old time sake. He has rented a house near the ski slopes and plans to stay and ski. Christine arrives at his rental and realizes that something might be wrong as Todd does not answer his door. She calls Mark, the police chief, to come and check things out. Mark arrives and gets into the cottage and finds Todd dead.
Upon hearing about Christine having dinner with her ex, Levi Major, Christine's boyfriend, goes to see Todd and has words and punches him. When he tells Mark about it, he becomes a suspect along with Christine.
There is so much going on in the story that it is hard to put all on paper. I will leave it for the reader to enjoy. There is so much twists and turns it will keep the reader wanting to find out who killed Todd and why to the very surprising ending.
The story is a fun read and I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for this ARC.
Although this is the fifth book in the Kitchen Witch series, it is only the second one I've read and both were enjoyable.
Description: In the latest enchanting mystery from the New York Times bestselling author, Mia Malone is working as a catering director at a ski lodge, but when her roommate’s ex checks in, everything starts going downhill . . .
To keep her cooking school and catering business, Mia’s Morsels, afloat, Mia’s handed off oversight to her boyfriend Trent’s mother while she focuses on earning a steady paycheck. Too bad her mean-spirited boss at the lodge keeps the misery flowing as steadily as the money. At least her roommate, Christina, is still dedicated to Mia’s Morsels—though she’s also distracted, thanks to her clingy mother’s constant demands. And the distraction only grows when Christina’s old flame shows up in Magic Springs, Idaho, in his Escalade, claiming out of the blue to be her fiancé.
The arrival of some homeless kittens, as well as Trent’s new familiar, a cute little Maltese, brings more chaos—as well as a strange spiritual energy that seems to emanate from the animals. But before Mia can figure out what kind of paranormal pets she has on her hands, she finds herself with a murder to solve—when a dead woman is found in the lodge rental of Christina’s suddenly attentive ex . . .
My Thoughts: I really like this cozy mystery series and plan to read the books I've missed. I adore the way Mia has turned the old building into a cooking school / catering business. It's interesting to read about the wards keeping the building safe as well as the familiars and how their energy helps Mia. I like the romance between Mia and Trent as well. Since this is a cozy, of course there is a murder and and an investigation into it. It's fun to follow the clues of the investigation. There are a couple of -- quirky characters that are fun - Gram and Mia's familiar, Mr. Darcy.
Thanks to Kensington Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.
Mia is struggling to keep her business afloat and make her new grumpy boss happy. A hellhound is dropped off for Mia's boyfriend. Mia's friend Christina's ex boyfriend showed up and has a ring with him. Once he is found murdered, Christina's mom comes into town and brings Mia's ex with her. Mia must figure out who killed off Christina's ex to be able to get rid of all these people in her town.
I liked this book the best in the Kitchen Witch Mystery series. I think skipping the audiobook really helped as it isn't worth it to listen to it on my drive to and from work. I think the audiobook is what kept making me feel like Mia was so annoying. Anyway, I really liked this one a lot and thought that the mystery was entertaining enough. I thought that bringing back old characters was really fun too. I recommend this book to people who have already read the first four books as the payoff is really good.
Book five of the “Kitchen Witch Mystery” series, Five Furry Familiar’s” is a delightful read with wonderful characters, an interesting murder, and some great clues to the killer's identity. Mia has been working hard to keep her business afloat. Unfortunately, former boyfriends abound, and Mia and Christina are in the middle of everything. Both women need to convince their boyfriends, Trent and Levi, that they aren’t interested in men from their past. But one of the former boyfriends ends up dead, and they cook up an investigation to find the killer.
The characters in this series have always been fun and entertaining, but in this new book, they seem to have become more so, and their personalities have solidified. There is never too much action or too much filler in these stories. The pace is just right, and readers never get bored. The murder is solved, but not without a few conflicts. Mia always helps with finding the right suspect, but she doesn’t put herself in peril most of the time. Her and Trent’s relationship is progressing, but it seems it is going a bit too slow, and perhaps it’s time to speed things up. Cerby and the kittens are just adorable. I love that Trent now has a familiar, and I really was hoping Mia would keep the little black kitten, but at least the owner was found, and everything turned out for the best. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and look forward to the next installment.
#FiveFurryFamiliars #NetGalley is another great addition to this series. It seems like the ex's are returning to stir up issues for Mia and her friend Christina, but little do they know just how wrong they are! This is a fast paced book that I read in one sitting. Mia is a good character and I enjoy all the fur babies that show up in these books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book
"Five Furry Familiars" the 5th instalment in the "Kitchen Witch" Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon which releases February 20, 2024
Mia Malone is working as a catering director at a ski lodge, but when her roommate’s ex checks in, everything starts going downhill . . .
I love visiting Magic Springs, Idaho and catching up with Mia, Grans, Christina and Abigail. I love the sense of caring and encouragement that the main characters have for each other and the community. This is something I enjoy in all the authors series. I loved the inclusion of the homeless kittens, as well as Trent’s new familiar, a cute little Maltese Cerby.
I found the mystery very interesting as well as entertaining, full of twists and turns that kept me guessing till the very end. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Mia and Mia’s Morsels in book 6.
I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
This has become one of my favorite series' and it was lovely to visit with Mia and company once again. You get magic, MANY furry friends, two annoying exes, a magical baby with a non-magic, non-believing father, some seriously confusing relationships [everyone seems to go through some sort of conflict in this one] and one fairly grisly murder and quite the romp to find the truth. While I had the killer figured out fairly quickly, I didn't know the why and that is always a bonus [IMO]. Really looking forward to book 6 in this series!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lynn Cahoon, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Mia has her hands full in Five Furry Familiars. Making the tough decision to turn over the day-to-day operation of Mia's Morsels, her cooking school and catering business to her boyfriend Trent's mom Abigail wasn't easy. Taking the job at the lodge as the catering director when the lodge stopped hiring her to cater their events has enabled her to receive a steady paycheck as she strived for ideas to make Mia's Morsels more profitable. Her best friend and roommate, Christina is working with Abigail but with her mother making constant and crazy demands she isn't always able to focus on her job. That gets even worse when her ex comes to town to win her back and ask her to marry him again. Her current boyfriend Levi is not happy. When the guy is murdered at his rental both Christine and Levi are on the suspect list.
While this is all going on someone leaves a box holding three kittens at Mia's front door and Trent gets a little Maltese as his new familiar. Dorian/Mr. Darcy doesn't care for any of them and Mia is unsure about all the pets but then another dead body is found so she needs to concentrate on catching a killer.
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I always have a big smile on my face when I start and when I finish a Kitchen Witch Mystery.
Magic, witches, warlocks, and familiars are an open secret in Magic Springs, Idaho. The old school that houses Mia's Morsels is a very interesting place where wards need to be maintained to keep everyone safe but they are also keeping some ghosts captive that may want to leave. They seem to be congregated in the old library. Ms. Cahoon's descriptive style puts her readers right on the scene whether the characters are communicating with the ghosts, making meals to be delivered daily all over town, attending events at the lodge, or hanging out in Mia's apartment.
All the characters continue to develop as the series continues and become more engaging and fun. Christine and Mia's ex, Isaac's mother, Mrs. Adams, tries to run her children's lives and she thinks she can run Mia's too. There is always a bit of chaos and drama whenever she is around. Grans also brings humor to situations as well. I love that she moves right in with Mia and Christine whenever exciting things start to happen. She also is right at hand to continue to educate Mia about her powers. Even with their exes in town Mia and Trent's relationship along with Christine and Levi's are going strong. Levi has a moment or two of doubt but they don't last long. With her husband out of town, Abigail is thrilled to take on more responsibility at Mia's Morsels but it is hard on Mia to be away so much. We saw a new side in this story of police chief Mark Baldwin, as an expectant father, who is going to receive an interesting piece of news shortly before his child is born. I appreciate the tight bond that has developed with the core characters and I love the addition of more furry familiars.
The mystery was a twisty one. I followed the clues throughout the story along with the characters. My focus was on a particular individual but coming up short on the motive. When the clues all fell into place for Mia she did the right thing in turning her information to Mark. I was just a little disappointed that like in Four Charming Spells the arrest took place outside of the story and things were quickly back to abnormally normal in Magic Springs without an exciting showdown.
Five Furry Familiars is a charming lighthearted paranormal cozy mystery with magical characters and an intriguing mystery. I am excited to see what Ms. Cahoon has planned for Mia and her friends next. Six Stunning Sirens will be released on September 24, 2024.
This was another awesome adventure with Mia and her crew that’d really test Christina and Levi’s relationship as well as bring a new little life into the world. The houseful of cats along with a puppy someone gave Trent was pretty funny. Poor Mr. Darcy was probably not sure what to think about the invasion lol.
I knew who I wanted to be guilty but eventually I started putting some clues together and figured out one aspect of it. I liked the nice, offscreen arrest so at least there wasn’t a tense showdown although at a couple places I couldn’t read quick enough to make sure someone wasn’t in danger. Can’t wait for the next book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book, and my opinions are my own.
Sometimes you have to make tough decisions and for Mia Malone, owner of Mia’s Morsels, that means taking a job at the nearby ski lodge while her boyfriend Trent’s mother and Mia’s housemate, Christina are running her catering business. Arriving at her snow-covered home one evening, Mia finds a box with three kittens inside who immediately an extra layer of chaos to her life.
Things get more complicated still when Christina discovers a dead body and her overbearing mother arrives in town to hold a business conference at Mia’s place of work. When Mia’s grandmother also comes to stay, Trent introduces everyone to his cute new Maltese familiar, and life becomes busy, crowded, and not a lot of fun. Mia knows she has to sort everything, but can she even work out where to start?
This is book five in a great cosy series that seems to set the scene for something major in the main protagonists' lives in the near future. The change in Mia’s circumstances added a different perspective, and I enjoyed seeing her in her workplace, especially when she had to deal with her new boss and sparks flew! This was quite a short book, but it definitely piqued my curiosity about what will happen next.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Kensington Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this. It has always been a great series and once again didn't disappoint.
I really enjoyed this book. It is fun and entertaining. I love this series. The characters are interesting, quirky and relatable. I love the animal characters. The mystery has many twists and surprises to keep you guessing. This is a fantastic cozy mystery.
Fledgling witch (as she’s at about a fifth grade level) Mia is having a rough time - rather than running her Mia’s Morsels business as she want to be, she stuck working a steady job with a micromanaging boss (who likes to have 2 hour meetings that could be replaced with an email) and letting her boyfriend’s mum run Mia’s Morsels with her roommate Christina.
Things get even more complicated with the arrival of Christina’s sort of ex and a trio of possibly feline familiars. Christina and the ex’s relationship was mostly wishful thinking on their parents part it seems, so she doesn’t have strong feelings to rekindle anything, but he’s not taking no for an answer. And the possible familiars are complicated because if the Goddess sent them, they need to be kept, but if it was someone just dropping them off, then Mia needs to find homes for them as they are upsetting her existing familiar, Mr. Darcy. Then the sort of ex is killed which makes dealing with a few kittens look simple.
I enjoyed this book. This is the 5th book in the series, and while I hadn’t read any in the series before, I didn’t have too much trouble keeping up with what was going on. From a Doylist point of view, I think it was pretty obvious whodunnit, but like a lot of cozy mysteries, the murder plot is almost secondary to what’s going on with the main characters’ daily lives. And I loved the fact the cute little Maltese puppy was a hellhound. There’s lots of foreshadowing about evil doings in the next book(s) as well.
Highly recommended! I’m looking forward to picking up books 1 - 4 and 6 when it comes out.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley. Com that I voluntarily chose to review.
I thoroughly enjoyed Five Furry Familiars. Set in a town filled with magic and magical inhabitants, this cast of mostly magical characters are far more grounded in the world of reality, which is all for the better. Lynn Cahoon does an excellent job of walking the fine line between keeping the book set more in the real world than dominated by the supernatural, something I truly appreciate. To keep Mia’s Morsels afloat, Mia has had to take a job as events coordinator at The Lodge, a truly unhappy turn of events for her. This changes the “world” of the book as well as opens the door for new characters, good and bad. The returning characters continue to evolve and their lives are progressing, which is something that I enjoy in a cozy series. There is a subplot involving kittens and the kittens were a lot of fun.
This is a fun book and I highly recommend it, especially for those readers who enjoy a character based cozy mystery, in this case one with a touch of supernatural. This book is part of a series and, while a standalone, the reader may enjoy reading previous entries in this series. Four and a half stars.
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions stated are solely my own.
I truly love this series. Once I start, I can't put the book down. I enjoy how they all interact throughout and I can't wait to learn more about the school and what else is to come. I can not wait until the next book!
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Mia and gang are back in the kitchen and once again Christina finds herself in the midst of a mystery and this time one of their own may be in more trouble than they can handle. Once again, Mother Adams (I always picture a less flamboyant Cruella DeVille) is back and stirring up all sorts of issues not only for Christina, but for Mia as well. Add in a pile of cute kittens and a new puppy and the cuteness factor as well as chaos are rolling towards a boil over point! This series is both whimsical and serious. The witch factor brings in the whimsical side, but the plots always deal with more serious issues such as finding your own voice and standing up to others when they won't listen to you or interfere in your life too much. The mystery is well thought out and while you know the person or persons everyone is accusing of the crime didn't do it, there seems to be an issue with proving it. This mystery was so intriguing as rather than a plethora of viable suspects, there seems to be a lack of suspects. The author did an outstanding job of making several characters unlikable, yet not suspect worthy. A definite fun twist to the typical mystery when there are almost too many suspects! If you love a good cozy mystery with a witchy influence, then you will love this series. I do highly recommend that you read the series in order so you get to know the town, the characters and their personalities which makes the plots even more enjoyable. I'm definitely ready to see what happens in the next book!!
We are back in Magic Springs, Idaho. Mia is working at the Lodge with Frank as her boss who she detests. She is having a hard time letting go of Mia Morsels to Abigail, her boyfriend Trent's mother. But Mia needs to make money to keep everything afloat.
Christina has a flash from her past with an ex-boyfriend Todd Thompson . He proposes marriage to Christina and doesn't want to take No for an answer. Christina agrees to have dinner with him. A box of kittens are found at the door of Mia's. Gran is worried they might be a gift from the goddess. When Christina shows up for her dinner with Todd. She finds him dead. Baldwin has Christina and Levi has main suspects. Mia needs to investigate to find the real killer.
I totally figured out the killer. 👑 I still enjoyed the book and getting to know more about the former school and the ghosts that reside there. Even though I figured out the mystery I still enjoyed going back to Magic Springs.
This is a delightful paranormal cozy. This time three kittens are dropped off at Mia’s home and business on her doorstep which causes consternation for her familiar cat, especially as they are so adorable. In the meantime, Trent has a Maltese pup dropped at his doorstep.
Since Mia has to work as the catering director at the Lodge as the new manager will not share any catering jobs with outside sources, Abigail, Trent and Levi’s Mom, has taken over running her business with Christina continuing on as a cook and delivery person.
People from both Mia’s and Christina’s past show up with a murder of one of them. When Christina and her boyfriend Levi are the main suspects, it’s up to Mia, Trent, Christina, Levi, Abigail, and Mia’s grandmother to help the police chief solve the case.
There are a number of surprises along the way which makes this such an enjoyable read. The only reason this book is rated a 4 instead of a 5 is that I figured out the killer early on although I didn’t figure out the correct motive.
I listed to the audiobook which helped bring this story alive. I look forward to seeing what happens next to these charming characters and their familiars.
I adore this witchy cozy series. I am so attached to these characters. I love getting to know them in each book. This one made me one a little kitty! I hate that Mia had to get a different job and let Trent's mom take over. She is doing a great job but I know how much Mia loves her business. Add on a suspicious murder and things could be better for Mia. The victim is Christina's ex. Is she a suspect? Can Mia prove Christina's innocence? I will definitely be continuing this series. I cannot wait for the next book! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
All of the books in the Kitchen Witch series are charming, as is this latest one. While Mia Malone has been forced to take an outside catering managerial position for financial reasons, Trent's mom, Abigail, stepped in to manage the day-to-day activities for Mia's morsels. Things start to go awry when an old beau of Christina's, Mia's best friend and employee, turns up with an expensive engagement ring and marital expectations. Between a murder, a puppy and a box of kittens, Mia certainly has her hands full. An enjoyable and fun read. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Another interesting journey with Mia and company, this one adds to the fun with a group of adorable fur babies, are they familiars, were they sent by the Goddess, who are they meant for? While Mia, Christina and Gram look for answers, Mia and Christina have to deal with men from their pasts, both of their ex-fiances show up looking for reunions and when Christina ex turns up brutally murdered both Christina and Levi end up as main suspects. The whole crew will have to try to help Mark find answers as he and Sarah are expecting their baby any day, so between catering events, delivering meals and dealing with a surplus of kittens and puppies can they find the true villain? Come along for the adventures. Thank you to #Netgally and #Kensington books for the opportunity to read!
This is such a good story. It's so much fun to visit with Mia and her crew in this installment of the series. It's winter in Magic Springs Idaho, when Christina's ex-boyfriend breezes into town, declaring he is ready to marry her now. When Christina gently but firmly tells him no, he leaves, but convinces her to have dinner with him the next night. But when she goes to his place for dinner, she finds him dead. Who killed him? Christina and her boyfriend Levi are the two main suspects, which means, of course, that Mia needs to figure out who really did it! I liked that this book gives more backstory, both for the characters and for the magic town itself. I can't wait to see where Ms. Cahoon is going to take these characters next!!
This is basically the same as all my reviews for this series, but this was the perfect cosy book to listen to during this sucky autumn weather and todays storm
Five Furry Familiars is the 5th book in the Kitchen Witch Mysteries by Lynn Cahoon and it is a fun addition to the series. The characters are likable and it is a fun paranormal cozy mystery.. Mia Malone owns Mia's Morsels, a catering and cooking school. Mia is also working at The Lodge as the Catering Manager. Her friend, roommate and coworker, Christina, has an old boyfriend show up, which causes problems because he.ends.up dead. Christina and her current boyfriend Levi are both suspects. Mia, her boyfriend Trent, her Grandmother (Grans), Christina and Levi work together to figure out who is behind the murder. Grans comes to stay with Mia and Christina. Three kittens get dropped off plus Trent gets a puppy, Cerby and Mia has Mr Darcy. There are the 5 familiars. Trent is a good character. I wish Mia and Trent's relationship was progressing more. I really enjoy this series and have read all of the books. I suspected the culprit but wasn't sure until the end. The ending is quick and relaxing. It is an enjoyable cozy mystery! I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley and Kensington Books and I voluntarily leave this review. #FiveFurryFamiliars #KitchenWitchMysteries #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The book has two mysteries: who killed the would be fiancé and who dropped off the kittens? Of the two, the kitten mystery was the trickier and more compelling. I figured out who the murderer was at about the halfway point and I couldn't believe how dense Mia was at noticing the obvious.