Campaigns and Curses

The Weary Dragon Inn #8

by S. Usher Evans

It's election time in Pigsend, and Pigsend's mayor Jo Hendry is up for re-election, but she's not the only candidate in the race. Pip Norris, the ferrier, Wilda Murtaugh, the cousin of the perfidious mayor from Middleburg, Gore Dewey, the blacksmith, and Hans Silver, a local farmer, have thrown their hats into the ring, too. And if Earl Dollman's polling is to be believed, it's going to be a tight race.

But when every candidate except Hendry receives a letter threatening to expose their "secret," Bev's once again called to investigate. Hendry swears it wasn't her, and though she'd do anything to win, she wouldn't stoop that low. But as Bev starts investigating, she realizes each candidate has far more secrets than can fill a polling booth, and finding the blackmailer is going to take more than just canvassing.

Campaigns and Curses is the eight book in the Weary Dragon Inn series.

Genres: Fantasy, Cozy, Mystery, Cozy Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Magic

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 27, 2024

About the author

S. Usher Evans is an author, blogger, and witty banter aficionado. Born in Pensacola, Florida, she left the sleepy town behind for the fast-paced world of Washington, D.C.. There, she somehow landed jobs with BBC, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic Television before finally settling into a "real job" as an IT consultant. After a quarter life crisis at age 27, she decided consulting was for the birds and rekindled a childhood passion for writing novels. She sold everything she owned and moved back to Pensacola, where she currently resides with her two dogs, Zoe and Mr. Biscuit.

Reviews

[Bryan Fulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't as excited for this installment. I'm "electioned" out. But this was another great story for Bev and Pigsend. I am sad that there are only 2 more.

[Jenna Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy, quick read before bed and journey back to Pigsend. Enjoyable development of some of the characters.

[Chels · Rating 5 out of 5]

The shenanigans are back! But this time with some added competition! Let's goooooo

Oh gosh I felt so bad for Jo in this book. She's easy to hate but I love her. I'm glad things turned out the way they did but I'm very disappointed in our troublemaker!

We're getting a lot more hints as to how this series will play out and I'm excited to see what happens! Will Bev get her memory back? Will there be a resistance? What will Bev bake next? Lots to look forward to!

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this series ever ends I am going to be heartbroken. It is such a fun, comfort, of a series.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s cursed that there’s only 2 books left in this series

[Chetana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

This book hit a little close to home with a contentious election and the lengths people go to to win one. This book had more intrigue in it and produced a lot of bad feelings to come up. I think I can see that there is another revolution coming up with people who have issues with the current government and want it to change.

While we all want to live in a Utopia where democracy works and is the answer to everything, we do not and that is the same in this fantasy world too. For a cozy series, things sure are getting not so cozy. I get that to get to some goals some unsavoury things have to be done, it is just a question of what you can live with and how much you can do without hurting people too much. But it just made me feel a bit icky. The resolutions of the mysteries in the book are getting a bit ambigous in the ramp up to the finale of the series. I am getting a bit sick of getting tiny crumbs about Bev's past. I hope we get more over the last 2 books.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

We join the cast of Pigsend in their mayoral election! Incumbent Hendry is joined in the run by local farmer Freddie, candle maker Wilda, and farrier Pip in campaigning for the position. Of course someone starts sending threatening letters to the aspiring politicians about magic incidents, and it's up to Bev to find out who, and make sure the anti magic upper government stays in the dark!

This was probably my least favorite of the series. I hate political drama, and this was chock full of it. I did enjoy the reappearance of Petula, promoted to election monitor, and of the Middleburg mayor, assisting her cousin Wilda with her campaign.

I particularly did not like the drudgery of the campaign events. Ugh politics. Too much going on in the real world to enjoy fictional campaigns.

[Ashleigh Mattern · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another fun installment in the Weary Dragon Inn series! In the book, Bev comments that it's almost been a year of crazy shit happening in Pigsend, and I wondered what town life event the books will cover next. I enjoyed the drama of the election campaign, and that Bev was more of a willing detective this time around, beginning to accept that she has skills to figure things out. Each book has hints at her past, and sometimes I felt like the books didn't move that story along enough, but now I'm happy with the slow pace of progress on that front because I kind of don't want the series to end.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great mystery with Bev and the residents of Pigsend. Alan still has his magic left over from the events of the last book, which was lovely for him.

It's election time and quite a few town folk have stepped up to fill Hendry's shoes. To bad, someone is playing dirty and sending letters to each of the candidates threatening to out their magical abilities or those of someone they love. Bev, of course, steps up to track down the culprit and save the day before the Queen's Guard show up.

Looking forward to the next installment, but sad that this series will soon come to an end.

[Mya R]

Still enjoying this series of cozy fantasy mysteries. The background political arc gains significant prominence in this book (and the last), slowly bending the direction one might expect. I assume 5he last few books in the series will be even more so.

I continue to be a fan of the casual queer inclusion and general low level of angst. Struggling a bit more with the mindset of "go along to get along" when dealing with troublesome customers or an authoritarian monarchy. That said, it's not the only point of view, and there presumably are reasons for it.

[Cleocutie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great continuation of the series. Bev has to try and find out who is threatening all but one of the mayoral candidates. The one not threatened swears it wasn’t her and Bev has to figure out who it is. I love the story and all the new things we learn about the residents of the town as Bev tries to solve the mystery.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Pigsend

Cozy fantasy, warm characters and a magic dog make a wonderful story. An episodic tale has a satisfying ending but you definitely need to read the entire series before this installment. Good plot and tease for the next book. Only drawback is that it centers on campaigns and an election. I live in a swing state and I am tired of election politics.

[Si Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

In need of a comfort read, I turned to my favourite cosy fantasy series. Campaigns & Curses is the eighth book in the Weary Dragon Inn series by S. Usher Evans.

The audiobook is read by Deborah Balm, who is proof of nominative determinacy. I would happily listen to her read an accounting textbook.

[aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Weary Dragon Inn book, another wonderfully cozy read! This one finds Bev helping out Petula with the mayoral elections in Pigsend. As usual, things go awry as the candidates are getting threatening letters from someone. More intrigue and general coziness ensues and makes for just a fun read. I'm moving on to the next in the series now!

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not my favorite book in this series, Campaigns and Curses is still a fine entry, and the ending does a fine job of setting up what's to come in the final two books. I'm looking forward to how things wrap up in the end for Bev and everyone else in Pigsend.

[emeraldragonlady (Maddie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow I knew who was going to be Mayor of Pigsend, I just didn’t know all the secrets people have! Much like a true political race people are being blackmailed about family secrets. The candidates just want to protect their family from the queens irrational laws. Also true to political fashion you are kept guessing on who might be the winner.
I greatly dislike politics & all its ugly faces. Despite this I really enjoyed this book. You learn a lot about many characters in the series.
An amazing fantasy cozy mystery series! I can’t wait to read the rest!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is not the kind of thing I would normally listen to, but I’m really enjoying it. Clever and interesting and surprisingly not predictable. I like the touch of magic which keeps it fun, but not so much magic that you just can’t figure out why there’s any kind of story at all.

[Domitila Modesti · Rating 3 out of 5]

loved it

As all the books of the weary dragon inn series loved it; full of intrigue and mysteries, though it’s the one I liked the least out of them all

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't want this series to ever end.

[Selina⚔️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know there's no romance in this cozy fantasy series but the number of times Bev remarked about Mayor Jo's beauty seems a bit... fruity

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

[sterfengrüben reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ✨

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 4 out of 5]

More clues are revealed in this cozy mystery series. I love the supporting cast and all the twisting intricacies of the story.

[charli · Rating 3 out of 5]

just realized i will lose this silly little town soon . i’m gonna be sick

[Cori'sCorner · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
Audio Length:13:32:00

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dragging a bit but I’m still planning on finishing the series.

[Shan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Astrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[AngryPixi · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very fun look at the election process in Pigsend

[Angelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is fun to continue with Bev's mysteries.