A Twisted Ballot: A California Fae Cozy Mystery

by Alyn Troy

Murder is on the BallotElection day in St. Maurice is heating up, and it’s not just the political debates fueling the fire. With murder now making its way onto the ballot, it’s up to Twizzle Twist to unravel a web of deceit and corruption before it’s too late!

Star Sinclair, the power-hungry incumbent, is determined to maintain her iron grip on the town council and seal the fate of the town's beloved pier. Twizzle and her quirky friends are fighting tooth and nail to flip at least one council seat and put an end to Star's nefarious plans. But when a body is discovered at the polling station, election day takes a dark and sinister turn.

Juggling the daunting tasks of solving a murder and safeguarding the ballot box, Twizzle faces off against Star's slippery lawyer and a cunning design consultant who are determined to undermine her efforts.

With legal shenanigans piling up and the truth buried under a mountain of deception, Twizzle must wade through the mire to uncover the facts. Saving the pier, ensuring a fair election, and keeping her friends out of jail present Herculean challenges, but Twizzle isn’t one to back down from a fight.

Can she untwist the tangled conspiracy of ballots and murder? Standing up to Star Sinclair is no small feat, but armed with her unique blend of tenacity, wit, and a sprinkle of pixie magic, Twizzle might just have what it takes to turn the tide against her formidable adversary.

Join Twizzle on her quest to restore justice and democracy in the charming coastal town of St. Maurice, filled with twists, turns, and delightful magical mayhem!

If you love cozy mysteries brimming with quirky characters, magical crime-solving adventures, and political intrigue steeped in humor, then this captivating installment in the Pixie Twist series is sure to get your vote!

Get ready to cast your ballot for the latest spellbinding mystery today!

242 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 14, 2024

About the author

Alyn Troy is an American from the Midwest (Indiana) who writes The Mystic Brews and Pixie Twist series of Paranormal Cozy Mysteries. In addition to Indiana, he's lived in Southern California, where the Pixie Twist series is set, and has served as a history docent on a notable pier in SoCal. In his past lives, he's been a journalist, a wedding photographer, and an adjunct professor.

Alyn gets assistance from his fuzzy familiar (AKA "Lord Fuzzbutt"). When not helping his human with the writing of paranormal cozy mysteries, Lord Fuzzbutt likes to sit out outside and watch the hummingbirds dart about like pixies. He often yowls at the door, waiting to head to the patio for chipmunk duty. Fortunately, the little rodents are craftier than Fuzzbutt is.

Alyn's beverage of choice is dark roast coffee with a dash of honey, and a splash of half-n-half. In addition to being half-way competent with his home espresso machine, Alyn makes a mean Mai Tai.

Reviews

[Nancy Gerards · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the upcoming election, Twizzle and her friends are determined to win more seats on the council to oust Star Sinclair. Star, being the conniving witch she is, is more than determined to destroy everything great about St. Mo and turn it into a snobby, rich town
With legal shenanigans piling up and the truth buried under a mountain of deception, Twizzle must wade through the muck to uncover the facts. Saving the pier, ensuring a fair election, and keeping her friends out of jail prove to be herculean tasks, but Twizzle isn't one to back down from a challenge.
Can she untwist the tangled conspiracy of ballots and murder? Standing up to Star Sinclair is no easy feat, but with her unique blend of tenacity, wit, and a little bit of pixie magic, Twizzle might just have what it takes to turn the tables on her formidable adversary.
Unravel the mystery, root for the underdog, and join Twizzle on her quest to restore justice and democracy in the charming coastal town of St. Maurice. Don't miss out on this enchanting cozy mystery filled with twists, turns, and a dash of magical mayhem!
If you love cozy mystery, magical crime-solving adventures, quirky lovable characters, and political intrigue with a twist of humor, then this book should get your vote!
Get ready to cast your vote for the latest spellbinding installment in the Pixie Twist series
The final twist blew my mind

[Anne Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful read about the on going story of St. Maurice, a magical town. An important ballot to elect new members to the town council & Mayor. If the wrong lot win the pier will be torn down. On the night before the election with all the magical wards set someone managed to get inside & be murdered! Naturally the police arrest the wrong person, or at least Twizzle Twist says so, so she starts to investigate. Then, at the end of the election a very odd result at the same ballot station. Then another person is murdered, and another innocent person gets arrested. Suddenly Twizzle realises the answer to these puzzles.

[Alexandra Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading A Twisted Ballot, the latest from Alyn Troy in the Twisted series. It is nearly Election Day in St Maurice and Twizzle and all her friends have a lot to do and organise. Star Sinclair is up to her usual tricks and must not be allowed to succeed with them.
Suspense, mystery, humour, murder – it’s all there. All the old characters that I have come to love from previous books, as well as new ones. The ending is really great and I must admit I didn’t see it coming and the story held my attention all the way through to the end.
If you are looking for an absorbing read, with mystery and magic, then I can really recommend A Twisted Ballot.

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent edition to the Twizzle Twist series! It's been a while since I was in the world of St Mo, and felt it might have been a good idea to read a previous book or two to get reaquainted with things before reading this story. I readily admit to staying up WAY too late just to finish, either way! Excellent twists and turns, and wonderful characters as always. Plus timely subject matter... If you enjoy cozy mysteries and/or paranormal coolness, I highly recommend!
I received this story as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t wait for this timely book to continue the race for mayor of St. Mo. Star seems a shoe-in as she continues plans to demolish the town’s beloved pier. Twizzle wants to lay low but a murder has her scratching her detective itch. Most residents don’t want Star to win but who has resorted to killing an election official? As the political pressure ramps up, Twiz must figure it out if she’s going to save St. Maurice and the pier before election day.

[Federica De dominicis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping!

There is so much going on in this latest installment that I can't point to only one thing and say "this is what is great" about this book.
Troy outdid himself and delivered a fantastic story, full of amazing characters with perfect plots!
I want to re read it already, as I'm sure I will be enjoying some details even more after the first dive in.
Highly recommended!!

[Lee Brothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book I really enjoyed reading it!!

[Beth Helm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked and guessing. The final twist blew my mind.

[stephanie huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and entertaining

[Victoria Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pixies are at it again, throw a few witches and a murder. As Twizzle gets about solving another mystery she does have her friends with her. Alyn's writing style is so nice and easy to read