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Witchcraft Mystery #6.5
A Haunting is Brewing
In this all-new novella, New York Times bestselling author Juliet Blackwell’s popular characters from her Witchcraft Mysteries and Haunted Home Renovation Mysteries find themselves joining forces to solve a supernatural dilemma…
When Mel Turner is hired to rehab an old Victorian mansion to act as the eerie setting for a Halloween bash, she’s expecting the normal challenges—old wiring, bad plumbing, maybe a ghostly specter or two. But when a young man is killed after spending the night in the house, and the mannequins in the attic start to come to life, it’s clear that this is serious paranormal activity. Maybe this time, a real witch is needed.
Recommended by a mutual friend, vintage clothes expert Lily Ivory arrives to offer her help with the mannequins. Armed with Lily’s spells and Mel’s know-how, the two women must figure out the cause of all of the ghostly commotion—before Mel’s renovation project turns into even more of a deadly haunt…
Includes a preview of the Haunted Home Renovation Mystery, Keeper of the Castle.
When Mel Turner is hired to rehab an old Victorian mansion to act as the eerie setting for a Halloween bash, she’s expecting the normal challenges—old wiring, bad plumbing, maybe a ghostly specter or two. But when a young man is killed after spending the night in the house, and the mannequins in the attic start to come to life, it’s clear that this is serious paranormal activity. Maybe this time, a real witch is needed.
Recommended by a mutual friend, vintage clothes expert Lily Ivory arrives to offer her help with the mannequins. Armed with Lily’s spells and Mel’s know-how, the two women must figure out the cause of all of the ghostly commotion—before Mel’s renovation project turns into even more of a deadly haunt…
Includes a preview of the Haunted Home Renovation Mystery, Keeper of the Castle.
113 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2014
104 people are currently reading
1890 people want to read
About the author
Juliet Blackwell
41 books2,918 followersJuliet Blackwell (aka Julie Goodson-Lawes, aka Hailey Lind) started out life in Palo Alto, California, born of a Texan mother and a Yankee father. The family soon moved to what were, at the time, the sticks of Cupertino, an hour south of San Francisco. Walking to and from kindergarten every day she would indulge in her earliest larcenous activity: stealing walnuts and apricots from surrounding orchards.
By the time she graduated middle school, the orchards were disappearing and the valley at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay had become the cradle of the silicon semi-conductor. A man named Steve Jobs was working in his garage in Cupertino, just down the street. Juliet's father advised his daughters to enter the lucrative and soon-to-flourish field of computers.
"Bah" said Juliet, as she went on to major in Latin American Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz (they had, by far, the best parties of any department). Rather than making scads of money in computers, she read, painted, learned Spanish and a little French and Vietnamese, lived in Spain and traveled through Europe, Mexico, and Central America. She had a very good time.
Juliet pursued graduate degrees in Anthropology and Social Work at the State University of New York at Albany, where she published several non-fiction articles on immigration as well as one book-length translation. Fascinated with other cultural systems, she studied the religions, folklore and medical beliefs of peoples around the world, especially in Latin America. Juliet taught the anthropology of health and health care at SUNY-Albany, and worked as an elementary school social worker in upstate New York. She also did field projects in Mexico and Cuba, studied in Spain, Italy, and France, worked on a BBC production in the Philippines, taught English as a second language in San Jose, and learned how to faux finish walls in Princeton, New Jersey. After having a son, moving back to California, and abandoning her half-written dissertation in cultural anthropology, Juliet started painting murals and portraits for a living. She has run her own mural/faux finish design studio in Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, for more than a decade. She specializes in the aesthetic renovation of historic homes.
Finally, to round out her tour of lucrative careers, Juliet turned to writing. Under the pseudonym of Hailey Lind, Juliet penned the Art Lover's Mystery Series with her sister Carolyn, about an ex-art forger trying to go straight by working as a muralist and faux finisher in San Francisco. The first of these, Feint of Art, was nominated for an Agatha Award; Shooting Gallery and Brush with Death were both IMBA bestsellers, and Arsenic and Old Paint is now available from Perseverance Press.
Juliet's Witchcraft Mystery series, about a witch who finally finds a place to fit in when she opens a vintage clothes shop on Haight Street in San Francisco, allows Juliet to indulge yet another interest—the world of witchcraft and the supernatural. Ever since her favorite aunt taught her about reading cards and tea leaves, Juliet has been fascinated with seers, conjurers, and covens from many different cultures and historic traditions. As an anthropologist, the author studied and taught about systems of spirituality, magic, and medicine throughout the world, especially in Latin America. Halloween is by far her favorite holiday.
When not writing, painting, or haranguing her funny but cynical teenaged son, Juliet spends a lot of time restoring her happily haunted house and gardening with Oscar the cat, who ostensibly belongs to the neighbors but won't leave her alone. He started hanging around when Juliet started writing about witches...funny coincidence.
By the time she graduated middle school, the orchards were disappearing and the valley at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay had become the cradle of the silicon semi-conductor. A man named Steve Jobs was working in his garage in Cupertino, just down the street. Juliet's father advised his daughters to enter the lucrative and soon-to-flourish field of computers.
"Bah" said Juliet, as she went on to major in Latin American Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz (they had, by far, the best parties of any department). Rather than making scads of money in computers, she read, painted, learned Spanish and a little French and Vietnamese, lived in Spain and traveled through Europe, Mexico, and Central America. She had a very good time.
Juliet pursued graduate degrees in Anthropology and Social Work at the State University of New York at Albany, where she published several non-fiction articles on immigration as well as one book-length translation. Fascinated with other cultural systems, she studied the religions, folklore and medical beliefs of peoples around the world, especially in Latin America. Juliet taught the anthropology of health and health care at SUNY-Albany, and worked as an elementary school social worker in upstate New York. She also did field projects in Mexico and Cuba, studied in Spain, Italy, and France, worked on a BBC production in the Philippines, taught English as a second language in San Jose, and learned how to faux finish walls in Princeton, New Jersey. After having a son, moving back to California, and abandoning her half-written dissertation in cultural anthropology, Juliet started painting murals and portraits for a living. She has run her own mural/faux finish design studio in Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, for more than a decade. She specializes in the aesthetic renovation of historic homes.
Finally, to round out her tour of lucrative careers, Juliet turned to writing. Under the pseudonym of Hailey Lind, Juliet penned the Art Lover's Mystery Series with her sister Carolyn, about an ex-art forger trying to go straight by working as a muralist and faux finisher in San Francisco. The first of these, Feint of Art, was nominated for an Agatha Award; Shooting Gallery and Brush with Death were both IMBA bestsellers, and Arsenic and Old Paint is now available from Perseverance Press.
Juliet's Witchcraft Mystery series, about a witch who finally finds a place to fit in when she opens a vintage clothes shop on Haight Street in San Francisco, allows Juliet to indulge yet another interest—the world of witchcraft and the supernatural. Ever since her favorite aunt taught her about reading cards and tea leaves, Juliet has been fascinated with seers, conjurers, and covens from many different cultures and historic traditions. As an anthropologist, the author studied and taught about systems of spirituality, magic, and medicine throughout the world, especially in Latin America. Halloween is by far her favorite holiday.
When not writing, painting, or haranguing her funny but cynical teenaged son, Juliet spends a lot of time restoring her happily haunted house and gardening with Oscar the cat, who ostensibly belongs to the neighbors but won't leave her alone. He started hanging around when Juliet started writing about witches...funny coincidence.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
December 18, 2014
Juliet Blackwell's A Haunting is Brewing is a short little Halloween read that brings her two series together! If you've read any of the books in her two series, you'll know that both Mel and Lily live in the San Fransisco area and I have been just waiting for these two to run into one another and it finally happens!
Mel has been roped into yet another volunteer project, this time it's to get an old Victorian mansion up to code so that college students can have their Halloween ball there. Maya, Lily's youngest employee at the store is one of said college students and is Mel's biggest help in getting the house ready. It's basically Mel doing her job in fixing things...and naturally talking to the ghost!
Though the ghost is not there at first. One of the college students turned up dead in the house after one night. It looks like an apparent suicide, but looks can always be deceiving. The guy's ghost hangs around the house and Mel tries to get him to tell her who murdered him, but he can't remember. There are some dark vibes coming from the house and a set of creepy life sized dolls that look like the family members who once lived there. It's not long before Lily is called in by Maya to have a look at the dolls' clothes to try to get a vibe off of them.
While a very short read, it was a highly enjoyable one! I loved seeing these two sets of characters colliding! It was a story moreso from Mel's point of view, but still third person. But crossovers like this are always fun! Especially when you love both the series! I wouldn't say you have to have read any of them before to understand what's going on here. It's a pure standalone, like all the mystery books are in their respective series. In fact, I'd say this would be a good one to read if you're curious about either or both of these series! You get a taste of what both Mel and Lily can do and what their life is like, minus their boyfriends. No romance in this one, but still a fast, fun little read!
The whodunit was quite a shocker too! The ladies had a short list of suspects, but I had one of my own that wasn't included...well I was wrong for sure! Though the twist was quite shocking. But I felt like the reveal was a little rushed, but had to remind myself this is a novella, so time is of the essence!
A fast, fun read! I loved it! And again, I highly recommend getting this one if you were curious about Juliet's two series! It will give you just the right amount from both heroines and then you can decide from there which one to start with! Not only that, but there is a sneak peek at each of the two series next novel as of its release date, so you'll get even more of a taste of the hauntingly, magical experience! (Heehee!)
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
Mel has been roped into yet another volunteer project, this time it's to get an old Victorian mansion up to code so that college students can have their Halloween ball there. Maya, Lily's youngest employee at the store is one of said college students and is Mel's biggest help in getting the house ready. It's basically Mel doing her job in fixing things...and naturally talking to the ghost!
Though the ghost is not there at first. One of the college students turned up dead in the house after one night. It looks like an apparent suicide, but looks can always be deceiving. The guy's ghost hangs around the house and Mel tries to get him to tell her who murdered him, but he can't remember. There are some dark vibes coming from the house and a set of creepy life sized dolls that look like the family members who once lived there. It's not long before Lily is called in by Maya to have a look at the dolls' clothes to try to get a vibe off of them.
While a very short read, it was a highly enjoyable one! I loved seeing these two sets of characters colliding! It was a story moreso from Mel's point of view, but still third person. But crossovers like this are always fun! Especially when you love both the series! I wouldn't say you have to have read any of them before to understand what's going on here. It's a pure standalone, like all the mystery books are in their respective series. In fact, I'd say this would be a good one to read if you're curious about either or both of these series! You get a taste of what both Mel and Lily can do and what their life is like, minus their boyfriends. No romance in this one, but still a fast, fun little read!
The whodunit was quite a shocker too! The ladies had a short list of suspects, but I had one of my own that wasn't included...well I was wrong for sure! Though the twist was quite shocking. But I felt like the reveal was a little rushed, but had to remind myself this is a novella, so time is of the essence!
A fast, fun read! I loved it! And again, I highly recommend getting this one if you were curious about Juliet's two series! It will give you just the right amount from both heroines and then you can decide from there which one to start with! Not only that, but there is a sneak peek at each of the two series next novel as of its release date, so you'll get even more of a taste of the hauntingly, magical experience! (Heehee!)
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
August 17, 2022
A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell is my introduction to Mel Turner of Ms. Blackwell's Haunted Home Renovation Mystery series. Mel Turner is pretty awesome.
Will Mel Turner figure out why the student is found dead?
Mel Turner
Mel Turner owns a construction company specializing in restoring old homes to their former glory days. She happens to see ghosts, is all, and that pretty much started after her mom died. Mel is a great person who takes things in strides while figuring out what to do in any situation. Let that be any time she's dealing with a ghost to figure out what they need to have to happen to move on. From this little introduction I have of her, Mel seems like a great character that has the potential to grow and learn about her ability to see ghosts.
The Mystery
The mystery is basically two parts. The first part is trying to figure out why Adam, the student found dead, would kill himself when he seemed to have had a great life. The second part is figuring out why in the world is the doll family of the people who owned the house moving. This is where Lily comes in. Mel has her hands full with trying to figure everything out while getting the house ready for the haunted house party on Halloween. I didn't think that it would be the person that did it. My mind was going with another friend of Adam's or one of the ghosts.
Five Stars
My rating for A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwellis five stars, and like always, I have to recommend this series. I think each of them is considered a stand-alone, which is fantastic for those who started it but never quite finished it or just grabbed a book later in the series. Ms. Blackwell is a marvelous writer who has combined many different magical systems into these series,' and it's incredible.
Other Books in the Witchcraft Mystery Series
Will Mel Turner figure out why the student is found dead?
Mel Turner
Mel Turner owns a construction company specializing in restoring old homes to their former glory days. She happens to see ghosts, is all, and that pretty much started after her mom died. Mel is a great person who takes things in strides while figuring out what to do in any situation. Let that be any time she's dealing with a ghost to figure out what they need to have to happen to move on. From this little introduction I have of her, Mel seems like a great character that has the potential to grow and learn about her ability to see ghosts.
The Mystery The mystery is basically two parts. The first part is trying to figure out why Adam, the student found dead, would kill himself when he seemed to have had a great life. The second part is figuring out why in the world is the doll family of the people who owned the house moving. This is where Lily comes in. Mel has her hands full with trying to figure everything out while getting the house ready for the haunted house party on Halloween. I didn't think that it would be the person that did it. My mind was going with another friend of Adam's or one of the ghosts.
Five Stars
My rating for A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwellis five stars, and like always, I have to recommend this series. I think each of them is considered a stand-alone, which is fantastic for those who started it but never quite finished it or just grabbed a book later in the series. Ms. Blackwell is a marvelous writer who has combined many different magical systems into these series,' and it's incredible.
Other Books in the Witchcraft Mystery Series
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
December 17, 2017
Loved this novella.
September 8, 2020
Solidly indicative of both series.
October 16, 2018
I didn't realize this was a novella! I read it all in one evening. Very fun read. The suspects aren't very well-developed, but the main characters have a lot of background and make an interesting team (even without being familiar with either series, I could tell this was two separate series coming together). it felt like there was actually some room for this story to be longer, because the plot was pretty interesting and we were given just enough information to get to the end of the story. I would definitely try reading either series to see what a full novel is like, I enjoyed the writing.
May 26, 2021
A great blending of Juliet Blackwell's Witchcraft Mysteries and Haunted Home Renovation Mysteries Series.
March 8, 2023
A fun blending of two of the author’s series.
November 12, 2014
Paranormal cozy novella. Lily Ivory and Maya Jackson from The Witchcraft Mysteries meet Mel Turner from the Haunted Home Renovation series! They work together in a historic home for a Haunted Halloween Ball. The home had belonged to a man who was a world famous doll maker. As this creepy story develops, readers are in for an eerie, and excellent, Halloween read. Keep the lights on!!
October 9, 2017
Great Halloween read for fans of Juliet Blackwell's cozy series. Ghosts, creepy life sized mannequins, and two amateur detectives solving a supernatural murder. Bonus Factor: crossover! The lead characters from both series work together - and I do so love a crossover!
April 2, 2020
5 Stars
I enjoyed this crossover short story. I haven't read Lily's series but I think now I will! The author wrote two strong woman lead characters and I like them both!
I enjoyed this crossover short story. I haven't read Lily's series but I think now I will! The author wrote two strong woman lead characters and I like them both!
October 23, 2014
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Brought to you by OBS reviewer Daniele
This short novella fits the bill for a quick read to get you in the Halloween mood. It includes characters from both of Ms. Blackwell’s cozy mystery series, and though it can be read as a stand-alone, I would suggest readers read at least one of the full length books beforehand to get a good feel for the characters.
Mel, who is a historic home renovation contractor, volunteers her services to bring the local Spooner House Museum up to code so that they can hold a Halloween Ball fundraiser. Of course, the house needs more work than she anticipated, but repairs should be completed in plenty of time for the big party. Maya, who works at Aunt Cora’s Closet, a vintage clothing store that donated some of the costumes, and several volunteers from the local performing arts program help Mel with the cleanup. While working, they discuss the legends associated with the home. The original owner was an esteemed doll maker and crafted life size dolls of his family. Mystery surrounded several family members’ deaths in 1918. Did they die from the flu, as an epidemic was sweeping the country, or did they meet with foul play at the hands of the son Reginald? Reginald, accused of murder by his aunt and uncle, committed suicide in the house on Halloween night mere months after his family’s passing. It is also rumored the dolls come to life after dark. The young volunteers dare one of their group, Adam, to spend the night alone in the house to see what happens afterhours. Unfortunately, the next morning his body is found in the entry hall, apparently the victim of hanging…in the same manner as Reginald. Did this young man commit suicide as it appears? Was there some other motivation by family or the other students? Or are the dolls really poppets, controlled by supernatural forces, with malevolent intent?
Adam does appear as a ghost to Mel, but he cannot remember the time leading up to his death. As Mel tries to get to the bottom of what really happened, she finds she can benefit from the help of Maya’s boss Lily, who is a natural born witch. Together, they investigate the paranormal and historical aspects of the case and set a trap to unmask a murderer.
Because this is a novella, it does not delve very deep into plot or character development. However, it is a sweet, breezy Halloween tale that still manages to be engaging and interesting despite its short length. The story of the Spooner family is interesting and the full size dolls sufficiently creepy. It is a nice blending of both cozy series, and I wonder if the characters will interact in future full length novels. I found the characters likable and believable, well, as believable as paranormal can be, and particularly liked that Adam was a good guy and not the typical villain getting his just deserts. This gave the mystery a whole different flavor.
I recommend this holiday mystery to fans of either of Juliet Blackwell’s series or those looking for a fun Halloween story.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Daniele
This short novella fits the bill for a quick read to get you in the Halloween mood. It includes characters from both of Ms. Blackwell’s cozy mystery series, and though it can be read as a stand-alone, I would suggest readers read at least one of the full length books beforehand to get a good feel for the characters.
Mel, who is a historic home renovation contractor, volunteers her services to bring the local Spooner House Museum up to code so that they can hold a Halloween Ball fundraiser. Of course, the house needs more work than she anticipated, but repairs should be completed in plenty of time for the big party. Maya, who works at Aunt Cora’s Closet, a vintage clothing store that donated some of the costumes, and several volunteers from the local performing arts program help Mel with the cleanup. While working, they discuss the legends associated with the home. The original owner was an esteemed doll maker and crafted life size dolls of his family. Mystery surrounded several family members’ deaths in 1918. Did they die from the flu, as an epidemic was sweeping the country, or did they meet with foul play at the hands of the son Reginald? Reginald, accused of murder by his aunt and uncle, committed suicide in the house on Halloween night mere months after his family’s passing. It is also rumored the dolls come to life after dark. The young volunteers dare one of their group, Adam, to spend the night alone in the house to see what happens afterhours. Unfortunately, the next morning his body is found in the entry hall, apparently the victim of hanging…in the same manner as Reginald. Did this young man commit suicide as it appears? Was there some other motivation by family or the other students? Or are the dolls really poppets, controlled by supernatural forces, with malevolent intent?
Adam does appear as a ghost to Mel, but he cannot remember the time leading up to his death. As Mel tries to get to the bottom of what really happened, she finds she can benefit from the help of Maya’s boss Lily, who is a natural born witch. Together, they investigate the paranormal and historical aspects of the case and set a trap to unmask a murderer.
Because this is a novella, it does not delve very deep into plot or character development. However, it is a sweet, breezy Halloween tale that still manages to be engaging and interesting despite its short length. The story of the Spooner family is interesting and the full size dolls sufficiently creepy. It is a nice blending of both cozy series, and I wonder if the characters will interact in future full length novels. I found the characters likable and believable, well, as believable as paranormal can be, and particularly liked that Adam was a good guy and not the typical villain getting his just deserts. This gave the mystery a whole different flavor.
I recommend this holiday mystery to fans of either of Juliet Blackwell’s series or those looking for a fun Halloween story.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
February 14, 2015
A Haunting Is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell is a novella that combines the two series that the author writes, A Haunted Home Renovation and A Witchcraft Mystery. I really like the concept of joining the two series in writing this book. I am familiar with the Haunted Home Renovation series, having read most of the books in the series. But I have not read any in the other series so this was a good way for me to check them out. After reading this book, I will definitely being reading the other series.
Mel Turner is busy getting an old home ready for a Halloween Ball, working on wiring and rotting stairs, making the house safe. She does not expect to find a dead body and the ghost of the victim residing in the mansion. But that is exactly what happens an she must now try to find out what happened so the the ghost can rest in peace.
There are many rumors about the house, including that a son murdered his entire family before killing himself many years ago. There are life size dolls left in the house of the entire family, except for the alleged killer. Mel does not know if the killer of the present day is a human or is a supernatural entity, but when she meets Lily, a self proclaimed witch, she thinks that this case could use the expertise of a witch. The two join forces to try to solve the mystery before anyone else gets harmed. It will not be an easy task. Will they be able to find the answers?
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is descriptive and detailed and this helps to pull the reader into the book. I enjoyed the characters and the interactions between them. The mystery is carried on throughout the entire book and the supernatural is nicely done.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a supernatural cozy. If you are a fan of either of the series, you will enjoy this book.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Mel Turner is busy getting an old home ready for a Halloween Ball, working on wiring and rotting stairs, making the house safe. She does not expect to find a dead body and the ghost of the victim residing in the mansion. But that is exactly what happens an she must now try to find out what happened so the the ghost can rest in peace.
There are many rumors about the house, including that a son murdered his entire family before killing himself many years ago. There are life size dolls left in the house of the entire family, except for the alleged killer. Mel does not know if the killer of the present day is a human or is a supernatural entity, but when she meets Lily, a self proclaimed witch, she thinks that this case could use the expertise of a witch. The two join forces to try to solve the mystery before anyone else gets harmed. It will not be an easy task. Will they be able to find the answers?
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is descriptive and detailed and this helps to pull the reader into the book. I enjoyed the characters and the interactions between them. The mystery is carried on throughout the entire book and the supernatural is nicely done.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a supernatural cozy. If you are a fan of either of the series, you will enjoy this book.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 19, 2018
The story features the protagonists of two of my favorite series of hers: "Haunted Home Renovation" (with general contractor Mel Turner) and "Witchcraft mysteries" (with vintage clothing store owner and witch Lily Ivory). The story is told in first person pov, from Mel's perspective.
Mel gets suckered into volunteering her time and expertise to fix up an old Victorian mansion/museum in time for a Halloween fund raiser. For once, the house isn't haunted, but the former owner was a dollmaker, and Mel is creeped out by some of his creations.
When one of the college docents is found dead in the foyer, Mel begins to see his ghost now haunting Spooner House. Another of the volunteers, Maya (who works with Lily), offers to bring Lily by to see if she can suss out anything odd at the home. Maya tells Mel that Lily is a witch, but Mel, who can see ghosts, is in no position to cast stones; she welcomes the additional input.
Once Lily arrives at Spooner House and sees the dolls that were created to look like the Spooner family, she claims that they are holding spirit energy of the family members they resemble. Now it's up to Mel and Lily to concoct a trap to catch a killer, while at the same time releasing the energy, including Adam's ghost, from Spooner House.
Brilliant story! I only wish it had been longer. I love both Mel and Lily, and to see them join forces was fun and fascinating. It was interesting to read about Lily from another character's perspective, and even more fun to know what Lily was holding back from revealing to Mel. Things got wrapped up rather quickly, but in a satisfying manner. I hope to catch glimpses of Lily and Mel in one another's stories from now on.
Mel gets suckered into volunteering her time and expertise to fix up an old Victorian mansion/museum in time for a Halloween fund raiser. For once, the house isn't haunted, but the former owner was a dollmaker, and Mel is creeped out by some of his creations.
When one of the college docents is found dead in the foyer, Mel begins to see his ghost now haunting Spooner House. Another of the volunteers, Maya (who works with Lily), offers to bring Lily by to see if she can suss out anything odd at the home. Maya tells Mel that Lily is a witch, but Mel, who can see ghosts, is in no position to cast stones; she welcomes the additional input.
Once Lily arrives at Spooner House and sees the dolls that were created to look like the Spooner family, she claims that they are holding spirit energy of the family members they resemble. Now it's up to Mel and Lily to concoct a trap to catch a killer, while at the same time releasing the energy, including Adam's ghost, from Spooner House.
Brilliant story! I only wish it had been longer. I love both Mel and Lily, and to see them join forces was fun and fascinating. It was interesting to read about Lily from another character's perspective, and even more fun to know what Lily was holding back from revealing to Mel. Things got wrapped up rather quickly, but in a satisfying manner. I hope to catch glimpses of Lily and Mel in one another's stories from now on.
October 21, 2014
I was really excited to read this new novella since it features the two main characters from the Haunted Home Renovation series and the Witchcraft Mystery series: Lily and Mel. Mel has volunteered to rehab the historic Spooner House for an upcoming fundraiser event. But when one of the volunteers is found dead in the house, a suspected suicide, she is drawn into the mystery. After finding the victim's ghost still haunting the house, she attempts to convince him that he is dead. But since he cannot remember how this happens, he appears unable to move on. Along with his ghost, there are these very creepy poppets in the house, dolls made by the former owner's son in the images of his family...a family that appears to have died at the same time. Were they victims of the deadly flu epidemic or murder victims. In trying to solve these mysteries, she is joined by Lily and learns that there is more to the supernatural world than she imagined. I really enjoyed the combination of these two very different characters and liked the interplay of witchcraft magic and ghost whispering. I hope that these two will meet up again in another novel.
December 19, 2014
I’ve heard wonderful things about Juliet Blackwell’s cozy paranormal series, but I have yet to read one. So, when I saw this novella being released, I decided to jump at it to give myself a taste of her books. I’m so glad I did!
This novella gave me the chance to experience both of Blackwell’s series and I’m already addicted to them. I absolutely must read more!
I love the magical aspects and thought combining Mel and Lily’s talents is genius. This is a quick read and I was drawn right into it, even though I was unfamiliar with both series. It didn’t matter. I still found it easy to follow along, a quick read, and the characters were adorable. I find it difficult to review novellas because they are so short and I don't want to give anything away, but this is a delightful read.
If you want a Halloween read to sneak into your schedule this week, this would be perfect. Very enjoyable.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
This novella gave me the chance to experience both of Blackwell’s series and I’m already addicted to them. I absolutely must read more!
I love the magical aspects and thought combining Mel and Lily’s talents is genius. This is a quick read and I was drawn right into it, even though I was unfamiliar with both series. It didn’t matter. I still found it easy to follow along, a quick read, and the characters were adorable. I find it difficult to review novellas because they are so short and I don't want to give anything away, but this is a delightful read.
If you want a Halloween read to sneak into your schedule this week, this would be perfect. Very enjoyable.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
November 5, 2014
So, aside from a rather large amount of exposition, this book was a pleasant read that I quite enjoyed. The narrator is a bit quirky and at times made me wonder how a complete series with her in the lead could go, but overall I thought this was fun.
The author is clever and does a lot of unexpected things, which when writing paranormal is somewhat of a feat. This may be the first "cozy" paranormal that I have read, and as a niche genre, I think it could be worth exploring further if this book is any indication of what is out there.
I liked the way the author gave each character a job to do and there weren't just people standing around in the scenes acting confused as one often finds in a book with a large collection of supporting characters. The setting was interesting and changed with the atmosphere and characters and I enjoyed the pace of the book.
Overall, I thought this one was a winner.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgaey. All opinions are my own.
The author is clever and does a lot of unexpected things, which when writing paranormal is somewhat of a feat. This may be the first "cozy" paranormal that I have read, and as a niche genre, I think it could be worth exploring further if this book is any indication of what is out there.
I liked the way the author gave each character a job to do and there weren't just people standing around in the scenes acting confused as one often finds in a book with a large collection of supporting characters. The setting was interesting and changed with the atmosphere and characters and I enjoyed the pace of the book.
Overall, I thought this one was a winner.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgaey. All opinions are my own.
November 5, 2014
Great cross over for fans of either series, although I consider it numbered wrong in and associated with the wrong series since its from Mel's point of view.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
November 12, 2014
I've been wanting and waiting for the meeting of two cozy mystery series, and in the novella, Ms Blackwell does not disappoint! Having Melanie Turner of the Haunted Home Renovations series and Lily Ivory of the Witchcraft mysteries series team up, well, it's nothing short of brilliant!
A lot of mystery, fun, and detail were packed into this short story. The author lost none of her writing style in this condensed volume. Her story telling was just as wonderful as ever! And as always with her work, Ms. Blackwell left me feeling energized long after I had read the conclusion.
A HAUNTING IS BREWING is a must read for fans of either Blackwell series, and will surely make a you fan of both!
A lot of mystery, fun, and detail were packed into this short story. The author lost none of her writing style in this condensed volume. Her story telling was just as wonderful as ever! And as always with her work, Ms. Blackwell left me feeling energized long after I had read the conclusion.
A HAUNTING IS BREWING is a must read for fans of either Blackwell series, and will surely make a you fan of both!
August 3, 2015
This one was fun! For a start, it's a novella that really works as a novella. It doesn't feel underdeveloped. It's just not as plotty as a regular novel in either series. I liked it a lot. In fact, my only quibble with it, is that Lily and Mel work really well as a double act on the whole supernatural mystery solving front, and I really enjoy their friendship, and now I'm going to be vaguely disappointed when they're not working together in later books in their respective series. It is very sad.
October 23, 2014
A Novella that unites two of the authors series, both set in San Francisco. After having volunteered to bring an old allegedly haunted house up to code, the contractor famous for seeing ghosts sees one in the haunted mansion, unfortunately it tis the ghost of one of her young volunteers who allegedly committed suicide. With the help of lily Ivory, a witch who owns a vintage clothing store, all the ghosts are released and a murderer is found out. An enjoyable, very quick read.
January 27, 2015
It was so fun to have Mel and Lily interacting! If you enjoy Blackwell's other 2 series you will get a kick out of this novella where they merge. It's a fairly quick read, enough to tide you over till her next book. And it's a whole lot of fun.
October 22, 2014
Loved having Mel and Lily together. Hope they can join forces again....
October 31, 2014
LOVED it! I love Juliet Blackwells books, and I love the fact that she combined characters in this one, from her two series. What a fun Halloween read! And a little creepy too!
October 30, 2014
How fun! Miss Blackwell's two favorite protagonists meet in this fun novella. perfect story for Halloween week.
September 18, 2017
Rating: 3.5 Stars
A Haunting is Brewing combines Juliet Blackwell’s Haunted Home Renovation series with her Witchcraft Mystery series. I haven’t read any of the other books. Although this is a fairly short cozy mystery, I must admit that it took about half of the story for me to get a good understanding of Mel’s role in everything.
Mel Turner inherited Turner Construction from her father and reluctantly began a career of renovating old houses. Unfortunately, her reputation for finding dead bodies in old homes has began to overshadow her skills at renovation. Mel can communicate with ghosts. She hasn’t exactly mastered her unique powers but she has gained some notoriety. As fate would have it, another renovation leads to another murder and another ghost. The fact that this all happens during preparation for a Halloween party makes things that much more scary. Plus, there are possessed dolls involved. Not to give too much away, let’s just say that Mel gets help from a witch, a voodoo guy, a dog, and a pig. That should at least make things interesting.
**Received a copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed.**
A Haunting is Brewing combines Juliet Blackwell’s Haunted Home Renovation series with her Witchcraft Mystery series. I haven’t read any of the other books. Although this is a fairly short cozy mystery, I must admit that it took about half of the story for me to get a good understanding of Mel’s role in everything.
Mel Turner inherited Turner Construction from her father and reluctantly began a career of renovating old houses. Unfortunately, her reputation for finding dead bodies in old homes has began to overshadow her skills at renovation. Mel can communicate with ghosts. She hasn’t exactly mastered her unique powers but she has gained some notoriety. As fate would have it, another renovation leads to another murder and another ghost. The fact that this all happens during preparation for a Halloween party makes things that much more scary. Plus, there are possessed dolls involved. Not to give too much away, let’s just say that Mel gets help from a witch, a voodoo guy, a dog, and a pig. That should at least make things interesting.
**Received a copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed.**
November 19, 2016
I've been a fan of Juliet Blackwell's Witchcraft Mystery series for what feels like forever but I'm so attached to its main protagonist, Lily Ivory, that, so far, I never felt like trying Juliet Blackwell's other cozy mysteries series, the Haunted Home Renovation one.
As this adorable novella features both Lily and Mel, the MC from Haunted Home Renovation, it was the perfect occasion to give it a try.
The story is told from Mel's point of view and that gave me a good idea of who she is, I think. Maybe not as totally endearing (to me) as Lily but still a very interesting main character. I'm pretty sure I will read If Walls Could Talk in the near future, this little taste of Mel and her dog Dog made me feel like knowing them better.
The story itself would have been the perfect Halloween read and entertained me quite a lot. Just a tiny amount of creepiness (I mean, "occupied" wax dolls, anyone), plus the usual vintage clothes references, right up my alley.
As this adorable novella features both Lily and Mel, the MC from Haunted Home Renovation, it was the perfect occasion to give it a try.
The story is told from Mel's point of view and that gave me a good idea of who she is, I think. Maybe not as totally endearing (to me) as Lily but still a very interesting main character. I'm pretty sure I will read If Walls Could Talk in the near future, this little taste of Mel and her dog Dog made me feel like knowing them better.
The story itself would have been the perfect Halloween read and entertained me quite a lot. Just a tiny amount of creepiness (I mean, "occupied" wax dolls, anyone), plus the usual vintage clothes references, right up my alley.
March 24, 2025
HauntedHomeReno4.5;Witchcraft6.5; 3.5 ⭐️
An interesting crossover.
The spooky of ghosts plus the woo-woo of murder is a platform that suits Mel better than Lily here, and the story is completely from Mel’s POV. Lily, Maya and Bronwyn make their appearances, but too much is implied, rather than shown, to make it a deeply satisfying read.
Fixing up a minor museum for free is more about safety than true restoration here. Mel still has paying jobs, and the house is creepy rather than haunted, at the beginning. The student docents are enthusiastic, scatty and typical teenagers; but, they are almost adults, so their actions have greater impact. And daring each other to spend the night in the house can’t be good, or avoided.
We never get the history of the family nor the house in a key-in-a-lock sense, that makes the Renovation stories satisfying. And, we don’t get Lily’s perspective, and what she learns/knows/brews. We needed that switching of heads, in my opinion.
An interesting crossover.
The spooky of ghosts plus the woo-woo of murder is a platform that suits Mel better than Lily here, and the story is completely from Mel’s POV. Lily, Maya and Bronwyn make their appearances, but too much is implied, rather than shown, to make it a deeply satisfying read.
Fixing up a minor museum for free is more about safety than true restoration here. Mel still has paying jobs, and the house is creepy rather than haunted, at the beginning. The student docents are enthusiastic, scatty and typical teenagers; but, they are almost adults, so their actions have greater impact. And daring each other to spend the night in the house can’t be good, or avoided.
We never get the history of the family nor the house in a key-in-a-lock sense, that makes the Renovation stories satisfying. And, we don’t get Lily’s perspective, and what she learns/knows/brews. We needed that switching of heads, in my opinion.
June 1, 2021
I really enjoyed this book I always wanted Mel who sees ghosts and can talk to them and Lily the witch to meet after they both live in San Francisco. Juliet Blackwell finally gave me what I wanted and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you have read only one of the series I think it is easy to follow the story.
It's Halloween and of course the haunted house is really haunted Mel has ghosts to deal with but there are life size dolls that need dealing with something out of her league she has no experience dealing with poppets. That is wear our local witch and vintage clothes seller comes in. The ladies immediately click and combine their talents and well you will have to read the novella to find out more.
If you have read only one of the series I think it is easy to follow the story.
It's Halloween and of course the haunted house is really haunted Mel has ghosts to deal with but there are life size dolls that need dealing with something out of her league she has no experience dealing with poppets. That is wear our local witch and vintage clothes seller comes in. The ladies immediately click and combine their talents and well you will have to read the novella to find out more.
September 7, 2020
I really enjoy both heroines with Mel (Turner Construction series) and Lilly (Vintage Clara Closet series). I have read all of their books in their separate series and this was entertaining with putting the two of them together. Mel is working on getting the mansion up to standards for an upcoming halloween party that would be held there. Unfortunately, one of the student's die at night and was only there as a dare. So both Mel and Lilly help find out what happen to him and clear the place of any demons among the way.
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