Tea and Trickery

Witches of Whittaker Mysteries #1

by Wendy Ledger

A haunted house. A talking cat familiar. A ghostly ally.Ella Kelly thought she’d found true love. But when she discovered his cheating ways, Ella was more than ready to leave her old life behind . . . if only she knew what to do next! Her wish came true with a surprising a charming tea shop in an intriguing California town.

But managing a tea shop can brew up all sorts of troubles. There’s a murder to solve, a haunted house calling her name, and a cat familiar who’s not sure he’s up to the task. And maybe her mother could have told her she was a witch?

Will Ella and her shy sidekick be able to crack this case and bring peace to her town?

Tea and Trickery is the first book in the paranormal cozy series, The Witches of Whittaker Mysteries. If you love magical cats, tantalizing teas, and supernatural shops, you’ll adore this enchanting tale.

Pick up Tea and Trickery today for a magical mystery adventure today!

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Novella, Witches, Ebooks

129 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 26, 2024

Reviews

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a paranormal cozy mystery. The main character, Ella, dumps her cheating boyfriend and heads for a small town where her aunt left her a tea shop and apartment—oh, and a shy cat. She also left a legacy as Ella finds out she’s a witch and her cat, Rumor, is her familiar. And there are other witches in the town, and a family—the Whittakers—who do not like Ella’s family. She discovered all this when the ghost of her aunt shows up to talk to her.

Yes, there is a lot going on in this story. I loved Rumor, the cat. He’s so shy and unsure of himself but ends up being a hero in the end. Unfortunately, I kept getting Rumor the cat mixed up with Rowan, her uncle. (There’s a reason not to name major characters with similar names.) There were things in the story that didn’t quite make sense to me, and it had a strange, but satisfying ending.

Overall, it’s a cute story, but without a lot of meat and we’re left with a dangling thread at the end that leads to other stories I hope.

Recommended with cautions.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You were born to be a witch and now you are here you can truly be yourself..."

Ella has inherited her Aunt's tea shoppe and just in time as she is leaving a mess behind. She arrives in Whitaker and her aunt's lawyer Rowan Holt helps her begin her new life. Turns out his daughter Sage is the baker for Addie's Tea Shoppe and the two of them begin the reopening much to the chagrin of the Whitaker family whose history intertwines with Adeline's and historically with the whole family. It's kind of a magical vs non magical history and it pervades the whole town. But Ella tries to make "nice" including attending the reopening of the Whitaker House where Ella's ancestor lived as a Whitaker wife.

I really liked this story,although in some ways the mystery is kind of flat. I hope that Wendy Ledger is able to have the characters, both human and animal bloom much as tea steeps. Recommended 4/5

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tea and Trickery is book #1 in The Witches of Whittaker Mysteries series by Wendy Ledger.

Ella needs a fresh start and the inheritance of a tea shop from an aunt she never met gives her that chance. Ella learns about her family’s history in town as well as something about herself that her mother failed to mention. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ella has a lot to figure out about herself, the tea shop, her familiar, and the town with a house that she is drawn to. I absolutely love Rumor, her shy, sweet kitty who feels he let her Aunt Addie down. The mystery of what happened to Addie was interesting and the ending absolutely surprised me. This book hasn’t released yet and I’m already anxiously waiting for the next book for more Ella and Rumor!

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Andrea B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encantó, es un libro corto que te introduce muy bien en este mundo lleno de magia, misterio y gatos que hablan.
El misterio me tenía ingeniando quien podría ser el asesino, aunque claramente no acerté, pero aún así, me gustó bastante, no me lo esperaba para nada.
Los personajes Ella, Rowan, Sage son maravillosos, todos están bien elaborados, quisiera conocer más de este mundo y de estos personajes.
Mi parte favorita fueron los gatos, amo a los gatos y amo los libros que los incluyen, y en este wow! Me encantaron.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new series promises a little bit of everything. You have magic, tea , a talking cat and a murder to solve. Add in a family history and you have everything needed for a great series. And Ms. Ledger's characters are very well written, even the ghosts. The story just flows from the beginning to the end. A quick read, I hope the next one is longer and we get it soon. I think everyone will enjoy this new series from Wendy Ledger

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great start to a new series. The story held my attention, and I read the book in one sitting. I find the characters mostly likeable. Recommend reading.

[Moonie]

Hard DNF

[Áine Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rumor deserves the whole world.

Very cute book, a quick murder mystery with cosey witchy vibes.

I really hope the seven year old cat gets adopted soon!

[Gina Russenholt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great coz mystery. Looking forward to continuing the series