Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Witch Hazel Lane Mysteries #2

Devil on My Doorstep Lib/E

Rate this book
Welcome to Witch Hazel Lane...
It's Christmas-time, and the ladies of Witch Hazel Lane are going all out. Caroling, bonfires, Christmas parties, not to mention the decorating! But in the midst of all the fun, Birdie Devaine is given a gift she can't seem to get rid of - the presence of her old flame, Lucifer.

Yes, that Lucifer. He's come to do some bargain shopping himself... for souls.

And when the town's fake Santa is found keeled over only days away from Christmas, the whole town is left in a wintry shock.

Will Birdie be able to stop her ex from collecting on his contracts? And the ladies of Witch Hazel Lane want to know... who poisoned Santa's hot cocoa!?

This book contains plenty of southern sass, friendship, some delicious comfort food, and a little bit of magic along the way!
FREE RECIPES INCLUDED!


Perfect for readers of Charlaine Harris, Joanna Fluke, and Leighann Dobbs!

Audio CD

First published December 9, 2019

330 people are currently reading
68 people want to read

About the author

J.L. Collins

33 books54 followers
J. L. (Jerri) lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, with her family and feisty canine. She loves delicious southern food, dogs, Carolina sunrises on the beach, shopping on King Street, and curling up with about twenty different books on the weekends. When she gets the rare chance, she also likes to go exploring and learning more about Charleston's rich history.

Make sure to sign up for Jerri's mailing list to receive her newsletter so you can find out all about her new releases, check out cover reveals, take part of fun giveaways, PLUS receive an exclusive cocktail recipe book from J. L. for free! https://www.subscribepage.com/u0d6c6

Feel free to contact J. L. Collins here: jlcollinsbooks@gmail.com

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
183 (45%)
4 stars
132 (32%)
3 stars
75 (18%)
2 stars
10 (2%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Krystyna.
5,134 reviews55 followers
December 13, 2019
Sorry but not as good as the first book.

This one seemed to meander all over the place whilst the death of cranky Santa got very little time. It is more about the way she and her friends spend Christmas, the presents and a renewed acquaintance with Lucifer. A good read but not a brilliant one. Plus for all the talk about help others - a sick girl is left on her own for days.
Frankly a bit disappointed.
Profile Image for Artist_carrie .
710 reviews11 followers
December 20, 2019
Santa is dead, but from what? And Birdie's ex is the devil! Wow! I liked but not as much as the frist I think all the background about Birdie and the devil mildly entertaining but didn't add to the story it's more of an afterthought could be built up as a book itself but had no business in this. A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own as I voluntarily choose to reveiw.
Profile Image for Crystal.
1,099 reviews28 followers
December 14, 2020
This is book 2 in the Witch Hazel Lane Mystery series and you don’t necessarily have to read book 1 before reading book 2, but I’m telling you, these stories are fun to read.
This time around Birdie is on hand helping Cinda with her tent at the winter festival and happens to meet “Santa” just before he’s found dead. With a new mystery on hand, gifts to purchase and exchange, the continued remodeling of her house, plus having time to hang out with her new friends, Birdie doesn’t have time for an old flame. Especially since that old flame is Lucifer. When he tells her that he was in the area because of an unknown energy spike, Birdie doesn’t believe him. I mean he’s Lucifer after all, who’s actually going to believe that he’s not there taking souls?
Trying to figure out who killed Santa is a bit trickier, his widow had the means and opportunity, especially when we find out what she got not to long before his demise. You don’t ever root for the victim either. The consensus was that he was a lazy jerk, and the only reason he’d even stepped up to be Santa in the first place was to fulfill terms of his father’s will.
I wasn’t all that happy with the killer, when you find out what happened and why, it was a little disappointing. Not enough for me to stop reading, but we now have an overall mystery to solve. What’s going on in the area that piqued Lucifer’s interest? Who’s looking for birdie and why? I can’t wait to step into the next mystery!! I’m loving the friendships Birdie is made, this group of women is a fun, loving group, the kind we all wish we had in our lives.
**I read this story using my Kindle Unlimited subscription
Profile Image for Barbara Hackel.
2,922 reviews45 followers
December 16, 2019
I enjoyed the book, but not as much as the first of the series. This book seemed to stretch on and on with little being accomplished as to solving the murder. Also time seemed too fluid. She celebrated with her friends and days later she referred to a ad or broadcast about getting ready for Christmas. Time in a book that is supposed to be a flashback or memory is usually very clear. However this was not a flashback.

While I enjoyed the trip to the underground witches market and the snow sequence, both felt like they were page fillers, and not essential to solving the murder. I think Birdie was lacking the drive she had in the first book. Even so, the book was enjoyable and the author is extremely creative with her witchy ideas!

This is definitely a series that must be read in order for understanding. Even then I had a hard time keeping up with who did or didn't know Birdie was a witch!
380 reviews5 followers
April 13, 2022
Christmas-time finds Birdie helping her friend Cinda at her tent at the winter fair. Bad Santa (son of Good Santa) keels over dead after visiting Cinda's tent for hot cocoa. As police investigate, Birdie also does some sleuthing. She also wants to find out why Lucifer has come back into her life saying he was concerned for her well being. She does all this while also celebrating the holidays with Geena, Cinda, Frannie, and TJ. Was Bad Santa killed or did he die a natural death (given his unhealthy lifestyle)? If he was killed, who did it? His wife who was seen arguing with him on the street, Scott Klaus who had hoped to become the next Santa after Good Santa (father to Bad Santa)? And what motivated his murder, if it was murder? Birdie inadvertently exposes her magical self to another friend in the course of her investigation. Will her secret be safe now that 3 of her friend group know her truth?
Profile Image for Kay's Pallet.
288 reviews4 followers
May 12, 2020
This book was actually a mess. It started off interesting with a witch and a Christmas fair. Then it was about 100 pages of nothing actually related to story happening. The point that Birdie is a witch and her ex is the devil, does nothing for the story. It's the equivalent to Birdie being a lefty, like her being witch doesn't matter and it wouldn't change the story at all if she wasn't a witch. The end was so bad. It's like 75% in the book, the author remembered that this is supposed to be a murder mystery. "Oh yeah, some guy got murdered a hundred or so pages back. Better wrap this up in the cheesiest and most obvious way possible." Sorry, not sorry. Would not recommend.
Profile Image for Marissa.
3,604 reviews48 followers
December 13, 2019
Kindle Copy for Review

Witch Hazel Lane is busy with the spirit of Christmas in the air. The witches are full of decorating and enjoying the festivities. Birdie Devaine gets an unexpected gift that she cannot seem to get rid of her old boyfriend Lucifer.

He’s in town to collect some more souls to add to his never ending collection. Mayhew will occur as the two cross paths. A fake dead Santa is poisoned as Birdie must stop Lucifer from getting Santa’s soul as she looks for who poisoned Santa.

A cute fun Christmas cozy.
Profile Image for Angela Griffin.
1,749 reviews5 followers
January 31, 2022
Tantalizing tidbits offer a lure

Birdie is opening up more, which is great for the character; however, it's looking like she needs to remain vigilant to maintain control over who she's exposed to. The bit about the ex is intriguing (more so than the mysterious death) and offers the barest snippet into Birdie's backstory. The editing is simply appalling, though, and I wondered about the "Bobby and Whitney" comment. Since I do enjoy this author I look forward to what's next in the series.
1,446 reviews5 followers
February 13, 2020
Birdie returns in her 2nd installment of her new life on Witch Hazel Lane. Christmas is coming and all the ladies are shopping, working at the fair, and planning for more festivities. When an old flame of Birdie’s better know as Lucifer shows up, memories of her past life surface. While working at the fair, Santa turns up dead. Now the ladies have one more thing to do – solve a possible murder.

I love Hazel and her friends and look forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,872 reviews9 followers
February 16, 2020
I totally forgot to post my December review to Goodreads.

Devil On My Doorstep is the second in the new Witch Hazel Lane mysteries. This story seemed to meander a lot. This was an easy read.

The characters are developing. Much more time was spent on character development rather than the story.

I found this not as entertaining as the first book. Hoping the next one is a little more focused.

I was given an e-copy and am not required to leave a positive review.

Profile Image for Denise .
844 reviews10 followers
March 1, 2020
I have been enjoying this series for the most part. I like the characters and their interactions with one another. This installment didn’t focus enough on the mystery in my opinion. Figuring out who killed the cranky Santa seemed more like an afterthought rather than the focus it should have been. The book also could have benefited from another proofreading. There are missing words, wrong tenses used and awkward sentence phrasing that could have been corrected with another proofing.
Profile Image for Heather.
379 reviews20 followers
April 4, 2020
Lucy

Be in that I'm a Carolina native, that has lived all over! I can definitely say not only are many sayings common there. They are just as uncommon in other area. I don't know if I giggled because of the sayings or the looks I would get when I said them. Lol, and boy is it funny to me now that even ONE inch of snow was a lot to me. If it gets below 50 I think I need to bundle up!
Profile Image for Mike Lewis.
1,761 reviews8 followers
April 18, 2020
Entertaining supernatural cozy mystery series

Entertaining supernatural cozy mystery series. Great cast of characters and an entertaining storyline. A very eclectic group of older women on a neighborhood street in a small town in Mississippi. Follow along as this group of friends including one which stumbles upon mysteries trouble and other issues and then figure it out. Very entertaining. Check it out
Profile Image for E.
1,889 reviews
December 12, 2019
Really enjoyed this second book in the series. The characters are awesome, the story is well written. It’s hard to put the books on this series down, you want to keep going to see what happens. I loved the introduction of the Lucifer character, I look forward to seeing how he fits into the ongoing story with the main characters.
212 reviews2 followers
December 29, 2019
It’s Christmastime on Witch Hazel Lane. Birdie is settling into her new home and new group of friends, both those among the living and those who have passed on. Unfortunately, her ex...the devil himself shows up on her doorstep.
I did enjoy this story and I really like learning more about Birdie’s past. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Dawn Myers.
1,303 reviews2 followers
January 9, 2020
I did not find this story as good as Grits in the Graveyard Book 1. J. L. Collins spent more time on giving you Birdie's love life history than on the mystery. Don't get me wrong I don't mind getting Birdie's history but I felt the mystery part of the story was an after thought. I really love the mystery part. I got the feeling this is a set up for the next book. I read on Kindle Unlimited.
Profile Image for Victoria Roberts.
142 reviews4 followers
December 13, 2019
Another fun read about the witch and ladies on Witch Hazel Lane. I enjoyed getting to know the characters more and seeing friendships flourish. But I did feel there was too much back and forth between Lucifer and the past then the actual story taking place.
Profile Image for Carmela F. Alfonso.
22 reviews
July 23, 2020
Excellent book with too many typos.

Too many typos all of which caused distraction from a very good book. It seemed to get worse towards the end of the book. I hope future books in this series are better edited.
Profile Image for Audiophile.
320 reviews7 followers
January 31, 2024
slight Mary Sue vibes on the main character, but I'm not sure if part of the reason I felt that way was due to the vibes from the audiobook narrator

the books are short - I'll give the third one a go
Profile Image for Norma.
780 reviews
December 13, 2019
Next please.

The more I read this series, the better I like it. The characters are beginning to grow on me. I can't wait for the next.
Profile Image for Carolyn Merwin.
17 reviews
February 10, 2020
Fantastic

O am enjoying the dynamic between these women as they find out their new friend is a witch. How easily they accept it. On to the next one
Profile Image for Stephen Levesque.
2,889 reviews
May 18, 2020
What great writing in this series. The characters you'll love with a story that flows, makes for a great read! Great Reading Everyone!
Profile Image for Lisa Norvell.
733 reviews7 followers
September 14, 2020
Really good

I enjoyed this second book in the series as much as the first. Birdie and her friends on Witch Hazel Lane are very entertaining.
178 reviews1 follower
November 1, 2020
Devilishly good

Good stand alone book in a series. I like the style of writing the author uses and story is well written
Profile Image for Donna.
2,961 reviews31 followers
Did not finish
November 17, 2020
The first book wasn’t great but this one I just didn’t care about at all.
807 reviews2 followers
May 8, 2021
Devil on my doorstep

This was a good story much better than the first one I read. The characters are good and the story line works
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.