Deadly Past

Witch in the Woods #31

by Jenna St. James

A Forty-Something Witch with a New Career


A Gargoyle Sheriff Raising a Daughter

And an Enchanted Island Full of Secrets





It's wedding time on Enchanted Island! GiGi and Byron are finally ready to walk down the aisle in Black Forest. But instead of a celebration...we have a mystery to solve. The newest member of the gang, Wendy Frans, has finally arrived on the island, and she couldn't be happier to be there. Until she's hurt trying to save one of the gang! Yes, that's right! One of the gang has gone missing, and it's clear Byron's past has come back to haunt him. Can Shayla, Alex, and Needles track down the killer before another of their tribe is taken?

135 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 24, 2025

About the author

Jenna writes in the genre of traditional cozy, paranormal cozy, and romantic comedy. Her humorous characters and stories revolve around over-the-top family members, creative murders, and there's always a positive element of the military in her stories. Jenna currently lives in Missouri with her fiancé, step-daughter, Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever dog, Brownie, and her tuxedo-cat, Whiskey. She is a former court reporter turned educator turned full-time writer. She has a Master’s degree in Special Education and an Education Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She also spent twelve years in full-time ministry.
When she’s not writing, Jenna likes to attend beer and wine tastings, go antiquing, visit craft festivals, and spend time with her family and friends. You can friend request her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorjennas... or catch her on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/authorjennas.... Check out her website at http://www.jennastjames.com/. Don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter so you can keep up with the latest releases!

Reviews

[Margery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preparations for Gigi's wedding and the Samhain festival, have everyone busy running around. Byron has promised Gigi a bride surprise, and I will say, what a surprise it was for everyone! Byron's ex sister in law is there and a few more who are not happy with Byron or Gigi. Of course the kids costume and showing magical talent is the highlight. In true twin power, the other 2 on their team made scarecrows move, but, the twins? Let's just say they have been banned from participating again. Remember they are only 2. At one point, all at the fair are laughing and pointing to 2 wearing face hugging masks of Gigi. It was supposed to be a surprise, but what happened? The masks were spelled and poisoned and Byron's best man died, and Byron himself barely survived. The wedding was postponed for 2 days. Will they find out who and why this happened? Only a handful of suspects but revealing fake alibis makes this one reason I love Ms. Jenna's books. I hit that point where I could not go to sleep until the end.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one starts out kind of tough by introducing a ton of characters - mostly from previous books - to bring any new reader up to speed or refresh previous readers. After that, there is a set-up for the next mystery as a few people that disliked either GiGi or Byron are introduced with backgrounds. As the crew is prepping for GiGi and Byron's upcoming wedding, the murder occurs and the fmc (Shayla) begins investigations. This time, Shayla is primarily with her daughter-in-law (Zoie) doing the investigation, but she is alone a bit also. I really wish she would get back to investigating more with her husband. I just liked that dynamic more. As usual, this is a fun quick read with a standard set of characters. I continue to enjoy the series and look forward to book 32.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly strong series. We're at book 31 and there's still so many stories to tell, new and returning characters and always a great mystery. Gigi and Byron and preparing for their wedding when tragedy strikes. Since everyone is close by for the wedding, there is a very strong team to help solve this mystery and uncover the killer. A great selection of suspects and some twists will keep you at the edge of your seats. I couldn't put this book down. And yeah to the return of Brick. He's been missed. All around wonderful read.

[Lee Brothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful and intriguing, a really good read. It's always enjoyable to spend time with Shayla and Alex. Revenge is definitely served cold in this book and it's frightening. This whole series is just awesome!!

[Linnette Parris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical Misdeeds

It’s time for the wedding, but old grudges have simmered too long. A very engrossing story so well crafted it cannot be put down. The island feels like coming home to family and friends, I love every visit!

[Conny CONE · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating addition to the series that brings beloved characters to life with depth and nuance, drawing MD deeper into its rich narrative world. The author's skillful storytelling continues to engage and delight me with its compelling character development and immersive plot.

[JoAn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every visit to Enchanted Island feels like I'm visiting old friends. It's GiGi and Bryon's wedding during Samhain! The mystery seems to revolve around Byron's past but is that all there is to it? You'll have to read this twisty mystery to find out.

[Ramona Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

book 31

Great series. I enjoy all the characters and all the interactions. The storyline in each book is wonderful. Now to wait for #32

[Stephen Levesque · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enjoyed it! This is a well written and has well developed characters. The story is catching and with the strong characters makes for a very enjoyable read. Great Reading Everyone!

[Karen Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy a good mystery and this one didn’t disappoint. I highly recommend the series.

[Miss W Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Past is the 31st book in the Witch in the Woods series by Jenna St. James.

This book was so good, and I was so excited for Gigi's wedding. The Samhain festival was taking place and there was such much excitement.

I love the twins so much, they bring so much excitement to the story.

There was a surprise, not one that was expected, and Sheyla is on the case along with Needles and the gang.

I won't give anything away, but this book revealed a lot of past secrets, and I loved every minute.

The mystery was well crafted and perfectly done! Highly recommend!