Mystic Secrets: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery

by Cindy Stark

When an adventure tour guide is found dead at the Whispering Stones Vortex, witch-sleuth Kalie Kennedy must separate authentic magic from deadly deception.

When Kalie Kennedy, intuitive witch and crystal shop owner in the small Arizona town of Mystic, witnesses a heated public confrontation between tour operator Chaz Kramer and a holistic healer, she senses darkness beneath their words. Twenty-four hours later, Chaz is dead, and many in Mystic's tight-knit paranormal community come under scrutiny.

Each suspect carries a compelling motive to silence Chaz, including a psychic podcast host desperate to keep her past mistakes hidden, a bitter ex-wife who never forgave Chaz for abandoning her, an energy healer whose career Chaz threatened, and a rival tour operator defending sacred land.

With Detective Nick Monroe demanding concrete evidence and her telepathic cat familiar Butternut sensing deception at every turn, Kalie navigates protective spells, tarot symbolism, and small-town loyalty to uncover the truth. But the killer is using Mystic's magical reputation as cover, exploiting the town's paranormal beliefs to hide murder in plain sight, even as the town’s magical charm and quirky residents bring warmth to every twist.

As Kalie closes in, she discovers someone is guarding a secret dangerous enough to kill for, and they may be desperate enough to kill again.

The Mystic Village series delivers cozy mystery comfort with paranormal magic including a competent witch-sleuth solving crimes her way, a protective detective who respects her gifts, found-family warmth in a quirky small town, and justice restored through intuition and investigation.


Butternut’s Classified

Mystic Village Mysteries – Book 6
Paranormal Cozy Mystery Witch Sleuth Mystery Small-Town Magical Mystery
Small-town Arizona Mystical shopping village Paranormal community
Desert vortex sites, crystal shops, psychic practitioners, sacred locations

Main
Kalie Witch protagonist, crystal shop owner, intuitive investigator
Detective Nick Police detective, romantic interest, skeptic-turned-believer
Telepathic cat familiar, magical companion

Tropes & Story
Amateur sleuth Telepathic familiar Slow-burn romance Enemies-to-allies Small-town secrets Psychic intuition Found family Cozy community Magical investigation Detective romance Cat companion Witch protagonist

Intuition vs. evidence Authentic magic vs. fraud Community loyalty Hidden motives Small-town dynamics Mystical tourism Professional rivalry
Tone &
Cozy Lighthearted humor Magical Character-driven Justice-focused Heartwarming Mystery-driven

Content
Cozy-appropriate (off-page death, no graphic content)
Slow-burn, closed-door, emotional tension
Light witchcraft, intuition, familiar bond, protective spells, tarot symbolism
Mystery Multiple suspects, red herrings, clue-driven investigation

Comparable Amanda M. Lee Danielle Garrett Jenna St. James Elle Adams
Practical Magic meets cozy mystery Charmed meets small-town murder investigation

279 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 4, 2025

About the author

Cindy Stark lives with her family and a sweet Border Collie in a small town shadowed by the Rocky Mountains. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary romances, and she loves to hear from readers.

Connect with her online at:
http://www.CindyStark.com
http://facebook.com/CindyStark19
http://twitter.com/CindyStark19

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Thank you!

Reviews

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who Murdered Chaz Kramer ? . . .

Tour guide Chaz Kramer is determined to reveal scammers and fakes who claim to have magical talent. With the town of Mystic known for its supernatural skills, he has many fakes to uncover who show up to defraud the tourists. But when he has an argument with Grace who runs a clinic wellness shop, the two of them threaten each other, and soon after, Chaz's dead body is discovered along the Whispering Stones Vortex by another tour guide, Jace Yazzie. Chaz had apparently been poisoned. And because Chaz has upset so many people with his "mission" to out the fakes, a large number of residents have good reason to want him dead. Detective Nick Monroe, witch Kalie Kennedy's boyfriend, begins his investigation into the homicide and Kalie and her telepathic cat familiar Butternut join him. As Kalie gets closer to finding the killer and discovering the secret being protected, the danger increases. Will she and Nick stop the killer before another death occurs?

[Laura Moylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystic Village’s metaphysical shop, Enchanted Elements, is still run by Kalie and her familiar, the orange kitten, Butternut. She overhears an argument between Dr. Grace Novak outside her clinic & Chaz Kramer, who accuses the Dr of being a fraud. Chaz runs the Coyote Moon Desert Tours. Kalie knows that Detective Nick Monroe likes her and she likes him back. But, Kalie isn’t one to not try to control things around her. lol. She had learned a lot from her mentor Tara and they both used their magic to help others. Kalie has a need to help figure out things which of course, sometimes got her in trouble with Det. Nick. Gladys was finally a friend and as the queen of gossip in the area, now came over to ask Kalie things because of her relationship with Nick and being in the ‘know’. lol. Then there is a death and Gladys wants the 411. I really like how Gladys changed and I always liked her daughter, Rosalie and her vintage clothing store. As Kalie and Nick search for the murderer, we learn a lot about the dead. We also know that there is a lot more going on in Mystic than we always thought. I love how much we learn about the different stores and people in Mystic. Jace Yazzie is a very interesting character. I really was fascinated by him. I’m also proud of Nick for finally believing in Kalie and what she tells him about the supernatural world. He now accepts her and her help with cases, which he used to fight her on. That makes it easier for them to get along and fall for each other, which I was rooting for since book 1. lol. I liked Heath & Susanne who worked for and with Chaz.

I also love how strong the bond is between Kalie and Butternut. Butternut is just adorable and her insights are just amazing sometimes. I love all of these books as they are so much fun. They are funny, sweet, romantic and a bit scary every now and again. I can’t get enough of them. Plus, I just reread the whole series before reading this one, again. So much fun. I can’t wait to read the next book.

I also love Kalie’s bestie, Jenna. The fact that she owns a coffee shop does help. lol. I also love Kalie’s adopted grandmother/landlady, Mary Mae, whose powers are sooo freaking cool.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kalie Kennedy and her sweet familiar, Butternut, have found new clarity about their feelings for skeptical detective Nick Monroe. Nick has come to accept both Kalie’s magic and her investigative help. When local guide, Chaz Kramer, who recently started exposing frauds in Mystic’s community, is found dead, Nick welcomes Kalie’s insights in the case. After Kalie is taken in by one of the practitioners, she starts to doubt her instincts. Multiple suspects with strong motives make for a puzzling case, and Kalie needs to trust her instincts to get to the truth. In a face off with the killer, will Kalie’s magic be strong enough to help her?

Mystic Secrets hits all the right notes for a paranormal cozy. The connection between Kalie and Nick has strengthened with each case, and the newest Roaming Gnome reveals the truth of their bond. Kalie has also grown more confident, moving past the trauma that first brought her to Mystic. Butternut is a refreshing change from the usual snarky and domineering familiars found in many other books. She is processing her own trauma and has a sweet and gentle nature. The surfacing of her surprising abilities opens up much story potential for the future. Sam the ghost and surrogate grandma, Mary Mae make welcome appearances as part of Kalie’s found family. The ending, with Kalie and Nick had me tearing up with their heartfelt declarations.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa Menor · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Grace, a local clinic/wellness shop owner, has a run-in with tour guide Chaz Kramer, an argument ensues and threats are made. Chaz calling Grace a fraud, Grace threatening Chaz harm and all this being witnessed by Kalie. No sooner has the threat come to pass and Chaz is found deceased. Detective Nick Monroe, Kalie's boyfriend, declares it to be a homicide. Apparently Chaz had made it his mission to debunk all the, what he seemed to believe were, spiritual scammers and frauds in Mystic. That means there's many suspects to choose from. Mystic has true spiritual people - healers, witches and psychics. There are also people who come to Mystic with no abilities and prey on tourists and others who are just looking for guidance. Kalie was eager to help Nick find the killer and restore the balance of the town which was now her home. Nick was ready to let his guard down and let her assist.

Another awesome murder mystery!! Great storyline with lots of twists and turns right up until the end! I love these characters! Fantastic addition to this great series! I highly recommend!!!

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming!

I love this well written series. I highly recommend starting at the beginning if you can, but this can be read on its own.

When a tour operator dies, after Kalie saw him in an argument with someone, she sets out to solve the mystery. Lots of potential culprits and twists and turns. There's romance and humor and wonderful characters.

One thing that is special about this series are the relationships, particularly between Kalie and her familiar, Butternut, and Kalie and Detective Nick Monroe. So sweet that it makes me smile a lot through the book.

I am already looking forward to book 8!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Mystic Secrets is the seventh book in the charming paranormal Mystic Village Cozy Mystery series. If you like a savvy and sassy heroine, a dashing yet skeptical hero, and just the right sprinkling of magic and humor, you’ll love these stories."

The characters were so very well written and likeable and quirky and mysterious. Plot was intriguing and well paced. World building continues to excel and impress. All in all a great addition to the series. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this series.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystic Secrets is an engaging, small town, cozy mystery. At first glance it might seem as though Chaz deserved his fate. Why did he think it was his responsibility to publicly berate shop owners as charlatans? But there is a lot more to Chaz and this mystery than is first apparent! You will not want to miss all that Kalie uncovers as she attempts to discover the truth about Chaz' death. Kalie's boyfriend Nick has learned that sometimes he needs Kalie's insights to solve the homicide. With lots of twists, red herrings, suspects and motives, I was certainly surprised at the ending. Don't miss this latest escapade with Kalie, Butternut, Jenna, Mary Mae and Nick!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is far enough along in the series to have brought the baseline setting to a point where everything is meshing and anything added now, will be more clarification on the characters. Lots of suspects in this murder. Kalie and Butternut are right in the middle of things, helping the detective figure out the mystery. I love this setting - I would love to live in Mystic. It seems like it could be lifted right up out of Arizona and dropped into England, a quaint village with lots of secrets and paranormal things going on. I definitely recommend this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystic Secrets: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery is book #6 in the Mystic Village Paranormal Cozy Mysteries series by Cindy Stark.

It’s never good to get into an argument in a cozy mystery. Someone is sure to end up dying soon after. There are plenty of people who dislike the victim so Nick and Kalie have their work cut out for them. I’m so happy that Nick is accepts who Kalie is and is willing to listen to her input. This is such a fun series. Who doesn’t love great characters, interesting mysteries, a bit of romance, and a wonderful cat? I absolutely adore Butternut! I can’t wait for the next book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[CelticMoonGoddess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series of adventures is for Kalie Kennedy and the now less sceptical Detective Nick Monroe.
Each murder is investigated with Kalie assisting Detective Nick, and also the addition of the background of the growing relationship between the two characters is also added. The setting in Mystic Village and the cast of characters create a lovely, magical environment and a nice mix of murder mystery with a touch of magic and paranormal elements.
Fun, enjoyable, cosy, clean, murder mystery and magic adventure with endearing characters and setting.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how Nick’s come around to understanding Kalie’s world more and while maybe he’ll never actually believe in some things, he sure can’t deny it when he sees stuff that can’t be explained in a normal way. Case in point, the previous book’s showdown. This book’s showdown was pretty exciting too, and Kalie had some help from an unexpected but welcome source. I loved the very ending and can’t wait for the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided via BookSprout, and my opinions are my own.

[J Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vortex of death!

Kalie Kennedy and her sweet familiar, Butternut, team up with Detective Nick Monroe to unravel the murder of a local tour guide. Is it connected to the heated argument they witnessed, or is the killer one of his many enemies?

A good mystery that kept me guessing. Everyone in Mystic Village seems to know that Kalie and Nick are a couple, except Kalie! I received an advance copy, but my review is honest and voluntary.

[Hilary Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Series

Mystic Secrets (Mystic Village Paranormal Cozy Mysteries Book 6) by Cindy Stark. A local tour operator is found dead in the desert, poisoned. Kalie and her familiar can’t help investigating to help her boyfriend detective Nick. In the end it’s kalie’s familiar Butternut who catches the killer.

[LizJ. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystic Secrets Book 6 of Mystic Village by Cindy Stark just keeps on getting better and better with every new story. I love all the characters especially Butternut, she holds my heart. I’ve really enjoyed reading this series and can’t wait for more!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story! Butternut is so cute! And her interaction with Kalie is so cool. Sweet and uplifting. Stark has the ability to really make you feel as if you're there, that magical, exciting feeling of escaping your own world. This mystery was twisty, just the way I like it. A feel good book! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lauren Heiy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystic Secrets: A Paranormal ,pay Mystery book 6 of Mystic Magic

Love these characters especially Butternut. The story is both a look into normal human feelings of betrayal and also the spiritual of the world around us.

[Debbie Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked how Kalie and Butternut help Nick solve the latest murder. It is better now that Nick knows about her gift.

[Jennifer Laird-Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kalie along with Nick and of course Butternut investigate a crime and mystery surrounding it. There are secrets coming out in this latest story. Wonderful entertaining characters and I would recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun story with a mystery for Kalie to help the detective solve.