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Magic Can Be Murder
Nola isn't much of a witch. She can work only a few useless spells, like the one that lets her spy on people by enchanting a bucket of water. But there's no spell for keeping her mother-who hears voices and is a magnet for witch-hunters-out of trouble. The two of them evade the authorities by traveling from town to town, taking odd jobs and moving on-until the day Nola magically witnesses a murder. . . .
197 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
22 people are currently reading
480 people want to read
About the author
Vivian Vande Velde
51 books995 followersVivian Vande Velde (born 1951, currently residing in Rochester, New York) is an American author who writes books primarily aimed at young adults.
Her novels and short story collections usually have some element of horror or fantasy, but are primarily humorous. Her book Never Trust a Dead Man (1999) received the 2000 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel. She says that she really likes to write for children. She likes to do school talks to children. She does many book conventions and also gives writing classes.
Her novels and short story collections usually have some element of horror or fantasy, but are primarily humorous. Her book Never Trust a Dead Man (1999) received the 2000 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel. She says that she really likes to write for children. She likes to do school talks to children. She does many book conventions and also gives writing classes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
February 25, 2019
This was okay. The story was a little blah to me at times, although there were moments that intrigued me. I liked the ending and how everything wrapped up nicely. I was kind of shocked by a certain character's action....
February 17, 2019
The story wasn't as interesting as I thought it would be, after reading the first few pages, but overall it was still okay. The troubles Nola finds herself in are of her own doing and could been avoided, but I did like how everything wrapped up in the end.
May 29, 2015
And my streak of horrible books continues!
Basically my main problem with this book is this: Nola is literally too stupid to live. There is a difference between characters making misinformed choices and having to deal with the consequences... And the author MAKING the character make such STUPID decisions that NO ONE would be so dumb as to make, just to progress the story the way they want it to go. It's weak and amateurish writing. Every single plot turn or advancement was made because Nola made one more stupid decision. And then had the gall as one point to think "Even though I had never been a naive child, or at least not for a very long time." YOU ARE THE BIGGEST MORON TO EVER LIVE! THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE!
Every character in this book is pathetic and annoying and I hated them. The first chapter was so promising but it was just absolute shit after that. I've seen this author's name thrown around a lot but you couldn't pay me to read another of their books at this point.
Basically my main problem with this book is this: Nola is literally too stupid to live. There is a difference between characters making misinformed choices and having to deal with the consequences... And the author MAKING the character make such STUPID decisions that NO ONE would be so dumb as to make, just to progress the story the way they want it to go. It's weak and amateurish writing. Every single plot turn or advancement was made because Nola made one more stupid decision. And then had the gall as one point to think "Even though I had never been a naive child, or at least not for a very long time." YOU ARE THE BIGGEST MORON TO EVER LIVE! THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE!
Every character in this book is pathetic and annoying and I hated them. The first chapter was so promising but it was just absolute shit after that. I've seen this author's name thrown around a lot but you couldn't pay me to read another of their books at this point.
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January 15, 2011I love Vivian Vande Velde, but I would not consider this book to be on the same level as her other works. It fell a little flat for me. The main character brings all of her troubles on herself-- instead of enjoying the story, I just kept thinking that Nola was being silly and that none of it was necessary. The characters and relationships were not fleshed out enough to make up for this. It was a fine idea, and it could have been interesting, but it needed more substance.
October 18, 2019
Fun, entertaining novel.
January 3, 2020
(4.5 stars)
The plot was not quite what I thought it was going to be, but I liked it.
Interesting characters, especially the mother witch.
I was partially right when I tried to figure out who the murderer was and what the motive was...
My favorite scene is the ending... hahaha... That one phrase repeated, which gives the detective a "lightbulb" moment. That was enjoyable. I wish there was more.
**SPOILERS**
Nola gets herself into quite a pickle by pretending to be Brinna, with magic, especially when she could return to the house at any moment. And then the predicament she's in just keeps getting more difficult... like she's digging a hole deeper...
I liked Galvin, Lord Pendaran's agent. He was an intriguing fellow, and a good detective.
The plot was not quite what I thought it was going to be, but I liked it.
Interesting characters, especially the mother witch.
I was partially right when I tried to figure out who the murderer was and what the motive was...
My favorite scene is the ending... hahaha... That one phrase repeated, which gives the detective a "lightbulb" moment. That was enjoyable. I wish there was more.
**SPOILERS**
Nola gets herself into quite a pickle by pretending to be Brinna, with magic, especially when she could return to the house at any moment. And then the predicament she's in just keeps getting more difficult... like she's digging a hole deeper...
I liked Galvin, Lord Pendaran's agent. He was an intriguing fellow, and a good detective.
June 13, 2018
For more reviews like this one, check out my blog, Reading Recluses
Nola is a witch who does witchy things for Reasons. Very little happens in this book.
Rating: 35/100
Age: 12 & up
Warnings: fairly cliched
Nola is a witch who does witchy things for Reasons. Very little happens in this book.
Rating: 35/100
Age: 12 & up
Warnings: fairly cliched
April 4, 2022
From the beginning of this book I was confused and didn’t like Nola. There was nothing wrong with her per say but she was just meh. Honestly this entire book was just meh. There was almost no world building and the plot wasn’t all that great. The majority of the plot was just Nola making a stupid choice and then living out the consequences. The romance was also just bleh and I honestly didn’t understand it. The ending was probably the best part of the book but even then I was so confused. This book was supposed to be a mystery and I guess it was but there was no mystery for the reader, only the characters. There was close to no character development as well. Overall this book was just confusing and not very well done.
May 6, 2009
This was a cute book. I recommend it to anyone who is going on a trip who wants to read a book of magic and a little romance. This book is kind of small and for a younger audience but its funny and enjoyable for the short time it takes to read it!
August 7, 2017
Nola must be one of the most hapless and inept heroines out there. Her mother told her to be careful about using their magical abilities where others might see them. This is a time intolerant of witches and the threats of imprisonment and death are very real.
But Nola can’t help herself. She constantly collects and uses human hairs (essential in her magic) to spy on others, to be privy to their speech and actions. This causes her to make a dangerous mistake—leaving an enchanted bucket where it might be found by ordinary humans. Then she makes a worse one.
The book certainly celebrates her hardiness, fortitude and quick thinking. But as the mishaps collect and escalate--from blundering into the middle of a murder investigation to tumbling down a flight of stairs—I wondered if Nola wasn’t perhaps her own worst enemy. Add to that an unlikely romance that blooms within a few days and this story suffers from both a slapstick tone and a decided lack of credibility.
I normally like Ms. Vande Velde’s tales of enchantment and adventure. But this one was just too silly to merit any real praise.
But Nola can’t help herself. She constantly collects and uses human hairs (essential in her magic) to spy on others, to be privy to their speech and actions. This causes her to make a dangerous mistake—leaving an enchanted bucket where it might be found by ordinary humans. Then she makes a worse one.
The book certainly celebrates her hardiness, fortitude and quick thinking. But as the mishaps collect and escalate--from blundering into the middle of a murder investigation to tumbling down a flight of stairs—I wondered if Nola wasn’t perhaps her own worst enemy. Add to that an unlikely romance that blooms within a few days and this story suffers from both a slapstick tone and a decided lack of credibility.
I normally like Ms. Vande Velde’s tales of enchantment and adventure. But this one was just too silly to merit any real praise.
February 10, 2021
This book is part romantic farce, with our protagonist falling for a man while disguised as someone else, and part mystery, with the man in question being a cop (of sorts) who is trying to find out what the role of the woman she is disguised as was in a murder. Unfortunately, the farce part isn't quite funny enough, and the mystery part isn't quite mysterious enough. Plus, our heroine is motivated throughout the book by the need to hide the fact that she's a witch from a populace that hates and fears witches, except when the plot requires them not to (e.g., when Vande Velde needs to summon up a happy ending). Vande Velde has some good ideas and a sympathetic protagonist, but the plot is overly mechanical and the whole thing just feels forced.
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September 9, 2019In the book Magic can be Murder, a young girl, Nola and her old mother, Mary are witches. Nola and her mom are constantly moving and traveling so people can't suspect that they are witches. But then she witnesses something horrifying and knows she has to make things right. Vivian Vande Velde, the author, wants the readers to realize that you should never give up. Vivian not only writes chapter books but has also written a children's book. And her first book was written when she was 28 years old! People who like mysteries and suspense will love this book. You never know what's coming next.
November 15, 2017
This book was my first witch book in...years. I can't say it was super memorable or special, or that it will stay with me for long. But it was a fun, fast, fluffy read. Things wrapped up a little *too* quickly and tidily at the end. Otherwise, I enjoyed reading it and seeing how Nola got out of each fix.
Overall, a fast and enjoyable read.
Overall, a fast and enjoyable read.
August 14, 2017
It was good, but again - a pretty quick read, and nothing that makes you really latch on to the characters. I did cheer when Nola kicked that farmer in the knee, though. Especially given that her mother tells her her dead father has just told her to.
January 19, 2021
This was pretty good. Growing up, I loved Vivian Vande Velde, so now anytime I see one of her books, I want to read it (whether I read it or not before). This one did not disappoint. It had a bit of suspense, some romance, and intrigue. I wanted it to be longer, but I enjoyed it immensely.
February 7, 2018
Alright. Made me real anxious.
July 17, 2018
This book was good. I give it 3 1/2 stars. It got better at the ending, but I don't like how it left off tho.
December 14, 2019
A tale of a mother and daughter hiding there identity as witches. Then one day Nola makes a terrible mistake. Will it cost them their lives or can she fix what has been done?
May 8, 2020
A light, fun story. Not as well developed as others that Vende Velde has written. A perfect escapist romp to read during a pandemic.
August 11, 2021
Had a lot of the Vande Velde style i like but overall weaker story than some of her other books. Romance bits felt forced and there were a few too many coincidences for me.
August 14, 2022
Loved this book, found it when I was younger. Vivian's writing really draws you into the stories. Definitely reccomend.
June 5, 2023
Super fun! Cute!
May 8, 2025
Fun little story. The "romance" is highly unbelievable, but the rest of it was enjoyable.
October 9, 2025
Super cute! Easy read, fun for October. Simple but suspenseful.
March 13, 2017
I love Velde's books, and how the romance in them is subtle and not always exactly there. This story was great as well. Nora kept making mistakes, but they were mistakes anyone in her shoes might have made, and that made it even more realistic. She did try her best to clear up her mistakes though, despite everything going against her to do so.
September 14, 2019
1.5 stars. It flowed, but the plot was so simplistic that the beats were glaringly obvious (e.g. she's about to get away, but oh no, freak accident keeps her there). It's not necessarily a problem, but I'm definitely out of the age range this book is targeted toward.
What did bother me, though, was the hypocrisy throughout the book in order for it to conclude with the emotional happy ending. The main character, Nola, does some very questionable things, which the book acknowledges but excuses because she does them for "good," whereas the antagonists doing bad things are punished for doing them. The moral lessons were all mixed up. Nola finally manages to escape the main situation, but for some reason decides to completely unnecessarily come clean about her major secret she's been hiding in fear for her entire life to the one person with authority to arrest her for it, who after less than 24 hours of knowing her throws away his moral code because of instalove. Painful.
What did bother me, though, was the hypocrisy throughout the book in order for it to conclude with the emotional happy ending. The main character, Nola, does some very questionable things, which the book acknowledges but excuses because she does them for "good," whereas the antagonists doing bad things are punished for doing them. The moral lessons were all mixed up. Nola finally manages to escape the main situation, but for some reason decides to completely unnecessarily come clean about her major secret she's been hiding in fear for her entire life to the one person with authority to arrest her for it, who after less than 24 hours of knowing her throws away his moral code because of instalove. Painful.
August 30, 2025
Kind of a confusing book. Very circular and hard to follow. Didnt enjoy reading this one as much as her other stories.
May 27, 2014
Magic Can Be Murder Review
When thinking of magic and witches the stereotypical mean, warted, big nosed, long haired, ugly, heartless witch comes to mind. This witch usually has a broom, spell book, and a big spell pot. However, in the book Magic Can Be Murder, by Vivian Vande Velde, I liked how the two witches are nothing like that. Nola, the teen witch, and her mother are both witches. They aren't the most beautiful people on earth, but they are nothing like the stereotypical gross and mean witches. As a young girl Nola’s mother always moved the two of them from town to town. Being as young as Nola was she thought it was normal. Her mother also taught her to never use her powers and spells out in public because she said it was rude, and again Nola thought this was normal. As Nola grows older she starts to understand the truth of the matter; if anyone finds out about her and her mother’s secret they will be put in jail.
One of Nola’s favorite spells is the bucket spell which I think is really interesting. She collects peoples hair and places a single strand into a bucket of water and can see exactly what the other person is witnessing or doing. Nola likes to do this because she likes to know how normal people live without using spells all the time. While traveling from house to house, Nola and her mother find work at master Inis’s house. He lets them in for the night and they become his maids along with his other maid, a young beautiful girl, Brinna. While staying at the house Nola does the bucket spell. However, before she can tip the bucket to stop the spell she hears screaming. Her mother has broken some of master Inis’s precious possessions, and with that they are kicked out of the house. I felt this part was a little rushed but it was still interesting.
They continue to travel and find work at another home. Nola remembers about the bucket and not tipping it over. The spell is still going on and if anyone finds it they will come looking for her and her mother. Nola makes a courageous decision to go back to the house. She has to figure out how to get into the basement without any suspicions and before anyone else finds the bucket. Before she leaves to go back to the house she takes one of Kirwyn’s, master Inis’s son, hairs and places it in a bucket. When she is spying on him she witnesses a murder. This is when everything goes chaotic and I like how the author intertwined this huge problem into the story. Nola knows the truth, but the people at the Inis household do not. She must help the detectives solve the mystery, tip the bucket, and save her and her mother’s secret from the world. I didn't agree with how Nola went about this problem to save her secret. I thought she could have chosen a better alternative. However there are plot twists at every flip of a page. This book’s detail, plot, characters, and ending will keep you on the edge of your seat!
When thinking of magic and witches the stereotypical mean, warted, big nosed, long haired, ugly, heartless witch comes to mind. This witch usually has a broom, spell book, and a big spell pot. However, in the book Magic Can Be Murder, by Vivian Vande Velde, I liked how the two witches are nothing like that. Nola, the teen witch, and her mother are both witches. They aren't the most beautiful people on earth, but they are nothing like the stereotypical gross and mean witches. As a young girl Nola’s mother always moved the two of them from town to town. Being as young as Nola was she thought it was normal. Her mother also taught her to never use her powers and spells out in public because she said it was rude, and again Nola thought this was normal. As Nola grows older she starts to understand the truth of the matter; if anyone finds out about her and her mother’s secret they will be put in jail.
One of Nola’s favorite spells is the bucket spell which I think is really interesting. She collects peoples hair and places a single strand into a bucket of water and can see exactly what the other person is witnessing or doing. Nola likes to do this because she likes to know how normal people live without using spells all the time. While traveling from house to house, Nola and her mother find work at master Inis’s house. He lets them in for the night and they become his maids along with his other maid, a young beautiful girl, Brinna. While staying at the house Nola does the bucket spell. However, before she can tip the bucket to stop the spell she hears screaming. Her mother has broken some of master Inis’s precious possessions, and with that they are kicked out of the house. I felt this part was a little rushed but it was still interesting.
They continue to travel and find work at another home. Nola remembers about the bucket and not tipping it over. The spell is still going on and if anyone finds it they will come looking for her and her mother. Nola makes a courageous decision to go back to the house. She has to figure out how to get into the basement without any suspicions and before anyone else finds the bucket. Before she leaves to go back to the house she takes one of Kirwyn’s, master Inis’s son, hairs and places it in a bucket. When she is spying on him she witnesses a murder. This is when everything goes chaotic and I like how the author intertwined this huge problem into the story. Nola knows the truth, but the people at the Inis household do not. She must help the detectives solve the mystery, tip the bucket, and save her and her mother’s secret from the world. I didn't agree with how Nola went about this problem to save her secret. I thought she could have chosen a better alternative. However there are plot twists at every flip of a page. This book’s detail, plot, characters, and ending will keep you on the edge of your seat!
February 9, 2016
Nola is a young witch (17) who, when she was younger, didn't understand that magic is to be kept secret, away from others; otherwise, a person can be accused of being an witch and end up dead. Her mother is also a witch and they have to keep moving from town to town to avoid anyone finding out about their abilities.
One day Nola has a friend over and performs a magic ritual in front of a friend and that causes her mother and her to leave for other parts immediately. As the years go on, her mother's begins to hear voices and act like a madwoman.
The situation gets worse when Nola is working on picking berries for someone and the guy tries to get her to have sex with him, causing her and her mother to run away yet again. They manage to get jobs as servants in a different village. That goes bad and they have to go away again.
They get even worse when someone is murdered at the place where she and her mother had been working previously, and Nola has left something that could implicate them. She returns, disguises herself as someone, and then promptly walks into more trouble than she expected.
The trouble seems to escalate for her, and she is trapped in her disguise. She needs to get away, but one thing after another seems to go wrong for her. Worse yet, the killings are not done at all, yet, and someone she had befriended turns out to be a totally different type of person than she suspected.
In addition to this, there's even romance. A very good story, delightfully told.
One day Nola has a friend over and performs a magic ritual in front of a friend and that causes her mother and her to leave for other parts immediately. As the years go on, her mother's begins to hear voices and act like a madwoman.
The situation gets worse when Nola is working on picking berries for someone and the guy tries to get her to have sex with him, causing her and her mother to run away yet again. They manage to get jobs as servants in a different village. That goes bad and they have to go away again.
They get even worse when someone is murdered at the place where she and her mother had been working previously, and Nola has left something that could implicate them. She returns, disguises herself as someone, and then promptly walks into more trouble than she expected.
The trouble seems to escalate for her, and she is trapped in her disguise. She needs to get away, but one thing after another seems to go wrong for her. Worse yet, the killings are not done at all, yet, and someone she had befriended turns out to be a totally different type of person than she suspected.
In addition to this, there's even romance. A very good story, delightfully told.
October 8, 2013
My first love, as a kid, were fantasy novels set in other worlds or in a world suspiciously like medieval Europe. As I grew older, I moved and broadened my horizons, but I still have a weak spot for medieval based literature. This book sounded like something I’d like.
MAGIC CAN BE MURDER is a fast, cute read that fits the bill. I will be the first to admit, I read this while at home sick, so parts were probably lost on me. That being said, the book was well written and the murder portion was also well done. I enjoy the process of the medieval detective coming in and working with just their wits and questions because the didn’t have modern science to back them up. Nola was a likable character, and you couldn’t help feeling sorry for her a bit. A great deal of the book happens because she does things she thinks will help. She’s so paranoid about witch hunters, because her mother can’t quite keep it together, that she brings some of it on herself. Yet you can’t blame her for it.
The love story is well done, though I wish there had been a little more reaction at the end when he discovers her identity. It was a bit too easy for my taste, but it was still good, and still matched his character. The death at the end, which I will refrain from naming so I don’t spoil it, was a little far fetched. The mechanics of it sort of worked and yet still make me scratch my head.
All in all, if you enjoy medieval type fantasy and whodunits, you’ll enjoy this one.
MAGIC CAN BE MURDER is a fast, cute read that fits the bill. I will be the first to admit, I read this while at home sick, so parts were probably lost on me. That being said, the book was well written and the murder portion was also well done. I enjoy the process of the medieval detective coming in and working with just their wits and questions because the didn’t have modern science to back them up. Nola was a likable character, and you couldn’t help feeling sorry for her a bit. A great deal of the book happens because she does things she thinks will help. She’s so paranoid about witch hunters, because her mother can’t quite keep it together, that she brings some of it on herself. Yet you can’t blame her for it.
The love story is well done, though I wish there had been a little more reaction at the end when he discovers her identity. It was a bit too easy for my taste, but it was still good, and still matched his character. The death at the end, which I will refrain from naming so I don’t spoil it, was a little far fetched. The mechanics of it sort of worked and yet still make me scratch my head.
All in all, if you enjoy medieval type fantasy and whodunits, you’ll enjoy this one.
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