Magic Can Be Murder

by Vivian Vande Velde

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. . . .

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery, Magic, Fiction, Teen, Supernatural

197 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2000

About the author

Vivian 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.

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

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....

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Cait S · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Melissa]

I 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.

[Kelly Abels]

I remember reading this book many years ago (maybe elementary or middle school) and enjoying it, but I forgot the title/author and could never find it again… I’m so happy I managed to stumble upon it!

[Mel Raschke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, entertaining novel.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

(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.

[Shruthi · Rating 2 out of 5]

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

[Hope · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Marsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Claire Blind Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm somewhere between 3.5-4
It's a fun book that belongs along side the rest of Vivian Vande Velde's works. It just took some time to get through because I was reading it with my fiancé, so any notes I have about pacing could be from that. I think it could just get a little repetitive and while I love Nola and Gavin, Nola brings up her appearance A LOT throughout the book. And most of the time it comes out of nowhere so it feels like a drive by statement. She'll be thinking about the murder or Gavin's detection skills and then BAM "But he wouldn't give me a second glance with my real appearance". That bogged down the story a bit.
Otherwise it's a fun time with the quirkiness you love from our author with her fantastical name.

A great ending with great chemistry between all the characters which deserves a mention no matter what.

For future me, this book was about a witch let's her anxiety get the better of her which keeps getting her in a deeper hole until she's caught up in a murder conspiracy with a hot detective and some disguising magic. Also she twists her ankle and I felt it in my bones for the rest of the book.

[William Leight · Rating 3 out of 5]

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(and its resolution seems partly driven by the needs of the plot: the person whose appearance is being stolen has to be guilty, otherwise the theft would make the protagonist a terrible person). 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.

[Reese Flannery]

In 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.

[Library Lady 📚 · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[EJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Andie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alright. Made me real anxious.

[Diamond Chambers · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

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?

[Connie T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light, fun story. Not as well developed as others that Vende Velde has written. A perfect escapist romp to read during a pandemic.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Devin Nocterum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book, found it when I was younger. Vivian's writing really draws you into the stories. Definitely reccomend.

[Hendrix Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun! Cute!

[Allison Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little story. The "romance" is highly unbelievable, but the rest of it was enjoyable.

[Jamie Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute! Easy read, fun for October. Simple but suspenseful.

[Arwyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t like this book; I felt it had no plot and she knew who the murderer was from very early into the book.

[Skye Hegyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Sam (Hissing Potatoes) · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Mikaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a confusing book. Very circular and hard to follow. Didnt enjoy reading this one as much as her other stories.