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Wisteria Witches #6
Wolves of Wisteria
Zinnia Riddle doesn't use her witch powers much these days. She works as a clerk at the Wisteria Permits Department, where there hasn't been much need for spells and potions... until now.
When a beloved coworker is found dead next to her desk, the whole office gets paranoid. Is one of them a killer? Did the victim leave behind clues in the book she was writing? Is there a town-wide conspiracy, or is some lone serial predator on the loose?
The police are always two steps behind the evil that's threatening the peaceful town. Now it's up to Zinnia Riddle and the witches in her coven to uncover the secrets hiding in plain sight.
Will Zinnia's rusty magic hold up against a powerful enemy?
WOLVES OF WISTERIA is the sixth book set in Angela Pepper's Wisteria Witches universe, and the first book featuring Zinnia Riddle in her own thrilling mystery!
When a beloved coworker is found dead next to her desk, the whole office gets paranoid. Is one of them a killer? Did the victim leave behind clues in the book she was writing? Is there a town-wide conspiracy, or is some lone serial predator on the loose?
The police are always two steps behind the evil that's threatening the peaceful town. Now it's up to Zinnia Riddle and the witches in her coven to uncover the secrets hiding in plain sight.
Will Zinnia's rusty magic hold up against a powerful enemy?
WOLVES OF WISTERIA is the sixth book set in Angela Pepper's Wisteria Witches universe, and the first book featuring Zinnia Riddle in her own thrilling mystery!
331 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2018
1435 people are currently reading
794 people want to read
About the author
Angela Pepper
60 books592 followersUSA Today Bestselling author Angela Pepper lives with her family in the rainy Pacific Northwest, surrounded by spoiled kitties, deer, raccoons, and the biggest woodpeckers you've ever seen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
August 16, 2018
Wolves of Sister is by Angela Pepper and narrated by Rosemary Benson is an Audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. I love this series and the strange town of Wisteria! Witches, gnomes, shifters, ghosts, and brain eaters....what a town! Who wouldn't want to live there? Love the characters, great plot with twists, and plenty of clues that do nothing out confuse me more, lol. Love the interaction between characters, the dialogue, and trying to guess what will come next. Great series. The narration is done perfectly for this book! Great voices and emotions.
August 7, 2019
DNF at 50%. By that point I was listlessly paging through and didn't care who murdered who.
Want to read
July 15, 2019🎁 FREE on iBooks today (7/15/2019)! 🎁
July 31, 2019
This is a spin-off story from a series. I haven't read that series and still enjoyed this book very much. A middle-aged witch working in city hall where one of her coworkers is brutally killed. The story is full of discovery and frustration for the characters as they try to figure out why she was killed and who did it. Witches, shifters, humans and a variety of other characters fill out the cast of characters along with a myriad of powers and abilities.
March 30, 2020
Wolves
Finally we get to learn a bit more about Zinnia. If you have been following the Wisteria Witches series, you've learned much of Zara's story, and Zinnia, her aunt, has been a side character. In this novel, however, Zinnia comes into her own. Does this mean you need to have read any of the other books? No. This is absolutely a stand-alone novel. What it does have is the Easter eggs and tie-ins to the other stories for those who enjoy all the parts of a series. Seen from her own perspective, Zinnia is far less eccentric and quite a competent witch. And, as always, author Angela Pepper has put together an intriguing mystery with all sorts of paranormal intricacies. It is appropriate that there is a different narrator, Rosemary Benson, with a slightly deeper voice, acting out Zinnia's story, and she is every bit as talented.
Finally we get to learn a bit more about Zinnia. If you have been following the Wisteria Witches series, you've learned much of Zara's story, and Zinnia, her aunt, has been a side character. In this novel, however, Zinnia comes into her own. Does this mean you need to have read any of the other books? No. This is absolutely a stand-alone novel. What it does have is the Easter eggs and tie-ins to the other stories for those who enjoy all the parts of a series. Seen from her own perspective, Zinnia is far less eccentric and quite a competent witch. And, as always, author Angela Pepper has put together an intriguing mystery with all sorts of paranormal intricacies. It is appropriate that there is a different narrator, Rosemary Benson, with a slightly deeper voice, acting out Zinnia's story, and she is every bit as talented.
April 15, 2020
Well this was okay. I liked the older characters and the fun and games that produced. i like the idea of hidden witches and not everyone knowing about the magic. I liked the office life it was really realistic. The mystery was okay. I found that part quite predictable. I liked the last few scenes and the twist at the end that was nice.
August 2, 2019
Not what I'm used to
I'm used to 1) the event happens. 2) the mystery being unraveled. 3) the mystery being solve. 4) the wrap up, with any explanations, and close.
This story continues on with what would seem to be the first few chapters of the next mystery. I've seen it done in other books as a separate and defined teaser. E.g., if you liked this story here's the first few chapters of the next ... And leave it up to the reader to decide.
Putting as the end of the first story makes it feel like it's part of the wrap up, which I didn't care for, as it made the story feel, well, interminable to me.
I'm used to 1) the event happens. 2) the mystery being unraveled. 3) the mystery being solve. 4) the wrap up, with any explanations, and close.
This story continues on with what would seem to be the first few chapters of the next mystery. I've seen it done in other books as a separate and defined teaser. E.g., if you liked this story here's the first few chapters of the next ... And leave it up to the reader to decide.
Putting as the end of the first story makes it feel like it's part of the wrap up, which I didn't care for, as it made the story feel, well, interminable to me.
September 1, 2018
Audiobook review: Audiobook review: Wolves of Wisteria is my kind of story. It has a “normalcy” bend with a touch of supernatural that makes the story feel real. The characters are unique, likable, & believable. The mystery was well written and the accompanying storylines had me wanting more! The narrator did a great job with providing unique voices for each character and appropriate tone inflections for each scene! I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
December 21, 2020
2020 bk 382. #6 of the Wisteria Witches - #1 of the City Hall series featuring Aunt Zinnia - and a prequel to Zara's arrival in Wisteria. This can more easily be read as a stand alone novel, more than any other book in the series. Zinnia is an employee at City Hall when one of her best work friends is murdered when she works late. Closely cooperating the the police leads Zinnia into danger before the mystery is solved.
January 29, 2024
I love that we get a book on Zinnia this time and get to see what she’s been up to. I hate that one of their coworkers and someone they all cared about shows up dead one morning. I love that Zinnia immediately tries to help solve the mystery and does as much as she can. I hate that they suspect certain people because the person they suspected was innocent. I hate the person that was responsible and I felt so bad for Zinnia when that person was caught and dealt with.
July 18, 2025
An interesting POV
May 29, 2018
This was a solidly good book, earning every bit of three stars. Plus maybe a little more, I'll go with three-and-a-half.
As a big fan of the Zara Riddle books, and Wisteria in general, I'm always glad when I have another opportunity to re-enter the wonderful world Angela Pepper has created. And while I've never felt compelled to learn more about (Aunt) Zinnia, I'm glad I did. The book was an enjoyable read. Just the thing I needed to lift me out of a blue mood, and a streak of mediocre (to downright awful) reads.
That said, I'm saddened that I can't give Wolves of Wisteria a glowing four or five-star review. For reasons I don't fully understand, this book felt drab to me. It started to sag in tension around 40% (roughly chapter 14) and felt like it limped toward the finale. One of the things that perked it up was a cameo by whom I sorely missed.
None of the characters came to life for me the way Zara, Zoe and the worker bees at the Wisteria Public Library have in visits past. Even Aunt Zinnia herself felt a bit lifeless. Though, she seems to be struggling with a heavy bit of loss, so that makes sense.
The employees of City Hall didn't tempt my curiosity the way the folks at the WPL or the Department of Water, or even the town bakery!, do. I'd much rather read about a new upstart at the Department of Water or the sweet romance of the couple who runs the Gingerbread Baking Company. I felt Dawna, Carrot, Gavin and the group merged into a grey blob of not-quite-colored-in side characters. The only exception being Ethan Fung, whom I thoroughly enjoyed and would like to see more of.
I also picked up the killer pretty much as soon as they came on-screen. Given their connection to Zinnia it seemed almost impossible for it to be anyone else. The motivations of the killer also weren't terribly surprising because, again, it was telegraphed fairly early.
So, final verdict? While I still love the Wisteria series, this felt like the weakest trip so far. Lacking the richness and humor (oh how I missed the humor!) of previous books. Since this is the first in a planned trilogy, I'm hoping the next two books really knock my socks off and bring Wisteria to bold, vibrant life as before.
Sidenote: For Zara critiquing her Aunt's fashion choices in almost every book, Zinnia never fails to look amazing on both City Hall covers. I, for one dig her style.
As a big fan of the Zara Riddle books, and Wisteria in general, I'm always glad when I have another opportunity to re-enter the wonderful world Angela Pepper has created. And while I've never felt compelled to learn more about (Aunt) Zinnia, I'm glad I did. The book was an enjoyable read. Just the thing I needed to lift me out of a blue mood, and a streak of mediocre (to downright awful) reads.
That said, I'm saddened that I can't give Wolves of Wisteria a glowing four or five-star review. For reasons I don't fully understand, this book felt drab to me. It started to sag in tension around 40% (roughly chapter 14) and felt like it limped toward the finale. One of the things that perked it up was a cameo by whom I sorely missed.
None of the characters came to life for me the way Zara, Zoe and the worker bees at the Wisteria Public Library have in visits past. Even Aunt Zinnia herself felt a bit lifeless. Though, she seems to be struggling with a heavy bit of loss, so that makes sense.
The employees of City Hall didn't tempt my curiosity the way the folks at the WPL or the Department of Water, or even the town bakery!, do. I'd much rather read about a new upstart at the Department of Water or the sweet romance of the couple who runs the Gingerbread Baking Company. I felt Dawna, Carrot, Gavin and the group merged into a grey blob of not-quite-colored-in side characters. The only exception being Ethan Fung, whom I thoroughly enjoyed and would like to see more of.
I also picked up the killer pretty much as soon as they came on-screen. Given their connection to Zinnia it seemed almost impossible for it to be anyone else. The motivations of the killer also weren't terribly surprising because, again, it was telegraphed fairly early.
So, final verdict? While I still love the Wisteria series, this felt like the weakest trip so far. Lacking the richness and humor (oh how I missed the humor!) of previous books. Since this is the first in a planned trilogy, I'm hoping the next two books really knock my socks off and bring Wisteria to bold, vibrant life as before.
Sidenote: For Zara critiquing her Aunt's fashion choices in almost every book, Zinnia never fails to look amazing on both City Hall covers. I, for one dig her style.
June 3, 2018
Three and one half
The story has potential, but jumps around, assumes the reader knows too much, and makes wide plot twists. Not a bad read, but not good enough to put on my re-read list.
The story has potential, but jumps around, assumes the reader knows too much, and makes wide plot twists. Not a bad read, but not good enough to put on my re-read list.
April 22, 2019
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
This is the 6th book in the Wisteria Witch Mysteries by Angela Pepper and the first book about Zara’s aunt Zinnia.
The story takes place almost entirely before Zara and Zoey arrive in Wisteria. As such it has a different tone and cast than the first 5 books.
Zinnia is more responsible and less zany than Zara. She is more experienced with witchcraft so there is less joy of discovery and exploration of the world and wonders of this quirky, charming suburbia.
The format of the story is more about office life and the ole of your coworkers as a pseudo family as they discover that one of their co-workers was murdered. This down put a bit of a downer on the book. Although Zara deals with ghosts, more are completely unknown to her to here we have people grieving and dealing with how you carry on after losing an acquaintance.
In a meta twist, the co-worker in question was a writer in her spare time and fashioned a fantastic fan fic where each of her co-workers possessed magical powers or properties. How much did she know and how much was a fun story? There are also plenty of jokes about writing including how some series decide to split off with a side character.
Angela Pepper gets to flex some different muscles with this series but there are plenty of connections and call forwards to the main series – including relatives of and cameos from town residents we know and love.
This story had a few scenes that were more intense than I’ve come to expect from the author and frequent flashbacks made the real slightly more challenging than previous installments.
By the time you get to the end everything falls into place. I’m glad the next volume is already available and ready to launch into.
Rosemary Benson has the unenviable task of being the second narrator of the series after Tiffany Williams has narrated the first five. It makes sense that Zara and Zinnia have different voices and so while I did need to adjust my expectations, she did an excellent job managing the voices of the new cast of characters and making known characters recognizable while still giving her own performance rather than try to mimic Williams. She is a wonderful narrator in her own right.
This is the 6th book in the Wisteria Witch Mysteries by Angela Pepper and the first book about Zara’s aunt Zinnia.
The story takes place almost entirely before Zara and Zoey arrive in Wisteria. As such it has a different tone and cast than the first 5 books.
Zinnia is more responsible and less zany than Zara. She is more experienced with witchcraft so there is less joy of discovery and exploration of the world and wonders of this quirky, charming suburbia.
The format of the story is more about office life and the ole of your coworkers as a pseudo family as they discover that one of their co-workers was murdered. This down put a bit of a downer on the book. Although Zara deals with ghosts, more are completely unknown to her to here we have people grieving and dealing with how you carry on after losing an acquaintance.
In a meta twist, the co-worker in question was a writer in her spare time and fashioned a fantastic fan fic where each of her co-workers possessed magical powers or properties. How much did she know and how much was a fun story? There are also plenty of jokes about writing including how some series decide to split off with a side character.
Angela Pepper gets to flex some different muscles with this series but there are plenty of connections and call forwards to the main series – including relatives of and cameos from town residents we know and love.
This story had a few scenes that were more intense than I’ve come to expect from the author and frequent flashbacks made the real slightly more challenging than previous installments.
By the time you get to the end everything falls into place. I’m glad the next volume is already available and ready to launch into.
Rosemary Benson has the unenviable task of being the second narrator of the series after Tiffany Williams has narrated the first five. It makes sense that Zara and Zinnia have different voices and so while I did need to adjust my expectations, she did an excellent job managing the voices of the new cast of characters and making known characters recognizable while still giving her own performance rather than try to mimic Williams. She is a wonderful narrator in her own right.
March 10, 2020
Zinnia, a witch a bit out of practice, gets involved in a murder case and tries to solve it with her friend Margaret.
Now, I still have not really made up my mind whether, or how much, I liked or disliked the characters, the plot, and the telling of it.
I think I liked the plot best, the characters next, they were likeable enough. The narration style was okay, although it seemed to me as if the story could not decide whether it wanted to be a page-turner with tension and lots of magic and fights (of both magic and non-magic fight), or just a sort of funny - it teetered between the two, never quite managing to combine them seamlessly, sorry to say, and not enough of one of them to definitely go in that direction.
I think the story was too rushed through; the occurrences, the events, could have been a bit more fleshed out, a bit more of suspense and actual magic would have done a lot to make me like the book better.
The main characters came of indecisive and whiny for the most part, there were not enough dialogues for my taste - the story was mainly told from Zinnia's point of view, and whatever she tried to be, she was not a sarcastic or even remotely funny bitch witch. She was quite amusing occasionally, but with her magical potential, which was a bit rusty: what a field for funny mishaps, or more impressive magical defensice feats.
Although this can be read as a standalone in the series, there is too much of past books not properly explained which might be a reason for me finding this specific book a bit bland. Having most of the last chapter being completely unrelated to the current story and being more like a teaser for the next book in line did not help.
I am at present not certain if I continute this series, or get the books before this one - maybe I should.
Now, I still have not really made up my mind whether, or how much, I liked or disliked the characters, the plot, and the telling of it.
I think I liked the plot best, the characters next, they were likeable enough. The narration style was okay, although it seemed to me as if the story could not decide whether it wanted to be a page-turner with tension and lots of magic and fights (of both magic and non-magic fight), or just a sort of funny - it teetered between the two, never quite managing to combine them seamlessly, sorry to say, and not enough of one of them to definitely go in that direction.
I think the story was too rushed through; the occurrences, the events, could have been a bit more fleshed out, a bit more of suspense and actual magic would have done a lot to make me like the book better.
The main characters came of indecisive and whiny for the most part, there were not enough dialogues for my taste - the story was mainly told from Zinnia's point of view, and whatever she tried to be, she was not a sarcastic or even remotely funny bitch witch. She was quite amusing occasionally, but with her magical potential, which was a bit rusty: what a field for funny mishaps, or more impressive magical defensice feats.
Although this can be read as a standalone in the series, there is too much of past books not properly explained which might be a reason for me finding this specific book a bit bland. Having most of the last chapter being completely unrelated to the current story and being more like a teaser for the next book in line did not help.
I am at present not certain if I continute this series, or get the books before this one - maybe I should.
July 11, 2024
(I'm writing this review after the fact, so I'll try to keep my comments solely to this book and not the series.)
Wow. I hadn't cared much about Zinnia's backstory over the course of the previous five books, and I didn't expect to be overly invested in this book when I found out that it was about Zinnia. But I'm pleased to be wrong in this case.
This book filled in so many gaps in my brain about the world and the Riddles. It stands alone just as wonderfully as it fits into the series. It also gave me the cold water reality check that Zinnia isn't the "old" witch that Zara jokingly paints her out to be. She's not Zirconia's little sister or Zara's aunt in this book, and it was a joy to discover who she really is.
The charm of witchy Wisteria that I had been missing from some of the previous books is back in full force, as Zinnia is very good at her craft and executes it in the most endearing way. But it feels more mature in this novel, probably because it's coming from a narrator who has a more mature worldview. I don't really go into these books trying to predict the ending, but I truly wasn't expecting the climax of this book.
As a side note: one thing that I've noticed about Angela Pepper's writing is that each story leaves you with threads to pull on, but they may not unravel until a later installment. Some of those threads from earlier books are unraveling now that we have Zinnia's perspective. And now, I want more Zinnia stories!
Wow. I hadn't cared much about Zinnia's backstory over the course of the previous five books, and I didn't expect to be overly invested in this book when I found out that it was about Zinnia. But I'm pleased to be wrong in this case.
This book filled in so many gaps in my brain about the world and the Riddles. It stands alone just as wonderfully as it fits into the series. It also gave me the cold water reality check that Zinnia isn't the "old" witch that Zara jokingly paints her out to be. She's not Zirconia's little sister or Zara's aunt in this book, and it was a joy to discover who she really is.
The charm of witchy Wisteria that I had been missing from some of the previous books is back in full force, as Zinnia is very good at her craft and executes it in the most endearing way. But it feels more mature in this novel, probably because it's coming from a narrator who has a more mature worldview. I don't really go into these books trying to predict the ending, but I truly wasn't expecting the climax of this book.
As a side note: one thing that I've noticed about Angela Pepper's writing is that each story leaves you with threads to pull on, but they may not unravel until a later installment. Some of those threads from earlier books are unraveling now that we have Zinnia's perspective. And now, I want more Zinnia stories!
July 29, 2019
Enjoyable book
What would you do, going to work at the office for WPD and see that you beloved co-worker has been murdered.
A good mixture with supernatural creatures and dry humour. The storyline has a good plot with twist, strong character, very funny in some ways. Lots interactions between characters.
There are some weird actions like when Gavin searched the murdered body of Annette, with all the blood and no one said anything about it....only much later, who would do something like this, I found this weird.
Second, why was no funeral held for poor Annette, there are good details and information about a lot of things, I missed this information, because all characters have liked her, well not all but most of them. I found it a bit sad that Zinnia had no friends at all, well she has definitely a dry humour.
And what happened to the detective Fung, did he got replaced completely after the accident?
I know it's mentioned that a new detective has started, but there was not much information on it the Fung never get back?
I would have liked a bit more magic and information about Zinnia past, why she drank her magical tea.
The at the end she meets Zara her niece, buys her shoes but there are no hugs to say hi OMG what you doing here. Still I liked the book.
What would you do, going to work at the office for WPD and see that you beloved co-worker has been murdered.
A good mixture with supernatural creatures and dry humour. The storyline has a good plot with twist, strong character, very funny in some ways. Lots interactions between characters.
There are some weird actions like when Gavin searched the murdered body of Annette, with all the blood and no one said anything about it....only much later, who would do something like this, I found this weird.
Second, why was no funeral held for poor Annette, there are good details and information about a lot of things, I missed this information, because all characters have liked her, well not all but most of them. I found it a bit sad that Zinnia had no friends at all, well she has definitely a dry humour.
And what happened to the detective Fung, did he got replaced completely after the accident?
I know it's mentioned that a new detective has started, but there was not much information on it the Fung never get back?
I would have liked a bit more magic and information about Zinnia past, why she drank her magical tea.
The at the end she meets Zara her niece, buys her shoes but there are no hugs to say hi OMG what you doing here. Still I liked the book.
March 31, 2020
Aunt Zinnia's Story
So, I have read the first 5 books in this series and I was a bit surprised and confused at first with this one. I will admit I didn't read the summary. I was just expecting to continue on with Zara's crazy life but I had to switch gears and go back in time with this story. This book starts off before Zara moves to Wisteria and is from Zinnia's point of view. Once I got on board with the switch it was a much more enjoyable read. Zinnia has a different (more mature/grown up) personality, she still has a sense of humor but this book wasn't as funny as Zara and I did still find myself missing her spunkiness. It was a solid mystery with plenty of twists, turns and yes other supernatural characters. This is geared for a more adult crowd with her sometimes overnight boyfriend (much is implied) but there is still enough that I would say older high school to adult in range. The narrator does a fantastic job and really was fun to listen to.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
So, I have read the first 5 books in this series and I was a bit surprised and confused at first with this one. I will admit I didn't read the summary. I was just expecting to continue on with Zara's crazy life but I had to switch gears and go back in time with this story. This book starts off before Zara moves to Wisteria and is from Zinnia's point of view. Once I got on board with the switch it was a much more enjoyable read. Zinnia has a different (more mature/grown up) personality, she still has a sense of humor but this book wasn't as funny as Zara and I did still find myself missing her spunkiness. It was a solid mystery with plenty of twists, turns and yes other supernatural characters. This is geared for a more adult crowd with her sometimes overnight boyfriend (much is implied) but there is still enough that I would say older high school to adult in range. The narrator does a fantastic job and really was fun to listen to.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
February 16, 2024
POV switch to Zinnia - this is a prequel, set a few months before Zara coming to Wisteria. I was not looking forward to this book, because I do not like Zinnia in Zara's books.
BUT! I actually love this book! I think the collection of characters is WAY better than the characters in Zara's books. (I don't like Chet). I love the City Hall people so much. Also, I just like the plot way more.
Unfortunately, this gets 4 stars instead of 5 because I do not like the narrator of the audiobook. I appreciate that they switch narrators from Zara's books to help separate the characters. BUT this narrator has a hard time differentiating voices. I feel like in the beginning of the book, she does an okay job, but eventually all the auxiliary characters kinda melt together.
I hope that we find out what happened to Zinnia before this prequel started - what was it that made her turn her heart to stone?
BUT! I actually love this book! I think the collection of characters is WAY better than the characters in Zara's books. (I don't like Chet). I love the City Hall people so much. Also, I just like the plot way more.
Unfortunately, this gets 4 stars instead of 5 because I do not like the narrator of the audiobook. I appreciate that they switch narrators from Zara's books to help separate the characters. BUT this narrator has a hard time differentiating voices. I feel like in the beginning of the book, she does an okay job, but eventually all the auxiliary characters kinda melt together.
I hope that we find out what happened to Zinnia before this prequel started - what was it that made her turn her heart to stone?
May 4, 2018
Being a witch can be dangerous for your health
A good start to a new spinoff series to the Wisteria Witches. Working in a mundane job is just what she needs. Even her magic is getting rusty from non use. However all that changes on the more that they discover the body of a colleague in their department. Who killed her and why? Shifters, magic, an unpublished manuscript and numerous supernatural beings abound in this great read. Okay I guessed the identity of the killer really early on but it was still a great read with a great array of characters, that seem to come alive the further you got into the book. It wasn't quite as good as Wisteria Witches but hopefully will get there in subsequent books.
A good start to a new spinoff series to the Wisteria Witches. Working in a mundane job is just what she needs. Even her magic is getting rusty from non use. However all that changes on the more that they discover the body of a colleague in their department. Who killed her and why? Shifters, magic, an unpublished manuscript and numerous supernatural beings abound in this great read. Okay I guessed the identity of the killer really early on but it was still a great read with a great array of characters, that seem to come alive the further you got into the book. It wasn't quite as good as Wisteria Witches but hopefully will get there in subsequent books.
December 17, 2018
Read before Wisteria Witches
I’m so glad that I read this just after Wisteria Witches because it is set just before Zara and Zoey move to Wisteria, and actually includes events prior to their arrival, filling in a few gaps.
Zinnia is a very tough, but likeable woman who seems to be mourning the death of Aiden(?) but ends up drawn into a murder investigation. I enjoyed Zinnia’s combative friendship with fellow witch, Margaret, and her frosty interactions with (fr)enemy, Charlize.
The hunt for the killer seemed to drag on a bit, and I had worked out the identity of the murderer, if not their motive, about 3/4 of the way through.
A great start to this paranormal cosy mystery series spinoff.
3.75 stars
I’m so glad that I read this just after Wisteria Witches because it is set just before Zara and Zoey move to Wisteria, and actually includes events prior to their arrival, filling in a few gaps.
Zinnia is a very tough, but likeable woman who seems to be mourning the death of Aiden(?) but ends up drawn into a murder investigation. I enjoyed Zinnia’s combative friendship with fellow witch, Margaret, and her frosty interactions with (fr)enemy, Charlize.
The hunt for the killer seemed to drag on a bit, and I had worked out the identity of the murderer, if not their motive, about 3/4 of the way through.
A great start to this paranormal cosy mystery series spinoff.
3.75 stars
September 26, 2023
Zinna's story.
Having read and fallen in love with the Witches of Wisteria, I had great expectations of the Wolves of Wisteria. I almost did not get past the first quarter of the book, it fitted the description of Annette's manuscript so well. Just as how Zinnia found it hard going, so did I. Fortunately, I did not give up, the rest of the book definitely made up for the first part. The book came to life afterwards.
The characters were good, although I thought the Zinna of Wisteria Witches was a bit different from the Zinnia of Wisteria Wolves. I liked this one better. The other characters were relatable, how they fitted into the Wisteria environment was not. It was as if there were 2 Wisterias.
Go ahead and read.
Having read and fallen in love with the Witches of Wisteria, I had great expectations of the Wolves of Wisteria. I almost did not get past the first quarter of the book, it fitted the description of Annette's manuscript so well. Just as how Zinnia found it hard going, so did I. Fortunately, I did not give up, the rest of the book definitely made up for the first part. The book came to life afterwards.
The characters were good, although I thought the Zinna of Wisteria Witches was a bit different from the Zinnia of Wisteria Wolves. I liked this one better. The other characters were relatable, how they fitted into the Wisteria environment was not. It was as if there were 2 Wisterias.
Go ahead and read.
February 26, 2024
A co-worker of Zinnia's is found to have been killed in the office over the weekend.
Indications are a wild animal, probably a wolf.
After another attack in which some people saw a wolf and other saw a cougar.
Zinnia believes they are dealing with a shifter.
While this is the 6th book in the series, I was pretty much confused the entire time.
This is actually a pre-quell to the series as characters are alive and being talked about that died in the first book.
Also the main characters of Zara and her daughter are not mentioned until the end of the book as they are now just moving to Wisteria.
It would have been nice if the author had given a heads up.
There are the normal developed characters and a good plotline.
Indications are a wild animal, probably a wolf.
After another attack in which some people saw a wolf and other saw a cougar.
Zinnia believes they are dealing with a shifter.
While this is the 6th book in the series, I was pretty much confused the entire time.
This is actually a pre-quell to the series as characters are alive and being talked about that died in the first book.
Also the main characters of Zara and her daughter are not mentioned until the end of the book as they are now just moving to Wisteria.
It would have been nice if the author had given a heads up.
There are the normal developed characters and a good plotline.
March 15, 2025
I wasn’t sure how I felt about book six not only taking us back to a time about which we had already read, but also switching the main POV from Zara to Zinnia. Let me just say, if you feel some reservations about this as well, don’t. Angela Pepper does not disappoint. She is an author who knows what she is doing and knows what her characters and storyline are capable of. Wolves of Wisteria had me from the first chapter where we meet a slew of new characters with big personalities and even bigger egos, break into an office we should be able to access with a keycard, and find a coworker murdered. And it continues to hold on with its small town charm, magical sleuthing, and cameos by some of our tried and true favorites from the Zara storyline.
May 3, 2018
Zara's Aunt Zinnia finally gets her own series. At first I thought this was a prequel, before Zara moved to Wisteria, but it became clear this was her own story. A captivating mystery of whodunit, witches, shifters and secret societies. The quirky characters lighten the serious mood as they deal with the fact their peer was murdered. Identities are uncovered, secrets revealed and friendships formed. I can't wait to continue with Zinnia and her supernatural office mates. Although Zinnia is from another series you can enjoy this book without the others, or read all of them and get reacquainted with old friends. I received an early copy and wrote my review voluntarily.
August 17, 2018
I really love this story, the way it goes back and forth, giving us the information we need about all Zinnia's coworkers without lessening the intrigue. When I previously listen to 'Wisteria Witches', Wisteria seemed like a nice, old-fashioned town, but now we discover that there is a lot going on around here.
The mystery was fantastic, and I seriously couldn't discover who was the killer until it was unveiled by Zinnia.
But what I loved the most was getting not only Zinnia's POV on her niece's arriving at Wisteria, but also the tip of the iceberg in the mystery surrounding Zara.
And the narration was superb, too. A fantastic story that would be a shame to miss.
The mystery was fantastic, and I seriously couldn't discover who was the killer until it was unveiled by Zinnia.
But what I loved the most was getting not only Zinnia's POV on her niece's arriving at Wisteria, but also the tip of the iceberg in the mystery surrounding Zara.
And the narration was superb, too. A fantastic story that would be a shame to miss.
April 12, 2022
Why is someone murdering city employees?
Zinnia riddle lives in a town full of paranormals but none of the non-magic citizens realize she is a witch certainly not her co-workers at City Hall. When another employee and good friend, Annette, is brutally murdered Zinnia and fellow witch Margaret see signs of shifter injuries to her body. Zinnia is determined to find the killer before he or she kills again. The question is why was Annette targeted for death?
The characters are well-rounded and there is some good drama and enough twists to keep it interesting. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!
Zinnia riddle lives in a town full of paranormals but none of the non-magic citizens realize she is a witch certainly not her co-workers at City Hall. When another employee and good friend, Annette, is brutally murdered Zinnia and fellow witch Margaret see signs of shifter injuries to her body. Zinnia is determined to find the killer before he or she kills again. The question is why was Annette targeted for death?
The characters are well-rounded and there is some good drama and enough twists to keep it interesting. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!
May 22, 2018
And in the beginning....
Wisteria witch fans will already be familiar with many of the characters in this book. You do get some interesting background, however. I gave it 4 stars simply because no book is perfect. This one is certainly well written, and has an interesting plot. There were a couple of times when I could not quite figure out where it was going, however. The ending was not what I had expected, either. Still, fans of Angela Pepper and Wisteria Witches and those who enjoy paranormal mysteries will surely enjoy it.
Wisteria witch fans will already be familiar with many of the characters in this book. You do get some interesting background, however. I gave it 4 stars simply because no book is perfect. This one is certainly well written, and has an interesting plot. There were a couple of times when I could not quite figure out where it was going, however. The ending was not what I had expected, either. Still, fans of Angela Pepper and Wisteria Witches and those who enjoy paranormal mysteries will surely enjoy it.
August 1, 2019
Zinnia Riddle is a witch in a town that has lots of magic but nobody admits to being supernatural. The suspense and excitement begins when Zinnia arrives at work only to find the mutilated body of her nonmagical coworker. Call in the local detective and crew! And the specialty department that exists to manage anything possibly magical. A great cast of characters, peppered with humor, and a real plot make this a great read.
It's also the first in a series that's a prequel to the Wisteria Witches mysteries.
Rosemary Benson is the very convincing audio performer.
It's also the first in a series that's a prequel to the Wisteria Witches mysteries.
Rosemary Benson is the very convincing audio performer.
August 2, 2019
Wolves of Wisteria
Zinnia Riddle is a witch living in Wisteria which is a town with a large number of supernatural as well as human residents. She works at the Wisteria Permits Dept. One morning she and a colleague find Annette, another colleague, dead on the floor looking like she had been mauled by wolves. Zinnia and the other witch in the office decide to help the police with their investigation. Zinnia is nearly killed by the murderer.
I enjoyed the book. It is a cozy, paranormal mystery.
Zinnia Riddle is a witch living in Wisteria which is a town with a large number of supernatural as well as human residents. She works at the Wisteria Permits Dept. One morning she and a colleague find Annette, another colleague, dead on the floor looking like she had been mauled by wolves. Zinnia and the other witch in the office decide to help the police with their investigation. Zinnia is nearly killed by the murderer.
I enjoyed the book. It is a cozy, paranormal mystery.
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