Ginger Blackstone had been looking for a change in her life. Getting a call from her home town’s Sheriff with the message, “We’ve arrested your grandmother for murder,” wasn’t it.
Three bodies later and Ginger finds herself, and the hot new small-town doctor, up to their broomsticks in trouble. Ginger sets out to find the real killer before her missing sister’s name shows up on a list of the dead in The Book of Ill Deeds.
Born in Pensacola, Florida, Phaedra is the eldest of four children. She began writing in notebooks with her best friend in middle school. After leaving college for a job in the Graphic Arts industry, Phaedra continued her love of writing in her spare time and was lucky enough at a writer's conference to meet Dean Wesley Smith, who later became her writing mentor, along with his wife, the bestselling mystery/fantasy/romance/science fiction writer, Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
Phaedra lives in Atlanta, Georgia. When not writing, she and her daughter spend their time playing games, letterboxing, or watching anime.
An entertaining cozy mystery that just happens to have paranormal characters. I enjoyed this book very much. It is a well-written mystery that doesn't reveal too many clues too early, has interesting characters and a very likable heroine in Ginger. I will be reading more in this series.
I had this novel on my ereader for a long time and feeling like a little cozy for a good time, I jumped into the first volume.
Ginger has been away from her hometown for several years now, but a call from the town sheriff will upset all her plans: her grandmother has been arrested for murder. It’s a story that turns everything upside down. As the bodies pile up, Ginger joins forces with the town’s charming vampire doctor and an unusual cat who may become her pet to try to find out what happened and who did it.
This was a nice read that I had a good time with. The romance is a bit easy, but that’s not too bad. I was surprised by the culprit at the end. I’m curious to find out what happens next.
Sorry Phaedra. The Book of Ill Deeds was a free download, and I really wanted to give it 2 stars, but in the end I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Even if it had been edited properly (I would actually be surprised if it had been edited at all!) I still don’t think I would have enjoyed it. I didn’t care about any of the characters; they were all incredibly stupid, almost unbearably so. The dialogue made me cringe in places, there were flaws in the plot, the ending was confused and unresolved… I could go on.
On the plus side I did have fun highlighting with my kindle, and the MC has red hair.
This was a very cute book. Cute, short cozy mystery surrounded by a paranormal world. Witches and vampires and shifting and familiars. Very enjoyable story, there were many grammatical errors throughout the book and it was a bit predictable, but still a good story.
This book was Okay but only Okay to me. I think it could have been a bit better. I liked the idea of the familiars. It seemed that the paranormal part was a bit flat. How everyone just accepted everything new in a flash was a bit annoying. I liked how the book seemed like a pack of tarot cards to other people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This isn't a long book, but the characters are engaging, the setting works great for a cozy, and the plot unfolds at a good pace. I liked the premise and the twists. The next book in the series looks like fun, too!
The premise of the book is good but this book needs editing: “Carmine’s voicemail was picking up on Sunday, but now it’s going to voicemail.” Huh? “That piece of information made David hesitated after he dialed the sheriff’s office.” Hesitated? Also the main Ginger’s parents died when she was 12 but a few times she talks about dropping Mom back at her place. Her Grandma is referred to by Ginger and everyone in town as Mama D so again this is an editing error. And Ginger is one of those annoying main characters that chews on or gnaws on her lips throughout the entire book. The poor thing must have seriously chapped lips! Oh and lastly she says “Och.” a lot. Too much! Is she a 70 year old Scotsman? Nope. She’s a 23 year old witch that rushed home to South Carolina to help her Grandmother but also somehow let the lease on her apartment in California lapse. So... there are inconsistencies. And editing errors. And though the idea behind the book is good I don’t think I’ll continue Ginger’s journey with her.
This book was a lot of fun to read. It's got a lot of laughs. It's a short book so everything is straight to the point. Any and all history or world building is built into the plot. The reveal of who the murderer is isn't much of a surprise, but it was still a fun trip to follow.
I absolutely loved Ginger. She is a delightful main character whom I identified with on a few levels. I enjoyed the fact that she didn't have a full handle on her life but still knew how to be a competent adult. And Mama D! What a wonderful character to have in the mix! She is probably one of my favorite witch characters ever just because she is so good at what she does. David, the love interest, was a good guy, though his character presented a few more questions than answered. That being said, the chemistry between all the characters made for a fun read.
And let us not forget the familiars. Ginger starts out as a witch who's never had a familiar but through her initial interactions with Max and through Mama D's interactions with Bert, we learn a lot of what it is a familiar can do and does for their witch. And the importance of having a witch is something I've never thought of before but Max is very adamant about.
I think I may have to admit, I like Chick Lit. Specifically I seem to like Chick Lit with supernatural characters and a strong sense of humor. This is probably the third or fourth book I've read with the whole modern witch thing and I've enjoyed them all. So, yes. This is the book that gets me to admit, I like Chick Lit. As someone who regularly gives 5/5 ratings to books with giant robots and that are action heavy, hopefully that'll give you a good idea of how good this book is.
The world of Castle Falls is a very interesting one and, I'll admit, I'm interested in the other books in this series. As of writing this review the book itself is free on Kindle. The next book is $3 but I'm still very tempted. I happily give 4 hoots and encourage you to pick up a copy
When Ginger gets a call from the sheriff in her hometown, telling her he's arrested her grandmother, she hightails it back to Castle Falls, There, she learns a man was found dead in the shop owned by her grandmother, Mama D. With no real evidence, Mama D is soon released, but now Ginger is determined to find out who the real killer is. She is aided by the town's new doctor, David Flanagan, and the deceased man's familiar, a black cat named Max.
As the clues begin to add up, pointing to someone wanting to obtain The Book of Ill Deeds, which is where all supernaturals' sins are recorded, and more people die, the race is on to find both the book and the killer.
Charming story. Ginger was likable, loyal and smart. Max longs to be claimed as her familiar, and with him around, Ginger's magic grows stronger. She is reluctant to bond to Max until the mystery is solved, but she may not have a choice. David is a solid presence at her side, and it was refreshing to not have the heroine's love interest be someone in law enforcement. Mama D is a hoot, and even one of the local harridans turned out to be not so awful. Plot clipped along nicely, editing errors were relatively minor, and there were enough twists and turns to keep things interesting.
Very good, and I look forward to reading more in this series.
Couple minor typos in the book. The use of the word Cowen which I still can't figure out what it means. Otherwise, an enjoyable light read. I look forward to reading the next book.
Spoilers ahead: Story focuses on Ginger Blackstone a witch who has come back home because her granny ends up in the slammer accused of murder. She meets the gorgeous town doctor, who is also a supernatural being, and they fall for each other within the first 5 pages. It's basically hello, I'm in love (fyi to all writers planning on trilogies and series...it's ok to build up to an actual relationship instead slam, bam, you're my soulmate and I've known you for five minutes ma'am). Murders are happening and Ginger, town doc, and Granny are right in the thick of things impeding actual due process. Honestly, it's enjoyable to read, light hearted and a decent story line. Hopefully, Gingers cursing vocabulary will stop sounding like that of a 6 year old in church trying not to get caught ripping the pages out of the hymnal. That's about the only thing that truly makes her sound juvenile. Not saying has to be actual cursing, but this is supposed to be a full grown adult with fully developed reasoning and speech that should be able to express frustration like an adult and not a child.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Theirs is a paranormal mystery about a witch, Ginger, and her life as she moves home to Castle Falls from California after a call from the sheriff. The sheriff wants Ginger to come home and bail her grandmother (Mama D) out of jail. But when Ginger gets to the jail she finds out that her grandmother isn’t really incarcerated so much as afraid to go home. Ginger and the women in her family are witches. Hardin, an out of town witch was killed in Mama D’s store and she is afraid to return as her home is there also. While at the sheriff’s office she meets David, the new doctor and there are instant sparks. Mama D invites David to the house for dinner where they discuss the murder and David helps Ginger gather information. This story is a well written mystery that keeps the reader guessing and the paranormal aspects adds a nice twist. I look forward to reading more stories by this author.
Ginger is called back home to Castle Falls when the sheriff calls her to say that her grandmother, Mama D, has been arrested for murder. She arrives at her grandmother's house to find a cat hanging around. Ginger is surprised because Mama D does not like cats. Mama D raised her and her siblings when their mother died. Ginger is a Hedge Witch but she's never found a familiar. She talks to her grandmother's familiar - a bat - and learns the man found dead in Mama D's shop is not the one she fought with earlier. So goes to the sheriff's office to find out what's going on. She runs into the new doctor in town at the door. He is impressed with her looks and the black cat following at her heels. Castle Falls has a reputation for 'differently normal' inhabitants. After all, one of the deputies is a shifter. And though she doesn't realize it, the doctor is another 'differently normal' resident. It turns out that Ginger's sister is also missing. There is something "not right" in the town.
A fun paranormal, cozy mystery. The only problems I saw were some of the changes in point of view. The main character has chapters that are written in the first person, but in chapter 5, she is present, and the narrative shifts to the third person (the point of view had changed earlier to third person, but the main character wasn't there at that point, so I didn't notice it). Later in the book, it switches between 3rd person when dealing with David and 1st person when dealing with Ginger, all within the same chapter.
Despite the POV changes, this book was a fun read, much like what I'd expect from a cozy mystery, right up to the reveal of the murderer.
An excellent well written mystery with plus. You have witches, vampires, familiars and some non magical people. Meet Ginger, David, Mama D, Melody, Sheriff Danvers, as you try to solve the mystery with Ginger and David. Pay attention to the clues and you might figure it out. Meet the Hunter who shows up looking for a book and who gets his butt kicked. There are twists to the story but you will find surprises and humor as well as romance. I throughly enjoyed the book and plan on reading the next book in the series! I do recommend this book as it is very good!
It really was a cosy mystery. I have enjoyed the light storyline. The characters are all very likeable., special the cat Max.And Burt the little bat, they brought a bit humour in this book. The dialogue and speech was good, as well the development of the plot. I missed a bit more detailed description and information on some characters, who played a part of the development, like Mama D and David. A bit more romantic would have been nice too, but overall it was a cosy story. Don't know if I go for the second one.
I really loved this book. I loved all the characters and the humor. I appreciate that the characters were smart and wise enough to not be overly annoying in personality and didn't make really dumb decisions. They were all easy to love and yet they were still unpredictable and not boring. I'm definitely continuing the rest of this series. There were just a few minor typos as in an extra word that didn't fit or a missing word, but it didn't take away from the book at all. I can live with it. I'm definitely continuing the series.
Original and magical paranormal cozy mystery with depth and intrigue
The Book of Ill Deeds is an original and compelling cozy mystery set in Castle Falls. This small town is home to t whole host of both normal and supernatural beings. When the delightful Mama D is arrested for murder it was only the start of the troubles. Wonderful characters, especially the familiars, and fantastic writing made this a book I did not want to put down. In fact I have already brought the rest of the series. This is a cozy mystery with depth, I absolutely loved it and definitely recommend it.
The story was ok, a mystery about who or what was trying to steal the Book of Ill Deeds. The writing however is simplistic, which isn’t my thing.
Some of the editing was driving me crazy too. “Och” isn’t a word yet it’s used many times throughout the book. Is it supposed to be ouch? Ugh? I’ve never heard of this word. Also, the scene changes within chapters had no marker. One thought would end and the next line we were with a totally different character or a different time. Totally confusing and I can’t figure out why someone would print it this way.
Ginger Blackstone rushes home when she finds out that her grandmother has been arrested for murder. Witches they might be, but Ginger knows her grandmother couldn’t be guilty. Odd things are going on in town, Ginger’s sister is MIA, and the attractive new doctor is more than willing to help Ginger out...
This was an enjoyable cozy, witchy, mystery, with a witch just coming into her powers, a handsome more-than-human doctor, and a town full of magical characters!
This story has the potential to be a great series opener. The storyline is interesting, and the characters have some depth. However, the story was marred by grammatical and usage errors, missing words, and confusing description. I would advise the author to invest in editing and proofreading. As much as I liked this story, I don't think I'll be buying any more books by this author because the errors were too irritating.
I love the town of Castle Falls, and all the witches and shifters living in comparable peace with their human neighbors. And then there’s that one person who decides to go on a killing spree…
I enjoyed the introduction to this small town and its residents. I couldn’t help but cheer for Ginger as she interacted with Max and David. I look forward to learning more about the Blackstone family in the second book of the Witches of Castle Falls series.
I wish some words were defined earlier and when a new paranormal being was introduced we got a run down of their abilities. Other than that, there were a few characters that disappeared after a chapter or two for no apparent reason and there were a few minor typos. The biggest problem was in the last few chapters when the person speaking was also the person being spoken to.
I want to like this book. It was well-paced. The characters were engaging. It was a very nice set-up to a new series, BUT....the author had GOT to find an editor who knows her stuff. The errors were egregious. Towards the end, the dialog became confused as to who was speaking and who was being spoken to. I hope the next book is better proofed.
Rachel found it hard to go home to her family's quirky home town. But finding her sister missing, and Granny in jail for a murder in her shop, has made it terrible! The only good thing in town is the new cute young doctor, however even he seems a bit strange. Another exciting good read from Phaedra Weldon.
Fantastic plot! Full of supernatural people, witches, vampires, and spells! Great story with lots of strange twists, turns, drama and mystery! Hunters, familiars, and a missing book! All add up to murder! Who did it? Good question, find out at the very end! Will true love between a witch and vampire be possible?
The book was interesting and cute in the paranormal genre however it needs an editing by someone who knows the rules of English Grammar. Particularly when to use of the words " me or I " in a sentence. It is very distracting to try to read or listen a publication that needs a good editing.
I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and the story, but it needed better editing as sometimes a character would use their own name in a conversation when they were obviously talking to a different character. However, I intend to read the next in the series as I am intrigued as to what happens next.