Magic & Mayhem: 4 Whitney & Davies Short Stories

Whitney & Davies #1.3

by E.L. Bates

4 exciting new short stories set in the magical England of the Whitney & Davies series!The Third Maia Whitney has returned home for her sister’s wedding determined to stay aloof from family dramas. Alas, the disappearance of a valuable and possibly cursed bracelet alters her plans. Can this magician’s apprentice solve the crime and save her sister’s wedding from doom and disaster?Many Magical On Susannah’s seventeenth birthday, she learns why her mother has always insisted she never use magic in front of Uncle Ernie. Escaping her uncle’s greed and learning magic on the run are tall orders, but one thing is this is a birthday Susannah will never forget.Passion & Steady, sensible Evelyn has always looked after and protected her flighty, feather-brained older sister Violet. So when Violet accidentally kills a man, of course Evelyn is going to take the blame. But her former fiancé Henry, now working for the magicians’ Domestic Protection Agency, has other plans.Masks & the Who is the mysterious woman? Is she the Grand Duchess Anastasia, as she claims, or a fraud? The English magician calling himself Merlin has his own ideas, but untangling truth from lie is a difficult task in this mission. When everyone wears a mask, who can be trusted?

136 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2018

About the author

E.L. Bates is a writer of fantasy and adventure, usually (though not always) historical in nature.

When not writing, she enjoys reading, knitting, ice dancing, and spending time with her husband and two children. She is usually seen with a cup of tea in hand, and keeps a stash of dark chocolate hidden in her desk for emergency inspiration.

Perhaps as a result of reading and writing so many adventures, she can't help but feel that life is best lived with a sense of anticipation, seeking adventure around every corner, looking for the magic that still lurks in the hidden places of the world, waiting for those with the eyes to see it.

Reviews

[A.M. Offenwanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to beta-read these stories, and I still like them as much in their final incarnation as I did right from the beginning.
MAGIC & MAYHEM presents a collection of four short stories in E. L. Bates' "Whitney & Davies" universe - the 1920s in Europe with magic thrown in. As in her flagship book, MAGIC MOST DEADLY, Bates skillfully blends a real historical setting with innovative and intriguing fantasy elements. Two of the stories have us meeting old friends from MAGIC MOST DEADLY, the other two introduce new characters, whom I for one would not at all mind hearing more about in future tales.
Fans of Dorothy L. Sayers, Patricia C. Wrede, and Georgette Heyer will enjoy these tales of Golden Age Mystery With Magic.

[Claudia Ainsworth]

Wonderful variety

Each story was a pleasure to read. They each held my interest and we cleverly written. There are enough twists in plot to keep you interested .

[E.L.]

This collection of short stories was a delight to write. I thoroughly enjoyed the two featuring non-Whitney & Davies characters, as well as the Maia story and the Len story. If I had to pick a favorite ... hmm, nope, can't do it, loved writing them all. I would love to hear which story out of the four was YOUR favorite, though!