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Wicked Witches of the Midwest Fantasy #6

Close Encounters of the Witchy Kind

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The truth is out there… probably.

Hemlock Cove may be a town where real witches are pretending to be humans pretending to be witches, but something legitimately strange is afoot.

What looks to be an aircraft of some sort goes down in Potter’s Field and, of course, every looky-loo in the area turns out to watch it burn. When the federal government shows up to take over the scene and shuts down access to the site, Bay Winchester is suspicious. Things only get worse when her boyfriend Landon Michaels is ordered to abstain from sharing information from her.

Conspiracy theories start flying fast and furious when alien bloggers descend on the area and Aunt Tillie starts throwing around her science fiction knowledge … which is all gleaned from television, movies and books.

In her head, Bay knows that the odds of an alien craft landing in Hemlock Cove are fairly long. In her heart, though, she can’t quite ignore the prospect… especially when certain things start happening to further Aunt Tillie’s wild suggestions.

Bay is determined to find answers, and she’s taking her family along for the ride. This time, though, she’s going up against the federal government… and only one faction will come out victorious.

The Force will be with them. Okay, Aunt Tillie will be with them. She’s a force to be reckoned with, though.

212 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2018

858 people are currently reading
219 people want to read

About the author

Amanda M. Lee

303 books2,898 followers
When I was a kid, I was torn between whether or not I was going to grow up and be the Incredible Hulk or Wonder Woman. I flirted with being a Jedi Knight for awhile, but I wasn't up for the intense travel associated with the gig. In my teens, I settled on being a writer -- although I had no idea the effort that would entail.
Not only am I a writer now, but I'm a writer in several different mediums. I'm a longtime newspaper reporter, an avid reader and a voracious science fiction fanatic.

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5 stars
1,029 (58%)
4 stars
458 (25%)
3 stars
226 (12%)
2 stars
43 (2%)
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8 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
Profile Image for Theresa .
1,847 reviews77 followers
May 20, 2020
4 Stars... Have aliens invaded Hemlock Cove??? Well, Aunt Tillie thinks so, so it must be true... Bay has her doubts though, and her curiosity gets the better of her as she attempts to investigate the strange crash that authorities (Even Landon and Chief Terry) are extremely hush, hush about... With one obstacle after another, not to mention the conspiracy theories flying around, Bay must use her super stealthy ways (And Thistle and Clove) to avoid detection and discover the truth... Another raucous adventure with these zany characters and their crazy antics... A truly fun read:)
Profile Image for Loretta TheMoodyRedhead.
1,043 reviews4 followers
June 1, 2025
Oh my goodness I just discovered another series that fits in with this one!

I cannot believe how many books all go together with the Winchester family! Be sure to read the information below my review of this book, because I tell you how to be on top of all things Winchester-related. There is much more than only this 6-book series. 🧙‍♀️🪄 📖

Now, my review… I never knew a book could have the word ‘alien’ so many times. ‘Alien’ is included 254 times!

I’ve discovered all the books of this 6-book series are pretty much about Aunt Tillie - she’s the primary character, but from Bay’s POV. Or maybe it’s more like Aunt Tillie is the person causing the events to happen (well, except in this book, that is.)

Aliens have crashed their aircraft in Hemlock! Well, that’s what Aunt Tillie believes anyway and she’s bound and determined to make sure everyone knows it.

When Bay is notified of a plane crash in a nearby field she knows she’s got to hurry there in order to get the exclusive for the newspaper she owns and is a reporter for. There is so much black smoke in the area that she can’t make out anything. However, when she begins to draw closer to where she believes the plane is, an FBI agent stops her and tells her only restricted personnel is allowed. Landon and Chief Terry are also at the site, but their hands are tied (not literally) and they must side with the Agent if they want to keep their jobs.

Bay is leery, but after much prodding and a threat to arrest her if she doesn’t leave, Bay decides it is in her best interest to go; however, that is only because she knows she’ll return later. She’ll swoop in from a direction the FBI doesn’t know about.

Bay sneaks out late at night to see what the FBI and Chief Terry are keeping from her, but once she arrives in the cover of the deep woods, all she is able to make out are FBI agents swarming the field and searching for something.

Bay believes a drone crashed and Aunt Tillie believes it’s a spaceship. No one actually knows what the FBI is hiding and Landon and Chief Terry are keeping a tight lip on the information.

Oh but Bay is determined and you know she won’t let this go until she finds out what is going on. The cousins and Aunt Tillie get together on some adventuring and you know how that always goes. You’re sure to get a huge dosage of snark in this one! It’s fun though.

I do have criticism for this series and that’s that not enough magic was used. I know Aunt Tillie used nothing but magic when she sent everyone into a fairy tale and some of her other worlds, but the victims aka the 3 witchy cousins weren’t able to use any of their own magic. That is what I do enjoy about the Winchesters is that they are extremely strong witches. Well, don’t expect any magic in this “Fantasy” series because you aren’t going to get it. You’ll need to read the Midwest Witches Mystery series for that.

Now for info on the way to get more Midwest Witches adventures…

There are THREE series sets of Wicked Witches of the Midwest. I was always surprised to find out about this one. Now I just discovered there’s a Shorts series, too!

The three series sets are:
Wicked Witches of the Midwest Mystery
Wicked Witches of the Midwest Fantasy
Wicked Witches of the Midwest Short

I planned on showing you all of the series books together using publishing date order, but then I found that Amanda M Lee’s website has already done that. In fact, Lee’s is much better and more accurate because not only is she the writer, but she also has the list in order according to the proper timeline of events. Here’s the link in order for you to make sure to not miss a thing:

https://www.amandamlee.net/wicked-wit...

Since I didn’t know about the abundance of series and books, I’m out of order, but I’m now going to start with book 1 of the 15-book Shorts. It’s called “Careful What You Witch For.”
Profile Image for Jana Gundy.
1,919 reviews17 followers
September 7, 2018
A fantasy full of humor

I love the Winchester ladies, they are always a delight to read about and the possibility of aliens was very entertaining. Bay and Landon can't or won't share information this time around and it's entertaining to read about, especially Landon getting all worked up over it. Aunt Tillie is on full display and I love it every time!
Profile Image for Shawn.
195 reviews
September 22, 2018
Aliens!

Okay so there wasn't any aliens in the book...or was there? I loved the story with Aunt Tillie, the snark, and family. Clove has me wondering, could she.....? Hmm I can't wait for the next book!!
Profile Image for Diane Morris.
3 reviews
September 16, 2018
Not as good as the others. The cousins need to move on with their lives..weddings and babies.

Boring and lack of humor. Repetitive story line to a dry ending. I almost couldn't wait to finish it..amanda, shame shame!
51 reviews1 follower
June 15, 2024
Pretty Slam Dam Good

I liked this series immensely. The Soap Opera story (book 5) was Hysterical! I Laughed out Loud so any times. I think it was my favorite of the series. This one with the supposed aliens was delightful. The ending caught me off guard.
This author's imagination is off the charts for me. The only thing that bothered me was the repeated lines such as; rolling my/his/her neck, sometimes until it cracked, or my/his/her touching their tongue to their upper lip, running their hands through their hair, rolling their eyes, sometimes for fear someone that they'll fall off a chair, and others..... over and over and over again. I almost stopped reading the books, actually from the large series, but because I like the characters and the plot lines so much, I put up with it.
I was FINALLY able to find out about the 3 children, that belonged to Bay and Landon, in the Christmas story that's mentioned multiple times in the full 25 book series. It bothered me horribly not understanding what and where the 3 female kids came from. My heart and mind are at peace now. Lol
Amanda M. Lee did a Fantastic job on all of the series for the Winchester Witches! 👏👏👏👏❤️🥰
Thank you
6,202 reviews42 followers
May 8, 2019
Just what the place needed. A crash of something in a field and a FBI person so full of himself it's surprising he didn't blow up. Bay wants to cover the crash for her paper but he won't let her into the area at all and basically brags about arresting anyone he deems interfering in his work.

First off people try to figure out what crashed. It could have been a drone but Aunt Tillie thinks it's a UFO and the aliens are attacking!

Worse yet, the guy heading the investigation is Landon's superior in the field and Landon can't tell anyone what is really going on, even if he knew what was going on. Then, let's see. Maybe Hank has a captured alien in his barn. Mrs. Little is acting friendly which is a massive change in her behavior. Could she be a cloned person like in Invasion of the Body Snatchers?

Also, Clove seems to be ill. Could she be pregnant?

Another really good story in this series.
Profile Image for Amanda Jane.
1,337 reviews9 followers
January 5, 2020
Inspirational.. Alien inspirational!!

Loved it!!

So funny when "something" crashes in Potter's Field and the Feds arrive within minutes shutting down the site the whole town want to know what is going on.

Landon and Chief Terry don't have answers, because they are also being kept in the dark by Gibson, who's in charge of the scene.

Bay's infuriated but determined to find out more leading Aunt Tillie, Thistle and Clove on another adventure out into the night.

With plenty of suspects behaving oddly including Mrs Little, who is being nice to the Winchesters, there's plenty of ideas about what has really gone down and when a group of alien hunters appear at the Dragonfly Aunt Tillie is determined to prove that aliens do exist.

Loved the alien inspiration asides between the chapters.. only sad that not one of the Winchesters mentioned "Earth Girls are Easy" my favourite 80's alien film!! Who said that aliens have to be the bad guys?!! Lol
Profile Image for Lexie.
135 reviews10 followers
September 6, 2018
Entertaining as Always

I love the WWotMW fantasy novellas, and this was no exception. Finally, no one is cursed into books or "lessons" that Aunt Tillie is famous for. Watching Landon and Bay struggle to keep his case confidential was a change of pace, and I was happy once they finally got to be a team again.

I do think Clove's "sickness" may be something else. I'm not sure if my guess is accurate, but if it is, I hope it's not the beginning of the end of the series. These characters are like friends and I don't want to even think about saying goodbye.

I'm still looking forward to the crossover between them and the Mystic circus group. I'd love to see or hear about Bigfoot or vampires, since that has come up with Clove and Landon.

This was an easy fast read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys humorous cozy UF or is a fan of Ms. Lee.
Profile Image for Munira Vahed.
453 reviews1 follower
September 7, 2018
Awesome!!

Do Aliens Exist? Is the question that is discussed and investigated by the Winchesters in this book.
When something crashes in a field near the hotel, Bay rushes to see what happened and to report it for her newspaper. But when she gets there there is alot of secrecy surrounding the crash and out of town FBI agents who are involved in the investigation.
Chief Terry and Landon are asked to keep everything quiet and not to tell anyone which is difficult for Bay and Landon.
Bay decides to investigate on her own.
What crashed in Potters Field? Are Aliens real? What are the FBI agents hiding?
All will be revealed after reading this book.
Profile Image for Judith A Johnson.
148 reviews3 followers
September 8, 2018
Wicked humor at best

Recommending Amanda's books come easy. Her characters are smart,sassy and often obnoxious. They play to an audience, you. I giggle, laugh out loud and wait for the final punch line. The three witch cousins are sisters of a mind and when witch extraordinaire aunt Tillie, who helped raise them with their moms, gets involved chaos arrives in spades. Add in an Fbi love sick male, a small town sheriff (who the moms adore) and you have the makings of the most happy dysfunctional crazy loveable family ever. Join in this wacky adventure from the beginning you can't help but smile.
Profile Image for Mike Lewis.
1,761 reviews8 followers
September 12, 2018
I love the series

I love the witches in this wicked witch is a Midwest series. All the different short stories fantasy books and the ongoing series is a great cast of characters with an extraordinarily entertaining mix of stories characters magic May him and just out right fun. A family of which is that live in a little small tourist town in northern Michigan pretending to be which is in a town that promotes a supernatural to use him. Great aunt Tillie her three nieces and their three daughters and all the fun and made him they get into. You will not be disappointed with this snarky fun and entertaining Siri’s and group of books check them all out
1,142 reviews18 followers
September 6, 2018
Aliens in Hemlock Cove

Almost a whole book with just Bay. Landon, Aunt Tillie, Clove etc are all side characters in this book with Bay at the forefront and I think the book suffered a bit for it. It's the snarkiness between all the characters that makes these books such fun, for me. But in this we have a crash in the woods with the F B I declaring the area off limits the Winchesters immediately think Aliens, and Bay being Bay is off to find the truth, even if it means being in the outs with Landon. Not my favourite.
Profile Image for Mary Barrett.
809 reviews11 followers
September 10, 2018
4.5 stars

I have read all of the books in this series and I have enjoyed them all. This one continues with the outrageously hilarious interaction with Aunt Tilly, who is the age of my Aunt, who lives in Michigan ( by the way. ) I have also visited Travers City so I enjoy picturing the area while I read about my favorite witchy family. Amanda M Lee has to have a hilarious sense of humor because each book finds me laughing out loud over the antics of the Winchester Family and YES, I love her particular sense of humour and snark! Keep up the good work, I love Aunt Tilly!
Profile Image for Gail Daley.
Author 43 books20 followers
September 17, 2018
From the Paranormal to the Rediculous

Close Encounters of the Witchy kind
Midwest Witches 6
Amanda M. Lee
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s hard to keep a good series up to standard. Ms. Lee has certainly achieved it here. This latest installment is true to form, but I think she’s going to need another plot device besides making the investigating FBI agent (not Langdon) an asshole.
This was an entertaining mixture of the paranormal and science fiction, but Ms. Lee’s true talent is in exaggerating normal human cateristics into the ridiculous.
Profile Image for Vivian.
769 reviews13 followers
September 10, 2018
When an object crashes into a field outside of town, all Bay wants to do is to obtain information to write a story for the local newspaper which she now owns. But she is stonewalled at every turn by an obnoxious FBI agent - and you know the Winchester witches won't be standing for that! A fun and entertaining read - the characters are what makes this series and they never fail to bring a smile to my face!
78 reviews1 follower
September 16, 2018
Uh-oh, the Winchester witches are hunting ET

Aunt Tillie’s mind works like a rusted steel trap. She’s also the “Queen of Ridiculous Thinking”, so when something lands on Potters Field, she suspects an alien invasion. It then gets crazier from there.
Really funny story with all the girls and their beaus getting into the act and lots of TV trivia and references to laugh at. (Someone goes to a lot of scary movies and watches the TheXFiles!)

Dana Pratt
52 reviews1 follower
November 1, 2018
I never want the books to end !!!

I have learned that whenever I start one of these books I'm not going to put it down until I've finished it. I can't be the only one reading this series of books that would love to be a part of this quirky family, please believe me when I say you'll fall in love with each one of them. Not to sure I'd want to end up on Aunt Tilly's list though-lol.
Profile Image for Lauren.
1,897 reviews4 followers
October 1, 2019
Let me just say this book rubbed me wrong in every way possible. The story line is further than far out there. Bay is hell bent on getting Landon in trouble and trying to invade one of his cases. Let's just say if he really worked for the FBI he would have been fired long ago for her interference and his lack of control. This entire story Bay whines and cries and throws fits to get her way. Landon must of hit his head at some point because he's lost a few brain cells as well.
929 reviews2 followers
May 19, 2021
Loved it!

I absolutely love the Winchester's. No one or nothing makes me laugh this hard. I read this in one sitting. I could not put it down. Aliens have crashed in Hemlock Cove, or have they? Bay and her witchy family are keen to find the truth. The story and characters were intriguing and engaging. I look forward to reading more about these characters and their further adventures. This book is definitely worth reading.
Profile Image for lisa langford.
152 reviews1 follower
October 27, 2021
Omg

I've missed these guys so much finding this mini series of books has been a delight I'm amazed at how you write in the little arguments among Aunt Tillie and the girls during thier adventures I've LOL a lot while I listen to them with my kindle listen and read option while I'm in work or multi tasking at home of an evening
Landon and Bay's relationship is amazing to follow
Profile Image for Elisa.
3,227 reviews40 followers
September 6, 2018
Really enjoyable but then every wicked witches story is. I thought the aliens storyline was hilarious and what the truth was even funnier, everyone's banter was spot on as always I loved how Landon coped worse with not being able to work as a team with Bay and she took it in her stride, well in her own way....lol overall another great read for me.
Profile Image for Cathy P.
1,788 reviews9 followers
September 6, 2018
More zany adventures

I love reading about Bay and crew, they really get into some crazy situations. Everyone's personality seemed to be somewhat subdued in this story, but it was a super cute, fun read as always. Are there aliens in Hemlock Cove or is agent Gibson hiding something different?
Profile Image for Colleen M. Snell.
38 reviews2 followers
September 7, 2018
Another interesting mystery

With all the usual twists and turns, the government hiding the truth, the X-Files comments, and the UFO which some say isn't unidentified the mystery has the Winchester 's busy searching for the truth. Also there is a hint that Clove might have a surprise coming in a future book. Enjoyed the ride as always.
868 reviews14 followers
September 8, 2018
Yet more witchy fun and antics from my favourite crew in Hemlock Cove. Bay and Landon still have interesting dynamics and new areas to explore in their relationship, this time when work has them keeping information from each other. Of course mayhem, fun and Aunt Tillie follow. It's like a hug in a book, time spent with the Winchesters.
Profile Image for Natasha Isaacs.
194 reviews3 followers
September 13, 2018
ALIEN 👽???

As always Amanda is such a fresh breath of air. I like the short stories they are funny and just enough snark. Although there wasn't a lot of witchy hijinks in this book it was still fun. Amanda is in my top five favorite authors. Her books are all about love and happy endings with a lot of crazy thrown in.
Profile Image for Catherine Schultz.
65 reviews1 follower
September 26, 2018
Omg this was so funny

I love this series. Aunt Tilly is a hoot. Thisle makes me laugh and Clove is just so lovable. I almost bet Clove is pregnant. Bay and Landon are the perfect couple. I don't know why I waited this long to read but I'm glad I did. This is a must read for anyone young or just plain young at heart
4 reviews
November 23, 2018
Amanda's done it again!!!

A great getaway from reality book. As is what you come to expect from Ms Lee, and the "Wicked Witches" series. I Love this series and how she connects them all together thru ups & DOWNS and everything in between, always ending with, Family no matter how much bickering they are there for you...
Profile Image for Brandy Barber.
967 reviews23 followers
December 2, 2018
Gets better with every book

I can't get enough of Bay and her family. They always have me guessing and laughing out loud. I was convinced there was going to be aliens along with Aunt Tillie. You can't go wrong with any of these books. I feel we are going to be in for alot of surprises in the next book.
237 reviews
February 9, 2019
A fun read author hits characters on head

Enjoyed this book greatly. Author was spot on with characters and not taking tangents like she had in some. The story keeps it great family witchy theme of crazy antics, mysteries and even posdibly could it no wait aliens! It is a madcap chase to find out and leave you in pieces ...grin.
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