Crossing Over Easy

Eastwind Witches #1

by Nova Nelson

My name is Nora Ashcroft, and my perfect life is about to take a deadly turn. I used to think of myself as a modern woman. I built a successful career as a chef and restaurateur, had all the money I could want, and nobody told me what to do.

And then I died. Oops.

Goodbye, wealth, career, and Texas!

But death wasn’t the end for me. I was given a second chance.

So it was hello, gorgeous paranormal men, a snarky canine companion, and magical Eastwind.

With my old life ripped away from me, you might think I’d be bored in this strange small town with cobblestone streets and no internet.

But not so much. Because I’m there only a few hours before I discover that I’m now—wait for it—a witch.

Not just any witch. A Fifth Wind witch, meaning I can talk to ghosts.

Wave a wand around? Not so much.

But I do have a familiar, a giant black dog I can communicate with telepathically. Sounds pretty awesome, right?

Eh ... maybe reserve your judgment until you meet Grim for yourself.

The transition is a lot to take in, and it’s made more chaotic when Tanner Culpepper, a gorgeous male witch who waits tables at the all-night diner, and I stumble upon a murdered werewolf.

And now the only way we can avoid suspicion for the crime is if I can use my newfound powers to find the real killer.

Before the killer finds me …

Fans of no-nonsense female sleuths, lighthearted humor, delicious loves interests, and greasy late-night eats will adore this witty cozy mystery set against a quaint (and gossipy) supernatural village.

*This is a revised edition of a novel by the same name that was previously published as the Nora Bradbury series of the Witches of Salem world.

Note: This book is free of swearing, graphic violence, and sex. Okay, so Nora has a few naughty thoughts (you’ll understand when you meet Tanner), but she’s only human … or witch? However, no acts take place or are described during the course of the story.

Hit the Buy Now button to start solving the mystery!

Genres: Paranormal, Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Witches

196 pages, ebook

First published February 26, 2018

About the author

Nova Nelson grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie novels. She loves the mind candy of cozy mysteries and has been weaving paranormal tales since she first learned handwriting. Those two loves meet in her Eastwind Witches series, and it's about time, if she does say so herself.

When she's not busy writing, she enjoys long walks with her strong-willed dogs and eating breakfast for dinner.

Be sure to follow her on Goodreads!

Join the Cozy Coven for Eastwind updates, contests, and more! Go to: www.cozycoven.com

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun easy to listen cozy mystery, heavy on the paranormal. Not totally hooked into it but hope to continue on with the series sooner rather than later

[Celia Buell (semi hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd been wary of starting yet another paranormal cozy mystery series when I really enjoyed and want to continue the last few I've started. I don't want to conflate them or have too much budding series loyalty that I want to follow through. I may have also been worried that Crossing Over Easy wouldn't prove as good as some of the others I've been reading recently. I don't know what I was expecting, but this was good good. Probably my favorite cozy mystery to date.

I loved Nora from the beginning. Unlike a lot of the cozy mystery protagonists I've read, Nora is very open and willing to give people the benefit of the doubt. I really enjoyed the way she treated all of the suspects and adversaries as potential friends first and didn't let hearsay get in her way of forming relationships or of investigating through the unique means she possessed. I loved the way Nora and the other women looked out for each other in this.

Because of this, it was genuinely difficult to pinpoint who may have been the killer. This element of the mystery helped Crossing Over Easy stand out from a lot of the other cozy mysteries I've read. I enjoyed the reasonableness of Nora's investigation and the suspects' alibis. I also appreciated the conclusion of this one in that it was believable and felt appropriate to the story.

I am glad the next two books in the EastWind Witches series, as well as the prequel Werebear Scare were free on Amazon. I am definitely looking forward to reading them.

[Weird · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts a little cringeworthy as it seems forcibly wannabe-cool-and-funny, but once the introduction is done it gets better. Nothing I'd consider a must read, but entertaining and partly quite fun. I liked some of the ideas a lot. I also liked the obvious feminism. What irritated me, though, was how people of colour were described. The author did put in an effort to include poc (and a side note on how barbies / dolls only reflected white people's reality, so there is definitely some awareness there), which I liked, but used vocabulary like coacoa skin / mocha skin, and referred to a "voodoo woman" at least for times within the first few pages. Needless to say she didn't describe white people as having a cheese complexion or anything... I wonder whether this gets better during the series.

[Hanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh man, this was not for me.
There's no other way to put it, I simply didn't like Nora. Sometimes you simply never warm up to or connect with the mc and that's okay, but this was worse than that.
Maybe if the book had been written in 3rd person I might've liked her better, but being stuck inside her head the entire book having to listen to her "voice". So very annoying.
Like another reviewer said trying way too hard to be cool and funny.
Clearly very impressed with herself. And the constant commenting on her own commentary/thoughts. "Did I just say ...?", "Did I seem...?" and "for the record,..."
none of this ever said out loud... but just an endless internal narration of everything.
And then all the pontificating monologues about waitstaff, color-biased barbies/toys, and so on. Don't get me wrong, these are important issues that need expressing, but in a dialogue or even better an open exchange.
To me a lot of it sounded like heavy-handed self-inserts.

Now for the story/plot itself, it held some interesting aspects, but mostly it seemed like a hotchpotch amalgamation of some of the top bestsellers of the genre across books, tv shows, movies. And some parts felt outright juvenile, especially with all the too beautiful for words, too hot to breathe men running around in there...

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly probably more like 3.5 stars but since it’s a first in a series and it’s good for what it is, I’m bumping it up. As far as cozy paranormal mysteries go this was cute. It was light on the mystery and heavy on the “get to know all the characters in the town”, though she did do a lot of that through interrogation of the townsfolk. It was a little rough around the edges but still a pleasure to listen to and the series has definite potential. Not sure it’s worth a full priced Audible credit, as it’s relatively short, but it’s totally worth listening to if you can get it free from the library (like I did) or can read it on Kindle through the KU program or if it’s not too pricey to buy.

[Emmalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually a fun and unique series. Grimm is hilarious and his interactions with Nora are just down right funny. Nora wakes up in Eastland after crashing her car into a tree and discovers she’s a witch, a 5th wind witch!! Soon after arriving a murder happens and she’s tasked with solving it.

This was a quick, short, quirky story. Nora’s internal dialogue is a running commentary worth reading; her familiar Grimm, a hellhound, he of the ever full bladder, sarcastic and witty tongue, and the various paranormal creatures inhabiting the town is great.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read full of strange creatures, paranormal happenings as well as murder that needs to be solved. I found some things hard to accept, especially if Nora was dead. Such as, how can there be ghosts IF Nora is one herself? Or murder IF you are all dead already? But besides all these quirks, I really enjoyed my visit to Eastwind and look forward to my next trip back.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was ADORABLE and just what I wanted.

[MelMon Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Irrationally rational

She had everything most people would want. Albeit, it didn't come as easy to her as it did to those around her. Nora Ashcroft was living a life that was full yet empty.

When she gets a reading from a street psychic telling her she has 24 hours to live, she decides that if it is to be her last day, she wasn't going to waste it away. Her plans are yet again going to take an unexpected detour.

Eastwind, Texas. A new outlook on life and a beautiful outlook on the eyecandy that comes with it. Learning so many new things about herself will never be more confusing and even more frightful. Nora will find a new future near when she starts a journey to clear the name of the restaurant Medium Rare's handsome server Tanner Culpepper of the unexpected murder of the owner. As the story unfolds, Nora is getting hands on experience in her next step in life.

My absolute fave character was by far Grim. He was laughable and unlikely. There were a few editing errors I caught, hence the star deduction, but would love to send to the author to reevaluate for the 5 star rating. So many different characters and a good paranormal story.

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

2021 bk 211. The afterlife is far different than Nora had ever dreamed it would be. There were dinners and pizzarias and a large dog who attached himself to her and the discovery that in death, she had become a 5th Wind Witch. In other words, one who could speak to those who were twice dead and use that information to solve mysteries. I enjoyed the character and especially the setting. Only problem - was in how easily she gave up her real life - no concern for her restaurant left behind and her friends. It also didn't quite jive when she willingly, when Tanner asked, became a waitress in a dinner - when she was a trained chef and former owner of a restaurant. That didn't quite jive with the snarky "I'm in charge image we have of her", especially when their seemingly was an opening for a chef. Ah well - I liked it enough that I'm ordering the 2nd book in the series.

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am baffled by all the great reviews for this mess. The author wanted to write about a witch who investigates murders but clearly had no idea how to set it up so... she just didn't. There is no world building whatsoever. For absolutely no reason there is an interdimensional town that for no reason creatures come to live in and can come and go from but for no reason the MC can't ever leave although at the end the author forgets this and has the character wrestle for half a minute with the decision to stay or go. Oh, and a character informs us that (for no reason) a lot of people get murdered in the town. How convenient. Also, did the MC die back on Earth? Who knows? She doesn't nor does the reader. I also hated how she treated her familiar. What is supposed to be cute snark is just her being a d**k to him.

Luckily, this forgettable mess will be out of my head by tomorrow.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A whole new world

Eastwood feels like a fresh place with a fresh and interesting mix of inhabitants. Characters are well drawn and the story is absorbing because of that. These are people (and other critters) it's easy to care about. My favorite is Grim, a big black dog and former hellhound who becomes the familiar of Nora, who has crossed into Eastwind after a terrible accident and who apparently has a purpose in this new place. Can't wait to find out more about Eastwind and see what Nora and Grim get up to in the next book!

[Tabea · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept and paranormality were really fun! But I highly disliked how male centred the protagonist was. Whenever she encountered a different man, she gushed over how hot he was, and even when she was alone, men were at the forefront. Also, she was highkey misogynistic, and while she does acknowledge that from time to time, she ultimately does not change her behavior.

[KR Garland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start

This is a great start to a new series. Can't wait to read more.

Not your usual cozy, fast and smart. No cringe worthy moments of stupidity by the main character. Nice take on the "beyond the veil" universe.

[Janet Epperson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am hooked now and can’t wait to start book 2. Was a little confused at first about Nora ending up in Eastwind but further in it all fell into place. Really loving Grim the dog.

[Bobbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Cute cozy mystery, light on the mystery, but a fun read nonetheless. It seemed to be more of an introduction to all the characters and future stories. Great narrator.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Haunted Bookshelf

Crossing Over Easy is a fun, snappy Paranormal Cozy Mystery that is so easy to fall into. Although, you should be aware of this… and I quote: “This is a revised edition of a novel by the same name that was previously published as the Nora Bradbury series of the Witches of Salem world.” – from the description blurb on both Amazon and Goodreads, so it’s possible that you may have read this title in another form (that’s why I used the original cover). I mention this first and upfront because I can’t stand discovering that I’ve already read or bought a book after I start reading it.

When Nora stepped out of her car after a run-in with a tree on a very dark and very stormy night it didn’t take her long to realize that she didn’t appear to be in Texas anymore. Maybe it was the deathly silence, or the hooded figure that had stood in the road causing her to swerve and hit the tree. Maybe it was there was no phone signal or a beep from Google… but once she found lights that revealed a diner, maybe it was the unusual people having a meal that tipped her off. After all, how often do you witness a Grim Reaper chowing down on a cheeseburger? And soon after when she and the handsome server who befriends her discover the dead body of the diner’s owner… well, now everything is about to get a bit crazier.

I had fun with Crossing Over Easy. Nora is a lively, witty character who is coping as well as can be expected when her world is completely turned upside down. We’ll meet a lot of magical creatures some friendly, others not so much. One huge, lovable black dog who is Nora’s familiar will steal scenes left and right in this cozy mystery. Soon Nora and Grim are off in search of the real killer in a town full of the most unusual people she’s ever encountered. One of them meant harm so she should watch her back but that’s not always easy in this place. If you love Paranormals and Cozy Mysteries then you’ll enjoy this story. As the start of the Eastwind Witches series this one captured my attention and had me looking for more. I’d definitely recommend this story and the series to anyone who loves Paranormal Cozy Mysteries.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription

[Texas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eastwind Witches - I love these kinds of witches; nothing mean or nasty but tough when needed. My friend had these three books and we spent a day reading and laughing about the characters and the happenings. Funny, entertaining and well written, the stories are strong enough to keep the reader immersed in the pages, but with a simple storytelling style. The characters grow as the pages fly by and there's no Stupid Formula, just plain entertainment. Surprise, no vulgar language or cussing. Plus, you'll love Ted; sorry no spoilers. Little editing needed but not much.

Crossing Over Easy #1 - I love these kinds of witch stories. This is our first book by this author; my friend and I read her copies during one of our get-together weekends. We both had fun with them. Easily and quickly read, COE was funny and interesting. The characters are funny and entertaining; the story line was entertaining; and the dialog and actions weren't of the stupid variety. Even without a friend's comments, this book is good for relaxation or something simple but entertaining. Did I mention the book was entertaining. OK, I'm not funny, but Nova is a lot.

Death Metal #2 - This book starts three months after Crossing Over Easy ended. We loved the dialog; it was almost as if we were doing the talking. Well written, funny and entertaining, the pages flew by as we laughed our way to the end. The characters are filling out more, including Eastwind, and their dialog is extremely entertaining. Nora is discovering more about herself and the perks and dangers of being a Fifth Wind witch.

Third Knock The Charm #3 - This book begins two weeks after Death Metal ends. This time no one is killed, but many other things are instead. Funny, entertaining and this time filled with lots of sexual tension. My favorite character is the Library, which I wish all readers had access to one of their own. Ms. Nelson writes well, describes vividly and add humor in abundance.

My friend and I just laughed ourselves silly about the message of sexual harassment is wrong, but physical assault is OK. Nope, we didn't disagree on half of that message, but we come from a time of real sexual harassment where slapping hands or faces was a must; now it's a crime to defend yourself.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Who was I, and what had happened to Nora Ashcroft?"

Nora Ashcroft, Austin Texas' restaurant darling of the moment, gets into an accident driving along the road in a dark and stormy night, and wakes up in Eastwind: an old fashioned, off-the -grid eye-catching community of other world creatures with rather human problems.

In this, the first of a series, Nora finds out that being in Eastwind is not so bad, if you don't mind smelly familiars, cute restaurant owners, and ghosts that need answers before they can move on...like Bruce, former co-owner of Medium Rare, where Nora finds him, dead. And since she's the new replacement for the old ghostly PI, she sets about doing just that. Her predecessor, Ruby, "fills her in" about what that's going to mean for her, and if she can wrap her mind around being a witch, maybe this gig won't be too bad.

This was a fun book. There are assumptions made that Nora accepts she's in Eastwind for a better reason than driving a fancy car to Austin. For a self described introverted loner, she seems to accept almost everything she's been introduced to, and accepted for who she is, something she herself wouldn't be sure would happen in Austin.

I liked the characters and for an introduction this book isn't bad. I am looking forward to the others in hopes that the backstory blanks get filled in. Recommended 4/5

[Disclaimer: This book was a gift from the author that I volunteered to review]

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

You won't be able to put this book down!
A laugh out loud paranormal murder mystery that introduces us to some really fun characters! Nora Ashcroft was driving back to her home and restaurant business in Texas after breaking up with her long distance boyfriend when she had a bad accident. She wanders away from the car and finds an all-night diner she stumbles into. Looking around she sees some weird in her mind, characters and when she finds a table, the waiter Tanner sits down and starts explaining what she sees and realizes she has no idea she is dead and even moreso, she is told that she is a Fifth Wind Witch with a large black dog, Grim as her familiar. WOW! So much to take in, how is this all possible. And then she and Tanner find a murdered werewolf. She must try to solve the murder because she is new, a witch and under suspicion. She and Tanner make a great duo. Will they solve the murder or will Nora be next? This was a great book one which made me go directly to the next books in the series. Nova's characters are well developed and easy to like. I loved seeing how Nora starts to fit into Eastwood and her relationship with Tanner. This series is a must read if you like laughing and good paranormal cozy murder mysteries! I received and ARC from the author, but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Craig Russo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh. While I sincerely think that Nova Nelson has some real writing skills, I'm not at all impressed by the content. I felt like it was in a teenage romance novel. And a guy-bashing novel. Everybody was drop-dead gorgeous. And men were to blame for everything. Like I wrote above...ugh.

Ms. Nelson, you have some *real* writing skills. I'm jealous, actually. I'm thinking of continuing this series because I really love your ability to move the story along, your ability to make the characters relatable, and ultimately able to make the story likeable. Please continue!

But there is more to people than looks. Sure, if you ascribe to the "looks don't matter, it's personality", then you're not admitting the reality of attractiveness in society. But everyone grows old(er), and looks begin to matter less and less. Is your intended audience teenagers and 20-somethings? If so, you might (will) be missing a large audience.

Personally, I hate giving anything but glowing reviews. Please don't man-bash. I'm pro-woman. It hurts when I'm villain-ified just because I'm a man. I guess it's fair, because women have been given the short straw for so long (forever, really) just because they are women. I hate that. But *I* try!

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so glad I discovered this series!

Nora has a successful business but sadly, no friends. And then she dies. And arrives at a supernatural small town: Eastwind. Where she discovers she’s a sort of PI witch. When there’s a murder, she investigates because she’s the only one (aside from her desperate-to-retire mentor) who can talk to ghosts. Her familiar is a dog the size of a pony. She can talk with him telepathically, but he is very grumpy, moody, and glum.

I was hooked from the word go. I immediately loved it. I loved the writing style: just a hint of crazy. In a good way. In a seeing ghosts kind of way. Fun! I’m so glad I discovered this series! I only thought that Nora accepted this whole crazy world a bit too fast; if it were me I would have been more surprised and disbelieving. And I would’ve tried to leave and go home! But then again, Nora immediately felt like she could really belong here. For her, it feels like this could become home. Where she can finally make some friends.

[Relina Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crossing Over Easy (Eastwind Witches Cozy Mysteries Book 1) was written by Nova Nelson. Nora is doing well for herself. She is the owner of a fancy restaurant, owns an expensive condo, and was able to do all of that despite being an orphan. She goes to visit her hook-up in another city but finally realizes that he's not worth the time and effort she's been putting into driving out to see him. On her way back, a series of odd events led her to drive off the road. Nora than wakes up in the middle of the woods. She can't find her car, purse, phone, nothing. She only has the clothing she was wearing. Eventually, she finds out that she is stuck in Eastwind. And that she's some sort of witch and that she can talk to the dead. Nora takes it upon herself to help a recent murder victim find closure.
Overall, I think this was was a good start to an interesting series. Yes, it has some similarities to other stories about women who find themselves in a supernatural town and learn that they are also some sort of witch. However, the idea of a fifth wind witch is different.

[Renee Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nora lives in Austin and owns Chez Coeur, a fancy restaurant. She's visiting her sometimes man in New Orleans and he acts like a jerk to their waitress. Nora has had enough and let's him know about it while also leaving the waitress a huge tip. She decides to drive straight back home to Austin. That might not be in the plans though. IH10 is rerouted north somewhere near Beaumont. She starts to get creeped out when she realizes there's no other traffic and her phone quit working. The pouring down rain doesn't help matters especially when she sees someone in the road and crashes her car. She wakes up being licked by a dog and her car is nowhere in sight. Little does she know, this is the beginning of her new life! The craziest things seem to be happening and it takes her quite a while to figure out she's in a magical town called Eastwind. You just have to read this to find out what happens. I loved this book and am looking forward to reading more in the series.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puts a whole new spin on what happens after death - a very funny, clever and quirky new spin. Nora Ashcroft, a successful young entrepreneur finds herself in Eastwind, a town supposedly on her way home to Austin, Texas, after she crashes her car into a tree. She doesn't remember what happens after the car crash, but everyone else around her seems to accept that she has died and is now part of the strange population living in Eastwind. Getting to grips with that was mind blowing, but it gets worse when she falls over the body of the diner owner who looks like he has been brutally murdered.

This is the first book of Nova Nelson's that I have had the pleasure of reading and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is well written, the plot intriguing and the characters well developed and believable (if you know what I mean!) It has a very clever and refreshing storyline and yet follows the familiar whodunit trail, which makes it brilliant. Loved it, cannot wait to get stuck into book 2!

[Stacey Whipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG an awesome paranormal cozy witch mystery. In my opinion Nova Nelson rates right up there with the best magic, mystical, cozy paranormal writers out there. I was captivated by this book. I couldn’t put it down. I love believing in magic & other mystical creatures being real and this story fits the bill to a T.

Imagine waking up in another “world” after a car accident & finding out your a witch. Not just any ole witch but a special witch with your own familiar who happens to be a big ole black dog!! What fun that would be learning how to use your magical abilities and trying to figure out your new “normal”. All the while learning about creatures you were sure did not exist and top it all off trying to solve a murder thru the murdered werewolf’s ghost!!

Can’t wait for the next book in this series!!!

I received a review copy and was happy to leave a review

[Darla Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nora Ashcroft is driving from Louisiana back home to Austin, Texas when she has to take a detour in a severe rainstorm. She sees a large object on the road in front of her and swerves to miss whatever it is. She wakes to a large dog licking her face, her car and everything in it is nowhere to be seen. She walks with the dog to a small restaurant and discovers that she's now in a town full of supernatural being ~ shifters of several kinds, fairies, ghosts, pixies, and witches. She's even told that she's a witch and the dog whom she can hear talking to her is her familiar. When she's taken to a woman's house so she can have a place to stay she learns that she's a fifth wind witch and can see ghosts so will be called to solve their murders.

This was a fun read with well-rounded characters. It draws you in and keeps you hooked until the end. I look forward to the rest of the series.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure where this book was going when I first started it. But the more I read, the more interested I became. I love this story line. This is not your typical cozy witch story. Oh no! This one is about Nora Ashcroft who ends up in Eastwind. She thinks it is just a small town she found after she crashes her car. Not even! This is where she 'crosses over' and finds things out about herself that she never knew. She comes across a huge grim hound that turns out to be her familiar. She names him Grim, which he doesn't like at all. The bantering between the two will give you the giggles. Anyway, she needs to solve a murder. That is going to be her 'job' there. Can she do it?She has so much to learn!!! You will have to read the book to find out. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I liked that there was no conflict shown in just to drag out the story. The MC didn't do stupid things and just get luck to survive to solve the mystery (which is one aspect of cozies that drives me crazy). Admittedly, the law representative was...unique...so that helped drive to a satisfactory conclusion. Another aspect of the typical cozy that bothers me is that the main character feels this need to solve a murder case when there is no reason for that individual to be involving herself. The author here managed to find a scenario that made it make sense to me that Nora would be in the middle of looking for the murderer. I hope the series continues strong.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled across this book quite by accident. But since I love cozy mysteries (bonus points for also being paranormal), I just had to give it a try. This story was thoroughly entertaining - I laughed my way through it. Thank goodness I was just at home and not out in public while trying to read this! The antics and snarky thoughts and quips will have you in stitches. I highly recommend this one, and can't wait for the next one in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I enjoyed it so much that I chose to buy my own digital copy of this ebook.