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Kitchen Witch Mysteries #1
One Poison Pie
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In the first in New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon’s Kitchen Witch series, Mia Malone is starting over in Magic Springs, Idaho—where murder is on the menu . . .
What’s a kitchen witch to do when her almost-fiancé leaves her suddenly single and unemployed? For Mia Malone, the answer’s move to her grandmother’s quirky Idaho hometown, where magic is an open secret and witches and warlocks are (mostly) welcome. With a new gourmet dinner delivery business—and a touch of magic in her recipes—Mia’s hopes are high. Even when her ex’s little sister, Christina, arrives looking for a place to stay, Mia takes it in stride.
But her first catering job takes a distasteful turn when her client’s body is found, stabbed and stuffed under the head table. Mia’s shocked to learn that she’s a suspect—and even more so when she realizes she’s next on a killer’s list. With Christina, along with Mia’s meddling grandma, in the mix, she’ll have to find out which of the town’s eccentric residents has an appetite for murder…before this fresh start comes to a sticky end. . . .
In the first in New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon’s Kitchen Witch series, Mia Malone is starting over in Magic Springs, Idaho—where murder is on the menu . . .
What’s a kitchen witch to do when her almost-fiancé leaves her suddenly single and unemployed? For Mia Malone, the answer’s move to her grandmother’s quirky Idaho hometown, where magic is an open secret and witches and warlocks are (mostly) welcome. With a new gourmet dinner delivery business—and a touch of magic in her recipes—Mia’s hopes are high. Even when her ex’s little sister, Christina, arrives looking for a place to stay, Mia takes it in stride.
But her first catering job takes a distasteful turn when her client’s body is found, stabbed and stuffed under the head table. Mia’s shocked to learn that she’s a suspect—and even more so when she realizes she’s next on a killer’s list. With Christina, along with Mia’s meddling grandma, in the mix, she’ll have to find out which of the town’s eccentric residents has an appetite for murder…before this fresh start comes to a sticky end. . . .
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 26, 2021
621 people are currently reading
5052 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Cahoon
105 books2,371 followersNYT and USA Today bestselling author, Lynn Cahoon, writes the Tourist Trap, Cat Latimer, Farm-to-Fork, Kitchen Witch, Survivors' Book Club, the Haunted Life, and the Bainbridge Island cozy mystery series. No matter where the mystery is set, readers can expect a fun ride Sign up for her newsletter at www.lynncahoon.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 559 reviews
February 28, 2023
This is a paranormal cozy mystery, and this is the first book in the Kitchen Witch series. I have read and review the 0.50 book in this series that came out before this book. I really love this book. The characters where fun and developed. I really enjoyed following these characters while they solve this mystery in this book. There is twists and turns in this book, and I really enjoyed all the twists and turn. I cannot wait for the second book in this series. I hope the book goes more into the magic. I do not feel the magic was explain in this book very well, but I do not think it hurt the book any. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Kensington Publishing Corporation) or author (Lynn Cahoon) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
May 12, 2021
One Poison Pie is the first full-length novel in the Kitchen Witch Mysteries written by Lynn Cahoon. While I was a little iffy on the prequel book that gets you started, this one is much stronger and made me a bigger fan than I already was of the author's work. Although the magical/fantasy elements usually don't strike a chord with me, I found myself excited to learn more here... and I'm definitely going to continue to read this series.
Mia has moved back home after ending her disastrous relationship with Isaac. She's now mentoring his younger sister, Christina, who needed to get away from her family. Luckily, Mia's grandmother, a witch, is helping to get them both situated in this small Idaho town. Unfortunately, as Mia opens her new business, her first client is found dead the morning of the big event. The woman was Grans's bestie, a somewhat rude and wealthy socialite with powers. A suddenly alive / strange / unknown nephew shows up, and he clearly looks guilty of something. Then Mia's competitor for the property she purchased tries to hurt her. Is he involved in the murder too?
All the evidence points to someone Mia knows, especially when he or she broke in to her home and hurt her... but it's her new friend Trent that does everything in his power to protect her. Throw in some lovely supporting characters and a few interesting townsfolk, and this series is really shaping up. I find myself eager to learn more about the witchcraft they all practice as well as the history of the town... something happened years ago, and I'm sure it will be critical to Mia's true powers and purpose. I love that she's so normal, and they hardly use their powers. When she finally does, it'll be epic, I assume. Already ordered the next mini-novella so that I can catch up when the latest / fourth book in the series comes out in a few months.
Mia has moved back home after ending her disastrous relationship with Isaac. She's now mentoring his younger sister, Christina, who needed to get away from her family. Luckily, Mia's grandmother, a witch, is helping to get them both situated in this small Idaho town. Unfortunately, as Mia opens her new business, her first client is found dead the morning of the big event. The woman was Grans's bestie, a somewhat rude and wealthy socialite with powers. A suddenly alive / strange / unknown nephew shows up, and he clearly looks guilty of something. Then Mia's competitor for the property she purchased tries to hurt her. Is he involved in the murder too?
All the evidence points to someone Mia knows, especially when he or she broke in to her home and hurt her... but it's her new friend Trent that does everything in his power to protect her. Throw in some lovely supporting characters and a few interesting townsfolk, and this series is really shaping up. I find myself eager to learn more about the witchcraft they all practice as well as the history of the town... something happened years ago, and I'm sure it will be critical to Mia's true powers and purpose. I love that she's so normal, and they hardly use their powers. When she finally does, it'll be epic, I assume. Already ordered the next mini-novella so that I can catch up when the latest / fourth book in the series comes out in a few months.
April 12, 2021
I do love a good witchy book and this one is good. There are quite a few witches around in Magic Springs although most of them are going incognito. Mia Malone is a kitchen witch and is busy setting up a business based on her great cooking skills.
A murder happens very early in the book and for a while Mia herself is suspected. Of course she has to clear her name but in doing so she puts herself in danger. There is a lovely man called Trent to help her out and some very special sparks fly between them.
Good characters and realistic dialogue keep the story rolling along and there is plenty of action. People get stranded in blizzards, some lucky ones survive by magical means and others get what they deserve. I think the author has plenty up her sleeve regarding the magic and I think Mia and Trent will go well together.
I am really looking forward to the next book!
A murder happens very early in the book and for a while Mia herself is suspected. Of course she has to clear her name but in doing so she puts herself in danger. There is a lovely man called Trent to help her out and some very special sparks fly between them.
Good characters and realistic dialogue keep the story rolling along and there is plenty of action. People get stranded in blizzards, some lucky ones survive by magical means and others get what they deserve. I think the author has plenty up her sleeve regarding the magic and I think Mia and Trent will go well together.
I am really looking forward to the next book!
January 26, 2021
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I thought that this was good! I have seen this author's books around for years and have always wanted to try her work. I thought that this would be the perfect one to start with as soon as I saw it. I was in the mood for a cozy and one involving a witch sounds especially appealing. I found this book to be incredibly entertaining.
Mia has just moved back to Magic Springs and is just about to open a new catering business. She is planning to provide food for a birthday party and the customer is being rather difficult. Things get even worse when the customer is killed and people start pointing the finger at Mia. She still needs to get her building approved to open for business and a local man, Trent, is ready to jump in and help get things done.
I had a great time with this one. There were several different mysteries to solve in this book and they all kept me guessing. I was never quite sure who Mia should trust and who was responsible for the crimes. There was plenty of excitement in this book and times when I wondered if Mia would be able to stay safe. I did think that the paranormal aspects of the story were more toned down than I would have expected but there is a bit sprinkled throughout the story.
Angie Hickman did a fantastic job with the narration. I thought that she did a fantastic job bringing life to Mia's character. I thought that she added a lot of excitement to the story and I liked the variety of voices that she used for the various characters. She has a very pleasant voice, and I found this book easy to listen to for hours at a time. I feel like her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a fun cozy mystery with fantastic characters. I definitely plan to read more of Lynn Cahoon's work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from Tantor Audio via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
This was fun! There were several different mysteries to solve in this book and they all kept me guessing and I couldn't tell if everything was connected or not. I was never quite sure who Mia should trust or who might be responsible for the crimes. I liked Mia right away and her grandmother was equally likable. Angie Hickman did a great job with the narration.
I thought that this was good! I have seen this author's books around for years and have always wanted to try her work. I thought that this would be the perfect one to start with as soon as I saw it. I was in the mood for a cozy and one involving a witch sounds especially appealing. I found this book to be incredibly entertaining.
Mia has just moved back to Magic Springs and is just about to open a new catering business. She is planning to provide food for a birthday party and the customer is being rather difficult. Things get even worse when the customer is killed and people start pointing the finger at Mia. She still needs to get her building approved to open for business and a local man, Trent, is ready to jump in and help get things done.
I had a great time with this one. There were several different mysteries to solve in this book and they all kept me guessing. I was never quite sure who Mia should trust and who was responsible for the crimes. There was plenty of excitement in this book and times when I wondered if Mia would be able to stay safe. I did think that the paranormal aspects of the story were more toned down than I would have expected but there is a bit sprinkled throughout the story.
Angie Hickman did a fantastic job with the narration. I thought that she did a fantastic job bringing life to Mia's character. I thought that she added a lot of excitement to the story and I liked the variety of voices that she used for the various characters. She has a very pleasant voice, and I found this book easy to listen to for hours at a time. I feel like her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a fun cozy mystery with fantastic characters. I definitely plan to read more of Lynn Cahoon's work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from Tantor Audio via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
This was fun! There were several different mysteries to solve in this book and they all kept me guessing and I couldn't tell if everything was connected or not. I was never quite sure who Mia should trust or who might be responsible for the crimes. I liked Mia right away and her grandmother was equally likable. Angie Hickman did a great job with the narration.
January 26, 2021
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
After reading the prequel to this series I was looking forward to reading book and when I was in the mood for a paranormal cozy mystery book I decided to pick this one up. One Poison Pie starts like a typical cozy mystery the main character just moved to a new town, leaving her cheating ex behind and starting her own business. And then there is the dead body ofcourse.
This book started off good, I liked the cooking theme and seeing Mia make a new start in life. I liked how she had a close bond with her grandma and also had a roommate. Then there is the dead body and Mia is a main suspects, her ex is showing up and a competitor for the building Mia bought is determined to make her sell. I liked that there were multiple things going on besides the mystery. This book had all the ingredients for a great cozy mystery, but unfortunately this book didn't work for me.
I considered DNF'ing this book, but by then I was far enough in the book I figured I might as well finish, but in the end I wish I had just DNF'd it. At the start I was still liking it well enough, the writing style was decent enough and I liked the set up for the different plot lines and wonderign whether certain mysterious events where connected or not. Sadly the issues I had with the book are the kind that kinda get worse the more you read and by the end of the book I was just happy it was over.
The mystery fell flat for me unfortunately. There's a decent set up with an unlikable character being killed and Mia being one of the main suspects. Which both gave Mia reason to get involved and it which would give plenty of people motive, which I figured would make for an interesting mystery. Sadly it wasn't. For some reason the book never dives into other possible suspects and motives or even what happened or what clues are there. For that matter Mia hardly looks into the mystery. There is not much of trying to solve the mystery and the only reason she does is mostly by coincidence. Mostly she tries to stay save and focus on her business and own problems.
I would've liked to see Mia more actively involved in trying to solve the mystery. There is an interesting twist related to a side character involved in the mystery toward the end, but by then I had already lost interest. Then the climax scene at the end felt very anti climactic and Mia did something not so smart there whcih made me annoyed, compounded by something not working just when she needs it to.
Besides the mystery, there's the issue with Mia's ex as well as a competitor who is angry she got the building instead of him. Neither of these plot lines were particular interesting to me either. I do feel that with the whole ex plot line it helps to have read the prequel novella as I am not sure if the book gives the reader enough information if you haven't read it. I sure think reading the prequel helps get a better understanding of some side plot lines regarding Mia's cat, Christina and Mia's ex.
While there is plenty going on the book mostly felt like a slice of life type of story. The mystery mostly takes a backseat and Mia doesn't really get involved into trying to solve the mystery. And another small thing that bothered me is the title. There is no poison or pie in this book, so I have no idea why the title mentions a Poison Pie.
For some reason I had a hard time liking Mia. She seemed nice enough at first and I like her passion for cooking and how she cooks to de-stress. I didn't really care for how much she still thought of her ex, but that made sense given he was such a big part of her life for so long, it just wasn't particularly interesting. I also never got why they were together in the first place, he is painted like such an unlikable character who doesn't fit with Mia at all, that I just couldn't grasp how they ever had a relationship. Then there is Mia herself who could be quite rude and judgmental at times. Mostly these are small things like her inner thoughts or how she interpreted things that just rubbed me wrong. There are also some scenes where she isn't acting smartly and she keeps secrets from both her friends and family and forgets to give important clues to the police. She also seemed to dislike the police officer, who had his own issues with Mia, but in my opinion Mia's behavior sure didn't make it better. She also keeps thinking she isn't ready for a romance, which she said so often, but then didn't act on it and never communicates that with the love interest. I didn't really feel the romance.
I had expected this to be a paranormal cozy mystery and I loved the idea of a kitchen witch. There just isn't a lot of paranormal at all. There is no explanation, we don't get a feel for the paranormal element and it doesn't come alive. I loved the idea, but we see so little of it, it was disappointing. By the end of the book I still had no clue what a kitchen witch could do or a normal witch for that matter, as those exist too. The magic doesn't really play a role in the story and doesn't even add much flavor as it just isn't there for enough. Mostly it's hinted at, Mia makes some assumptions of other people's magic and we hear multiple times about the role kitchen witches had in previous times. I am just sad there wasn't more about the magic.
To summarize: I really wanted to like this book, but sadly it didn't work for me. After the promising prequel I was looking forward to this book, but unfortunately I didn't like it. The set up was promising and I liked the idea of a kitchen witch. Unfortunately the mystery fell flat for me. There wasn't as much focus on the mystery, the main character didn't do much investigating, there are hardly any suspects and the ending felt anticlimactic. There are some other side plot lines beside the main mystery, but they didn't really catch my interest either. I didn't like Mia, she seemed nice enough at first and I liked her passion for cooking, but she could be rude and judgmental and some of her inner thoughts rubbed me wrong. I also was disappointed there isn't more magic and paranormal. Mia is a kitchen witch, but there hardly is any information about how it works. Sadly this book didn't work for me.
After reading the prequel to this series I was looking forward to reading book and when I was in the mood for a paranormal cozy mystery book I decided to pick this one up. One Poison Pie starts like a typical cozy mystery the main character just moved to a new town, leaving her cheating ex behind and starting her own business. And then there is the dead body ofcourse.
This book started off good, I liked the cooking theme and seeing Mia make a new start in life. I liked how she had a close bond with her grandma and also had a roommate. Then there is the dead body and Mia is a main suspects, her ex is showing up and a competitor for the building Mia bought is determined to make her sell. I liked that there were multiple things going on besides the mystery. This book had all the ingredients for a great cozy mystery, but unfortunately this book didn't work for me.
I considered DNF'ing this book, but by then I was far enough in the book I figured I might as well finish, but in the end I wish I had just DNF'd it. At the start I was still liking it well enough, the writing style was decent enough and I liked the set up for the different plot lines and wonderign whether certain mysterious events where connected or not. Sadly the issues I had with the book are the kind that kinda get worse the more you read and by the end of the book I was just happy it was over.
The mystery fell flat for me unfortunately. There's a decent set up with an unlikable character being killed and Mia being one of the main suspects. Which both gave Mia reason to get involved and it which would give plenty of people motive, which I figured would make for an interesting mystery. Sadly it wasn't. For some reason the book never dives into other possible suspects and motives or even what happened or what clues are there. For that matter Mia hardly looks into the mystery. There is not much of trying to solve the mystery and the only reason she does is mostly by coincidence. Mostly she tries to stay save and focus on her business and own problems.
I would've liked to see Mia more actively involved in trying to solve the mystery. There is an interesting twist related to a side character involved in the mystery toward the end, but by then I had already lost interest. Then the climax scene at the end felt very anti climactic and Mia did something not so smart there whcih made me annoyed, compounded by something not working just when she needs it to.
Besides the mystery, there's the issue with Mia's ex as well as a competitor who is angry she got the building instead of him. Neither of these plot lines were particular interesting to me either. I do feel that with the whole ex plot line it helps to have read the prequel novella as I am not sure if the book gives the reader enough information if you haven't read it. I sure think reading the prequel helps get a better understanding of some side plot lines regarding Mia's cat, Christina and Mia's ex.
While there is plenty going on the book mostly felt like a slice of life type of story. The mystery mostly takes a backseat and Mia doesn't really get involved into trying to solve the mystery. And another small thing that bothered me is the title. There is no poison or pie in this book, so I have no idea why the title mentions a Poison Pie.
For some reason I had a hard time liking Mia. She seemed nice enough at first and I like her passion for cooking and how she cooks to de-stress. I didn't really care for how much she still thought of her ex, but that made sense given he was such a big part of her life for so long, it just wasn't particularly interesting. I also never got why they were together in the first place, he is painted like such an unlikable character who doesn't fit with Mia at all, that I just couldn't grasp how they ever had a relationship. Then there is Mia herself who could be quite rude and judgmental at times. Mostly these are small things like her inner thoughts or how she interpreted things that just rubbed me wrong. There are also some scenes where she isn't acting smartly and she keeps secrets from both her friends and family and forgets to give important clues to the police. She also seemed to dislike the police officer, who had his own issues with Mia, but in my opinion Mia's behavior sure didn't make it better. She also keeps thinking she isn't ready for a romance, which she said so often, but then didn't act on it and never communicates that with the love interest. I didn't really feel the romance.
I had expected this to be a paranormal cozy mystery and I loved the idea of a kitchen witch. There just isn't a lot of paranormal at all. There is no explanation, we don't get a feel for the paranormal element and it doesn't come alive. I loved the idea, but we see so little of it, it was disappointing. By the end of the book I still had no clue what a kitchen witch could do or a normal witch for that matter, as those exist too. The magic doesn't really play a role in the story and doesn't even add much flavor as it just isn't there for enough. Mostly it's hinted at, Mia makes some assumptions of other people's magic and we hear multiple times about the role kitchen witches had in previous times. I am just sad there wasn't more about the magic.
To summarize: I really wanted to like this book, but sadly it didn't work for me. After the promising prequel I was looking forward to this book, but unfortunately I didn't like it. The set up was promising and I liked the idea of a kitchen witch. Unfortunately the mystery fell flat for me. There wasn't as much focus on the mystery, the main character didn't do much investigating, there are hardly any suspects and the ending felt anticlimactic. There are some other side plot lines beside the main mystery, but they didn't really catch my interest either. I didn't like Mia, she seemed nice enough at first and I liked her passion for cooking, but she could be rude and judgmental and some of her inner thoughts rubbed me wrong. I also was disappointed there isn't more magic and paranormal. Mia is a kitchen witch, but there hardly is any information about how it works. Sadly this book didn't work for me.
September 21, 2021
One Poison Pie by Lynn Cahoon is the first full length book in the cozy Kitchen Witch Mysteries series but not the first book as the description suggests as there is a prequel novella that also goes with the series. As with most cozy mysteries though each book of the series do contain their own mystery within so they can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. There is however characters development that carries over from book to book for those that follow the series from the beginning.
In the prequel novella in the series readers were introduced to Mia Malone who had traveled back to her hometown of Magic Springs, Idaho at the urging of her grandmother who Mia fondly calls Grans. Magic Springs is a place where magic is out in the open and Mia’s family is far from normal with Mia inheriting her Grans magical abilities and she now uses that witchcraft to create her tasty culinary treats.
Since that trip back to Magic Springs though Mia’s world has fallen apart with Mia finding herself single when her boyfriend leaves her and also unemployed. Mia decides that the best thing to do is to return to Magic Springs for good where she can use her magic in a gourmet dinner delivery business. Things all seem to be falling into place until Mia’s new client is found murdered and she ends up on the suspect list and looking to clear her name.
The Kitchen Witch Mysteries series immediately had two things going for it before I ever even picked up the first book. One would be that I have read this author many times before and always enjoy her cozy mysteries. The second was that being a fan of crossover genre books this one had the touch of paranormal to it with the protagonist being a witch. Having gotten to know the characters in the prequel then I knew I was in for some fun with this first full length book and I was not wrong. I will definitely be back for book two after enjoying this and the prequel.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
In the prequel novella in the series readers were introduced to Mia Malone who had traveled back to her hometown of Magic Springs, Idaho at the urging of her grandmother who Mia fondly calls Grans. Magic Springs is a place where magic is out in the open and Mia’s family is far from normal with Mia inheriting her Grans magical abilities and she now uses that witchcraft to create her tasty culinary treats.
Since that trip back to Magic Springs though Mia’s world has fallen apart with Mia finding herself single when her boyfriend leaves her and also unemployed. Mia decides that the best thing to do is to return to Magic Springs for good where she can use her magic in a gourmet dinner delivery business. Things all seem to be falling into place until Mia’s new client is found murdered and she ends up on the suspect list and looking to clear her name.
The Kitchen Witch Mysteries series immediately had two things going for it before I ever even picked up the first book. One would be that I have read this author many times before and always enjoy her cozy mysteries. The second was that being a fan of crossover genre books this one had the touch of paranormal to it with the protagonist being a witch. Having gotten to know the characters in the prequel then I knew I was in for some fun with this first full length book and I was not wrong. I will definitely be back for book two after enjoying this and the prequel.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
March 5, 2021
Great start to a new series!! To hear more of my thoughts on this book and other cozy mysteries subscribe to my YouTube channel!
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January 27, 2021
One Poison Pie was the third paranormal cozy mystery I’ve read in the last three weeks and I liked it a lot.
I can affirm I have found a new genre I enjoy.
There is a novella before this book that I haven’t read but I easily followed Mia’s journey from here.
Mia Malone is a chef and a kitchen witch with the power of healing with food.
She is back in Magic Springs to start her own catering company but her first job doesn’t go as expected and from that on she won’t have a moment of peace.
With a killer on the loose she will try to make her business strive, but it seems that troubles follow her everywhere.
Lynn Cahoon leads us on a very well planned adventure of mystery, murder and family and friends bonding.
It won’t be easy to guess who is the murderer because there are so many people who had good reasons to commit the crime. I was so invested into the story I kept point my finger at someone only to change my mind in the next page.
This was the first book written by this author I’ve read but I’m already looking forward to the next one in the series because she made me so curious with that ending.
February 26, 2021
Mia Malone operates Mia’s Morsels, a new catering business in Magic Springs, Idaho. She’s also a kitchen witch—a good witch who uses a touch of healing magic in her delicious gourmet meals. Her fledgling business is almost ruined when one of her chef knives is stolen and used as a murder weapon on her Gran’s best friend.
I thought this cozy mystery was light and fun! The smooth writing of Author Lynn Cahoon makes it a quick, enjoyable read. I loved the surprise ghost who appears and talks to Mia several times. I was very suspicious of the victim’s nephew so it wasn’t too much of a stretch at what he wound up being guilty of. I adore Mr. Darcy, the cat—love the name! The killer reveal was a bit shocking, and the motive sad and pathetic. I really enjoyed the very end where Mia receives a gift, and.....have to wait until the next book to find the answer! LOL! #WhyDidYouDoThatToMeLynnCahoon
I thought this cozy mystery was light and fun! The smooth writing of Author Lynn Cahoon makes it a quick, enjoyable read. I loved the surprise ghost who appears and talks to Mia several times. I was very suspicious of the victim’s nephew so it wasn’t too much of a stretch at what he wound up being guilty of. I adore Mr. Darcy, the cat—love the name! The killer reveal was a bit shocking, and the motive sad and pathetic. I really enjoyed the very end where Mia receives a gift, and.....have to wait until the next book to find the answer! LOL! #WhyDidYouDoThatToMeLynnCahoon
January 31, 2022
I wish female authors would stop writing male love interests who are casually sexist. Calls the main character “little lady” and she ends up apologizing. Honestly, went downhill for me from there.
May 14, 2021
My Rating: 5 stars
Genre Paranormal | Cozy Mystery
Review Snapshot : Lynn Cahoon knows what us cozy mystery readers want! This is the PERFECT start to a brand new paranormal cozy mystery series! I can’t wait for the next one!
︙︙︙︙︙︙︙︙︙
I haven’t read a paranormal book in a LONG time but was craving one, so I decided to purchase a copy of One Poison Pie. This book delivered EVERYTHING I wanted! I am absolutely stoked for this new series! I love how it centers around a kitchen witch and there is a full cast and crew of secondary characters that work with her to solve murders! There’s even a budding romance happening, and I am so excited to see what happens with Trent and Mia, and Levi and Christina. I know this is going to be an amazing series!
If you’re a cozy mystery fan you don’t want to miss out on Lynn Cahoon’s books. They are exceptional cozies and I always look forward to them. I highly recommend this one along with the Farm-to-Fork mystery series!
Genre Paranormal | Cozy Mystery
Review Snapshot : Lynn Cahoon knows what us cozy mystery readers want! This is the PERFECT start to a brand new paranormal cozy mystery series! I can’t wait for the next one!
︙︙︙︙︙︙︙︙︙
I haven’t read a paranormal book in a LONG time but was craving one, so I decided to purchase a copy of One Poison Pie. This book delivered EVERYTHING I wanted! I am absolutely stoked for this new series! I love how it centers around a kitchen witch and there is a full cast and crew of secondary characters that work with her to solve murders! There’s even a budding romance happening, and I am so excited to see what happens with Trent and Mia, and Levi and Christina. I know this is going to be an amazing series!
If you’re a cozy mystery fan you don’t want to miss out on Lynn Cahoon’s books. They are exceptional cozies and I always look forward to them. I highly recommend this one along with the Farm-to-Fork mystery series!
February 6, 2021
One Poison Pie is the first book in a new paranormal cozy mystery series by the author Lynn Cahoon.
Mia Malone a hearth/kitchen witch moves back to grandmother's town of Magic Springs in Idaho to start over after she finds herself dumped and her cooking business taken over by her ex-fiance. Hoping to impress everyone in town with her new gourmet food delivery business with recipes with her magic touch, her first catering job turns deadly when the client Adele is found stabbed to death with one of Mia's knife making her a prime suspect. Along the way, Mia comes to realise that she and her grandmother are not the only witches in Magic Springs, with a lot of residents belonging to different witch/warlords covens. There was not much magic in this book and I hope that it will be a bigger aspect in the upcoming books.
I received the audio version of this book and had a pleasant time listening to it. The narrator Angie Hickman's voice was clear and it was easy for me to follow the story.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Tantor Audio and the author for the audio Arc of the book. The audiobook was released on 26th January 2021.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫
Mia Malone a hearth/kitchen witch moves back to grandmother's town of Magic Springs in Idaho to start over after she finds herself dumped and her cooking business taken over by her ex-fiance. Hoping to impress everyone in town with her new gourmet food delivery business with recipes with her magic touch, her first catering job turns deadly when the client Adele is found stabbed to death with one of Mia's knife making her a prime suspect. Along the way, Mia comes to realise that she and her grandmother are not the only witches in Magic Springs, with a lot of residents belonging to different witch/warlords covens. There was not much magic in this book and I hope that it will be a bigger aspect in the upcoming books.
I received the audio version of this book and had a pleasant time listening to it. The narrator Angie Hickman's voice was clear and it was easy for me to follow the story.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Tantor Audio and the author for the audio Arc of the book. The audiobook was released on 26th January 2021.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫
February 6, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
After reading Chili Cauldron Curse I dove right into One Poison Pie. Mia has broken up with her cheating boyfriend and returned to Magic Springs to restart her life by opening Mia’s Morsels in an old school building. She plans to do some catering but to also build a client list of people that would enjoy a gourmet dinner delivered to their home one or more times a week. While the school is being revamped for her business her grandmother pushes her to cater a friend’s birthday party. It ends up being harder than she thought when her client, Adele Simpson, changes the entire menu at the last minute but Mia rolls with the changes committed to make her first event a hit, hopefully gaining her several new customers.
Sadly the event takes a deadly turn when Adele’s body is found under the head table stabbed with a knife. When Mia is tapped as the prime suspect she can’t believe it. Adele was a difficult client but Mia wouldn’t kill her over a few changes. There has to be someone else the police should be questioning and Mia is going to do a little snooping to give them several options . . . that is unless the killer murders her next.
Mia is a fantastic protagonist. She is smart, strong, and getting more independent every day. She has a great business plan along with the support she needs to get Mia’s Morsel’s up and running. We met her Gran and her ex-boyfriend’s sister Christina in Chili Cauldron Curse. They continue to immerge as important supporting characters. We are introduced to brothers Trent and Levi, and also Chef James. Trent has some romantic notions with Mia and Levi is just fun to be around. James allows Mia to use his kitchen to prepare the meal for Adele’s party. All the characters are very well crafted, some are more magical than others. Ms. Cahoon has fleshed them out pretty well but has left them plenty of room to grow over what I hope will be a long-running series. The relationships between the characters really drew my attention and the dialogues were true to life.
The mystery plot was complex with a lot of things happening. Someone definitely wants Mia off the case and out of the way. Physical attacks, threatening messages, chilling calls, and more show the danger Mia is in. I love that witches and warlocks are common in Magic Springs and they have a variety of talents. Some are more active in the craft than others but coexist easily. I enjoyed the ghost stories and an actual ghost appearance. The paranormal elements are all well placed and did not overtake the main mystery at all. That mystery has plenty of twists and turns and surprises. A subplot with Mia’s ex adds another interesting element to the story.
I find the author’s writing style very comfortable with clear descriptions without being too wordy. People and places are easily visualized and the characters really come to life. The pace was perfect and humor popped up in all the right places.
I found One Poison Pie to be totally entertaining and easy to escape right into. The characters are engaging and I can’t wait to visit them again in Two Wicked Desserts this summer.
After reading Chili Cauldron Curse I dove right into One Poison Pie. Mia has broken up with her cheating boyfriend and returned to Magic Springs to restart her life by opening Mia’s Morsels in an old school building. She plans to do some catering but to also build a client list of people that would enjoy a gourmet dinner delivered to their home one or more times a week. While the school is being revamped for her business her grandmother pushes her to cater a friend’s birthday party. It ends up being harder than she thought when her client, Adele Simpson, changes the entire menu at the last minute but Mia rolls with the changes committed to make her first event a hit, hopefully gaining her several new customers.
Sadly the event takes a deadly turn when Adele’s body is found under the head table stabbed with a knife. When Mia is tapped as the prime suspect she can’t believe it. Adele was a difficult client but Mia wouldn’t kill her over a few changes. There has to be someone else the police should be questioning and Mia is going to do a little snooping to give them several options . . . that is unless the killer murders her next.
Mia is a fantastic protagonist. She is smart, strong, and getting more independent every day. She has a great business plan along with the support she needs to get Mia’s Morsel’s up and running. We met her Gran and her ex-boyfriend’s sister Christina in Chili Cauldron Curse. They continue to immerge as important supporting characters. We are introduced to brothers Trent and Levi, and also Chef James. Trent has some romantic notions with Mia and Levi is just fun to be around. James allows Mia to use his kitchen to prepare the meal for Adele’s party. All the characters are very well crafted, some are more magical than others. Ms. Cahoon has fleshed them out pretty well but has left them plenty of room to grow over what I hope will be a long-running series. The relationships between the characters really drew my attention and the dialogues were true to life.
The mystery plot was complex with a lot of things happening. Someone definitely wants Mia off the case and out of the way. Physical attacks, threatening messages, chilling calls, and more show the danger Mia is in. I love that witches and warlocks are common in Magic Springs and they have a variety of talents. Some are more active in the craft than others but coexist easily. I enjoyed the ghost stories and an actual ghost appearance. The paranormal elements are all well placed and did not overtake the main mystery at all. That mystery has plenty of twists and turns and surprises. A subplot with Mia’s ex adds another interesting element to the story.
I find the author’s writing style very comfortable with clear descriptions without being too wordy. People and places are easily visualized and the characters really come to life. The pace was perfect and humor popped up in all the right places.
I found One Poison Pie to be totally entertaining and easy to escape right into. The characters are engaging and I can’t wait to visit them again in Two Wicked Desserts this summer.
January 6, 2021
While One Poison Pie by Lynn Cahoon is the first in the series, I really do feel like I should have read the novella, Chili Cauldron Curse, that came out about 5 months before this one. I know 2020 was a weird year for publishing, but I really wonder why they decided to put out a novella to introduce the series.
In the novella it looks like Mia comes to town to help out grandma and she must have decided to stay in town by the end of the book. I can see how it is a prequel, but I think it would have been better to make it into a full length book and start the series with Chili Cauldron Curse. While I didn’t feel lost while reading One Poison Pie, I did feel like I was missing parts of the story.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in One Poison Pie. Mia and Christina make a wonderful pair of roommates and sleuth/sidekick, and Cahoon has already primed the pump to have two emerging romances by the end of the story. Although I can see some readers of the cozy genre not enjoying all the mentions of sexual feelings that Mia is experiencing. Grandma is a wonderful matriarch and I’m glad that Mia has someone there to help her with her powers and that she’s not stumbling around blind trying to figure out more about them.
On the note of magical powers, I wish they were more incorporated into the book. There was so much potential for more magical spells, recipes, and herbal concoctions to be added to the story. I’m hoping Cahoon will go deeper into the traditions of kitchen magic and benefits of various herbs in future books.
I am interested to see how this series progresses (especially since there is a cliffhanger) and would be willing to read the next book since the characters are so enjoyable and to see if the magic is expanded upon.
In the novella it looks like Mia comes to town to help out grandma and she must have decided to stay in town by the end of the book. I can see how it is a prequel, but I think it would have been better to make it into a full length book and start the series with Chili Cauldron Curse. While I didn’t feel lost while reading One Poison Pie, I did feel like I was missing parts of the story.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in One Poison Pie. Mia and Christina make a wonderful pair of roommates and sleuth/sidekick, and Cahoon has already primed the pump to have two emerging romances by the end of the story. Although I can see some readers of the cozy genre not enjoying all the mentions of sexual feelings that Mia is experiencing. Grandma is a wonderful matriarch and I’m glad that Mia has someone there to help her with her powers and that she’s not stumbling around blind trying to figure out more about them.
On the note of magical powers, I wish they were more incorporated into the book. There was so much potential for more magical spells, recipes, and herbal concoctions to be added to the story. I’m hoping Cahoon will go deeper into the traditions of kitchen magic and benefits of various herbs in future books.
I am interested to see how this series progresses (especially since there is a cliffhanger) and would be willing to read the next book since the characters are so enjoyable and to see if the magic is expanded upon.
February 2, 2021
After listening to and loving another cozy mystery a couple of days ago (Dead and Breakfast), I was excited to dive into this one. Unfortunately, I quickly found out that I wasn't as interested and hooked by this one. If you want me to love your book, the beginning need to hook me and to keep my attention. I was immediately connected to the characters in the book I mentioned but One Poison Pie just didn't work for me sadly. I had a hard time focusing on what was going on because of it. It's a bit disappointing because it had a cute cover and an interesting premise. I'm not giving up on cozy mysteries as a whole though. Some will work for me and others won't. That's the reading experience in a nutshell. I saw plenty of positive reviews about this book so don't let my experience from stopping you to get this book if you think you'll love it!
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
November 23, 2020
Mia is back in action trying to get her new business venture off the ground in Magic Springs when her first catering client is found dead. Once again Mia finds herself at the center of the storm as she quickly tries to untangle all the webs of deception in order to solve the crime before someone she loves becomes the next victim. Add in the a few nefarious characters from both the past and the present and you have a pile of potential suspects to sort through! Great characters that are easy to connect with make a wonderfully woven plot even more enjoyable! I absolutely can't wait to read what happens next for the residents of Magic Valley.
January 1, 2021
I am a fan of Lynn Cahoon so when I found out she had a new series debuting with a hint of the paranormal, well it was a given that I would be adding the series to my to be read list. One Poison Pie is the first full-length book in the new Kitchen Witch Mystery series and I am definitely a fan. Mia, her grandmother Mary Alice, Christina, and the rest of the cast of secondary characters are delightful and have so much potential for future storylines. This is a paranormal cozy but I liked that it was only one element and was not the predominant element in the book. The paranormal aspect adds interest and possibilities to the story and future books in the series. There is also a bit a romance for Mia as well as Christina (who is the sister of Mia's ex-boyfriend).
The mystery is well done. The victim was one of the town's wealthiest citizens. She had a tendency to be a bit difficult in dealing with vendors and tradespeople she hired. Mia is immediately a suspect and starts looking into suspects in order to clear her name. Having just moved to town, she needs her new business to succeed. In the process, she is joined by her grandmother, Trent (a possible love interest), and Levi (Trent's brother). I thought the mystery was tied up nice and had a very satisfying ending.
I think this series has wonderful potential and will become one that I look forward to reading. The characters and instantly likable and the mystery was interesting and well-plotted to keep the reader's attention.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Kensington Books, through Netgalley. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The mystery is well done. The victim was one of the town's wealthiest citizens. She had a tendency to be a bit difficult in dealing with vendors and tradespeople she hired. Mia is immediately a suspect and starts looking into suspects in order to clear her name. Having just moved to town, she needs her new business to succeed. In the process, she is joined by her grandmother, Trent (a possible love interest), and Levi (Trent's brother). I thought the mystery was tied up nice and had a very satisfying ending.
I think this series has wonderful potential and will become one that I look forward to reading. The characters and instantly likable and the mystery was interesting and well-plotted to keep the reader's attention.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Kensington Books, through Netgalley. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
November 20, 2020
We are very excited about Ms. Cahoon’s newest series. The Kitchen Witch!
Mia Malone is a kitchen witch. And when her kind of fiance’ leaves her she is not only alone but unemployed, with her ex taking credit for all of her recipes. Well, most of them. And he wants to get his greedy little hands on all of them and is not above breaking a few laws to do it.
Mia moves back in with her grandmother in Idaho, where being magical is not a punishable offense, instead, it is right out in the open and all magicals are welcome.
Mia is running a gourmet delivery business, with a dash of magic, to kick off her business. A bit overwhelmed, it seems like a blessing when her nasty ex-fiance’s sister, Christina comes needing a place to stay. Mia loves Christina and has no qualms about bringing her into the fold.
At her first catering job, her client is found dead. Stabbed and stuffed under a table. Shocked to find out she is a suspect when one of her knives disappears she is also looking pretty good at being the next body under the table.
With Christina, her grandma, and her grandma’s connections, she sets out to find a killer and solve a mystery before she or someone she loves ends up dead.
Grandma was just the right amount of meddling in Mia’s affairs. There is a sub-plot with Christina and the Ex going on and a lot of miscommunication.
This is the first of a new series for Lynn Cahoon, who is a master at cozy mysteries. She is one of those writers whose works I read before they come out to the public every time.
Congrats on a winner!
NetGalley/ January 26th, 2021 by Kensington Publishing Corporation
Mia Malone is a kitchen witch. And when her kind of fiance’ leaves her she is not only alone but unemployed, with her ex taking credit for all of her recipes. Well, most of them. And he wants to get his greedy little hands on all of them and is not above breaking a few laws to do it.
Mia moves back in with her grandmother in Idaho, where being magical is not a punishable offense, instead, it is right out in the open and all magicals are welcome.
Mia is running a gourmet delivery business, with a dash of magic, to kick off her business. A bit overwhelmed, it seems like a blessing when her nasty ex-fiance’s sister, Christina comes needing a place to stay. Mia loves Christina and has no qualms about bringing her into the fold.
At her first catering job, her client is found dead. Stabbed and stuffed under a table. Shocked to find out she is a suspect when one of her knives disappears she is also looking pretty good at being the next body under the table.
With Christina, her grandma, and her grandma’s connections, she sets out to find a killer and solve a mystery before she or someone she loves ends up dead.
Grandma was just the right amount of meddling in Mia’s affairs. There is a sub-plot with Christina and the Ex going on and a lot of miscommunication.
This is the first of a new series for Lynn Cahoon, who is a master at cozy mysteries. She is one of those writers whose works I read before they come out to the public every time.
Congrats on a winner!
NetGalley/ January 26th, 2021 by Kensington Publishing Corporation
March 30, 2021
I'm not much of a paranormal cozy mystery fan. This one had me excited because Mia, the protagonist is a Kitchen Witch who cooks food and wants to start Mia's Morsels, a cooking school. Mia is a great character. Very relatable. Author Lynn Cahoon's writing style was very easy to read. I did not read as much of a paranormal because the element was not overused. It was just enough for me. I enjoyed the romance and the end told of a presence of evil that still existed, a segway into future books. Mia's Grams was a charming character.
March 23, 2023
3.5 rounded up
I found this book on my Libby app. I am a sucker for cozy mysteries about witches. I enjoyed the cozy vibes and the small town atmosphere. The food talked about and all the cooking was probably my favorite. So good I could actually smell the items being described. Especially the cinnamon rolls. Yum! Mia, Christina, Grans, Trent and Levi are good characters and I liked seeing the way they interacted with each other. I didn't guess the ultimate who done it so that was awesome. I am glad I found this book and will definitely be reading the next one soon.
I found this book on my Libby app. I am a sucker for cozy mysteries about witches. I enjoyed the cozy vibes and the small town atmosphere. The food talked about and all the cooking was probably my favorite. So good I could actually smell the items being described. Especially the cinnamon rolls. Yum! Mia, Christina, Grans, Trent and Levi are good characters and I liked seeing the way they interacted with each other. I didn't guess the ultimate who done it so that was awesome. I am glad I found this book and will definitely be reading the next one soon.
November 8, 2020
This is the first book on the Kitchen Witch series. Mia is a witch, that has just ended a relationship, and bought an old school building to turn into a cooking school and catering business. But on the morning of her first event, a birthday party for her grandmothers friend, the client is found murdered. The sheriff thinks Mia is a suspect. Then Mia is attacked and other things start to happen. While Mia tries to get her business up and running, she must also figure out who wants to harm her.
I really enjoyed this book. It held my interest from the beginning, and had just enough mystery to keep me interested. It was wonderfully written, and I loved how Mia was strong and independent. I recommend you read the novella Chili Cauldron Curse first, as it gives you an introduction into Mia, her grandmother, and the reason she’s in the town. This was a very enjoyable read.
I really enjoyed this book. It held my interest from the beginning, and had just enough mystery to keep me interested. It was wonderfully written, and I loved how Mia was strong and independent. I recommend you read the novella Chili Cauldron Curse first, as it gives you an introduction into Mia, her grandmother, and the reason she’s in the town. This was a very enjoyable read.
April 16, 2021
Entertaining by-the-numbers cozy mystery.
August 1, 2022
Not bad, not great. Mia is is.. interesting as a main character, I’m not sure whether I like her or not. She spends so much times thinking about how glad she is to be away from her ex boyfriend and not wanting to be in a new relationship while actually getting into a new relationship.
The magical aspect of the book is also lacking, she’s a kitchen witch but there’s really no explanation as to what that is or how she uses it
The mystery being the murder of her grandmothers friend, murdered right before a party at her home. Mia was hired to catered the event and is suspect, but no real reason as to why she’s a suspect.
Hopefully the subsequent books will build on this one and develop the characters further.
The magical aspect of the book is also lacking, she’s a kitchen witch but there’s really no explanation as to what that is or how she uses it
The mystery being the murder of her grandmothers friend, murdered right before a party at her home. Mia was hired to catered the event and is suspect, but no real reason as to why she’s a suspect.
Hopefully the subsequent books will build on this one and develop the characters further.
January 12, 2021
I really enjoyed this cozy mystery book set in a small town in Idaho. The MC (Mia Malone) is a kitchen witch, who is returning home after her relationship and business with her fiance falls apart. Then, there is a murder in the small town, and she and her familiar (Mr. Darcy, a cat), along with her family and friends, investigate to catch the killer. I liked the characters and the interplay between Mia and James.
November 7, 2020
ONE POISON PIE is the first full-length book in the brand new Kitchen Witch Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon! This charming cozy mystery features Kitchen Witch Mia Malone who has just moved to Magic Springs, Idaho, where her quirky grandmother lives. I didn’t read the novella, Chili Caldron Curse, which introduces Mia and released this past August. But, I found I was able to jump in and catch up on the characters without any issues in One Poison Pie since there’s enough backstory sprinkled throughout. While not overly paranormal since Kitchen Witches strengths are making a house a home, and bringing peace and healing to people, there is just enough magic to take it out of the realm of a regular culinary cozy. I greatly enjoyed that the author takes the reader on the journey with Mia, learning who belongs to the town’s magical community. She throws in some surprises that look to play out in future books (but aren’t cliffhangers). I also loved that Mia is super close to her grandmother and to her nasty ex-boyfriend’s troubled younger sister, who Mia’s taken in. It adds a depth of emotion to the storyline.
When her grandmother’s best friend is found murdered before the party Mia is supposed to be catering, and all clues point to Mia being the culprit, she gets involved in solving the crime to save herself and her fledgling catering business. As the plot unfolds, there are several twists I didn’t see coming… and one that isn’t typically found in cozy mysteries. I find this appealing and kept me on my toes as I tried to sift through the suspects as Mia’s sleuthing progresses. Along with the unusual plot twist, this cozy does contain mild language but nothing startling. Once the reveal started, it seemed to be a little rushed but most of the threads of the immediate crime were brought together in a cohesive story. There are a few unfinished items but there are hints that it’s to set the stage for future books.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When her grandmother’s best friend is found murdered before the party Mia is supposed to be catering, and all clues point to Mia being the culprit, she gets involved in solving the crime to save herself and her fledgling catering business. As the plot unfolds, there are several twists I didn’t see coming… and one that isn’t typically found in cozy mysteries. I find this appealing and kept me on my toes as I tried to sift through the suspects as Mia’s sleuthing progresses. Along with the unusual plot twist, this cozy does contain mild language but nothing startling. Once the reveal started, it seemed to be a little rushed but most of the threads of the immediate crime were brought together in a cohesive story. There are a few unfinished items but there are hints that it’s to set the stage for future books.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 5, 2021
I seriously just love cozy mysteries. There is just something so "fun" about them, even when they all include murders. 😂 I've never read this author before, and that is an oversight I will definitely fix as soon as possible because this book was fantastic!
It was well written. The mystery(ies) were well developed and kept me guessing until the end. The characters were fleshed out well, but with enough "mystery" left to carry us through to future books. They were also quite likable, which for me is an important part to me enjoying a cozy.
I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on the next book!
**ARC Via NetGalley**
It was well written. The mystery(ies) were well developed and kept me guessing until the end. The characters were fleshed out well, but with enough "mystery" left to carry us through to future books. They were also quite likable, which for me is an important part to me enjoying a cozy.
I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on the next book!
**ARC Via NetGalley**
December 31, 2021
This book was tough to get through. I almost DNF’d it so many times because I just wasn’t invested in any of it. I didn’t like the MC, there was no real suspense, and there were so many things that didn’t make sense. Maybe this book is a spin-off and I just don’t know, because there were so many brief mentions of things that were never explained and just thrown out and then I felt like I was left hanging. It was more annoying than enjoyable, overall.
Read
September 7, 2021Dnf 70%
January 23, 2021
I adore almost everything Lynn Cahoon writes; I rarely dislike any character or a plot. Certainly, never the writing. The first book in her new kitchen witch series, One Poison Pie, is not perfect, but close enough. Even though there are some minor personality flaws with the main character Mia, it is evident that she will become a strong, fun heroine that readers will come to love, if they don’t already.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Mia and her grandmother, who is a real spitfire, as well as Mia’s ex-future sister-in-law, Christina. All of the secondary characters are warm, lovable, and entertaining. They should make for positively charged interesting additions to future books. Trent and Levi add a touch of romance that isn’t over the top but will keep readers happy.
I could have done with more of the magical, paranormal, witchcraft side of things in this first book; hopefully, it will grow along with the characters and the series. Having Mia be a kitchen witch was fun and makes readers hungry for more than the next book. There were plenty of twists and turns. Suspects were carefully crafted to keep the reader guessing; just when you think you have it figured out, a new piece of evidence comes along, and you realize you are wrong from the start. The killer is unveiled in the end and may not be who the reader thought it was. It was a lovely way to keep the mystery alive without being too convoluted.
One Poison Pie is absorbing, easy to read, and filled with captivating characters, a touch of the paranormal, and a location that would inspire anyone, as well as a mystery that most readers will not figure out until the end. In other words, precisely what you would expect from a cozy and an author of Lynn’s caliber. I am elated to have a new witch series to read from a writer I feel is one of the industry’s finest authors. I heartily recommend this book and series to readers who love kitchen witches who give you riddles, thrills, and savory pleasure.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Mia and her grandmother, who is a real spitfire, as well as Mia’s ex-future sister-in-law, Christina. All of the secondary characters are warm, lovable, and entertaining. They should make for positively charged interesting additions to future books. Trent and Levi add a touch of romance that isn’t over the top but will keep readers happy.
I could have done with more of the magical, paranormal, witchcraft side of things in this first book; hopefully, it will grow along with the characters and the series. Having Mia be a kitchen witch was fun and makes readers hungry for more than the next book. There were plenty of twists and turns. Suspects were carefully crafted to keep the reader guessing; just when you think you have it figured out, a new piece of evidence comes along, and you realize you are wrong from the start. The killer is unveiled in the end and may not be who the reader thought it was. It was a lovely way to keep the mystery alive without being too convoluted.
One Poison Pie is absorbing, easy to read, and filled with captivating characters, a touch of the paranormal, and a location that would inspire anyone, as well as a mystery that most readers will not figure out until the end. In other words, precisely what you would expect from a cozy and an author of Lynn’s caliber. I am elated to have a new witch series to read from a writer I feel is one of the industry’s finest authors. I heartily recommend this book and series to readers who love kitchen witches who give you riddles, thrills, and savory pleasure.
January 21, 2022
All books are not for all readers. This one was just not for me. It could have been, but. . .
If this book were a recipe, it would go something like this:
Little rural home town in Idaho, solid town, solid people. Start with pizza dough, strong and filling.
Add sweet Mia Malone, back in her grandmother’s home town of Magic Springs, Idaho after breaking up with her long time boyfriend, Isaac.
We’ll add peaches for sweet Mia. Isaac? He’s bad news. Add bitter melon.
Then there’s grandma, old, wise, and sweet. Add prunes.
Then there’s Adele, Grans’ best friend who is hypercritical. Let’s add cayenne pepper for her.
Isaac’s sister is on the outs with her family so she’s staying with Mia. She’s privileged, unreliable, and somewhat untrustworthy. Add out of date cream, just to see what happens.
Mia opens up a cooking school in a whimsical old school house. Add béchamel sauce and horehound candy.
She’s also cooking and catering wonderful, sophisticated food. Throw in squabs and steak.
Her cat is possessed by the ghost of Grans’ boyfriend Dorian. Add bitter chocolate and tuna.
There is a nasty man who keeps threatening Mia to try to get her to sell the school. Add okra.
There’s a nice but clueless Methodist policeman investigating the case who is sure Mia is the murderer. Add nuts of your choice.
But wait, there’s more! There’s magic. Mia is a Kitchen Witch! So is Gran! And most of the people in town are witches or belong to the coven! So we cover it all with a thick layer of magic frosting, add sprinkles for spells and grimoires.
Ta-dah!
This is just not the meal for me.
The thing is, there's at least a semi decent book lurking in here, but it's smothered by STUFF. Also I found it really annoying that I was expected to go read ebooks to get some of the background story. I buy books in a bookstore because I like bookstores and want to keep one in my town.
If you're still with me and want to know the specifics, here's my more detailed view:
Mia Malone is back in her grandmother’s home town of Magic Springs Idaho after breaking up with her long time boyfriend, Isaac. She’s purchased an old school house to use as a home, catering kitchen and cooking school in order to get her life back on track. Isaac’s sister, Christina, is also living with Mia after some unspecified trouble in her past.
She’s purchased an old school house to use as a home, catering kitchen and cooking school in order to get her life back on track. Isaac’s sister, Christiana, is also living with Mia after some unspecified trouble in her past.
Oh, yeah, and Mia’s a kitchen witch.
And her cat is possessed by the spirit of her grandmother’s late boyfriend, Dorian, who was also a witch.
Mia is gearing up for her first real job in Magic, catering a birthday party for Adele, her grandmother’s inexplicable best friend. Inexplicable because the woman is haughty, hypercritical, and a general pain to all who know her, so when she turns up dead no one is too upset. Well, except for Mia, who seems to be suspect #1 as far as the police are concerned.
As a first in series, the book is sort of obligated to introduce the cast of characters, including Trent Majors the hot grocery store owner who gets Mia’s heart racing despite her fear of another relationship so soon. He is apparently immediately smitten and can’t do enough for Mia.
I did say this is a first in series, but apparently there is a previous, e-book only novella which details how Mia’s cat came to be possessed by Dorian, but no details are really given in the story—not even if the cat is in control or the spirit, which made me question some incidents because the cat’s actions can be an important story point. (And I admit, this did not sit well with me. If you are going to have content available only in e-format, they you need to do your print readers the courtesy of filling them in.)
On the plus side, Mia has done some growing up and has valuable insights on her past relationship which will serve her well going forward which—despite Trent’s amazing hunkiness, sensitivity, and all around perfection—she is trying to avoid. By the way, he is also a witch. And a Methodist.
But for me this is a case of a book trying to be all things to all people. It’s a mish-mash of romance, mystery, magic, ghosts, food, cooking, and small business all rolled up into one. Of course the town is called Magic Springs—because of the mountains, wink, wink.
Which brings us to the magic. This magical world isn’t really well defined. The rules seem to be whatever is needed at the moment. The author also seems uncomfortable with the whole subject of magic/spells. Mia is always thinking she should cast a spell of protection, but she never does it. (In the second book, it’s a “prayer of protection,” carefully not invoking any deity.) She’s a Kitchen Witch, but she uses no magic with the food, not even imbuing it with well wishes or whatever. She makes it a point repeatedly that there is a Methodist Church in the town and that most people, even some “witches” attend. They vaguely mention “the Goddess” but it’s in passing, just as if one would invoke Mother Nature. It’s fine if the author doesn’t really want to deal with magic as being part of a non-Christian religion, but she should drop the stilted references. Just go with magic as something natural and leave it be.
I was also put off by the number of people who are just mean or shallow. Most never develop as characters. They’re one dimensional, and their function is to plague our heroine.
The cardinal sin, though, was the solution to the crime seemed to come out of left field but then I prefer “fair play” mysteries. Other people might not mind.
That’s not to say that this won’t develop into a good series. The author is very comfortable with the cooking, planning, and business ideas, all of which I found interesting and well thought out. It’s the paranormal aspects, especially personal magic, that seem forced. For me, the Kitchen Witch needs to define itself first and decide what sort of series it wants to be. Right now it is a bit of a mess.
If this book were a recipe, it would go something like this:
Little rural home town in Idaho, solid town, solid people. Start with pizza dough, strong and filling.
Add sweet Mia Malone, back in her grandmother’s home town of Magic Springs, Idaho after breaking up with her long time boyfriend, Isaac.
We’ll add peaches for sweet Mia. Isaac? He’s bad news. Add bitter melon.
Then there’s grandma, old, wise, and sweet. Add prunes.
Then there’s Adele, Grans’ best friend who is hypercritical. Let’s add cayenne pepper for her.
Isaac’s sister is on the outs with her family so she’s staying with Mia. She’s privileged, unreliable, and somewhat untrustworthy. Add out of date cream, just to see what happens.
Mia opens up a cooking school in a whimsical old school house. Add béchamel sauce and horehound candy.
She’s also cooking and catering wonderful, sophisticated food. Throw in squabs and steak.
Her cat is possessed by the ghost of Grans’ boyfriend Dorian. Add bitter chocolate and tuna.
There is a nasty man who keeps threatening Mia to try to get her to sell the school. Add okra.
There’s a nice but clueless Methodist policeman investigating the case who is sure Mia is the murderer. Add nuts of your choice.
But wait, there’s more! There’s magic. Mia is a Kitchen Witch! So is Gran! And most of the people in town are witches or belong to the coven! So we cover it all with a thick layer of magic frosting, add sprinkles for spells and grimoires.
Ta-dah!
This is just not the meal for me.
The thing is, there's at least a semi decent book lurking in here, but it's smothered by STUFF. Also I found it really annoying that I was expected to go read ebooks to get some of the background story. I buy books in a bookstore because I like bookstores and want to keep one in my town.
If you're still with me and want to know the specifics, here's my more detailed view:
Mia Malone is back in her grandmother’s home town of Magic Springs Idaho after breaking up with her long time boyfriend, Isaac. She’s purchased an old school house to use as a home, catering kitchen and cooking school in order to get her life back on track. Isaac’s sister, Christina, is also living with Mia after some unspecified trouble in her past.
She’s purchased an old school house to use as a home, catering kitchen and cooking school in order to get her life back on track. Isaac’s sister, Christiana, is also living with Mia after some unspecified trouble in her past.
Oh, yeah, and Mia’s a kitchen witch.
And her cat is possessed by the spirit of her grandmother’s late boyfriend, Dorian, who was also a witch.
Mia is gearing up for her first real job in Magic, catering a birthday party for Adele, her grandmother’s inexplicable best friend. Inexplicable because the woman is haughty, hypercritical, and a general pain to all who know her, so when she turns up dead no one is too upset. Well, except for Mia, who seems to be suspect #1 as far as the police are concerned.
As a first in series, the book is sort of obligated to introduce the cast of characters, including Trent Majors the hot grocery store owner who gets Mia’s heart racing despite her fear of another relationship so soon. He is apparently immediately smitten and can’t do enough for Mia.
I did say this is a first in series, but apparently there is a previous, e-book only novella which details how Mia’s cat came to be possessed by Dorian, but no details are really given in the story—not even if the cat is in control or the spirit, which made me question some incidents because the cat’s actions can be an important story point. (And I admit, this did not sit well with me. If you are going to have content available only in e-format, they you need to do your print readers the courtesy of filling them in.)
On the plus side, Mia has done some growing up and has valuable insights on her past relationship which will serve her well going forward which—despite Trent’s amazing hunkiness, sensitivity, and all around perfection—she is trying to avoid. By the way, he is also a witch. And a Methodist.
But for me this is a case of a book trying to be all things to all people. It’s a mish-mash of romance, mystery, magic, ghosts, food, cooking, and small business all rolled up into one. Of course the town is called Magic Springs—because of the mountains, wink, wink.
Which brings us to the magic. This magical world isn’t really well defined. The rules seem to be whatever is needed at the moment. The author also seems uncomfortable with the whole subject of magic/spells. Mia is always thinking she should cast a spell of protection, but she never does it. (In the second book, it’s a “prayer of protection,” carefully not invoking any deity.) She’s a Kitchen Witch, but she uses no magic with the food, not even imbuing it with well wishes or whatever. She makes it a point repeatedly that there is a Methodist Church in the town and that most people, even some “witches” attend. They vaguely mention “the Goddess” but it’s in passing, just as if one would invoke Mother Nature. It’s fine if the author doesn’t really want to deal with magic as being part of a non-Christian religion, but she should drop the stilted references. Just go with magic as something natural and leave it be.
I was also put off by the number of people who are just mean or shallow. Most never develop as characters. They’re one dimensional, and their function is to plague our heroine.
The cardinal sin, though, was the solution to the crime seemed to come out of left field but then I prefer “fair play” mysteries. Other people might not mind.
That’s not to say that this won’t develop into a good series. The author is very comfortable with the cooking, planning, and business ideas, all of which I found interesting and well thought out. It’s the paranormal aspects, especially personal magic, that seem forced. For me, the Kitchen Witch needs to define itself first and decide what sort of series it wants to be. Right now it is a bit of a mess.
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