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Mpenzi Munro #1
The Witch who Couldn't Spell
Mpenzi’s a new witch in a new town.
Her long-lost mother's been locked up for murder.
What should she do? Find the real killer – however dangerous that may be.
So far, Mpenzi's done well. Despite her reading disability, she's qualified as a lawyer in London and raised her two brothers on her own. But she doesn't have the skills to hunt down a murderer.
True Mpenzi's a white witch, so she could use magic, and she does have her mother's Book of Spells, but she's hit a stumbling block. Try as she may, Mpenzi cannot decipher the grimoire's medieval script. She needs help desperately if she's to save her mother from a life in prison.
Will the High Council of the Guild of White Witches listen to her plea and allow her an assistant in time to free her mother? An assistant with supernatural powers of their own?
If you love stories about witches, magic, and talking cats and dogs, all spiced up with a dollop of danger, you’ll love following along with Mpenzi and Felix, her shape-shifting sidekick, as they fight the good fight against evil in the small French seaside town of Beaucoup-sur-Mer.
Her long-lost mother's been locked up for murder.
What should she do? Find the real killer – however dangerous that may be.
So far, Mpenzi's done well. Despite her reading disability, she's qualified as a lawyer in London and raised her two brothers on her own. But she doesn't have the skills to hunt down a murderer.
True Mpenzi's a white witch, so she could use magic, and she does have her mother's Book of Spells, but she's hit a stumbling block. Try as she may, Mpenzi cannot decipher the grimoire's medieval script. She needs help desperately if she's to save her mother from a life in prison.
Will the High Council of the Guild of White Witches listen to her plea and allow her an assistant in time to free her mother? An assistant with supernatural powers of their own?
If you love stories about witches, magic, and talking cats and dogs, all spiced up with a dollop of danger, you’ll love following along with Mpenzi and Felix, her shape-shifting sidekick, as they fight the good fight against evil in the small French seaside town of Beaucoup-sur-Mer.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2016
283 people are currently reading
511 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
August 25, 2024
Entertaining read
Penzi, had reared her two younger brothers since her mother had deserted them years before. She is a witch, but one with dyslexia, meaning that she cannot read her spellbook. Everything changes when her father leaves them a dwelling in France. I enjoyed this paranormal cozy mystery.
Penzi, had reared her two younger brothers since her mother had deserted them years before. She is a witch, but one with dyslexia, meaning that she cannot read her spellbook. Everything changes when her father leaves them a dwelling in France. I enjoyed this paranormal cozy mystery.
June 1, 2017
I really enjoyed this story. The author writes well and her heroine Mpenzi is as lovable and as real as can be.
Very entertaining!
Very entertaining!
September 26, 2021
Enchanting
What an amazing story, at first it reads like an Agatha Christie novel but when you throw in the witch aspect the move to France, and the acquisition of a cat familiar/bodyguard it takes on a whole new wonderful page-turning adventure, brilliant. Great characters magic storylines flows well a pleasure to read, well worth a look, Baz.
What an amazing story, at first it reads like an Agatha Christie novel but when you throw in the witch aspect the move to France, and the acquisition of a cat familiar/bodyguard it takes on a whole new wonderful page-turning adventure, brilliant. Great characters magic storylines flows well a pleasure to read, well worth a look, Baz.
January 11, 2025
3.5 stars
Entertaining little book. An easy read, quick & interesting. Loved the writing style.
With that being said, the book sometimes came across as a little too naive to me. For the biggest part of the book, their biggest source of information was purely asking people. And they answered. Personally, I wouldn’t consider just straight out asking an “investigation”.
I also wouldn’t think most people would just casually and willingly answer questions about a murder that just happened in the neighbourhood whether it be about the victim herself, people potentially involved in the murder or the suspects themselves. Quite a naive way of conducting a mystery book and not very believable.
With that said, it does pick up at the end when she learns a couple of spells and contributes a bit more to the investigation, Felix is also a breath of fresh air although I didn’t fancy the romantic tones of their relationship, but that’s just preference. The writing again deserves a compliment, easy to follow and gets you hooked.
The ending wasn’t as exciting as I’d hoped, the murderer was someone that was only mentioned a few times, not very satisfactory. Also Duboir accepting Felix’s statement at the library was just ludicrous. The questioning was also very quick and not very believable as he just confessed after not speaking for a while, and Dubois let Penzi watch, a total outsider. All in all, not very believable instances.
Although the investigation itself wasn’t that exciting to follow, the book in my opinion still deserves 3.5 as it is a light, interesting read, easy to follow, not a long story as well, the characters are charming and the writing style is good. I’d consider reading the other books in this collection, but I’d hope for more investigation action whether it be by plain Penzi or Penzi the witch.
Entertaining little book. An easy read, quick & interesting. Loved the writing style.
With that being said, the book sometimes came across as a little too naive to me. For the biggest part of the book, their biggest source of information was purely asking people. And they answered. Personally, I wouldn’t consider just straight out asking an “investigation”.
I also wouldn’t think most people would just casually and willingly answer questions about a murder that just happened in the neighbourhood whether it be about the victim herself, people potentially involved in the murder or the suspects themselves. Quite a naive way of conducting a mystery book and not very believable.
With that said, it does pick up at the end when she learns a couple of spells and contributes a bit more to the investigation, Felix is also a breath of fresh air although I didn’t fancy the romantic tones of their relationship, but that’s just preference. The writing again deserves a compliment, easy to follow and gets you hooked.
The ending wasn’t as exciting as I’d hoped, the murderer was someone that was only mentioned a few times, not very satisfactory. Also Duboir accepting Felix’s statement at the library was just ludicrous. The questioning was also very quick and not very believable as he just confessed after not speaking for a while, and Dubois let Penzi watch, a total outsider. All in all, not very believable instances.
Although the investigation itself wasn’t that exciting to follow, the book in my opinion still deserves 3.5 as it is a light, interesting read, easy to follow, not a long story as well, the characters are charming and the writing style is good. I’d consider reading the other books in this collection, but I’d hope for more investigation action whether it be by plain Penzi or Penzi the witch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2019
Penzi Munro has dyslexia but has coped well, qualifying as a lawyer and raising her younger brothers since her mother left years ago. One day they receive a mysterious package from their father's lawyers. It seems he's disappeared, presumed dead, and their life is going to change. They have to move to France because the house where they've been living is being sold. The other part of the package is her mother's spell book and Penzi must face the fact that she's a witch despite the fact that she can't read the book. Upon arrival in France, life doesn't start smoothly. Penzi and the boys run into their mother who has been preparing their house for them. Penzi also receives a Savannah cat who may not be all he seems. When the body of a young lady is found in the old refrigerator that was tossed out in their garden, the police charge Penzi's mother. Penzi must use magic to help her mom but she has to go to the high council for permission to get help reading the spell book.
This was an enjoyable read with a well thought out plot. I look forward to checking out the other books in the series.
This was an enjoyable read with a well thought out plot. I look forward to checking out the other books in the series.
August 11, 2017
What a witch?
What a witch or not? Mpenzie wants nothing to do with being a witch. She is left to raise her two younger brothers and then their world crashes around them. They must leave England for France because their father is no around. They move into a house in France and happen to run into the mother that up and left them.
The book was slow to start off with but the further into it I read the more I enjoyed it. You need to read to find out why Mpenzie refuses to acknowledge that she is a witch and to find out what she does once she does acknowledge herself being a witch.
Cannot wait to read more books in this series to find out more about the characters.
What a witch or not? Mpenzie wants nothing to do with being a witch. She is left to raise her two younger brothers and then their world crashes around them. They must leave England for France because their father is no around. They move into a house in France and happen to run into the mother that up and left them.
The book was slow to start off with but the further into it I read the more I enjoyed it. You need to read to find out why Mpenzie refuses to acknowledge that she is a witch and to find out what she does once she does acknowledge herself being a witch.
Cannot wait to read more books in this series to find out more about the characters.
October 3, 2022
Usually, when I begin a book that looks interesting I give it five stars right away . Then, whenever I come across repeated grammatical problems or a poorly written story I dock it a star. Anytime errors like that exist in a book I’m reading it pulls me out of the story and I simply don’t enjoy as much as I want to. Sadly, this book contained far too many grammatical mistakes and a few typos. I found myself getting frustrated with the book. I was determined to read it through though because the storyline was that interesting for me. I really should give it two stars but, I truly enjoyed the storyline.
December 24, 2017
I received this book free, thank you Katie. It was a fun book. An easy cozy mystery type. Mpenzi has raised her two younger brothers ever since her mother left to find herself and her father was busy in Africa. She received notice that h e died and they had to move to France. And that's when their big adventure starts. A delivery from her dad contains big cat named Felix who is more than he seems. Add in the long lost mother, a murder, and a shaped shifter and you have an intriguing mystery. Suitable for readers of all ages.
August 12, 2018
Lovely cozy mystery that wouldn't be complete without murder and paranormal beings. After moving to France with her younger brothers they discovered a murdered woman stuffed in to a fridge in the back garden of their new house. Their absentee mother is arrested for the murder. To save their Mum Penzi must acknowledge she is a witch and with the aid of her new "cat", her brother's and her new neighbours solve the mystery.
September 29, 2021
Penzi and Felix
There is really not that much paranormal activity in this book apart from Felix, but his presence more than makes up for the bits and pieces of magic scattered throughout.
Penzi's story, evolving from maternal and paternal issues is sufficiently interesting to keep the reader's interest even with these patchy paranormal bits. A light read to while away a few hours.
There is really not that much paranormal activity in this book apart from Felix, but his presence more than makes up for the bits and pieces of magic scattered throughout.
Penzi's story, evolving from maternal and paternal issues is sufficiently interesting to keep the reader's interest even with these patchy paranormal bits. A light read to while away a few hours.
July 10, 2023
Loved the story with one exception.I find it hard to believe that someone with dyslexia that is so bad that they cannot read could make it to be a lawyer, esp by having her younger brother read the texts to her. Not impossible, but very unlikely (There was a fellow who was blind studying law when I was first studying, but he had a team (!) of people at the blind society in Queensland recording texts for him, plus an assortment of technical aids that enhanced what very little sight he had.)
January 18, 2019
Loved this book
I rated this book at 5 stars because it contained so many of my favorite elements: a strong, feisty female, and a witch at that; an intelligent talking cat who changes into a leopard and a gorgeous man; two potential romantic interests. What more can a reader want?
I rated this book at 5 stars because it contained so many of my favorite elements: a strong, feisty female, and a witch at that; an intelligent talking cat who changes into a leopard and a gorgeous man; two potential romantic interests. What more can a reader want?
June 15, 2022
surprise
A fantastic entertaining adventure awaits you as you become part of this wonderfully dysfunctional family. Murder, mayhem, and mystery surrounds them as they begin their new live. Many surprises are in store for them and you as they race to find the real murderer and clear their mother’s name.
A fantastic entertaining adventure awaits you as you become part of this wonderfully dysfunctional family. Murder, mayhem, and mystery surrounds them as they begin their new live. Many surprises are in store for them and you as they race to find the real murderer and clear their mother’s name.
May 29, 2023
Witch in denial
I enjoyed this book!
I think the glossary of terms should have been at the beginning, as I needed to check constantly on my Kindle translation.
Yes there were one or two grammatical errors, but they didn't detract from the story.
I thought the story was interesting, Katie Penryn kept me guessing right up until the reveal.
I enjoyed this book!
I think the glossary of terms should have been at the beginning, as I needed to check constantly on my Kindle translation.
Yes there were one or two grammatical errors, but they didn't detract from the story.
I thought the story was interesting, Katie Penryn kept me guessing right up until the reveal.
June 17, 2023
Kinda cute and a quick read. Without too much reveal, near the end of the book when she could have used one of the 2 spells she'd learned to help herself, she didn't. It was so obvious that I wondered what the author was thinking. It had me thinking, "whaaat? All ya have to do is ------ him!" This was the first in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2023
This was a cute book. It was easy reading and easy to follow. I will say it does not have a great flow it doesn't give details or explanation and some things that happen in the book have no explanation at all and are just thrown in like an afterthought almost and you are expected to understand how it happened or works. It doesn't really have a huge affect on the book but it is somewhat confusing and I found myself re-reading some of the words so that I could understand it in my mind.
December 31, 2024
Slow burn at first.
It is good after the crime happens but it is difficult to keep track of who everyone is. There are random characters that pop in and then are gone. Other minor characters pop in randomly from time to time with just the information needed at that exact point in time.
It is good after the crime happens but it is difficult to keep track of who everyone is. There are random characters that pop in and then are gone. Other minor characters pop in randomly from time to time with just the information needed at that exact point in time.
April 23, 2025
Beetje vreemd hoe ze verplicht moest verhuizen naar Frankrijk na het verdwijnen van haar vader. Zodra ze in Frankrijk aankomt beginnen de problemen.
ze brengen hun moeder weer op hun pad, maar ook een moord mystery. eentje die ze alleen op kan lossen door toe te geven aan het feit dat ze een heks is.
ze brengen hun moeder weer op hun pad, maar ook een moord mystery. eentje die ze alleen op kan lossen door toe te geven aan het feit dat ze een heks is.
March 20, 2019
Good read here!
A family must leave everything they know in England and move to France.
On top of that, the oldest daughter must learn magic spells to help solve a murder and rescue her mother from prison.
A family must leave everything they know in England and move to France.
On top of that, the oldest daughter must learn magic spells to help solve a murder and rescue her mother from prison.
November 19, 2020
Move to France
Penzi grew up without her parents. She raised her siblings. When her father died, she inherited a home and money in France. Her mother updated the house before they arrived. And Penzi learned she was a witch! More twists and turns throughout. Fun read.
Penzi grew up without her parents. She raised her siblings. When her father died, she inherited a home and money in France. Her mother updated the house before they arrived. And Penzi learned she was a witch! More twists and turns throughout. Fun read.
January 15, 2021
A feisty heroine, a mysterious stranger, a dead body and a touch of the paranormal...in other words a recipe for a great cosy mystery.
Penzi proves her strength of character from early on as we discover that despite having dyslexia she not only completed law school but raised her brothers as well.
Penzi proves her strength of character from early on as we discover that despite having dyslexia she not only completed law school but raised her brothers as well.
September 24, 2021
A Girl and a Cat or Not?
Really great story - well written, excellent plot and great characters.
From England to France the plot thickens and amazing developements - Felix the cat and a Witch that cannot spell!
Loved it - read it you should too!
Really great story - well written, excellent plot and great characters.
From England to France the plot thickens and amazing developements - Felix the cat and a Witch that cannot spell!
Loved it - read it you should too!
March 6, 2022
Fab book !
Absolutely love this book,story,characters and mystery with the hint of magical twist. It wasn't what I was expecting for some reason but was definitely better! Can't wait to read the series!
Absolutely love this book,story,characters and mystery with the hint of magical twist. It wasn't what I was expecting for some reason but was definitely better! Can't wait to read the series!
March 7, 2022
leopard/cat
Wonderful story about so much excitement, love and of course murder that had to be solved. The main young lady Penzi was a witch but had just learned her skills. A must read
Wonderful story about so much excitement, love and of course murder that had to be solved. The main young lady Penzi was a witch but had just learned her skills. A must read
March 26, 2022
The Witch who couldn't Spell.
I had a wonderful magical mystery time reading this book. Lovely characters, lots of mystery, action and magic. I would love to read more about Mpenzi, the boys and Felix and their adventures.
I had a wonderful magical mystery time reading this book. Lovely characters, lots of mystery, action and magic. I would love to read more about Mpenzi, the boys and Felix and their adventures.
September 21, 2022
Awesome Read!
It was different, funny, and sweet. Read it in one sitting. A young lady, stepping up and taking care of her Brothers. Finding her way to cope with her dyslexia to become a Barrister, Then, having to start a new life! And a Murder!!!!
It was different, funny, and sweet. Read it in one sitting. A young lady, stepping up and taking care of her Brothers. Finding her way to cope with her dyslexia to become a Barrister, Then, having to start a new life! And a Murder!!!!
April 19, 2023
A witch who has dyslexia must give up her law practice to relocate to France. Every moment feels real even the fantastical elements. The sibling relationships are believable and helpful for dealing with raising boys. The whimsical names of the French shop owners are fun. A great read.
May 27, 2023
A fascinating look into French culture and relationships as the MC moves with her brothers to a lovely country town harboring secrets that lead to murder.
Although it was my pleasure to receive this free from the author, it was completely my choice to share my honest review.
Although it was my pleasure to receive this free from the author, it was completely my choice to share my honest review.
August 29, 2025
What an original concept!!
Katie Penryn gets 10 stars for this delightful story idea. It was an easy read from page 1 to the end. She created wonderful 3-dimensional characters, a great plot, and an original concept!
Katie Penryn gets 10 stars for this delightful story idea. It was an easy read from page 1 to the end. She created wonderful 3-dimensional characters, a great plot, and an original concept!
October 25, 2025
Incongruité
Pourquoi le gendarme Dubois n'a-t-il pas interrogé Garner au sujet de sa tentative de meurtre contre Penzi alors que l'auteur indique que la preuve est insuffisante pour l'accuser?
Pourquoi le gendarme Dubois n'a-t-il pas interrogé Garner au sujet de sa tentative de meurtre contre Penzi alors que l'auteur indique que la preuve est insuffisante pour l'accuser?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews