Heliotrope and a Haunting: Cozy Mystery

The Witches of Wormwood Mysteries #7

by Silver Nord, Ruby Loren

Hazel’s father is missing… last seen at the mansion that’s just gone up in flames. Sifting through the ashes the next morning yields no further clues as to his whereabouts, until Sean stumbles upon a secret that’s been hidden from the Salem family for decades. When a body is found beneath the remains of the mansion, Hazel’s fears for her father’s safety grow. By contrast, Sean’s suspicions about her father grow. Sean, Hazel, and her aunts suddenly find themselves literally trapped in a mystery, where the only way out is to solve the case. To make matters worse, Hemlock keeps talking about a monster that he claims is stalking everyone, waiting to strike. Hazel dismisses his claims as ridiculous scaremongering… until she finds tracks that no human could have left behind. With ghosts, monsters, and a murderer to contend with, can Hazel and Sean solve the crime?

Genres: Fantasy

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2021

Reviews

[Sandee · Rating 3 out of 5]

7th book and I found it different than the others. In this one Hazel and Sean end up in the strange happenings at her Father's home. Fires, magical alarms, monsters and a variety of potential bad guys. Well-written, the usual cast and fun magic. It is an interesting mystery but very different than what I expected from this series. Usually the mysteries are more complex and usually there are one or two subplots. This one was fairly straight forward and I found the solutions fairly easy to guess. Of course, I still enjoyed catching up with the gang and the progression of the romance.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful, magical artifact, a list of suspects trying to get it, a murder, a mansion that is definitely not has it seems, and Hemlock, who manages to steal most of the scenes. This one will definitely keep you guessing, as well as entertained.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each book in this series seems to outdo the one previous to it! This one does not disappoint. It will keep you on the edge of your seat as you turn pages to see what will happen next. When Hazel was summoned to her father's mansion, she and her two aunts and her boyfriend Sean, a police detective all go to the house. As they approached they see the mansion is on fire and all that is left is ruins and rubble. They return the next day with Hazel's familiar, Hemlock who stowed away, to see if there is anything salvageable, although all the magic that was in place for security around the house was gone. They don't find anything to salvage until Sean fall through a hole in the ground. Hazel and her aunts go down with Sean into the hole and find a door. Where is Hazel's father, he couldn't have been caught in the fire. When they go through the door, there he is! Also there is a dead man from the Witches council who did not get along with Hazel's father. Did he kill the man? He says no, but he is not trusted given his background and the secret basement they find themselves trapped in. And now we have Hemlock who keeps saying he saw a monster. So with magic, murder, Hemlock and his crazy ways, a father who is not to be trusted, the aunts, Sean and Hazel and strange happenings will anything get solved or are they stuck in this basement? With so many threads to be pulled, only Silver Nord can deftly pull them all into one piece! I love this quirky series and you will too! I received and ARC but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a story I couldn't put down. Hazel receives a call from her father to come to his mansion right away. She takes Hemlock and the hound from hell with her. When they reach the mansion, it is on fire and there is no sign of her father. Where is he? He is nowhere outside. There is nothing she can do but go home. She goes back in the morning with Hemlock and Sean, who is with the police dept and is her boyfriend. Her two aunts are also there. Sean falls through a trapdoor. The ladies all climb down a ladder. They are in a secret basement under the mansion. There is a body and no it's not her father. The man has been murdered. They end up being trapped in the basement. How will they find their way out? There are dangers that they are not aware of. Hemlock keeps telling Hazel he has seen a monster. The plot is very well constructed and the story is very well written. Silver keeps us on our toes with this one. A must-read.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from the author and I'm voluntarily posting a review. My opinion is entirely my own..

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another exciting adventure for Hazel and the gang. This time Hazel’s father has truly gotten into a huge mess! Starting with murder. Putting a slight strain on Hazel and Sean’s new relationship status, she questions the strength of the relationship and whether her father’s crazy antics will come between them.

This book was a twisted mess of a mystery. There were so many pathways to choose that you will get lost down the rabbit hole Hazel’s father created. Literally. Although this book had some quirky fun, I missed the budding romance angle. I was not fond of the Indiana Jones concept, but still enjoyed the book. It is not my favorite in the series, but it was not a bad read. I just felt
I,e it was missing something.

I am still a huge fan of the series and can’t wait to read more. Overall the book is fun, quirky and adventurous. The characters are still fun and unique. We met some new characters this go round a nod they were definitely interesting. This book reminded me of the board game Clue, with its mysterious murder plot and solving the crime.

Enjoyable read.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Hazel get an emergency automated call from her fathers security system, she rushes over to tangle with traps and discovers the house is on fire. When she goes back the next day with Sean to discover her fathers fate. When Sean falls in a hole and discovers a basement, no one knew about, a dead body and her father unconscious things start to get crazy. When they get trapped in the regrowing house with a killer things really get exciting. Hemlock is up to his usual mischief taken up a notch. This book was crazy! Between Sean and Hazels relationship taken up a notch, her crazy dad, a missing powerful artifact, hemlock and a cast of crazy characters including her aunts it becomes a wild ride. Oh and did I mention the houses trading course with changing tunnels, traps and a monster. This book was hilarious, well written and non stop drama and conflict. I highly recommend this book and this author!

[Kathy Brenzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was probably the most twisted and interesting book of this series so far. After being summoned to her father's mansion, Hazel arrived to find the place uncontrollably aflame. She called Sean and they searched the now razed to the ground building. hoping not to find her father's dead body. They accidentally found underground passages and all manner of things - including a dead body and her perfectly alive father. Her father, James, protested his innocence in regards to the murder, so they gathered all the suspects at the now (miraculously) regrown house. They were all trapped there with a ghost, an imagined monster, and of course the real killer. It would seem that they weren't getting out until the murder was solved.

[Janet Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprising Magical Action Adventure
This book is part of a series that is best read in order. This book has a very surprising plot that almost steps outside of the series 'norm'. The whodunit part is very tricky and hard to solve. But, they do solve it. This story was so good that I did not want to put it down. One of the main characters of the story is a maniacal haunted house of horror. I enjoyed it so much that I am going to re-read it now to be sure that I didn't miss anything because the story is that busy!

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hazel receives an urgent call from her father and rushes to his home, unfortunately it seems she is too late. The house is consumed by flames and there is nothing she can do to help. Hazel returns home that night and returns the next day accompanied by Sean, her boyfriend and police officer, and Hemlock her devious cat. This story is full of twists and turns, great characters (both old and new), and an intriguing storyline. It is best read in order since each story builds on the previous book. I highly recommend!

[Mererid Evanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trapped in a house that burned down yesterday – now, how did that happen? Well, this is Wormwood, where you expect the unexpected. The storyline has the classic trope of a bunch of murder suspects cut off from the world – with magical twists. I particularly liked Hazel's boyfriend the police detective here, out of his element but tenaciously dealing with some very slippery characters, including Hazel's father. You can also expect death traps, witchy politics, and some outrageous shenanigans from Hemlock, the charmless familiar. Good weird fun.

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story. A magical, lock-room, murder mystery. Plenty of death traps and hijinks. Hazel has an interesting, and very dysfunctional, family including Hemlock (her familiar), James (her father), Linda and Minerva (her aunts), plus Sean (her boyfriend, the DCI). When the final reveal occurred, I realized that, indeed, the clues had been slipped in surreptitiously, throughout the story.

Action-packed. Entertaining. Scary. Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.

I received a review copy of this book from a third party. This is my honest review.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hazel finds herself standing in the literal ashes of her father’s mansion. Has she lost him already?

Hazel and her magi-tech gifted father have had hardly a chance to become acquainted.

Will dangers, greed and a medley of deaths keep them apart- or has his long time spent disconnected from friends and family made him ill equipped to forge connections ? Certainly, their perpetually fatal danger filled lives don’t offer opportunities to grow where trust is not sown and nurtured

Real changing power grabs, tech mayhem, and sticky family connections

[Catherine Stratman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monsters, ghosts and a mansion like no other!

I think this is the best book in the series so far! Hazel's father's security system calls her to his house only to find it engulfed in flames. But where is her father? The next morning, everyone starts sifting thru the debris only to find the house has a few secrets of its own along with a murdered man. Hemlock is even snarkier than usual as they all try to solve the murder and find Hazel's father., and survive the mansion!

I received an ARC. This is my honest review.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hazel is summoned to her father’s remote mansion. After fighting killer roses to get there, she finds the house ablaze. Her feline familiar, Hemlock, is more hindrance than help. I love this witchy series, with its constant battle of good vs evil. The plot is brilliant, the characters well developed and engaging and the top notch writing keeps the pages turning. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book! I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific piece.
I was not disappointed with this totally awesome mystery it was such a grand adventure. Hazel’s father is in one huge mess. There is a dead body in the basement of the mansion! Lots of wonderful bits a ghost, a monster, and Hemlock is in full sassiness. This well-written with great characters was a great book to spend time with. I am happy to recommend this book. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear that I laugh at Hemlock more often than I thought I would. That cat is completely insane! Hazel is much more pragmatic but no less of a laugh! I don’t know how she manages not to strangle the cat…he is truly one to try the patience of a saint. I love reading this series. The characters are a hoot and so much fun! The mysteries are just a blast to read! I look forward to the next adventure!

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Heliotrope and a Haunting Hazel and Sean are faced with a mysterious fire, a murder, a ghost, a monster, a magical mansion and more. I could not put this one down as the plot continued to twist, turn and thicken. It is going to take a lot of ingenuity to solve this one. Don't miss out on the continued drama in Wormwood!

[Merrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this latest book! A great plot, full of the twists and turns the author is famous for, and the wonderful characters I've come to know and love kept me reading well past midnight. I simply couldn't put it sown. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a great story!

I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this excellent book and couldn't resist adding it to my own library.

[Vicki Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC and am so glad I did. Another excellent story in this series. I was highly entertained from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good story. I loved it.

[Barb Foerst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hazel is summoned to her father’s home only to find it going up in flames. But where is her father? There is a lot of drama and mystery in this book and all of it is great. This is best read in order. The earlier books are lighter but this book is great! I love this author and this book!

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had me all over the place! At least I was in good company, since Hazel and Sean were just as confused. Hemlock, oh Hemlock, will you ever learn? Lol! A banana monster? Lol! I loved how Hazel finally was able to figure things out. Took me by surprise with the ending! Loved it!

[Matthew Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed

I have really enjoyed this series of yours the characters and story line are fun to read and I am looking forward to your next book.

[Sharon Woodey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a good read

Love these stories especially Hemlock. He is hilarious. Read this one in a day and already looking forward to the next.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Lost interest in the characters.

[Susan Foulkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A welcome return to Wormword, although the murder and mayhem are a little too close to home for Hazel’s liking.

Her father is involved, and the events take place in the house he gave her.....both her father, and the house, are not as they seem.

Enlisting the help of her Aunts and Sean, Hazel sets out to solve the mystery.

And Hemlock shouldn’t be forgotten....not sure his “brand” of help was appreciated!