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How To Be A Badass Detective #1

How To Be A Badass Detective

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Provided a choice, would you give up magical power or become the most disparaged of those who work with the law…

A private detective!

Fed up with playing the normal game, recent university graduate, ex-cum laude, ex-soccer star, ex-popular, and mostly broke Kera MacDonagh changed her life when she read How to be a Badass Witch and shockingly, the spells worked.

Kera MacDonagh has dealt with learning magic, overcoming power-hungry covens from abroad, and engagements with the police to help those around her.

Now, Kera puts her best adult foot forward and decides to branch out in a new direction.

One her mother is unlikely to happy about.

But will the powers that be allow her a chance to make a difference?

With everything happening, Kera is balancing her relationship as well.

Will becoming a detective fulfill her need to support those without hope, keep her boyfriend, and satisfy her mom?

Unlikely, but she’s going to try!

259 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 5, 2021

188 people are currently reading
95 people want to read

About the author

Michael Anderle

2,314 books1,785 followers

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5 stars
99 (41%)
4 stars
77 (32%)
3 stars
35 (14%)
2 stars
21 (8%)
1 star
6 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Ronie Reads.
1,548 reviews28 followers
September 4, 2023
There was a lot going on here. What really caught my attention. Was how the murder...murderest....how art was destroyed and newly created, with magic. So cool
Profile Image for ☕️Kimberly  (Caffeinated Reviewer).
3,587 reviews784 followers
June 30, 2024
Caffeinated Aspects
Kera MacDonagh our protagonist, is sassy and determined to open up her own detective agency with her friends. She has goals and wants to support her family. All of this despite relationship struggles and displeasing her mother. The world was interesting and filled with with magic, witches, night clubs and entertaining secondary characters. Kera's first case was interesting and filled with danger as she and her friends' work to solve it. The pacing was well done, with plenty of twists and turns. The story ended on enough of a cliffhanger to leave listeners eager for the next installment. I liked the magic and seeing Kera develop skills. Allies, friendships and the world kept me listening, as did the narration by Dara Rosenberg, who captured the humor and voices of the characters. The book is well received, with a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Amazon. The series is available on Kindle Unlimited. The narration. Dara Rosenberg captured the characters and tone of the story. Her voice pulls you in and made listening enjoyable.

Decaffeinated Aspects
From the beginning, I felt like I was the newbie in the room and everyone else already knew each other. Fans of this author didn't have issues as they have read his previous trilogy, How to Be A Badass Witch. It appears to be set in the same world. I saw comments like this series just keep getting better or I love the smooth transition from one series to another. Which isn't a bad thing. I love that about The Guilden Codex worlds by Annette Marie. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Profile Image for Debbie.
60 reviews2 followers
June 20, 2021
Well I gave this book 3 stars because I kept thinking darn I must of missed a book, there’s stuff missing here. Why does author have two stories going in this book and not really bringing them together.

After reading other reviews I see I should of read a trilogy called Badass Witches. So I guess that would of brought a lot more light to the characters in the 2 plots. So I was going to write this series off, but now I’ll look into the other trilogy first and come back to this.
7 reviews
September 21, 2021
Confused

Two absolutely unrelated stories, jumping back and forth. Yo will be confused as to why. I would recommend that the author at least show some relationship between the two.
247 reviews2 followers
April 16, 2025
I couldn’t even really get started on this book. From the beginning, I went back three times thinking what did I not hear? What did I miss? I immediately felt like there was a huge aspect of the book that was missing almost like the story started in the middle of the book, or there were chapters missing, only to realize with a quick search that this wasn’t book one. Well, it was book one, but it’s book one in this new series, not book one with these characters so you need to read the other trilogy “how to be a bad ass witch”, etc., etc. in order to be up to speed before starting this trilogy.

That is one of my biggest pet peeves with authors writing spinoff trilogies!!! If you are going to write a new trilogy and characters from an old trilogy will still be main characters in this new trilogy, then you need to at least bring aspects of that old information into the new book at the beginning so that people that pick up the book thinking it’s book one, can look at it and almost immediately know without just feeling lost. I’m sure others are like ok, well so far so good, I can go back and read the old trilogy and then come back to this one, but for me, you’ve lost me immediately. If I have to do research to figure out why it is I feel lost in your book. you’ve completely lost me as a reader. I don’t want to read any of your books because I can’t guarantee that book one is going to be book one and I’m not going to feel pressured to read a previous trilogy in order to get up to speed before I start reading the book I initially intended to read.
2,868 reviews11 followers
September 28, 2024
This Magical Realism tale is ruthless. Kera MacDonagh and her companions are entering a new vocation: private detective. First, they fought gangs and avoided outside magical influence. Then, they went after drug lords. Now, they are looking for something more sedate. Meanwhile, The Coven and The Eastern Orthodoxy contend among themselves.

This tale is predominantly an action story with limited amounts of emotion seeping in now and then. None of the characters have developed any sense of balance in their lives. Kera rarely shares any private time with her boyfriend. Nonetheless, the group forms a cohesive crime-fighting unit. The story comes to a playful end.

Action-packed. Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Haunting. Romantic. Scary. Tragic. Unpredictable. Wonderful characters.
Profile Image for Sandy Chapman.
240 reviews5 followers
May 20, 2021
Great start for the new series!

Before starting this series, I would recommend first checking out the two trilogies, beginning with How To Be A Badass Witch. This one was definitely my favorite so far, kept me on the edge of my seat. Couldn't put it down! Ended up ordering pizza delivered rather taking the time to cook. But after finishing the authors notes, found myself craving chili although to me, I prefer mine with a variety of beans and crushed tomatoes.
Thanks for another great book!
Profile Image for Julie.
936 reviews
June 19, 2021
Good start to the new arc

Kera and her friends have decided on a new course to take and are going to be detectives. The first case they decide to take goes a little sideways and Kera winds up fighting for her life again. The magic counsel has also been challenged by the Othodoxy and that is not going well. The book ends with a bit of a cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the next book to see what happens.
848 reviews4 followers
Read
May 16, 2021
5 stars for this great start of a new series!

The story is compelling and you just don't want to put it down. The characters are definitely interesting and seem like real friends by the time you hit "The End". I love the action and wish I lived next door to this magical cast. Thank you for this magical adventure! Great 👍
Profile Image for Scott.
1,484 reviews12 followers
May 8, 2021
Mystery solving done magically well

The first case is always the hardest and i enjoy how this one worked out, and again the overall magic world at war which I can see hopefully soon shall bring it all back together as skills and allies bond together.
Profile Image for Veronica.
1,012 reviews5 followers
May 9, 2021
The series is moving along well. I’m enjoying the balance of action, new evil, old friends, sarcasm, friendship, and personal development. The different sub plots are moving closer together, and I can’t wait to see where the different groups end up in the next book.
Profile Image for Lois Alston.
1,864 reviews3 followers
May 14, 2021
Great story

I am only giving this one four stars because I wanted the villain to survive not kill themselves in Kera case. And they never had a client. I guess I was expecting the council to hook up with Kera to defeat the Orthodoxy, but I guess there is still time.
Profile Image for Lori.
126 reviews
March 30, 2023
Kera and her gang try to go "legit" by starting a detective agency. Kera wants to retire her alter ego and get away from the dangerous vigilante work. Needless to say, their first "case" doesn't go quite as planned.

Interesting first book in the final 3 book series about "How to be a Badass..."
Profile Image for Cynon John Joness.
33 reviews1 follower
May 6, 2021
Love it

Well another amazing anderle work
Loving this series it's great to be able to move so seamlessly between your series of books
Keep up the good work Michael
Profile Image for Ann Zdunczyk.
1,162 reviews4 followers
May 11, 2021
Becoming a Detective

Well I guess it depends on the cases you pick. Will Keira’s luck that is no given it will be easy. The two major covens are now at war, who will the winner be?
110 reviews1 follower
June 8, 2021
Best of You Yet.

Michael you can tell a great story. I want everyone to know that you are a great friend, employer and husband. Your stories are the bomb. Keep it up. Love ya kid.
Profile Image for Nancy Phy.
314 reviews6 followers
July 8, 2021
This is a good story

Your story will keep you guessing all the way to the end of the book. I recommended for anybody who enjoys a good witch story
Profile Image for Sterling Kirkland.
Author 27 books13 followers
November 14, 2021
This one was okay for me. A lot of different characters and stories that don't tie together until later in the book.
Profile Image for Tim.
697 reviews6 followers
January 10, 2022
I’m giving this a 3, but I think I could have edited it down to half the length.
Profile Image for Kristin Jensen.
658 reviews
November 24, 2024
Not really interesting. I found that this bood was not what I expected. I'm disappointed that the story did not grip me, which is normally the case for every story of M. Anderle... Shame...
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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