Bittersweet Deceit

by T. Lockhaven, S.T. White, Grace Lockhaven

Gwynevere and Evelyn’s mishaps continue in Bittersweet Deceit. A witch and dhampir paranormal cozy mystery.

Evelyn has barely settled in her new home with her sister Gwynevere when they are invited to attend the prestigious Ashen Academy. They’re amazed to find out that their mentor is none other than Meryl Ambrosius, a direct descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin. Just as their lives begin to settle, their world is turned upside down.

There’s been a murder at Magdalyn Proctor’s house. Meryl’s raven familiar alerts the girls that she’s been kidnapped. Once again, the young witches find themselves entangled in another murder case. With each troubling clue they uncover, they struggle with the bitter realization that they may be too late to save their teacher and solve the murder before the villain escapes.

Join Evelyn, Gwynevere and her familiar Samuel as they race to solve another mystery.

166 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2021

About the author

You can blame my 7th grade English teacher, Mr. Ownby. I began writing mysteries in middle school, with gripping titles like, The Secret in the Swamp and The Ghost of Hollow Lake—Mr. Ownby, would kindly read them, and then encourage me to keep writing and reading the classics. His words, "Some day I'll be reading your mysteries with the rest of the world," inspired me.

Forty years later, I was able to fulfill my dreams and become a full-time writer. When I began writing, I decided that my books would be a safe-haven from the real world. My children's series, which I write under Thomas Lockhaven, all have strong messages of perseverance, thinking outside the box, friendship and loyalty. I have a daughter, and as I work through my manuscripts, I always try to imagine what I can say to inspire and entertain at the same time.

For my cozy readers, I spent much of my life traveling to small coastal towns in North Carolina and then later in my life to the coastal towns in New England. I've always loved the idiosyncrasies of the locals, and I've always wanted to bring them to life in a book series. My Coffee House Sleuths stories are just that. And just like my children's books, I endeavor to write stories that are clean, with very little violence and no profanity. I do my best to help people disappear from the craziness of life, even if just for a little while.

I currently live in Boston, but my dream is to move to a small coastal town, stare out over the ocean, and to let the words flow. I have an incredible wife who constantly inspires and encourages me, and an amazing daughter who is my most harsh, but loving critic. As I said earlier, my passion is to write and to continually improve and perfect my craft. For those of you who read my books, I humbly thank you. For those of you who have never read my books, I welcome you with open arms.

Reviews

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining fantasy horror listening 😮

This kindle ebook novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 2 of 2. More to come? I hope so!

Evelyn and Gyinevere are sisters, a witch and vampire. They are on an adventure to learn about their skills and family. It leads them in many directions. 😏🐁 continued in the next book! 🌜

I would highly recommend this series to readers of fantasy world 🌐 family and friends relationships adventure novels 😁🎉 2025 🙄😯

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bittersweet Deceit is Book 2 of 2: Merry and Moody Witch Cozy Mysteries A witch and dhampir paranormal cozy mystery. Gwynevere Merry is a witch and her half sister, Evelyn Moody who is dhampir are settling in their new home when they are invited to attend the prestigious Ashen Academy. They are so excited to find out that their mentor at the academy will be none other than Meryl Ambrosius, a direct descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin. Just as their lives begin to settle, their world is turned upside down once again. They have found out that their has been a murder at Magdalyn Proctor’s house and that Magdalyn Proctor had been kidnapped. The young witches set off to find their mentor and solve the murder, but they feat they may be too late. This is the first novel that I have read by T Lockhaven with ST White and I have found them to be talented and gifted. This is a brilliant read! It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. The world building is detailed and imaginative. This novel has strong, well developed characters and an interesting story line that keeps you turning the pages. I recommend this novel and would read more novels by these authors.

[Wannee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting Fun Adventurous Cozy Paranormal Mystery!!!

Bittersweet Deceit is the second book in Merry and Moody Witch Cozy Mysteries Series.

Gwynevere Merry is a witch and her half sister, Evelyn Moody who is dhampir are settling in their new home when they are invited to attend the prestigious Ashen Academy. They are very happy to learn that their mentor is Meryl Ambrosius, a direct descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin. When there is a murder and Meryl is kidnapped Gwynevere and Evelyn will need to find the killer and rescue Meryl before it's too late.

I really enjoy this book, the story line is very original and unique, it's a page turning fun cozy mystery full of mystery, paranormal, action, twist and turn, and humor with delightful characters, very hard to put down book that keeps me entertained as I try to figure out the mystery and murder. It is very entertaining and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[M.A. Comley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read in this cozy paranormal mystery series.

Gwynevere and Evelyn settle into their new home and an intriguing invitation awaits them at the prestigious Ashen Academy. Their mentor turns out to be none other than a descendent of the wizard Merlin. What's not to love when you read something like that in the blurb?

The sisters world is about to get turned upside down when a murder is brought to their attention. How will this affect the two young witches? You'll have to read this fast-paced mystery to find out.

Great characters, even the animals who play their parts really well.

Go on, take a punt and follow the clues sprinkled throughout to its gripping conclusion.

[Judy Gittleson Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two half sisters, a witch and a dhampir, start school with a mentor who is a descendent of Merlin. Now the laughter and hijinks start as they begin to train their powers. A murder and kidnapping takes place and familiars help them figure it out. The characters are great and quirky, with determination and various traits that help in the end. The storyline has drama, danger, great banter, surprises, twists, betrayal and so much more. Could not put the book down as something is always changing quickly. Loved the sisters and the locales. The ending was great and can not wait to read more of this group.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story. Evelyns, the young dampir, and Gwynevere, her half-sister witch, are back together to solve yet another calamity. Villains, new and old, abound in this case along with a few other faces such as Meryl, their academy mentor, and Elise, a pure-blood vampire relative. Together, the sisters solve a significant portion of the case before it mysteriously resolves itself. The story ends with as many, or more, questions as it began.

Action-packed. Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Haunting. Scary. Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.

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

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bitter Sweet Deceit.

This my second chance to read part of this remarkably well written para cozey mystery murder .The characters are vibrant, colorful, passionate and full of magical mayhem drawing you into their dramatic lives while the mysterys surrounding them drawing you further into the captivating adventures of two sisters. The plot slowly but adventures keeps you wanting to turn page after page unable to put it down until you've reached the unexpected and climatic conclusion.Acquire " Bitter Sweet Deceit " for hours of intriguing, magical and enjoyable entertainment. Kat

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

They have moved to a new place and they are getting settled in when they are offered a chance to attend the school. They take it and they find they will be taught be a descendant of merlin, they are thrilled. A murder happens and now they need to find out what is going on. Who did it? Will there be more? Can they stop them? See if they can

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Off to a New Mystery . . .

Gwynevere (witch) and Evelyn (dhampir) are settling into their new home and are invited to attend Ashen Academy. They cannot believe their good fortune when they learn their mentor will be Meryl Ambrosius, a direct descendant of the wizard Merlin!

But a murder at Magdalyn Proctor’s house upsets everything. Can they save Meryl who has been kidnapped? Will they be in time?

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this new tale of Gwynevere and Evelyn. Both girls are very powerful even though they are untrained. I am looking forward to the quests for the missing artifacts. I think it will strengthen the powers and abilities of the two girls. I wonder if they will be working with Meryl…that could be interesting! I loved reading this book and I look forward to the next one!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the sisters are invited to begin their studies through Ashen Academy, much mischief and troubles are afoot

mystical artifacts, missing and dangerous prisoners, much ado on many fronts

can the sisters survive betrayals within their friends and family circles?

intense action and drama

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bobbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story line with two very charming characters. Gwynevere and Evelyn have a huge mission, finding the murderer and kidnapper before their mentor is harmed. Enjoy the chase as they gather other friends and relatives to help hunt down the killer. Lots of humor and fun. A story that is easy to read.

[Terri McClean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super fun bewitchingly good book.
This is a book that will appeal to anyone who loves cozy mysteries from 11-111yrs old. It's part of a series so there are a few mysteries left unsolved but others are completed within the book. Perfect for those times when you just want a light read while curled up in a comfortable spot. Looking forward to enjoying more of this author's work.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun and Whimsical story to read. Entertaining characters with a little bit of magic. Fun to read these books and let your imagination go crazy. There may be a few twists and turns but there is also some magic and interesting events that take place in the story. Good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the young adult feel of this novel as well as how tight the characters feel.

The characters are well designed and a lot of fun. It was a very interesting book. I like that it's a shorter novel as well so it is packed full of action and adventure.

Love the characters and can't wait for the next installment.

[Lori · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very quick read. Not a fan. Will not be reading again.

Certain similarites in the book made me think of HP.

5 artifacts vs 7 horcrux

One of the MCs being told by the school's headmaster that she is one of the artifacts (much like Harry Being a horcrux...)