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Enter a Wizard, Stage Left

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Julia Bonatti wasn’t always a crime-solving San Francisco astrologer. She was a young woman, engaged to the love of her life, preparing for a teaching career when tragedy struck. Her fiancé was killed in a hit and run accident.

As Julia struggles with her loss and attempts to find meaning in her life again, she takes refuge with her grandmother Gloria. But there’s little time for grief or rest because Gloria, a retired seamstress, needs Julia’s help. Gloria’s been hired to create costumes for a production of Agatha Christie’s Appointment with Death at the newly opened Theatre Mars in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood.

Theatre Mars is a stunning jewel, the cast is supremely talented and the script is brilliant. What could go wrong? Julia gets the first hint of trouble when her new friend, the owner of The Mystic Eye bookshop, warns that all might not go well. Opening night will take place during the dark of the moon, the last three days before the new moon, a time that bodes disaster for any new project. The dire prediction comes true when the lead actress is murdered before the final curtain, echoing the play itself. Julia discovers a vital clue to the murder, but a clue that puts Gloria’s life in grave danger. Can Julia rescue her grandmother before it’s too late? And will a black cat play a leading role?

111 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 26, 2021

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47 people want to read

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Connie di Marco

9 books510 followers

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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,209 reviews61 followers
December 19, 2021
Enter a Wizard, Stage Left Earns 5/5 Costume Designs…Entertaining Fun!

Two and a half months Julia Bonatti lost her fiancé in a hit and run and finding a safe place to grieve without judgements meant only one thing…her grandmother Gloria’s home. She was able to shut herself off, something her “Nonni” could identify since she lost her own love many years ago. But, she recognizes for Julia it’s not a case of moving on, but just getting out…one step at a time. She plies Julia with a strong coffee and invites her to help transport the costumes she’s created for the Theatre Mars production of Christie’s Appointment with Death. However, an off-hand reference to MacBeth exacerbates the fact that theater people are a superstitious bunch, yet despite egos, jealousies, and diva tirades, everyone is looking forward to a successful opening night. But, is it the MacBeth curse, rumors the theater is haunted, cosmic issues with the dark of the moon, or just plain everyday malice that leads to murder?

Connie di Marco penned a very entertaining prequel to her three-book Zodiac Mystery series set in San Francisco. It’s a short read, easily enjoyed in an afternoon, but don’t think it short on drama with its karmic murder, multiple suspicions, a bit of peril, and surprise arrest. This prequel shares more of Julia’s efforts to emerge from her grief and evolving interest in astrology. My interest in astrology inspired me to read fiction and non-fiction books and explore my sign, so Connie’s insights along with the fascinating ins, outs, and backstage antics in the theater kept my interest. The murder occurs midway through the story, preceded by a introduction to the various personalities and the play, but it’s a nice introduction to the series for newbies and nice back to the beginning for established fans.

Disclosure: I received an ARC from the author. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
Profile Image for Nada Sobhi.
Author 3 books219 followers
January 11, 2022
"Out, damned spot!"
Vivian gasped. The entire room became quiet.
"What?" Natalie looked around, confused.
"You quoted Macbeth," Vivian said.
"So?"
"That's very bad luck before a show."


Enter a Wizard, Stage Left by Connie di Marco, a novella that reads like a prequel to the Zodiac Mystery Series.

It's also my first read for 2022! Yay!

Comprising 19 chapters, the story is short and quick. Although the death scene takes place towards the middle of the book, it's not boring and you get to meet the main characters in future books.

Enter a Wizard, Stage Left opens with a play, a remake of Agatha Christie's Appointment with Death novel and the characters and the roles they'll be playing.

We meet the main character Julia, who has just returned to live with her grandmother Gloria following the death of her fiancé. Gloria is in charge of making the costumes for all the actors and actresses in the play. She enlists Julia's help ahead of opening night.

Julia receives foreboding news that something bad will happen during opening night.

And during the play's opening, one of the play's characters is killed on stage! And soon after Julia's grandmother Gloria disappears.

As Julia frantically searches for her grandmother, her curiosity allows her to overhear discussions and meddle around the theater.

Enter a Wizard, Stage Left is fast-paced and you can easily finish it in a sitting or a couple of hours.

However, due to this short length, there isn't 'a lot of sleuthing.' I also felt that some of the dialogue was a bit childish or obvious. (But then again, my last read before this one was an Agatha Christie novel).

That said, Enter a Wizard, Stage Left sets the scene for future books. In this one, Julia is curious about astrology and begins reading books about it. The rest of the Zodiac Mystery Series introduce Julia as an astrologist.

Overall rating for Enter a Wizard, Stage Left by Connie di Marco: 3 stars
Profile Image for Nellie Steele.
Author 109 books494 followers
January 4, 2022
When Julia volunteers to help her grandmother with costumes for a murder mystery stage play, she never expects it to put her life in danger. But when one of the actors winds up dead on stage, she’s thrust into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a murder!

This is an enjoyable novella. I had not read the series before reading this book, but had no trouble picking up on the characters. Since it’s a shorter book, the pace is fast. I found the characters to be enjoyable to read and the plot engaging.

All in all, I found this to be a quick, fun and entertaining read and would recommend it!
Profile Image for Stanley McShane.
Author 10 books58 followers
January 14, 2022
Read my full review on Rosepoint Publishing.

Thank heaven for Grandmother Gloria’s welcoming and understanding home after the sudden fatal accident that killed Julia Bonatti’s fiancé. Julia badly needed a different scene, a waystation to give her the necessary time to push through the grieving process.

Gloria is a retired seamstress and is involved in the local theatre group preparing for opening night. They’ve requested Gloria deliver the costumes for a dress rehearsal and to fix any costume problems with the various actors and the diva busy making life miserable for everyone. Gloria asks for Julia’s help. The production is an Agatha Christie mystery, Appointment with Death. Oops! That title may be prophetic.

Julia takes the opportunity to check out The Mystic Eye Bookshop next door where the owner promptly warns her that the timing, astrologically-speaking, is asking for disaster. Unfortunately, the prediction comes true when the nasty lead actress is actually murdered before the opening night final curtain.

Ah, I love the subject of astrology and dove into this prequel to the series. It’s a fascinating study and Julia begins the research and analysis that leads to her own astrology clinic. There is a lot to the Zodiac and the author imparts a few interesting tidbits along the way.

While Julia is an interesting protagonist, I really enjoy support characters Gloria and Kuan. And let’s not forget the kitty! Fun, fast little mystery, though I was left scratching my head a bit over the search and rescue.
Profile Image for Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews.
2,881 reviews213 followers
January 5, 2022
I have read a few books in this series and love the mystical aspect of the stories. The zodiac intrigues me and someday I might want to learn more about it myself.

I really enjoyed getting to know Julie and how she fell into astrology and this prequel definitely answers all of those questions. Plus there is a murder to solve along the way.

The premise of the book is a play being put on by a local theater featuring an Agatha Christie story. I don't think I had heard of this one, so I loved reading along and learning more about one of her infamous characters, Hercules Poirot.  Julie ends up at the theater with her grandmother helping with costumes and that is the perfect place to be to discover the clues and uncover the killer. I don't think she expected to do that and I felt like I was right there with her figuring it all out. I'm not sure I suspected the killer but it made sense once all of the clues were revealed.

I enjoyed meeting Gale and discovering how she decided to set up a mystic shop. I find that whole world very fascinating.

If you haven't read any of this series, or even if you have, definitely check out this prequel to learn a bit more about Julie; Gale; Julie's grandmother, Gloria; and Kuan, her grandmother's tenant.

We give this 5 paws up.
Profile Image for Katreader.
946 reviews49 followers
January 7, 2022
ENTER A WIZARD, STAGE LEFT by Connie Di Marco
A Prequel to the Zodiac Mystery Series

Julia Bonatti is holed up at her Grandmother Gloria's house grieving the sudden and tragic death of her fiancé. In order to bring Julia back to the land of the living, Gloria asks her for help delivering costumes to the theatre. Gloria, a retired seamstress, is in charge of costumes for the new production of Agatha Christie's Appointment with Death. Staying for the dress rehearsal Julia is impressed by the performance, but worried about actions off the set. With nasty diva demeaning everyone and an affair between castmates, this play is courting trouble.

With an undergraduate degree in theatre I love reading mysteries with a theatrical backdrop. Add a hint of astrology and you've got me hooked. The bonus is seeing what Julia was like just after her fiancé's death and witnessing her motivation to learn astrology. I loved seeing what Gloria was like at this time, not to mention Kuan. Plus we get to see how a little family member came into the fold.

While this prequel gives insight into the character of Julia Bonatti ENTER A WIZARD, STAGE LEFT also provides readers with a tautly written mystery. Great characters, veiled clues, and an adrenaline fueled search create a dynamic and enthralling read.
Profile Image for Maureen Timerman.
3,219 reviews490 followers
December 19, 2021
This is a very quick read, a prelude to a new series, and we are introduced to the main characters.
We meet Julia Bonatti, and soon find out that she is grieving, and is staying with her Grandmother while she tries to pick up the pieces.
Her Grandmother, Gloria, is a talented seamstress, and thru her we are thrown into the world of the theater. Gloria is in charge of the costumes, and thru her we end up at the Mars Theater, and a murder.
We are with Julia as all the pieces come together, and I did not guess how they all fit together.
Come and journey as the reason for the crime fall, and soon you will want to read this series!
I received this book through the Author, and Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.
Profile Image for Jessica Robbins.
2,598 reviews50 followers
October 2, 2022
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

I have read and highly enjoyed this cozy series so when I saw we were getting a prequel novella I was happy to give it a go. We meet Julia when she is still deep into her grief with no real plan or life goals. Het gran is trying to get her to actually leave the house a little more so she talks her into helping with a local production. Little did they know a murder would happen along with the introduction of an adorable black kitten who plays a huge role later. This creates an adorable backstory that just makes the reader want to know more. A great addition. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
Profile Image for Karen Christino.
Author 10 books80 followers
November 6, 2021
Connie Di Marco delivers an absorbing plot and terrific characters: an Agatha Christie play, an obnoxious star and an onstage murder come together in this prequel to the Zodiac Mysteries series. Recovering from the loss of her fiancé, Julia Bonatti tags along to the show with her grandmother, costume designer Gloria. She finds some comfort in an astrology reading but becomes entangled in the crime. A compact, lively read that picks up speed as we go along, with a satisfying, hair-raising conclusion.
Profile Image for Kelly.
896 reviews19 followers
November 27, 2021
This interesting novella combines an Agatha Christie play, Appointment with Death, with the murder of an actress on stage. Julia and her grandmother, Gloria, are backstage when the murder occurs and Julia discovers some clues that don't add up. This was a great prequel to the books in the Zodiac Mystery series and I was completely engrossed in the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
5 reviews
November 7, 2021
It's good to get the backstory

Once I find a good series I always want to know more about how things started. With the Zodiac mysteries, the astrology angle really intrigued me. As an astrologer myself, I wanted to know how our intrepid star dancer and sleuth fell under the astral spell. And how she met her wonderful fur friend. My questions were delightfully answered.
Profile Image for Kris.
129 reviews
November 3, 2021
Fantastic prequel to the series. It gives us a look into how Julia started into astrology. The story/mystery was interesting and the writing was superb, as always. I just love this series and can't wait until book #4 comes out. If you like good writing, a strong likeable female, and are interested in a pleasant look into astrology, you'll love this book and series. I highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Karen.
693 reviews9 followers
October 31, 2021
This was an absolute delight. A great introduction to the characters and series with a whodunit that really engaged me.
I heartily recommend this.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
Profile Image for Kandy.
1,372 reviews13 followers
November 19, 2021
A very interesting book with great characters. This is a prequel to a series that I have not previously read. I will be reading them in the future. I really enjoyed this book.
1,058 reviews35 followers
December 31, 2021
Enter a Wizard, Stage Left is the perfect peek into Julia Bonatti’s life before she became the crime-solving San Francisco astrologer we’ve come to know and love. It’s only a couple of months since the love of her life, her fiancé Michael, was killed in a hit and run accident. We don’t learn many details about the accident, but we do get a glimpse into just how much Julia is struggling with her grief and how to move forward with her life, when her life was already so perfectly planned.

Helping with a play – and trying to protect her feisty grandmother Gloria from a murderer - is a much-needed diversion and hints at the crime-solving to come. Discovering the Mystic Eye bookshop and meeting new friend Gale opens the door to a new career.

Enter a Wizard, Stage Left is a welcome entry to the Zodiac Mystery series. The mystery is solid, the now-familiar cast of characters is back (introduced?) and it’s a fast-moving puzzle to solve with lots of clues along the way and a very satisfactory ending. I love this series and can’t wait for the next entry.

Thanks to author di Marco for providing a copy of Enter a Wizard, Stage left. I was not required nor expected to provide a review and all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Kim Reads (Read Your Writes Book Reviews).
1,475 reviews142 followers
December 8, 2021
4.5 stars

Enter a Wizard, Stage Left by Connie di Marco is the prequel to her Zodiac Mystery series. In my opinion, the Zodiac Mystery series is more mystery, than cozy mystery, where the stories really get into astronomy and using the science of it to help the protagonist solve the murders. Enter a Wizard, Stage Left was “lite hearted” and more of what you’d expect in a cozy mystery.

The story takes place a few months after the hit-and-run death of Julia Bonatti’s fiance Micheal. Julia is understandably having a really tough time dealing with life without the love of her life. She retreats to the safety of her grandmother Gloria’s San Francisco North Beach home. After months of watching Julia withdraw into herself, Gloria finally convinces her to accompany her to Theatre Mars, where the production of Agatha Christie’s Appointment with Death is taking place, and where Gloria is working as a costume designer.

As with most plays, the cast of characters are real characters themselves. From snarky comments to infighting to a supposedly cursed venue, this play has disaster written all over it. But no one expects that disaster to include murder and the eventual disappearance of Gloria. With the help of Gloria’s downstairs neighbor and friend, Kuan, Gale the owner of the new shop, The Mystic Eye, and a little surprising helper, Julia works to find her grandmother and a killer before it’s too late.

Enter a Wizard, Stage Left was a nice addition to the series. It answered some questions about the characters that readers of this series have come to love. This story can be read before you get into the series or whenever you want a lite, cozy read. I’m looking forward to the next full-length novel in this series.

~ FAVORITE QUOTE ~

“I believe the universe throws curveballs that send you in the right direction.”

**Received a copy from the author and voluntarily read the book.**
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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