The Hummingbird Wizard

Annie Szabo #1

by Meredith Blevins

Driving full steam ahead with her life after the unexpected death of her husband, Annie Szabo was not planning on veering off course again. But her late husband's family, an outrageous and proud clan of Gypsies, has other plans. When Annie's oldest friend, Jerry, turns up dead, she is plunged back into the family she tried to leave behind.

Suspecting murder, Annie is forced to form an alliance with Madame Mina, her stubborn and powerful mother-in-law, the heart of the Szabo family. Determined to catch Jerry's killer, the two women must unlock the pattern of a tapestry wild with lawyers, criminals, kink, magic, and even more death. One thing is certain--to catch a killer with a hidden agenda, Annie and Mina must use all of their ancient curses, a talent for petty theft, bizarre love magic, a Gypsy PI, and a strong sense of humor.

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Romance, Paranormal, Ebooks

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes, I wonder how some books can even get published.

This book was a mess. Choppy, uneven sentences with comma splices all over the place, everyone sounded the same, and dialogue was hard to follow because there would be a pause, someone would do something, and then the same person would keep talking in another paragraph. I kept having to go back to figure out who was talking. Then I decided it didn't matter.

It's not even good for a mystery-thriller. The killer is revealed about 75 pages before the end, but not confronted until the very end of the book. Most of the book consists of people sitting around talking about things that do nothing to advance the plot.

I couldn't trust that the author knew anything about "Gypsy" culture, because, in the second scene of the Gypsy matriarch's appearance, she's snuggling up to eight slobbery dogs. In the end, someone designs a business card for the woman that has an Egyptian eye, with absolutely no sense of irony.

But the biggest sin of the book was that it was bound and determined to keep any insight into the narrator, Annie's, thoughts from the reader. She does makes several illogical decisions throughout the book. Why? I don't know. I have to guess. I hate having to guess, because my guess is usually that the character is too stupid to know better. And why would I listen to a narrator who's too stupid to know better than to hook up with a guy who raped her? Supposedly, this book was all sensual and sexy, but I found it more creepy than anything else.

This was extremely disappointing. I'm starting to think the use of "Gypsy" in a synopsis for a book is a big red flag that it's going to be awful.

[Melodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this would be a sleeper hit. It was just a sleeper. Cops and robbers, theft and murder among a gypsy clan. It had all the elements of a terrific mystery. But the twisty turny plot turned into a quagmire and the quirky characters lost their appeal. Maybe better editing would have saved this one, but it's doubtful. Two stars because I read this through to the end, hoping for better.

[Una Tiers · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first quarter of this book was delightful, but by the middle, it bogged down. The author skips quotation marks, and it's hard to tell if someone is still talking or if the shift to another person has taken place.
The second half sadly repeated too much over and over again.
While some of the characters are likable, they wear down quickly.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

ETA: After reviewing my thoughts, I realized something really important: I actively disliked this book. The more I thought about it, the more my don't care turned into don't like--thus I've changed my stars to two...not three.

My daughter picked out this book from the library for me. I'm 90% sure it was because the book had "wizard" in the title. I had sent her back a couple times for bringing me books that were obviously "bodice rippers."

This is where my rating system comes into play. I didn't actively dislike the book.(Okay there was one point when I actually did, one of the characters described the interior of a car as a womb...in dialogue...being serious, oh and when a person who has never thrown a knife before just happens to kill the guy with the gun with a throwing knife. Seriously, it can't be that easy to kill with a knife, and it's not instant. People have had the chance to mutter last words with a stab wound to the heart.) I just don't have consistently strong feelings about this book is all.

I was trying to find my beginning of this review, and I caught sight of the person saying "this book is a mess" and the more I think about it, the more I agree. This book makes no sense at all. No one is rational, the plot line is fractured, the whole point is enough to give you a headache. And it's not flavorful enough for you to care. Perhaps that should earn it two stars, but I still can't actively hate it. It's like the whole time I spent reading it was just lost. Nothing has stuck in my head, and I just don't care if it does or not. I read the last 100 pages thinking "oh, just get it over with already."

Why do people when someone dies in these books seem to think it's their job to solve the crime? If someone dies around me, assuming that I didn't do it, I'm going to the police, telling them all I know, then taking a long nap. I will leave "finding the bad guy" to the experts with all the cool equipment. I also don't do my own dental work.

Perhaps this is the biggest failing of this book--at the end you just don't care. The main character is drab, her love story creepy, and so many openly untied ends that I wonder if the author didn't know how she was going to wrap it up until she finished. Also, the San Francisco Police Force should sue this woman for libel. I'm positive that the police force frowns upon one of their detectives calling up the bed-mate of a dead guy and giving the details of the autopsy. I'm just guessing there, but it seems like a poor choice.

I have no need to read more of this author, because at the end, I just don't even care enough to actively not to seek her out. I just really hope her other books are placed on the higher shelves and none of the titles have the word "Fairy" in them.

[Bobbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one wild ride of a mystery! The main character marries into a Gypsy (Romany) family and quickly learns once you're in a Gypsy family it's hard to get out! Some of the writing is choppy sentences, and I didn't like that, but Blevins also uses some absolutely beautiful lyrical prose in her writing, and that I loved. As in this passage from a dream: "A man flies with me. He is wearing a cape, beaded and old. Feathers are sewn inside the red silk lining. His hair is a halo. He makes me ache in a way that's sad but good. I feel sexy. The kind of sexy that comes from being so in tune you want to be inside each other even though you already are." She also weaves in mythos from different cultures regarding the Hummingbird Wizard and other folklore. Blevins seems to have a deep respect for Romany culture, and I appreciate that. It's the mystery woven together with mythos that made this a great book for me. Check it out.

[~Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a crazy, chaotic wild ride! A fun gypsy family with a little mystery.

Annie Szabo married into a gypsy family, the whole family, including Stevan's mother, Madame Mina. Despite the family she and Stevan were happy. They had three children together then the unthinkable happened.

Years have passed, her kids are all gown and her life is much more simple, still a struggle to pay the bills, but she's got a good job writing and selling her articles. She's happy. Then she gets a call from her sister-in-law, Capri and Annie is drug kicking and screaming back into the boisterous family that she left behind when Stevan died.

Things go from kind of crazy to full on crazy. There are a couple of murders committed, lots of money being fought over, Madame Mina's ex-husbands and boyfriends showing up, police and FBI involvement, a parrot that says "God bless you", a PI named Zoltan and Madame's gorgeous and sexy son known as The Hummingbird Wizard.

The cast of characters couldn't have been any better. Although there were a lot of secondary people and family members, it all worked.

I enjoyed this funny story, however, it was a little scattered at times. Annie has three children, but throughout the whole book we only meet the oldest. The others, except to say she has three children, are never mentioned. A daughter that goes by E.B. Her full name is Electric Blue!! We also meet Cynthia Sloane, actress, out of the blue. No clue how she and Annie became friends, unless I missed that part, or possibly Annie did an article about her and they became friends. Anyway, it was things like this that had me scratching my head.

This book ended with no cliffhanger story lines and could be read as a stand alone. However, I think I'll pick up the next book in this series and see where it takes me. This family is a hoot!

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing, not my style at all. Goodreads lists it as a cozy mystery, but it definitely isn’t cozy, starting with non consensual sex! The rest of the story seeks to make this all right, while various shady figures kill each other.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good run of the mill mystery that would be quite forgettable if it wasn't for the fact that it is dominated by a quirky gypsy family and filled with their folklore and traditions. The story itself is chaotic with pretty much everything thrown in, from love and loss to mysterious deaths, police investigations and FBI involvement. There's even a movie star for good measure (not really sure how she got involved but hey). However, while the story may be a little flat, the characters are anything but as they are full of life, have many a strange quirk and are just all round interesting. It's almost like the mystery side of the story is a late addition for Blevins to be able to get her characters out into the world, which, if I'm honest, I have no real problem with.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery with good plot and intrigue. The best aspects of this book are character and place. Most of the main characters are from a gypsy family, and everyone has fascinating, yet still believable, quirks. The book mainly takes place in San Francisco, and the author does a great job in communicating the place.

[El · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gypsies are cool and don't get nearly the right amount of attention.

Apparently Meredith Blevins felt the same way, and so built a mystery around a gypsy family. Interesting to say the least. The story itself was sort of lackluster, but the gypsy lore and relationships between the characters held its own. The story is told from the point-of-view of Annie, an Irish-American woman who had previously married into a Romani family. When her friend and sometimes-lover Jerry dies under seemingly mysterious circumstances, Annie and her mother-in-law, Mina, work together to try to solve the crime. These very different women have a variety of different opinions which makes the story at times rather entertaining to read, but I found myself almost dozing through the mystery part. Not even the Hummingbird Wizard himself, Mina's youngest son, managed to really hold my interest.

Quite an impressive debut novel, though probably not my cup of tea. I sat through it for the lore and the history and any other little tidbits I was able to gain through reading it, but would probably have benefited just as well from an actual history of the Romani people. At least this way I was able to get a few chuckles out of the story.

[Geordane Tabo-oy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of all the happy mix of characters in Meredith Blevins’ first novel, The Hummingbird Wizard, it was Madame Mina Szabo who stood out the most. Not even the title character and the main character could make her back down from the center stage or even match her innate brilliance. Who could not love her, with her strong belief in superstition, her overflowing, albeit distorted way of loving her family, and her dry humor? She is also passionate, headstrong, eccentric, blissfully ignorant at times, and best of all, has quite an impressive résumé for past loves.

And really, though she may not be aware of it or even accept it, the plot technically revolves around her.

She makes the book come alive with humor, magic and sexuality. And though the book lacked action and suspense, considering it’s technically a whodunit book, Mina made up for it with her electric personality and an interesting cast of characters surrounding her.

The book itself made me even more interested in the gypsy lifestyle, and I daresay they don’t get that much publicity in mainstream media. Kudos to Meredith for that!

[Kristin Kinman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! That's a lot of chaos that somehow really sounds like life. It felt like I was lost in a sea of swirling, dancing, multicolored skirts but it was entrancing and beautifully complex.

At first I almost put it down because the people were flawed, dangerous, and crazy. They were too real and yet so foreign. I couldn't reconcile the dichotomy and I wasn't sure I wanted to read about real life problems. The characters ultimately pulled me in. The crazy things that happened made sense because they were in keeping with the personalities of the characters. I felt baffled by Madame Mina, which was about the way everyone in the book felt too. Annie became so clear that I could see the people from her eyes and make the same decisions she did about them.

The people and situations were intense. I couldn't devour this book like candy; I had to carefully savor each taste and texture until the book was done and then I needed time to digest it.

Technically, there were a few editing problems but I was so wrapped up in the story that I didn't care.

I look forward to reading the next book.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally, I do not give a cozy mystery 4 stars, but this one deserved it. Such a lot of gypsy background and life...it gives one a real sense of a gypsy clan and life in one. Even though our Annie is not a gypsy, because she married into a clan she will always be part of that clan. Living on the edge of the law is part of that tradition, as I witnessed gypsies in Albania doing daily...probably easier to do so in Albania than in San Francisco, though. When a her best friend since she was a kid gets murdered and he was also part of the gypsy clan by marriage, Annie suddenly finds herself back in the heart of the clan and teamed with her mother-in-law, while trying to solve the crime. So there are lots of story lines woven very skillfully together by the author, as well. And, a love interest...her dead husband's little brother all grown up? Wow...a bit hard to keep all of the threads, husbands and lovers straight, but in the end a little magic comes in at just the right moment.... I still want to know about the blood in the theater. One little loose end...maybe in the next book, uh?

[Na'ama Yehuda · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING work!
I love the characters, the story, the full depth of experience. The colorful descriptions and the loveable, funny, witty, deeply human stories and relationships. This is one book you don't want to miss--you will love it, and you will want more!

[R.L.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of color and great characters, but the mystery was less engaging than I usually prefer. The book also felt bloated. It might have been a much better work if it had been trimmed a bit more vigorously.

[KJ Shadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Knows Author IRL.

Book is really good and well written! :) She was my neighbor for many years.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just fun to read. Mystery with wacky characters. And a sequel too! Can't wait to start book 2

[Amanda Tomlinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, great, great!

This book kept me intrigued all the way to the last word. The characters were fun, and the plot was full. Great read!

[Marjorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really struggled to get into this book, in fact I never really felt like I ever entered the author's world and was always held at one remove by the book. It just all tries so desperately hard to be different or original or quirky that it makes it almost impenetrable in the early chapters to really get to grips with the characters or the situation, let alone give a toss about any of it. I persevered with the book though and it did improve about three quarters of the way through - whether this was because I had got used to the characters or the style of the writing I'm not sure. I think it may have just been that the story itself improved significantly as there was less "writing to impress" going on.

Basically this is a thriller story that has been prettied up by adding a potentially supernatural element courtesy of Madame Mina and her powerful Gypsy Clan. Throw in her mysterious son, the eponymous Hummingbird Wizard, a couple of outsiders married in to the family (one of whom may be a murder victim), a daughter who teaches Circus Arts and has a major alcohol problem. Stir in complicated relationships, unknown about major wealth, a conspiracy to defraud, dodgy lawyers and an over the top funeral. Season with vaguely corrupt city police officers, a dash of good 'ole boy policing and a stake out by the feds. As you can see there is an awful lot going here, probably way too much to be honest.

Fortunately Annie seems to be as befuddled and confused as the reader as to what is going on here. Jerry is dead, this much is clear to her. Jerry was her best friend and it is her fault he is mixed up with the Szabo clan. Now Annie is also sucked backed in (she was married to one of them but he died in a motorbike accident) and has to deal with her formidable former mother-in-law Mina. If that isn't bad enough she had a disturbingly erotic dream whilst staying in Jerry's home and it is beginning to look like it was much more than just a dream. Despite being the main focus of the book Annie is pretty much weak, ineffectual and overshadowed by every other character in the book. She does get it together a bit after the funeral but it takes until almost the end before a backbone and a bit of intellect sparks in to being.

The dilemma I now face is that the book ended quite well and whether it was because I had simply given up and decided to go with the peculiar flow or whether the author had managed to pull it all together in the end I'm not quite sure. The first half of the book is a maximum of a 2 Star read but it did improve exponentially so I am going to be generous and give it an overall 3 Stars.

Do I buy the second in the series? Possibly, if it is on sale I may give it a whirl but I wouldn't go out of my way to hunt it down.

[Donadee's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends, here's a Riveting Mystery of Gypsy Magic, Family Secrets, and Unforgettable Characters!

The Hummingbird Wizard by Meredith Blevins is a captivating mystery that introduces readers to the unconventional Szabo clan. The story follows Annie Szabo, a widow who thought she had left her Gypsy in-laws behind, only to be pulled back into their chaotic world when her oldest friend, Jerry, is found dead. Convinced it's murder, Annie teams up with her eccentric mother-in-law, Madame Mina, a fortune-teller, to uncover the truth. As Annie delves deeper into the investigation, she navigates a world filled with ancient curses, petty theft, and love magic. The Szabo women, spanning three generations, work together to catch Jerry's killer, facing numerous dangers and uncovering long-buried secrets along the way. Their journey is fraught with humor, magic, and unexpected twists that keep readers engaged.

Blevins masterfully blends elements of mystery, fantasy, and Gypsy culture, creating a richly detailed narrative that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The characters are vividly drawn, each with their own quirks and complexities, making them memorable and relatable. The dynamic between Annie and Madame Mina adds depth to the story, highlighting themes of family, loyalty, and resilience. The Hummingbird Wizard is a thrilling read that combines suspense, humor, and a touch of the supernatural. Blevins' lively prose and frequent humor make this book a page-turner, while the insights into Gypsy culture add an intriguing layer to the mystery. This novel is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and those looking for a unique and engaging story. Don't miss this exciting and mysterious read; get your copy today!

• ASIN: B0DJMS9XJD
• Publisher: Rough Edges Press
• Publication Date: 11/19/2024
• File Size: 5072 KB
• Print Length: 404 pages
• Genre: Women's Fantasy Fiction Women's Action & Adventure Fiction Women's Crime Fiction

[Mary A. Muchowicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was kind of a wild ride of a read. When Annie Szabo's old friend, Jerry dies and murder is suspected, the Gypsies want answers and Annie must form a very unlikely alliance with her mother-in-law, fortune teller Madame Mina who has held Annie responsible for her son Stephan's death although Stephan was riding his motorcycle way too fast and went off a curve into the ocean leaving Annie with two young daughters and another one on the way. Annie's good friend, Jerry met Stephan's sister, Capri at their wedding and soon they were married. Jerry became a very successful lawyer and was making a lot of money, but somewhere along the way . . . . he and Capri grew apart and divorced although they both still loved each other. When Jerry dies and murder is suspected, Annie feels guilty that she had not been there more for Jerry who has helped her quit drinking and regain her sanity after Stephan's death. Unfortunately, trying to get answers about what happened means getting involved with her husband's crazy gypsy family who have a whole different code for life that had nothing at all to do with the law.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know nothing about Gypsies and this book is all about them. Annie married into the family though she isn't a Gypsy. Her husband died years ago. Madame Mina, Annie's mother-in-law, has blamed Annie for years for the death of her son. Silly as that is when Stevan died in a motorcycle accident. Anyway, Annie is searching for all kinds of things when she heads to San Francisco to see childhood friend Bill. Bill is a lawyer now and also married into the Szabo clan, though now divorced. So we have all kinds of Gypsy characters, some family and some not, all interacting with Annie. Most of them love Annie but she still has to deal with Mina. And then Bill dies. He's everyone's lawyer and friend. Very strange things start happening to Annie, cops get involved, actresses and in-laws coming out of the woodwork, threats flying. And Annie only has the Szabo's to turn to. This is a very involved story with lots of crazy characters. I loved Annie and her wish for normalcy. Mina is anything but normal and wouldn't have it any other way. Pretty fun cast and quite the mystery, too.

[Alan Pinkerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining murder mystery with Gypsy Ties

The Hummingbird Wizard is like waking up late the day after that crazy over indulgent party and remembering in bits and snippets all that transpired to bring you to this point in time. Annie Szabo, this story’s protagonist, is drawn back into old family drama when her childhood friend and sometimes lover, Jerry, doesn’t show for their ‘for old time sakes’ rendezvous. Learning of Jerry’s demise from his ex-wife/ her ex-sister in law brings Annie back into the world of the Szabo clan headed by Madame Mina and populated by many colorful Gypsy cohorts as they work to uncover the mystery of Jerry’s untimely death in the alley parking lot behind his office.
I liked the deep unconventional relationships that were revealed through the story and the immersion into the Romany culture as described. Family ties and love became an enduring theme. The colorful characters revealed loyalty, deceit and a magical tie that wove them all together. A trippy but warm tale of life and death in extended family.

[Jim Kratzok · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story!

I've been fascinated by the history of the Rom, or Gypsies as they are commonly know, since seeing "The Wolf Man" with Lon Chaney Jr. That scene with the old Gypsy woman was wonderful!

However, there are no Wolf Men in this book. Instead we have a Hummingbird Wizard who actually may be cooler than a werewolf. There are scads of gypsies, a handful of murders, some police action, a fair amount of drinking, and sex. So who needs a Wolf Man? The humans are dangerous enough.

It took me awhile to get onto the story which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 but by the end I was thoroughly enjoying this crazy yarn. The characters were vividly described - well enough that I could see this being a good movie. Casting it might be a challenge. But it would be fun.

[mommeh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading first novels, watching the author find their voice, you can practically see their excitement as the creative juices start flowing. Yes, as some others mention, the writing isn’t perfected, but it’s a first novel for crying out loud! When I read the next two books in the series her style was fully developed & the plot & irresistible characters shone through!

I read this series a while ago, so I can’t say what dates I started & stopped, but this book and this author have stuck with me. It’s been years & I get started thinking about these books & their inhabitants & can’t stop. Last time this happened I wrote the author a message & she answered, this time I’m posting here so more people will x discover this universe & we all can encourage the writer to pen one more book please!!!!

[Julia Bucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had both good and not so good qualities.

First the good:
-quirky and relatable characters
-moments of well-written descriptions and prose
-interesting cultural exploration (the best part of the book)
-great premise
-sarcasm
-promising love story

The not-so-good but easily remedied:

-choppy transitions
-suspense was unevenly distributed
-plot jumped around too much
-romance was unbelievable
-sometimes the characters were inconsistent (I mean we all are as humans but this particular character seemed to undergo a complete personality change)

Other than that - it was a fun book and I will probably read the next one based solely on the interesting premise. I also had Romany friends growing up so this book reminded me so much of my escapades with them.

[Lisa Denn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading The Hummingbird Wizard I was unaware of the existence of author Meredith Blevins. Now I am not only aware of her existence but also thankful to have had the chance to experience her storytelling first hand. I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

The relationship between Annie Szabo and her feisty gypsy mother-in-law Madame Mina is filled with banter, laughter and endless eye rolls.

Racing against the protaganist (Szabo) and her sidekick (Madame Mina) to solve the mystery was challenging but not hopeless.

[Liz Etnyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not entirely sure how I feel about this one. I mostly liked it. There were some typos, mainly wrong words used that weren't caught by spellcheck. Overall kind'a weird, but not in a bad way, and it involves gypsies and mysticism so maybe weird is appropriate. Some of the analogies and similes in particular were a bit 'out there'...mostly in a good way. Others seemed a bit forced, as did some of the twists....but overall an enjoyable read with some interesting characters - interesting enough to head on to book 2!

[Reader Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky

This story with it's background of Gypsy folklore, has more quirks than more than, James Bond's left eyebrow. I found it interesting, amusing, suspenseful, intriguing and engrossing.
A word of advice, don't bother working out the Szabo family tree. Although a major plot line, trying to work out how everyone is related, could be a challenge. This, and the fact that, I sometimes found myself knee deep in ethnic peculiarities, only added to the charm of the story.

[Nancy Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hang on for the twists and turns...just when you think you know what direction this story is headed..guess again!

When you think you know the characters and what they are like and what they can do.....
SURPRISE!!! Some old world fun gypsies, some straight gypsies, some messed up gypsies & a few sane regular people...now were havin' fun!
Mix together every day folk, greedy folk and LOTS of money, toss in a few lawyers, & just see what gives!!!!!