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The Happy Holidays Players—a renowned acting troupe—is coming to town and Hemlock Cove is bursting with excited residents who want parts in the winter festival. That includes the three Winchester matriarchs, who are vying with one another for top billing.
Bay Winchester doesn’t care about the pageant, but she’s more than happy to sit back and watch the shenanigans. That is until her husband Landon Michaels calls with a request for her help. It seems there was a prison break twenty minutes away … and more than a handful of inmates are on the run.
Bay, Landon, and Hemlock Cove Police Chief Terry Davenport make up their own search party. What becomes apparent fairly quickly, however, is that some of the inmates are magically enhanced. By whom, though?
Each subsequent battle results in a tougher takedown, and as Bay delves deeper into the mystery of a guard who may have helped the fleeing inmates, she finds herself entrenched in a fight to the death.
Bay and Landon are looking forward to their first holiday season as a married couple. They’re desperate for some downtime and holiday cheer. To get it, they’re going to have to survive a magical onslaught that seems to be pointed at their family more and more with each passing day.
Bay might be able to call the dead to battle for her, but this is a war between the living … and both sides are going to go down fighting.
Here comes trouble. There’s no going back.

311 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 30, 2023

934 people are currently reading
218 people want to read

About the author

Amanda M. Lee

311 books2,912 followers
When I was a kid, I was torn between whether or not I was going to grow up and be the Incredible Hulk or Wonder Woman. I flirted with being a Jedi Knight for awhile, but I wasn't up for the intense travel associated with the gig. In my teens, I settled on being a writer -- although I had no idea the effort that would entail.
Not only am I a writer now, but I'm a writer in several different mediums. I'm a longtime newspaper reporter, an avid reader and a voracious science fiction fanatic.

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5 stars
2,457 (73%)
4 stars
722 (21%)
3 stars
162 (4%)
2 stars
15 (<1%)
1 star
6 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
1,157 reviews18 followers
May 3, 2023
This series is consistently great.

Aunt Tillie is one of my favourite fictional characters, in fact I wish I had one. All the Winchesters are incredible, the younger generation, Bay, Thistle and Clove when the series begins are slightly immature,a witches they are yes, but lazy, not doing any of the work required to learn magic. Then their mothers Winnie ,Twyla and Marnie kitchen witches all.three, which means their magic is all tied up in food, cooking it, growing it , using it for medicine. But the head of the family Aunt Tillie takes the prize with her sometimes indecent leggings, her scooter, helmet and cape, best of all her still and pot field as well as her disdain for "the man" she's pure gold. Oh, and how could I forget her enemies list and arch nemesis. Oh I could go on and on then there are the men each of the younger women has fallen in love with, Marcus, Chirs and Landon, swe mainly spend the most time with Landon as he's Bay's husband as well as being an F.B.I. Agent anyway enough about the kooky family this story sees a prison break occur 30minutes away from Hemlock Cove so of course the word goes out to all available law enforcement. Bay tags along with Landon as she often does and learns that there is magic involved in the breakout somehow. Obviously Landon and the other law enforcement will.not be able to.deal.with the magical aspect so Gay sticks around to he!p. Turns out Bay is dealing with an enemy she has never come across before and may need help if she is going to come out of this fight alive.......
Profile Image for adrie rose.
159 reviews21 followers
May 22, 2023
i really want to hate these books because they’re just consistent copaganda but amanda has me by the throat.
48 reviews1 follower
June 15, 2024
I enjoy reading these. Not certain why. Mind candy.
Profile Image for Mike Lewis.
1,761 reviews8 followers
May 5, 2023
One of the most entertaining Paranormal cozy mystery series

This is one of the best paranormal cozy mystery series out there. A spectacular cast of characters and an extraordinary storyline. The Winchester witches are a powerful family of witches who live in Hemlock Cove in northern southern Michigan. The town was originally called Walkerville and his economic times to go down term mini years ago. They rebranded the town Hemlock Cove and turning into a magical mystical tourist destinations. Town pretty much bases itself on acting like there are a lot of witches living in the town. The Winchester’s or an actual family of witches acting like humans acting like witches in the town. Great aunt Tilly currently is the most powerful witch in the family her three nieces who also have three daughters are the rest of the group. The three sisters are kitchen witches and run a bed-and-breakfast in call the overlook in this small town. Each of them have a daughter they Winchester thistle Winchester and clove Winchester. They include recently got married thistles living with her boyfriend in town. Many of the stories are based around bay and her husband who is an FBI agent. Reading to see what kind of Hijinx and fun they get into this time. It is always an extraordinary entertaining story with plenty of action plenty of magic and lots of fun.
Profile Image for Monica Forkes.
32 reviews1 follower
January 2, 2024
As always, I love this series of books. I thoroughly enjoy the characters, I really dislike Margaret.
These books make me laugh out loud, sometimes bringing tears to my eyes when something great happens. I hope this series keeps going on and on!
Profile Image for Amber.
1,484 reviews50 followers
March 5, 2024
i loved it!

This is an amazing installment to the series! I’m in love with the characters and I’m always looking for the next installment! If you love cozy mysteries and paranormal then you will love this!!
Profile Image for Finn.
87 reviews1 follower
May 21, 2024
I love love this series.
Profile Image for Loretta TheMoodyRedhead.
1,069 reviews4 followers
May 13, 2023
Wiley Winchester Women Will Win! Again.

I was so into this book I had to force myself to set it down at night in order to get some sleep! I was so torn between gobbling it up - like catching ice cream on the tongue before it melted down the cone in the hot sun - and savoring it like tender pot roast. Maybe I'm hungry? Lol.

I'm always happy when a new book in the Wicked Witches series is released, because I know I'm getting a great read. I also like that it was a long one. Lots of pages.

In this one, a prisoner escaped and soon after it's discovered that it isn't only one man, but numerous that are out. Bay uses her locator spell to find the first escapee and then takes down the second and third also. Well, her newspaper's resident ghost Viola helps, too. Nutty Aunt Tillie is pretty angry about Bay "winning" by capturing the prisoners before she can. However, Bay didn't even realize she was involved in a competition - Bay just wants them caught.

So, throughout a lot of this is Aunt Tillie trying all her magic tricks, but alas, she's unsuccessful. As more prisoners are captured, the next one is even stronger with magic than the previous. In fact, in two occasions Bay is one step away from being killed. And something happens to Landon that makes him wish he was dead (and I'm sure the Porcelain Goddess felt the same way after her was done with her! Lol.)

Aunt Tillie's "sidekick" vampire is a guest star, too! He actually plays some fairly important roles in the prisoners take down. Other people we haven't seen much of lately also play parts: Thistle and Clove (she's such a kvetch. As this series grows, Clove gets more whiny with each new story.).

And the three kitchen witches Winnie (Bay's mom), Twila (Thistle's mom), and Marnie (Clove's mom) are going to audition for a part in a singing group's performance. Each of the three moms thinks she will get the part. They're each obsessed. In fact, after the audition Winnie gets in on telling the family the outcome and I'll tell you - it ain't good. When she is asked what was said about Marnie as to why she wasn't chosen for the part she says, "They said she led with her boobs. Apparently, she kept feeling herself up during the audition, and it distracted the men." And Marnie didn't even realize she was doing it! And Twila thinks that she want chosen because of a conspiracy theory she's concocted - it's hilarious and you'll have to read this book to find out why I chuckled.

Then there's Miss Little who is Aunt Tillie's nemesis and Aunt Tillie does everything she can to make certain Miss Little is constantly harassed by either herself or just about anyone else. Miss Little is just plain mean! A complete Witch with a B! I wouldn't be surprised one bit if in a future book Miss Little is outed as a demon. She is that mean.

So many things happened in this read and I enjoyed every word of it. Aunt Tillie does finally "win" in the end and it's a sweet victory.

Well, it's time to wrap up this review and get started on my next adventure. For this I choose a book by Agatha Frost - “Rose Petal Revenge (Claire's Candles Cozy Mystery Book 4)”. And, yes, I have read the previous 3. In fact, there are 4 more books after Rose Petal available in this series that I’ll be reading. Yay!

Hasta pasta!
Profile Image for Amanda Jane.
1,337 reviews10 followers
May 5, 2023
Happy Holiday Horror

With Margaret Little back to her old tricks making noise about the Winchester family in the run up to the latest pageant, Bay's mood is definitely not its usual sunny self. Her mother and aunts are fighting for the leading role in the Happy Holiday Players pageant, and Great Aunt Tillie is planning her latest campaign to blight Margaret.

So news of an escaped prisoner isn't really the best news, especially when it turns out to be 15 prisoners, and some of them appear to be magically enhanced. Bay's involvement in capturing four the first day certainly piques the attention of the warden, who appears to be rather too interested in Bay, her family, and Hemlock Cove.

But they have bigger things to worry about, who is magically imbuing them, what type of being are they, and why on earth are they appearing wherever Bay is.

With the Happy Holiday Players staying at the Overlook, and Thistle and Clove really not as engaged in helping since they moved in with their partners, can Bay resolve this one on her own?
199 reviews
June 26, 2023
They're back....

Bay, Landon, Aunt Tillie, Terry, Winnie, Twila, Marnie, Clove and Thistle are back and the gang is all here or at least when it counts anyway. There is a prison break near town and the escaped prisoners are creating havoc on Bay and Hemlock Cove. Can they figure it all out and save everyone before it is too late? Margaret Little is on the top of everyone's list but, there is no time for that. Plus, Christmas is right around the corner. It will take the entire family to take care of this mess.
This was a good story in the series, not a laugh a minute as normal with this group but, still really good! 5 out of 5 stars, I recommend this book, series and all the other works by this inkslinger.
Profile Image for Charles Donahue.
82 reviews
May 18, 2023
Love this series and this author!

I'm an eclectic reader, and I came across this series a little over a year ago looking for something light and fun to read. I saw that it was set in north western Michigan, and I grew up in north eastern Michigan so I figured why not. The characters excuse the perfect level of Midwestern charm and Michigan snark. It's what I grew up listening to. They are wonderfully written perfect because of their flaws, and even when arguing with aunt Tilly show a solidarity of family. I recommend this series for anyone who wants something light no stress and fun.

P.S. Aunt Tilly is my spirit animal ;)
Profile Image for Lori.
362 reviews3 followers
May 23, 2023
Another winner!

A prison break with a magical component, a warden with suspicions about Bay’s abilities, and the mom’s all vying for parts in the upcoming Holiday play.
What could go wrong?
A lot, as it turns out.
After Bay is involved with recapturing two of the escaped convicts, along with Chief Terry and Landon, she becomes a target for the other escapees. How and why is what they need to figure out. Knowing who would be a big help too.
Unfortunately, Bay’s ego has grown along with her abilities, and it’s causing her to take chances she shouldn’t.
How much trouble is her arrogance going to land her in?
Read the newest book in this magical series and find out!
Profile Image for Caroline Ellis.
39 reviews
March 21, 2025
I absolutely love this series—it's like a bag of potato chips; you can't have just one! Each book pulls you deeper into the world, and once you start, it's hard to stop. The characters feel like family; you laugh with them, cry with them, and experience every emotional twist and turn alongside them. Over the course of the series, you witness their growth, and it's incredibly satisfying to see how they've evolved. The connection you build with them makes the journey so rewarding. If you're looking for a series that will keep you hooked and make you care about its characters like no other, this is it!
Profile Image for Cathy P.
1,790 reviews9 followers
May 6, 2023
One of my favorites

This addition to the series quickly became one of my favorites. Everyone is in top form. I laughed so much. I love how Bay is really coming into her powers. I love that Evan is coming out of his shell and that his personality is awesome. I really like how when it counts, the Winchesters are all about family, even when they drive each other crazy. Bay and Landon's relationship is another favorite aspect of these books. Looking forward to Calvin's first Christmas and the pranks in store for Margaret. Can't wait for the next book on the series.
Profile Image for Sharon Smith.
187 reviews1 follower
May 16, 2023
I love this and the other series by this Author. I love the charcters and how they interact with her other series, it's a whole world of supernaturals! Aunt Tillie is the most lovable and onery person in the family, but she keeps them on their toes and always seems to have something going on. The developement of the various relationships and characters has evolved as the stories go on. My most read Author and that's saying something as I have read nearly all this person's work, and I have dozens of Authors I read series from. As always a good fun read. I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Donna Tarver.
671 reviews1 follower
December 17, 2023
I like the book overalll, however Bay has been off the wall the last three or four books. Thinking ahead can do everything without any help. She kind of paid for that this book, so I hope she evens back out. When she got mad at Aunt Tillie she went crazy. She is kind of acting like Aunt Tillie so I also hope she evens out. It seems less cringy when Aunt Tillie is acting that way than when it is Bay. I also really missed Thistle and Cove in this one so I hope we get more of them in the next one. The mystery was decent, but I did figure out who the accomplice was beforehand.
56 reviews
May 5, 2023
The first series is still the best!

I have read MANY Amanda M. Lee/Lily Harper Hart books but the first series I found was Wicked Witches of the Midwest and it is still my favorite ❤️
I do agree that Bay was expecting too much of herself and I am glad that her family members realized that it is time they helped out.
This was a great story which I didn’t figure out until close to the end. I really like it when it takes me most of the book to figure out ‘who dun it’!
1,274 reviews2 followers
September 21, 2023
I've liked this one far better than recent ones in this series. I was almost ready to stop reading the series based on how Bay and Landon were acting together, just too much for me. This one was toned down a huge amount - to a tolerable level. The "mystery" wasn't really a surprise, but it was pretty well done. A few twists made the ending solid. Overall, one of my favorites in the most recent books in the series.
Profile Image for Lisa.
124 reviews
October 8, 2023
Compelling

It's a rare thing to love a series of books and dislike most of the characters. Landon (still love his name after seeing the Little House reference in an earlier book) is so tiresome with his bacon fetish. I'm hot and cold on most of the characters. But each one has a glimmer of good, and the books keep me engrossed. It's a talented author that makes me care about horrible people.
302 reviews1 follower
May 2, 2023
Jailbreak!

Inmates break out of a nearby prison. Bay, Landon, and Chief Terrie get involved with catching the escaped prisoners. But its more complicated than a simple jailbreak and becomes dangerous for the whole Winchester Clan.

Lots of action, close calls, and a metric ton of snark.

Eagerly awaiting the next book!
181 reviews
May 4, 2023
A wonderful conclusion to the series

Bay and the Winchesters take on a prison break which involves a demon or two. The story flows from scene to scene with magic, mayhem and a touch of romance. The story ends with all the Winchesters together and being the wonderful family they are. This has been a delightful series to read and I highly recommend it. I love Ms. Lee's books.
11 reviews
May 7, 2023
As good as always!

Another strong Winchester witches story from AML. It kept me guessing all the way to the end. I love the characters in this story and love the crossovers with the other characters from her other books. Can’t wait to see what Aunt Tillie has in store for Mrs. Little in the future.
1,503 reviews3 followers
May 8, 2023
Good read

Book 22 has humor, a prison escape, Aunt Tillie, Peg the pig, Evan the vampire, all the nieces and great nieces, and demons. And we can't forget mean Mrs. Little. Christmas is approaching and it's pageant time. But who are the villains? Read to find out. Highly recommend.
1,251 reviews9 followers
May 9, 2023
Always fun

If you've been lamenting the splintering of the three Winchester cousins as they've found significant others and started living their own lives like I have, good news! After this book it looks like the cousins will be back in action as a team again. The events if this book convince them that they're stronger as a team. Let the snark begin!
339 reviews2 followers
May 9, 2023
Book 22

I have to wonder when the female guard in the U.S. took off with the very tall prisoner, which came first, them or this story?
But I love the Winchesters! Their disfunctional witchy family keeps me entertained, on the edge of my chair and always wanting more! I love Aunt Tilly too!
10 reviews
May 11, 2023
Pure Joy

This family should be made into a movie. I enjoyed each character immensely. I feel pure Joy after I get through reading a Winchester family book. I feel like I should move to a small town just to find them. thanks for a delightful read, can't wait for the next book in this series.
1,063 reviews4 followers
Read
May 12, 2023
A great cozy

I can't believe book 22 and I can't wait for23. I love this series by Amanda M. Lee and have from book 1. I love all the characters and I can't wait to see what happens next. If you love a cozy with characters you will love and a story that keeps you turning the page then this one series is a must read.
49 reviews
May 24, 2023
Love these Midwest Witches!

I have read all 22 books of this series & would love more of them! I will start a new series as I wait to see if there is going to be a book 23! There is such a great bond between this distinction so family! They are the best! Read this series & tell everyone you know! Thank you, Amanda Lee for your incredible humor!
Profile Image for Diane Gates.
348 reviews1 follower
May 30, 2023
Amazing as always

Amanda M Lee is a great writer and storyteller. Bay and Landon are still great together. So happy the girls are going
hunting again. I hope Clove gets a backbone. Love to see Thistle and Winnie get married. Love to see some kids too,
as long as it doesn't end the series. I want the series to go on forever
21 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2023
It didn't take me long to realize that I have to allot plenty of time to reading one of the books in this series, and there's no way I can start it before bed. This series is "unputdownable" in my opinion; in fact I have often sacrificed (temporarily) a book in my Kindle Unlimited account to make room for
the next one in this series!

Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews

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