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WITCH WAY OUT by Cate Conte Kensington, March 2023 $8.99 ISBN: 1496732715 Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Sometimes readers must embrace "the suspension of disbelief" to fully enjoy mysteries that employ the creative use of magick and magickal creatures. Cate Conte's Full Moon Mystery series is an excellent example of that premise.

Crystal shop owner Violet Mooney, 32, discovers she is a witch hidden from her mother by her grandmother and half-witch father. Losing the magical necklace that protects her brings her mother to her side just as she uncovers her powers as a witch.

In WITCH WAY OUT, two mysteries attract Violet's attention: the murder of Horatio Hale, an "ethical crystal mining proponent" in the mortal world; and in the magickal community, she deals with the kidnapping of Mac Finnegan, the leprechaun PI who is helping her find a way to save a friend who was transformed into a genie and trapped in a bottle.

Violet's mother, Fiona, is the queen of the Ravenstar clan and informs Violet of her heritage when she finds her daughter. Violet is immediately installed on the Magickal Council and begins learning to use her powers when her mother and sister tutor her. Her friend Sydney and mentor Josie, who work with her at her crystal shop, the Full Moon, keep her grounded in the mortal world.

Just days after meeting her hero, Hale, he is murdered, and Violet decides to investigate while continuing her search for Mac and her genied friend Mazzy. Blake Alexander, a lawyer, and Fiona's appointed coach for Violet, knows the magick community. So Blake arranges for Mac to work with Violet to uncover who genied Mazzy and how to get her back.

Conte combines her creative mysteries with her paranormal penchant to spin enchanting tales involving witches, various magickal creatures, and regular folk.

Captivating characters and intriguing situations make her stories a bewitching treat for adventuresome readers. And providing a bit of amusement are Violet's two cats: Monty, not yet used to magick, and Xander, a black magickal cat who showed up just before Fiona made her first appearance. Ms. Conte perfectly balances Violet's two worlds, making for an entertaining story.

§ Ruth Castleberry has worked as an investigator for Pinkerton's, a city desk assistant on the Charlotte News, free-lance writer, marketing/business strategy consultant, competitive intelligence practitioner and digital marketing consultant.