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Wedding Cake Mysteries #4
That Old Black Magic
New York Times bestselling author Mary Jane Clark whips up a savory and suspenseful confection, filled with murder, mystery, history and voodoo, in which Piper Donovan must unmask a devious killer striking in New Orleans's legendary French Quarter
"One of the most talented storytellers around."-Associated Press
Aspiring actress and wedding-cake decorator Piper Donovan has barely arrived in New Orleans to perfect her pastry skills at the renowned French Quarter bakery, Boulangerie Bertrand, when a ghastly murder rocks the magical city. Intrigued by the case, Piper can't help but look for the "Hoodoo Killer" among the faces around her. Could it be the handsome guide eager to give her special private tours? Or the inscrutable jazz musician who plays on historic Royal Street? What about the ratings-starved radio talk-show host? Or even the amiable owner of the local Gris-Gris Bar?
Though Piper has a full plate decorating cakes for upcoming wedding celebrations, she's also landed an exciting but unnerving role in a movie being shot in the Big Easy. When the murderer strikes again, leaving macabre clues, she thinks she can unmask the killer. But Piper will have to conjure up some old black magic of her own if she hopes to live long enough to reveal the truth.
"One of the most talented storytellers around."-Associated Press
Aspiring actress and wedding-cake decorator Piper Donovan has barely arrived in New Orleans to perfect her pastry skills at the renowned French Quarter bakery, Boulangerie Bertrand, when a ghastly murder rocks the magical city. Intrigued by the case, Piper can't help but look for the "Hoodoo Killer" among the faces around her. Could it be the handsome guide eager to give her special private tours? Or the inscrutable jazz musician who plays on historic Royal Street? What about the ratings-starved radio talk-show host? Or even the amiable owner of the local Gris-Gris Bar?
Though Piper has a full plate decorating cakes for upcoming wedding celebrations, she's also landed an exciting but unnerving role in a movie being shot in the Big Easy. When the murderer strikes again, leaving macabre clues, she thinks she can unmask the killer. But Piper will have to conjure up some old black magic of her own if she hopes to live long enough to reveal the truth.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 21, 2014
127 people are currently reading
1293 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jane Clark
41 books463 followersMary Jane Elizabeth Behrends Clark (1954-) is the author of thirteen novels, including 12 in the KEY News media thriller series, and one in her new Wedding Cake mystery series. A veteran writer and producer for CBS News, Clark worked for almost three decades at the network’s New York City headquarters. Her books are published in twenty-three languages. She lives in New Jersey and Florida.
Clark's former mother-in-law and sister-in-law are the authors Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark, respectively.
Clark's former mother-in-law and sister-in-law are the authors Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark, respectively.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
March 17, 2022
Such a good book. I hope they'll be more.
February 3, 2014
I really didn't care for this. I'm aware of the author's name and thought I'd give her a try with her latest on the library's Sizzler rack. It was just not intelligent. Very, very shallow. I'm not a fan of the James Patterson School of the Pop Novel with 2-page chapters and soap-opera cliffhanger sentences ending each chapter. Blech.
I don't even understand this "series" -- this girl is a wedding cake decorator when she's not shooting commercials and bit parts as an aspiring actress and wherever she goes, people get murdered around her, but she's not trying to solve the murders, and then she almost gets killed by the murderer at the end. Repeat. So, the book has this weird inconsistent tone where one minute, we're reading in great detail about the decorations on a cake, then the grisly details of violent murder. Our "heroine" is a screamer, a fainter, one of the dumber characters I've encountered. A book tries to steer a course between reality and fictional story, and the world in this book is not plausible. And the things that happen are not plausible. And the tone veers in a nonsensical way, between poetic license then attempts to suddenly be more realistic.
And she is not trying to solve all these murders around her, so there is no discussion of actual evidence or situational clues, just more cakes to be decorated! And a recipe in the back of the book. I'll bet all the books in the series have recipes in the back.
And (spoiler alert), what we don't get is any details about the murderer. That just came out of left field. Hard to imagine a woman pulling off a murder of a man that involves strangulation and bull-whipping. Who were the 3 guys that came into the bakery to talk to Bertrand? Why was Aaron at the wedding? He had no ties to the bride and groom, or did I miss that. He just shows up and presents them a gift he's been working on for months. And, Jack, the boyfriend in Manhattan...don't know anything about him except he wears a tie, drinks Scotch, and is a cool, FBI-guy stereotype. Actually, all the characters are stereotypes. Piper is kind of a silly name for a cake decorator...I'll bet the author works hard to not write sentences like "Piper piped icing through the piping bag, pushing out long pipelines of icing criss-crossing the cookie," and "Piper piped in with her thoughts on the murderer!"
Sloppy, lazy, no craft. And obviously, people love it, evidenced by all the 4-5 star ratings on here. They. Love. IT.
UPDATE: I read that this lady has an autistic son, and now I feel terrible about what I've written. She's obviously very successful, been in the game a long time, the "series" mentality in publishing right now is not her fault, it's about money and making a living, and who can begrudge anyone that. Come on, publishers, hire me, and let's just run everything first through the Logic Processor. Even though the book is not my cup of tea, I could have made suggestions for making it less flat and shallow.
I don't even understand this "series" -- this girl is a wedding cake decorator when she's not shooting commercials and bit parts as an aspiring actress and wherever she goes, people get murdered around her, but she's not trying to solve the murders, and then she almost gets killed by the murderer at the end. Repeat. So, the book has this weird inconsistent tone where one minute, we're reading in great detail about the decorations on a cake, then the grisly details of violent murder. Our "heroine" is a screamer, a fainter, one of the dumber characters I've encountered. A book tries to steer a course between reality and fictional story, and the world in this book is not plausible. And the things that happen are not plausible. And the tone veers in a nonsensical way, between poetic license then attempts to suddenly be more realistic.
And she is not trying to solve all these murders around her, so there is no discussion of actual evidence or situational clues, just more cakes to be decorated! And a recipe in the back of the book. I'll bet all the books in the series have recipes in the back.
And (spoiler alert), what we don't get is any details about the murderer. That just came out of left field. Hard to imagine a woman pulling off a murder of a man that involves strangulation and bull-whipping. Who were the 3 guys that came into the bakery to talk to Bertrand? Why was Aaron at the wedding? He had no ties to the bride and groom, or did I miss that. He just shows up and presents them a gift he's been working on for months. And, Jack, the boyfriend in Manhattan...don't know anything about him except he wears a tie, drinks Scotch, and is a cool, FBI-guy stereotype. Actually, all the characters are stereotypes. Piper is kind of a silly name for a cake decorator...I'll bet the author works hard to not write sentences like "Piper piped icing through the piping bag, pushing out long pipelines of icing criss-crossing the cookie," and "Piper piped in with her thoughts on the murderer!"
Sloppy, lazy, no craft. And obviously, people love it, evidenced by all the 4-5 star ratings on here. They. Love. IT.
UPDATE: I read that this lady has an autistic son, and now I feel terrible about what I've written. She's obviously very successful, been in the game a long time, the "series" mentality in publishing right now is not her fault, it's about money and making a living, and who can begrudge anyone that. Come on, publishers, hire me, and let's just run everything first through the Logic Processor. Even though the book is not my cup of tea, I could have made suggestions for making it less flat and shallow.
May 10, 2014
This was an okay cozy mystery. There were aspects I liked and others I didn't, but overall, I enjoyed it.
Some of the things that drew me to the book were:
1) it's set in New Orleans, which is one of my favourite locations, and this book did a very good job of making the reader feel like they were in the city, by talking about the music, the people, the food and the culture. This really added to my enjoyment of the book.
2) There's a good sized cast of characters and they are unique, quirky and interesting people. All the characters have real personalities that come through as they are well-written. Some are nice, some not so much, but they are all interesting.
3) The plot is well-written, and there's plenty of action. As well, I never saw who the murderer was coming - it was a complete surprise.
However, on the down-side:
1) The main character, Piper, became very annoying to me by about halfway through the book. I can buy Jessica Fletcher becoming involved in murders virtually everywhere she goes, so I don't have an issue with Piper's apparent murder-magnet status. But at least when it happened to Jessica she was sensible about what was, and was not sensible to do, who to talk to and where to go. Piper seems almost clueless and shocked when bad things happen, and yet she also - in her very own words - sticks her nose where it doesn't belong over and over. So she shouldn't act as stunned as she does, when that behaviour gets her in tight spots.
2) Full disclosure - I have not read the earlier books in this series, so I do not have the background on what was apparently a traumatic near-death experience for Piper in the previous book. I don't mind references to the character's history in a series book, but they were almost continuous in this book, and it became tiresome by the end. I didn't see the point in mentioning this incident over and over, nor was it necessary to make the point of connection in this book. There were one or two incidents that established the reason that incident impacted the plot in this book, but after that it was just annoying.
3) If you are the type who likes to try to figure out who the murderer is, I don't think the author gave you enough information to enable you to figure out the murderer. That's not a big deal to me, but if you are the type who wants to know before the book tells you, I think this book would be a disappointment.
As I said, overall, this was an easy read and I did enjoy it. It wasn't a favourite best read ever, but it was good.
Some of the things that drew me to the book were:
1) it's set in New Orleans, which is one of my favourite locations, and this book did a very good job of making the reader feel like they were in the city, by talking about the music, the people, the food and the culture. This really added to my enjoyment of the book.
2) There's a good sized cast of characters and they are unique, quirky and interesting people. All the characters have real personalities that come through as they are well-written. Some are nice, some not so much, but they are all interesting.
3) The plot is well-written, and there's plenty of action. As well, I never saw who the murderer was coming - it was a complete surprise.
However, on the down-side:
1) The main character, Piper, became very annoying to me by about halfway through the book. I can buy Jessica Fletcher becoming involved in murders virtually everywhere she goes, so I don't have an issue with Piper's apparent murder-magnet status. But at least when it happened to Jessica she was sensible about what was, and was not sensible to do, who to talk to and where to go. Piper seems almost clueless and shocked when bad things happen, and yet she also - in her very own words - sticks her nose where it doesn't belong over and over. So she shouldn't act as stunned as she does, when that behaviour gets her in tight spots.
2) Full disclosure - I have not read the earlier books in this series, so I do not have the background on what was apparently a traumatic near-death experience for Piper in the previous book. I don't mind references to the character's history in a series book, but they were almost continuous in this book, and it became tiresome by the end. I didn't see the point in mentioning this incident over and over, nor was it necessary to make the point of connection in this book. There were one or two incidents that established the reason that incident impacted the plot in this book, but after that it was just annoying.
3) If you are the type who likes to try to figure out who the murderer is, I don't think the author gave you enough information to enable you to figure out the murderer. That's not a big deal to me, but if you are the type who wants to know before the book tells you, I think this book would be a disappointment.
As I said, overall, this was an easy read and I did enjoy it. It wasn't a favourite best read ever, but it was good.
February 9, 2014
For someone like me who has never read this author, you may find her style of writing confusing, the large amounts of characters and red herrings annoying and the main character Piper, silly and naïve. For those of you who like this very sweet form of cozy mystery, you will most likely love this novel AND if you follow this author you will love this book!
I will say that the author did do a very good job of deflecting the reader from figuring out who done it. I don’t think there was even the barest whisper of a hint as to who committed the three murders and tried for a possible fourth.
There are many very short chapters and I found that somewhat annoying, but it sure made it easy for me to put down this book, as I got bored with it. Unfortunately this happened all too frequently for my taste.
I found the story tepid, the fact that Piper is a cake decorator AND an actress is a little too much to swallow in this particular instance and there are to many plot lines that didn’t seem to have enough closure for my taste. *ARC SUPPLIED BY PUBLISHER*
May 12, 2014
If the mystery writer's last name is Clark, I will most likely like the story. Piper Donovan is in New Orleans for a week to study with a master baker. Soon one of the merchants, a sandwich maker, on the street has been murdered. Several nights later, her master baker meets his death. The only commonality, besides being a merchant on Royal Street, comes from the nursery rhyme, "Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub." And then, yes, the candlestick maker also dies. Dubbed the "Hoodoo Murderer" because of the elements of voodoo and hoodoo mixed into the deaths, soon the murderer makes a mistake.
The murderer eluded me until the end.
Highly recommended for those who like mysteries
The murderer eluded me until the end.
Highly recommended for those who like mysteries
March 29, 2025
This was incredibly quick but slow at the same time. I thought hey I like mysteries and I love New Orleans but man I didn’t like anything about this book. The way the chapters were set up was weird. None of the characters were likable to me and there wasn’t enough tension or build up for me to be hooked.
November 26, 2022
Piper is a baker and budding actress in New Orleans after winning a baking contest. She manages to be there for a series of murders and manages to be slightly involved with the creepiness.
October 5, 2014
I've avoided reading adult mystery fiction for many years and decided to finally try it out. I'm hoping there is something a bit more substantial out there than what I read here. I'm not talking Sherlock Holmes. That's a given. I'm speaking of the general mystery fiction. This book idea was a great one. New Orleans, food, interesting characters, etc. The problem with this story is that there was not one character in this book that actually had any true character. It had me thinking that maybe mystery novels are created because somebody had a great idea for a setting but just couldn't get the story going and the final decision was created in this way, "I have a great idea but I can't put it all together. Why not have people die in it and figure out who dunnit. Why the hell not? It's a book!" I did read it all the way through. Normally, I would have closed it out mid-chapter at some point but I was really hoping something interesting would happen. It didn't. There was no great surprise. I didn't actually care because there was nothing much to care about. The mystery to me was wondering when the interesting part would take place. I gave it two stars only because I made it to the end. The second star was for my efforts.
February 13, 2014
"That Old Black Magic" is the fourth installment in the Piper Donovan Mystery Series. Prior to reading this book, I would have said most of the prior books did not need to be read in any particular order. "That Old Black Magic" should be read after "Footprints in the Sand" because there are quite a few references from the prior Piper Donovan book. It is definitely a page turner and a quick read. As with prior books, the chapters are super short. I have read and enjoyed all of Ms. Clark's books. I think this has been the best mystery Mary Jane Clark has released since "Dancing In The Dark." I loved all the historic and religious tid-bits Ms. Clark weaved throughout the story. This was the perfect book for the nasty winter weather we have been having in NJ this February. I look forward to the next Piper Donovan installment in 2015.
February 1, 2014
Was a really GREAT read. I didn't know "who done it" til it was revealed.
November 27, 2017
I like mysteries, so I thought I'd try this one and I have never read any Mary Jane Clark novels.
Stats: Audio is narrated by Therese Plummer, 6 discs for 7.5', pubished in 2014, print is 368 pages.
Blurb: New York Times bestselling author Mary Jane Clark whips up a savory and suspenseful confection in her newest mystery featuring Piper DonovanAspiring actress and wedding-cake decorator Piper Donovan has barely arrived in New Orleans to perfect her pastry skills at the renowned French Quarter bakery, Boulangerie Bertrand when a ghastly murder rocks the magical city.Intrigued by the case, Piper can't help but look for the "Hoodoo Killer" among the faces around her. Could it be the handsome guide eager to give her special private tours? Or the inscrutable jazz musician who plays on historic Royal Street? What about the ratings-starved radio talk-show host? Or even the amiable owner of the local Gris-Gris Bar?Though Piper has a full plate decorating cakes for upcoming wedding celebrations, she's also landed an exciting but unnerving role in a movie being shot in the Big Easy. When the murderer strikes again, leaving macabre clues, she thinks she can unmask the killer. But Piper will have to conjure up some old black magic of her own if she hopes to live long enough to reveal the truth.
What I liked: I'm not sure. It was an "okay" read and I didn't figure out "who done it" before the author told me, but it was just kind of blah. I'm not even sure why I say that. I guess Piper was not a particularly interesting character and I guess the author really didn't make me care too much about her. Maybe if I'd have read other books in the Piper Donovan series - this is #4 I think - I might have enjoyed it more. And Theresa Plummer does a fine job narrating.
What I didn't like: It wasn't so much I didn't like this thing I'm about to mention, it was more that it seemed odd - Piper is a cake decorator and an actress?! What? The oddity of this in the story is she is visiting New Orleans to work with a renowned baker, then she hears about a 2 day acting job. Weird. Two day acting job in a movie? I don't know the movie business much but that seems very unrealistic. I could see an actress moonlighting as a baker between gigs but to take on intership, so to speak, for baking must mean you're serious about baking. But how can you be serious about baking and be serious about acting. I know it's picky and this is supposed to be a cozy mystery, but...it just bothered me. And the writing was "okay." It wasn't very inspiring, if you know what I mean.
Rating: 3/5
Stats: Audio is narrated by Therese Plummer, 6 discs for 7.5', pubished in 2014, print is 368 pages.
Blurb: New York Times bestselling author Mary Jane Clark whips up a savory and suspenseful confection in her newest mystery featuring Piper DonovanAspiring actress and wedding-cake decorator Piper Donovan has barely arrived in New Orleans to perfect her pastry skills at the renowned French Quarter bakery, Boulangerie Bertrand when a ghastly murder rocks the magical city.Intrigued by the case, Piper can't help but look for the "Hoodoo Killer" among the faces around her. Could it be the handsome guide eager to give her special private tours? Or the inscrutable jazz musician who plays on historic Royal Street? What about the ratings-starved radio talk-show host? Or even the amiable owner of the local Gris-Gris Bar?Though Piper has a full plate decorating cakes for upcoming wedding celebrations, she's also landed an exciting but unnerving role in a movie being shot in the Big Easy. When the murderer strikes again, leaving macabre clues, she thinks she can unmask the killer. But Piper will have to conjure up some old black magic of her own if she hopes to live long enough to reveal the truth.
What I liked: I'm not sure. It was an "okay" read and I didn't figure out "who done it" before the author told me, but it was just kind of blah. I'm not even sure why I say that. I guess Piper was not a particularly interesting character and I guess the author really didn't make me care too much about her. Maybe if I'd have read other books in the Piper Donovan series - this is #4 I think - I might have enjoyed it more. And Theresa Plummer does a fine job narrating.
What I didn't like: It wasn't so much I didn't like this thing I'm about to mention, it was more that it seemed odd - Piper is a cake decorator and an actress?! What? The oddity of this in the story is she is visiting New Orleans to work with a renowned baker, then she hears about a 2 day acting job. Weird. Two day acting job in a movie? I don't know the movie business much but that seems very unrealistic. I could see an actress moonlighting as a baker between gigs but to take on intership, so to speak, for baking must mean you're serious about baking. But how can you be serious about baking and be serious about acting. I know it's picky and this is supposed to be a cozy mystery, but...it just bothered me. And the writing was "okay." It wasn't very inspiring, if you know what I mean.
Rating: 3/5
August 24, 2020
The plots in this series are formulaic but good for an easy read. I always like books with baking so there’s that. The reason I give them 2s across the board is because I can not stand the father. He is a complete control freak and maybe the author means him as comedy but its like fingernails on a chalk board every time he inserts himself. Ugh. He wasn’t as prominent in this book so maybe 2.5.
August 22, 2021
Cute little mystery, one of those stories that are perfect for lying around on the beach with. The setting of New Orleans is what I really enjoyed about the story. The mystery isn't overly hard to figure out, but it is fun getting there. Not a bad way to pass a couple of hours.
October 9, 2022
4.5 Stars.... great cozy mystery series.... hope there is more books to come.
January 18, 2014
I have enjoyed all of the books in this series and this one is no different. Piper finds herself in New Orleans working at a famous patisserie in the French Quarter. She soon finds herself in the middle of a voodoo linked series of murders. Piper is recuperating from a previous near death experience and contending for a possible movie role . The fact that the patisserie owner is a bit of a lech doesn't help reduce her stress. She is also missing her FBI agent boyfriend Jack, who is worried about her being away for so long.
I liked the way that the author gave us a few avenues to go down to figure out who the killer was. I was pretty sure I knew who it was and boy was I off the mark. I also liked the New Orleans lore that was integrated into the story. Having visited there, I thought Ms. Clark did a great job with the descriptions of places and relaying the history of the city.
This is an interesting read from beginning to end and really makes me anticipate the next book.
I liked the way that the author gave us a few avenues to go down to figure out who the killer was. I was pretty sure I knew who it was and boy was I off the mark. I also liked the New Orleans lore that was integrated into the story. Having visited there, I thought Ms. Clark did a great job with the descriptions of places and relaying the history of the city.
This is an interesting read from beginning to end and really makes me anticipate the next book.
April 23, 2016
That Old Black Magic had me in it's spell
Embarrassing to say this is the first book I bought on my Kindle and the first Piper Donovan book I am just now getting around to reading it and I am wondering why, why, why it took me so long.
Not only are the characters and setting so captivating that I felt like I was back visiting New Orleans again.
The storyline holds you and while I had narrowed down the killer to 3 suspects 2 which I could give good motives, the ending was a little bit of a surprise. Now I have to get the first and second books to read.
Embarrassing to say this is the first book I bought on my Kindle and the first Piper Donovan book I am just now getting around to reading it and I am wondering why, why, why it took me so long.
Not only are the characters and setting so captivating that I felt like I was back visiting New Orleans again.
The storyline holds you and while I had narrowed down the killer to 3 suspects 2 which I could give good motives, the ending was a little bit of a surprise. Now I have to get the first and second books to read.
April 5, 2015
Disappointed that the New Orleans setting for this light murder mystery couldn't save me from the struggle I experienced to finish. I just wasn't able to get into the characters or the story line. It's like skimming the surface with no dive sequence to plunge this reader into the depths of the journey. The story centers around a bakery in New Orleans. Thank you to the author for including a scrumptious recipe for beignets a New Orleans favorite. Yum.
October 17, 2016
This book was pretty good. I read the first book in the series quite awhile ago, didn't even know it was a series & happened to just pick this one up because it sounded intriguing. I liked that the chapters were short, it makes you want to keep reading to find out who the killer is. Each chapter is from a different characters POV so it took me awhile to get used to it. Nothing spectacular, but a quick & easy read.
RATING: 3.5 - 4 stars
RATING: 3.5 - 4 stars
January 17, 2014
I like the Piper Donavan series. This one blended a great murder mystery with a wonderful New Orleans setting. Voodoo and magic were a great affliction to this book. Jack was still prominent character even though he was back home. I worry that Piper will someday not make it as often as she gets her in her investigations. Good read.
September 4, 2017
.
I would recommmend you sit down a spell and take a taste of this series regarding a tale about mysterious deaths in New Orleans . . . is Voodoo involved?
It's a cozy mystery with a woman sleuth, who can bake a mean wedding cake.
It is able to stand on its own, clean, and concludes with an HEA.
I would recommmend you sit down a spell and take a taste of this series regarding a tale about mysterious deaths in New Orleans . . . is Voodoo involved?
It's a cozy mystery with a woman sleuth, who can bake a mean wedding cake.
It is able to stand on its own, clean, and concludes with an HEA.
October 8, 2020
I love NOLA, and the other mysteries in this series have been fun, but the plot here lost the thread too many times, while still making the conclusion painfully obvious. I also hate when writers abandon series with no wrap-up of lingering plot!
December 26, 2016
Piper Donovan
January 17, 2024
3.5 stars, rounded up
My local book group read one of the books in this author's KEY News series several years ago, and I liked it enough to read that entire series. I found this series while looking for more of the author's work, and liked it as well, but not as much as the News books. With this book, I have read all of her books... and wish there were more.
Piper, the MC here, is an aspiring actress who helps out at her mother's bakery in New Jersey in between auditions and other adventures. She spends a lot of time away from the bakery, ostensibly to deliver the wedding cakes they have created, and of course things go awry in every location. In this book, she's in New Orleans, between Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's Day, to study under a renowned pastry chef, but things don't work out as planned.
There is a series of murders all occurring in the immediate area surrounding the patisserie where Piper is working, all apparently connected by hoodoo, a spiritual religious tradition practiced by many in the New Orleans area. Of course Piper is the one who makes the connection between the murders, but even with that knowledge, there are a lot of suspects - and no obvious motive for any of them. The person eventually exposed as the killer was on my list, but not near the top until shortly before it was revealed in the book. Given the circumstances, the motive made sense.
This is the last book in the series, unfortunately, as I would like to read more about Piper, her family and her friends.
My local book group read one of the books in this author's KEY News series several years ago, and I liked it enough to read that entire series. I found this series while looking for more of the author's work, and liked it as well, but not as much as the News books. With this book, I have read all of her books... and wish there were more.
Piper, the MC here, is an aspiring actress who helps out at her mother's bakery in New Jersey in between auditions and other adventures. She spends a lot of time away from the bakery, ostensibly to deliver the wedding cakes they have created, and of course things go awry in every location. In this book, she's in New Orleans, between Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's Day, to study under a renowned pastry chef, but things don't work out as planned.
There is a series of murders all occurring in the immediate area surrounding the patisserie where Piper is working, all apparently connected by hoodoo, a spiritual religious tradition practiced by many in the New Orleans area. Of course Piper is the one who makes the connection between the murders, but even with that knowledge, there are a lot of suspects - and no obvious motive for any of them. The person eventually exposed as the killer was on my list, but not near the top until shortly before it was revealed in the book. Given the circumstances, the motive made sense.
This is the last book in the series, unfortunately, as I would like to read more about Piper, her family and her friends.
February 20, 2023
March in New Orleans. Who knew that St. Patrick's Day is celebrated with a big parade and as much vigor as a single day of Mardi Gras? Not Piper Donovan, aspiring actress and winner of Boulangerie Bertrand's guest baker competition.
The bakery is on Royal Street in the French Quarter surrounded by Ellinore Duchamps's antique shop, the Gris-Gris Bar, Muffaletta Mike's, and other boutiques. Piper is recovering from an encounter with Puffer fish venom that almost killed her and is still a little shaken by the incident. This week or so in New Orleans sounded like a perfect distraction and chance to have a little fun.
Although told in third person, the narration switches between Piper's point of view and those of several other people she encounters during her stay in NOLA, which heightens the suspense as a series of murders occur on Royal Street. Piper acquires a brief role in Channing Tatum's newest action film that has her playing a murder victim that sets off a fainting spell and panic attack. Then Royal Street becomes the scene of a gruesome murder with signs of voodoo.
The plot twists and turns from here, leading the reader to suspect then rule out several possible murder suspects before the situation hits rather close to home. Chapters are short, motivations and suspicious behaviors abound, and I kept wanting to read just a few more pages each time I put the book down.
The bakery is on Royal Street in the French Quarter surrounded by Ellinore Duchamps's antique shop, the Gris-Gris Bar, Muffaletta Mike's, and other boutiques. Piper is recovering from an encounter with Puffer fish venom that almost killed her and is still a little shaken by the incident. This week or so in New Orleans sounded like a perfect distraction and chance to have a little fun.
Although told in third person, the narration switches between Piper's point of view and those of several other people she encounters during her stay in NOLA, which heightens the suspense as a series of murders occur on Royal Street. Piper acquires a brief role in Channing Tatum's newest action film that has her playing a murder victim that sets off a fainting spell and panic attack. Then Royal Street becomes the scene of a gruesome murder with signs of voodoo.
The plot twists and turns from here, leading the reader to suspect then rule out several possible murder suspects before the situation hits rather close to home. Chapters are short, motivations and suspicious behaviors abound, and I kept wanting to read just a few more pages each time I put the book down.
October 7, 2025
That Old Black Magic by Mary Jane Clark is a masterfully layered mystery a confection of suspense, charm, and supernatural intrigue set in the sultry heart of New Orleans. Once again, Piper Donovan, the ever-curious actress and cake decorator, finds herself balancing sugar, cinema, and sinister secrets as murder casts a long shadow over the French Quarter.
Clark captures the intoxicating rhythm of New Orleans: its jazz, its mysticism, its sense of danger pulsing just beneath the surface. The “Hoodoo Killer” is both a chilling villain and a reflection of the city’s timeless fascination with magic and mystery. Between Boulangerie Bertrand’s ovens and the Gris-Gris Bar’s smoky whispers, the story unfolds like a waltz between the living and the dead.
What sets Clark apart is her ability to blend cozy warmth with genuine tension. That Old Black Magic is atmospheric yet brisk, comforting yet haunting a story where each clue feels like a secret ingredient in a spell of suspense. For readers who crave murder with a touch of music, history, and heart, this installment in the Wedding Cake Mysteries series is a delightfully dark treat.
Clark captures the intoxicating rhythm of New Orleans: its jazz, its mysticism, its sense of danger pulsing just beneath the surface. The “Hoodoo Killer” is both a chilling villain and a reflection of the city’s timeless fascination with magic and mystery. Between Boulangerie Bertrand’s ovens and the Gris-Gris Bar’s smoky whispers, the story unfolds like a waltz between the living and the dead.
What sets Clark apart is her ability to blend cozy warmth with genuine tension. That Old Black Magic is atmospheric yet brisk, comforting yet haunting a story where each clue feels like a secret ingredient in a spell of suspense. For readers who crave murder with a touch of music, history, and heart, this installment in the Wedding Cake Mysteries series is a delightfully dark treat.
December 28, 2017
A light murder mystery. A New Orleans street becomes home to a set of hudu (voodoo?) murders, and an old callback character becomes entwined in the midst of it, one who is young, beautiful, an actress, a baker, and amateur murder detective!
The book really did not provide enough atmosphere or feeling, surprising in a book centered around New Orleans. The main character isn't given much agency. Things just happen to her. You're supposed to want to root for her, but very little choice is shown except for how she chooses to decorate the cakes. There's a PTSD subplot with contrary feelings because of how much the main character wants to deny it. The way it's treated is far too clinical outside of the panic attacks, leading to a capricious feeling about the whole thing.
With regards to the murders, sure there are red herrings, but where are the actual clues? The ending felt rushed, and the bad guy is caught because he is dumb, not because of anything Piper does.
Overall, would not recommend, especially if you're not already a fan of the series.
The book really did not provide enough atmosphere or feeling, surprising in a book centered around New Orleans. The main character isn't given much agency. Things just happen to her. You're supposed to want to root for her, but very little choice is shown except for how she chooses to decorate the cakes. There's a PTSD subplot with contrary feelings because of how much the main character wants to deny it. The way it's treated is far too clinical outside of the panic attacks, leading to a capricious feeling about the whole thing.
With regards to the murders, sure there are red herrings, but where are the actual clues? The ending felt rushed, and the bad guy is caught because he is dumb, not because of anything Piper does.
Overall, would not recommend, especially if you're not already a fan of the series.
September 7, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
counting this for That Old Black Magic by bixgirl1
“Centuries ago, marriage contracts were the norm — ready-made alliances between families, expected and complied with, without complaint. But norms have a way of changing, and when a long-dormant contract flares to life, Harry has to navigate an unexpected splintering of the path he'd thought would be easy after the war... with Draco Malfoy.”
so originally i was looking for a mauraders fic to read but i randomly stumbled on this one on pinterest so i was like why not. omg. this was so good?!?!? i can’t remember a drarry fic i liked this much, every other one i’ve read was rlly rushed and felt like a middle schooler wrote it. this? this was art. there isn’t any angst but regardless it’s kinda like a slowburn enemies to lovers in forced proximity. and the smut?!??? gawd DAMN. very well done
counting this for That Old Black Magic by bixgirl1
“Centuries ago, marriage contracts were the norm — ready-made alliances between families, expected and complied with, without complaint. But norms have a way of changing, and when a long-dormant contract flares to life, Harry has to navigate an unexpected splintering of the path he'd thought would be easy after the war... with Draco Malfoy.”
so originally i was looking for a mauraders fic to read but i randomly stumbled on this one on pinterest so i was like why not. omg. this was so good?!?!? i can’t remember a drarry fic i liked this much, every other one i’ve read was rlly rushed and felt like a middle schooler wrote it. this? this was art. there isn’t any angst but regardless it’s kinda like a slowburn enemies to lovers in forced proximity. and the smut?!??? gawd DAMN. very well done
December 23, 2019
Vapid with a few extremely important exceptions. Many times in mysteries I find myself grumbling because the responses to grief and trauma are so two-dimensional and the response a character has to their own challenges is lazy. That does not happen here.
The very real problems of marriage, owning a business, caring for a disabled child, getting along with others, and just trying to be a decent person are addressed deftly.
From my limited recollections, New Orleans history, voodoo, and cuisine are covered more than adequately. There's even a gratuitous Channing Tatum cameo.
I think the real problem is with our intrepid main character. She's the insipid one. Proceed with caution.
The very real problems of marriage, owning a business, caring for a disabled child, getting along with others, and just trying to be a decent person are addressed deftly.
From my limited recollections, New Orleans history, voodoo, and cuisine are covered more than adequately. There's even a gratuitous Channing Tatum cameo.
I think the real problem is with our intrepid main character. She's the insipid one. Proceed with caution.
March 5, 2020
That Old Black Magic was a decent book to read-just enough interest to finish it to see how it ended. The characters were a bit flat, especially for a book set in such an interesting place like New Orleans. I anticipated more flavor and creativity to each character. The plot was okay-parts of it just didn't seem to fit the whole. I think when you set a book in a place like New Orleans, you can do so much more with all of the details that would lend to a better vision.
October 27, 2022
This is the 4th book in the series but the first I’ve read. I picked it up because it’s set in New Orleans. I recognized Royal Street because I’ve been on that street several times.
I enjoyed the way the mystery was developed and the angle that was taken. I had no idea who the killer was and was quite surprised.
I did enjoy getting to know the characters even though most are flawed and very human.
I really enjoyed the narration in the audiobook.
I enjoyed the way the mystery was developed and the angle that was taken. I had no idea who the killer was and was quite surprised.
I did enjoy getting to know the characters even though most are flawed and very human.
I really enjoyed the narration in the audiobook.
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