A Fondant Farewell

Bewitched by Chocolate #9

by H.Y. Hanna

Ever since she stumbled into the quaint village of Tillyhenge and discovered the enchanted chocolate shop run by her grandmother, Caitlyn Le Fey has been cooking up dreams of finding her long-lost mother and finally unwrapping the mystery of her past. But meeting Tara isn't the sweet reunion she'd hoped for: not only is her mother far from the gentle, maternal figure Caitlyn had imagined, she's also the prime suspect in a murder that's left the village in a stir. The locals are wary and suspicious of her, and even Lord James Fitzroy is turning a cold shoulder, in spite of his feelings for Caitlyn.
Desperate to clear her mother's name, Caitlyn plunges deeper into the sticky tangle of magic and intrigue. She knows Tara is a powerful witch with a ruthless, audacious streak—but is her mother really the bad egg in this recipe, or is there another culprit lurking in the shadows?
Meanwhile, the villagers are being spooked by superstitions and fearmongering, courtesy of Leandra, a woman with mysterious motives of her own. Plus, the hunt is still on for the Widow Mags's missing grimoire—a powerful "book of spells" that many would kill for. And what about Nibs, Caitlyn's mischievous kitten, who seems to have vanished without a trace?
Luckily, she still has her vampire uncle Viktor by her side (when he isn't busy searching for his missing fangs), not to mention her sassy cousin Pomona and her own budding magic powers. With Samhain Eve fast approaching, can Caitlyn conjure answers from this murky concoction of family secrets and dark magic to solve the mystery and bring peace to Tillyhenge at last? Or will this witch's brew of trouble bubble over?

Don't miss the thrilling conclusion to this beloved series—an enchanting whodunit brimming with whimsical characters and magical mayhem. It's a wickedly delicious read that's sure to cast a spell on you!

This book follows British English spelling and usage.
Clean no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.
contemporary fantasy, paranormal fantasy, paranormal cozy mysteries, witch cozy mystery, culinary cozy mysteries, cat cozy mystery series, British mystery

BEWITCHED BY CHOCOLATE Mysteries :Dark, Witch & Creamy (Book 1)Witch, Chocolate Fudge (Book 2)Witch Summer Night's Cream (Book 3)Blood, Sweets and Tears (Book 4)Bonbons and Broomsticks (Book 5)Double, Double, Toil and Truffle (Book 6)Salted Caramel Sorcery (Book 7)A Witch Worth Praline For (Book 8)A Fondant Enchantments & Endings (Book 9)

Genres: Fantasy, Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Paranormal, Magic

443 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 7, 2024

About the author

USA Today bestselling author H.Y. Hanna has written over 30 mystery novels, many of which have been translated into several languages. Her mysteries blend humour and clever plotting with vivid settings, featuring quirky characters - and cats with big personalities! After spending years trying to fit in and do a “real” job, Hsin-Yi finally returned to her first love: writing.

Throughout her life, she has called many places home—from Taiwan to Oxford, Dubai to New Zealand. She’s finally unpacked for good in Perth, Western Australia, where she spends most days fighting with her rescue cat Muesli for the use of her office chair.

You can learn more about her and her books at: www.hyhanna.com

And don’t forget to join her newsletter to get updates on new releases, exclusive giveaways and other book news—as well as a free novella and short story! Go to: www.hyhanna.com/newsletter

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord James Fitzroy's manor in the quaint village of Tillyhenge, was in preparation for Samhain Eve, when the veil between two worlds was the thinnest. The villagers and their scepticism about all things magic meant Caitlyn Le Fey - who was still searching for her mother - the Widow Mags (Caitlin's grandmother and owner of Bewitched by Chocolate), Bertha (her aunt) and all others with magical abilities, spent time arguing points of view with them. And when James' sister Vanessa was involved in an accident and ended in hospital, the police were looking at her as the one responsible for a death in the manor. But was it Vanessa in the hospital? And when finally Caitlin met her mother, it was to discover she was under arrest...

As it came closer to Samhain Eve, Caitlin couldn't find her kitten, Nibs. The person she was sure had taken him, wouldn't admit to it, but Bran, the slobbery, affectionate dog, surely knew where he was. And with Ferdinand, the gentle bull, on the loose, and the search still on for the Widow Mags' missing grimoire - a powerful book of spells - plus Caitlin's uncle Viktor up to mischief again, Caitlin and her cousin, Pomona, had their hands full. Would they end up having a successful Samhain Eve, and would the culprit of the death in the library be found?

A Fondant Farewell is the 9th and final episode in the Bewitched by Chocolate series by Aussie author H.Y. Hanna and it was lots of fun. Viktor is enchanting; an ancient old vampire with a heart of gold who sticks (mostly) by Caitlin's side. There was plenty of magic, lots of chocolate, and a whole lot more in this series, which I have no hesitation in recommending. If you haven't read the earlier books, I'd suggest starting at the beginning :)

With thanks to the author for my digital ARC to read and review.

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final book in the series and it has an inspired title!

Caitlyn Le Fey is in a sorry state. Her mother has appeared at last but is not the person Caitlyn would have liked her to be. Widow Mags' grimoire has disappeared. The whole village is in a turmoil over superstitious nonsense. Nibs is still missing, and Lord James is behaving very badly indeed. Surely things could not get any worse?

The author does a good job of rounding off events and closing any open threads. I was most excited to find Nibs but everything else was solved nicely as well. I have enjoyed all my visits to Tillyhenge and the chocolate shop over all nine books and am sorry to see them go. Thankyou Ms. Hanna for the whole series.

[Linniegayl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the last entry in the paranormal mystery series featuring a young American witch who finds her real family in a tiny English village. While the ending of this book was very sweet, resolving a lot of lingering plot points, overall this dragged for me. According to the author, book #8 and this one (#9) were supposed to be a single book. However, she had too much to say so split it into two books. For me, that was a mistake. I found there were huge information dumps at the beginning of this entry, repeating a lot of what happened in the previous book. There were also many sections that felt padded, listing all of the food being served, the decorations for an event, etc. Finally, I thought our main character Caitlyn, acted incredibly stupid throughout much of the book.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Der Abschluss und zugleich der für mich entttäuschendste Band der Reihe. Wobei das mit drei Sternen kein schlechtes Buch ist, aber mit den anderen kann es leider nicht mithalten. 🙈

Am meisten hinter den Erwartungen zurück geblieben ist leider das Ende, und damit meine letzte Erinnerung an die Reihe. Zwar wie immer schön geschrieben, jedoch schnell abgehakt und übertrieben kitschig. Das kann die Autorin besser, was sie mit jedem Vorgängerband bewiesen hat. Mir hat sich der Eindruck aufgedrängt, dass sie mit der Story schnell fertig werden wollte.

Empfehlen möchte ich die gesamte Reihe wegen ihrer ausgewogenen Mystery- und Fantasymischung trotzdem. Dazu kommt das Kleinstadtsetting in England, das found family Gefühl, die unverwechselbaren, besonderen Figuren und der humor- und gefühlvolle Schreibstil. Leider gibt es die Bände bisher nur auf englisch, sie sind leicht lesbar wenn man wenigstens eine solide Basis hat.

Fazit:
Ein Abschlussband, der leider hinter den vorherigen Bänden zurück bleibt.

[Lindsey DeLost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally adorable closure on a very sweet(pun intended) series! Absolutely loved the conclusion and worth the wait! Definitely a series to re-read but Hanna does a great job with all the callbacks if it’s been a while. Not an ending to miss, just make sure you have tissues handy! Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.

A Fondant Farewell is the last book in this series and it was such a wonderful ending to this series. I have to admit I kinda expected it become more epic in scope somehow, as I haven't read many cozy mystery series enders, but I actually ended up appreciating how consistent it stayed in tone to previous books. I liked spending time with all the characters once more and seeing them all interact together. The ending itself was really well done and hit the right emotional notes and ended things on a positive note.

This book is a continuation of book 8 and the two books really read like one large book more than 2 separate books. After the big reveal at the end of book 8 I was a bit peeved it took a while before the story actually revealed what happened and even longer for more information and interaction. This book continues the murder investigation from book 8. The actual murder mystery in this one wasn't the strongest in my opinion, but I felt all the other elements more than made up for that.

I liked following Caitlin as she dealt with everything going on in this book, Hosey Houdini is still on the lose, she's finally meeting her mother, the murder investigation is still going on, she and James had an argument and the Samhain celebration is coming up. There's a lot going on, but I felt the threads wove together quite well and it made for an engaging story. I enjoyed seeing Caitlin finally get some answers about her mother and father as well as what happened between her grandmother and mother all those years ago. The Samhain festival was also fun to read about and that made for exciting scene toward the end seeing this festival take place.

The ending wraps things up quite well, bringing everything to a satisfying conclusion and leaving the characters in a good place. The Dumb dinner was interesting and I especially liked those last few bits that wrapped things up for Caitlin in such a satisfying manner.

To summarize: This book is such a satisfying ending to a series. I haven't read many cozy mystery series enders so wasn't quite sure what to expected and for some reason thought the tone would be more epic, but it has the same cozy vibe as previous books. I liked the way the story threads all played out and got wrapped up. It was fun to spend some more time with these characters and get some more answers. The ending wrapped things up really well for Caitlin and I really liked the ending, it hit all the right emotional notes and ended things on a positive note. All in all this was a great series and while I am sad to see it end I really enjoyed the ending.

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was slightly disappointed with the last book A Witch Worth Praline For (Book 8), especially as it was a two parter but this book certainly made up for it. All the unanswered questions have been nicely tied up, firstly the death from the last book but mostly all the questions surrounding Caitlyn and her abandonment as a baby. A great conclusion, I would recommend you read the other books in the series before you read the last two books because there are the final instalment. To be honest once you have read one you will want to read them all, well I did, it's as if the author had cast her own spell on you so you have to read them. The magic was a lot more open in this book but that actually worked for the Samhain Festival and lead to some interesting and funny situations. You have got to love Hosey Houdini, Bran and Viktor just to make a few. The characters are so easy to picture and love and I am sad this is the last book in the series but as they are on audible I can always revisit the great characters anytime I want. It is a magical series that was a lot of fun to read. I can't wait to see what series this author will dream up next.
Caitlyn never dreamed the first time she would meet her mother it would be in a hospital bed with her under arrest. Can the police finally wrap up the murder in the manor? Caitlyn doesn't think so. Should she help her mother escape custody? so she can clear her name. The only way to do that is by finding the missing grimoire but will finding it give Caitlyn the answers she has been searching for? Or an even bigger problem? The Samhain Festival is still going on at the manor despite the recent death and feeling of unrest and mistrust are rampant from the villages and the manors staff, is now the best time to be celebrating all things witchy?
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Nicole DeMario · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book—the last in the series—opens with an impasse: Jame’s sister, his real sister, is in London, safely tucked away in her apartment. The person posing as his sister—through the use of a highly effective glamour—is Tara, Caitlyn’s mother; she is in hospital with a slight concussion. She cannot leave. She asks her daughter to help, but Caitlyn is uncertain what the correct course forward is. Can her mother be trusted?

Without any real evidence, James believes Tara guilty. The events at the Mabon Ball do not help. She is thought guilty of Daniel Tremaine’s murder and that of Percy Wynn.

With Inspector Walsh’s benevolence, Caitlyn is able to meet with her mother and speak to her. Why did her mother leave her? Is her father who she thinks it is? Where has she been all this time? Their conversation answers many of her questions.

Her seventeen-year-old mother did what she could to protect her. She may not have been ready for a baby, but she protected her, nonetheless. She gave up her life in that world and joined another: an in-between world where time did not move. The Cloistered Crones provided her with the sanctuary she sought.

Her father had wanted her also. Unfortunately, The Secret Society he was a part of deemed his life unnecessary to their mission when he deviated from it. His idealized vision of cooperation was not one they endorsed. He was killed for it.

Tara did ensure Barbara Le Fey’s chauffeur deviated from his route so that newborn Caitlyn could be found and adopted, taking her out of the country for her safekeeping.

Caitlyn’s return to England was the catalyst for Tara’s safe return also.

Viktor and Caitlyn help Tara escape. In the confusion that follows, they lose track of her. Their focus includes so many things. What to handle first?

Samhain’s Festival is a success: Hosey Houdini is found, little Nibs located, Leandra Lockwood’s real motives for being there made known, Vera Bottom stopped, Ferdinand calmed down, the bonfire contained, Viktor saved, and Percy Wynn’s death ruled the accident it was.

The Widow Mags, Bertha, Tara, and Caitlyn work together to save the night. Fortunately, those coming a distance believe the events staged, while the locals know it isn’t. Because of their witches, all are safe. It’s time to put their superstitions aside.

Later, at night’s end, the Widow Mag’s and her family host a “Dumb Supper” at her Bewitched by Chocolate Shop. So many of the locals attend. This is a time of coming-together. The kitchen is expanded to accommodate all those who are present. The same is done with the table where their repast will be shared. Roasted parsnip soup with thyme and sour cream. Wild mushroom tarts. Slow-cooked venison pie with red wine gravy and dark chocolate sponge cake filled with blackberry compote decorated with chestnut buttercream frosting are just some of the offerings available to all those who are there.

The meal is undertaken in silence, allowing Caitlyn to see her ghostly father take the empty seat set aside for him at table’s end. No other practices are necessary: no walking backwards from the moment preparation begins, no meal served in reverse, no cutlery placed in opposite positions, no having to leave the dining area in the order persons first entered.

Pomona decides to keep Hosey as her familiar. She does have magick after all. Who knew if you simply believed enough, anything was possible? James offers Tara the use of his barn; Evie and Vanessa become friends; Chris and Evie seem promising; and James finds a quiet moment outside to share his long-term interest in Caitlyn. It was foretold, after all.

This book sufficiently ties up all loose ends.
I loved this book. It is my favorite of all those in this series. It demonstrates that we can find positive ways forward. Persons can evolve. Superstitions can be transcended.

It is well worth a read.

I received an advance copy of this book.

[Maria E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This whole series (9 volumes) contains a funny, sometimes silly, background story of the lives of people in a small village with a family of witches with hearts of gold, but feared by the other residents of the viIlage. Each book contains a mystery that is solved and neatly tied up at the end of each story, but there's also a continuing mystery from book to book about our heroine's background which wasn't resolved until the very end. We have now reached the end of the series and the conclusion of Caitlin's background story. I'm kind of sad it ended. The author is also writing two other great series which take place in and around Oxford, but I have to say that I absolutely love this series the most. I am completely in love with our clumsy bat shifter Uncle Viktor, who scares people when he's in his bat form, but is really a harmless old creature. I hope there is some way the author can bring him back in a future story. I loved this series!

[Debi Paglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a beautiful ending to a wonderful magical series. I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of the nine books. This book was so detailed. Ms. Hanna has a talent for descriptive writing. I found myself walking the Cotswold countryside around Tillyhenge and visiting Widow Mags in her chocolate shop. The storylines were easy to follow and came together beautifully at the end. But the best part was the people. Ms. Hanna delved into personalities so well that they came to life. I hope everyone reads this lovely series. They will love it too.

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb ending to an excellent series! I loved every page, every word of this series. The characters are awesome, the setting is beautiful and this final installment tied up all the loose ends and gave us a few wonderful surprises. I'm sorry to see the story end but it was an awesome ride.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars:)

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of a series is always sad for fans.
Unhappy is probably too mild a word for how Caitlyn Le Fey feels as she leaves the hospital where she has had her first look at her mother, Tara, in the bed where everyone supposed Vanessa Fitzroy, younger sister of Lord Fitzroy, had been. Caitlyn’s relationship with James had not been reconciled during the hospital visit. And returning to Tillyhenge, she is accosted by Vera Bottom, leading anti-witch citizen, and finds graffiti on her grandmother’s store. As if Caitlyn hasn’t been through enough, when she arrives at Huntingdon Manor to help with preparations for the Samhain Festival, she finds that Leandra Lockwood, academic expert on magic, has been fermenting fear and agitation about the planned activities. Never mind that Caitlyn’s kitten is still missing as is Widow Mags’ grimoire and Percy Wynn’s killer is still on the loose.
Hanna mixes in humor even as she stokes the tension and deftly weaves in clues to solve the mysteries.
However, the best feature of the series (and this book is no exception) is the characters. They come off the page as people you might know, and the actions in the story are grounded in the character.

Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Debbie Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed time with Caitlin Le Fey since she seemingly stumbled into Tillyhenge and the Widow Mags' chocolate shop on her journey to find her birth family. Along the way, I met so many characters that I loved and others that I didn't, but they were all part of the fabric of Caitlyn's search. It is said that tapestry weaving requires skilled craftmanship, and that is exactly what H. Y. Hanna demonstrated throughout this series, as she pulled together the threads of Caitlyn's past, present, and future to present readers with a masterpiece of a powerful yet enjoyable story of family, magic, mystery, and love. I will miss spending time in Tillyhenge and not so secretly hope that these lovable characters will return one day for more adventures.

Throughout this book and the entire series, the gifted Pearl Hewitt Audiobook Narrator brought each of the characters to life.

[Candi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family found

I'm sorry that this is the final book in this entertaining series. I've enjoyed reading every one of the books in Bewitched by Chocolate. It's a nice story about seeking, finding, accepting, love, kindness and also about how ignorance, fear and hatred effect everyone. Lots of good life lessons in each book which wrap up beautifully in many ways. Also each book has a murder mystery and bits of
romance. Light but captivated reading, good for ages 12 and up. But, I don't feel this story is really finished. There's more to the story of James and Caitlyn, their families, friends and enemies. I hope we get a spin off series to these books. I highly recommend all 9 books in this series. Happy reading!

[Cthulhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable closing to the series. I do wish we could have gotten a bit more of a glimpse into life after Samhain for Caitlyn and James, as well as how things played out now that Tara is back. I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery surrounding the mysterious death and did not expect that particular scenario. I appreciate how much thought was put into it, it really kept me guessing until the big reveal. I will miss the time spent in Tillyhenge, but look forward to reading whatever H.Y. Hanna releases next.

Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Patricia Kiyono · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the final book in the series, so I was eager to listen and find out whether all the little story lines were completed. I was happy to discover a very satisfying ending to all the various threads. Both murders that happened in books 7 and 8 are solved, Nibs the cat returns and they figure out why he isn’t growing, and more of the villagers are accepting of Caitlyn’s family, even though more of them now know about their magical powers. I suppose it would have been nice to see a wedding at the end, but it’s just alluded to. This author has written several cozy mystery series, so I’ll probably check some of them out in the future.

[Caryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was indeed a fond farewell to a charming series, in both senses of the word charming! The first book in the series set several challenges, which have been developing with each succeeding story. The main challenges being Caitlyn's search for her mother and her longing for a restored sense of family, the tension between magic and superstition in the village of Tillyhenge, and her growing romance with James. All of these plotlines and more are resolved in this final book, with drama, a few hijinks and some humor. I recommend reading the entire series to fully appreciate this final book

[Lilmissmolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fondant Farewell is an enchanting and fitting conclusion to the Bewitched by Chocolate series by H.Y. Hanna. The series revolves around Caitlyn Le Fey who lives in an attic room in her grandmothers chocolate shop in the Cotswolds village of Tillyhenge.

Throughout the series, Caitlin, who was adopted, is searching for answers about her birth mother and father as well as what happened between her grandmother and mother when she was an infant. It was nice to see her finally get closure. This book includes some fun and frivolity surrounding the Samhain festival.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story narrated by the impeccable Pearl Hewitt. She narrates with such enthusiasm that it’s impossible not to become totally engrossed in the story. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys lighthearted cozy mysteries with a bit of magic. You should start at the beginning of the series to ensure you know the characters and what is going on throughout.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet perfect ending to a delicious cozy mystery series. It has been mouthwatering reading this clever mystery series by H Y Hanna. Following a young woman searching for her birth mother, meeting her grandmother, aunt and cousin who all have powers of the occult. A fun colorful sidekick of a cousin and a handsome debonair Lord of the Manor, with whom she falls in love. This series has kept me coming back for more and happy with the ending.

[Cheri Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous, worthy ending to a phenomenal series!

Many tears were shed while reading this final book to the series! Not just because of the many fantastic scenes, but for the fact it's the last book in the series. I definitely got attached to all the wonderful, funny, and fantastic characters. Especially Nibs, the kitten. I'm going to miss this series immensely!!! I hope the other 2 that I read along with this one will continue. So, it was a phenomenal series!!!!!

[Katja Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delicious read. I loved this series & the final did not disappoint.
Mystery, intrigue, family drama & a touch of romance sprinkled with the most delicious descriptions of the Widow Mags' chocolate creations.
I must admit I am going to miss catching up on the latest exploits of "Uncle Viktor", Nibs the kitten & Bran the Mastiff.
Another quick & delightful read from HY Hanna.

DISCLOSURE: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Cécile Soler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've followed Caitlyn's adventures since their beginning and I always eagerly wait for the return of my favorite characters and settings. In this last book, I was enthused with the plots around Caitlyn's birth mother, as well as the so colourfully described atmosphere of the Samhain's festival. It was the highlight of this volume and the folklore was festive and genuine. Once again, the characters and situation were the right mix of drama and humour. I will miss them.
A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful ending to a great series. I am sad to see the characters go but I can imagine them living on in their village. The ending had some surprises I wasn't expecting and I loved that many of characters ended as I had predicted in my head. Hanna writes and gives the reader a complete picture of the character and events in the her books. I have read all her series and they do not disappoint. If you are a chocolate lover this series is for you.

[Vicky Coughlan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was book 9 and final one in the series. I lived all the antics going on but felt a bit let down that Caitlyn after all this time still hardly knew anything about magic and witches. Was she that dum? Her cousin Pomona knew more than she did and she was no witch. Still, all in all a pleasant read even if a bit of a let down and I recommend this series to those who like to read about witches and magic all in a very light tone.

[Carol Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate to see this series end. I really love the characters including Nibs the cat and Viktor. I am glad to see that Caitlyn is able to draw some things to a conclusion and we are able to see her meet up with her mom. Even Caitlyn is not sure what to really think of her and she has other things she has to deal with including a missing book and a murder. Keeps you reading.

[Pamela Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series so much! With the combination of chocolate, mystery, fun witches, and a rascally cat and dog, the BEWITCHED BY CHOCOLATE MYSTERIES is so much fun. The only problem is this is the last book in the series and I'm going to miss Caitlyn, Nibs and gang ! I can only hope that the characters will visit H.Y. Hanna's other series of books!

[Emily Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit drawn out as the conclusion to this series, all the plot points were coming together in this final book and so it felt like a lot was happening, but not a lot that was big and exciting. It was nice to see these plot points finally come together, but I feel like I'd have liked something else to happen.

[Jacqueline K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming ending to the series. I think the author got tired or was told to wrap it up as she leaves a handful of story lines dangling and left me with lots of unanswered questions (“What about …?”). Still, the series is not about the deep stuff, so enjoy the story and characters and get ready for a new series.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars adjusted to 3 Goodreads stars Overall, I enjoyed the series, but honestly, I am glad the series is over. It consisted of 9 books written over about 10 years, but the entire series is about a year from start to finish. This book is like a soap opera with an unbelievable amount of murders happening in one small town. This last book, also took me a ridiculously long time to finish.