Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Did that guinea pig just talk?

When Zoe Magnolia’s secret cupcake spell book is stolen, she knows there’s only one witch in town capable of the theft—Regina Hatterson. Zoe confronts her on Main Street in front of everyone in the small town of Destiny Cove. Of course, Regina denies it, so when she’d found dead in Zoe’s bakery the next morning, Zoe becomes the prime suspect.

Zoe’s one cupcake short of an alibi, and even her best friend, Sheriff Joe Newbury, doesn’t think she’s innocent. But Zoe’s not the only one in town who wanted Regina—a charlatan psychic—silenced for good. To clear her name, Zoe’s going to need all the help she can get.

With her guinea pig familiar, Ginger, and her neurotic mom on her side, she’s prepared to cast any spell necessary to catch the real murderer. She’s desperate to get her Cookbook of Shadows back, but will her quest lead her right into a killer’s snare?
The Witching Hour is the first book in the Wicked Witches of Destiny Cove cozy mystery series.

129 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 31, 2018

267 people are currently reading
156 people want to read

About the author

Sara Bourgeois

237 books344 followers
Sara Bourgeois is a Midwesterner through and through. She spends her time writing, reading, herding cats, and standing in her driveway during tornado warnings. (You can't see them from the basement.)

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
147 (49%)
4 stars
87 (29%)
3 stars
55 (18%)
2 stars
5 (1%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
388 reviews16 followers
dnf
May 6, 2019
I do read cozy witch mysteries and do stick with some series that are quite silly. That said, this author is not for me. Won’t rain on others’ parade (who like it) but do want to track for myself. Chose not to rate.
Profile Image for Emily Pennington.
20.8k reviews363 followers
October 31, 2018
Zoe Magnolia, a Kitchen Witch, had a brand new magic recipe to try from her ‘Cookbook of Shadows’ and was excited about getting to the bakery to test it out! Being an enchanted cookbook, it would reveal a couple of secrets every now and then that always inspired her! Meditative Mint Chocolate Supreme was the new cupcake she would be whipping up today! But when she got to her Sweet Magic Bakery, she found a broken window and the door slightly open! She needed to call her best friend, Sheriff Joe Newbury. She walked around the building and saw no other damage. But once inside, she realized her secret recipe cookbook had been stolen!

Joe asked about suspects and Zoe immediately pointed at Regina Hatterson who was watching them closely from her shop window across the street. Zoe even saw a mocking smile on Regina’s face! She was a fake psychic who cheated the tourists and gullible residents. Regina had tried to force her to sell the cookbook many times and Zoe was sure she had stolen it. Zoe banged on the door and accused Regina of stealing the cookbook. Unfortunately, as the morning shoppers gathered for their coffee and goodies, right in front of them she loudly threatened to harm Regina if she did not return her property.

When she opened the bakery the next day, she smelled something bad and worried that the power was off and the refrigerated food had spoiled. As she headed toward the kitchen she saw a pile of clothes on the floor, then realized it was Regina! Her body was cold and there was no pulse, so Zoe called Joe again.

Sadly, Joe does not believe Zoe is innocent this time after she had threatened Regina. Even her mom asked if she had done it! When they were allowed back to clean the bakery, Ginger, Zoe’s guinea pig familiar, walked across the counter, throwing Zoe’s mom into a fit about rodent germs and diseases. Ginger was amused and wiggled her legs in the air to keep Zoe’s mom screaming. But if Zoe can’t find the real murderer, her business will suffer and she’ll be locked away in jail! Can Zoe and Ginger find the culprit? With so many people disliking the fake psychic, this might be more difficult than they could imagine!

This is an adorable cozy mystery with the great cast of characters. I am so glad there will be more such books in this series. The story line was good and moved at a quick pace. The characters, as mentioned, were wonderfully depicted and kept that touch of humor interspersed to keep the reader upbeat. Don’t miss this one! There is so much going on and it will be fun to join Zoe and Ginger as they look for the bad guy!
Profile Image for Seraphia Bunny.
2,116 reviews34 followers
November 26, 2018
Meet Zoe. She’s a witch living in Destiny Cove and she makes cupcakes infused with a bit of magic. She has a thriving business, and a thriving problem with one of the local shop owners as well. Regina, the problem local shop owner, is more than a small thorn in Zoe’s side. Regina wants Zoe’s book of spells. When Zoe won’t sell it to her, Regina takes things into her own hands, but when Regina ends up dead in Zoe’s shop…well…things look bad for Zoe.
The Witching Hour by Sara Bourgeois is the first book in her Wicked Witches of Destiny Cove series. The story is engaging from beginning to end. Zoe is in an interesting character and one I enjoyed reading about. She’s a witch, a baker, a daughter to a mother who is beyond meticulous about cleaning, and an adorable fuzzy familiar. I love how the characters come together and help this story flow along. There is drama from the beginning and while it does ease up, it never completely goes away.
I enjoyed reading this book but I honestly felt like I was missing a book. I wanted the author to give me more background on the characters before just diving into the storyline. I wanted to know about what brought Zoe to Destiny Cove or if she was always a resident of the town.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The mystery element is well done and there is a touch of romance as well. The author does leave the reader with some questions regarding certain interactions between particular characters, but I’m hopeful that some will be answered in the next book. If you enjoy stories by this author or just enjoy reading paranormal mysteries then this is a good choice for you. I am rating this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Profile Image for Sue.
596 reviews19 followers
October 30, 2018
Zoe is not having a good week. First she shows up to her cupcake shop to find out that her secret cupcake spell book is missing, then the person (Regina) she accuses of stealing it is found dead in her shop, and if that wasn’t bad enough her best friend (and local sheriff) Joe accuses her of murder. It is up to Zoe and her guinea pig familiar, Ginger, to try and find the real murderer before Joe locks her up and throws away the key.

This book is filled with a kooky cast of characters including Zoe’s neurotic mom who has a cleaning fetish and is a bit of a hypochondriac, Esmeralda a psychic that has her own garden of poisonous plants, and of course Joe the sheriff who wants nothing to do with magic. All of this is a great mix for a humorous paranormal mystery that will keep you laughing and spellbound.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Toni.
2,390 reviews24 followers
November 10, 2018
Zoe is a kitchen witch and has a kitchen spell book of recipes. One morning she gets to work to find the door window broken. She goes in and discovers that her recipe spell book is gone. She calls her friend Joe, the sheriff. He comes over and asks her if she might know could have taken it. She spots the fortune teller across the way and tells Joe it has to be her. She goes over and knocks on the door and accuses the woman and actually threatens her. Unfortunately the next morning when she goes to work she finds the fortune teller's body in her kitchen, dead. When she calls Joe he treats her and acts as if she did the deed. What;s a witch to do and how can she prove her innocence and what will this do with her friendship with Joe!!??
It;s a cute story to read and will keep you into the story trying to figure who did it!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
6,036 reviews45 followers
October 30, 2018
Zoe is a kitchen with with mad baking skills. In her bakery, she sells mostly sweets, and is helped out by her mother, who has great magical cleaning skills.

The town they share is filled with a number of witches, sort of an open secret.

Her best friend Joe is the sheriff, and he is suspicious of the use of magic.

A phony psychic with whom Zoe had a loud public argument is found dead in the morning at the bakery.

Joe is not the only one who suspects Zoe killed the phony, but his suspicions are pretty painful for her.

Her mother is quite amusing, saying if she did kill the phony she will help her out.

In a town full of suspects who had been cheated by the dead phony, bad dark entities and crazy folk seem as populous as fun.

A great cozy read!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Krystyna.
5,134 reviews55 followers
October 31, 2018
Unreasonable behaviour

A good plot that just seemed to simmer but never got to boiling point. It just seemed to plod along. The sleuthing could have been better and apart from Ginger I can't say that I personally liked any of them.
When she finds her bakery broken into, she surprised to see nothing taken until she learns that her magic cookbook is gone. A frantic search shows nothing. Calling her best friend (and secret love) to report the break-in she sees her nemesis peering out at her through the curtains. An ugly showdown occurs and next morning when she finds her dead body in the bakery her name is first in the frame. Can she find the cookbook? Will they find the killer and are the two the same person? Ghosts, a fake will and a portal are all mixed in a plot that just fizzled.
Profile Image for Michelle Randall.
715 reviews21 followers
April 22, 2019
Since I have the Kindle Unlimited plan, I have been browsing Kindle books and just reading a little bit of everything. This came up as something I might like and so I gave it a chance.

The author has this series of four books, and another series, Wicked Witches of Coventry and I decided to give them a try.

They kinda fall in that cozy mystery genre, as the main character has a bakery and helps solve a crime, yet at the same time there is a little bit of elementary witching in the books as well.

It was a cute short story. Zoe is a kitchen itch, so her bakery is amazing. He best friend is Joe, the sheriff, but he is leary of the whole witchcraft thing, and then Zoe's mom is a cleaning witch and she helps out at the bakery as well.

It started the series off with promise.
Profile Image for Lara Giesbers.
Author 4 books15 followers
October 14, 2023
"That's a really bad idea, Zoe. I'm in." - Sara Bourgeois

This was a really cute read for all my friends who love cozy stories, and want to get into the autumn season with a fun little mystery. It has everything you need for the season: witches, familiars, murder, ghosts, romance, and cupcakes!

Zoe's a kitchen witch who runs a cupcake bakery. She lives by a strict code of ethics with her magic, and one day her rival is found dead in her cupcake shop! The local sheriff is suspicious, and Zoe must clear her name if she's ever to bake cupcakes for her customers again. Will she succeed?

This story was fun, and the perfect little read for a sitting with a cup of coffee. Come and see; there's magic in the kitchen!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Janet Smith.
Author 35 books3 followers
October 31, 2018
***Spoilers***
First Zoe's Cookbook of Shadows, her cookbook with the magical recipes for the treats she bakes in her bakery, is stolen. Then the charlatan "gypsy psychic", Regina Hatterson, is found dead, murdered in Zoe's bakery. Worse yet, Zoe had threatened Regina. Add that into the feelings that Zoe has for policeman Joe and her mom's hypochondria, some people would be overwhelmed. But Zoe goes on a mission to find Regina's killer and clear her name. I love cozy mysteries, and have read many. Witching Hour is a great addition to the cozy mystery genre of books. I can't wait until book two, "Mummy Knows Best" comes out on November 30th!
Profile Image for Texas.
1,685 reviews394 followers
October 31, 2018
The Witching Hour - This is my first book by this author and I thought it was OK. There was too much emphasis on her mother's cleaning and her cleaning supplies. Ginger the guinea pig familiar is adorable; I really like her personality.

It took a while but this quickly read, simple story did get interesting and most of the characters are likable. Not a bad mystery, worth reading when wanting a quick story with humor and good magic. This is a good introduction to the series and I did like the fact the witch used her powers instead of "the too common denying who she is theme".

I found this book on Booksprout.co. 4*
Profile Image for Lynn.
359 reviews3 followers
November 19, 2018
The Witching Hour is the 1st Sara Bourgeois cook that I've read. It was quick and fast passed. It takes place in a town that not everyone knows has witches among them. Tha main Character Zoe owns a bakery and fing
Do the body of her archish rival in it. Eva's mother is a clean freak with a touch of hypochondria throw in for good measure. I found it to be a great read and am wondering if she is going to get the heart of the man she loves and stay out of trouble.
I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a good clean and exciting book.
Keep up the good work Sara. Looking forward to your next achievement.
Cheers
Lynn
.
Profile Image for Mike Lewis.
1,761 reviews8 followers
August 31, 2021
Entertaining supernatural cozy mystery series

This is an entertaining supernatural cozy mystery series. A great cast of characters with an entertaining storyline. Young woman who owns a bakery in a small town and also happens to be a witch. Sells cupcakes and other delicacies with a little bit of magic in them if you help people feel better feel energized etc. Her best friend is a local sheriff and happens to be human it is a bit leery of those with witchcraft. Read on and find out how she helps her friend solve the mystery that is going on in this book. It is very entertaining and a good story and a fun read. Check it out
Profile Image for Donna Flint.
225 reviews3 followers
October 30, 2018
Sweet Cozy Mystery - Zoe's cupcake shop has been broken into and her secret cupcake spell book has come up missing. She thinks she knows who did it. Then the person she thinks did it comes up dead...in Zoe's shop and Zoe is accused of the murder. Not even her best friend, Joe the Sheriff thinks she's innocent. Zoe and Ginger, her guinea pig familiar set out to find out who really did it.
This was a fun cozy paranormal mystery. The secondary characters were quirky and hilarious and I hope there are going to be more books in the series.
Profile Image for Myra Ball.
649 reviews
January 22, 2019
Not very good

This the second series I've tried reading of Sara Bourgeois and I'm just not crazy about her books. So many things don't make sense. The characters are not likeable. I don't like Joe or Willow. No light hearted moments. Joe's attitude about believing Zoe could kill. If the man I cared for believed that of me for even a minute then that's a deal breaker. If my mother was like Willow, I would get her mental help, seriously. Parents don't ignore their kids to obsess over mold spores.
Profile Image for Victorea Meadow.
Author 4 books4 followers
March 26, 2024
This isn't a bad read. I did enjoy the story, but I was left with some unanswered questions.
In either Chapter 3 or 4, after Regina's body is found in the bakery, Ginger the Guinea Pig appears in the bakery for the clean up. Like, where was the familiar for the first few chapters? Why was the guinea pig mentioned after the murder and not before? It felt like the addition of the guinea pig familiar was an afterthought. A few lines could have helped to clear it.
I've marked for spoilers due to mention of when the guinea pig appears.
Overall rating is a 3.5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
609 reviews1 follower
November 1, 2018
Zoe and Joe were BFF's dancing around the possibility of becoming more when Zoe's nemesis was found dead in her bakery. Joe being the sheriff had to give the case his due diligence and investigate Zoe. I'm hoping we find out why Joe is so leery of magic in a future book. Ginger and her antics were absolutely hilarious and made her a great familiar. Zoe's mother was a riot with her neurotic hypochondria.

'I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily reviewed it.'
16.8k reviews158 followers
November 4, 2018
Her spell cookbook is missing and she goes after the suspect in front of everyone but she ends up read in her place. No-one believes she is innocent not even her friends. Now she needs to solve the case before she ends up behind bars for good. Will she be able to?.See if she can

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Mom2three.
2,030 reviews16 followers
November 15, 2018
I love the quirky cast of characters in this one. There were many times I found myself laughing at some of their antics. The mystery is well-written, with just enough twists and turns to keep you interested. That mix of humor and suspense kept me glued to my kindle from beginning to end, and I'm sure it will do the same for other lovers of this genre.
Profile Image for Jana Gundy.
1,919 reviews17 followers
November 13, 2020
It was a fun new read

Zoe bakes cupcakes, that’s her witchy affinity and she’s darn good at it. Her nemesis ends up murdered in her shop and now she’s the main suspect. Zoe will do whatever it takes to clear her name with the help of her guinea pig familiar, Ginger and some good old fashioned witchy abilities.
Profile Image for Barbara.
19.2k reviews8 followers
November 1, 2018
The start of a new series called Wicked Witches of Destiny Cove it is a story that kept me turning pages. There are danger, drama, suspense, murder and a mystery. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Sara Fitzgerald.
173 reviews4 followers
November 4, 2018
This book is fantastic. Fast paced, yet flowing and smooth. Well written Characters that are easy to follow and fall in love with. This story will have you giggling inplaces and wanting to tear your hair out in others.
Very well done.

1,372 reviews8 followers
November 5, 2018
I love love love this book. I love how this author writes her stories they are so engaging and funny that I could not or would not put the book down.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Amy.
941 reviews2 followers
December 11, 2018
Cute, cozy mystery

I enjoyed reading this! It was a cute cozy mystery with a little hint of a budding romance.
I really liked the characters. I wish her mom would come and clean my house!!
Profile Image for Christine.
10.8k reviews33 followers
January 26, 2019
arc review I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Zoe owns the sweet magic bakery in Destiny cove. when her cookbook ends up stolen and a murder. Sets her to find out who did it. Awesome and cute mystery story.
Profile Image for Tara.
84 reviews
March 27, 2019
Ni back bone, walked all over inconsistent character

I did not like the main character, had a feeling who the culprit was, not really all that much happening. Love interest not convincing.
Profile Image for Bee.
337 reviews
June 8, 2019
Another great story by Ms. Bourgeois. If you enjoy
reading mysteries with a good laugh, this is a great series to try!
There's been no foul language or "adult" situations so, if you prefer your books
to be smut free Ms. Bourgeois's books will be a nice change.
Profile Image for Susan Quinland.
67 reviews
August 11, 2019
Cute but a bit repetitive

Another bakery witch cozy, much like the others in the genre. Cute, had its moments, could have used another edit to get rid of repetitive scenes. I would have liked the familiar better if his manner of speaking was slightly less human sounding.
12.7k reviews189 followers
November 2, 2018
Oh my. Zoe’s recipe is stolen, what’s to be done. Just loved this delightful different book. Another great by a wonderful author.
Profile Image for Kim Loomer.
625 reviews9 followers
February 18, 2019
Cupcakes

This was a feel good mystery. Zoe is a good witch and after a murder she is determined to find the killer. I didn't figure it out until the end. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.