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A Bewitching Mystery #1
The Trouble With Magic
Antiques-shop clerk Maggie O'Neill was a little weirded out when she discovered her new boss Felicity was a witch. But when Felicity becomes the suspect in a local murder, Maggie must enlist Felicity's wiccan friends for help--and discover her own spellbinding talent.
261 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 2006
155 people are currently reading
7967 people want to read
About the author
Madelyn Alt
9 books836 followersFrom the Authors Website
Madelyn Alt is the national bestselling author of the witchy and hip Bewitching Mystery Series, published by Berkley Prime Crime. The Bewitching series features small town single girl and fledgling empath Maggie O'Neill, her witchy boss, and an unlikely circle of ghosthunting friends, the N.I.G.H.T.S., as they investigate an increasing level of paranormal disturbance--not to mention a series of unrelated murders--in Maggie's hometown of Stony Mill, Indiana. In other words, they are: "Mysteries... with Hex Appeal."
Madelyn writes from her home, an 1870's era Victorian in northeast Indiana, which she shares with an extraordinary number of persons of the male persuasion of assorted ages and sizes, two Siamese cats who rule the roost, and a Shepherd-Lab mix sweetheart who is only too happy to let them.
Madelyn Alt is the national bestselling author of the witchy and hip Bewitching Mystery Series, published by Berkley Prime Crime. The Bewitching series features small town single girl and fledgling empath Maggie O'Neill, her witchy boss, and an unlikely circle of ghosthunting friends, the N.I.G.H.T.S., as they investigate an increasing level of paranormal disturbance--not to mention a series of unrelated murders--in Maggie's hometown of Stony Mill, Indiana. In other words, they are: "Mysteries... with Hex Appeal."
Madelyn writes from her home, an 1870's era Victorian in northeast Indiana, which she shares with an extraordinary number of persons of the male persuasion of assorted ages and sizes, two Siamese cats who rule the roost, and a Shepherd-Lab mix sweetheart who is only too happy to let them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 561 reviews
August 16, 2010
I was looking for a fun page-turner to get me through a weekend when I wasn't feeling well. I usually enjoy stories with ghosts and magic, and a few random page reads made this one sound like fun. Wish it had been.
Maggie works for a witch (*gasp!*) who's being investigated for the death of her sister. Maggie immediately knows that her boss isn't the killer (because she has a good heart - not kidding) and sets out to find out who the real killer is, while trying to teach the rest of the town not to be prejudiced against the witch, but secretly having thoughts about how her boss will be going to hell for her beliefs.
I'm not sure who the intended audience on this one was. If you're pro-religious choice (and all of those "politically correct things that the liberal media pushes" - swear to dog, this was in there, though I don't have the book handy so I can't give the exact quote) you'll hate it. The preachy, hypocritical main character will hit every button for you. If you're a hard-boiled religious conservative, like most of the characters in the story, you'll hate it, because the main character gets super preachy about tolerance (though her inner monologue still condemns the witches to hell, so maybe you wouldn't really mind? Doubtful though - she's really really preachy on this).
The plot was slow, mainly in Maggie's head, and the killer was pretty obvious to everyone but Maggie. It's a shame, because the author can write awesome scary scenes, but overall, this became a writer's guide on what not to do.
Maggie works for a witch (*gasp!*) who's being investigated for the death of her sister. Maggie immediately knows that her boss isn't the killer (because she has a good heart - not kidding) and sets out to find out who the real killer is, while trying to teach the rest of the town not to be prejudiced against the witch, but secretly having thoughts about how her boss will be going to hell for her beliefs.
I'm not sure who the intended audience on this one was. If you're pro-religious choice (and all of those "politically correct things that the liberal media pushes" - swear to dog, this was in there, though I don't have the book handy so I can't give the exact quote) you'll hate it. The preachy, hypocritical main character will hit every button for you. If you're a hard-boiled religious conservative, like most of the characters in the story, you'll hate it, because the main character gets super preachy about tolerance (though her inner monologue still condemns the witches to hell, so maybe you wouldn't really mind? Doubtful though - she's really really preachy on this).
The plot was slow, mainly in Maggie's head, and the killer was pretty obvious to everyone but Maggie. It's a shame, because the author can write awesome scary scenes, but overall, this became a writer's guide on what not to do.
January 10, 2009
Book 1 in a Bewitching Mystery series.
Maggie O'Neill is going through a bit of a rut. She hates her job (collections) and she hates her boss (The Toad) and she is tired of her mother ragging on her and comparing her to her perfect little sister. While driving to work one day she sidetracks and takes the long way just to prolong her freedom from her icky job. She parks her VW and heads down to the shoppes on old River Street. As she is strolling along looking in the windows of antique shoppes and sighing the sky opens up and there is a downpour. Feeling like a drowned rat she quickly ducks into a doorway with an awning to try and stay dry. She leans back against the door of the shop to avoid as much rain as possible and suddenly the door gives and she finds herself sitting on her butt on a wood floor in a dark shop. And that is how she meets Felicity Dow - the owner of Enchantments: Antiques and Fine Gifts.
Needless to say this is a turning point for our heroine Maggie. Felicity - a practicing Wiccan - offers Maggie a job and after being fired for coming into work late - Maggie accepts. She's not sure what to think of Felicity's proclamation of being a witch - but she likes her and decides to trust her instincts.
On her first day working at the shop Felicity is called away by her sister and Maggie is on her own in the shop. Hours pass and Maggie begins to worry. When officer Tom Fielding shows up (and it sounds like he is the hotness - even if he is ice cold) with the keys and a warning about Felicity being questioned in the murder of her sister - Maggie must decide if her new friend and boss could be guilty of such a crime - and what can she do about it?
I thought this was pretty good for a Book 1 in a series. It did get a little preachy at times though. The Wiccans are good and the non-wiccans are closed minded sort of thing. Also I thought the denial Maggie was in for most of the book was kind of stupid. For example - She describes the meeting of her good friend Step as "our eyes met and I saw fireworks - in my head, at least." and then she crashed her bike into a tree and they had been friends ever since. She has an imaginary friend growing up who is an older British woman who told her lots of stories. And yet she is freaked out by a Wiccan and the idea of anything paranormal? Either she is in denial or she is so NOT introspective about herself. When Felicity asks her is she believs in ghosts she says she doesn't know. Really? You are almost 30 and you don't know if you believe in ghosts or not? Hu. OK. I'll play along.
I am hoping that most of what irritated me in this book was just the crap that is your standard mystery set up. It irritates me to be conscious of the set up - but still - I read the book in one day so it couldn't have bothered me too much. Oh - and I knew who did it about half way through the book. Here is hoping the next one can by-pass the setting up the characters stuff and be a little more focused on plot development.
(I know it doesn't sound like it but I did enjoy the book! :)
Maggie O'Neill is going through a bit of a rut. She hates her job (collections) and she hates her boss (The Toad) and she is tired of her mother ragging on her and comparing her to her perfect little sister. While driving to work one day she sidetracks and takes the long way just to prolong her freedom from her icky job. She parks her VW and heads down to the shoppes on old River Street. As she is strolling along looking in the windows of antique shoppes and sighing the sky opens up and there is a downpour. Feeling like a drowned rat she quickly ducks into a doorway with an awning to try and stay dry. She leans back against the door of the shop to avoid as much rain as possible and suddenly the door gives and she finds herself sitting on her butt on a wood floor in a dark shop. And that is how she meets Felicity Dow - the owner of Enchantments: Antiques and Fine Gifts.
Needless to say this is a turning point for our heroine Maggie. Felicity - a practicing Wiccan - offers Maggie a job and after being fired for coming into work late - Maggie accepts. She's not sure what to think of Felicity's proclamation of being a witch - but she likes her and decides to trust her instincts.
On her first day working at the shop Felicity is called away by her sister and Maggie is on her own in the shop. Hours pass and Maggie begins to worry. When officer Tom Fielding shows up (and it sounds like he is the hotness - even if he is ice cold) with the keys and a warning about Felicity being questioned in the murder of her sister - Maggie must decide if her new friend and boss could be guilty of such a crime - and what can she do about it?
I thought this was pretty good for a Book 1 in a series. It did get a little preachy at times though. The Wiccans are good and the non-wiccans are closed minded sort of thing. Also I thought the denial Maggie was in for most of the book was kind of stupid. For example - She describes the meeting of her good friend Step as "our eyes met and I saw fireworks - in my head, at least." and then she crashed her bike into a tree and they had been friends ever since. She has an imaginary friend growing up who is an older British woman who told her lots of stories. And yet she is freaked out by a Wiccan and the idea of anything paranormal? Either she is in denial or she is so NOT introspective about herself. When Felicity asks her is she believs in ghosts she says she doesn't know. Really? You are almost 30 and you don't know if you believe in ghosts or not? Hu. OK. I'll play along.
I am hoping that most of what irritated me in this book was just the crap that is your standard mystery set up. It irritates me to be conscious of the set up - but still - I read the book in one day so it couldn't have bothered me too much. Oh - and I knew who did it about half way through the book. Here is hoping the next one can by-pass the setting up the characters stuff and be a little more focused on plot development.
(I know it doesn't sound like it but I did enjoy the book! :)
September 29, 2022
* I take my writing seriously and consider comments the reward. Please do not leave “like button” clicks, until you are accompanying them with remarks for me. *
This is the first witch novel I've ever read and it instantly carried me away! It doesn't go at all like you expect, it's a completely original take, and that's the best possible story; a change and a surprise.
Most reviews have huge synopsises that spoil chunks of action! Please stick to what it is/how it is, never how it GOES!
A normal person with rueful family dynamics, is concerned with paycheques and keeping a car running. She doesn't believe in metaphysics and the author was brilliant to let this angle tell the story. We like 'Maggie', instantly relate to her, and want her to succeed.
There is a distinction between talented story-telling or writing. Madelyn Alt aces both. Her language is colloquial, descriptions not too flowery. Yet little moments come across with such accuracy you picture yourself there. Individual lines are laid out with such genius, scenes connect sharply. Some are so beautiful I re-read twice and thrice.
"The directness of his approach took me off guard. I'd never been very good with confrontation. I stared at him while all of the smart answers flew right out of my head and I was left with nothing more than the truth to fill the empty space".
Paranormal elements are light, easing newcomers into the realm very believably. Count on suspense, action, humour and gratefully; numerous sequels for our perusal! This is excellent.
This is the first witch novel I've ever read and it instantly carried me away! It doesn't go at all like you expect, it's a completely original take, and that's the best possible story; a change and a surprise.
Most reviews have huge synopsises that spoil chunks of action! Please stick to what it is/how it is, never how it GOES!
A normal person with rueful family dynamics, is concerned with paycheques and keeping a car running. She doesn't believe in metaphysics and the author was brilliant to let this angle tell the story. We like 'Maggie', instantly relate to her, and want her to succeed.
There is a distinction between talented story-telling or writing. Madelyn Alt aces both. Her language is colloquial, descriptions not too flowery. Yet little moments come across with such accuracy you picture yourself there. Individual lines are laid out with such genius, scenes connect sharply. Some are so beautiful I re-read twice and thrice.
"The directness of his approach took me off guard. I'd never been very good with confrontation. I stared at him while all of the smart answers flew right out of my head and I was left with nothing more than the truth to fill the empty space".
Paranormal elements are light, easing newcomers into the realm very believably. Count on suspense, action, humour and gratefully; numerous sequels for our perusal! This is excellent.
December 18, 2016
Maggie is the black sheep of her family and has recently lost her job that she disliked and accepted a new position at a small shop called Enchantments. Her new boss Felicity is a suspect in the death of her sister. The book was lacking in something and I found myself having difficulties getting into the book. I just didn't care much about the lead character or the supporting characters. I don't think this will be a series that I will continue to read.
July 14, 2018
The Trouble With Magic is the first book in Madelyn Alt's A Bewitching Mystery series. This is the first book I have read by this author. I really liked the locale of an antique store. I think that the series is probably going to be a little too much magic for me. It was borderline in this book. My main complaint is that there is a black cat on the cover, but there is not one in the book. I felt like it was false advertising as I prefer my cozies to have pets. 3 stars
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November 12, 2016Maybe I'm just not that sold to the author's way of writing.
July 7, 2011
Maggie O’Neil’s life is in a downward spiral. No relationship and a crappy job are in the mix. That is until she follows an instinct and falls, literally, inside Enchantments, a quaint little antique store. She continues to be down on her luck. Her little fall cost her her crappy job, but then it all turns around just in the nick of time, or so she thinks. The owner of Enchantments, Felicity, offers Maggie a job, but Maggie isn’t there long before she finds out Felicity is a witch and the cops are on Felicity’s heels as a prime murder suspect in her sister’s death.
It doesn’t take Maggie long to stand up for her new boss, witch or not, and get down to business finding the real killer and get Felicity out of the limelight.
Plus, she got a taste of all this magic stuff, and is now intrigued and is hungry for a little more.
Let me start this with Madelyn Alt is such a creative writer. She has a vocabulary like a dictionary. I’m not going to lie, I had to look up a few words, but then added them to my mental dictionary to use in the future because I love being able to substitute. Thank good for the English language. There were several times where I could close my eyes and see myself, either at the murder scene or in the middle of one of the magical rituals.
I fell in love with Maggie in this book and Enchantments. I think a lot of women out there, knowing they would be able to survive financially, love to work in an antique store, or something along the likes. Mine would be a book store, surprise, surprise. But I could still do antiques or crafts. I find myself, the more I read about women in these other jobs, like makeup artist for the dead or bounty hunter, trying to imagine myself in those positions. Can’t really say I’d thrive in most of them, but it’s always fun jumping into a different life. That’s why most of us read right? Even if it is fiction, it puts us into a life we don’t have and gives a chance to see another side.
I saw one of the books in this series while making a trip to the library, bought it for my Nook and made it one of my beach reads. I loved it and flew through it and can’t wait to see what happens next with Maggie and I have a whole lot of catching up to do to get current with the series.
I give The Trouble with Magic 4 bookmarks, solely for the fact that I hope this series continues to grow on me and I fall in love with it even more as I go and can give future books the 5 bookmarks. I tend to dive into series’ and hand out 5 bookmarks on the first one, get 5 or 6 in and realize I am loving it more now than when I started and really only should’ve given 3 or 4 from the get-go. I will however come back to this post and up the ante if I get that far and my feelings don’t change I have a lot of hope for this series and hope it lives up to my expectations
It doesn’t take Maggie long to stand up for her new boss, witch or not, and get down to business finding the real killer and get Felicity out of the limelight.
Plus, she got a taste of all this magic stuff, and is now intrigued and is hungry for a little more.
Let me start this with Madelyn Alt is such a creative writer. She has a vocabulary like a dictionary. I’m not going to lie, I had to look up a few words, but then added them to my mental dictionary to use in the future because I love being able to substitute. Thank good for the English language. There were several times where I could close my eyes and see myself, either at the murder scene or in the middle of one of the magical rituals.
I fell in love with Maggie in this book and Enchantments. I think a lot of women out there, knowing they would be able to survive financially, love to work in an antique store, or something along the likes. Mine would be a book store, surprise, surprise. But I could still do antiques or crafts. I find myself, the more I read about women in these other jobs, like makeup artist for the dead or bounty hunter, trying to imagine myself in those positions. Can’t really say I’d thrive in most of them, but it’s always fun jumping into a different life. That’s why most of us read right? Even if it is fiction, it puts us into a life we don’t have and gives a chance to see another side.
I saw one of the books in this series while making a trip to the library, bought it for my Nook and made it one of my beach reads. I loved it and flew through it and can’t wait to see what happens next with Maggie and I have a whole lot of catching up to do to get current with the series.
I give The Trouble with Magic 4 bookmarks, solely for the fact that I hope this series continues to grow on me and I fall in love with it even more as I go and can give future books the 5 bookmarks. I tend to dive into series’ and hand out 5 bookmarks on the first one, get 5 or 6 in and realize I am loving it more now than when I started and really only should’ve given 3 or 4 from the get-go. I will however come back to this post and up the ante if I get that far and my feelings don’t change I have a lot of hope for this series and hope it lives up to my expectations
April 8, 2010
This was more of a paranormal mystery, but I didn't feel like adding another shelf, so I just put it in PNR.
I've been meaning to read this book for awhile now, and when one of my groups here on GR voted it in as the April book I was glad I finally had the extra push to get me to read it. I thought it was really interesting. It had an interesting take on the world of magic and witches. Instead of spells and hexes and all of that, the basis of the world was all about energy signatures and spirits. Very interesting. I liked that Maggie was sort of a normal human. As the book continues we learn that she does grow more accepting of the supernatural world, but I liked that it took some convincing. I hate when books have normal humans introduced into a paranormal world and they just say Okay, what am I? Well, if someone came up to me and told me witches and who knows what else are real, I wouldn't just say OK! I'd be a little freaked out. So I liked that part of the book. I can also see an interesting love triangle occurring with a few of the characters, and it makes me want to read the next book even more. The mystery was a good one as well. It took me until the end to figure it out.
I will definitely read another book by this author.
I've been meaning to read this book for awhile now, and when one of my groups here on GR voted it in as the April book I was glad I finally had the extra push to get me to read it. I thought it was really interesting. It had an interesting take on the world of magic and witches. Instead of spells and hexes and all of that, the basis of the world was all about energy signatures and spirits. Very interesting. I liked that Maggie was sort of a normal human. As the book continues we learn that she does grow more accepting of the supernatural world, but I liked that it took some convincing. I hate when books have normal humans introduced into a paranormal world and they just say Okay, what am I? Well, if someone came up to me and told me witches and who knows what else are real, I wouldn't just say OK! I'd be a little freaked out. So I liked that part of the book. I can also see an interesting love triangle occurring with a few of the characters, and it makes me want to read the next book even more. The mystery was a good one as well. It took me until the end to figure it out.
I will definitely read another book by this author.
January 30, 2013
First of all, I really hate when authors spend an entire book ramming their location down your throat. Okay. We get it. You're from Indiana. I don't need you to say "Hoosier" this and "Hoosier" that every other sentence. I don't need a lesson on how someone is a typical Hoosier because they're wearing flannel. I also don't care that something is off of CR 500. The only people are who going to appreciate that are other people from Indiana; the rest of us are irritated. Stick to the story and stop going on and on and on about Indiana.
Secondly, nobody actually gulps unless they are drinking water quickly or in a "Scooby Doo" episode. Stop making Maggie "gulp" when she's nervous or scared.
Third, develop a plot. Any plot. Just pick one.
I wish I could count how many times I rolled my eyes while reading this. It was entirely predictable and thoroughly irritating. I felt like I was reading a 14-year old's creative writing project. I actually cringed a few times.
Hoosier word count = 41
Secondly, nobody actually gulps unless they are drinking water quickly or in a "Scooby Doo" episode. Stop making Maggie "gulp" when she's nervous or scared.
Third, develop a plot. Any plot. Just pick one.
I wish I could count how many times I rolled my eyes while reading this. It was entirely predictable and thoroughly irritating. I felt like I was reading a 14-year old's creative writing project. I actually cringed a few times.
Hoosier word count = 41
February 11, 2021
This was not a good book. I started it a few months ago, borrowing it from my cousin, and finished it yesterday simply because I had nothing else to read. While the story line had the potential to be great, the author decided to write as if her audience was stupid and couldn't piece things together any better than a preschooler. Every minuscule plot twist was explained to a painful extent, leaving no intrigue. Aside from this, the characters weren't believable at all, from the sudden mood swings (being terrified for a good reason one moment, flirting with someone who doesn't make sense the next, etc.) to the extent that they would disbelieve something that they were given flat-out proof for. On top of that, it is a murder mystery novel, and apparently the police protocol for such a tragedy was thrown completely out the window so a common citizen could "take care of it all." Save yourself the frustration and skip it.
March 21, 2012
I'm not a fan of this genre. I don't care for many of the cozy mystery where a girl works in an antique or book store. She usually works for an older lady who either goes missing or is accused of something. A "hot" but judgey copy/handy-man accuses heroine of being a thief, extortionist, murderer, child kidnapper and puppy kicker. They flirt but then he insults her again and repeat insults. She discovers she has magical powers then murder is solved in the last five pages. The boss goes home and doesn't give the girl a raise. If the book is meant to be a series she might flirt with another hunk but if it is a one-off she gets together with the cop.
February 24, 2012
Not at all what I had hoped for. Maggie was sort of a twit. She kept making comments about dumb girls in horror movies and so she didn't do the obvious mistakes only to make smaller mistakes. There was a lot of random babble in the story that really just drug the book out for me. I mean can you just say we chatted during commercials while watching tv. Do we have to hear about every little thing magnum did during the show in the middle of the conversation.
I was very let down by this book and sorry that I recommended it for a buddy read.
I was very let down by this book and sorry that I recommended it for a buddy read.
December 7, 2016
A charming beginning to this cozy mystery series. Maggie O'Neill is stuck in rut when she literally falls into the life of Felicity Dow, owner and operator of the store Enchantments.
When Liss is accused of murdering her sister, Maggie uses both her Hoosier resourcefulness and her newfound insight to help bring the real murderer to justice.
This is probably my least favorite book in the series, but I enjoyed it enough to want to keep going with the series.
When Liss is accused of murdering her sister, Maggie uses both her Hoosier resourcefulness and her newfound insight to help bring the real murderer to justice.
This is probably my least favorite book in the series, but I enjoyed it enough to want to keep going with the series.
November 6, 2016
discovering your superpowers can be scary. Not listening to them deadly. Read and discover the truth.
October 31, 2009
Some interesting elements...and some very irritating ones.
The mystery itself includes varied suspects and motives--enough to keep you guessing--but the suddenly so obvious reveal should've been guessed by Maggie. Still, I can't fault this aspect of the story too much since the who dunnit puzzled me for most of the book.
Of the characters, Felicity is the most charming. I enjoyed the descriptions of the townspeople, as well as Maggie's family and friends. Grandpa is a hoot. The N.I.G.H.T.S. are an eclectic group with possibilities. Marcus shows intriguing potential as a love interest.
Maggie, on the other hand, I didn't take to. The book is first person POV, so we're subjected to Maggie's ramblings as she works through her opinions on magic, men, and murder. She's conflicted on all fronts.
(Rant Alert -- Slight spoilers ahoy)
Maybe I'm just the wrong audience, but I was put off by:
- Constant references to Maggie's Catholicism--be a good Catholic, marry a Catholic, the Bible says we shouldn't suffer a witch to live, blah blah blah. Hey, I'm an Irish R.C., too. But for someone who doesn't attend Church, Maggie seems awfully wrapped up in her religion.
- Maggie's a one-man kind of woman. Which she tells us repeatedly, and which means she's shocked and dismayed that she could find two different men attractive. Neither of whom she's dating. Huh? We're only allowed to find one man attractive at a time? Well, Hollywood is screwed if this idea catches on.
- She's THIRTY. I would've found her whole persona much more believable if she were ten years younger and had yet to find herself. As it stands, someone her age being this naïve and this deep in denial frustrates me. Dead folks whisper to you, lady. Either buy yourself a straight jacket, or accept it and move forward (which she kinda does, but with a reluctance I find exasperating).
No more Bewitching Mysteries for me, methinks.
The mystery itself includes varied suspects and motives--enough to keep you guessing--but the suddenly so obvious reveal should've been guessed by Maggie. Still, I can't fault this aspect of the story too much since the who dunnit puzzled me for most of the book.
Of the characters, Felicity is the most charming. I enjoyed the descriptions of the townspeople, as well as Maggie's family and friends. Grandpa is a hoot. The N.I.G.H.T.S. are an eclectic group with possibilities. Marcus shows intriguing potential as a love interest.
Maggie, on the other hand, I didn't take to. The book is first person POV, so we're subjected to Maggie's ramblings as she works through her opinions on magic, men, and murder. She's conflicted on all fronts.
(Rant Alert -- Slight spoilers ahoy)
Maybe I'm just the wrong audience, but I was put off by:
- Constant references to Maggie's Catholicism--be a good Catholic, marry a Catholic, the Bible says we shouldn't suffer a witch to live, blah blah blah. Hey, I'm an Irish R.C., too. But for someone who doesn't attend Church, Maggie seems awfully wrapped up in her religion.
- Maggie's a one-man kind of woman. Which she tells us repeatedly, and which means she's shocked and dismayed that she could find two different men attractive. Neither of whom she's dating. Huh? We're only allowed to find one man attractive at a time? Well, Hollywood is screwed if this idea catches on.
- She's THIRTY. I would've found her whole persona much more believable if she were ten years younger and had yet to find herself. As it stands, someone her age being this naïve and this deep in denial frustrates me. Dead folks whisper to you, lady. Either buy yourself a straight jacket, or accept it and move forward (which she kinda does, but with a reluctance I find exasperating).
No more Bewitching Mysteries for me, methinks.
October 30, 2010
Hungry for more chick lit mysteries with a bit of a supernatural edge, I had someone recommend Madelyn Alt to me. I immediately picked up this volume and found myself suprised and dissapointed at the same time.
The Trouble With Witches follows Maggie as she starts off with having a really bad day. First she's locked out of her car Christine, then she get fired for being late. Inbetween the two events, however, she meets the charismatic and intriguing Liss. Liss owns a local store that sells anything from aromatherapy oils to delicious teas... and has a second story that caters to a select few townspeople who believe in magick. Liss offers Maggie a job a mere hour or two before she's fired, so Maggie is quick to call back and accept the position. Unfortunately within her first few days her boss has been accused of murdering her own sister, leaving Maggie to care for the store. With mysterious voices and a hunky police officer that's interested in getting the scoop on Maggie, it's no wonder that she's almost at her wit's end.
I really enjoyed this book and the pacing kept me interested and intrigued. That's not to say that there weren't some rough patches to this though! Rather than introduce the main character as a psychic, Alt has Maggie discovering her latent talents slowly throughout the first 3/4ths of the book. It leads for an interesting plotline but unfortunately it's awkwardly juggled with the murder plotline, making for some awkward storytelling at times. In fact, there's very little mystery solving or witchy/psychic activities in the book due to the slow character development. This isn't a bad thing, but it will probably deter some readers from the book. I'm fully optimistic that the next book will be much more smoothly paced now that the character developments and relationships have been laid out. It's not the best first book I've ever read, but it's definately worth a look.
The Trouble With Witches follows Maggie as she starts off with having a really bad day. First she's locked out of her car Christine, then she get fired for being late. Inbetween the two events, however, she meets the charismatic and intriguing Liss. Liss owns a local store that sells anything from aromatherapy oils to delicious teas... and has a second story that caters to a select few townspeople who believe in magick. Liss offers Maggie a job a mere hour or two before she's fired, so Maggie is quick to call back and accept the position. Unfortunately within her first few days her boss has been accused of murdering her own sister, leaving Maggie to care for the store. With mysterious voices and a hunky police officer that's interested in getting the scoop on Maggie, it's no wonder that she's almost at her wit's end.
I really enjoyed this book and the pacing kept me interested and intrigued. That's not to say that there weren't some rough patches to this though! Rather than introduce the main character as a psychic, Alt has Maggie discovering her latent talents slowly throughout the first 3/4ths of the book. It leads for an interesting plotline but unfortunately it's awkwardly juggled with the murder plotline, making for some awkward storytelling at times. In fact, there's very little mystery solving or witchy/psychic activities in the book due to the slow character development. This isn't a bad thing, but it will probably deter some readers from the book. I'm fully optimistic that the next book will be much more smoothly paced now that the character developments and relationships have been laid out. It's not the best first book I've ever read, but it's definately worth a look.
January 3, 2016
Opening Sentence: ‘…I don’t know what made me abandon my usual path to work on that particular October Tuesday…’
The first in a new series (Bewitching Mysteries), THE TROUBLE WITH MAGIC is a cosy paranormal mystery. A nice easy read. Maggie O’Neill is in a job she hates so when circumstances leads her to the antique shop ‘Enchantments’ – followed by a job offer from the lovely owner, Felicity, Maggie jumps at the opportunity. She is a little taken aback when Felicity announces that she is a Witch – but to each their own – Maggie knows that Felicity is a lovely person and her feelings have never let her down before.
On her first day though, Felicity’s estranged sister is murdered and Felicity becomes the main suspect. Maggie decides to do a bit of sleuthing to prove her boss’s innocence. As the investigation continues, Maggie gradually becomes aware that she has paranormal powers she didn’t realise she had, which don’t help her solve the case, but will not sit well with her very good Catholic family.
The title and the references to witches might lead people to expect a story with lots of supernatural occurrences and magic, but the book is more into Wicca – people who practise their craft as a peaceful religion and way of life. Having said that there are paranormal elements with ghosts, clairvoyance and protection spells, but they don’t dominate the story. The book is mostly light and fluffy to back up what proves to be a good crime story.
The first in a new series (Bewitching Mysteries), THE TROUBLE WITH MAGIC is a cosy paranormal mystery. A nice easy read. Maggie O’Neill is in a job she hates so when circumstances leads her to the antique shop ‘Enchantments’ – followed by a job offer from the lovely owner, Felicity, Maggie jumps at the opportunity. She is a little taken aback when Felicity announces that she is a Witch – but to each their own – Maggie knows that Felicity is a lovely person and her feelings have never let her down before.
On her first day though, Felicity’s estranged sister is murdered and Felicity becomes the main suspect. Maggie decides to do a bit of sleuthing to prove her boss’s innocence. As the investigation continues, Maggie gradually becomes aware that she has paranormal powers she didn’t realise she had, which don’t help her solve the case, but will not sit well with her very good Catholic family.
The title and the references to witches might lead people to expect a story with lots of supernatural occurrences and magic, but the book is more into Wicca – people who practise their craft as a peaceful religion and way of life. Having said that there are paranormal elements with ghosts, clairvoyance and protection spells, but they don’t dominate the story. The book is mostly light and fluffy to back up what proves to be a good crime story.
September 17, 2009
I picked up this book because it's a mystery (and I seem to be in a bit of a mystery phase), it contained a bit of magic and it took place in Indiana. Sadly, I was very disappointed. Usually I read one book at a time because I get so involved, but I read two entire books while I was working through this one.
Anyway, in this book Maggie falls into a new job (literally) at a charming antique store called Enchantments. It is run by Felicity, a sophisticated English woman who tells Maggie she is a witch. Maggie, who was raised Catholic, doesn't really believe her and is too happy to have gainful employment after being fired from her boring desk job to ask any more questions.
On Maggie's first day of work, Felicity got a strange phone call and left in a hurry. Maggie finds out shortly that Felicity's estranged sister has been murdered. Since they live in a small town, everyone knows about Felicity and her witchcraft and that makes her a prime suspect.
Throw in a lot of references to Magnum PI, spirit ghost whispering and lots of romantic melodrama with a cop and you have this book. Which isn't good.
Anyway, in this book Maggie falls into a new job (literally) at a charming antique store called Enchantments. It is run by Felicity, a sophisticated English woman who tells Maggie she is a witch. Maggie, who was raised Catholic, doesn't really believe her and is too happy to have gainful employment after being fired from her boring desk job to ask any more questions.
On Maggie's first day of work, Felicity got a strange phone call and left in a hurry. Maggie finds out shortly that Felicity's estranged sister has been murdered. Since they live in a small town, everyone knows about Felicity and her witchcraft and that makes her a prime suspect.
Throw in a lot of references to Magnum PI, spirit ghost whispering and lots of romantic melodrama with a cop and you have this book. Which isn't good.
September 22, 2012
The way she describes Maggie's world is amazing! It's not your overblown surreal fantasy "witchy" world or your preconceived notion of what a fiction book should be like. She portrays her in an everyday lifestyle that not many books these days have. Most authors tend to make everything "Super-sized" to entice readers. I enjoyed sitting back with a good book that you can actually think "Hey, this could happen to anyone I know" Instead of "Oh only in people's wildest dreams would anything like this happen"
Looking forward to finishing the rest of the books in this series!
Looking forward to finishing the rest of the books in this series!
May 24, 2009
This was much more of a mystery that happened to have some magic elements than it was a fantasy book. The truth is, it just wasn't what I was in the mood for, so I can't really say how good or bad it was. It seems like a good book and the beginning of a fun series. I will try it again in the future.
July 21, 2019
Sections seem to be attempts to gain followers rather than readers. LIke the references to Magnum PI! Dialogue not always crisp. Still, interesting characters & setting; humorous...I will try #2.
August 21, 2019
Maggie O'Neil has a fortuitous meeting with the owner of an antique shop,
Felicity, which leads to a timely job offer. While investigating Felicity's
sisters' murder, Maggie is introduced to a witches coven. Maggie is a
skeptic; she had no idea that her empathy was a magical talent. The
interesting plot and characters makes this an exciting read.
And if you are in search of new books to read, try our services, What Do I Read Next. Our library staff are standing by to create a personalized recommendation list for you!
Felicity, which leads to a timely job offer. While investigating Felicity's
sisters' murder, Maggie is introduced to a witches coven. Maggie is a
skeptic; she had no idea that her empathy was a magical talent. The
interesting plot and characters makes this an exciting read.
And if you are in search of new books to read, try our services, What Do I Read Next. Our library staff are standing by to create a personalized recommendation list for you!
November 2, 2022
The book started promisingly, but after one too many swipes at the "Bible belt" culture, and the heroine identifying a "fundamentalist" pastor by his clerical collar*, I gave up.
*At least in my circle of fundamentalism that I grew up in, clerical collars were highly suspect; anyone who was wearing one probably wasn't a real Christian - and certainly wasn't a fundamentalist.
*At least in my circle of fundamentalism that I grew up in, clerical collars were highly suspect; anyone who was wearing one probably wasn't a real Christian - and certainly wasn't a fundamentalist.
September 3, 2018
I didn’t feel this was as strong a start as I was wanting it to be. I will still read book 2, in hopes that it will get better tho
August 7, 2014
3.5 Stars! I always love a good mystery, and with the little witchy additions, this was a nice, light read.
Summary:
Maggie O'Neal is stuck in a rut. She hates her collections job (mostly because of the tyrant she works for, affectionately known as "The Toad"), she has an old, cantankerous car, and her love life is non-existent. While wasting a bit of extra time before work, she literally falls into a small shop called Enchantments. The owner, the eccentric Felicity Dow, is very nice, if a little odd. Felicity seems to be a witch (most definitely in the magical sense). Maggie is doubtful, what with growing up A food Catholic girl, and living in a narrow-minded town like Stony Mill. Maggie is surprised to find that Felicity offers her a job. It turns out to be perfect because she ended up late to her actual job & was fired. Horrified at being fired, Maggie immediately accepts the job offer from Felicity, and vows to keep an open mind about all things supernatural. Upon arrival for her first day, Maggie sets about learning the ropes, but her education is cut short by an urgent call for Felicity (Liss). Liss called her friend and fellow witch (maybe lover), Marcus, and they set out to take care of something. As Maggie explores the shop, she finds Liss' loft where she practices and keeps all her supplies. Luckily, there are plenty of books to get Maggie acquainted with witchcraft. Unfortunately, Liss' reason for leaving in a hurry was to help her sister, whom she finds dead. Being a prime suspect, Liss is taken into custody for questioning. Maggie rushes to the station for moral support, and is only able to find out that Liss & her sister were not close (they hadn't spoken in over a year). While curious about the real killer, Maggie's major focus is the odd happenings that haven't recently become a frequent occurrence for her. Maggie has always had the uncanny ability to know a little more than she is supposed to, particularly about how someone is feeling. She reads people very well, and is a great listener. Felicity believes she is a clairesentient or empath. Maggie of course, is very overwhelmed by this information. Still, she agrees to meet Liss' friends who are also witches and sensitives (this includes Marcus, who Maggie feels an attraction for, but believes him to be Liss' man). Small things start taking root & making sense to Maggie. Her world changes. She still doesn't quite believe in the gifts she has, but she does believe that Liss believes in her religion, and paranormal activity could be possible. Meanwhile, the investigation into Liss' sister's death is stalling, leaving their only lead, Liss. Maggie quietly starts asking questions, wanting to help Liss, but keeps running into Detective Tom Fielding. She is attracted to him, and he seems to be to her as well. Their pseudo-date doesn't go well, though. Their differing opinions on the case and the persons involved cause an argument. When Liss is arrested for murder, Maggie resolves to not give up until she finds something that will find the real killer. Can Maggie embrace her abilities and find a killer before they have the chance to strike again, which may just be at Maggie herself?
This wasn't an edge of your seat thriller, but sometimes it's nice to have a nice, quiet read. It was a great in between book. Maggie is a bit of wallflower in her own life, but I have confidence she will break out of her shell & blossom. She relies too much on what her mother thinks, and makes her life decisions based on that. I look forward to seeing how the magical world grows for Maggie and what relationships develop in future books. <3
Summary:
Maggie O'Neal is stuck in a rut. She hates her collections job (mostly because of the tyrant she works for, affectionately known as "The Toad"), she has an old, cantankerous car, and her love life is non-existent. While wasting a bit of extra time before work, she literally falls into a small shop called Enchantments. The owner, the eccentric Felicity Dow, is very nice, if a little odd. Felicity seems to be a witch (most definitely in the magical sense). Maggie is doubtful, what with growing up A food Catholic girl, and living in a narrow-minded town like Stony Mill. Maggie is surprised to find that Felicity offers her a job. It turns out to be perfect because she ended up late to her actual job & was fired. Horrified at being fired, Maggie immediately accepts the job offer from Felicity, and vows to keep an open mind about all things supernatural. Upon arrival for her first day, Maggie sets about learning the ropes, but her education is cut short by an urgent call for Felicity (Liss). Liss called her friend and fellow witch (maybe lover), Marcus, and they set out to take care of something. As Maggie explores the shop, she finds Liss' loft where she practices and keeps all her supplies. Luckily, there are plenty of books to get Maggie acquainted with witchcraft. Unfortunately, Liss' reason for leaving in a hurry was to help her sister, whom she finds dead. Being a prime suspect, Liss is taken into custody for questioning. Maggie rushes to the station for moral support, and is only able to find out that Liss & her sister were not close (they hadn't spoken in over a year). While curious about the real killer, Maggie's major focus is the odd happenings that haven't recently become a frequent occurrence for her. Maggie has always had the uncanny ability to know a little more than she is supposed to, particularly about how someone is feeling. She reads people very well, and is a great listener. Felicity believes she is a clairesentient or empath. Maggie of course, is very overwhelmed by this information. Still, she agrees to meet Liss' friends who are also witches and sensitives (this includes Marcus, who Maggie feels an attraction for, but believes him to be Liss' man). Small things start taking root & making sense to Maggie. Her world changes. She still doesn't quite believe in the gifts she has, but she does believe that Liss believes in her religion, and paranormal activity could be possible. Meanwhile, the investigation into Liss' sister's death is stalling, leaving their only lead, Liss. Maggie quietly starts asking questions, wanting to help Liss, but keeps running into Detective Tom Fielding. She is attracted to him, and he seems to be to her as well. Their pseudo-date doesn't go well, though. Their differing opinions on the case and the persons involved cause an argument. When Liss is arrested for murder, Maggie resolves to not give up until she finds something that will find the real killer. Can Maggie embrace her abilities and find a killer before they have the chance to strike again, which may just be at Maggie herself?
This wasn't an edge of your seat thriller, but sometimes it's nice to have a nice, quiet read. It was a great in between book. Maggie is a bit of wallflower in her own life, but I have confidence she will break out of her shell & blossom. She relies too much on what her mother thinks, and makes her life decisions based on that. I look forward to seeing how the magical world grows for Maggie and what relationships develop in future books. <3
March 19, 2013
Summary from Goodreads:
"Antiques-shop clerk Maggie O'Neill was a little weirded out when she discovered her new boss Felicity was a witch. But when Felicity becomes the suspect in a local murder, Maggie must enlist Felicity's wiccan friends for help--and discover her own spellbinding talent."
My Thoughts:
The Trouble With Magic is the beginning to a cozy mystery series that I had wanted to begin for some time. I'm so glad that I finally found the time to read it because it was quite an enjoyable read. I love a good cozy mystery and I really don't think that I read enough of them. This book made me wonder why because I just didn't want to set it down and it was such a pleasure to read.
There was something about this book that just instantly drew me in. This is the type of book that makes you want to curl up in a chair with a blanket and just read. And that is exactly what I did at times. There isn't a ton of action in a book like this but there doesn't need to be. I just went along for the ride as Maggie works to discover who could really be behind the murder of Felicity's sister. It was fun to see her try to figure out the mystery while also trying to deal with the paranormal elements that came along with working in Felicity's shop. Maggie is a sceptic when it comes to believing that her boss is a witch but it isn't long before she starts to question her beliefs in the paranormal. For me the paranoramal element to this book really worked! I liked that Maggie was a non-believer and had to really adjust to the idea of working for a witch. I'm eager to see what future books in this series will bring in regards to Maggie learning more about Felicity and her "witchy powers". Heck, I'm just looking forward to reading more books in this series because I really enjoyed this one. The mystery was well done, the ending was nice and suspenseful, and even though I guessed the murderer it didn't detract from my reading experience. And I really appreciated that!
All in all, I found this to be a pretty good read and I'm glad that I finally began this series. Now I just need to find the time to read the second book! If you are a fan of cozy mysteries (and especially those with a paranormal bent) then I would definitely tell you to give this one a go. I would actually recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of mysteries if I'm being honest. Recommended!
Bottom Line: A quiet but suspenseful read!
Disclosure: This book was checked out from my local library.
"Antiques-shop clerk Maggie O'Neill was a little weirded out when she discovered her new boss Felicity was a witch. But when Felicity becomes the suspect in a local murder, Maggie must enlist Felicity's wiccan friends for help--and discover her own spellbinding talent."
My Thoughts:
The Trouble With Magic is the beginning to a cozy mystery series that I had wanted to begin for some time. I'm so glad that I finally found the time to read it because it was quite an enjoyable read. I love a good cozy mystery and I really don't think that I read enough of them. This book made me wonder why because I just didn't want to set it down and it was such a pleasure to read.
There was something about this book that just instantly drew me in. This is the type of book that makes you want to curl up in a chair with a blanket and just read. And that is exactly what I did at times. There isn't a ton of action in a book like this but there doesn't need to be. I just went along for the ride as Maggie works to discover who could really be behind the murder of Felicity's sister. It was fun to see her try to figure out the mystery while also trying to deal with the paranormal elements that came along with working in Felicity's shop. Maggie is a sceptic when it comes to believing that her boss is a witch but it isn't long before she starts to question her beliefs in the paranormal. For me the paranoramal element to this book really worked! I liked that Maggie was a non-believer and had to really adjust to the idea of working for a witch. I'm eager to see what future books in this series will bring in regards to Maggie learning more about Felicity and her "witchy powers". Heck, I'm just looking forward to reading more books in this series because I really enjoyed this one. The mystery was well done, the ending was nice and suspenseful, and even though I guessed the murderer it didn't detract from my reading experience. And I really appreciated that!
All in all, I found this to be a pretty good read and I'm glad that I finally began this series. Now I just need to find the time to read the second book! If you are a fan of cozy mysteries (and especially those with a paranormal bent) then I would definitely tell you to give this one a go. I would actually recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of mysteries if I'm being honest. Recommended!
Bottom Line: A quiet but suspenseful read!
Disclosure: This book was checked out from my local library.
March 5, 2014
'THE TROUBLE WITH MAGIC' is the very promising debut in the series featuring the Magnum PI loving heroin Maggie O'Connell and a cast full of "enchanting" characters.
After losing her job Maggie literally stumbles upon a great opportunity working at Enchantment's, an antique store that specializes in unique treasures. The stores owner, Felicity Dow, is everything Maggie aspires to be, worldly, sophisticated, wise...and, oh did I mention she is also a witch? Growing up as a "good catholic girl" Maggie has a hard time believing in such nonsense but beggars can't be choosers so she readily accepts Felicity's job offer not knowing just what she was getting herself into. Soon Felicity is accused of murdering her sister and Maggie finds herself caught up not just in the investigation but also in a world of magic that she never knew existed in her small Indiana town.
My only wish would have been that there were more magic in this book, however, I do believe that Ms. Alt is setting the stage for some great things to come. Madelyn Alt has delivered a very promising debut to this charming series and I cannot wait to see how Maggie's powers develop as well as what some of the other characters are capable of. 3.75 Stars!!
After losing her job Maggie literally stumbles upon a great opportunity working at Enchantment's, an antique store that specializes in unique treasures. The stores owner, Felicity Dow, is everything Maggie aspires to be, worldly, sophisticated, wise...and, oh did I mention she is also a witch? Growing up as a "good catholic girl" Maggie has a hard time believing in such nonsense but beggars can't be choosers so she readily accepts Felicity's job offer not knowing just what she was getting herself into. Soon Felicity is accused of murdering her sister and Maggie finds herself caught up not just in the investigation but also in a world of magic that she never knew existed in her small Indiana town.
My only wish would have been that there were more magic in this book, however, I do believe that Ms. Alt is setting the stage for some great things to come. Madelyn Alt has delivered a very promising debut to this charming series and I cannot wait to see how Maggie's powers develop as well as what some of the other characters are capable of. 3.75 Stars!!
March 29, 2011
I think the otherwise gorgeous cover of the book is a bit misleading, and some folks who are in search of light reading with funny sassy witches with humor providing feline support cast, might be a tad disappointed when they find actually quite a serious mystery, where witchcraft really has a secondary role to play and sometimes the overall mood gets to be tiny bit depressing. This book would have done quite well with a darker cover, but at the same time, the artwork is probably one of the reasons why people buy this book at the first glance.
I found the story to be reasonable and even liked it more without the usual forced frivolities that seem to be "in" when writing mysteries with main characters of the witchy sort. But luckily this one had no overwhelming amount of witchcraft truths to swallow, and no tedious chapter long descriptions how to light a candle properly or something. The witching part wasn't exactly missing but it remained unobtrusive enough for this book to be considered a proper mystery book.
I found the story to be reasonable and even liked it more without the usual forced frivolities that seem to be "in" when writing mysteries with main characters of the witchy sort. But luckily this one had no overwhelming amount of witchcraft truths to swallow, and no tedious chapter long descriptions how to light a candle properly or something. The witching part wasn't exactly missing but it remained unobtrusive enough for this book to be considered a proper mystery book.
July 27, 2013
For someone who's often said she doesn't care for mysteries/crime books, I've read quite a few recently. It helps when the protagonist is witchy or there's some kind of magical aspect (or there's a series with a woman protagonist that I'll be getting back too also, having read the 1st book). And if there's a bit of humor mixed in, terrific.
Alt writes a good story that keeps the reader involved. Main character Maggie lives a pretty empty, depressing life- then walks into an odd little book store on the main street of her very conservative hometown. She meets the quiet, caring, unassuming woman who runs the place; and she's offered a job almost immediately. Oh, and she is told that the boss is a witch. On her first day of work, that same woman finds her estranged sister dead and is accused of her murder.
Along the way, Maggie decides she must prove boss Felicity's innocence. And she learns that witches aren't all bad. In fact, they're pretty cool and centered folks.
Loved it. Will be reading rest of the series. A light mystery, Quick read.
Alt writes a good story that keeps the reader involved. Main character Maggie lives a pretty empty, depressing life- then walks into an odd little book store on the main street of her very conservative hometown. She meets the quiet, caring, unassuming woman who runs the place; and she's offered a job almost immediately. Oh, and she is told that the boss is a witch. On her first day of work, that same woman finds her estranged sister dead and is accused of her murder.
Along the way, Maggie decides she must prove boss Felicity's innocence. And she learns that witches aren't all bad. In fact, they're pretty cool and centered folks.
Loved it. Will be reading rest of the series. A light mystery, Quick read.
June 3, 2009
TERRIFIC! Maggie O'Neill, a fiesty woman with latent magic abilities finds herself unexpectedly employee by Felicity, a witch who owns a magic shop. The same day, Felicity is arrested for the murder of her estranged sister. The evidence is plenty but circumstantial. It is obvious that she is being framed but the police are convinced she did it. Maggie, however, is damn sure she didn't. Maggie doesn't feel that the police are investigating properly and starts an investigation herself. And, of course, she gets too close and the killer comes after her.
This is a very well written, suspenseful mystery with a hint of witchcraft. The small town mentality is aggravating at times but the characters are really something else.
This is a very well written, suspenseful mystery with a hint of witchcraft. The small town mentality is aggravating at times but the characters are really something else.
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