Book Review: It Takes a Coven (A Witch City Mystery) by Carol J. Perry

There’s a new witch-hunt in Salem, Massachusetts . . .

When Lee Barrett joins a former student’s bridal party as maid of honor, she expects cake tastings and dress fittings. But wedding planning becomes more peculiar than Lee’s scrying talents could ever predict. There’s a magical baker, a best man with a checkered past, and a talking crow named Poe as the ring bearer. There’s also a kindly old man dead under his apple tree—one of a series of unexplained deaths hanging over the Wiccan community . . .

With witches dropping dead before they even come out of the proverbial broom closet, Lee’s best friend, River, fears she might have somehow unleashed a terrible curse on the city. Now, aided by Poe and her clairvoyant cat, Lee sets out to investigate. Are lives being claimed by vengeful supernatural forces—or by something more shocking? She soon discovers, casting light on the wicked truth can be one killer commitment . . .

Lee Barrett is the widow of a NASCAR driver who has made her home in Salem, Massachusetts with her beloved Aunt Ibby and their cat O'Ryan. This sixth book in the series is set against the wedding of two of her former TV production students. Since I'm typically not of fan of wedding-based cozies I worried that I wouldn't love this book as much as the others in the series, but that wasn't the case at all.

As the book begins three witches have recently died - one was over 105 years old, but the other two cause a bit of suspicion and her best friend River fears she's the cause. At the same time thousands of crows have mysteriously descended on Salem, which Lee decides to investigate as part of her summer internship as investigate reporter for WICH-TV. When yet another witch is shot at and Lee starts having her "visions", she can't help but wonder if all the goings-on in Salem are somehow connected. There are loads of twists and turns and while I correctly pinpointed the killer, the simple motive never even crossed my mind. The weapon used (and how the killer came up with the idea) I found to be especially unique and grotesque!

For Salem Witch Trial fanatics like myself, the ghost witch of Bridget Bishop (the first "witch" executed in 1692) is an important factor in this book as she aims to retrieve the book of spells that survived a terrible fire in Aunt Ibby's attic. O'Ryan the cat, the former familiar of a murdered witch, is front and center as he enjoys watching the invading crows. He even makes a new friend in the form of a black cat wearing a red collar. The final paragraph in the book which concludes their story brought a lump to my throat.

The next book in the series is a Christmas story and I can't wait to get my hands on it. Salem is at the top of my bucket list of places to visit and the Witch City mysteries make me feel like I'm already there!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. As members of the Amazon Associates affiliate program, if you click on our links and buy something Mudpie gets a little money for her piggy bank!