Himself had got hold of this one at some stage, so when I was recovering from a stress migraine headache, it looked an ideal world to get lost in…
Jinx Hamilton has been minding her own business working as a waitress at Tom’s Cafe and keeping up with her four cats. Then she inherits her Aunt Fiona’s store in neighboring Briar Hollow, North Carolina and learns that her aunt has willed her some special “powers” as well. They say admitting you have a problem is the first step and Jinx has a major problem. She’s a brand new witch with no earthly clue what that means. Throw in a few homeless ghosts, a potential serial killer, and a resident rat and Jinx is almost at her wit’s end. Thankfully she has the unfailing support of her life-long BFF, Tori and it doesn’t hurt that there’s a hot guy living right next door.
Like a lot of urban fantasy whodunits, this one has a perky, enjoyable protagonist who I immediately 
liked. Jinx is a kindly, uncomplicated soul, who works alongside her best friend as a waitress and lives at home – until her Aunt Fiona dies. There are some appealing moments of humour and a chirpy upbeat mood, with the cats also contributing to the general cosy sense of small community and peacefulness.
While there is a hint of romance, the overriding relationship that powers this book is the friendship between Jinx and her friend Tori, which I really appreciated. It makes a nice change for the love pervading a book to be one between best friends, which can be every bit as powerful as any other kind, I think.
However, this is also a murder mystery. It’s a balance, isn’t it? Cosy mysteries evidently aren’t going to be the gritted, gory type where there are body parts featured in profusion, or the backdrop is going to be the bleak, hopeless cityscape. And yet, any murder is tackling the business of one person wilfully taking the life of another. If the idea of deliberately killing someone isn’t to be devalued, there has to be a sense of shock over the event.
It isa balancing act to successfully negotiate between these two extremes – and Harper manages it very well. While I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Jinx’s adventures in coping with the new store, the introduction of a murdered ghost who doesn’t know who she is gave a poignant edge to the story. I gobbled up this readable, engaging adventure in two greedy gulps and while the puzzle surrounding the displaced waif is very satisfactorily tied up, there are sufficient ongoing plotpoints that will encourage me to revisit this enjoyable world. Recommended for fans of cosy urban fantasy murder mysteries.
8/10
The cover is very atmospheric, and I love the idea of a more cozy urban fantasy. Thanks for sharing this one, Sarah😁
It’s well written and entertaining – I’m definitely reading more from this author.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed this one, Sarah. I have it on my to buy list!
I went over to check my list and this was free so I grabbed it and added the second book!
Oh that’s brilliant Laura – I look forward to hearing how you get on with this one:)
That’s great that the friendship was the most important relationship in the book! And it sounds like the author did a great job of portraying the seriousness of murder without making the book too heavy. Glad you liked it 🙂
Yes, I was very impressed with this one and will be getting hold of more in this series. Like you, I was delighted that the friendship was the more important relationship – and think it is the case for many women and men. It just doesn’t crop up so much in fiction…
The friendship angle that overshadows (or so I’m given to understand) the romantic element sounds like a very welcome change in this genre’s guidelines – and I’m curious about the homeless ghosts and the (eeeewwww!!) resident rat as well 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Yes – it’s the friendship that is the relationship driving this story forward, rather than the romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will be getting hold of more in this series.
I really like that there’s a friendship at the heart of this novel. That’s always a big selling point for me. Wonderful review!
Thank you, Suzanne:). Yes – it is a nice change for the friendship to be the important one, isn’t it?
What a fine post! You tempt me every time you write a review. I like cozy mysteries when I’m stressed out at school as a place to escape to, or as you said to get lost in.
Thank you Rae:). Yes – like you, I often read to escape and this is a very enjoyable bolthole!
Judging by the cover, this seemed to be some sort of a thriller (that happened to have a metaphorical witch in the title) which wouldn’t be for me, but after reading your review I’m actually curious about the book. (So, in a way, it’s a shame that the cover doesn’t convey the genre well enough, but yay for your review.)
Yes… that cover is actually giving off a far darker vibe than is apparent from the read and after all this time, I still recall this book with great fondness.