Halloween Reads: Paranormal Cozy Mysteries

by Donna Huber

Cooler weather has finally arrived in the south and what pairs better with a cozy blanket than a cozy mystery. Since Halloween is around the corner I decided to indulge in some paranormal cozy mysteries as I prefer the fun side of Halloween. As paranormal isn't something I usually read, I went to my favorite best sellers list at Amazon and stocked up on free paranormal cozy mysteries. As you know it can be hit or miss on on the freebies. Here's a look the cozies I've read this month to see if they were trick or treats!
Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. The following ebooks were free when I purchased them, but prices are subject to change without notice; therefore, you should check the price before purchasing for yourself.

Murder Any Witch Way by N. M. Howell

The mystery was good and the author did a good job misdirecting the reader. The book could have used a bit of polish and maybe a bit of research on how the newspaper business works. But my main disappointment was that there wasn't any magic even though the main character is a witch. So was this book a trick or a treat? A treat.

If you are looking for a good mystery with a Halloween theme, then this would be a decent cozy to read.

About the book: Being a witch is hard. It's even harder when you live in a town that doesn't believe in witches.

When young witch River Halloway moves to sleepy Brimstone Bay for her very first journalist job, she doesn’t expect to cover anything ground-breaking. That is, until a paranormal festival comes to town and a body is found on opening night. Now, with all evidence pointing towards a witch, River must find the true killer before she becomes the prime suspect, or worse, the next murder victim.

Buy Murder Any Witch Way at Amazon

Murder of a Werewolf by April Fernsby

This was a pretty good paranormal cozy mystery. There were some plot holes that I would like to have had explained (like why did Cassia and her grandmother live in the real world but the other magical beings had to remain in Brimstone? and it was never really explained why the other residents were acting the way they were towards Cassia). I did like the characters. I'm calling this one a treat as I would read another book in this series.

About the book: Just like her gran, Cassia Winter is a witch. The Winter witches are responsible for investigating crimes in Brimstone. The only problem is, Cassia doesn’t know she’s a witch yet.

When Gran tells Cassia about her true nature, Cassia dismisses it as nonsense. But a terrible incident causes Cassia to change her mind. With her cat, Stanley, at her side, Cassia enters Brimstone and is soon investigating the murder of a werewolf.

Buy Murder of a Werewolf at Amazon

Gone with the Ghost by Erin McCarthy

This was an interesting paranormal cozy mystery. I was kept guessing about who were the bad guys and who were the good guys. Everyone had lies and secrets. I liked the characters and the writing was fun. I want to read more in this series. I could definitely call it a treat to read. It is the best of the bunch so far.

About the book: Bailey Burke has had a rough six months—it’s not easy thinking your romantic overtures toward your best friend caused him to kill himself. Except that’s exactly what happened. Ryan is very much dead, having shot himself with his own police-issued gun. Guilt and grief shouldn’t cause hallucinations though, but six months after Ryan went into the ground, Bailey is freaking out and swearing his ghost is standing in her kitchen. Which he is…

Ryan claims he didn’t commit suicide, but was murdered, and he needs Bailey to help him find his killer so he can earn his ticket out of purgatory. Ryan’s counting on a stairway to heaven, as opposed to wings, since that might be a little unmanly for a cop, even a dead one.

An expert in home design, with her own staging business, Bailey can tell you where to place a couch to improve flow and comfort, but solving a crime? Not her area of expertise. But with help from Ryan’s former partner, Marner, she is unraveling the mystery of what happened to Ryan that day… and unwittingly putting herself in grave danger.

Buy Gone with the Ghost at Amazon

The Witches of Enchanted Bay by Amelia Morgan

I thought the story and the writing were weak. There is a lot of unnecessary repetition and recapping. The main character was likable and has potential to grow in the series, but I don't really care if I read any more in this series. For me, overall this book was a trick.

About the book: Welcome to Enchanted Bay, a picture-perfect small town on the coast of Northern California.

Meg Walton comes from a long line of witches. It's a secret her family has been keeping for generations. The Waltons have been living a quiet existence, running the local donut shop in town. All that changes when a murder occurs.

Enter Connor Smith, Meg's former crush, who left for San Francisco ten years before, and who has now returned to town as the new detective with the Enchanted Bay police department. If Meg's feelings were mixed enough over having Connor back in town, the detective wrongfully suspects one of Meg's good friends for murder.

To prove her friend's innocence, Meg has to find the real killer herself--with the help of a few good spells.

Buy The Witches of Enchanted Bay at Amazon

Miss Spelled by Morgana Best

I've just started this one, but it seems very promising so far.

About the Book: Amelia Spelled has had a bad week. Her boyfriend dumps her when she inadvertently gives him food poisoning. Her workplace, a telecommunications center, fires all their staff as they are outsourcing offshore, and she is evicted due to smoke damage resulting from her failed attempts at baking. Amelia thinks her luck has changed when she inherits her estranged aunt’s store, two mysterious cats, and beautiful Victorian house.

Yet has Amelia jumped out of the frying pan into the fire? To Amelia's dismay, the store is a cake store, and she discovers that her aunt was a witch. To add to the mix, the house has secrets of its own.

When a man is murdered in the cake store, will Amelia be able to cook up a way to solve the crime? Or will her spells prove as bad as her baking?

Buy Miss Spelled at Amazon

Deader Homes and Gardens by Angie Fox

I just picked this one up when I went to grab the link to the cozy mystery list at Amazon. I really enjoyed book 1 in the series, Southern Spirits, so I couldn't resist this one even though I probably won't get to it before Halloween (I have to finish my book club book since I'm leading the discussion). I haven't read the books between the first book and this one, which is book 4 so I hope this one is as much of a treat.

About the book: Southern belle Verity Long is back in business — as a ghost hunter. Now all she has to do is visit the town's creepiest mansion and exorcise a family of vengeful spirits. Piece of cake. After all, ghosts love her and need her... that is until she meets the ghosts of Rock Fall mansion. They'll do anything to keep their murderous secrets hidden within the cliff-side fortress — even if that means getting rid of one meddling ghost hunter.

With the entire town skeptical and scrutinizing her every move, Verity struggles to uncover the century-old mystery behind the house. And when she stumbles upon a very fresh, very dead body, she realizes there’s more to it than she ever imagined. With the help of her sexy cop boyfriend, Ellis, and her ghostly gangster sidekick, Frankie, she braves the overgrown gardens, the desolate family cemetery, and the haunted mansion that have been locked away for generations.

Can Verity unearth the truth before she's the next one buried on the deadly grounds?

Buy Deader Homes and Gardens at Amazon


If you like being scared for Haloween, tomorrow MK French reviews a few horror and paranormal fantasy novels.

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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