Witches, Spiders and Schemes by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

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Description:
A magic mirror to an enchanted world. A mysterious ghost. A hilarious, perpetually annoyed witch. A brave, sassy cat. Two unexplained deaths and a mysterious community filled with secrets. Can Hayden and the people of Destiny Falls solve the mystery and return the community to its peaceful, enchanted existence?

Hayden’s adventures in Destiny Falls continue in book four of the Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series. Starting with a strange old woman at a cave and her father’s mysterious ferry journey, there are secrets to be unwound.

The enchantments in Destiny Falls are showing cracks, and Hayden suspects that it’s tied directly to her family, which has a history that’s more complex than she realized. When two bodies are found floating in the bay it’s clear that the mysteries surrounding Gladstone and the ferry are more dangerous than people realize.

Luckily, Hayden and her sassy sidekick, Latifa have developed a group of family and friends in this enchanted place who are all ready and willing to help solve the mystery, and release Destiny Falls to resume its normal, amazing, enchanted existence.

Hayden’s many adventures in Destiny Falls will keep you guessing with each book in this intriguing series.

Review:

Witches, Spiders and Schemes by Elizabeth Pantley is the 4th book in her Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series.  Refresher: Hayden, who lived with her grandmother, great grandmother and works with her best friend, Lulu, and her cat, Sassy. One day, she goes through a portal with her cat, ending up in Destiny Falls.  Hayden now lives in this magical world with her long-lost father, brother and her now magical cat.  Hayden is happy in her new world, being a member of her powerful Caldwell family.   In the last episode, she helped solved a murder, and is more determined to find a way to meet her mother, who is stuck in the evil Gladstone realm.

Hayden now runs the local newspaper, and continues to become involved in more murders from the ferry going to Gladstone.  We started seeing more of her friendship with Han, which is slowly becoming more romantic; I really like them together.  Almost everyone in Destiny Falls is great, including her father, brother, grandmother, grandfather, new friends, police chief, etc.  I know I would love to live in Destiny Falls.  Best of all, I love her cat Latifa, and two other cats that live with the family; they are so much fun, being able to talk, and always having meetings to help solve murders.  A riot.  I also enjoy the ghost, Gaspar, who tells her things in his past life, that give her some secrets, which we hope will help her find a way to discover how to stop the murders. 

With Hayden’s father having gone to Gladstone to meet his long-lost wife, everyone becomes concerned that he has not come back. Eventually, he manages to return, unable to visit the wife anymore.  Hayden begins to notice while her father was gone, the bright and wonderful things in Destiny Falls, has some dark changes.  Are they losing their magic?  Hayden senses that she may be the next conduit who will need to keep the magic in Destiny Falls, and she is determined to find out how to do this to save them all. 

The wicked witch is still around, and now there is a small animal (olm) who helps the witch, but I suspect the olm is truly protecting Hayden. At least I hope so. Lol    We will find out more in the next book. There was a lot of intrigue and twists along the way.  To say too much more would be spoilers, and this series should be read from start to finish, as the story is a continuation.

Witches,Spiders and Schemes is another delightful lighthearted mystery, in a magical and charming enchanted realm, Destiny Falls. This is a fun this a cozy murder fantasy whodunit, that was intriguing and kept our attention from start to finish.  Once again, I absolutely loved the cats and their meetings to help solve the crimes.  I look forward to the next book, as this ended with a surprise twist. Another fun cozy book by Elizabeth Pantley, that was well written.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for Review