That’s vhat I like about the human vorld. Humans are considerate to each other most of the time.”
There was something magical about England in springtime – a veritable explosion of new life – a delightful assault on the senses after the musky dormant chills of winter. Luke, Leia, and I drifted past the various tents, which included plenty of places to shelter. The residents of Maiden-Upon-Avon had obviously experienced springtime in England before, and knew all about the famous April showers.
The above song wasn't on the playlist which I'll be sharing, but when it started, I just couldn't not use it... after all, readers may feel like they've actually traveled over the rainbow when you start to read... LOL This is funny, as opposed to any fears or worries about the witches, werewolves, vampires, and more, that you'll be meeting in this cozy mystery set somewhere in a little town not too far from London...
I was on my way back to the bar, when a masculine voice said, “Hello again.” I glanced up and saw Vikram in front of me. He was gazing at me as if he thought he was the top prize in a Hunk of the Year contest, and I was the lucky winner. Ordinarily, I’d run a mile, but here was my chance to ask him where his boss bought his stationery! “Vik Charma,” he said. “Delighted to meet you properly.” He grabbed my hand and lifted it towards his lips to kiss it.
I don’t think so! I wrestled my fingers out of his grip. “Ah,” I said. “Charma by name, slime-ball by nature.” He laughed raucously. “I saw you here yesterday talking to Raven. What was that about?” I tried to emulate Inspector Taylor’s blank face, but it was really hard. “Just a casual chat. You’re Edward Hamilton’s assistant, aren’t you?” Vikram smirked. “Well, I’m a bit more than that – I’m his second-in-command.” I pretended to be impressed. “Oh wow, I bet you know everything that’s going on with him.” “Well, yes, I do.”
“Why was he shouting at the police just now?” “Oh, he was saying he wants DI Taylor to give him round-the-clock protection from the person who keeps harassing him. He doesn’t see why he should have to put up with threats and constant questioning.” “From Jagar Volfson?” I asked. He shrugged. “I heard you’re Marilyn Eldritch’s daughter?” “News travels at the speed of light in this village, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, well. Marilyn used to vote for the other side.” I frowned. “How do you know that?” “She displayed the alternative candidate’s poster in her café window. So, I was just hoping we could rely on your support. If you’re taking over the café?” “Oh crikey no! I won’t be sticking around long enough to be on the electoral register, believe me.” “That is a shame.”
I rolled my eyes – I was unimpressed by men like this. But I did wonder whether political candidates had taken to killing off their rival voters? It would certainly be one way of winning the election. Edward Hamilton definitely wasn’t going to win it on his charms after tonight’s little outburst. Although, of course, Vikram had an abundance of charms himself – if you didn’t mind drowning in his smarmy slime. “So, where were you the night Marilyn died?” I asked, hoping to sound casual. He answered far too quickly. “Edward and I were out of town.” “Really. And which night was that again?” “Are you a police officer?” he asked, suspiciously. I opened my mouth to reply, but Luke drifted over.
“Hey man, you’re an India fan, I see!” Vikram glanced down at the sport’s top he was wearing. “Yeah! Hey, you like India?” I felt Luke’s spirits rise at the chance to talk about cricket, whilst mine did a total nosedive. It was just so dull. “Well,” Luke said, “Obviously my loyalties lie with England, but no one will ever replace Kapil Dev. The way he spun those fast balls was just perfection – utter genius.” “Oh, I know,” Vikram said, practically salivating. “You play also? Sorry, didn’t catch your name... I’m Vikram.” “Luke...” They shook hands. “Well, I used to play for the county. But I love watching it too; never miss a Test Match.” They launched into a lengthy conversation about cricket, so I decided to retreat, lest I slip into a coma. I edged away. I knew Luke had probably just come over to see if I needed any help with Vikram, but apparently he’d found his new best buddy. I was pleased for him – and hopefully it would stop him from talking to me about the world’s dullest game.
I wandered off to find Leia, to congratulate her again on her excellent performance. We grabbed another drink from the friendly vampire behind the bar, and I watched Luke and Vikram chatting – wondering what the MP’s second-in-command might be hiding behind that charming front of his. I felt optimistic as Luke, Leia, and I left the pub. It’d been a good night. I’d made a few friends – although beer always helped there – and I was eliminating suspects, even if I wasn’t any closer to actually solving Marilyn’s murder. Another reason for my optimism was how well Luke and Leia seemed to be getting on, as they chatted ahead of me.
I purposely hung back, and as I walked past an alleyway alongside the pub, I noticed a man down there, bent over, leaning his arm against the wall to prop himself up. To put it politely, he’d been taken ill. Rather noisily. Investigating dark dank alleyways wasn’t on my list of favourite hobbies, especially with a murderer on the loose, but my compassion took over and I approached the man. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” He groaned. “I’m throwing up down the side of a pub, what do you think?” He glanced up, realised it was me, then groaned again. “Ms Eldritch. Of course.” “Hello, Inspector Taylor.” He stood up very carefully and leaned back against the wall, before sliding down to his haunches and burying his head in his hands. I crouched too. “Is there anything I can do for you?” He shook his head imperceptibly. “Is it, um... just too much to drink?” A small nod. “This is a new low for me.” “This hasn’t happened before?” He squinted at me. “I’ve never been stumbled upon by a pretty stranger before.” I glanced around for the pretty stranger, which made Inspector Taylor laugh out loud. Oh, he meant me? Even in his drunken dishevelled state he was gorgeous. But despite how much I fancied him, I’d probably say no to a snog right now. “I expect a cup of tea will make you feel better,” I said. “I think I might need a bit more than a cup of tea, Ms Eldritch.” I was about to say he was welcome to talk it over, but Luke joined us. “You all right, Evelyn?” “Luke, this is Detective Inspector Taylor.” Luke looked surprised. “Really? Is he looking for clues down there?” Inspector Taylor glanced at Luke, then groaned again. “Is there anything we can get you?” I asked. He shook his head. I could tell he was getting agitated with this audience now. I squeezed him on the shoulder. “We’ll leave you alone. Make sure you talk to somebody though. Whatever’s troubling you, you shouldn’t keep it in.” He grunted, then threw up again. Well, I hadn’t exactly meant that. I left him to it, wondering why I was always attracted to handsome men with issues. This one had incredible green eyes. And hopefully the green tinge to his skin would fade once he sobered up tomorrow.
~~~~~~
Streamers of England flags were proudly fluttering on every shop front, reminding me that it was St George’s Day this coming weekend. I could well-imagine the Maiden-Upon-Avon residents celebrating proudly with a few rounds of Jerusalem and God Save the Queen. This village was quintessentially English, with its red telephone box, country pub, and cobblestones – it made me want to break into Land of Hope and Glory.
Although I’d much rather listen to the surrounding sound of sweet bird song. Ancient oaks stood amongst the ivy-covered shops, looking even older than the village itself, which had clearly been here centuries. Luke pointed to the first shop in the row of many – the facia of which was blue, peeling, and woodworm-ridden. “I’ve never seen an ironmonger before. I’m not even sure what they... monger.” I chuckled. “Iron, I suppose.” Next to the ironmonger was a haberdashery and then an apothecary. “It’s all so delightfully charming,” Luke said. “Oh, let’s go in here actually.” “Newsagents? Why?” “Buy a paper. I need to find out what decade this is!” Luke gestured to the huge plastic bottle-bank standing at the side of the newsagents. “Well, at least they have recycling facilities in the back of beyond – very modern.” We wandered inside and said hello to the lady behind the counter. She had a friendly face, was aged around fifty, and was knitting. The stock was crammed on the shelves, and there were all sorts of random things for sale – bath plugs, coloured sequins, an assortment of gloves, hats, and scarves, puzzle books, doormats, and much more besides. I picked up a copy of the local newspaper. Luke kept his voice low so as not to offend. “Look at this headline: Sheep Escapes From Maiden Farm – hilarious!” I tried not to laugh at how quaint it was. “Nicer than the usual shootings and stabbings in the London papers. Look at the name of the reporter – Jager Volfson. Sounds Scandinavian.” “I wonder what brings him to this little village,” Luke said. “A time machine, I suppose.” I noticed a smaller headline. “Local MP wastes money on designer cricket kit.” I glanced at Luke. “Corruption exists everywhere!” We both sniggered at this heinous crime. I read out loud, “‘Detective Inspector Taylor made no comment – as usual’. It sounds like the shaky relationship between the police and the press exists here too.” “Are you planning to buy that?” the shopkeeper asked, continuing to knit. “Or just laugh at it?” “Sorry,” I said, guiltily lowering the paper. “You’re not from round here, are you?” the lady said. “No, just visiting. Come on, Luke, we should get going.” “I do hope they find that missing sheep,” Luke said, managing to keep a straight face. I was about to put the newspaper back, when a gruff man strode into the shop. The lady’s demeanour plunged to unfriendly. “What are you doing here, Mr Hamilton?” Glancing at the newspaper in my hands, I realised that this newcomer was in fact the local MP we’d just been discussing. The one who’d allegedly been wasting council money on designer cricket gear. The Right Honourable Edward Hamilton was tall, greying, and tetchy. Not your usual smarmy politician, but someone who’d fought to be in his position, and wasn’t about to be defeated. He was wearing a rosette on his grey suit. Of course, there was an election coming up next month. The local journalist was clearly vying for the other side. “Don’t believe a word of that rubbish,” the MP said, pointing to the newspaper. The lady behind the counter spoke with a tremble in her voice. “I thought I asked you not to come in here anymore.” Edward Hamilton grabbed the newspaper from my hands. “And I told you not to sell this rubbish anymore, Helen!” Helen drew herself up to her full five-foot-six height. “I’m the local newsagent, Edward, how can I not sell the local paper. It’s my raison d’être!” “Oh, we speak French now, do we? Well, hear this, je ne regret rein!” Helen put down her knitting. “Please just leave me alone.” Luke stepped between them. “You need to leave.” Edward guffawed. “I’m the local MP, boy. Don’t you know anything?” “I don’t care if you’re the Queen of England. This is Helen’s shop, and she’s asked you to leave, so I suggest you do.”
~~~~~~
Somewhere in a small village where many different people from many different backgrounds had come to live together, we arrive into a new cozy series just when a senior witch has been murdered! She was the owner of a small cafe where cakes, and more, were sold. Some said they were magical, but that could have been just because she had won the local festival cake competition for each year so far back that nobody could remember... This year, somebody new would win because Marilyn Eldrich had been poisoned, they later determined, and had died. She had been well liked in the community and would be much missed. Especially by her helper and apprentice, Leia, who wasn't quite sure where her future would lead, but she had learned that the new owner would be coming soon, so she had hopes she would be as nice as Marilyn had been...
But learning about her inheritance was a complete surprise for Evelyn who was, as the first chapter opens, literally up a tree, to help get a cat down (bless her!). So when her phone rang during the storm that had started during her climb, she was becoming more and more... Well, you should know she talks to herself and describes herself as an idiot for climbing a tree to get a cat...(the cat wasn't hers...) In any event, she was somewhat shocked... No, she was really shocked to learn that her biological mother had died and she had inherited her cafe...and she needed to travel quickly to learn more...
Thankfully she could talk her cousin into traveling with her and they were soon on their way, leaving London, and heading to a small town with a really strange kind of a name... Whoever had heard of a town with a hyphenated name! Luke was her sister's son and was in medical school, but they agreed that this shouldn't take long... But, of course, readers are already guessing that she's going to be staying, right?! At least I did...
“Evelyn, darling!” She kissed me on both cheeks, then grabbed my hand to drag me to the kitchen. “Your magic training begins! I need to explain a few things first, and then we’ll try some spells.” “You’re all insane around here.” She chuckled, pushing me down into a kitchen chair. “Darling,” she said, standing over me. “You are going to have to accept, sooner or later, that you are a witch.” I rubbed my eyes. “I don’t believe in any of this. It’s bonkers.” Her voice was business-like. “Right, now that you’ve been given your powers, you must learn how to use them.” “No I don’t.” “Yes you do. If you’re magical, you have to train how to use it, or else it will use you. Or worse – the darkness will come to take you.” I rolled my eyes in disbelief. “What darkness?” “I hope you’ll never find out, Evelyn, I really do.” She sounded deathly serious. But actually she was mentally deranged, wasn’t she? Or I was. And I didn’t think I was. “First things first,” Joanie continued. “I need you to promise me you won’t tell a human soul any of the following, other than Leia, who’s a friend of Beings of Magic.”
Evie was not prepared for all that she was to discover. Indeed almost as soon as she arrived, she was no longer Evi, but was soon to be called Evelyn... And soon after she arrived, she was called into a meeting where she was proclaimed sergeant of arms and expected to take over the role that her mother--a woman who she had never met--had once held... But that wasn't the only surprise. She soon learned that she was a witch by birth, and even if she didn't know about her heritage, she was expected to take on the role and learn... Her grandmother was going to teach her! Now as if that wasn't enough, this was not a family such as we knew whose wife twisted her nose and did cute magic tricks, nor was this the charmed ones...
In fact, Leia who worked at Magic Cakes and was there to greet Evie and Luke knew more about her mother's activities that her daughter. Marilyn had shared her skills with Leia, even though she was human and had no actual abilities. While Evie, when she began to receive lessons failed just about every attempt she made... Which was great fun, especially when she was attempting to create a cake, only to have it explode all over her and Leia... Did I mention that there is lots of humor to look forward to in this book as well?!
Leia had also learned and did most of the cooking, as well as introduce Evie and Luke--with whom she quickly develops an attraction which is reciprocated--within the community and also plays the guitar!
But, as every cozy reader already knows, Evie was immediately on the hunt for, once learning that her mother was actually murdered, who was guilty! And she wasn't going to give up until she learned the who and why... So, of course, in doing so, Evie becomes immediately attracted to the hunk who was the detective on the case, who has no desire or need for assistance, and even fights his attraction, while somehow they seem to become partners in some events... Often meeting up at the local pub where everybody congregated evenings... On open mike night, Leia was to play...
I found myself wondering whether they were human or Beings of Magic. But I quickly stopped that train of thought. What difference did it make? We were all part of this village, of this community.
The thing I liked most about Reed's book is that when there was a potential individual about whom she considered a possible "person of interest," she provides a "back story" for each. For instance, she saw a woman with a silver cross necklace which was said to have been her mother's.... We learn more about Evie as she enters into each of these situations and her response to each....
And then, of course, the magic beings are known only if they happen to be identifiable... Take for instance, one man who Evie immediately questioned as he forced her to attend a meeting on the very first contact, but then, his wife had no alibi for not being there as well--at least in her opinion... Readers will enjoy the love story of this couple, like one you've never read about before--or at least I hadn't... LOL...
Seriously, when the overall story becomes more fascinating to me than the mystery to be solved, I was hooked! This book is fun, joyful--even when murder happens, and a wonderful way to begin a new series, which I highly recommend if this post sounds at all interesting to you... Folks, you really have to visit Maiden-Upon-Avon... to understand ...and ...know... Enjoy!
Folks this took me away from the madness and chaos...
"Something Stayed" seemed to be a song that I wanted to added as well...
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