Auralee WallaceReseñas

Nice cozy book. I liked the characters, but I wasn't wowed. And I got a bit confused with all the side- characters. I wasn't sure who was who anymore. Still, a bunch of quirky witches and a murder mystery. It was fun.

A very cosy, magical murder mystery.
Dead guests, dead husbands and death witches - it was very sweet and simple but enjoyable.

I had already written a lukewarm but overall not too scathing review about this, intending to just DNF and be done with it.
Luckily or rather not so luckily I kept reading for a few more chapters which allowed me to discover a mountain of absurdity and stupidity in the form of a public town council meeting.
I talk about events in the book up to chapter 30 or so but I try not to spoiler anything major beyond the initial story setup.

The MCs grief:
We discover very early on that the MC has retreated from society and doesn't leave the house she is living in with her 2 aunts and 1 uncle (I think?). We later find out that this is due to grief over her dead husband she hasn't recovered from.
Part of the story is about her overcoming her grief and finding her way back into society and while the portrayal of the sorrow itself is well done, the process of overcoming it is rather shallow. (at least up to the point where I dropped the book)

The inciting incident:
The core conflict that gets the plot moving is a murder than happens in their house which is also a BnB.
One of her aunts gets accused based on flimsy evidence and motive at best but everyone treats it like she is really in danger of going to prison if her name isn't cleared. This serves as the core motivator to get the MC out of her long-lasting retreat from society. She then investigates the circumstances on her own. This whole endeavor seemed weird to me. She doesn't work together with the police and she can not collect physical evidence that would be admissible in court either. It wasn't precisely pointless and she really figures a few things out but as you might expect she gets manipulated quite a lot too because she has no systematic approach whatsoever. She basically just runs around and talks to people for 20 chapters.

The family:
The MCs family is meant to be a little dysfunctional in a cutsie kind of way but the author apparently didn't notice how pathologically dysfunctional this family really ended up being.
The way the two aunts just casually violate personal boundaries constantly and how the MC isn't even mad about it infuriates me. If a family member of mine would've done some of the things they do I would never have talked to that person again in my life. (Well, maybe that is a little too dramatic, but I at least would've felt like that in the moment.) But the MC just waves most of it away and the worst stuff is only worth a stern look. And I am not talking about one single incident. It happens constantly and with manipulative magic spells and spelled food etc. too sometimes.
There supposedly is a kind of karma component to how the magic works but apparently karma is passed out drunk in a dumpster somewhere because what the hell is karma doing not setting their house on fire considering how they casually fling manipulative and intrusive spells around willy nilly against everyone. What the hell would they have to do for karma to actually punish them?!

The plot:
The story doesn't feel like it is going anywhere original. Quite a bit of the story felt like a slog and most of the rest was just a run-of-the-mill cozy mystery but without a love interest.
That is one original thing about this book. It doesn't try to force a dark and handsome love interest into the cozy mystery for a romantic happily ever after which is particularly important because the MC is a grieving widow.
But the book doesn't do anything with it. It's not capitalizing on this difference that breaks the mold! You were brave enough to refrain from a cheesy clichée romance! Do something with that and don't just leave dead air there!
Maybe I just haven't read far enough to encounter precisely this handsome love interest yet.
The overall structure was a bit all over the place which I sometimes enjoy if the story that is being told is interesting and original but the building blocks were all well known tropes and clichées.

Characters:
The aunts and the MC were well crafted if a bit exaggerated in their character traits.
A lot of the other characters are missing depth but not all of them are cardboard cutouts of clichéed tropes at least.

The council meeting (around chapter 30):
The point where I dropped the book was during a town council meeting that is coopted to accuse her aunt of the murder again even though it was specifically stated before that this wouldn't be a topic of discussion.
It instead devolves into a cheap imitation of a trial in a phoenix wright game. The book is going for an exciting fight in a public court but it fails miserably. The only part that is missing is someone shouting "objection". But in contrast to those games, none of the arguments make any sense. The book treats the different arguments and points like they are somehow coherent but there is no consistent logic behind any of them. It's almost as if someone states "this chair is brown and therefore it must be 9oclock" and everyone just implicitly agrees. The author is trying to create a tense situation with high but uncertain stakes but she has nothing to back this up so it just falls flat.

Well, there you have it. Tired clichéed tropes everywhere and the bits that are original are badly executed. Not horrible but not good either.
(The book is better written than this review at least.)
Do not recommend.

sweet and charming

A fun beginning to the Evenfall Witches B&B series. I love that Nora is so spicy and doesn't take crap from anyone. I love that Brynn finds her way back to her magic by the end of the story (although I already knew this because I read When the Crow's Away first). I am hopeful that Auralee Wallace will write a third book in the series as I love the mixture of paranormal and cozy mystery.

Pure paranormal cozy, but better than the average cozy output of the last decade. Zero romance, at least in this first book, without even so much as a prospect on the horizon. There's a bit of heaviness here, as the MC is struggling to accept the death of her husband, and the author writes her grief in an almost palpable way at times.

The characters are written well, although the cat and the crow (whose name is Dog) steal the show whenever they're on the page. At the point where any one character seems too 2 dimensional, the author offers up a peek into another layer that balances them out realistically, so that no one is too nice, or too evil.

The mystery plotting was skilfully done and the murderer was unexpected.

I'm definitely requesting the second book from my library, and if it continues in this vein, I'll have a new cozy mystery to enjoy for the first time in years.

Oh snap! That twist at the end, did not see that coming. When is book 3 coming out (no pressure Auralee Wallace) because I need to know what happens next.

This was a great, paranormal, cozy mystery. Brynn, her aunts, and uncle are fantastic. Their neighbor is hilarious, I was not expecting the reason given for the stakes and pillows in the front lawn.

Looking forward to reading more books from this author. Highly recommend this book, it was a fun read.

In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace is the debut of An Evenfall Witches B&B Mysteries. Brynn Warren is a likeable and relatable protagonist. She is still dealing with the loss of her husband which makes her sympathetic. Brynn lives in the carriage house behind the bed-and-breakfast and helps her aunts take care of their guests. When their demanding guest, Constance Graves is murdered, Brynn’s fiery Aunt Nora becomes the prime suspect. Brynn works to clear her aunt whose actions are making things worse. I thought the story contained good writing with some interesting characters. Each Warren woman has a unique personality. The animals are fun & quirky especially Dog. I like the magical elements. They enhance the story. The mystery was thought out. There are several good suspects in Constance’s death. It does not help Brynn’s investigation that Constance was a pain-in-the-you-know-what. Her own siblings are on the suspect list. There are clues to help readers solve the crime. I had fun cracking this whodunit. I like that all the details were wrapped up so there were no loose ends. The story had whimsy and humor that made it enjoyable to read. I look forward to reading When the Crow’s Away next spring. In the Company of Witches is a spirited tale with a challenging guest, an angry aunt, an odd death, an irritating itch, a modicum of magical mayhem, and a killer confrontation.

In the Company of Witches is a cozy mystery that takes place in the coziest of places, a New England bed-and-breakfast run by the Warren witches, two sisters, a brother, and their niece Brynn. Nora is not good with people and takes charge of the garden and floral arrangements while Izzy takes care of the cooking and seems to weave comfort and other useful spells into every morsel. Samuel is agoraphobic and stays upstairs, providing warnings when they might be helpful Unfortunately, all their magic did not prevent the murder of their most annoying guest, Constance Graves, an unhappy woman whose goal seemed to be spreading ill-will wherever she went.

Of course, Nora is a suspect because she’s always threatening death and dismemberment in the most colorful terms. The murderer also set out to frame her. Brynn is determined to find out who the real murderer is and set things to rights. Normally she could just ask Constance as she talks to the dead, but her gift has not worked since her husband died and she’s decided to quit magic altogether.

In the Company of Witches is a pleasant and fair mystery. You learn the important clues along with Brynn and she solves it without her magic, though she did use a bit at the end, but not so much to solve the mystery as to tidy up. The arc of the story is in many ways two-fold. Yes, there is the whodunnit, but it is also about Brynn accepting her husband’s death and not blaming her magic for its limitations.

It is also a story of families and what drives them apart and what pulls them together. The Graves and the Warrens are founders of the town and yet hardly know each other. Many in the village are wary of the Warrens, but they also find true friends when the town seems to suspect them of murder and witchcraft.

In the Company of Witches will be published on October 19th. I received an e-galley of In the Company of Witches from the publisher through NetGalley.

In the Company of Witches at Berkley | Penguin Random House
Auralee Wallace author site

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2021/10/11/9780593335833/

Erica Bloom lives in Chicago, and has been looking forward to a visit to Otter Lake, where she grew up and couldn't wait to escape from. The reason being that there was an embarrassing incident years ago and it sent her scurrying across the country to forget it. But now that she's home again she can't wait to see her old boyfriend, now sheriff, Grady Forrester.

When she returns home to the island she grew up on, her mother, who runs spiritual retreats, is hosting a "Silence of the Soul," and isn't speaking...at all; along with any of her guests. So Erica is spending the rest of her time with her best friend Freddie, who's rich and extremely eccentric. While she's also happy to attend the annual Fall Festival with him, she's not expecting the fact that he's created his own security company - after having found an old police uniform in a thrift store and buying a huge speedboat - and has been hired by the town to patrol. So, while she and Freddie are wandering the festival, they hear a scream coming from the Tunnel of Love, and it turns out a man is dead. Yet in the swan boat with him is Erica's 'aunt' Tweety, who helped raise her on the island. It's not long before Tweety is suspected of murdering Mr. Masterson, and Erica is determined to prove her innocent.

Despite warnings to leave it alone from Tweety's twin Kit Kat, and Grady, Erica can't help herself -- and neither can Freddie. The two of them have decided they're going to solve this murder. But in doing so, she might have sabotaged her budding relationship with Grady, and the secrets that have been held so long by some are coming to the fore. Now Freddie and Erica are getting in deeper, and the victim's son Matthew, who makes no bones about his attraction to Erica, wants justice for his father at any cost. But will that cost be more than Erica is willing to pay?...

This is the second book in the series and I will say that I liked it better than the first. Freddie is a hoot, if a little over the top, and although a lot of the book was spent with Erica and Grady mooning at each other and doing nothing about it, I could look past that to get to the meat of the story.

I liked the addition of Erica's Uncle Jack. He seems down-to-earth and I really like him much better than her loony mother. I get what her mother's doing, I just don't get while she professes to love her daughter, she pretty much isn't much of a presence in her life. And when her uncle came forth with a whopper of a secret, I had to wonder why her mother despises him, especially since she turned out to be a hypocrite herself. Below is a spoiler in this, so please don't read it if you haven't read the book:

To see the hidden info, please check my blog here: https://joannesbooks.blogspot.com/2020/04/pumpkin-picking-with-murder-otter-lake...

Also, if Erica's mom owns the island, how did Tweety and Kit Kat get to live there? How did Summer meet them that she would allow them to live there? Does anyone else live there, and if so, wouldn't Summer be their landlord since she owns the island? Where are the answers to these questions? Not to mention why they are named Tweety and Kit Kat. How did they get those names? Especially since their real names are Twyla and Katherine. These are not names for adults - especially adults with their personalities.

I also didn't much care for the fact that Grady's ego needed to be stoked, and therefore I rather liked Matthew more. He seemed normal, and he was able to deal with his baggage a lot better. The mystery was fine, and I did enjoy it, but things went a bit over the top and I'm not sure if I'll continue with this series, especially since it looks like either Grady can't get out of the ego thing or a love triangle might be in the future. Also, why was she even flirting with Matthew if she's interested in Grady? Who does that?

When all is said and done and the murderer was revealed, it all came together nicely, and gave us a satisfying ending. However, if Summer is just as woo-woo in the next book, I think I will be done with this series.

Kind of reminds me of the Joanne Fluke type mysteries (because of taking place in a small resort town). Interesting combo of the two friends sniffing out murder and ticking off the police chief (who is the love interest of one of them) in the process because of interference.

Erica is back. When I first started this series I must admit that I was on the fence if I really liked this series. However, I am happy to report that the books do get better the further you get into the series. One of my favorite thing about this series is the humor. There are plenty of moments to keep you laughing. Yeah, Erica brings some of the humor but it is her two friends that really have the laughs...Freddie and Rhonda. I could have used more Rhonda but having Freddie pretty prominent helping Erica and Grady solve the case helped. Although, if it was up to Grady; he would lock Erica and Freddie up until the case is solved.

There is nothing scary about this book. Well except for the "sex tape" that Freddie and Erica stumble upon. I was laughing at this scene when Freddie was watching with Erica by his side. That is not the awkward part but when the librarian walked in on them watching the video. Haunted Hayride with Murder is a fun, romp, read that is guaranteed to be a "treat". No "trick" here.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Erica's friend Candace is getting married, but after a wild bachlorette party, Candace's maid of honor is found dead. Erica works to solve the case, make sure Candace has a wedding, and figure out where she stands with the love of her life.

This is one of my absolute favorite cozy mystery series! I love the characters, I love the romance, I love the humor, and I love the mysteries. I've read every entry so far, and they never disappoint.

I wanted more Grady! I love him, and I love his relationship with Erica.

Start at the beginning of this series for sure, and I bet you will get hooked like I did!½

This is the fourth book in this series. It can be read as a stand alone novel. The more I am getting to know the characters, the better I am enjoying them. Ring in the Year with Murder is a hilarious comedy of high jinx, eccentric characters, and a light-hearted plot that is sure to bring enjoyment for hours!

My favorite parts in this book were the "Morning After" scenes featuring Erica and Freddie. There was so much humor in these scenes. Plus, Erica and Freddie were good together. They are like Lucy and Ethel or Will and Grace.

Yet the rest of the story was pretty awesome as well. I had such an enjoyable time reading this book. It was like I was right there with Freddie and Erica as they raced around to solve the mystery. This is big as Grady was missing for most of the story. It is a good thing that Freddie and Erica are so likable as they sucked at trying to be incognito as detectives. Luckily, everyone else was just as eager to get in on the action as detectives as well. Also, #JusticeforStanley.

I enjoyed this book tremendously, Even though I really wanted to hate the main Character Auralee Wallace made it impossible to. Great book, leaves a couple of loose ends at the end which will hopefully be wrapped up in another installment (Please?)

This is the first book I read in the Otter Lake Mystery Series and I really had mixed feelings about it. When I started the book, I almost put it back down. The author just seemed like she was trying to hard to be funny. The characters in Otter Lake all seem to be rather eccentric. Names like KitKat and Tweety, along with the retreat belonging to the mother of the main character holding a vow of silence retreat and the mom miming when she tries to communicate with her daughter just seemed to be a bit over the top. Having said all that, once I got in to the story, I began to enjoy it.

Erica Bloom has come back for a visit to spend time with Grady, the sheriff of Otter Lake. Freddie, her long time friend has opened his own security company and has been hired by the town council to do security at the Fall Fair. When Mr Masterson dying in the tunnel of love with Tweety, Erica's aunt, she is arrested for murder. Erica and Freddie set out to find proof that she is innocent. This does not go over well with Grady. He feels like they are undermining him and this does not bode well for Erica's and Grady's relationship. As another murder takes place, Tweety's sister KitKat gets injured and Erica and Freddie get arrested, the story takes on a fun tone that I was able to enjoy.

Erica and Freddie have a wonderful relationship. The two of them seem to jump blindly into situations that are not safe and at different times, each one seems to be the leader in their enterprise. They are funny and act more like a sister and brother with their relationship. Grady and Erica do not seem to have any luck at all with trying to get together. They have all sorts of hurdles to get over, but we are left at the end of the book with hope that they may be able to have a relationship in upcoming stories.

I am not sure if I am going to read another one by this author or not. I may give it a whirl and if it works out, then this series may be a go for me. Cozy mystery readers that enjoy really quirky characters and a sense of humor in their books will probably enjoy this series. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.½

Pumpkin Picking with Murder by Auralee Wallace is the second book in An Otter Lake Mystery series. Erica Bloom is returning home to Otter Lake, New Hampshire for a visit. She is looking forward to spending time with Grady Forrestor, boyfriend and local sheriff as well as enjoying the Otter Lake’s Fall Festival. Unfortunately, their time together is cut short when they hear screaming at the fair. They rush over to find Tweety (who is like an aunt to Erica) in a swan boat with Mr. Masterson exiting the tunnel of love. The problem is Tweety is the only person still alive in the boat. This is the end of Grady’s time off. Erica knows that Tweety would never hurt anyone. Erica teams up with her best friend, Freddie Ng (who doing security for the fair and thinking about becoming a private detective). Erica is determined to find the real culprit for Tweety and to get to spend more time with Grady. Will they succeed? Join them for their hijinks in Pumpkin Picking with Murder.

Pumpkin Picking with Murder is easy to read, but I thought the author was trying too hard to be humorous. It ends up coming across as just ridiculous. It was one silly thing after another. It seemed like every single person in this town was eccentric (Grady might be the only normal person). The mystery can easily be solved. One clue is the key (if you even need that). Erica and Freddie run around town trying to solve the murder and they acted like two kids instead of adults. It was one over-the-top thing after another through the whole book. Pumpkin Picking with Murder was just not my type of book. I wanted to give the series a second chance, but An Otter Lake Mystery series is just not for me. I like books with the small town charm, engaging (likeable) characters, and a complex mystery. I give Pumpkin Picking with Murder 3 out of 5 stars. While this series is not my cup of tea, it will appeal to other readers. I suggest you get a sample of the book to see if it appeals to you (for those of you with e-readers).

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Erica Bloom is back in Otter Lake for the Fall Festival--and for a shot at romance with her childhood crush. But when a boat emerges from the Tunnel of Love with a dead body inside, and a member of Erica's family becomes the prime suspect, Erica will have to team up with her best friend Freddie once again to solve the case.

I love the characters and setting in this series. Wallace is so good at creating unique, real characters, and her Otter Lake is extremely vivid and different from any other small town mystery setting I've ever read.

This is a funny mystery series too! It reminds me in a lot of ways of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series--really hilarious, a great romance you can't help but root for, and an excellent mystery as well.

I would say the book didn't need the addition of a love triangle, but that didn't really detract from the story at all.

The Otter Lake series is absolutely one of my favorite cozy mystery series. It's funny, charming, clever, and unique, and I highly recommend it.

Skinny Dipping with Murder by Auralee Wallace is An Otter Lake Mystery novel. Erica Bloom is returning home at her mother’s request. Her mother, Summer needs a favor to help save her business. Summer hosts retreats for women. The latest retreat is “Earth, Moon, and Stars” where women get in touch with a person’s inner goddess. Erica has not been home in eight years because she was the victim of a practical joke that left her feeling humiliated. The three “Fluffateers” were responsible for the prank. Tommy (leader and cousin to Grady Forrestor, local sheriff), Dickie, and Harry are the members of the group. Erica has barely unpacked her suitcase when Dickie Morrison is found dead. He is at the bottom of a well impaled on a weenie skewer (what a way to go). Sheriff Grady Forrestor immediately suspects Erica of killing Dickie. When Harry Drummond pops up dead, Erica is really in the hot seat. Erica needs to find the real killer before Grady locks her up (not that Erica would mind spending a little alone time with Grady). Who is killing off the fluffateers and why now? Looks like Erica will be sticking around Otter Lake a little longer than planned.

I found Skinny Dipping with Murder to be a moronic book (just being truthful). It was just to over-the-top with nonsense to be enjoyable (at least for me). The mystery was so simple. I solved it right away (the killer was so obvious). The novel is easy to read and had a good pace (that is it for my compliments). I found Erica Bloom (the main character) to be infantile, and she had severe anger management issues. I also got tired of her admiring the local sheriff (his bulging biceps, handsome thighs, etc.). I do not believe I am the right audience for this book. I give Skinny Dipping with Murder 2 out of 5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel in exchange for an honest evaluation. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

This is an absolutely delightful, fun cozy mystery.

The protagonist, Erica Bloom, is wonderfully strong, flawed, and funny. She has been lured back to her hometown (which she fled not long after the infamous incident at the Raspberry Social) by her mother, who needs her to pretend to be a licensed psychologist at her women's retreat.

When she stumbles on a body, Erica initially wants to solve the murder so she can get out of Otter Lake and back to her life and job, where she feels in control. But Erica soon finds herself both drawn to and irritated by her former high school crush, who is now the sheriff, and is determined to solve the mystery before he does.

In lesser hands, this plot and its characters could have become outlandish. But Wallace writes with a deft touch, and keeps the story funny and the mystery full of twists without the book getting out of hand.

I look forward to reading the next book in the Otter Lake series!½

The title of this book is what drew me to it. Instantly I fell in love with this book from the humor to the eccentric characters like Kit Kat, Tweety, Freddie, Rhonda, and Grady to name a few. I knew that I was in for a fun, entertaining journey ride when I read the following line "Dickie Morrison... dead...impaled by a weenie skewer."

There was so many funny antics that Erica found herself in that I found myself carrying a smile on my face. In fact, a few times I had to stop reading to read a line or two to my husband because it was so funny. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries then you will enjoy this book. I can't wait to read the second book in this series and visit again with the people of Otter Lake.