Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Berkley (2009), Edition: 1st, 304 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Mystery. Taking a break from her job at Enchantments, Stony Mill's finest mystical antique shop, Maggie O'Neill visits a carnival where she senses some bad spirits. And when a construction worker is suspected of killing a young woman, it's up to Maggie and the N.I.G.H.T.S. ghosthunting team to uncover the dark spiritual energy leaking into their town before it spoils everyone's fun.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Menagerie
Madelyn Alt has created a charming universe and some fun characters in her Bewitching Series. However, it is time for her to allow her main characters, especially Maggie, to grow a bit. Maggie is still clinging to her old religious beliefs even though she doesn't really believe in them. It's time
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for her to step up and embrace her Wiccan beliefs and stop whining about not knowing what she believes or what she should do. She also needs to pick between the two men in her life. We've heard enough whining about that, too. Last, she needs to show a little more spine. In this book her sister rides roughshod over her, creates a huge, long lasting problem for her and she does absolutely nothing about it. She also needs to work a little harder on coming up with a solid mystery for Maggie and company to solve. This one was pretty thin and not that interesting. Show Less
LibraryThing member phoenixdragonhart
Terrible! I was very excited to read the next installment in this series and was utterly disappointed. The main character, Maggie, has made no progress whatsoever. Her boring lack of a love life is excruciating to read about and is completely her own fault! If she would get out of her own way we
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might be able to add a little steamy romance to this storyline but instead she insists on being loyal to a man who has clearly moved on already. The clues to the story's mystery were literally spelled out for her but she is unable to put two and two together. This lack of vision and her self pitying "I'm just a run of the mill empath" is infuriating and left me screaming at the book when her own life is threatened by the killer and she STILL thinks it was someone else! I truly hope the author can improve these issues when the next book is due because I do not want to give up on a series that held such promise in the past. Show Less
LibraryThing member kcaroth1
I really enjoy this cozy series. I like the paranormal aspect that is just a part of "real" people's lives rather than an entire paranormal world. I also like the inclusion of a little bit of the darker reality of provincial attitudes toward different belief systems that has been playing a larger
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and larger part in this series. The mystery this time was pretty obvious, but all in all, it was a entertaining story. Show Less
LibraryThing member oxlena
Not necessarily a bad book, I just... Really, really didn't like it. I found the writing style to be a little bit awkward, almost the style that would belong to a common-day housewife with nothing better to do than write a silly story (I'm not calling the story silly, that's just the impression I
The story has underlying emphasis on the stereotype of the average everyday nature-loving Wiccan that's being oppressed and beaten-down by society, which I found to be a little too... Cliche. Madelyn Alt seems to be familiar with the Ouija board, but as far as "Wicca" goes [judging by this book, as I haven't read any others--and don't plan to], she seems to know nothing about Wicca, other than that it's a "peaceful" nature religion... Which is pretty much what everyone knows about it; well... everyone other than the people living in the dark ages that confuse it with black magick, devil-worshiping, and Voodoo. She needs to do some more research and try to keep her storyline slightly consistent. I may get flamed by fans asking what was inconsistent about it... The main part that bothered me was the "malevolent" spirit that did malevolent things and then turned out to be not-so-malevolent after all.
Just another mediocre book that's going to sit on my bookshelf collecting dust until I find some poor sucker to throw it at.
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got: fat, bored, unskilled housewife). The story has underlying emphasis on the stereotype of the average everyday nature-loving Wiccan that's being oppressed and beaten-down by society, which I found to be a little too... Cliche. Madelyn Alt seems to be familiar with the Ouija board, but as far as "Wicca" goes [judging by this book, as I haven't read any others--and don't plan to], she seems to know nothing about Wicca, other than that it's a "peaceful" nature religion... Which is pretty much what everyone knows about it; well... everyone other than the people living in the dark ages that confuse it with black magick, devil-worshiping, and Voodoo. She needs to do some more research and try to keep her storyline slightly consistent. I may get flamed by fans asking what was inconsistent about it... The main part that bothered me was the "malevolent" spirit that did malevolent things and then turned out to be not-so-malevolent after all.
Just another mediocre book that's going to sit on my bookshelf collecting dust until I find some poor sucker to throw it at.
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LibraryThing member irreverent_reader
I always enjoy the Bewitching Mysteries. I think Maggie is a very relatable character; for me anyways. I think the important thing to realize when reading this series is that Maggie is an amateur sleuth and a fledgling empath. That does mean that her investigative skills will be slightly bumbling.
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But it is charming and well constructed. I Do like the further development in her love life. I would agree with a few other reviewers that Maggie should be allowed to grow. Of course, Alt may have a plan for this sweet character that will soon be revealed. Maggie and the Bewitching Mysteries hold much promise and are always a delight to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheLibraryhag
In this fifth book in the series, Maggie and company are involved in the murder of a woman at the church she attends. But the story is really more about the continuing story of a town that is under siege by spirits. And about how the blame is being shifted to Maggie and her friends at Enchantments.
I really like this series. The characters are well defined and I feel that I know them pretty well. The mystery in this one is pretty good but as I said, I find the other story lines more intriguing. The paranormal is not over the top in this series. You really need to read this series in order.
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Funny, because these folks are to best hope the town has. Maggie is also learning more about her talents and about herself. I really like this series. The characters are well defined and I feel that I know them pretty well. The mystery in this one is pretty good but as I said, I find the other story lines more intriguing. The paranormal is not over the top in this series. You really need to read this series in order.
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LibraryThing member ZabetReading
Terrible! I was very excited to read the next installment in this series and was utterly disappointed. The main character, Maggie, has made no progress whatsoever. Her boring lack of a love life is excruciating to read about and is completely her own fault! If she would get out of her own way we
Show More
might be able to add a little steamy romance to this storyline but instead she insists on being loyal to a man who has clearly moved on already. The clues to the story's mystery were literally spelled out for her but she is unable to put two and two together. This lack of vision and her self pitying "I'm just a run of the mill empath" is infuriating and left me screaming at the book when her own life is threatened by the killer and she STILL thinks it was someone else! I truly hope the author can improve these issues when the next book is due because I do not want to give up on a series that held such promise in the past. Show Less
LibraryThing member JalenV
Where There's a Witch is my second bewitching mystery. I'm afraid one of the Ouija messages kept going over my head, but I had an unfair advantage in guessing the killer anyway. The description of what must have been the murder weapon matches an item we have in our home.
I haven't read book four,
Yes, things have been going wrong among the citizens of Stony Mill, Indiana for months now, but I'm more likely to attribute it to the darkness in the hearts of the self-righteous members of the First Evangelical Church of Light creating an opening for evil entities to move in. Sadly, Stony Mill is a conservative small town. Among the persons with false ideas about Wiccans are the mothers of Maggie and young Evie, much to their daughters' distress.
I haven't read books one or two, either, so I don't know for sure what Father Tom, the priest at the Catholic church Maggie has stopped attending, did, but from the hints dropped here, he should have ousted from his position. (I remember how our priest thundered that those pedophile priests were EVIL when the scandal first broke. I personally refused to watch televised Masses featuring he-never-deserved-to-be-the-Vicar-of-Christ-after-his-betrayal Benedict XVI. I had no respect for him then and none now.) What a pity that Maggie's mother defends Father Tom. I wish Maggie would tell her outright that she's not going to attend Mass at their church until they get a priest worthy of the office.
As for the Ouija messages, it's high school students Tara and Evie who are using it. Maggie doesn't want to, but they talk her into it. They do get some useful information, though. It might have been more useful if the ghost could spell better.
The finding of a forgotten room turned out not to be what I expected, but still interesting. I'll cut Maggie some slack for not putting some clues together sooner because she's got the anti-witch campaign, nagging mom, and jerk Deputy Fielding problems on her mind.
Pardon my chortle, but a phone conversation Liss has in this book makes me suspect that a possibility from book three will eventually come to pass.
(Same first initial, too, heh heh.)
Cat lovers, the black cat on the cover is no longer a cheat. Minnie is a dear little kitten.
Now that I've read the two books that came my way, I want to read the rest.
I haven't read book four,
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but it seems that Maggie's self-centered sister, Mel, blabbed about Liss, Marcus, and the N.I.G.H.T.S (the Northeastern Indiana Ghost Hunting and Tracking Society) in the last book. What's worse, Mel did it after they'd done her a great service. The fallout from Mel's loose lips is a major subplot of this book.Yes, things have been going wrong among the citizens of Stony Mill, Indiana for months now, but I'm more likely to attribute it to the darkness in the hearts of the self-righteous members of the First Evangelical Church of Light creating an opening for evil entities to move in. Sadly, Stony Mill is a conservative small town. Among the persons with false ideas about Wiccans are the mothers of Maggie and young Evie, much to their daughters' distress.
I haven't read books one or two, either, so I don't know for sure what Father Tom, the priest at the Catholic church Maggie has stopped attending, did, but from the hints dropped here, he should have ousted from his position. (I remember how our priest thundered that those pedophile priests were EVIL when the scandal first broke. I personally refused to watch televised Masses featuring he-never-deserved-to-be-the-Vicar-of-Christ-after-his-betrayal Benedict XVI. I had no respect for him then and none now.) What a pity that Maggie's mother defends Father Tom. I wish Maggie would tell her outright that she's not going to attend Mass at their church until they get a priest worthy of the office.
As for the Ouija messages, it's high school students Tara and Evie who are using it. Maggie doesn't want to, but they talk her into it. They do get some useful information, though. It might have been more useful if the ghost could spell better.
The finding of a forgotten room turned out not to be what I expected, but still interesting. I'll cut Maggie some slack for not putting some clues together sooner because she's got the anti-witch campaign, nagging mom, and jerk Deputy Fielding problems on her mind.
Pardon my chortle, but a phone conversation Liss has in this book makes me suspect that a possibility from book three will eventually come to pass.
(Same first initial, too, heh heh.)
Cat lovers, the black cat on the cover is no longer a cheat. Minnie is a dear little kitten.
Now that I've read the two books that came my way, I want to read the rest.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
Oh my, Maggie Scaredy-Cat has gone backwards to being a very stoopid Dumb-Bunny again.
The church is planning an expansion...as the ground caves in a buried chamber littered with animal bones and covered with crosses is unearthed.
When Maggie allows the kidlets to make a Ouija board and use it
After helping clear out the house, Maggie's sister Mel spreads the gossip about "witches" to Maggie's high school rival (husband owns the local newspaper) and as soon as the news hits the special edition the town begins to turn against Felicity, Maggie & the Enchantments Shoppe.
Tara needs a Major Attitude Adjustment, she is just plain Nasty to the women who have saved her bacon and I find her very irritating, especially since not one of the adults will put her in her place. The Last thing this series needs is a negative snarky adolescent...
The cop who is supposed to be "into" Maggie is dating on the side and is still trying to run Maggie's life.
However...Maggie does finally stand up to her mother.
The story was easy to decipher, for me there was No "Mystery". The clues are very plain and clear as daylight.
I believe this is a mediocre series at best. I believe that with some effort that Madelyn Alt could do so much more with her characters and plots.
I am very disappointed.
The church is planning an expansion...as the ground caves in a buried chamber littered with animal bones and covered with crosses is unearthed.
When Maggie allows the kidlets to make a Ouija board and use it
Show More
after the opening of the buried chamber the spirit of Elias, attaches itself to Maggie. But of course, she misinterprets all of the messages.After helping clear out the house, Maggie's sister Mel spreads the gossip about "witches" to Maggie's high school rival (husband owns the local newspaper) and as soon as the news hits the special edition the town begins to turn against Felicity, Maggie & the Enchantments Shoppe.
Tara needs a Major Attitude Adjustment, she is just plain Nasty to the women who have saved her bacon and I find her very irritating, especially since not one of the adults will put her in her place. The Last thing this series needs is a negative snarky adolescent...
The cop who is supposed to be "into" Maggie is dating on the side and is still trying to run Maggie's life.
However...Maggie does finally stand up to her mother.
The story was easy to decipher, for me there was No "Mystery". The clues are very plain and clear as daylight.
I believe this is a mediocre series at best. I believe that with some effort that Madelyn Alt could do so much more with her characters and plots.
I am very disappointed.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2009-07-07
Physical description
304 p.; 6.75 inches
ISBN
0425228711 / 9780425228715
Local notes
Fifth in the Bewitching Mysteries, featuring Maggie O'Neill: 1-The Trouble with Magic (2006), 2- A Charmed Death (2006) 3- Hex Marks the Spot (2007), 4- No Rest for the Wiccan (2008), 5- Where there's A Witch (2009), 6- A Witch in Time (2010), 7- Home for a Spell (2011), 8- In Charm's Way (2012)