Title: Wicked Witch Murder
Publisher: Kensington
Publish Date: Sept 1, 2010
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: With planning the town's annual Halloween Party, the drought wreaking havoc on her garden, and her brood of four children, Lucy Stone's got her hands full this fall. As the air turns crisp and the trees blaze red and gold in the tiny town of Tinker's Cove, Maine, a newcomer arrives who seems to suit the Halloween season. Diana Ravenscroft has just opened Solstice, a charming little shop featuring candles, crystals, jewelry, and psychic readings. But after an unnervingly accurate reading by Diana, Lucy starts to get more than a little spooked.
Then there's the dead body Lucy finds, way up on one of the old logging roads behind her house. The deceased is identified as Malcolm Malebranche, a seemingly harmless magician who worked at children's birthday parties. When it turns out that Diana knew the murder victim, Ike Stoughton, a prominent local businessman, starts a campaign against Diana, blaming 'the witch' for everything from the unseasonal dry spell to his wife's illness and his pumpkins' lack of plumpness. But Lucy's not so sure that Ike himself is innocent. Still, as the town Halloween party approaches, Lucy's more concerned about the costume competition, pin-the-nose-on-the-pumpkin, and baking three dozen orange cupcakes and Beastly Bug cookies. But as the October moon rises, a killer plans a lethal celebration of his own and Lucy's the guest of honor.
Wicked Witch Murder, is a pretty ho hum story as far as cozy mysteries are concerned. The plot has great potential with a new resident and witchcraft and of course a religious crazy that doesn't believe in medicine and thinks that witch craft is evil.
There could have been a good witch hunt theme going on here, but it barely got off the ground.
The murder happens early on and the victim is connected with Diana, but then the focus of the story seems to shift away from that area and more to Diana and the crazy Stoughton clan, which weaves in a lot of the witchy details. Although I have to say, I find it hilarious that small towns have all these cute little specialty stores. I mean, a witchcraft shop?
Needless to say Lucy's daughters are friends with Ike's daughter and they are also experimenting with Wicca, which causes a multitude of problems
I've read several of the Lucy Stone mysteries, and Lucy is probably one of my least favorite cozy mystery heroines. It's something about her personality that gets a little annoying. She has a condescending way about her.
There were so many things going on in this story. But the Ike Stoughton part of the story line was annoying, especially when things wrap up at the end. A person that was that religious and held those kind of convictions would not change that quickly or even try to.
This was probably my least favorite of the Lucy Stone novels. Everything was disjointed here and even with the death at the beginning didn't seem connected with the rest of the story, though it is, it just doesn't feel like it was even important at all.
Rating: 2 flowers
1 comments:
I read this one for Halloween, maybe last year or the year before. I liked it. I always enjoy this series.
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