To Conjure a Killer by Clea Simon

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Becca Colwin, witch detective, is walking home from her job at the New Age shop Charm and Cherish when she sees a kitten darting into the street.  Becca springs into action, chasing the kitten into an alley to rescue it—and finding a dead body in the process.  It’s not just any dead body either:  the deceased is Becca’s former boyfriend, Jeff. 

Of course, that’s when the police show up.

While Becca isn’t arrested, she is a person of interest in the slaying. After all, she was found standing over the body.  In order to clear her name, Becca is going to have to use all her powers, supernatural or otherwise, in order to solve the case.  This means she’s going to have to find out about the people in Jeff’s life and about the software program he was working on—one that people are saying could have been an electronic game changer.

Fortunately for Becca, she’s not the only one on the case.  Her three cats also have a vested interest in keeping her out of jail—and her cats are the ones with actual supernatural powers.

Nowadays, there are many mystery series with some otherworldly touches, but this series stands alone in that, unbeknownst to her, Becca’s cats are the ones with magic.  In fact, Becca’s belief that she has powers is due to luxury loving Harriet deciding to conjure up a more comfy pillow.  Harriet and Laurel, the two older cats, are more concerned that Becca bring home the cat food and attend to their every need, while Clara is devoted to Becca as her person and tries to help in every way she can.  The new kitten adds a layer of intrigue to the story as well:  is she just an ordinary cat or is she a witch cat as well?

The characters are well drawn.  Becca is an appealing protagonist, with her kind heart and empathetic nature. There are some intriguing supporting characters as well, especially the enigmatic Elizabeth, whose sister owns Charm and Cherish. The suspect gallery in this one is quite good.  But I have to say that the cats steal the show—as well they should.

A Cat on the Case by Clea Simon

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

 

Becca Corwin, aspiring witch, has a day job at the Charm and Cherish, a New Age shop in Cambridge.  Becca has offered her services as a detective, but so far there have been no takers even though she has had some success in the past. 

But, unbeknownst to Becca, those successes were actually due to her three cats who—unlike Becca—actually do have powers.  In fact, it was due to fluffy orange Harriet that Becca came to believe she had power after the luxury-loving feline conjured a pillow. Haughty Siamese Laurel believes that Becca should just spend her days looking after her cats, and possibly find a boyfriend.  Our protagonist, loving calico Clara, is the one who worries about her person and tries to help out despite the snippy comments from her sisters. Clara has taken to surreptitiously following Becca to work, using her power to (mostly) hide her presence.

This day, a young woman comes into the shop asking about a “witch detective.” She leaves before Becca can get the full story out of her, but leaves behind a violin in a case.  It seems like an old instrument, possibly valuable, so Becca is determined to find the owner.  Along the way, she encounters theft, lies, and murder—and maybe a case too big for Clara’s paws to handle. But Becca is determined to solve the mysteries and Clara is just as determined that Becca isn’t going to tackle a murderer alone.

This is the third in the Witch Cats of Cambridge series which started with A Spell of Murder and An Incantation of Cats.  You don’t have to have read the first two to enjoy this one, though I have to say I prefer to read in order because I like to see how the characters develop.  In this one, Clara learns more about her heritage and the mystic charge laid on her from ancient times.  Clara is a sweet, caring soul who loves Becca with all of her heart.  She is very young, though, and not as worldly as her sisters—as they keep reminding her.  The dynamics between the feline sisters is entertaining; each is a strong personality and, just as in human families, there’s a certain amount of competition and bossiness between the siblings.

Becca is oblivious to all of this, believing her cats are just her pets.  She has her own human circle of friends and a few foes to contend with, from the wise and sympathetic Elizabeth to a new, irate neighbor.  She also has concerns that the cats can’t comprehend:  earning money, for one thing, and the lease on her apartment for another.

Simon is no stranger to series work, having four previous ones to her credit including the Pru Marlow books which featured a pet psychic as the lead character (well, human character as I expect Wallis the crabby tabby would believe she deserved top billing) and the Dulcie Schwartz series in which a grad student solves mysteries with the help of her ghostly cat, Mr. Grey. Simon well knows the ways of cats and one thing I have appreciated in all her series is that the felines—actually, any animals—who appear are distinct personalities in their own right, not just furry props. 

I also love that Simon likes to pull in history along with her stories, though I will admit I sometimes get more caught up in the history part than the current case! That’s just me—and probably why I like reading series in order so much.  I get invested in the characters and am as avid to discover backstory as I am to go forward with the current action.  It’s not just character and plot; there’s a bit of world-building going on as well.

So if 2020 has left you feeling a bit burned out, put a little magic back into your life with a visit with the Witch Cats of Cambridge. 

An Incantation of Cats: A Witch Cats of Cambridge Mystery by Clea Simon

Reviewed by Jeanne

Becca Colwin is slowly adjusting to her new chosen profession as a witch detective—that is, someone who investigates mysteries that have a connection to her witch community. The trouble is that business is very slow and she needs to earn some money sooner rather than later so she is hopeful when a young woman turns up with a problem:  she thinks someone is trying to use magic against her.  Becca promises to find out what she can, hoping that her nascent powers are up to the task. Becca has been diligently studying the Craft, but her spells just haven’t produced much in the way of results, except for the thrilling time that she somehow managed to conjure up a pillow. Problem is, she’s not sure how or even why she produced the pillow. She’s been waiting for another real breakthrough, but it seems to be very slow in coming.

Fortunately, unknown to Becca, help is at hand in the form of her three sister cats: chubby orange Harriet, always on the lookout for treats and comfort; critical Siamese Laurel who thinks Becca needs a boyfriend; and plump little calico Clara, who adores her person and tries to look out for her, despite the lack of encouragement from her sisters.  The three felines come from a long line of witches’ cats and have powers of their own—in fact, it wasn’t Becca who conjured the pillow but Harriet. Becca is young and can be rather naïve, so Clara is worried that her beloved human may be getting herself in too deep, especially when a person connected with the case turns up dead. 

This is the second in the Witch Cats of Cambridge series, but you don’t have to have read the first one in order to enjoy this one.  Most of the story is told from Clara’s point of view as she determinedly follows along on Becca’s investigations, hoping to keep the young woman out of trouble—something Laurel would probably characterize as the blind leading the blind.  There’s also an intriguing subplot about Becca’s heritage which may hold part of the key to her relationship with her cats.

Becca is very new to the investigation business but what she lacks in experience she makes up with determination.  She quickly realizes that the hardest part is figuring out who she can trust and that truth is not as easy to come by as it should be.

While the mystery was well done, it was the cats I loved—but then I am often more impressed by characters than plot in whatever I read.  There’s an interesting dynamic among the three whiskered sisters, all of whom have strong and distinct personalities. Sweet Clara is especially appealing because of her spunk and devotion.  Laurel and Harriet are more interested in their own comforts and pleasures, and tend to pick on Clara. Cat servants will certainly recognize the wiles employed to get Becca to do as her cats please, and may suspect their own felines of having some supernatural powers.

Becca, while oblivious to the machinations of her cats, is becoming a bit more secure and self-assured in her own life.  She is struggling to make ends meet, but she is certain that she’s found her calling.  I like the way that she is taking control of her own life, and not dependent on the approval of others.  She is currently single (a state Laurel wants to change) and while she’s open to a relationship, she doesn’t define herself by it. I find this refreshing in a cozy series.  I like a bit of romance, don’t get me wrong; but I weary of heroines who whine and pine over a guy.

The ending was extremely satisfactory, leaving me wanting more. (It’s not a cliff-hanger, per se; more an opening up to possibilities.)  I am quite intrigued by the introduction of one particular character who may have a larger role to play in the series.  I do hope Ms. Simon has another story available soon.

The first book in the series is A Spell of Murder.  You can read the review here. 

Note:  I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of the book as a gift, with no expectation of a review, favorable or otherwise.

A Spell of Murder by Clea Simon

La Nuit approves of clever cats

Reviewed by Jeanne

Becca Colvin has been having a rough patch.  She’s lost her job as a researcher due to cutbacks and her boyfriend Jeff has just broken up with her.  Feeling lonely and a bit lost, she finds a flyer advertising for witches (new or in training) and decides to join.  After all, she already has three cats—three familiars, corrects Trent, the coven’s warlock—and Becca thinks she might just have psychic powers.

But like everything else in her life, success at conjuring seems to elude her.  Then, out of nowhere, a pillow appears:  a pillow she’s never seen before, a pillow she didn’t realize she was summoning.  It’s quite the breakthrough, and her fellow witches and warlock are suitably impressed.  Becca is on her way to becoming a witch.

Except that she wasn’t the one who produced the pillow.  That would be Harriet, her long-haired, cream colored cat.  Or as little Clara the calico put it, it was all Harriet’s fault, because Harriet was too lazy to go sit on a pillow and summoned one instead.  Siamese Laurel is coolly amused, but Clara is worried.  There’s no telling what Becca might do if she thinks she really has powers.

Things take an even darker turn when a member of the coven is found murdered—and it appears that Becca might have a motive.  Can Clara save her person without revealing her own supernatural gifts?

This is the first in the Witch Cats of Cambridge series, and a charming start it is.  Told primarily from Clara’s point of view, Simon imbues all three cats with strong, distinct personalities from hedonistic Harriet to manipulative Laurel who likes to stir the pot just to see what mischief emerges.  Clara is loyal and nurturing, concerned about Becca and determined to help.  Becca herself is an appealing character, down but not out, kind, generous, and sometimes a bit gullible.  The mystery is well done, with many motives and many suspects, but the true treat for me is seeing how the cats view humans as well as recognizing aspects of cats I’ve known with these three feline sisters. I also enjoy the hints that there is a greater backstory of cat and human relationships to come.

Most of all, I like that the book features an engaging, sweet-natured, intelligent heroine.  The fact that she has four legs, fur, and a tail, is just a bonus.  I look forward to more adventures with the Cambridge Cat Coven.

Full Disclosure:  I was given an ARC of the book with no stipulations as to whether I would write a review, favorable or otherwise.