Title: Spellcasting in Silk
Author: Juliet Blackwell
Publisher: NAL
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Pages: 336
Book Source: Public Library
Lily would like nothing better than to relax, enjoy her friends, and take care of business at her store, which is booming thanks to San Francisco’s upcoming Summer of Love Festival. But as the unofficial witchy consultant to the SFPD, she is pulled into yet another case.
A woman has jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, and her apparent suicide may be connected to a suspicious botanica in the Mission District. When the police investigate the shop, they ask Lily to look into its mysterious owner, whose granddaughter also appears to be missing. As Lily searches for the truth, she finds herself confronted with a confounding mystery and some very powerful magic…
My Review:
I’ve been reading this cozy mystery series from the first book, Secondhand Spirits, and have enjoyed them all. You don’t need to read them in order, but there are character’s relationships that will make more sense if you do.
Lily Ivory is a very powerful witch who recently relocated to San Francisco after a difficult life in Texas, where she didn’t fit in at all. She owns a vintage thrift store, where two of her closest friends, Mya and Bronwyn, work alongside her. This works out great because they are able to run the store while she is running all over San Fran helping to solve crimes, usually of the supernatural nature.
Lily’s familiar is a pig/goblin named Oscar, who is super adorable. And there ends up being a love/power triangle between her, another powerful warlock, Aidan and a psychic named Sailor. This love and power balance keeps shifting throughout the series, and just when you think Lily will choose one to be with for either love or to increase their powers, circumstances change again.
As with most cozy mysteries, you will have a regular set of characters who develop more each book. Along with a handful of new characters each book so you have a list of suspects for how is committing the crime.
In this book we are also introduced to a young witch who I think will become a regular in the upcoming books.
I realize I didn’t tell you much about this particular book, but the above synopsis does it perfectly. And I wanted you to get more of a feel for the series in order to see if it is something you would want to read. And I hope you do, since I really enjoy this series!