A Magical Match by Juliet Blackwell fantasy book reviewsA Magical Match by Juliet Blackwell fantasy book reviewsA Magical Match by Juliet Blackwell

In A Magical Match, the ninth book in Juliet Blackwell’s WITCHCRAFT MYSTERIES, vintage clothing store owner Lily Ivory is preparing for her wedding, but something is wrong with her groom. He’s been acting strangely, and then he is accused of a murder. Witnesses saw him at the scene, and it looks like an open and shut case, until Lily realizes there may be a magical explanation. Can she discover the truth and get her fiancé out of jail before the wedding?

Sometimes it’s not necessary to write a book review and this is one of those times. Fans of Juliet Blackwell’s paranormal cozy mysteries just need to know that A Magical Match maintains the quality of the WITCHCRAFT MYSTERIES series. If you love hanging around Aunt Cora’s Closet on Haight Street with Lily and her friends, you’ll be happy with this installment.

A Magical Match by Juliet BlackwellAn added bonus is that we finally get to learn a lot more about Lily’s family and we get to meet some of them, too. Some of what we learn is hard to believe (or, rather, it’s hard to believe that Lily didn’t know it previously) but I think readers will forgive that. There’s a really dumb villain in this installment (the villain unwisely spills everything at the end), but that’s fine, too. I doubt that fans will complain.

It’s clear that there’s much more to come in this series as dark forces seem to be gathering on the horizon and Lily finds out that there’s an ominous-sounding prophecy that involves her. It will be interesting to see where Juliet Blackwell is going with this.

I’m giving A Magical Match four stars, not because I think it’s challenging or world-changing speculative fiction, but because I think it does what it intends to do very well. This is a very good example of a cozy paranormal mystery and will make its fans happy. Cozy mysteries aren’t my favorite thing, but I have to admit that I look forward to each new WITCHCRAFT MYSTERY.

If you’re a fan of the WITCHCRAFT MYSTERIES and haven’t tried the audio versions yet, I highly recommend that you do. Xe Sands gives a brilliant performance and if you’re not listening to these, you’re really missing out. They’re produced by Tantor Audio.

Witch and vintage store owner Lily Ivory faces her most difficult mystery to date with a case of mistaken identity that hits close to home… Lily Ivory and her friends are planning a 1950s-themed brunch to benefit the local women’s shelter. When a figure from her past shows up unannounced, threatening her unless she returns something that belonged to him, Lily’s fiancé, Sailor, steps in to defend her. After the same man is found dead later that day, Sailor is the primary suspect. He swears he’s innocent, but multiple witnesses ID him as the perpetrator of the assault. Lily vows to clear his name… only she’s not sure where to start with the mounting evidence against him. When she sees Sailor in the neighborhood despite knowing he’s in jail, Lily starts to wonder if there could be a doppelganger in San Francisco. When she’s not busy helping customers find matching outfits for the upcoming event, searching for a vintage wedding dress for her own nuptials, and dealing with an ill-timed magical cold, Lily begins to suspect one of her magical foes is targeting her loved ones in an attempt to weaken her.

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  • Kat Hooper

    KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.

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