ALL HALLOWS EVE 2011 – REVIEW: Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell
Secondhand Spirits (Witchcraft Mystery #1)
by Juliet Blackwell | Signet (July 2009)
Paperback, 313 pages | Paranormal Mystery
Secondhand Spirits is a cosy paranormal mystery. It’s warm, inviting and cute. I had fun reading this book, the first in the Witchcraft Mystery series by Juliet Blackwell.
Lily Ivory is a witch who has settled down in San Francisco after moving around for many years. She owns a vintage clothes shop and is enjoying putting down some roots and has even begun to make friends, especially with her two co-workers, Maya and Bronwyn.
One day, while meeting with a client, Frances Potts, who wishes to sell her vintage clothes, a young girl is snatched from outside her home. The rumour is La Llorona has taken her.
Legend has it that La Llorona (The Weeping Woman) abandoned by her husband, took her children down to the river and drowned them one by one, finally joining them in their watery grave. Now she haunts the banks of rivers crying for her lost children and abducts children by taking their souls.
The next day, Lily finds out that her sweet elderly client has been murdered and there seems to be a connection between the two with La Llorona right in the middle.
Lily does a bit of sleuthing on her own, by good old-fashioned foot work as well as casting a few spells and boiling a few brews. All while the local police are keeping tracks on her, suspicious she is involved somehow after they learn she was with Frances Potts the night she was murdered, and subsequently, after only meeting once, the recipient of her entire estate, which of course means the police think she now has a motive.
Along the way, Lily meets handsome Max Carmichael, a cynic who doesn’t believe in anything supernatural, and Aidan Rhodes a powerful male witch, who Lily knows she will have to call on for help of if she is to go up against La Llorona and recover the young girl.
The characterisation is great and I really liked all the characters, especially Oscar, Lily’s familiar. He’s a goblin but most of the time he transforms into a cute pig. I also love the descriptions of San Francisco, I really got a feel for this great city.
VERDICT:
Secondhand Spirits is lighthearted and entertaining. If you love cosy mysteries and enjoy the paranormal, then this book is for you. Great witchy fun!
RATING: 
JULIET BLACKWELL ONLINE
Website | Goodreads | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
BOOKS IN SERIES ORDER
- Secondhand Spirits
- A Cast-Off Coven
- Hexes and Hemlines
BUY YOUR COPY
4 Comments
This looks like such a cute series!! I love witches and mysteries!! I'm adding the first to my wishlist so I can check it out!!
♥ Melissa @ Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
Reply
Oh I've this one in my TBR pile, I can't wait to read it now, I'm glad you liked it. It sounds really nice.
Reply
I would definitely recommend this one, it's just so cute and witchy! I'll definitely be reading book 2 very soon
Reply
I love this series! Juliet Blackwell is one of my latest paranormal favs. She writes beautifully and created characters you would love to meet. So glad you included her here.
Reply