A Witch Before Dying is the second book in the Wishcraft Mystery Series by Heather Blake. I enjoyed this one more so really the rating should be 4 1/2 stars because the characters were now more familiar, having read the first in the series not so long ago. Darcy Merryweather is a new resident in Salem, Massachusetts and is a witch who can grant wishes for others, generally known in the crafting community as Wishcrafter! She also has a knack of stumbling into mysteries which often include an unsolved murder. When Darcy is hired by Elodie Keaton to help clear out and clean up her missing mother's home, little did she know what she would find in the collector's piles of junk, old magazines and knick knacks, Patrice Keaton's body!This book is filled with likeable characters in a small town setting. Crafters and mortals live side-by-side in a tourist village called The Enchanted Village where real crafters hide in plain sight running shops, restaurants and other tourist attractions. The community is made up of many different types of witches who each have specific crafting talents and the crafting rules are very strict throughout the community which is run by the Elder. It is a fun, easy read and the magical element is pure escapism. I will definitely read the third book in this series and be on the look out for other Heather Blake books. In the first book, we meet Darcy, her sister Harper, Aunt Ve, and the town "regulars." Each character is unique and has their own story and I find that in the second book, I enjoyed getting to know them better as their roles within the Enchanted Village became clearer. All of the characters are engaging or quirky in a way that makes you feel connected to them, human or non-human. The magical setting only adds to the charm of the people living there. As I read, I am fondly reminded of old shows such as Bewitched or Sabrina the Teenage Witch.I also enjoyed the gradual developing relationship between Darcy and Nick. Throwing them together right away would have, in my opinion, ruined the story. I enjoyed the way they kept meeting during the investigations. Darcy investigating on her own, and Nick always finding her in the wrong place at the wrong time also added humor to the story. Nothing was forced between them and as Darcy began to build a relationship with his daughter Mimi, the romance developed naturally. Even at the end of this story, we can infer that they are together but nothing has officially been established, leaving the reader something else to look forward to in the next story.The main problem in the story was of course, the murder. However, we also had to solve the mystery of the peeper creeper, Aunt Ve's unusual sickness, and the missing amulet. All of these flowed together nicely as the book moved toward the ending. A few creative twists kept me guessing until the very end but the author wrapped it all up well and the pieces fell together perfectly. A Witch Before Dying was a fun read and I will definitely be picking up the next one soon.
What do You think about A Witch Before Dying (2012)?
I had such a fun time reading this. Funny,witty,and magical. Unique take on a who done it.
—techtwister
