cover image The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Annette Blair, . . Berkley, $6.99 (284pp) ISBN 978-0-425-21346-9

Despite her best attempts at denial—"I am so not a witch"—Victoria Cartwright has inherited a legacy of magic, along with the key to a mysterious wardrobe, in Blair's third Witch novel (following the bestseller My Favorite Witch ). Upon her beloved grandmother's death, Vickie receives the magic key to grandmother's old wardrobe—never before opened—and a promise that it contains Vickie's destiny. To Vickie's puzzlement, her destiny turns out to be an exquisitely preserved antique carousel unicorn. Though it's oddly familiar to Vickie, the unicorn is recognized right off by Scotsman Rory MacKenzie, a handsome loner, when Vickie appears with it on a television antiques show. The unicorn happens to be the handiwork of Rory's ancestor and the key to ending his family curse. The two meet and immediately set to bickering, first over Rory's manners—Vickie quickly concludes that he's "a lack-wit shoddy-mannered Scot with more beards than brains"—then over his designs for the unicorn. Of course, they're just working their way toward confronting their mutual attraction, but sassy dialogue, rich sexual tension and plenty of laughs make this an immensely satisfying return to Blair's world of witchcraft. Fans will welcome back familiar characters in supporting roles, but newcomers will take to it just as well. (Dec.)