It Takes a Witch: A Wishcraft Mystery

Blake successfully blends crime, magic, romance, and self-discovery in her lively debut, set in the Enchanted Village, a picturesque Salem, Mass., neighborhood that’s secretly the home to Wishcrafters, witches with the power to grant wishes (with certain restrictions). A sudden rise in crime—in particular, the murder of Alexandra Shively, a publicity seeker who claimed to be a Craft “high priestess”—has the community worried about the impact on the tourist trade. Suspicion falls on Sylar Dewitt, the owner of Third Eye Optometry, who was caught kneeling over Alexandra’s strangled body. When Sylar’s girlfriend asks her Wishcrafter niece, Darcy Merriweather, to investigate, Darcy soon realizes that Alexandra had more than one enemy in the village—and Sylar may not be as innocent as her aunt believes. Fans of paranormal cozies will look forward to the sequel. Agent: Jessica Faust. (Jan.)