Beewitched (A Queen Bee Mystery)

This is the 5th in the "Bee" series but you can read this one first and thoroughly enjoy it. After you finish it, I bet you will find yourself looking for the first 4.It starts with an extraordinary first sentence and never hits a low note.Story and Hunter (her detective boyfriend) are now living together and he even asks for her help on this case. She even tells him almost everything she find out. There are just some things which in her opinion he doesn't need to know - at least not right away.The case involves a member of a witch's group who was murdered and found in a corn maze. Story became involved with the witches when they needed someone to fill in to make the required number for a coven. That turned into a funny (but not for Story) scene involving capes, clothes (lack of) and the Chief of Police, Johnny Jay - Story's nemesis from high school.The mystery is good but its the characters who really make the book. Story's mom who is getting married again and wants her help in planning the wedding even though she still favors Story's sister, Holly. Will she actually have to wear an ugly bridemaid's dress? And Lori Spandle is back and is as mean as ever.But my favorite is Patti - Story's neighbor and on and off best friend. She's the neighborhood spy complete with a survelliance tower and telescope. And her method of trying to do an exorcism on Story is unlike anything I have ever read before. Patti and Story are an unforgettable and winning combination.As usual, there's information about bees and also a few bullet points which I enjoy. I wish there had been a little more of Ben, the K-9 dog, but maybe next time.The other good news - Hannah Reed will be having another series coming out this Fall. I'm really looking forward to it.Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

It's a busy time for Story. Not only has her boyfriend Hunter moved in with her, but she has her store to run, is getting her bees ready for winter, and her mother is getting married. A new neighbor, Dyanna, sparks her curiosity when she admits to being a witch and her coven comes to town. When one of the group ends up murdered, Story finds herself working with Hunter to figure out who the murderer is. Well - it's not as simple as that. Typical Story - she does a few things in her investigation that she'd rather Hunter not find out. Finding the murderer is no simple feat. I found myself guessing wrong several times throughout the book, changing my guesses as more details were revealed.Story is a fun character. If you read the books in the series, you'll find her overcoming her fear of dogs, and moving on from her first marriage and her cheating ex-husband. Overall - you see her grow. She will always have the pesky Police Chief breathing down her back, and realtor Lori will forever try to push her and her bees out of town. (That won't happen for sure!) There's a host of other interesting characters too! The small-town atmosphere, well-drawn characters, and the storyline itself will pull you in for a good read. This is a nice, light-hearted cozy book which makes you smile in many places, and keep you turning the pages! At the end, you're treated to a few recipes like Crescent Cakes and Brides Honey, too!

This is the latest (#5) in the Queen Bee Mystery series, and I'm really loving the character development, especially Story Fischer, but several other characters, as well, in this one.Lori Spangler, Story's nemesis, has again sold the house next door. The latest occupant of the house is Dyanna, a real-life witch. She is soon followed by her coven, and it's not long before one of their number is found murdered in a corn maze.This is a fast-paced mystery with plenty of twists and possible suspects, and I didn't guess the murderer until just before the reveal, which is how I like it.This is a fun series with characters that really grow and develop throughout, which is what keeps me coming back for each installment.Disclosure: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review. (I had pre-ordered this for my Kindle and was happy to let the sale go through.)

Another great book by Hannah Reed. Story's plate is full in this book. Her mom is finally getting married to Tom, P.P. Patty is being her typical self and the store is really doing well. So when a witch moves in next to Story's house, Patty freaks out. When one of the witches ends up dead in a corn maze next their campground, rumors run rampant. But who really killed the witch? Was she a witch in disguise? Was there more to the murder than just the fact she was a witch? It's a crazy road you will take to discover who the real murdered is and why. I really enjoyed this Queen Bee story and can't wait for the next one.

This was the first book in this series that I read, and it'll probably be the last. The mystery itself was done well although I did start to suspect the killer before the mystery was solved. A new neighbor turns out to be a witch and her coven shows up to have a harvest ritual when one of them is murdered and it depends upon our heroine to solve it before an innocent person gets charged. What I did not like about this book is that the heroine is an intelligent woman who is a beekeeper, owns her own natural food store and lives with her boyfriend, a cop. Why then is she so completely under the thumb of her mother, her sister and her annoying friend? I kept wanting to smack her and tell her to grow up! I found that weak willed attitude to be very distracting and annoying and it's not worth it to me to read another book in the series.

An okay cozy mystery, I didn’t care for the writing.