Review: A Witch In Time by Madelyn Alt

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Author: Madelyn Alt

Copyright: April 2010 (Berkley); 304 pgs.
Series: #6 in Bewitching Mysteries
Sensuality: Mild with adult themes
Mystery sub-genre: Paranormal Cozy
Main Character: 29 year old Maggie O’Neill
Setting: The small town of Stony Mill Indiana

Obtained book through: ARC from publisher for honest review

If you are making your way through this series from the first book, the last edition, Where There’s A Witch, ended with a decision concerning which of two guys Maggie goes with. Well, this review will be a bit of a spoiler.

Over the last several months Stony Mill has had an increase in crime. While some might write it off to new people moving in etc, Maggie and her paranormally minded friends know it is something else taking place. A few eyebrows rise over the news of a young man’s death possibly from a drug overdose.

In this book we have much more about Maggie and the dark and dangerous Marcus who turns out to be quite the boyfriend. While Maggie is at the hospital (sister Mel is having some complications in delivering her twins) enduring her mother’s disdain for her new boyfriend, she manages to get stuck in an elevator and overhear a suspicious conversation that filters to her. Later that night as she is trying to sleep in a chair in Mel’s room she overhears an argument from down the hall and the man involved ends up dead the next day. Is this death connected with the suspected drug overdose and how does the suspicious conversation Maggie overheard in the elevator tie in? Through all these developments there are indications that Maggie is developing into a psychic, to her chagrin.

"That would be my eldest daughter and her boyfriend."  My mother's voice came drifting down to us from the general vicinity of the nurse'es station, just down the hall.  "You might know him, actually - in an official capacity?  Tom Fielding.  Of the Police depart...ment."

I could tell by the way her voice went all funny that she had caught sight of me...and more important, of Marcus.

She hurried toward me, her eyes fixed on Marcus the whole way.  I braced myself.

"Maggie?"  She transferred her attention from Marcus's lean good looks to my frazzled form.  Her brows stretched high, an open inquiry that demanded an answer.

"Brought the coffee," I told her, pressing one instantly into her hand.

She ignored the coffee.  I  knew it as a long shot.  "And who might this be?" she asked, inclining her head toward Marcus in a way that was surprisingly regal and demanding for a plain old small-town housewife.

This book is less about the mystery and more about Maggie’s relationships with family and Marcus which I must admit was a disappointment. I missed Felicity, Maggie’s boss, she has a bit part in this one and even with Maggie’s developing powers there is much less about the paranormal than the usual books in the series. For fans this will be a delight of a read for the developing relationship between Maggie and Marcus, but if you are new to the series this is probably not the book to start with nor the one for a good puzzler mystery to solve.

The story is a light entertaining read with a sideline mystery.  It isn't difficult to figure out.  Maggie’s family is spotlighted and her mother is much like Marie Ramono from “Everybody Loves Raymond” and gossip-queen-sister Melanie has her life start to unravel which may result in that character growing a little. I am looking forward to the book where Maggie stands up to her mother's controlling ways, but it isn't this one.  I love Maggie’s grandfather in this one - he is a hoot. So for fans this is a fun addition but if you are new to the series this is not the best book to start with.

For your convenience you may purchase your copy here.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ And for a little something extra ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Graham Cracker Toffee


Ingredients:

About 12 whole (24 squares), (honey) graham crackers (perforated) broken into quarter sections

1/2 lb butter (2 sticks)

3/4 C light brown sugar

3/4 C chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

3/4 C Chocolate chips

Line up the graham crackers  in a jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet with low sides), sides touching so nothing can leak out. Over low heat melt butter. Stir in the sugar – simmer (not boil) about 10 minutes – until it melts. Occasionally stir. Pour mix over crackers – spread evenly. Sprinkle w/nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Take out and sprinkle chocolate chips over them and allow them to soften from the hot crackers.  Then spread the soften chocolate chips with the back of a spoon to cover the the surface.  Regrigerate for a few hours before breaking up into pieces.

Until next time, I wish you many mysterious moments.