Review - Spellcasting in Silk

This is another series I have been a fan of since its debut.  Read my reviews of the prior books:  #1 Secondhand Spirits (click here), #2 Cast Off Coven (click here),  #3 Hexes and Hemlines (click here), #4 In a Witch's Wardrobe (click here), #5 Tarnished and Torn (click here), and #6 A Vision in Velvet (click here).  I also interviewed the author twice: interview #2 (click here), and interview #1 (click here).  This blog is even quoted in the front pages from a previous review of the series!  

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Copyright: July 2015 (Berkley) 304 pgs

Series: 7th in Witchcraft Mystery series

Sensuality: Kissing

Mystery Sub-genre: Paranormal Cozy

Main Characters: Lily Ivory, powerful natural witch and owner of vintage clothing store

Setting: Current day San Francisco

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Lily is busy with her shop, friends, and relationship with Sailor.  So she isn't thrilled when Inspector Carlos Romero comes into Cora's Closet requesting her assistance.  There is a metaphysical shop, called a botanica, that is implicated in a customer's suicide via jumping from Golden Gate Bridge. The mayor has begun a campaign against psychics and the seeming suicide only added fuel. Inspector Romero has the shop owner in custody but her shop has a problem...all the merchandise is active.  Lily doesn't sense a
ghost, but she senses something very wrong with the whole situation.  

Lily connects the incident at the botanica to an elderly ladie's death as she is shopping the estate sale for vintage clothes.  Plus, The botanica's owner's granddaughter, a gifted young witch, is missing and maybe the key to everything. Aidan and Lily finally talk after the tense events in the previous book and Lily isn't sure about his intentions (nothing new there!)  Aidan suggests they may be dealing with a magical person who has serious emotional problems.  Could there be an insane witch stirring up trouble?

Lily is growing and setting down roots, but she now has to face insecurity in a relationship and warnings about such a powerful witch like herself committed to a person as a bad thing.  Why can't she have both?  Sailor is enigmatic, although he seems happy with Lily - just not an open book which doesn't help Lily's insecurity.  Aiden offers his help and seems to want to have a working relationship with Lily, but as usual - what's his angle? Detective Carlos
Romero shows a little more of his personal side with Lily and continues to grow on me. Patience, Sailor's beautiful gypsy cousin and mentor aiding him in controlling his powers, likes
pushing Lily's buttons.  She is the breakout star in this book and I hope she is a new regular to the series.

The Sutro Baths near the Cliff House was a great location for Lily to be threatened by the killer.  San Francisco is always featured to great effect by Ms. Blackwell and this is a great example.  

The plot seems overly simple, but don't let that fool you.  There is plenty of evil lurking under the surface and Lily knows it's there and won't let up.  The pacing was on target and kept me turning the pages. The killer confrontation
delivered an exciting showdown.  The ending leaves Lily with a lot to consider in her future.

Another great adventure with Lily as she uses her magic to bring criminals to justice. Lily continues to be a strong character and the stories weave their own spells on readers.

Ratings:  Excellent - Loved it, it had a good grip on me! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

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