Book 64, 2024
Gone with the Witch by Angela M. Sanders
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I knocked back the rest of Gone with the Witch by Angela M Sanders this evening. This is the 5th "Witch Way Librarian" mystery. Main character is Josie Way, librarian and novice witch.
After old bones are discovered beneath a decrepit outhouse in Wilfred, OR, resident Helen Garlington insists on a DNA test, believing they belong to her long-lost husband, Martin. When the DNA doesn't match up, Helen becomes morose, only coming out of her doldrums when she believes the contestant on a game show may be Martin. In an effort to help, Josie tracks the man down and invites him to Wilfred...where he's found dead the next day. Turns out, this wasn't Martin either, and the police claim the man died of natural causes. Since he was found at the same location the old bones were, Josie is convinced that foul play is afoot. She seeks help from the books in the library and ends up with Sherlock Holmes himself aiding in her investigation. However, the baffling twists and turns in the case may end up thwarting even the world's greatest (fictional) detective.
The baffling twists and turns certainly kept me riveted. It was painful to see Helen get her hopes up, only to have them crushed once more. There were other subplots going on, including newlyweds Roz and Lyndon having a conflict over where to live, and Josie's own, inner conflict over whether or not she should tell her beau, Sam, that she's a witch. Characterizations were marvelous--I really enjoyed connecting with old, familiar characters, and there were new ones introduced who seemed intriguing as well.
Favorite lines:
♦ Life was for the living--not for the waiting.
♦ Desmond had laid out three plates with sandwiches, paper napkins, and a jar of pickles. These boys knew how to entertain.
Fabulous story, kept me turning the pages. Five stars.