I like the premise, but the writing style was a bit sugary for my taste. Also, not sure why the main (human) character often sounds like a fairly dim bulb even though she’s a researcher by profession. ( )

Becca Colwin wanted to pursue a library science degree, but circumstances intervened. She had a job using her research skills, and a boyfriend, Jeff Blakely. She also had three cats--three littermates she adopted from a local shelter, Harriet, Laurel, and Clara.

Then Jeff broke up with her, and entirely too soon after, she lost her job. This leaves Becca with two things to do--find a new job, and pursue her new interest of studying witchcraft. Discovering an ancestor was one of the executed Salem witches sparked her interest and moved her to join a coven; now she has lots of time for it.

What she doesn't know is that her cats are the real witches. When Harriet, one of her cats, decides she wants a pillow and doesn't want to get up to go to one, she summons one out of the ether. Becca at that moment had been attempting a summoning spell; the appearance of the pillow convinces her she succeeded.

This is very exciting for her coven. It's even more exciting, in a far less positive way, when Becca goes to meet one of her fellow witches, and finds the woman dead, killed with the knife previously used to cut the cake served at the last meeting of the coven.

A series of events that really might convince you that Cambridge, MA really is, as one of the characters says, a small town, Becca is scrambling to solve the murder herself because she believes the police have decided she's the prime suspect.

And now we come to the thing that rather put me off this seemingly charming cozy mystery. The youngest and smallest of the three cats, Clara, the calico, is determined to use her skills, magic and otherwise, to help Becca solve the case, and keep Becca safe. The other two, Laurel and Harriet, have no interest. They just want Becca to stay at home, and feed them their meals and treats. For most of the book, it's not even clear to me that Harriet and Laurel even like Becca, or consider her anything more than a convenient servant.

Which, to be clear, for all the stereotypical depiction of cats, is not how any of my cats, over several decades, have ever behaved. Their affection for me was always obvious. This book almost seems to have been written by someone who doesn't like cats, which, to be clear, I know isn't true.

I like Becca. I like Clara. I like some of Becca's friends. The other cats and most of the other people, not so much.

There are other problems. We're never told what Becca was trying to summon with her summoning spell, but it probably wasn't the soft, golden, tasseled pillow that Harriet summoned. It's not at all clear why Becca accepts this as proof of her own success, rather than at least being puzzled by the weird result of her apparent success. There are other, similar problems, things that just don't make the sense they're supposed to make. People do things that don't make sense at all, or don't make sense given how they're portrayed.

I really wanted to like this audiobook, a lot. Instead, I'm left frustrated and annoyed.

I bought this audiobook. ( )

A Spell of Murder by Clea Simon
Book #1: Witch Cats of Cambridge Series
Source: Purchase
Rating: 2/5 stars

As a long-time, experienced reader I know what to look for when choosing a new book, I know what makes a book good/bad, and I know what I like/dislike in a book. These are simply things that all long-time and experienced readers know and, in truth, knowing these things helps those of us who do so, to write better and (hopefully) helpful reviews. In that spirit, I’m going to approach this book review according to those three things.

What I look for: On the face of it, this book has everything I look for in a new book. It has animals that talk, magic, a cozy mystery level plot, and (theoretically) characters I am going to enjoy. In reality: Yes, this book has animals that talk and who also happen to be magical. The humans have absolutely no magical capabilities though one, Becca thinks she does thanks to a prank played by one of her cats. The two older cats are quite mean to the youngest cat, and Becca is quite possibly the dumbest human alive.

What makes a book good/bad: Good writing is a must, characters that are robust and engaging with the potential for growth are a critical, and a plot that makes sense and is entertaining is also quite important. While I can accept some of these things not being perfect in a first-in-a-series read, I can’t reasonably expect to like a book of all the elements are somehow lacking. In reality: I found a great deal of the writing to be repetitive, especially among the cats who tended to have the same arguments over and over. I like to think I’m a competent and educated reader who doesn’t need constant repetition to get the point. As to the human characters, I found Becca to be utterly ridiculous, her best friend to be angry and mean, at best, and the members of the coven to be gullible and somewhat simple. Finally, though the plot isn’t bad, it also wasn’t something I found to be wholly original or even gripping.

What I like/dislike in a book: I can always tell how much I like or dislike a book by the amount of time it takes me to read it. It took me a very long time to get through this rather simplistic book and I know it is because of the things mentioned above. I didn’t give up on this book because I kept hoping I would surprise me in the end. Sadly, my hopes were dashed, and I finished this book feeling utterly disappointed.

The Bottom Line: I really hate leaving a wholly negative review as I fully understand and appreciate that the author has accomplished something difficult, the writing and publishing of a book. While I largely disliked this book, it also has things I am generally drawn to, for example, talking animals and magic. To that end, I finished this book knowing full well I was willing to give the second book a chance in the hopes some of the negatives will be turned into positives. First-in-a-series books are tough, and they don’t always give you a good idea what a series is truly going to be once it finds its feet. With that in mind, I am absolutely willing to give this author and this series a second chance. ( )

Becca, newly single and unemployed, wants to believe she has psychic powers. With nothing but time and a desire for empowerment, she's studying to become a witch. What she doesn't know is that her three cats, Harriet, Laurel, and Clara are the ones with the real power. When Harriet, a cream-colored long hair with more fur than common sense conjures a pillow for her comfort, Becca believes her spells are working. Could that be why Trent, the coven's devilishly handsome leader, has been showing her special attention? Or why Suzanne, a longtime coven member, draws her aside to share a secret, a confidence that may lead to murder?

--

Series: Witch Cats of Cambridge - Book 1
Author: Clea Simon
Genre: Cozy/Witch Mystery
Publisher: Polis Books

Clea Simon can write a good story, her books are normally interesting and well put together. Unfortunately, A Spell of Murder from Polis Books http://www.polisbooks.com/ isn’t a winner. Although a unique idea, the book is told mainly from the perspective of three magical cats, it simply doesn’t give the reader enough insight into the m human character, Becca’s life and who she is. The story is a bit confusing, the action is practically non-existent, and Becca is far too meek to be a good lead or a likable one. There are times throughout the story when the reader has the urge to grab Becca and shake some sense into her.

The cats have distinct characteristics, but only the youngest, Clara is truly stimulating. The other two cats are self-centered and downright “bitchy.” They don’t care about their human and care even less about their younger sibling who appears to be the only one of the three that worries about their owner and what will happen to the three of them if she is sent away. If they were human, they would be the mean girls from high school. This might be a good combination for the story in the long run but can make it difficult for the reader to enjoy their antics and get past this first story.

The actual murder is interesting but was also predictable. It was clear almost from the beginning who the killer would turn out to be. However, the motive is a bit underwhelming. It is hoped that the first book in a new series would be stronger and more memorable. Many readers may well toss this book never to pick it up again. Regrettably, I cannot recommend A Spell of Murder. Perhaps the series if it continues will evolve and grow and become more exciting and more worthy of its author. ( )