Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti: A Magical Bakery Mystery by Bailey Cates

                 I did something with this book I rarely, and I mean rarely, ever do with mysteries.  I looked ahead in the book.  Not to see what happens with the mystery, but to see if the situation between Katie and the two romantically interested men was going to get resolved.  There were so many little comments from people all around Katie, add that with the tension between the two men themselves, and I was starting to go nuts with this situation unresolved.  I had to look ahead to see if the one I am cheering for was chosen in the end.  At the very least, I wanted him and Katie to be friends again.                 

                It’s been months since Katie Lightfoot came to Savannah and learned she was a witch.  Very quickly she settled into her Savannah life, but being a witch has not been so easy.  There is a lot about being a witch, and magic in general, that Katie still has yet to learn.  One of those things is about the existence of a local Druid group called the Dragoh Society.  Katie learns about them when she finds one of their members dead in the park.  After seeing a distinct tattoo on the man, Katie is informed about this very secret society.  Then the threats begin to arrive.

                One of the threats comes from the leader of the Dragoh Society, Heinrich Dawes.  He is not happy Katie knows about his group, and he certainly does not want Katie meddling in it or how it operates.  Not that Heinrich would ever admit that he thinks Katie could do much damage.  In his mind, a female could never have the strength or power of a male.

                The other person Katie gets a threat from is the new detective in town.  Detective Franklin Taite is a witch hunter, and he makes sure to let Katie know he has his eye on her.          

                Then there are the magical threats.  The ones where the true source is unknown, but are still causing strange accidents and attacks to happen to Katie.  With each incident, it becomes more and more clear that someone wants to cause Katie harm.  Possibly even take her life.

                None of this deters Katie from trying to solve the murder of the man she found dead, though.  When Katie learns someone is trying to release a dangerous spirit, followed by another person turning up dead, solving the mystery and putting things back the way they were becomes even more urgent.

                Other than the conflict in the romantic parts (which so far, I’m happy about the direction it is going), I am really liking how this series is growing.  The characters are all unique and interesting with their own magic specialties.  I also like how I’m learning about Katie’s talents and abilities along with her.  It makes me feel as though I’m part of what she’s going through instead of being an afterthought and told what she already knows.  I’m very happy to not be an afterthought.