This Magick Marmot - A Review & Giveaway

Review

THIS MAGICK MARMOT by Sharon Pape

The Fifth Abracadabra Mystery

Kailyn Wilde is apprehensive about attending her tenth high school reunion, but the jitters pass as soon as she sees her old friends Genna and Charlotte. The night is filled with memories and laughter, but soon tragedy when Charlotte finds Genna dead in the ladies room. Kailyn has to wonder if her demise is tied to the death of a classmate their Senior year. Although deemed an accidental death ten years ago, there were nebulous rumors that someone was to blame for Scott's death. Has someone decided to finally get vengeance?

Secrets, vengeance, and love conspire in the fifth Abracadabra Mystery. There's an intriguing storyline whereby past choices determine the present action. In addition, Kailyn is working on new magickal abilities while Merlin (yes, that Merlin) tries to correct the problem all of the Wildes have been having with their magick. There's a good puzzle, heart stopping action, and lots of laughs.

Family continues to play a big part in this series. We see trust, worry, and the lengths people will go to for each other. We see how they work together as well as how families change. While Kailyn's deceased mother and grandmother seem to be moving on, and possibly away, we see other ties bonding more tightly. I adore Merlin's new familiar while continuing to love Shashkatu, who has a commanding presence despite the limitations of age.

THIS MAGICK MARMOT is a magickally filled mystery with humor, love, and marmots! I absolutely love this series and the characters that live in its pages. I only wish I could take that two hour drive to the east and meet them in person!

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This Magick Marmot (An Abracadabra Mystery) by Sharon Pape

About This Magick Marmot

 

This Magick Marmot (An Abracadabra Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 5th in Series  

Publisher: Lyrical Press (April 7, 2020)  

Paperback: Pages: 200

A fatal case of school spirit . . .

Kailyn Wilde, owner of the Abracadabra potion shop, feels some dread anticipating her ten-year high school reunion at the new hotel in New Camel—but it turns out even worse than she feared. Running into her very first boyfriend is pleasant enough. Chatting with Ashley—who still can’t let go of a tragedy that happened on prom night—is a bit more uncomfortable. But the worst part comes when one of Kailyn’s oldest friends is found dead in the ladies’ room.

Soon this upstate New York town is in an uproar. And with some help from time-traveling wizard Merlin—who has adopted an unusual and alluring creature as his familiar—it’s up to Kailyn to identify the alumnus most likely to commit murder . . .

About the Author

Sharon Pape describes her writing career as having two stages. Back in the dark ages, before computers were in every household, she had three paranormal books published. The first one was condensed by Redbook Magazine, the first paperback original they had ever condensed. Around the same time, Redbook published her first short story.

Then life brought her an unexpected challenge that went by the name of breast cancer. When her treatment was over, she became a volunteer for the American Cancer Society’s Reach to Recovery Program and went on to be the program’s coordinator for Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. Several years later, with the help of her surgical oncologist and two other survivors, she started her own not-for-profit organization to provide information and peer support to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

Once the organization was running smoothly and didn’t require as much of her time, she returned to her first love – writing. During this second stage of her career, she’s been writing cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist and a splash of humor.

Author Links:
Website – http://sharonpape.com/  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharon.pape.94  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sbpape
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/641079.Sharon_Pape

Purchase Links – Amazon – B & N

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Magickal Mystery Lore - A Review & Giveaway

Review

MAGICKAL MYSTERY LORE by Sharon Pape

The Fourth Abracadabra Mystery

Fudge maker Lolly is a beloved resident of New Camel, not only because of her delicious treats, but for her generous and caring personality. When she discovers a dead body by her garbage cans she runs to Kailyn Wilde for help. With no easy way into the locked backyard and one of her knives impaled in the victim, loveable Lolly becomes suspect number one. Keeping one eye on Merlin (yes, that Merlin), Kailyn and her reporter boyfriend team up to prove Lolly's innocence.

A simple murder in New Camel turns into much more as Kailyn discovers adultery, a stalker,  a gambling addiction, and even a covert organization. There are several men behaving badly in this book and I include Kailyn's boyfriend Travis among them. I've had issues with his behavior in previous installments and this one has me believing he is not the right man for her. Another character that really made me angry was Tess, the owner of the ceramic shop and new resident to New Camel. She's the epitome of the bigot who hates and wants to destroy what she fears because she can't understand it. She also serves the lesson "no good deed goes unpunished".

There are so many things that make this a great book in a wonderful series. There's the main suspect, who is as sweet as the candy she makes in her shop, and the entire Wilde clan who make me want to visit New Camel and stock up on candy and the more healthful products at Abracadabra. These eccentric characters get into fantastical situations yet they still manage to be real and down to earth...even the clouds that are Kailyn's deceased mom and grandma. We also get to enjoy the legendary Merlin who never fails to make me laugh. The cats that also make up the Wilde family add joy...and sarcasm, at least from Sashkatu.  In this fourth Abracadabra Mystery, we finally discover why the Wilde's magick has been wonky of late. I appreciated the discussion of ley lines, which really do exist in this part of New York. There is also plenty of action, including a kidnapping and teleportation!

MAGICKAL MYSTERY LORE is more than just a murder mystery. It's an exploration of being different in the modern world, yet still fitting in. It's about doing your best for others and being loyal to friends and family. It's a fun read that kept me emotionally engaged and open to the vast possibilities of the universe.

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Magickal Mystery Lore (An Abracadabra Mystery) by Sharon Pape

About the Book

 

Magickal Mystery Lore (An Abracadabra Mystery)  

Paranormal Cozy Mystery 4th in Series 

Lyrical Underground (April 16, 2019) 

Pages: 317 (including a sneak peek into book 5)

This spells trouble . . .

The New Camel Day Fair is a fun-filled event for residents of this upstate New York town. Kailyn Wilde, a modern-day witch of ancient lineage, leaves her potion shop, Abracadabra—and her feline familiar, Sashkatu—to attend with her fortune-telling Aunt Tilly. Joining them is legendary wizard Merlin, who’s discovering new pleasures of time-traveling to the modern world, including curly fries and kettle corn—but the appeal of the Tilt-a-Wheel is beyond his mystical imagination.

The real wild ride begins later, when neighboring sweet shop owner Lolly rushes into Abracadabra with news about a dead body. The victim has one of Lolly’s fudge knives stuck in her back, but in spite of the sticky evidence, Lolly is only one of several suspects with ample motive and opportunity. Meanwhile, Merlin’s research into old family scrolls and electromagnetic ley lines is causing some unusual mix-ups. As the two investigations collide, Kailyn will have to do everything in her power to prevent disaster…

About the Author

Sharon Pape describes her writing career as having two stages. Back in the dark ages, before computers were in every household, she had three paranormal books published. The first one was condensed by Redbook Magazine, the first paperback original they had ever condensed. Around the same time, Redbook published her first short story.

Then life brought her an unexpected challenge that went by the name of breast cancer. When her treatment was over, she became a volunteer for the American Cancer Society's Reach to Recovery Program and went on to be the program's coordinator for Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. Several years later, with the help of her surgical oncologist and two other survivors, she started her own not-for-profit organization to provide information and peer support to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

Once the organization was running smoothly and didn't require as much of her time, she returned to her first love - writing. During this second stage of her career, she's been writing cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist and a splash of humor.

Author Links:

Website – http://sharonpape.com/  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharon.pape.94  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sbpape  
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/641079.Sharon_Pape  

Purchase Links - Amazon - B & N

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Magickal Mystery Lore by Sharon Pape. This book is the fourth book in the Abracadabra series and was released yesterday.

Fudge maker Lolly is a beloved resident of New Camel, not only because of her delicious treats, but for her generous and caring personality. When she discovers a dead body by her garbage cans she runs to Kailyn Wilde for help. With no easy way into the locked backyard and one of her knives impaled in the victim, loveable Lolly becomes suspect number one. Keeping one eye on Merlin (yes, that Merlin), Kailyn and her reporter boyfriend team up to prove Lolly's innocence.

A Magick Run Amok Interview, Review, and Giveaway

I'm thrilled to welcome Merlin, yes, THAT Merlin, to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Merlin on the pages of the Abracadabra Mystery series by Sharon Pape. MAGICK RUN AMOK is the third book in the series and was released May 1st.

Kathy: I'm so honored to meet you Merlin. Tell me, what was it like one moment being in Camelot, the next in New Camel, New York?

Merlin: First may I say that I am equally honored to meet you, Kathy. As you might imagine, the trip was quite jarring and disorienting, especially since I am no longer a young man. Meeting Kailyn Wilde and her aunt Matilda of the fiery red hair made the unplanned journey less upsetting than it might have been. Of course Kailyn was to some degree responsible for it, but we could go around and around that bush for a long time without getting anywhere. Although I often miss my life in Camelot and all my friends there, I’m glad to have had the opportunity to experience the many wonders of this twentieth century. Between you and me, one of the inventions I enjoy the most is being able to take care of my bodily functions indoors in comfort.


Kathy: What is the biggest challenge living in the modern world?

Merlin: My inability to do many things because I don’t have the necessary papers. According to my hosts, obtaining such papers legally is quite impossible when one has come here from another time. I am also restricted from speaking my mind, because the Wildes are endlessly worried I’ll be locked up in a ward for the mentally insane. Can you imagine?!


Kathy: What do you miss most about your own time?

Merlin: My standing. I was revered for my magickal powers. I had unfettered access to the court and to King Arthur himself, who held me in high esteem and often asked my counsel.


Kathy: If you could have one thing from your old life with you now, what would it be?

Merlin: Freedom. Freedom to do what I please whenever I please.


Kathy: What's you favorite food?

Merlin: Oh that’s a difficult question. I could say pizza, but then I think about ice cream and I’m unable to decide between them. There’s also pie and cakes and cookies of every sort. Is it lunchtime yet? I’m suddenly famished. I must go find Matilda or Kailyn and see what’s for lunch.


Kathy: What's one piece of advice you'd give to someone exploring their own magickal power.

Merlin: We are all endowed with powers, some magickal in nature and some more mundane, but no less important. If you act in accordance with your best nature, you will come to understand your particular power and find satisfaction in using it.

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Review

MAGICK RUN AMOK by Sharon Pape

The Third Abracadabra Mystery

Merlin, yes, that Merlin, is a magician on a mission. He's determined to changed the name of New Camel back to it's original name, a mission that could do more harm than good! It also seems that Aunt Tilly has developed a new power and it's one she really doesn't want. Tilly can predict death. Sadly, her prediction is realized when Travis finds his missing journalist brother dead. And Travis doesn't think it was an accident. He's asked for Kailyn's help and the two of them are out to discover what story he was working on and if that's what got him killed!

What fun to be back in New Camel, NY! I live not too far from this fictional town and so wish I could meander the aisles of Abracadabra and pick out some products for myself! Truth be told, I'd also be popping across the street to get some of Lolly's fudge! I love the banter between Tilly and Merlin as well as Kailyn's recently dead, but not so departed, mother and grandmother. With all of the nuttiness, I appreciate how down to earth Kailyn is. It's satisfying how Kailyn uses legwork, research, and a little bit of magick to track down a killer.

While there are plenty of laughs to be found here, MAGICK RUN AMOK also touches on some more serious subjects, primarily loss and love, including the lengths you go to for a loved one. The book deals with losing loved ones, yet celebrating the family you have left, whether that family is biological or the one you create for yourself.

MAGICK RUN AMOK is delightful fun with quirky characters and a complicated mystery. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Magick Run Amok by Sharon Pape. This book is the third in the Abracadabra Mystery series and was released yesterday,

Merlin, yes, that Merlin, is a magician on a mission. He's determined to changed the name of New Camel back to it's original name, a mission that could do more harm than good! It also seems that Aunt Tilly has developed a new power and it's one she really doesn't want. Tilly can predict death. Sadly, her prediction is realized when Travis finds his missing journalist brother dead. And Travis doesn't think it was an accident. He's asked for Kailyn's help and the two of them are out to discover what story he was working on and if that's what got him killed!

That Olde White Magick - Review & Giveaway

Review

THAT OLDE WHITE MAGICK by Sharon Pape

The Second Abracadabra Mystery

Pretty much the entire town of New Camel, NY has arrived at a special town meeting since pretty much every resident has a strong opinion about the zoning law change being proposed. But everything is put on hold when a board member is found murdered outside the school just before the meeting begins. Did someone kill her because of her position on the proposal? Curiosity piqued Kailin Wilde decides investigating another murder may be just what she's looking for, not that she intends to put herself in a killer's sights again. Between running her magickal shop, keeping an eye on Merlin (yes, that Merlin), and practicing teleportation, Kailin decides to also work on her relationship with Travis. Perhaps solving a murder together is just what they need to get back on track.

The second Abracadabra mystery has many layers that are filled with fun characters  Aunt Tilly provides plenty of humor, along with familial love, while Merlin is brilliant as a fish out of water. Kailin shows strength of character and determination as she investigates the murder and works on relationship issues while remaining true to herself. I truly enjoy how magick is presented and wish I could visit Abracadabra and purchase some Wilde magick. I appreciate the care shown to Sashkatu and hope that all elderly cats are treated with such deference, whether they are familiars or not!

THAT OLDE WHITE MAGICK is a great blend of realistic small town politics and murder spiced with magick.

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Magick and Mayhem - Review & Giveaway

Review

MAGICK AND MAYHEM by Sharon Pape

The First Abracadabra Mystery

Life had always been a bit different for Kailyn Wilde. The family's magickal store, Abracadabra, sees loyal customers travel for miles to purchase health and beauty products with a magickal touch. Lately, however, the magick has been acting up and not always working right. Kailyn's mother and grandmother, recently deceased, but certainly not gone, pop in to offer advice between bickering between themselves, but have no answers. Kailyn and Aunt Tilly get an even bigger surprise when they find their family lawyer dead in his office! Who could have killed Jim Harkens?

MAGICK AND MAYHEM is a story about family, friends, and dealing with the unexpected. When Kailyn attempts to get her own familiar she instead summons Merlin. Yes, THAT Merlin. The first Abracadabra Mystery is filled with great characters, including Merlin, the silly Aunt Tilly and quarrelsome matriarchal ghosts. My favorite character is Sashkatu, the elderly black cat who looks at the world with disdain. Kailyn Wilde is a likeable protagonist struggling to keep her world as normal as a magickal life can be, especially when murder enters the picture.

Sharon Pape provides an entertaining mystery with plenty of fun. MAGICK AND MAYHEM is a solid start to a new mystery series.

 

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An Interview with Sharon Pape

I'd like to welcome Sharon Pape to the blog today. Sharon pens the Portrait of Crime Mystery Series. Sketcher in the Rye will be the 4th in the series and will be released December 17th.

Kathy: Rory McCain was police sketch artist. Are you artistic? Do you draw well, or would you be more apt to draw a stick figure?

SP: I can do better than a stick figure, but I'm far from being a real artist. I've always loved art, though, and admired the ability of artists.


Kathy: Rory's partner Zeke Drummond happens to be a ghost. Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever had a paranormal encounter?

SP: I haven't had any paranormal encounters, but I have friends who say they have. I believe in the possibility of ghosts and probably will until I'm given proof that they don't, or can't, exist. I love exploring paranormal questions, precisely because they have no definitive answers. It's the perfect playground for my mind.


Kathy: I've always wanted to go to a corn maze, but, even though there are some near me, I've never been. Have you ever gone to one?

SP: I once went to a small one, but I've always wanted to try a bigger, more complex one. I have to put it on my to-do list. There are several here on Long Island at the end of the growing season.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

SP: I've always loved mysteries, but I'm not a big fan of graphic violence and gore. Cozy mysteries are a perfect fit for me!


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

SP: It's funny that you should ask. In another month or so, I'll be re-releasing an updated version of my first book, a paranormal entitled For Everything a Season. When it was originally published, it was also condensed by Redbook magazine, the first paperback original the magazine had ever condensed. Although the book has a paranormal theme, it isn't horror and doesn't have graphic violence or gore. It does, however, have a love story.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

SP: Sketcher in the Rye is the fourth book in the Portrait of Crime Mysteries, in which sketch artist, Rory McCain, and her ghost partner, federal marshal Zeke Drummond, team up to solve mysteries and learn more about each other along the way.

Alibis and Amethysts is the first book in my new Crystal Shop series, which takes place in Sedona, Arizona with its supposed psychic vortexes. Jaye Saylor has opened a crystal shop there, following the lead of her best friend, Sierra, who runs a bakery. When the only other baker in town is found dead in Sierra's yard, she, Jaye and their Navajo friend, Daniel, are determined to find the real killer before Sierra is arrested.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

SP: I'd have to say my favorite character is marshal Zeke Drummond. I love watching the way he deals with today's world, which is so different from the eighteenth century world he knew. Over the course of the series, Rory unravels the truth about Zeke's death as well as the secrets of his life, so we get to know more and more about him. I know I'm talking about my characters as if they're real and not a product of my mind, but that's how they become, especially over the course of a series.


Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

SP: In a general way, the inspiration for everything I write is driven by my overactive imagination and by my love of words. I love the images they create in the mind, the feelings they produce when used in the right combination. The specific inspiration for the Portrait of Crime series came from "the -what- if" game my mind was playing. What if a lawman from the Old West had to live in the vastly different world we live in today?


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

SP: I don't think I ever made a conscious decision to try to have my work published. It happened organically. I always loved reading. Since everything I read had been published, it seemed like a natural progression to try to have my writing published. Writers are the modern equivalent of the storytellers of ancient days. They wouldn't have told their stories if there was no one to listen to them.


Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

SP: I don't know if I could ever make that decision, since I love so many different genres and voices, but since this is all theoretical, here goes. To keep the conversation lively and diverse, I'd invite Dean Koontz, Anita Shreve, Ernest Hemmingway and Nelson DeMille, but I'd have a long list of alternates to fill in if one of them couldn't make it.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

SP: I'm reading The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. I've been meaning to read it for the past ten years or so and I'm enjoying it immensely.

Kathy: . Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

SP: My hobbies: Reading of course, fostering animals until they find "furever" homes, hiking and working out at the gym, which I should do more often, but life keeps getting in the way. I used to love horseback riding, but now that I have some osteoporosis my doctor said it's a no-no.


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

SP: That's an easy one. I always have ice cream in the freezer, usually several different flavors, eggs and Greek yogurt in the fridge, almonds in the pantry.


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

SP: I'd like to write at least the fifth book in the Portrait of Crime series in order to complete the arc I started with Sketcher in the Rye. I've also been working on a totally different concept for another cozy series. I'll have to see where that leads me.


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

SP: I love that I always have a work in progress. No matter what else is going on in my life, I can put my cares on hold for a while and escape into a world of my own making. I love sharing my stories and finding out how they make other people feel.


Kathy: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.

SP: Thank you, Kathy. I appreciate the opportunity to let readers get to know a little more about me.



You can find out more about Sharon and her books here: http://www.sharonpape.com/index.html