In need of a short and easy mental vacation?  Then this is your book.  The story is light and flows easily.  The characters are well-rounded yet it didn’t take a lot of mental energy to follow their growth.  Living up to the cozy mystery standard, there is a little kissing and language but overall it is kept in check.  With a touch of budding romance, the mystery has enough variety to keep it interesting.  Family ties are important and sisterly bonds are strengthened and secured throughout the story.  As a side note, a cat acts a bit like a familiar and the use of gemstones and herbs are used in a mystical endeavor.  The pacing isn’t fast, yet the story breezed through for a quick read.  This book stands alone well, yet with seven more books in the series, the next looks promising.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  2 religious exclamations; 2 mild obscenities; 1 scatological words; 2 anatomical terms. 

Violence/Gore:  Woman accused of being a witch; character murdered, no gory details; man aims loaded shotgun at woman; character killed, mention of blood & minor gory details.

Sex/Nudity:  Mention of impotence; undescribed mental picture of 2 people together; a cute man in jeans & woman wonders what’s inside them; a lightly detailed French kiss; man wraps woman in hug & hangs on; man & woman are close and she hopes for a kiss.

Mature Subject Matter:

Murder, family feud, crystal healing arts, suicide, death of parent, cat who acts like a familiar.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None