In this installment of the Abracadabra Mystery Series, we encounter a murder mystery that hits close to the main characters.
Trying to solve the murder and clear their friend's name, they embark in a thorough investigation that could lead to more than just finding the killer.

The combination of magic and a well crafted mystery make for an enjoyable read. My favorite kind. Kaitlyn Wilde is a witch, a shop owner and investigates murders. She is aided not only by her reporter/boyfriend and her Aunt Tilly, owner of the tea shop next door but by the real Merlin from Camelot. Yes, poor Merlin has been yanked out of his timeline and dropped into New Camel, NY and resides with Kaitlyn when one of her spells goes wrong. Until he can figure out what is plaguing her spells, he is stuck. I hope he stays - he's a hoot. The cast is rounded out by the spirits of Kaitlyn's mother and grandmother and their cats.
Lolly owns the chocolate shop and anyone would say she wouldn't hurt a fly but the police are not buying it when the body of a young woman is found in her backyard with one of Lolly's knives stuck in her, very dead, indeed. If the killer wasn't Lolly and it wasn't her daughter, Dani, who killed Ava and framed Lolly? Leaving the police to their own investigation, Kaitlyn and Travis start their own investigation, hopefully before anybody else dies.
This is a series that really should be read in order so the reader gets the most out of each book. However, this one can stand alone just not with the benefit of the well developed back story. The mystery is very satisfying, full of the anticipated twists, turns and occasional red herrings and I'm ready to read the next mystery in the series.

Kailyn Wilde is a contemporary witch but her lineage goes way back. She owns an old family potion shop called Abracadabra (potions and creams of which she infuses with spells from time to time). Her aunt Tilly has a tea and fortune-telling business next door. Together, they've been invaded by Merlin, the magician of ancient times, who got stuck in one of Kailyn's spells gone awry and was pulled into the Wilde's world. He is still working on figuring out why, and at the same time discovering all the gleeful treats in today's world.

This is the fourth in the series and it seems coming in to this author and series at this point I've missed a number of character-building threads. So no, I wouldn't say it could function as a standalone and you may wish to begin back at Book 1. Kailyn's sweetie is Travis, a news reporter. He tends to participate with her in the sleuthing activities and is aware of her paranormal capabilities. There is enough going on with this well-plotted, unique narrative, and support characters to keep the reader engaged and turning pages.

New Camel (upstate New York) is holding their annual festival and both Kailyn and her aunt normally have a booth beside the other merchants in her small enclave of touristy shops. Unfortunately, one of their own, Lolly, a close friend and shop owner comes home to discover a body in her backyard. Of course, she'll be number one on the local police persons-of-interest and Kailyn and Travis will work to discover the whodunit.

I thoroughly enjoyed the author's obvious sense of humor, writing style, and observations of things that can go wrong with magic and relationships including the appearances of her mother and grandmother who had passed on (crossed the veil). Nothing is ever simple and the murder mystery twists and turns in the wind with new discoveries. Most threads are pulled in to a rather convoluted conclusion and one that left me somewhat frustrated.

Still, I enjoyed the storyline well enough to look for Book 5. I received this ebook download from the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Recommended to all who enjoy a different kind of cozy with a decidedly distinctive appeal.

See my full review at https://rosepointpublishing.com/2019/04/18/magickal-mystery-lore-by-sharon-pape-a-bookreview/

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.

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is one of my favourite series. I love the characters including our witchy heroine, her late mother;s familiar, Sashkatu, her fortune telling aunt and Merlin. Yes. Merlin of Camelot fame. The setting is the town of New Camel where Merlin who has been transported from his time to ours frequently reminds us is missing its “lot”. In spite of the fact that Kailyn’s family were the magical founders of the town, they know from experience they need to keep their special gifts under wraps.
In fact, this time a good deed Kailyn performs backfires when fear replaces gratitude. So as her powers increase and she uses more and more of them, she runs the risk of too many people knowing her secret and the secrets of her family. It’s a slippery slope as regular folk often have trouble with magic.
Throughout the series, the Wilde family has been experiencing difficulties with their magic, which is the reason Merlin landed in New Camel. He has been trying to figure out what is the cause of the problems and uncovers even more information. It is clearly going to be an interesting direction for the characters.
While all this is going on Kailyn is trying to figure out who killed a young woman and framed her friend, Lilly. It’s a good mystery that brings in corporate malfeasance and the dark web, which is far nastier than any spell Kailyn or her family might cast. The final resolution was both surprising and exciting, leaving me wanting more.
I can give this book and series a hearty five purrs and two paws up.

This was another solid book in the series and I really enjoyed it. I liked that the mystery was a bit darker than regular cozy mysteries and I enjoyed the magical antics that Merlin got up to. I do think that the series is beginning to rely a little too heavily on Merlin though to keep things entertaining and light. His ridiculousness is getting a little bit old. I enjoy the relationship between Kailyn and Travis and hope that it will continue to develop more throughout the series. This is the 4th book in the series and although, from the mystery stand point, it could be read as a stand alone I wouldn’t recommend it. Start at the beginning and things will make much more sense!

This is the 4th in series and my favorite of the series. This is so much fun to read that I was unable to part with it until the end. I highly recommend the entire series. I love paranormal cozies and this is one of my favorites.

Kailyn Wilde is a witch who owns a potion shop in the small town of New Camel, New York called Abracadabra. Kailyn is left to run Abracadabra on her own after the death of her family. Her sole remaining relative is her Aunt Tilly who is a fortune-teller. and quite fun to read about.
In this story a woman is found dead behind Kailyn's friends shop with one of her friend's Lolly's knives in her back. Kailyn and Travis are determined to find the killer and set out to piece together the clues to find the right suspect. Soon they are on the right track and in terrible danger as they grow closer to solving the case. Kailyn will not give up until she solves the case.

Magickal Mystery Lore by Sharon Pape is the 4th book in her Abracadabra Mystery series. The characters are rich and enjoyable to know, the magic is a fun aspect of each book and interesting.. Each book has a excellent sleuth that surprises me at the end to conclusion. This is a highly enjoyable fun cozy series that I look forward to returning to.

The fourth book in the Abracadabra mysteries is set in the quirky small town of New Camel, in rural New York State. The fictional small town is somewhat of a tourist destination, and one of the main attractions is Abracadabra, a magic shop owned and operated by Kailyn Wilde. Abracadabra has been run by the Wilde family of witches since pre-Revolutionary times, dispensing natural beauty products and remedies-with a little added magic. Kailyn did not expect to be running the shop alone as a twenty-something until the untimely and accidental deaths of her mother and grandmother, Bronwen and Morgana. The two are not entirely "passed over" however, and pop in from time to time with sometimes unwanted advice. Kailyn is also aided by her psychic Aunt Tillie who runs an adjoining tea shop. Added to the mix is Merlin, the actual wizard Merlin, summoned from the past by Kailyn, who has been having problems with her magic. Until she can figure out how to send him back, he is an awkward houseguest with a penchant for getting into trouble.
New Camel has been plagued over the past year or so with a string of homicides, in all of which friends and family have been suspects. Kailyn jumps into investigating them, with successes in all. She does this very openly, causing chagrin among the local police. This time a young woman is murdered behind the local fudge shop whose owner is a longtime family friend, almost a second mother to Kailyn. With her reporter boyfriend, Kailyn sets out to save her friend and finds more intrigue than she expected.

I waffled a bit on the rating for Magickal Mystery Lore. While it is entertaining as a complete-escape-read, I found it hard to believe that anyone who professes to want to keep her abilities under wraps would be so open about them to perfect strangers. The magic seemed somewhat simplistic and the character development lacking, particularly that of the boyfriend, Travis. For me, it was just an "ok" read. It did keep me reading and amused. Thanks to NetGalley and Lyrical Underground for an advance digital copy. The opinion is my own.

Sharon Pape is the author of a series of mysteries set in the tiny imaginary town of New Camel, in New York? The northeast corner of the US, in any case. Magickal Mystery Lore is the fourth in the Abracadabra Mystery Books series but is completely stand alone. Kailyn Wilde and her family have been having difficulties over the last year or two with casting their spells and it is Kailyn who now finds herself not only orphaned but the heir to her mother's cats, a clowder of 6 ruled over by the old fella Sashkatu. I will want to read previous novels, however as the back story for the Wilde Witches has me hooked. These cozy mysteries are a fine change-of-pace for a tired springtime allergy-drained brain.

The residents of New Camel are many including the legendary Wizzard Merlin recently accidentally time-shifted from Camelot and a couple of recently passed witches. Witches who just happen to be mother Morgana and grandmother Bronwen of the main protagonist, Kailyn. Kailyn is a private investigator, and one of many independent shop owners in downtown New Camel - shops with such fanciful names as Tea and Empathy, Abracadabra, Busy Fingers, The Soda Jerk, etc. And it is Kailyn who with her newscaster boyfriend Travis endeavors to solve the mystery of the death of New Camel resident, Ava Duncan. Unfortunately, the further they delve into this mystery, the more the clues continue to point to the fudge shop owner, Lolly, and her daughter Danielle. Kailyn is sure Lolly would not be able to kill someone, but if not Lolly or Dani, then who killed Ava? And WHY?

I received a free electronic copy of this cozy mystery from Netgalley, Sharon Pape, and Lyrical Underground. Thank you for sharing your hard work with me. I have voluntarily read and reviewed this novel. This is my honest opinion of this work.

You can read this as a stand alone, but part of the fun was in how Merlin came to live with Tilly and her niece, Kailyn Wilde, both members of a magical family whose magick doesn't always result in desired effects. Part of this book deals with Merlin's research into what is making their magic go awry.
Another major factor to this book is dysfunctional family relationships, as well as romantic struggles. Kailyn is dating a news reporter, who knows about her magical abilities, and he feels it is time she meets his parents. Her own mother and grandmother have crossed the veil, but still "pop in" for visits.
A woman is discovered dead behind one of the New Camel shops on the day of a town festival, when many of the shops closed for the day. Kailyn knows the shop owner is innocent, but evidence piles up against her and her daughter.
Furry family, aka familiars, also play a fun role as the book unfolds. It seems many animals love to be near Merlin, including an invisible dog summoned from another time and place.

Parts of the story are a bit heavier or darker than many other cozy mysteries, but so much is going on that keeps the action fast paced and entwined with lighter moments.
With Merlin around, life will never be boring.

As much as I love paranormal mysteries, sometimes i stumble across one that just doesn’t quite click for me. This seems to be the case here. Perhaps it was nit having read the previous books in the series that made some things feel like there was a missing link. Perhaps it was that I really didn’t get into the mystery until more than halfway through it. Not quite sure, but Perhaps going back and reading book one and seeing if that works for me, I can then go from there and see how I feel.

I’ve read the others in this series, and I dived right in to this, the fourth book in the series. I was tickled that this book was just a much fun as the other books. I adore Tilly and Merlin, probably more than I do Kailyn the main character. The book had the fun I expected, and a wonderful plot that kept me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. I do have to admit, though, that the subplot between Travis and Kailyn didn’t sit well with me for a couple of reasons. I really can’t say much, but I think most of it was out of character, and I didn’t like how the conflict was resolved because it made both of them lesser than they were before. Also, the end of mystery was a little more “heavy” than I expect from this series. However, I did enjoy the book. I do recommend this book! I was provided the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed.

As I love both witchy stuff and (black) cats, I really liked this book. It also has humour and action, which makes it entertaining and I got fond of several of the characters, including Kailyn, Merlin and Aunt Tilly.

This is the 4th in this series and the first I have read. Kailyn Wilde is a witch who runs a potion shop and know Merlin (Yes that Merlin) the legendary wizard. Her neighbor Lolly from the Candy shop runs into Abracadabra to tell Kailyn that there is a body behind her shop with a fudge knife in her back. The victim is Ava Duncan and there are little clues to go on but Ava was having an affair with Lolly’s son in law. Could it be Lolly or her daughter. There is also some strange things going on where Ava worked. Interesting story and love the characters of Aunt Tilly (Kailyn’s only relative who is a fortune teller) and Merlin. Magic goes astray and Merlin is investigating with some interesting results.

I do have to say that the book cover is beautifully illustrated. It’s what tempted me to read the summary & the summary...got me to read the book. Who doesn’t love a little magic & mystery?! I do!
I want to say that it was great & I loved it, but honestly I couldn’t really get into it. Also, after reading the book I found out that this is the fourth book in a series. Which made me wonder if I would have liked it more or better if I had read the other three books first.
I do have to say that I loved that Merlin was in this book & the little town they live in is called New Camel, aka New Camelot. It sounds like such a cute little town that I would love to visit. And the food!! Oh, the food sounds divine! Made myself hungry a time or two.

Magick. Mystery. Murder. Merlin. Moggies. All the ingredients to make me say “SIGN ME THE HECK UP, I MUST READ THIS IMMEDIATELY.” Plus, the cover. That is a stunning cover, my friends.

It’s a shame however that for the first 10% or so of this book I loathed it. Genuinely. Reading it was giving me an intense headache and I couldn’t quite figure out why. My best guess is because this is my first foray into this series which leads to the pitfalls of how an author can introduce this setting and characters to new readers without needlessly repeating themselves to those already established in the series. Except there’s a lot of needless repetition that happens throughout this book alone that I kept stopping to flip back and see if what I was reading had been mentioned before. (Spoiler? It had).
That said, I continued on because I truly wanted to like this book, and I’m glad I did. The resolution was a bit underwhelming to me but I found the premise of magick really enjoyable. In fact, a lot of the magick seems based on what real practitioners do which I think helps the novel keep very grounded in reality without going overly fantastical. The characters themselves grew on me throughout the book when I started out very unsure on Kailyn. As for a final rating, I was very much torn between 2.5 and a 3 and I think I’ll have to go for a 3. I might check out the others in the series though it’s not high on my priority list as I’m hesitant some of the things I dislike will also be in the others. I think fans of the series will enjoy this, but for newcomers it’s maybe not the best book to start with.

"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..."

Kitty cat magic!

A delightful entry in the Abracadabra Mystery series finds Kailyn Wilde dividing her time between sleuthing, riding herd on Merlin, the wizard from Camelot, and investigating why magic spells sometimes go awry when cast in New Camel.

Kailyn is summoned by Lolly, a neighboring shop owner, and finds Ava Duncan, behind Lolly’s candy store, with a knife stuck in her back. Travis, a reporter and Kailyn’s boyfriend, and Kailyn begin brainstorming who might want Ava dead. Primary suspects are Lolly and her daughter Dani, whose husband Elliott is having an affair with Ava and Brock Davenport, Ava’s ex-boyfriend. The red herrings are plentiful as Kailyn and Travis move from lead to lead in search of real clues. And, as usual, more suspects emerge.

Merlin’s shenanigans keep the reader chuckling or laughing out loud in some instances. While reviewing old magick scrolls he inadvertently summons a huge dog that he then makes invisible when he tries to send him back. Now the huge animal is creating havoc as he moves around knocking over people and things because no one can see him. Next, Aunt Tilly finds Merlin gone and calls the police. Merlin is discovered sleepwalking down a residential street with three dozen local cats following him – and all seem to be in a trance. Finally, his obsession with food makes living with Tilly, a stress baker, both amusing and challenging.

Finally, in his search to determine why magic doesn’t seem to be working properly, Merlin finds a local company that is developing large magnets may be altering the ley lines around New Camel which in turn affects the ability of magic to manifest.

There are a lot of twists in this story. Travis is re-united with an old flame and his behavior upsets Kailyn. Merlin, while delving into the ancient Wilde family scrolls, finds that Kailyn and Tilly are his descendants. Kailyn perfects her teletransportation ability when she is kidnapped by a couple of thugs and uses her ability to escape. Angie, Ava’s closest friend, disappears with her two children after warning Ava about strange things going on at the company that employs them both.

Sharon Pape crafts an enchanting story that is so engaging and easy to enjoy the reader may overlook the skill required to create this captivating read. As a character, Merlin is an ingenious fabrication that offers intriguing interaction with the book’s two sorceresses, Kailyn and Tilly. Ms. Pape makes New Camel a fascinating community to visit.

Magical Mystery More is the fourth in this series and is a great mystery. A reader might want to read the others first so they know more about the characters. Excellent series.

This is the fourth book in the Abracadabra Mystery series, and while you don’t need to read the previous three, I think it would be a good idea. I felt a bit left out as to what had happened to Kailyn’s mother and grandma. And it was touched on a little, how Merlin had come to be in this time period, but I got the feeling his crazy adventures were a bigger part of the previous books.

On the other hand, I’ve read series with lots of books in them, where the author does give background in each book, and I find myself skimming, or skipping it completely. But at least with those books, I have the option to do so, if I want.

I loved the interaction between Kailyn and her familiar, Sashkatu. In a book I recently read pretty much the whole interaction was to feed the cat or have the cat bite her, so it became boring very fast. But not the case with Kailyn and Sashkatu, their interactions were fun, and Pape really gave the cat a personality, and didn’t just use it as filler for the book.

As for the romance with Travis and Kailyn, I don’t know, maybe I’m just getting old and my rose colored glasses are getting too many scratches on them, but please, all authors, just stop the continual fighting. Yes, everyone has arguments in a relationship, but not all relationships have as many fights as they seem to in books. And changing it up, would be great. Have the woman leave the relationship. Find a person who supports her, and doesn’t keep things from her.

But like I said, maybe I’m just getting cranky in my old age, and their relationship won’t bother you at all. It wouldn’t stop be from reading the previous books in the series, and I would be even willing to try book five to see if the relationship gets better, or ends.

The magical powers that Kailyn and her Aunt have, were used well in the book. They helped to enhance, and move the story along. The way the book ended will see even more impressive powers being used in the next book. And the way Pape left it, I can see a lot of possibilities for book five.

As for the mystery, while I knew pretty early on who the killer was, the way Pape had side plots and red herrings was done very well. Even though I knew who did it, the why, was done in a very original way. It makes me want to read the previous books to see if she was as creative in those ones too.