Witch Hunt by Cate Conte is the first book in the paranormal cozy A Full Moon Mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series each book in the A Full Moon Mystery series has it’s own mystery that will be solved within so they can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. There will be of course character development that carries over from book to book for those that follow the full series from the beginning.

Violet Mooney is still grieving from the loss of her grandmother after losing her unexpectedly taking comfort in her in her orange tabby, Monty, and running her shop. Violet owns The Full Moon crystal shop located in her small town of North Harbor, Connecticut which she loves. Not everyone is a fan of the Violet’s shop though with councilwoman Carla Fernandez letting it be known she isn’t. When the councilwoman’s body is found after a very public confrontation between Carla and Violet though Violet ends up the number one suspect in the murder.

Witch Hunt is not the first cozy mystery that I have read from Cate Conte having also begun her Cat Cafe Mystery series. When reading the first series I thought that the books fell into the it’s ‘alright’ category but wasn’t overly invested in them but seeing this new one with a paranormal twist my curiosity won out being one that loves crossed genre reads. Unfortunately I can only say yet again that this was an OK read as I didn’t find myself really connected to the characters or mystery with nothing that made it stand out from the rest.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I gave up at 63%. I wasn't interested in Violet and what was going on at that point. Things were moving too slowly for me and the mysteries weren't developing. Come on, someone shows up 27 years later and you don't jump on it and want copious explanations?

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this cozy mystery, and I am excited to continue on with the series. I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the plot. The mystery managed to surprise me, and I also enjoyed the magical aspect. I’m looking forward to keep reading about these characters.

Witch Hunt is prob one of the most unique cozies I've read! We have a main character who works in a crystal shop who finds out that she is a witch!! It wasn't my favorite cozy ever but it was definitely entertaining.

What a beautiful, cozy, fun mystery! Violet is such a lovable character, and it was such a fun journey to follow as she learned about her past and new power! I’d love to continue reading this series.

There were portions of this book I enjoyed - I think the witch realm and witchy aspects were intriguing. I only wish we got to experience more of that, as it felt like a side plot to me.

I had a lot of unanswered questions, as the ending seemed extremely rushed. I felt like there could have been 100 more pages to tie things up, or the author could have made the plot less complicated/detailed. There seemed to be a couple of continuity errors here and there too, unless I misremembered portions of the reading.

I guess I just wanted more from this book in general.

A interesting mystery that I was able to finish in one day. I enjoyed the characters and the story kept me engaged until the end.

Witch Hunt was a cute mystery novel with quirky and likeable characters. I continued to hope for more information on Violet's past and her long lost family who appears in her small town telling her she is a witch. I hoped to see Violet realize more of her powers and what she was capable of. I do believe there are more books coming in this series, and I look forward to seeing many more of my questions about our lead character and her past answered. A quick and light read that I absolutely enjoyed.

Violet Mooney, owner of The Full Moon crystal shop, has recently lost her grandmother unexpectedly, and throws herself more deeply into her work to cope. A local councilwoman seems to be out to get quite a few people in town, including Violet. When the councilwoman turns up dead after a heated and very public argument with Violet, Violet is the prime suspect for the murder. As if that isn't enough of a predicament to be in, Violet's long absent mother and a sister she never knew she had show up claiming that not only are they witches, but so is Violet. This can't be real, can it?

I love cozy cats, and this book as two! Violet is well-established and has a lot going for her. She has a lot of mixed feelings about her mother showing up after abandoning her all those years ago--and wants nothing to do with her. But her mother won't go away. Her mother, Fiona, can be a bit overbearing at times, but she means well. I adored Violet's half-sister, Zoe. She and Violet hit it off pretty well. Between the mystery of the murder of the councilwoman and the mystery surrounding Violet's past, Witch Hunt had me from the first page to the last. I found both story lines intriguing and could not wait to see how everything came together in the end. There were certainly several unexpected twists in this one! I always find it interesting to see the different ways magic manifests in cozy mysteries like this, and this one did not disappoint. I look forward to reading more by Conte in the future.

An Interesting cozy mystery set in Connecticut in a crystal shop. While this one was a good read. It was a little hard to read because just like the main character had suffered a loss similar to what I have suffered recently made it less in enjoyable for me. But other cozy readers who haven’t recently suffered that loss will no doubt enjoy this cozy. Who knows I may pick up future books in the series.

This was a fun, witchy cozy. While the mystery took a backseat to the protagonist's storyline, I didn't mind that. I really enjoyed all the storyline weaved throughout this book, and I look forward to the next book.

Release Date: July 28, 2020

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Violet Mooney recently lost her grandmother, got into a screaming match with the local councilwoman Carla about a seance and her best friend Syd is acting strange. When a body is found strangled to death with her scarf, Violet becomes suspect #1. Add to that a mother she hasn’t seen in 27 years, a sister she didn’t know existed and oh yeah...turns out she’s a witch!

I was not into this story, I’m not sure where it missed the mark for me but it took me over three days to finish because I simply didn’t care. It was spotty and didn’t finish storylines or even really explain things at the end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Violet Mooney is the owner of The Full Moon Crystal Shop. She is in a constant battle with a councilwoman about her "voodoo" shop. When the councilwoman ends up dead, Violet finds two cops on her doorstep waiting to take her to the station for questioning. Can Violet find out who the killer is while also dealing with some personal surprises?

I liked this book, but I wanted to like it more. There were just bits of the story that did not work for me. I really liked Violet. I liked her personality and her style. I liked her mother and sister, too. Violet's best friend, however, was way too judgmental and unsupportive. With the story, I just wish that there was more about the magical part of the world. I felt like it wasn't fleshed out enough. I also feel like I wanted more explanation about Violet's family and what happened with them. Maybe that all will be expanded on in future books, but it made this book a little frustrating. I'll have to see what I feel when the next one comes out.

*eARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

What an enjoyable read! An easy read that I devoured in one sitting.

This is the first of a new series and I'm glad I discovered it at the beginning-look forward to the next installment.

Our heroine, Violet, has a secret heritage that she is unaware of and when she breaks a necklace that was a gift from her beloved grandmother, strange things start to happen. Add that to the fact that she is a person of interest in a murder and what follows is a charming cozy mystery.

This is the first book in the Full Moon Mystery series, and I really enjoyed this magical offering from Conte. Violet Mooney owns The Full Moon crystal shop and she is somewhat of a spiritual person but when town councilwoman Carla Fernandez turns up dead and the police hear of their argument earlier on in the day and suspect her does she discover there is more than a little witchey in her blood.

When her estranged mother appears practically before her eyes and rocks Violets world by telling her that she is in fact a witch! I felt the murder mystery was more of a secondary story line to Violets discovering about her being a witch, and to be fair I quite liked it that way, I loved finding out Violets truth, and I also enjoyed whittling down the potential suspects. There was a fair few suspects who all had motive to bump off Carla, and I was right along Violet when the truth came out.

I look forward to reading more on Violets situation with her magic and her relationship with her mother.

I adore a the supernatural in my mysteries. I'll be on the lookout for more by Cate Conte for sure!!!

Princess Fuzzypants here: Violet is fairly content with her life- her shop that sells healing stones, her friends and boyfriend and her kitty. She recently lost her beloved grandmother but the grief she suffered is not even a hint of what is to come after an unpleasant woman verbally attacks her in a crowded coffee shop. She accused Violet of running a voodoo shop. Boy, if she only knew the truth. Sadly, for Violet, the woman is murdered and Violet finds herself a person of interest.

That is when things get very interesting and the story perks up appreciably. As she sit in the police station, two things happen that are going to shake her world forever and transform her self perception entirely. Her long lost mother and hereto unknown sister drop into her life. The information they share is going to shatter all of Violet’s beliefs. Can they also get her off the hook for the murder?

This series has tons of potential that is just scratched in this first book. With her two cats by her side (yes, a second cat adopts her), she is about to go on a voyage of self discovery. I will gladly hitchhike along. Five purrs and two paws up.

What makes a good cozy mystery? Cate Conte (aka Liz Mugavero) understands the form. She has given us a new protagonist to watch. Meet Violet Mooney, the 32 year old owner of the Full Moon crystal shop, and proud owner of Monty, a cuddly ginger cat who wisely chooses sleep over braving the dank January weather. Violet is a self described empath, she has brought her talent for reading auras the citizens of North Harbor CT. She is content with her daily routine, yoga class, sharing morning coffee with her best friend and neighbor Syd. Lately though is has been difficult. She is still grieving her Grandmother Addy's death. The book opens with Violet feeling out of sorts, as if the universe is out of alignment.

It is. First she has a blow up argument with Carla Fernandez, the town official who most resembles a combination of petulant two year old and high powered real estate agent. Carla is the bully who must get in the last word. Provocative, down right mean, it is no wonder she is discovered quite dead. Yay, she is dead. Boo, Violet's scarf is the murder weapon. What next?

What comes next changes the tone of the book delightfully. Violet's long lost mother appears, walking out of thin air. She is a powerful witch, and so is Violet. Violet is not only a witch she has a long lost sister, Zoe, and perhaps has been adopted by a familiar. To make matters worse, she seems to have a stalker, Mazzy a pushy woman who claims to want a consultation, and somehow does not have a reflection in a mirror. Mazzy who apparently also has designs on Violet's boy friend. Nothing is as it first appears. Violet begins to see beneath the surface of North Harbor finding a town as mysterious as the black cat who has adopted her.

The puzzle is charming and not easily solved. The plotting is suspenseful, inviting a reader to stay up late, reading just one more chapter. This is a strong entry for the new Full Moon Series.

Recommended for young adults to senior citizens.

This book is the first in Cate Conte's new series about Violet Mooney, an unwitting witch.

Violet is still processing her grandmother's death when she discovers a mother she thought had abandoned her and a half sister she never knew about. Violet owns a local crystal shop and when a prominent community member ends up dead right after fighting with Violet, all eyes are on her.

Violet then learns that she is descended from two long lines of very powerful witches and learns about a witches' council that her grandmother and mother held positions on. Violet has some decisions to make about her life and also has to get to the bottom of the murder.

I enjoyed the author's writing style and I love the idea of a witch as the main character in a cozy mystery series. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal stories and fun cozy mysteries.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion from #NetGalley and the publisher.

A great debut for a new series, it's engrossing and entertaning.
The characters are well written and likable, the solid mystery kept me guessing and the world building is interesting.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.