Mia embraces her grandmother’s hometown by purchasing an old school, which she plans on converting into her catering business/cooking school. Her first catering job for her grandmother’s best friend Adele’s birthday ends quite distastefully when Adele is found stabbed to death right before the party. Mia is shocked that she is considered a suspect. With the help of her gran, her roommate Christina, Trent the local grocery store owner and a hunky witch who could totally be boyfriend material, and Levi Trents brother and an EMT, they look for clues as to who could have wanted Adele dead. Before Mia ends up dead herself.

I wanted to like this one because I have pretty much enjoyed every previous book I have read by the author. But with this one I couldn't get into this one. I think it's because of the witchy aspects of the mystery.

Mia Malone, a kitchen witch, has recently moved to her grandmother's hometown in Idaho. She has purchased an old schoolhouse, outbidding a real estate developer, and intends to open a dinner delivery and catering business. Mia's ex's little sister Christina has moved in with her and is helping her get the schoolhouse ready for business as well as with her first catering gig - a birthday party for her grandmother's friend Adele. While setting up for the birthday party, Adele is found dead in the ballroom where the party is to be held. From this point, the fun begins!

One Poison Pie is the first in the Kitchen Witch mystery series. Even though witches and warlocks are plentiful, this fact, along with witchcraft and magic, are very much in the background and do not play a major part in the story. Much like her other books, which are all wonderful, Ms. Cahoon weaves the backstories of her characters together, forming a very cohesive and complex mystery. Mia's ex Isaac makes an appearance and proves himself to be a not-so-nice person, manipulating his sister's history to have her betray Mia's trust. We meet Trent and James early in the story - Trent being the owner of the local market and James being the chef at the lodge where Mia is catering Adele's party. Trent quickly becomes a strong support for Mia and Christina, helping them every opportunity he gets. Potential suspects abound - John, the developer who wanted the schoolhouse Mia eventually won for development, Adele's nephew William who suddenly appears on the scene, James, Isaac, all of the others who Adele angered, and Mia herself, given Adele was killed with a chef's knife.

This is a fast-paced story that keeps you engrossed until the end, having many twists, turns and surprises that keep you guessing until the end! The well-crafted mystery and subtlety of the witchcraft make this book highly enjoyable and I look forward to the next in the series.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

One Poison Pie is the entertaining first full-length cozy mystery in the Kitchen Witch series and my first book by the prolific Lynn Cahoon. Full of delicious food references and just the right amount of paranormal elements, it is a promising debut.

After an ugly break-up with her fiancé, Mia moves to Miracle Springs to live closer to her grandmother and open a cooking school housed in an old school building. While she awaits the completion of renovations, she hopes to start a gourmet meal delivery service, and her grandmother suggests catering her friend Adele’s birthday party thinking it would be great advertising. Adele is one of the town’s richest and most prominent town’s residents, and though she is sometimes difficult, she does not deserve to die at her own party. When Mia finds Adele’s body stuffed under a table, she quickly becomes the prime suspect. To make matters even more complicated, her ex’s younger sister Christina arrives on her doorstep looking for a place to stay. Being new to town, Mia has a lot to learn about the victim and suspects if she has any hope of saving her reputation and livelihood.

I did not realize that there is a prequel novella, Chili Cauldron Curse, to this series when I started reading, but I had no problem jumping into this book without having read the introductory story (I read it right after finishing One Poison Pie though). I really like the cooking school premise, and Mia being a kitchen witch makes it even more appealing. The paranormal elements are not necessarily the focus, but characters with varying degrees of openness about their magical abilities add depth to the characters and fodder for potential future shenanigans. Mia’s home/business housed in an old school, potentially haunted, is also great fun. I like Mia – she is strong, level-headed, and independent. Her grandmother, Christiana, and love interest Trent are also great characters, and I look forward to getting to know them all better. The mystery is well thought out and captivating. There are enough clues and twists and turns to keep readers guessing. Author Lynn Calhoon’s style is relatable, and the book moves along at a brisk pace.

I really enjoyed One Poison Pie and recommend it to fans of both culinary and paranormal mysteries.

Launching her dream catering/dinner delivery business enticed Mia Malone to return to her grandmother's townof Magic Springs, Idaho, but finding her first client murdered jeopardizes her dream...and her life. Full of "charming" characters, this series debut from Lynn Cahoon promises many happy reading hours.

Lynn Cahoon has become one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. I was really excited that she was writing a series with some witchcraft in it because those are my favorite books to read. I truly loved "One Poison Pie." I didn't read the novella she released as an intro to this series, but I'm definitely going to now so I'll know about some of the things referenced in this book. I really like all the main characters, especially Mia. I also like her relationship with her grans and Christina, her ex's sister. And the way her relationship evolved with Trent didn't seem forced, even though it did happen rather quickly. There were several mysteries in this story, not just the murder. I love it when there's more than one mystery going on because it makes reading the story more exciting. The killer was an excellent twist that surprised me. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

This is book 1 in a new series, Kitchen Witch Mysteries, by cozy favorite Lynn Cahoon. Mia moves back to her grandmother's home in Magic Springs, Idaho where no one is surprised about witches and magic. Mia is opening a catering business and is the prime suspect when someone is murdered at her first event. Mia's friend Christina and her grandmother are determined to help her clear her name and make the business successful as she is learning to control her magic. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I read the prequel and loved it. i liked this first installment in a new series.
The mix of light paranormal and mystery works well and the characters are well thought and interesting.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
I can't wait to read the next story, this one is recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I really enjoyed this book and admittedly I'm a huge Lynn Cahoon fan. The book is fun and if I was a witch I'd love to be a kitchen witch! Interesting characters, including a snarky Grands, and a great setting make this a new go to series for me.

One Poison Pie is the first book in a new cozy series by Lynn Cahoon. Released 26th Jan 2021 by Kensington, it's 272 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is a small-town catering cozy with light paranormal overtones complete with cat, feisty grandma, (and a recipe for pie at the back). I found the characters a bit formulaic and "trope-y" and the plotting predictable. One of the major (really *the* major) plot device(s) is so beyond the bounds of possibility that it just never really achieved liftoff for me. No spoilers, but it's the main impetus for the first murder and most of the subsequent plot action. The dialogue is often clunky and a bit cartoonish; Officer Baldwin is a buffoonish bully and some his lines are cringe-worthy. The story arc, denouement, and resolution are satisfying however and the author is experienced and writes well.

I do recommend the book to readers who are especially fond of small-town cat cozies with outlandish plots, but understand that there are some major issues going in and bring a hefty suspension of disbelief to the party. There are many wonderful long running series which got off to a rocky start. This could possibly be one of them. There are glimmers of an interesting and engaging story.

Three and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I really enjoyed this book but didn't get the feel for it as a Kitchen Witch mystery. It seemed the witch part was pretty subdued and the entire book could have existed without the witch component. The characters were likable (or not as the case may be) and the story was well written. I will definitely check out other books by this author,

⭐️⭐️⭐️🌗

Okay, so to review. Surprisingly, “One Poison Pie” does not /actually/ include any deaths by poisoning in the story which was just a little like... okay? Interesting choice. But title confusion aside, this is absolutely a cozy mystery at heart. There’s our kitchen witch, Mia, who is just trying to rebuild her life after a bad breakup and wanting to cook and help people and finds herself embroiled in a mystery she didn’t ask for. I really enjoy most of the characters in the story, particularly Grans, who’s snark and vivacity reminds me of my Mimi. It’s fun to see an older character with spunk.
The mystery itself was pretty good, although I could have done without the “final twist.” I felt it wasn’t built up quite enough to feel like an earned ending. However, because the rest was decent and made sense, the misstep of the twist didn’t bother me as badly as it normally would.
The only other thing that I noticed as a problem was a couple pacing issues or moments where the amount of time passing wasn’t written very clearly, so it caused some confusion while reading. It wasn’t enough to detract from the overall coziness of the story, but enough to mention here.
Overall, it’s a cozy mystery with food, family, and a dash of magic, so if that’s what you’re in the mood for: go for it!

I love the start to this new mystery series! Mia is an amazing character. I loved the witch aspects of the book and this series start. I read this book in one sitting! I cannot wait to see what the next book has for readers!!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

I am a huge sucker for a creative cozy mystery cover. This book can definitely be judged by it's cover-characters you will fall in love with, a heroine you can root for, and atmosphere for days! Will be purchasing for the library's fiction collection.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Mia has returned to Magic Springs to open a new cooking school/catering service. She is trying to leave behind a slimy ex but has his sister as her sous chef. She bought an old school that she is renovating in to home cum business but she is being dogged by the man whom she beat for the purchase of the property. He is not one to take defeat gracefully and threatens her.

But the first victim is not Mia but her client who has hired her for a gigantic birthday bash. For some reason, the local constabulary thinks Mia is the prime suspect in spite of the fact that the deceased is her grandmother’s best friend. If things continue the way they have started, Mia’s new venture may be DOA.

Thankfully, Mia is a kitchen witch and she is surrounded by others in town who also are witches with differing gifts. They flock to her side and try to protect her. After she is attacked going into her own building, there is justification for their concern. At best someone is determined to ruin her business and drive her from town. At worst they are determined to kill her. Is it the guy who wants to buy her building? Is it the slimy ex who wants her culinary secrets? Is it the nephew of the deceased who has “convicted” her of murdering his aunt and is gladly spreading the vitriol around town? Or perhaps, there are more forces at work that she can neither see nor hear.

This is the first outing of a new series and it definitely has potential with a combination of magic, family, food and romance. I am certainly looking forward to another taste. Four purrs and two paws up.

One Poison Pie by Lynn Cahoon, I loved it! The town of Magic Springs, with Mia, Grans, Christina, and handful of others, possibly a new love interest for Mia.... The Kitchen Witch series does not disappoint. When Grans dear friend, Adele, who happens to be the polar opposite of Grand sweet gracious nature, ends up with a knife in her back instead of enjoying her birthday celebration, the sleuthing is on for Mia. Not only to find the killer to clear her name but also to make sure she makes it out alive to continue on building her business, Mia's Morsels. A fantastic whodunnit. I really enjoyed! Thank you to Lynn Cahoon and Netgalley for the complimentary digital ARC.

Prior to publishing this first book in the Kitchen Witch Mystery series, there was a novella that introduced the main characters, setting and gave us a feel for the series. It is not necessary to read the prequel, but it does introduce the series nicely. Mia had returned to Magic Springs with plans to open her own catering business. When planning a party, the hostess is being very difficult. When the hostess ends up dead, Mia becomes a suspect. Mia's grandmother is best friends with the murder victim and stand to inherit her property, could that be a motive. When some long lost relatives arrive in Magic Springs just before the party, they also become suspects. There are a lot of people to investigate, and some twists that cause the investigators to go in various directions.

Mia jumps in to help investigate and with the help of Trent, a local businessman, she makes some inroads into the investigation. I like how Trent's and Mia's relationship is blossoming. They are friends now, but I can definitely see a romance down the road. There is a lot of action and Mia is in danger a few times, but Trent seems to be there whenever she needs help. There was also another mystery involving Mia's home and someone getting in. This gave me the creeps as the idea that someone breaks into my home while I am asleep is one of my fears. The secondary characters of Mia's grandmother and her ex-boyfriend's sister round out this sister nicely. I look forward to seeing more of them in the future. Overall this is a well-plotted cozy mystery, with great characters and a wonderful storyline. Exactly what I love about Lynn Cahoon's books. I look forward to more books in the Kitchen Witch series.

The Magic Springs setting is a fictional small town in Idaho where the extraordinary exists alongside the regular, but is kept secret from those not in the know! It’s quite fun as you never know just who has some paranormal powers… and they crop up sometimes in the oddest of places!

Our series heroine, Mia Malone, is a kitchen witch. Her powers are tied to feelings and food. In fact, she’s a pretty amazing cook and the descriptions of meals prepared made me hungry! Mia has moved to Magic Springs to be closer to her grandmother and to get away from her scheming, obnoxious ex-boyfriend. She also manages to take in his younger, far sweeter sister. The relationship between Mia and Christina is very endearing and shows the desire for both to belong to a caring family. Mia’s grandmother, Maude, provides the matriarchal figure and several moments of comic relief.

Of course, there’s a little romance too. Magic Springs grocery store owner, Trent, seems willing to handle more than Mia’s food supply requirements. The two have far more in common than they would have originally thought and their burgeoning friendship crackles with something more.

The mystery to solve is who killed Adele, Maude’s not-so-well-liked best friend. Officer Baldwin is no great fan of Mia and Christine and is quick to point a finger at Mia. As Mia sets out to prove her innocence, we meet several Magic Springs residents and start to piece together the mystery. There are several suspects and each has a viable motive. As more is revealed about Adele’s past and activities, more possibilities emerge creating a great combo of real clues and red herrings. There are also two secondary issues regarding Mia’s ex and an unscrupulous businessman (who may or may not be involved in the murder). In the final showdown(s) all the pieces fall into place and were even treated to some details about an overarching paranormal element.

The A Kitchen Witch Mystery series has certainly caught my attention. One Poison Pie is a great first installment and introduces a cast of intriguing characters. I give it 4/5 espresso shots.

I found myself really enjoying this new series. The characters are fun and entertaining. The paranormal aspect is interesting. The mystery is well-plotted and moves at just the right pace to keep me invested in the storyline and the characters. There were quite a few twists and turns to keep me guessing. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and seeing how each character develops along the way.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

A fun start to a new series. This one has witches in it and while I'm not into books with magic and paranormal stuff this was not that. This is about kitchen witches and they use spells for spreading warmth and positivity.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters, they were fun. The story was well plotted and reading about all the cooking and a delightful recipe included made me want to read it all the more.
I look forward to the next installment in this cozy mystery series.

Pub Date: 26 Jan 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.