So we are back at Bellamy Bay with our mer-witch Alex Daniels and her unique family. I really enjoyed the first book and was excited to return to this desire getaway. It is the summer mermaid festival, and they have a renowned artist and mermaid authority, Neve, in town who believes in the science of the “mermaid gene.” Neve searches Alex out to tell her about this science and the research related to it as Alex’s Aunt Lidia and cousin Kamila are listed in the “mermaid gene” database. This does not make Alex happy as her family wants to keep their mermaid heritage a secret. Then Neve tell her she wants to help Alex protect her family but Neve needs Alex’s help. Then that night at the town reception Neve is found murdered. Her friend Celeste is the number one suspect, so of course Alex has to investigate and find the truth.

First of all the author changed the name of the main character in book one it was Alexandra and in this book it is Aleksandra. If I hadn’t read the first book
I wouldn’t have noticed. But it really bothered me. I also had a little trouble re-immersing myself in the story line, the first third felt too fluffy. But once the murder happened it got better. I feel like the transitions between scenes/suspects are a little abrupt. But the last third one was again drew me in and the larger story arc has me hoping the third book is not too far behind this one’s release.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

Alex Daniels is busy working at her aunt's apothecary shop Botanica and adjusting to her new life with her aunt and cousins in Bellamy Bay, North Carolina. Alex is also getting used to their secret lives as Magicals descended from mermaids. Renowned artist Neve Ryland is in town to create a mermaid-themed mural at the local park for the annual Mermaid Festival. Alex's friend Celeste is not happy with Neve who has been spending too much time with her museum director boyfriend Jasper. Then Neve is found bludgeoned to death in Jasper's office while everyone is celebrating the unveiling of the mural.

Alex's police boyfriend Jack has his eyes set on Celeste as the prime suspect. But with the help of her aunt Lidia and cousins Minka and Kamila, Alex is determined to clear Celeste. Alex soon finds a connection between Neve's murder and the recent fatal OD death of a local blogger. Neve's other murals, her expertise in mythological weapons, some unusual minerals and the search for the famous Warsaw Shield are key factors in this entertaining story.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

A Hex for Danger is the second in the Enchanted Bay Mystery series. The whole book is pretty intense with many threads to follow.
Alex and her family are preparing for the mermaid festival in Bellamy Bay. They are glad that everyone sees the festival as a celebration of mythical creatures because they surely don't want mundane people to know that mermaids are real. But it looks like someone - corporate someones have discovered a mermaid gene and they have a list.
There is an artist in town doing a mural for the mermaid festival. She is the one who ends up dead and there is a cloud a secrets surrounding why she was killed.
There are surprises in the book - more than just mermaids are real.
Alex's investigating felt a little off. You have to suspend disbelief for more than the idea that mermaids are real. The author has Alex dating a police detective. It doesn't look good for their longevity due to some of her activities.
I received an ebook copy and an audiobook copy of the book for review.
The narrator does a great job. It took a very short time to get into the flow of the narrator's telling of the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the ebook and audiobook prior to publication.
I loved the story and look forward to further investigations with Alex and learning more about the mythical world the author is creating.

Magic, dragons, and mermaids, oh my! Alex and her family are, well, mermaids descended from the Mermaid of Warsaw, living and working in Bellamy, North Carolina. When her friend Celeste becomes the prime suspect in a murder, Alex steps up to investigate despite the opposition of Jack, her love interest who is a law enforcement officer. The mystery of the murder was less interesting to me than the atmospherics and mythology of the mermaids. I like Alex's family and the small details. While this is the second installment, it's perfectly enjoyable as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun cozy read.

This is the second book in the Enchanted Bay Mystery series. I loved both books! The main character, Alex, is a water witch descended from mermaids. When her best friend is involved in a murder, Alex gets involved to clear her name. I love the quirky characters! 4 stars.

Mermaids, magic, and murder! I absolutely loved the first book in this new series, A Spell for Trouble, and was so glad to be able to read the second addition early! It was just as great as the first. I love Alex's aunt and cousins and especially enjoyed the touches of romance in this one.

I love where this series is going and it’s unique paranormal base. The characters are more engaging and the plot is smoother than book one. I can’t wait to continue this series!

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Life goes swimmingly for the mermaids of Enchanted Bay, until the dead bodies turn up. Alex is determined to dig up the truth. It was an enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to future installments. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.

Initial Thoughts/Expectations:

I adored the cover of A Hex for Danger upon first sight. The bright purple door and the beautiful dog beckoned me inside and the promise of a cozy paranormal mystery sealed the deal. I dove right in! In fact, I dove in so quickly I failed to realize the book was second in the An Enchanted Bay Mystery series by Esme Addison. Because of that impetuousness on my part, I can share that the book can be read an enjoyed as a stand-alone!

What I loved:

The mystery was wonderfully laid out with the characters/suspects rolled out well from very early on. I felt very much as if I had been pulled into a murder mystery dinner theater performance. I delighted in putting on my detective hat and trying to unravel all of the chaos Neve Ryland’s murder wreaked on Bellamy Bay.

I was mentally noting possible clues before a murder was even committed. Once the murder occurred, we were inundated with people with probable motives. We also had a suspect so obvious that it seemed like an open and closed case to some. One of those people was Alex’s boyfriend and town detective, Jack who apparently tried to pin a murder on a member of Alex’s family in the previous book - as you can imagine, going after someone Alex cares about never works out well for him!

Alex Daniels is quite the investigator and I like how forward she is - her reputation proceeds her with many of the suspects and it makes the questioning a little less awkward. Pepper, her best friend and reporter, is a great side-kick and can be depended on to do the needed research and unearth connections. And unearth them she does! There are plenty of layers to the story and plenty of people to pad the suspect list, at least for Alex.

I loved the extra layer that the paranormal and mythologies brought to the story. Neve’s knowledge of the secret related to Alex’s ancestry added many other possible motives and I was quickly so wrapped up in governmental conspiracies and company espionage possibilities - everyone had a reason to murder Neve!

The town is adorable and one I’d happily return to for more paranormal mysteries like this one.


What I Didn’t Love:

This one may be on me as I entered the series in book 2, but something is off in the romance department. I wasn’t feeling the chemistry with Alex and Jack and often forgot she had a boyfriend. Jack was like a dog with a bone as he investigated the case and I know that frustrated Alex due to her ties with one of the suspects he was convinced was the murderer, but I thought Alex’s pursuit of her own investigation showed extreme doubt in her boyfriend’s ability to do his job. There was more tension than romance throughout most of the story.

Final Thoughts:

Hex for Danger was a fun and enjoyable read. The mystery alone keeps you wondering, but add in all of the paranormal and you’ll be easily whisked away to the town of Bellamy Bay where you’ll don your detective hat and work to get to the bottom of it all!

SCHEDULED POST ON FUNKNFICTION.COM ON JULY 8, 2021 - https://funknfiction.com/?p=7831

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed A Hex for Danger, even though cozy mysteries with supernatural elements are not what I usually read. The story was interesting and there was a nice complexity to it. I especially liked the fact that the characters have many different facets, and that most of them are not completely unpleasant. It does not take time to be hooked to this book, and I really wanted to know what had happened. The only negative aspect I found in this book is the presence of major spoilers for the first book. This series needs to be read in order for maximum enjoyment, as you cannot backtrack in the series, or if you do, it will alter the experience. Still, I really enjoyed this book, even though I am not really a fan of mermaids. I look forward to the next book.

What an 'enchanting' cozy mystery! Mermaids, murders and a splash of magic, I enjoyed every bit of this story. Esme Addison is a master storyteller. Excellent character development. I loved the denouement - a dash of magic certainly made the finale grand. I was hooked on to the story until the end and I am eagerly waiting to see how the twist at the end is going to play out in the next book. (Looks like Alex is going to have a lot of surprises in the near future...)

This is the second book in the Enchanted Bay series. Alex and her family are preparing for the mermaid festival in Bellamy Bay. When the artist in charge of the mural is murdered and Alex's friend, Celeste becomes the prime suspect, she sets out to prove who the real killer is. I loved the magical element of this series. Alex 's aunts and cousins are wonderful characters and compliment Alex really well. The mystery was intriguing and I loved how Alex's family history was woven into the story. I can't wait to read more in this series. I received this book from Crooked lane books and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“A Hex for Danger” by Esme Addison the 2nd instalment in the "An Enchanted Bay Mystery". What a great follow up to the last book, I just love the whole mermaid, magical theme in this series. The annual Mermaid Festival is the setting for Esme Addison's sunny-yet-sinister second Enchanted Bay mystery, perfect for fans of Heather Blake and Bailey Cates.

I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it over 2 days. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises. The setting of Bellamy Bay was nice and I am a sucker for a cozy set in North Carolina. This series is becoming a favourite and not just cause it centres around mermaids.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends. I am looking forward to book 3!

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

A Hex for Danger is the second installment to the Enchanted Bay Mystery series by Esme Addison. I loved book one of this series so much and loved the mermaid magic themes. So I was very excited to read book two in the series and it didn't disappoint with not only a great whodunnit with multiple suspects, but also even more depth to the magical lore the series is based on.
If you love paranormal cozy mysteries you need to read this series. I would start with book one as the background to the magic and characters is complex.
The series follows Alex and her aunt, and cousins who are all magicals, descendants of mermaids. It takes place in Bellamy Bay, a North Carolina oceanside town. During the town's mermaid festival an artist ends up dead and one of Alex's friends is the prime suspect. The mystery involves the magicals in the town, so Alex is compelled to help investigate as the local detective and her current boyfriend has no idea magic is real.
The mystery involves a love affair, magical weapons, evil magical beings and government warfare.
So interesting and detailed, I can't wait to see where the story goes in book three.

Bellamy Bay’s Annual Mermaid Festival attracts lots of attention, quite a bit of it from the magical side. Alex finds there is a lot to discover about her mother’s side of the family, especially dealing with her heritage as a descendant of the Mermaid of Warsaw.

Neve Ryland paints a mermaid-themed mural in the local park to kick off the festival.
At the opening reception, Celeste finds Neve murdered in the museum director’s office. Is it a coincidence that the festival attracts a few Magicals (folks who practice magic), who seem to be searching for legendary magical weapons like Thor’s Hammer or the Mermaid of Warsaw’s Sword and Shield?

While Alex learns how to use her skills as a witch, she divides her time between seeing Detective Jack Frazier, a Mundane, or Dylan Wesley, a Magical, as she tries to uncover Neve’s killer.

In this second Enchanted Bay Mystery, Esme Addison builds the suspense around Alex’s developing abilities and exposure to the larger world of magic, including the competing players. Ms. Addison creates fascinating characters populating a fantastic community. The author’s storytelling skills make this an engaging read with the right amount of intrigue.

Apparently I did not realize that this was a follow up book. There was at least one before it, so I was a little lost when they referred to things that had happened before. I also had trouble getting into this book, tried to read it a couple of times and put it down before coming back to it. The plot seems to be some what original, The main characters family has a history that dates back to when mermaids (yes, they were a thing) were common place. The family has inherited some magic, such as being able to control water and they are telepathic. Of course, there is the "bad" family in town, who have a history of dragons in their family and the two are at odds. I am not interested enough to continue looking for books from this series.

A Hex for Danger is the second book in the Enchanted Bay mystery series. With that being said, the author provides enough background information to fill in readers who have yet to read the first installment.

In this installment, the town of Enchanted Bay, North Carolina is preparing for their annual mermaid festival. Alex and her family, who are descendants of the mermaids being celebrated, balance running their herbal apothecary while keeping their family secret under wraps. Alex befriends Neve, the artist who was tasked with painting the mural to commemorate the festival. Neve reveals that she may have information related to the town’s magical past but is found dead at a reception being held in her honor before she can share her secrets. When Alex’s detective boyfriend implicates Celeste (Alex’s friend) as the murderer, it becomes a race against time to exonerate her friend without exposing her family’s magical past.

Those looking for an atmospheric cozy mystery filled with magic, mermaids, and quite the cast of characters will enjoy this book. Addison’s descriptions of Enchanted Bay will leave readers longing for a visit to the magical beach town. The mystery itself was multilayered and gives readers a chance to learn more about Alex’s close-knit family in the process. It also made for quite the guessing game since there were a number of potential suspects with secrets of their own. While I did enjoy the first book a little bit more than this one, A Hex for Danger is still a solid addition to the series.

I loved the first one in this series but this one was missing that little something that made the first one so good. And Alex was annoying; she was pushy and demanding, expecting to be included in interviews with suspects. In a nutshell, she was borderline bratty and it was difficult to like her. The scientific research into DNA was interesting but it wasn’t enough to make me love this. Hoping the next one is better.

I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While I received a free copy of this e-book from the publisher (via netgalley) all opinions remain my own.

This is book two in the Enchanted Bay Mystery series. Overall I found this to be a fun book. I love that I already know the characters so it is just story. This story involves another murder in the small town of Bellamy Bay. You follow the main character Aleksandra as she tries to solve another murder. She is even more determined when her friend Celeste is charged with the crime.

I love the tag at the end of the blurb and I think it tells it best: Will she catch the crook or be next on the hook?

Loved it. Will be on the look out for book three in this series.

I didn't finish this so I'm not going to leave a review for it. I was a bit ambivalent about the first one, but just didn't enjoy this one past 25% or so, and I struggled to get that far. Others will continue to enjoy it, but I won't be continuing this series.