When Phoebe Winchester inherits her Aunt Eudora's Victorian mansion, and The Earl's Study, a bookshop/tea shop combo, her life drastically changes from quiet to being in the middle of a murder investigation, discovering the power of her Aunt's magical teas, gaining the friendship a feline companion named Bob, and learning more about herself than she ever dreamed!

I loved the Phoebe character! As she discovers secrets about her Aunt Eudora and maybe herself, she reacts like anyone would, with skepticism. It was so much fun to go along with her to solve the mystery and learn about her past. The townspeople of Raven Creek are charming and quirky and some know more than they let on about Phoebe's past and present - I' don't want to give anything away but I couldn't put the book down!

When I saw the cover, I knew I wanted to read the book, and it didn't disappoint! I'm hoping for a second book soon!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Just a sweet little gem of a story. Has all the things we love - book store, cats, friends, Waterhouse pictures on the walls, big mystery and the best - a bit of magic! Loved it!

When Phoebe Winchester’s beloved Aunt Eudora passes away and leaves her the house and her business, she moves from Seattle and settles into her new life in Raven’s Creek. Sure it’ll take some adjustment, as do most changes, but there’s one thing she never could have expected…to find out that she herself is a witch, just like her Aunt Eudora had been.

When a body is found at the back of her shop, Phoebe finds herself trying to figure out who killed the man and why. And moreover, what did it have to do with her Aunt Eudora? With the best intentions, which Phoebe finds out are necessary for her new skills, she finds herself questioning suspects, her own abilities and some of her oldest relationships in town. But will Phoebe figure out the reason why the man was killed outside her store, or will she ask one too many questions and never find out the true extent of her newly acquired abilities?

WOW! From the minute I opened this book and started to read, this book had me hooked. This is undoubtedly my favorite new series of the year! It is so well written and the tea blends remind me of the tea club I belong to…always intention and herbs to help with just about anything. I cannot wait for the next entry in this series! Get it on it from the start and you won’t be disappointed.

Steeped to Death is the first of A Witches Brew Mystery series.
Steeped to Death is a magical cozy mystery set in a small town in the Pacific NW. Phoebe inherits a 10-bedroom Victorian family mansion at Lane’s End and The Earl’s Study, a used bookshop/ tearoom from her Aunt Eudora.
When a dead man is discovered in the shop, Phoebe Winchester is thrown into a new world of quirky local inhabitants of Raven Creek and the deep family secrets that her aunt Eudora has been keeping from her – until she is ready for them.
This is a fun paranormal cozy mystery with a light gentle touch that ticks all of the boxes.

I loved this book. I wish I would wake up one day and discover I was witch. How cool would that be?? I can't wait for the next book to come out to see what Phoebe, Imogen, Rich and Bob get up to. Hopefully Phoebe will learn to listen to Bob. I would definitely give it 5 stars.

Steeped to Death is the first of A Witches Brew Mystery series. It was a fun book to read. Phoebe Winchester is the main character who inherits an old Victorian house called Lane End House in the town of Raven Creek when her aunt Eudora Black died. Phoebe loves and remembers the house from when she would visit when young.. Phoebe also inherited a used book store called The Earl's Study. When she arrives at the house she finds that a cat named Bob. came with the house. The other characters in the story add spice to the story. When getting settled she has a run-in with a woman named Deirdre Miller who wants to buy her house. While checking out the store and apartment she runs into an old friend who is renting the apartment named Rich Lofting a private Eye. On her second day she gets a call from the police that someone has died in the alley behind her store. Funny things start to happen that puts Phoebe on her toes. This is where the story takes off taking the reader on an adventure of finding out who and why the man is murdered, why Deirdre is so interested in her house and what is in it that she is looking for and most important that she is a witch. The story climaxes to an exciting ending.

I look forward to reading the next in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books, in return for an honest review. This is a wonderful first book to a new series and I can’t wait for the next one! If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a tinge of magic and a smidgen of romance, you should definitely read this book.
Phoebe Winchester inherits her Aunt Eudora’s mansion and amazing book/tea shop, The Earl’s Study, in Ravens Creek. Oh, and she also inherited Aunt Eudora's cat, Bob! Phoebe loved her summer visits with Aunt Eudora, until her parents moved them too far away to make that easily possible. As Phoebe enters her post-divorce life, this inheritance comes at the perfect time. Phoebe is excited to explore the town and see if she can do justice to the inheritance from her beloved Aunt Eudora. Things don’t start so well when she’s accosted by a woman that Aunt Eudora warned her wasn’t to be trusted. From then on, things go strangely as a dead body is discovered behind the store. The apartment above the shop is unexpectedly inhabited by a handsome childhood friend who is also recovering from his divorce. Add in unexpected events that appear to be unexplainable unless there really is magic and you have a wonderful cozy mystery with great potential. I truly enjoyed this book and HIGHLY recommend it.

Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue is an enchanting new entry in the cozy mystery genre that captivated me from page one. I hope that this becomes a long-running series because one book is definitely not enough!

Phoebe Winchester moves to Raven Creek where she spent many idyllic summers as a child when her Aunt Eudora leaves her The Earl’s Study, a book and tea shop, and Lane End House, a mansion high on a hill. Phoebe embraces life in a small town yet not everyone is welcoming, in particular Deidre Miller who seems set on ruining Phoebe’s reputation before she has a chance to meet anyone.

In a genre where so many books become formulaic and fall flat, Steeped to Death offers a fresh voice with interesting and relatable characters, as well as a protagonist with whom the reader can immediately connect. The paranormal elements are subtle at first then deftly developed throughout. The narrative is visually descriptive with a page-turning plot creating a wonderful sense of place. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.). I can’t wait for the next in what I hope is a new series.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I enjoyed this book. It was a good who done it mystery type book with a flare of magical elements. Easy and fast read.

Steeped To Death
By Gretchen Rue
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Okay friends, I LOVED this book. What a great start to a new series!! Phoebe returns to Raven Creek, after years away, to take over her aunt's store & home. As she gets settled, she finds out there are a few secrets her aunt kept from her. Then a dead guy is found behind the shop. So much to deal with at once but it was so fun to follow Phoebe as she adjusts to her new life. Magic & murder, what more could you ask for. Once I started this book I didn't want to put it down and I cannot wait to see what happens next. Do yourself a favor and add this to your tbr pile!!

I thought this was a really good start to a new series. It held my interest all through the book. The characters were interesting and made me want to continue to know more. The paranormal aspects were introduced in a way that was inobtrusive. I will be on the lookout for the next book in this series.

Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue was a fun, easy read. Phoebe Winchester inherits a home, a cat, and a tea shop/bookstore. There’s a mystery, a bit of romance, and magic!

I loved the story, and found it quite engrossing. Phoebe is a very likable character and I found myself rooting for her. The book made me crave a good cup of tea (perhaps sitting by a cozy fire with an orange cat sitting in my lap) and the recipes at the end were a fun surprise.

My only complaint, and the reason I only give the book 4 stars rather than 5, is the editorial errors peppered throughout- typos, and a few grammatical errors.

Overall, I definitely recommend Steeped to Death. Ms. Rue has created an engaging character in Phoebe and a delightful ambiance in the tea shop and bookstore.

Phoebe Winchester has inherited her late aunt Victorian mansion and her tea/bookshop. As soon as she arrives in town a local busy body starts bugging her about selling her her house. Then a dead body is found on her shop doorstep. Something strange is going on and Phoebe is determined to get to the bottom of it. Kept my interest from start to finish. Can't wait to read more from this author.

A Sinister Turn..,
The first outing in the Witches’ Brew Mystery series finds Phoebe Winchester juggling her inheritance from her aunt Eudora. And, there’s a lot to juggle. When a man is discovered on the doorstep, very dead, things begin to take a sinister turn in Raven Creek. Enjoyable cosy mystery with a delightful element of the paranormal and a colourful cast of entertaining characters. A promising start to a new series.

Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue is a great cozy mystery that is the first in A Witch’s Brew Mystery series. This was a great start!

I reslly liked this first installment of this new series. It had all the classic cozy mystery components: small town, quirky residents, murder/mystery, main character returning to her family’s roots to take up the mantle, and of course an adorable theme.

I love the paranormal thread that was infused into this book. It adds the right amount of fun, magic, and elevation needed to balance out the more serious murder aspect and the “real world”. I like Phoebe and Bob the cat is so cute!

There is plenty of material fir future books, which I will definitely read.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Crooked Lane Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/6/22.

From the moment I saw this enchanting cover and catchy book title, I knew that Steeped to Death, featuring Phoebe Winchester, would be a great story.
Phoebe's Aunt Eudora passes away, leaving the majority of her estate to her niece.
Unfortunately, Aunt Eudora didn't have time to tell Phoebe everything she needs to know, and one includes a comical cat named Bob, who now belongs to Phoebe.
I had a great time reading this story. The characters work well together and there's just enough sass and sarcasm to have those laugh out loud moments.
#SteepedtoDeath #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book. It ended to soon for me. I liked the characters and the story is interesting. I’d enjoy visit that town. I can’t wait to see what happens next. The killer was definitely a surprise. #SteepedtoDeath #NetGalley

Wonderful. There is no shortage of cozy mystery books with a paranormal theme and not all of them hit the mark. This story did and even with a number of characters and a few mysteries, none of the plots for confused. Looking forward to the next one the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read.