Although this is the fifth book in the Kitchen Witch series, it is only the second one I've read and both were enjoyable.

Description:
In the latest enchanting mystery from the New York Times bestselling author, Mia Malone is working as a catering director at a ski lodge, but when her roommate’s ex checks in, everything starts going downhill . . .

To keep her cooking school and catering business, Mia’s Morsels, afloat, Mia’s handed off oversight to her boyfriend Trent’s mother while she focuses on earning a steady paycheck. Too bad her mean-spirited boss at the lodge keeps the misery flowing as steadily as the money. At least her roommate, Christina, is still dedicated to Mia’s Morsels—though she’s also distracted, thanks to her clingy mother’s constant demands. And the distraction only grows when Christina’s old flame shows up in Magic Springs, Idaho, in his Escalade, claiming out of the blue to be her fiancé.

The arrival of some homeless kittens, as well as Trent’s new familiar, a cute little Maltese, brings more chaos—as well as a strange spiritual energy that seems to emanate from the animals. But before Mia can figure out what kind of paranormal pets she has on her hands, she finds herself with a murder to solve—when a dead woman is found in the lodge rental of Christina’s suddenly attentive ex . . .

My Thoughts:
I really like this cozy mystery series and plan to read the books I've missed. I adore the way Mia has turned the old building into a cooking school / catering business. It's interesting to read about the wards keeping the building safe as well as the familiars and how their energy helps Mia. I like the romance between Mia and Trent as well. Since this is a cozy, of course there is a murder and and an investigation into it. It's fun to follow the clues of the investigation. There are a couple of -- quirky characters that are fun - Gram and Mia's familiar, Mr. Darcy.

Thanks to Kensington Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

A nice addition to a paranormal cozy series that features not only humans but also cats and dogs! Mia finds herself juggling lots when her pal Christine's ex is murdered and she's a suspect. How can the two of them find the villain while still keeping Mia's Morsels going as well as their romantic lives? This might challenge those who haven't been following along but fans will find themselves chuckling over the kittens and the various relatives who meddle. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Mia and gang are back in the kitchen and once again Christina finds herself in the midst of a mystery and this time one of their own may be in more trouble than they can handle. Once again, Mother Adams (I always picture a less flamboyant Cruella DeVille) is back and stirring up all sorts of issues not only for Christina, but for Mia as well. Add in a pile of cute kittens and a new puppy and the cuteness factor as well as chaos are rolling towards a boil over point! This series is both whimsical and serious. The witch factor brings in the whimsical side, but the plots always deal with more serious issues such as finding your own voice and standing up to others when they won't listen to you or interfere in your life too much. The mystery is well thought out and while you know the person or persons everyone is accusing of the crime didn't do it, there seems to be an issue with proving it. This mystery was so intriguing as rather than a plethora of viable suspects, there seems to be a lack of suspects. The author did an outstanding job of making several characters unlikable, yet not suspect worthy. A definite fun twist to the typical mystery when there are almost too many suspects! If you love a good cozy mystery with a witchy influence, then you will love this series. I do highly recommend that you read the series in order so you get to know the town, the characters and their personalities which makes the plots even more enjoyable. I'm definitely ready to see what happens in the next book!!

We are back in Magic Springs, Idaho. Mia is working at the Lodge with Frank as her boss who she detests. She is having a hard time letting go of Mia Morsels to Abigail, her boyfriend Trent's mother. But Mia needs to make money to keep everything afloat.

Christina has a flash from her past with an ex-boyfriend Todd Thompson . He proposes marriage to Christina and doesn't want to take No for an answer. Christina agrees to have dinner with him. A box of kittens are found at the door of Mia's. Gran is worried they might be a gift from the goddess. When Christina shows up for her dinner with Todd. She finds him dead. Baldwin has Christina and Levi has main suspects. Mia needs to investigate to find the real killer.

I totally figured out the killer. 👑 I still enjoyed the book and getting to know more about the former school and the ghosts that reside there. Even though I figured out the mystery I still enjoyed going back to Magic Springs.

FIVE FURRY FAMILIARS is the fifth book in the Kitchen Witch Mysteries by Lynn Cahoon. Filled with magic, mouthwatering morsels, and a murder to solve, this newest release kept my attention with its mesmerizing tale. Protagonist, Mia Malone, is a kitchen witch, newly come to her power and training. I love her grandmother is her instructor and the relationship they have. Sometimes it’s fraught with misunderstanding and irritation, but they always find a way to overcome and support each other. And, of course, the furry familiars all steal each scene they inhabit from Mia’s cat, Mr. Darcy, to her boyfriend’s new Maltese, to the three abandoned kittens taken in—they’re all adorable! While this can be read as a standalone—the author does an admirable job of filling in some backstory without slowing down the pace—each new book builds on what’s happened previously. And if you love character development, then I highly recommend starting at the beginning to follow along with all the changes and growth that occur over the series.

While it was fun to immerse myself with kitchen witch lore and delightful characters, Ms. Cahoon stays true to the genre and it doesn’t take long for a murder to solve. This time it’s Mia’s best friend and roommate, Christina, and her boyfriend, who’s suspected to killing Christina’s ex-boyfriend and wannabe fiancé. Since the deceased was only visiting Magic Springs for a ski holiday and didn’t know many people, there weren’t a lot of suspects. Still, Mia is determined to find the culprit and starts her own investigation. I found the pace moved quickly, and I didn’t want to put the book down until I’d read the very last page. My only tiny quibble is that the ending seemed really rushed but, by the conclusion, all my questions had been answered. If you like a bit of magic with character-driven cozy mysteries, then I highly recommend this series!

The fifth in the Kitchen Witch series. I do think they are better read in order. A charming mystery filled with supernatural elements. Ms. Cahoon pens delightful solid mysteries filled with relatable characters. This one doesn't disappoint. Thanks#Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I liked Five Furry Familiars. It was a very enjoyable read up until the very end. My only complaint is that the ending felt very rushed. One minute we're suspecting a particular person and then literally on the next page the arrest and confession has already happened. It should've been more fleshed out on the page instead of happening "off page," as it were. I still love this series though and look forward to the next book.

This is the fifth in the Kitchen Witch series. Mia Malone owns and runs a catering/food delivery business out of an enchanted/haunted ex-school. She has taken a second job to keep the catering business afloat. Abigail, Trent’s & Levi’s mother, has taken the reins as the manager.

Christina’s old friend, Todd Thompson, has shown up claiming they are engaged. Christina & Levi do not take kindly to the news. Christina shows up to Todd’s rental to suspect something isn’t right. She calls Mark Baldwin, the local policeman. Turns out Todd is dead.

Mia and crew investigate the crime and set up for a catering job at the hotel. There is another death.
There are other twists and turns but you’ll just need to read about them. Who killed Todd & the professor? The Baldwins’ have a baby and dad is in for a surprise.

I was given an advanced readers’ copy and am not required to leave a positive review.

Unlike some cozy series, I do think this one benefits from being read in order as there is world building with the magic system that benefits from having read the previous books. I thought this one was nice, with more of a glimpse into Christina's past and her family and it moved the plot of the series as a whole forward.

Challenging situations complicate Mia's life in this fifth Kitchen Witch Mystery. See my complete review at www.reviewingtheevidence.com.

Five Furry Familiars is the 5th book in the Kitchen Witch Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon. I love Lynn's series and have read them all. This one is a bit special because it adds a supernatural element, setting the series in a magical town and making Mia a witch. Mia Malone is the main character who has started Mia's Morsels a catering company and she also runs the catering arm of the local lodge to make ends meet. Her new job at the inn is not without its issues, a difficult boss and problems finding employees. At the same time she has to trust her up and coming business to her friends, roommate Christina and her boyfriends mother Abigail. She also must find time to practice her witch studies with her Grandmother.
Things get even more complicated when Christina's ex comes into town to propose! Christine is not interested and tries to get him to understand, but he's found dead before everything can be resolved.
Mia does her best to figure out what's really going on and who the real killer is before Christina or her boyfirend take the fall.
On top of this main mystery there's a lot of other shenanigans, abandoned kittens, a new hellhound of a familiar, a new magical baby, ghosts and more!
A great edition to the series!

When Christina‘s ex comes to town, she has no interest in reconciling with him. Then, when the ex is found dead in a rental cabin, Mia find herself trying to solve another murder. Add some witchy familiars and Mia has her hands full between work, swing a murder, and her personal life

I love all things, Lynn Cahoon. She is a fabulous writer and this is one of my favorite series from her, but I read them all. I think Gloria is my favorite minor character with her laughs that come when least expected. if you love, a paranormal cozy, and you haven’t read one of Lynn, Cahoon’s books yet, get yourself a copy of this book and start right here. You will not be disappointed, and you will be back for more.

Five Furry Familiars is the fifth book in Lynn Cahoon’s Kitchen Witch paranormal cozy mystery series, but it’s the first one I’ve read.
The protagonist is Mia Malone, owner of Mia’s Morsels, a catering company in the fictitious mountain community of Magic Springs. When the story opens, Mia’s largest customer, the Lodge, has hired a new manager, Frank Hines. Instead of outsourcing catering, Frank decides to hire a catering manager and handle all their events in-house. To earn a steady paycheck so she can keep her business afloat, Mia takes the job at the Lodge. Her roommate, Christina Adams, and boyfriend Trent’s mother, Abigail, take over running Mia’s Morsels.
At the end of the first chapter, a young man named Todd Thompson shows up, saying that he is Christina’s fiancé. This doesn’t sit well with Christina or her current boyfriend, Levi, who is Trent’s brother and Abigail’s son. Although Christina tells Todd she won’t marry him, he persists until she agrees to have dinner with him the following evening and catch up as old friends.
When Christina arrives at Todd’s rental cabin for dinner, he doesn’t answer the door, and she senses something is wrong. She calls Mia, who advises her to call the police, and they find Todd stabbed to death. The suspect pool is small—mainly just Christina and Levi. Mia doesn’t believe either could be a killer, so she vows to help the police find out who did it.
Their lives are further disrupted when someone drops off a basket of kittens on Mia’s doorstep. Although they’re adorable, she can’t keep them because she already has a familiar, Mr. Darcy, a cranky older cat who is inhabited by a spirit named Dorian. And Trent has a new familiar, a tiny Maltese puppy, who has the potential to become a hellhound.
I don’t read a lot of paranormal stories, and since I hadn’t read the earlier books in the series, I was a little confused about the magic world: its rules, who had powers, what kind of power, etc. Fortunately, the mystery was straightforward and unraveled in the usual mortal way.
Recommended for animal lovers—there’s definitely an “Aww” factor—and readers of paranormal mysteries.

-----------------COMING FEBRUARY 20th----------------------------------------
#FiveFurryFamiliars #NetGalley #Kensington #LynnCahoon

From its charming cover to the conclusion, this installment of The Kitchen Witch series is a satisfying visit in the mystical world of Magic Springs, Idaho. Lynn Cahoon has created an entertaining paranormal series that feeds my need for whimsy with my mystery. This is the 5th in the series and can be read as a stand-alone---but I highly recommend starting at the beginning to glean the mot from the characters and situations.

Mia is struggling to keep her her employer happy at the ski lodge, as well as keeping her cooking school/catering business on track. Life just keeps piling on top of her in the form of lost kittens and a new dog when she is surprised by Christina's ex. He starts the chaos ball rolling down hill at a fast clip.
All the gang makes an appearance in the story which contains murder, romantic entanglements, mystery, and magic.

A short but busy read that held my interest for a one sitting read. I recommend this book to cozy, paranormal, and fantasy readers.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my are my own. I can't wait for the story to continue in book 6!

Five Furry Familiars" the 5th instalment in the "Kitchen Witch" Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon. I love this series. and found it hard to put the book down once I started reading it.. I love the characters, both magical and mortal and the small town of Magic Springs, Idaho is a place that I would love to visit. I can not wait until the next book!

Another interesting journey with Mia and company, this one adds to the fun with a group of adorable fur babies, are they familiars, were they sent by the Goddess, who are they meant for? While Mia, Christina and Gram look for answers, Mia and Christina have to deal with men from their pasts, both of their ex-fiances show up looking for reunions and when Christina ex turns up brutally murdered both Christina and Levi end up as main suspects. The whole crew will have to try to help Mark find answers as he and Sarah are expecting their baby any day, so between catering events, delivering meals and dealing with a surplus of kittens and puppies can they find the true villain? Come along for the adventures. Thank you to #Netgally and #Kensington books for the opportunity to read!

Another fun entry in the Kitchen Witch Mysteries written by Lynn Cahoon, Five Furry Familiars tells the story of a former fiancé who is stabbed to death while visiting his ex. Mia struggles to figure out why her friends and family are haunted by these killers, and along the path, she also determines how to let someone down easily when he tries to win her back. Lots of catering scenes to make readers laugh... mostly the characters feel like extended friends we miss in between books. My only concern with this series is the last few chapters are always so surprisingly light. We're guessing on the killer's identity and then an odd scene that takes place days later where someone says, "oh year, this was the killer and we've all moved on." Love Cahoon's other series and novels... maybe these are just meant to be light endings! :)a

Mia, in this latest installment in the Kitchen Witch series, has her hands full with a full-time job, trying to keep her own business running, and then Christina and her past show up with a vengeance. This book in the series is just as fun as normal, and I love Mia and all her family, including Trent, Abigail, Levi, and everyone else I’ve forgotten to mention. I hate that poor Mia has to have a full-time job, but I love how she handles her boss, Frank. This was a wonderful addition to the series, and I’m looking forward to the next and what is up with Trent’s gift. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Fledgling witch (as she’s at about a fifth grade level) Mia is having a rough time - rather than running her Mia’s Morsels business as she want to be, she stuck working a steady job with a micromanaging boss (who likes to have 2 hour meetings that could be replaced with an email) and letting her boyfriend’s mum run Mia’s Morsels with her roommate Christina.

Things get even more complicated with the arrival of Christina’s sort of ex and a trio of possibly feline familiars. Christina and the ex’s relationship was mostly wishful thinking on their parents part it seems, so she doesn’t have strong feelings to rekindle anything, but he’s not taking no for an answer. And the possible familiars are complicated because if the Goddess sent them, they need to be kept, but if it was someone just dropping them off, then Mia needs to find homes for them as they are upsetting her existing familiar, Mr. Darcy. Then the sort of ex is killed which makes dealing with a few kittens look simple.

I enjoyed this book. This is the 5th book in the series, and while I hadn’t read any in the series before, I didn’t have too much trouble keeping up with what was going on. From a Doylist point of view, I think it was pretty obvious whodunnit, but like a lot of cozy mysteries, the murder plot is almost secondary to what’s going on with the main characters’ daily lives. And I loved the fact the cute little Maltese puppy was a hellhound. There’s lots of foreshadowing about evil doings in the next book(s) as well.

Highly recommended! I’m looking forward to picking up books 1 - 4 and 6 when it comes out.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. Com that I voluntarily chose to review.

I haven’t particularly liked this series in the past, although I love others by Lynn Cahoon. However I did like this entry in the series. I was a bit thrown in the plot that suddenly Mia is working for the Lodge and not her own business, I’m wondering if I missed something in the previous books. The characters feel more settled into themselves., I love! the animals. The interactions with the ghosts and guardian feel more productive. I also feel like the mystery is more interesting and is more prominent in the book. I did have suspicions of who the killer is and was right. #FiveFurryFamiliars