This was a cute, cozy little mystery read. Most of the characters were well-fleshed out, and a couple were a bit annoying in the fact that I wanted to shake them! I also discovered that this is the fourth in a series, so having met and read about them earlier may have made a difference. However, you don't need to have read the first three to enjoy the story. I did find Becca too timid and gullible at times, but I'm sure that's just her personality. The cats were neat additions to the story, but I really didn't like the others calling Clara clown. I also feel that there were some unanswered questions left over about the kitten. Overall, the story was a nice little read, and I would tell others about it. Thanks Netgalley!

To Conjure a Killer is the 4th Witch Cats cozy mystery by Clea Simon. Released 21st Nov 2023 by Polis Books, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents.

This is a simply written, moderately engaging paranormal cozy full of intelligent witchy cats, an appealing young(ish) female protagonist, and a largely unlamented ex-boyfriend who is -really- permanently an ex, after being stabbed in an alleyway. The cats set about finding the solution to the murder when police suspicion turns toward MC Becca since she's the victim's ex.

This is a very simple and whimsical book. Readers should bring a prodigious suspension of disbelief to the read. The prose is rough in places, it's written in 3rd person PoV and the cats refer to Becca as their "person" or their "human" about 20 times per page. The book is indie published and would've likely benefited from a thorough editing process.

It is lighthearted and quite readable and enjoyable. The "witchy" aspects and informational tidbits about wicca and nature magic are handled respectfully.

Three and a half stars. It works well as a standalone; there are references to things which happened in earlier books in the series, but they don't affect the plot of this book.

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

An incredible book with wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It will keep you guessing until the end.

This is a cute cozy mystery series and I love how the cats are magical, such a different storyline. Theses books simply entrantse you and take you on a wild fantastic journey. Great Job! Can't wait for the next book in the series.
I just reviewed To Conjure a Killer by Clea Simon. #ToConjureaKiller #NetGalley
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Becca found herself in a heap of trouble. She was caught standing next to a dead guy, who happened to be her ex. What a conundrum she needed to get her head out of the clouds and see the big picture before things get even more ludicrous for her. This book had a mild intrigue and excitement level.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Polis Books for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is #4 in a series, and I have not read any of the others in the series. In fact this is my first book by this author. I am sure that this reads better in order as you have a better sense of what is going on with the cats. I found it a little slow in places but I enjoyed the idea. For me, some questions were not answered. 3 stars

This is a Witch Cats of Cambridge mystery. It's the fourth book in a series, and in hindsight, I wish I had been able to read the previous books, as there were references to prior events. Aside from that, I enjoyed this.

It was a cosy mystery with a little touch of magic. I was able to identify with the protagonist, Becca, and from the delightful cover design, it was obvious that cats had some part to play in the story. Super intelligent talking cats are always a plus!

This is the type of book that would get my attention, even if I only read it once, and I would recommend it if you are a cat lover.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Really good cozy read. Received a free copy from Netgalley for my honest review. Liked the characters and will look for more in this series if there is any. Anything with cats is a plus for me.

Clea Simon has the cats of Cambridge work with their mistress to solve the murder of her former two timing computer geek boyfriend. A tortoise shell kitten assists. Paranormal cats with a wiccan mistress. Lots of suspects including Becca herself. Read and enjoy.

Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Clea Simon

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

Love Becca, Clara and the band of cats that are in these stories. I fell in love with the first stories and followed them till this one.
There's a lot going on, a new cat and a solid mystery.
The cover is gorgeous and I hope there will a lot more stories featuring these characters
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

As a self-confessed crazy cat lady, it was a no-brainer when I saw this book on offer on NetGalley. I haven’t read the previous books, but I soon picked up details and filled in the necessary gaps. A quirky and eccentric idea that captured the purrsonalities of the cats excellently!

A charming tortoiseshell kitten less Becca to a dead body in an alley. When the police discover Becca's connection to the victim, she becomes suspect number 1. Spyware, cybercriminals, and intrigue lead the reader on a guessing game of who done the person in. Great characters. A solid mystery. Really enjoyed the kitten. We who have torties know they DO have magical powers! Thanks #Netgalley and #Polisbooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

This is the 4th anticipated release in this endearing charming cozy series "Witch Cats Of Cambridge". I highly recommend this series for all who love cats. The author has written a series to capture cat lovers hearts and perfectly describes their mannerisms, habits and charm. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

In this next in series Becca is trying to catch a loose tortie kitten when the kitten leads her to a body. The kitten has unusual powers she finds out much to the chagrin of her three cats at home. Her cats have magical talents that are a feature of this wonderful series and so endearing to the reader. As the investigation proceeds she is under suspicion and finds her ex is involved. Does the kitten have a connection and why did the kitten lead her to the body is for Becca to find out as she works to clear her name.

The sleuth was intriquing from start to finish. The characters all perfectly matched to the series. I love the cats and their input to Becca and how they help her find clues. This is so charming and a fun addition to this wonderful series. Well done to the author. I look forward to the next in series.

Princess Fuzzypants here: If I ever get into trouble I want these three feline sisters as my back up. The two older sisters have great talent but it is little sister Clara who seems to have both abilities and compassion for her human, Becca. And Becca needs all the help she can get.

She rushes out into traffic to try and save a little kitten and when she follows the kitten into an alleyway, she stumbles upon a body…who just happens to be her cheating ex…just as the police arrive. Naive or just not too bright, Becca stumbles along trying to convince the police that she had nothing to do with his murder and then barrels into the investigation to try to find out why Jeff was murdered. She has an inflated opinion of her own skill set and if she did not have little Clara sticking close to her whilst not visible, she might get into far worse trouble.

The kitties, including the new kitten, who has been accepted into the clowder, help eliminate one suspect and help bring the real villain to task. I really love the conversation that the cats have amongst themselves. They are great characters. I just wish I liked Becca more. Four purrs and two paws up.

I always love a mystery containing a witchy ambiance, cats, and all that jazz. The idea was promising, but the uneven pace really hindered the reading experience. I really wanted to be wowed, but this one didn't cut it. Maybe if I had started with book one, things would have been different.

I loved the cat premise of it. But the mystery was boring.


Thank you to netgalley for an opportunity to read this book.

Becca Colwin is coming home from her job at Charm and Cherish when she sees a tortoiseshell kitten run down an alley - leading to a dead body.
The culprit is an unknown person.. Will they figure out who it is?
I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

In this book, the author creates two POVs, the POV from Becca's pet cat and the POV from Becca herself.

Becca works in a shop that sells magic items such as germs stones, tarot cards for the future, healing stones and others. One day, when Becca wanted to save a kitten that was about to be run over, she was plunged into a murder mystery.

Becca is accused of murdering a man named Jeff who is her ex-boyfriend. Becca hasn't seen Jeff for a long time since they broke up, but his death brings Becca as one of the accused. Among the reasons Becca was accused of; they conclude that Becca is jealous that Jeff is in a relationship with Renee (previously Jeff cheated and this reinforces the evidence that Jeff was killed and Becca happened to be at the scene where Becca wanted to save the cat)

🌬️“The killer could be someone he was doing business with—especially if big money is at stake.”

🌬️“The cops told you that there were reports of a man and a woman yelling at each other, right? We’ve been saying that a business partner would make a good suspect.”

🌬️And also, her pet suspected, that she could find out the truth of what had happened to her late ex-boyfriend.- POV from a cat.

🌬️“Doesn’t that make you wonder? Everyone’s looking at you because they think you were the jealous girlfriend. But she was the one who was about to get dumped. I’d say spreading rumors about threats is just so much smoke. If I were the police, I’d be looking at Renee Wendig right about now.”

What an enjoyable read! And I'm not exaggerating. This is a mystery book with both the human and the cat characters at the center of the stage. I know, sounds a lot but personally, the story was so well written that I had no issue of following what is happening at the moment.

To be honest, I picked up this book because of the cat picture on the cover and I was pleasantly surprised. I had my reservations when I found Wicca was found on the first page, not that I was against it but just wary if there will be any information dump in here.

Phew! None. In fact. I can consider this as a leisure read for avid mystery books, at least for me.

I really loved that there were various suspects, each of them with real motive. I cannot pinpoint just one person: it can be Becca, the current ex-gifrlfriend, the ex-colleague…the list goes on. And that was before the personal issues that Becca faced on a daily basis.

And of course the cat on the cover has a purpose. It has to do with the story and also can be said as almost the main reason for the story.

Of all of Becca's three cats, I love Clara the most. She is reasonable and kind, and so caring of Becca. Ouh! The cats can talk among themselves.

This book really unveil tales, chapter by chapter. I love how Wicca and technology were put together in the pages. One does not need to truly understand about the other but somehow, both are in the same world.

I'm very excited reading this book. Although it is one of four parts, I don't feel like I'm missing anything. I'm sure there are other elements in the other books but reading this as a standalone, let me feeling satisfied.

I'm looking forward to read the rest of the books from Clea Simons.