Bookstore owner Phoebe is growing into her fairly new role and is hosting the signing of a famous birder author. She has an exciting weekend planned with the author but her plans are set reeling when the man is stabbed to death in his bed at a local B&B. There are the usual complications with characters who might be high on the suspect list. But Phoebe is told that he was not the intended victim. She cannot share this with the police since her warning came from paranormal sources. Phoebe does not discount this because at the same time she is learning to run her store, she is also having to deal with her nascent witchy powers. She had no idea and so at this late stage, she and her powers are bouncing all over the place as she tries to gain some control.

She has one very nifty power to stop time so she can change whatever outcome is going to occur. It saves her life more than once. But she has a learning curve that is quite chaotic. But it is also fun to read. What I liked as well is the entire town is aware that Phoebe and her late aunt are witches and so when odd things happen, there is hardly an eyebrow raised. It does make for some fun interactions since the only ones unaware are the bad guys. Four purrs and two paws up.

Author Sebastian Marlow is visiting Phoebe Winchester's Earl's Study for a talk and book signing, and plans to hike with fans at Raven Creek. However, he is found dead in his suite before the hike. Phoebe notices tension between Sebastian and his entourage, including his fired business manager who came to Raven Creek. Phoebe enlists private investigator Rich Lofting to help find the killer to protect her store's reputation.

I enjoyed The Grim Steeper. It was nice to see Phoebe use her powers more and see them evolve. I think it's very important that she's starting to come up with her own tea recipes for her shop because, at some point, she has to get out from her aunt Eudora's shadow. The murder mystery was very wonderfully written and I honestly didn't suspect who actually committed the crime. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book in this series.

While not my favorite of the series I still enjoyed the series. I have to say Bob the cat is still my favorite part of the book and his typical orange cat behavior.

Anyone looking for a dose of grown up versions of Sabrina the Teenaged Witch and Nancy Drew, you've come to the right book.

Phoebe Winchester is trying to control her magic while managed her bookshop cafe, figuring out her relationship with an old friend, and of course hosting a major event with social media influencer. When the influencer turns up dead, she digs her heels into finding the killer before her town of Raven Creek turns up more bodies.

I loved reading this book. It features a likeable main character in Phoebe, who is a witch without being a cliche. Bob the cat makes you want to go cuddle your own cat, and Mr. Loughery is the absolute cutest old man.

The whole vibe of the book is perfect for its release of September, getting you prepared for the Fall and spooky season feels.

I will now be going back to read the first two books in this series, because I want to keep going back to Raven Creek to see this cast of well-written and relatable characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoy this series, the setting, plot, and witchy elements. The core characters and so likeable. I did find this installment to be a slower pace than the first two. I felt the mystery and players afoot were a little convoluted.

All in all, still a good book and series, and hope for more in the future.

I love this series, because the characters are just cleverly written and each has a distinct personality. It is one of the few series where the “amateur” detective, while not exactly appreciated, is not rebuffed or given outright antagonism.

The author gives readers a nice blend of cosy mystery and magic. She doesn’t make the magic seem like a snap of the fingers or a flick of the head. Instead, it requires concentration, focus, hard work, and plenty of trial and error. In a nutshell, the magic is living life.

I really want my own book shop but I would like to steer away from coffee and tea. Instead I agree with Phoebe about hosting adoptable pets. There are too many being put to sleep because of awful or negligent people. It is absolutely awful, so Bob’s Place in the novel holds a special place in my heart.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book and getting to know Phoebe better as she learns more and more about her witch powers and how to use them. Central to this story is the book signing and talk by author Sebastian Marlow. He has agreed to take a bid watching hike with local fans but is found murdered in his B&B beforehand. I loved the mystery and it had me guessing until the end. Mix that with bird watching and a very smart cat and you had a very enjoyable mystery.

Sophie could not believe nor did she entertain the thought that her former boyfriend Jason could have done such a dishonest thing and she intended to prove he was innocent. But before that could be accomplished, murder occurred and of course, Jason became the main suspect. With time slipping away and the finger firmly pointed at Jason, Sophie refused to sit idly by and let him be railroaded to jail for something he didn’t do.
She had to use her skills to pull the facts out of some in this investigation. She needed to catch the killer before all hope of a second chance at her first love disappeared. This was an exciting, humorous, and intriguing read.

Another fun adventure with Phoebe and her found family in Raven Creek. The mystery was intriguing and, while I did not know who the guilty party was until the reveal, I thought it was well-developed and creative. What really drew me into this series and continues to fascinate me is Phoebe’s powers and her learning to control them as well as discovering the boundaries of all she can do. Looking forward to finding out more about them.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!!

I didn’t realize this wasn’t the first book in the series, but regardless it was such a fun read!

My tea leaves predict a long run for this charming cozy series. Phoebe is hosting an author event in the third book in the Witches' Brew series. When the author is murdered, Phoebe and her feline sidekick, Bob, investigate. In addition to solving the author's murder, Phoebe must contend with a developer who wants to buy up the local shops, including hers.

Phoebe is settling in nicely, and has built a good network of friends with her fellow shopkeepers, her staff, as well as her PI boyfriend. Her magical tea blends are going well, and she may soon surpass her deceased aunt in skill. The flip side is that her powers aren't exactly always under her control, and sometimes get her into more trouble than out of it.

Why you should read this book: Books, tea, pet adoptions, and a crime-solving cat, what more do you need? This is a great series and each book is better than the one before. Her friends and staff are people you'll want to hang out with.

Why you might not want to read it: It might seem a bit implausible that Phoebe is this powerful and never ran across issues before, or that she didn't realize she had power. Occasionally, I felt she only visited her friends when she needed something, but that could be because there was so much going on in the story.

I received an advance copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

4 out of 5 stars. Recommended.

Gretchen Rue entertains with the third Witches' Brew Mystery, the Grim Steeper. Phoebe Winchester inherited her aunt's witch talents and Earl's Study, book and tea ship. A birder author and a lawyer/real estate are murdered. Whodunit? Phoebe is determined to help the police sort out the crime and her witchy talents help. Amusing cozy with a little supernatural.

(rounded up from 3.5 stars)

The Grim Steeper is the third book in this paranormal cozy mystery series but it can be read easily as a standalone. I love the idea of an adult finally coming into her witchy powers and having trouble controlling them.

Phoebe, recently divorced, inherited her beloved Aunt Eudora’s Victorian mansion and business in a small town in Washington State and moved there. So now she is the owner of a combined bookstore and tea room.

The mystery this time revolves around an author who has come to town for a book talk, signing and hike, since he’s an expert in birdwatching and has a very popular app for backyard birders. There are lots of suspects, including the author’s entourage and his former love interest. There’s also a shady lawyer around town, trying to get people to sell their property to him on behalf of an unnamed business client.

Her cat, Bob, is a major player in these stories. He usually hangs out at the store and is generally friendly with people, so Bob sets off alarms for Phoebe when he has a bad reaction to someone. Phoebe’s relationship with her old friend, Rich, who is a PI and former police officer, is gradually progressing, but doesn’t overtake the mystery plot.

I’m a tea lover, so the special blends had me salivating, along with the descriptions of Phoebe making her treats for the store. There are some yummy-sounding recipes included at the end of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

It was so nice to be back in Raven Creek with Phoebe, Bob the Cat, Rich and Co [though I could have done with more Mr. Loughery as I love him and he is such a great character]. I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed spending time with them!

Phoebe is still struggling with her newfound powers [with almost always hilarious results] and the stress of having a huge author event in the store is not helping matters at all. Then a murder happens [naturally], the main suspect disappears, and someone close to Phoebe is implicated and all gloves are off, both in investigating AND with her magic and the reader is in for a wild ride.

This would have been a 5 star read for me [spending more time with Honey and her hilarious, bombastic mom and with the shop girls was a real treat in this book] but for two teeny problems [that were very much ME problems, but I still feel I need to add to be true to my reading experience]: 1. The reveal. While most of the reveal is...well, let's just say Phoebe realizes just how much she loves Bob the Cat, and that you should never, ever make Phoebe truly, fully angry. EVER. IYKYK. After the...um...shenanigans however, it becomes very tepid and lackluster [though the small scene in the police station was hilarious], and I was left wondering if that was it and well, just why [it is explained but...]. The book was just so good and then it just seemed to fall flat and it was surprising and kind of weird. And then 2. there was just a little too much romance.swooning for my taste [I am here to read a full on mystery book] in this one. Again, this was [probably] just me, but I'd have loved to have more mystery and less swooning.

Other than those two minor issues [it certainly didn't hinder my reading of this book and I never felt a need to stop or skip parts], this was a fantastic book, that I really enjoyed and left me wishing book 4 was already waiting for me.

**A small note about the narrator [even though I did not have a NetGalley audiobook for this one] for this book [Kristin Price]; I have not written about her before, but as she really enhanced this reading, I wanted to give her a shout out so those who use audiobooks like I do, know that she is one of the very good ones [again, IYKYK] and her interpretation of the events makes the funny stuff even funnier. Very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gretchen Rue, and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up

I found this book hard to read. I kept getting the characters confused with another series that is a similar premise. I didn't connect with the characters and didn't feel intrigued to find the killer. This wasn't my favorite.

Dollycas's Thoughts

Author Sebastian Marlow is coming to Phoebe Winchester's book and tea store Earl’s Study for a talk and a book signing. The famous birder has also agreed to a hike with his fans as he looks to put Raven Creek on the map if he is right about finding a Pacific tanager that is believed to have been extinct for over 50 years. The signing goes well but before the hike, Sebastian is found dead in his suite at a local B&B.

Phoebe has noticed tension between the author and the members of his entourage. He had also recently fired his business manager who came to Raven Creek to try to get his job back. Worried that the murder will reflect badly on her store, Phoebe knows the killer has to be apprehended quickly. She is going to need help so she asks her friend, tenant, and handsome private investigator Rich Lofting to aid her in her quest to find the killer.

_____

Our protagonist Phoebe Winchester is struggling to control her witchy abilities and is worried that her secret will be out because of it. She is also learning how to make all the special tea blends her aunt previously made as well as adding some new blends of her own. There's a lawyer in town trying to buy up properties for a big corporation as well, upsetting Leo and her other friends. Add to that a signing with a famous birder followed by his murder means her hands are more than full. There is definitely romantic tension between her and Rich. Her best friend Amy owns the Sugarplum Fairy bakery next to Earl’s Study. She not only bakes delicious treats, but she is a great sounding board for Phoebe ready to give her a shove in the right direction especially considering her love life. Phoebe also has Imogen and Daphne who were friends and employees of her aunt to lean on. All the characters are cleverly crafted with great dialogue. All are very enjoyable.

The mystery is full of a spider web of clues, secrets, lies, twists, and turns. Ms. Rue plotted the whole thing out so well that I thought many different people were guilty as I tried to do my armchair sleuthing. As Phoebe works to make sense of the death investigation she even states the plot was "so thick Agatha Christie would have needed a few whiteboards to unravel it all." So I am not ashamed to say I was kept guessing until everything was spelled out for me. I liked that Phoebe shared her and Rich's findings with Detective Patsy Martin and she appreciated it for the most part. But Phoebe's involvement did put her in danger. I loved the showdown and the enlightenment Phoebe received from the good detective.

A book and tea store is a splendid setting for a cozy mystery series especially when you add cats. Phoebe's cat Bob is such a cool cat, smart and perceptive. He is also the store cat so he goes to work with her almost every day. Phoebe will do anything to protect him and he would do the same for her. In The Grim Steeper, Phoebe is finally able to open Bob's Place, a small section of the store where she will host adoptable kitties. Bob's reactions were humorous and heartwarming.

The Grim Steeper is the perfect mix of mystery and magic. Well written with great detail, Ms. Rue's words pull you into the story to enjoy her wonderful characters and all their triumphs and tribulations with a delightful dose of humor in all the right places. I am very excited for this series to continue.

Gretchen Rue writes a number of series but Phobe Winchester is my favourite as I loved the characters, the world building, and Bob the ginger cat.
This is a good one, there's plenty of twists and I appreciated how the characters' arc and how they evolved.
There's a lot going on, the author deals with the murder of the author but also with the tentative of changing the spirit of the place developing a tourist resort.
An excellent and highly entertaining story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Phoebe is the owner of the Earl's study a bookstore and tea shop. She is also a witch and seems to be having some issues with her "witchery" being a little bit wacky at this time.

Their bookstore has a well known, good looking bird watcher coming in for a book signing and they are trying to make everything perfect for him. Working on window displays, teas and getting his books ready for them to buy and his signing area set up. The next day he is walking the trail and says that anyone who wants to join him for bird watching can. Only he doesn't show up. Someone has murdered him sometime between when he left the bookshop and was to be at the trail.

Now Phoebe is going to help the Detective solve this mystery. This is really a cute book and I enjoyed reading it. I got through it pretty quickly and loved every bit of it.

"Yes, because sitting here with a cup of tea and a book is such a terrible way to spend a rainy afternoon,"

The Grim Steeper - Gretchen Rue
Pub date: Sept 10, 2024
★★★☆☆

Got the ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

This review is written from the point of view of a person who hasn't read the first two books and jump straight into The Grim Steeper. This book in particular is a cozy witchy murder mystery sets in a small town. It is kinda overwhelming with the amount of neighbor and side character mentioned, but they added a little information about them as they made an appearance for the first time and i think it's a good move so someone like me won't feel left out. It can't be any more better cozy ambiance than baking, mixing various tea, indie bookshop, and CATS. As for the murder mystery, it was in an okay amount like it's not too gruesome or else but the tense they build is keeping reader to stay focus. I'm not a fan of the conlusion slash revelation, for i'm expecting something more extravagant.

It's a perfect slow yet thrilling story for you to read while nuzzling in warm blanket on a chilly weather!