I adore this cozy series in the small town of Raven Creek, WA. Phoebe's bookstore sounds like exactly the type of place I'd like to hang out. I appreciate the author's approach to the paranormal and that it is generally accepted in Raven Creek. I adore magic in books.

Phoebe is gearing up for the big 4th of July weekend at The Earl's Study and the weekend kicks off with a reading by a backyard YouTube sensation, Sebastian Marlow. The festivities are to be followed the next day by a nature hike where Marlow hopes to catch a glimpse of a bird thought to be extinct. Unfortunately, he is murdered before the hike takes place and there is no shortage of suspects. Phoebe finds herself enmeshed in the investigation once again. Except this time she is dealing with her witch powers going haywire and levitating fruit.

I admit this cozy plot was a little too complex and even when it was all explained I was still scratching my head. While I appreciate some attempt at uniqueness (although motive is still one of the big three), I needed it laid out better to go "oh yeah!" *forehead smack* like I have at some of the other plots that have left me confused until the ending.

Despite that, I still enjoyed this delightful cozy and cannot wait to see what else the author has to offer. I look forward to more books in this series. They are such a joy to read.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The third book in the Witches' Brew Mystery series and I have read the previous two.

Phoebe Winchester is hosting an author's event at the Earl's Study, her book and tea shop. When the author and his team arrive it seems they are not getting on at all well and pretty soon there is a murder. When one of her friends is accused Phoebe seeks out the help of local P.I. Rich Lofting to solve the case.

The most important thing to know about this series is that Phoebe is a witch who has only recently come into her powers and is having some difficulties learning how to manage. The highlight of this book is the scene where someone is threatening her cat which makes her very angry. Do not make Phoebe angry. The results are hilarious.

A lighthearted and entertaining book, well written and with enjoyable characters. I look forward to more.

4.5⭐
Phoebe inherited her Aunt Aurora's tea shop/bookstore earlier this year. She's learned how to make the special tea blends, breads and Earl Grey shortbread and hosted her first author signing event for the handsome Backyard Birder. Unfortunately before the sponsored nature walk the next morning, he was found dead. As she only discovered her witchy talents when she came back to town to take over the store, she's not quite in control of them yet as the various items that start floating whenever she gets too stressed. I loved this series from the first book and found this latest delightful, and clever.

It was great going back to this town and seeing what was going on with the characters again. The mystery kept me guessing. I enjoy the town, the characters and the story.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest reveiw.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

I always enjoy slipping back into the comfort of a cozy mystery, and this book was no exception. It has all the elements I love to read about, books, animals and tea! Add the small town charm and a chance to solve a murder and you’ve got a recipe for a perfect cozy!

This is the third book in the series, but I didn’t find myself confused or limited by jumping in at this point. The setting sells itself and the characters seamlessly add to both the plot and the charm. I definitely want to read the rest now though, so I’m almost glad I have some to catch up on.

A fantastic book, a must read for fans of this genre!

The Grim Steeper by Rue was a lovely cozy mystery with great characters. I can't wait for the next book in the series to be published.

I thought this was a cute cozy read! I felt it was a little slow at times but overall I did enjoy it.

This is the third book in the Witches' Brew Mystery by Gretchen Rue. Phoebe is still learning about her powers. She is having an issue controlling them when her anxiety spikes. The is problematic to keeping your powers a secret but lends itself to an interesting story.
The author is a bit haughty and his team is a real Witch of a team. It was sad that he died but the crux is was he the intended victim or was someone else. We find that many of the author’s team do not play well with others.

I like the story with plenty of twists and turns. I disliked some of the author’s team but that was by design.

Recipes included at the back of the book.

If you are looking for something a little different in your cozy mysteries, give this series and this book a try. It is a standalone story.
I was given an advanced readers copy and these are my opinions.

Oh no- the very first guest- very first one- for an event at Phoebe's bookshop has been murdered! Phoebe, her "pal" Rick, and the estimable Bob the cat sort through the wide range of people Sebastian had wronged to find the true killer in this latest in a series that's also fine as a standalone. Oh, and Phoebe is a witch just learning how to use her powers. It's a classic paranormal cozy with good characters (and yes, I, like others, am a fan of Bob). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read

Phoebe Winchester moves to small Washington town after inheriting a bookshop from her late Aunt. She finds out that she is a witch and has a knack for solving murders. When a visiting author turns up dead she decides to uncover the murderer. Good cozy with recipes.

I adored this cozy mystery! The group of characters were fantastic, and I loved the beach setting. I enjoyed the plot twists and the mystery. It was well paced and well written!

I enjoyed this book. I do wish it had more depth as far as some of the characters & the world building. It doesn’t feel like much progress is made throughout the story on the investigation despite them investigating. I was surprised by who the killer turned out to be. #TheGrimSteeper #NetGalley

Phoebe has invited a bird-influencer for a talk at her store. Part of the activities is also a birdwatching hike. The hike never takes place because the influencer is killed in the night.

Phoebe is surprised that detective Martin asks her to keep her eyes and ears open for any information on the case. Which Phoebe takes - wrongly - to mean she should investigate herself.

Meanwhile, Phoebe is having some trouble controlling her magic. Things just start floating around her when she feels anxious. She asks her friend Honey for help. Honey does a rune reading and gives Phoebe a clue to the mystery.

It was a nice enough story, though people got drenched by rain rather quickly. The clues were a bit obvious. <spoiler>Who brings an incriminating bank statement with them on a trip?</spoiler> It was a bit much that Phoebe started a cat shelter at her bookshop / tearoom.

And one mystery was not solved: <spoiler>How did Connor know about that hiding place at the bird conservation?</spoiler>

Paranormal Literary Culinary Cozy Mystery which finds a Washington amateur witch who owns a book and tea shop as she turns sleuth after her first guest author, a famous birder, is found dead.

5/5 stars: This is the third book in the Rue's Witches' Brew Mystery series which is Paranormal Literary Culinary Cozy Mystery that takes place in Washington and features an amateur witch book and tea shop owner who's first author event takes a murderous turn when her guest author, a famous birder, is found dead. Worried about her store’s image, she turns sleuth to uncover the killer and figure out who’s up to fowl play. Rue has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. As for the paranormal elements, Phoebe's a newbie witch still learning her craft and her rare ability to stop time manifests when she's under threat. In this book, her magic's glitching and she consults fellow witches Honey and her mother Karma to figure out why. With plenty of wit and humor, Rue's writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's great to be back in Raven Creek and Phoebe's charming shop The Earl’s Study with her eclectic and diverse friends and employees. I also really like seeing Phoebe and Rich the private investigator progressing in their relationship. And of course one mustn't forget the Phoebe's lovable chubby orange tabby Bob, shop cat and viral sensation. I love Bob's Place, the new shop section where Phoebe hosts cats for adoption. Additionally, there's plenty of summery fourth of July fun and you won't want to miss any of the yummy recipes included. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Steeped to Death.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

It's the third book in the series, and I still very much enjoy the overall atmosphere, the witchy element and, as far as the investigation goes, it was compelling and interesting til the end. A solid new installment. Looking forward to the next one!

A great addition to an incredible series! Wonderful characters in an incredible setting. This book will keep you guessing until the end.

Oh how I love this series! Phoebe is a witch with burgeoning powers, and owns a tea store/bookshop. She’s about to have a somewhat famous author do a signing—when of course, a murder happens. His team are truly horrible, so is it one of them? Or someone closer to home? Phoebe and her friends are so fun, and I truly love how the story unfolded. I can’t wait for the next one! Highly recommend.

I enjoyed this 3rd installment of the Witch's Brew Mysteries by Gretchen Rue. There were loads of great twist and turns in this one, and Phoebe finally begins to bring her powers into her own control. This series always makes me crave sourdough bread and tea, and the recipes in the back of the book are great! So glad to also see Phoebe and Rich's relationship move forward! Looking forward to the next installment.

This is the third in series of "The Witches Brew" mystery series. This is a fun engaging paranormal series with great characters and a fun setting of a tea and book shop. Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity for review. This is a series I so enjoy and have followed since the first book.

Our protagnist is Phoebe who owns The Earls Study tea and book shop. She has arranged her first author signing event for a famous Birder who arrives with his contentious staff. Amid their demands the event is successful for Phoebe and has brought a large amont of people to meet the author and hear him speak. He has a planned hike with his followers the follwowing day where he hopes to discover a species of bird that will make him more famous. When he is found murdered the suspects abound and Phoebe and friends are on the case. The investigation is proving to have many red herrings and suspects abound. Phoebe is a talented investigator and soon realizes her clues were leading her in the wrong direction.

I enjoy this charming series with a well crafted fun sleuth, great characters and the charming book store. Phoebe is a engaging fun protagnist . I look forward to the next in series.

This was a nice murder mystery with a magical element to it. I enjoyed the mystery plot and the romance subplot. This book was an easy read. I would recommend as a palette cleanser. Three stars!