Sunday, October 30, 2016

Bookish Thoughts: Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates (Audio)

This was a grand adventure, I told myself. ~ Opening of Brownies and Broomsticks



Brownies and Broomsticks (Magical Bakery Mystery #1) by Bailey Cates, Narrated by Johanna Parker
Signet/NAL, 2012 (Tantor Audio, 2013)
Crime Fiction (Paranormal/Cozy); 7 hrs and 4 minutes

Brownies and Broomsticks is a fun romp of mystery and magic. I enjoyed settling in as Johanna Parker read Bailey Cates's novel featuring Katie Lightfoot, who recently moved to Savannah, Georgia to work in her aunt and uncle's bakery. Katie is a master in the kitchen, baking irresistible treats I am sure I would not be able to refuse. She has also just learned she is a witch. When Katie's uncle becomes the prime suspect in a murder of a not-so-well-liked woman in town, Katie is determined to investigate on her own.

While Katie probably should leave things to the police (Detective Quinn seems more than capable), she does uncover helpful clues that point her in an altogether different direction than her uncle. Nosiness aside, Katie generally remembers to take someone along with her when the situation seems questionable. Whether it be a fellow witch from her aunt's coven, or DeClan McCarthy, a local firefighter, and Steve Dawes, the local reporter, who are both more than willing to help when Katie calls. Of course, the two men's interest goes behind just wanting to be neighborly. Katie herself is coming off a bad relationship and unwilling to get involved with someone else just yet--but she's not above finding both men rather attractive.

I enjoyed getting to know Katie and the cast of characters in Brownies and Broomsticks. From the eccentric coven members who all have their own interesting backstories to the residents in the dead woman's apartment complex, DeClan and Dawes, Detective Quinn, and some of the Honeybee costumers, it was hard not to be taken in by the charm of them all.

I felt that the mystery was well done. While I had my suspicions who was behind the murder, the reality was  bit more complicated than that. I liked the introduction of magic and the way it was used to help solve the crime. I also appreciated Katie's initial disbelief--who wouldn't be skeptical having grown up in a world without magic?

This seems a perfect choice for this time of year, with Halloween and all. It was a quick listen and likely would be a quick read. I enjoyed Johanna Parker's narration and would be interested in listening to more of her work. While perhaps not a stand out cozy read, Bailey Cates's Brownies and Broomsticks kept me entertained and I wouldn't mind spending more time with Katie and her new coven.


To learn more about Bailey Cates (aka Cricket McRae & Bailey Catrell) and her work, please visit the author's website. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.


© 2016, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

18 comments:

  1. Brownies sound good and so does this story! I love cozies so I should keep a look out for it!

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    1. Eustacia - This book put me in the mood for some brownies. :-) This was a fun one.

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  2. That does look the perfect Halloween book! I enjoy cozies but haven't read one in a while for some reason.

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    1. Kathy - I went on a little cozy binge recently. It'd been a while since I had read one too.

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  3. That is all I ask--that a book keeps me entertained!

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    1. Jenclair - That is one of the most important purposes of a book. :-)

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  4. I read this several years ago and kind of dismissed it as forgettable but I'm surprised by just how much of the story I remember. This is definitely a series I need to give another chance. Glad you enjoyed it and were entertained!

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    1. Katherine - I don't see it as making my favorites list, but it was a fun read. I would like to read more in the series.

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  5. This does sound very fun and very suitable for these Fall days. I don't read many cozy books but I would like to change that.

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    1. Athira - Yes, it seemed like a good choice for this time of year. :-)

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  6. I rarely read cozies but this sounds like a fun read!

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  7. I really enjoyed this one and need to get back to these series...fun and cozy and a nice hint of magic! Plus yemm!

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    1. Melissa - I love magic in a cozy. I think those are my favorite kinds. I look forward to reading more of this series.

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  8. Loving the cover, this both sounds and looks like a fun read.

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    1. Tracy - I enjoyed it. It was fun and light--just what I was in the mood for.

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  9. Brownies and Broomsticks sounds like a nice cozy mystery!

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    1. Naida - It was! I had a good run of cozies this past month.

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