Tea And Witchery
By Marie Dees
Hard Shell Word Factory
Romantic Suspense
Paperback
Setting: Cassadaga Florida
March 2005
ISBN: 0759947600
After the design firm that Lynn worked for closed down, she headed to Cassadaga to visit her Aunt Anthea never expecting the situation she was walking into.
As Lynn enters town, she sees a group of emergency vehicles and a man laying on the ground. When she gets out to see what is happening she runs into: George, who is an old college acquaintance and entranced with anything psychic; Myra, an overbearing bossy lady; Lisle, who talks to angels; Wallingford, a hypnotist who specializes in past life regression; Patrick, (the man on the ground) who is a psychic; Rafael, an inn owner and Patrick's boyfriend and Alex, an ordained Franciscan Monk in Cassadaga to research and figure out if the ordained life is the right one for him.
Myra is ranting that Patrick set the fire, Patrick is saying he wouldn't have gone into save everyone if he had been the one to set the fire and George, Lisle and Wallingford are all claiming the spirits gave them a sign to get out of the meeting room and go meditate at the lake, thus avoiding being burnt in the fire. They are anxious to have their "signs" approved as it is the only way for them to be allowed into the True Cassadaga Unified Psychic Society, which is one of two warring factions in the town. The other side is the Wiccans.
Shortly after arriving, the Wiccans hold an Esbat and invite the whole town to view it so that they can show people what Wicca is. After the ceremony, the president of the Society ends up poisoned at his house by Devil's Trumpet, which had been added to a tea that Anthea had made for him. The police view everyone as a suspect.
Lisle decides to channel the angels to see if they know who the killer is. During the séance the angels infer they know who the killer is but are not going to give a name yet, they want the killer to redeem their soul. The night after the séance has finished, Lisle ends up strangled and floating in the lake. Again the police have no one specific suspect, but suspects everyone.
Even with all the tension running through the town, Alex and Lynn start to build a relationship together, but when Lynn is endangered they must figure out who the killer is before he/she strikes again.
This is an extremely entertaining story with an assorted cast of characters. It touches on the differences of religious beliefs and how society deals with them. Marie Dees brings each of the character's different personalities to vivid life and makes you either love them or hate them depending on the character. The humor in the story is an intricate part of the story line and Ms. Dees pulls it off exquisitely. There are a few typos and grammar errors, but over all very well written.
Rating: 4.5 cups of tea out of 5
Reviewed by Michelle Thomas
Copyright Michelle Thomas and GWN
