Witch Slapped

AudioBook Review: Stars: Overall 5 Narration 5 Story 5 Quirky, funny and utterly madcap as the rush to solve the mystery of who murdered the fake psychic Madam Zoltar, and just how Stevie managed to arrive home minus her powers, fall under her familiar, Belfry’s influence, and just why there is a spy (in spirit form) giving her hints and tips. Dakota Cassidy managed to spin an utterly plausible mystery in the middle of an utterly implausible set up with witches, spirits, magic and mortals all mixing together in ways unexpected and fresh. Stevie hasn’t had things easy for a while now – her powers are gone, yet she can still communicate with spirits and her familiar, Belfry, hasn’t deserted her. Yet. While the mortal world is looking at her as the prime suspect, she’s obviously got no reason to be – and a whole host of supporting characters (some more developed than others) to help her dig through clues, dead-ends and suspects to come up with the correct solution. Fast paced, snarky and full of twists and quirks that keep you guessing just as much as they delight with unique moments, this is a great start to a new series, and one that you should grab and listen right away. Narration for this story is provided by Hollie Jackson, and her work is quickly becoming some of my favorite, particularly with quirky characters and fast-paced plots: in fact, she’s a perfect match for Stevie: youthful, adventurous and rather offhandedly snarky without crossing over into overdone. Other characters are distinct and clear, Jackson’s narrative style tends to the subtle: presenting the story clearly and cleanly, taking moments that are needed to absorb information (or laugh) without disrupting the flow or losing interest. A great intro to both author and narrator and a favorite start of a paranormal cozy for me. I received an AudioBook copy of the tile from Tantor Audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.