It Takes A Coven, the latest book in one of my favorite cozy series, Witch City Mysteries, brings back all our favorite characters Lee, her aunt Ibby, boyfriend, Pete and BFF, River, in another crackling good story. Seems that a number of Salem's witches have died while a murder of crows have descended upon the city. Lee gets involved in investigating while trying to make sense of her latest visions. Maybe a little slow getting started for me, but it was an excellently plotted story and one I didn't want to put down.

After Lee Barrett joins a former student’s bridal party, she expects cake tasting and dress fittings but not murder. There’s a magical baker, a best man with a checkered past, and a talking crow named Poe as the ring bearer. There’s also an old man dead under his apple tree, one of a series of unexplained deaths of witches in the area.

Wedding planning becomes strange when Lee’s scrying talent kicks in. With witches dropping dead before they even come out of the broom closet, Lee’s best friend, River, fears she might have inadvertently cast a dreadful curse on the city. Aided by a very strange crow and her clairvoyant cat, Lee sets out to investigate. Are lives being claimed by vengeful supernatural forces, or by the human variety?

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Series: A Witch City Mystery - Book 6
Author Carol J. Perry
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Witch/Paranormal
Publisher: Kensington

It Takes a Coven is a great addition to the “A Witch City Mystery” series. It is filled with wonderfully charming, intelligent and unforgettable characters. Ms. Perry is a talented writer that puts sentiment and realism in her stories.

Lee isn’t your normal average person; she has visions that can be frightening in their intensity. Sometimes the visions make no sense, at other times their meaning is clear as a bell. This time her visions showed her a dead man in a gazebo on a beach, and she knows exactly who he is. It also shows her a dead witch who will go to great lengths to find the killer and get her spell book back. Lee must figure out what to do to prevent another death and to appease the hanged witch before the congregating crows destroy the peace and quiet of the town or another body turns up.

Lee’s aunt plays a delightful role in this story and is very helpful as always. River North also plays a bigger role, and it would be wonderful to see her play an even bigger role in the future. Lee’s boyfriend Pete is his usual self and with Lee’s help figures out who the killer is in the nick of time.

Setting a witch-based series in Salem could never be wrong. The history and the city lend itself to mystery and magic. For those who have never visited Salem, it will inspire them. For those who have, it will bring back fond memories and give them fanciful ideas.

The ending of It Takes a Coven can be a bit baffling for a first-time reader. Although this book can stand on its own, it is helpful for readers to read at least one of two of the other books in the series. Clues to the killer’s identity are there, but they can elude the average reader and make the unmasking a letdown. Longtime mystery readers should have no problem figuring out who did it and why early in the book.

There are some issues in general, there is far too much talk about food and Lee’s car and not enough investigating. Lee becoming an investigative reporter might upset fans who enjoy the interaction she has with her students who are intricate to the plot in almost all the other books in the series.

This book and series are recommended for anyone who wants a fun, easy to read paranormal cozy with well-rounded characters that will leave them smiling.

ARC provided by NetGalley

I have enjoyed this witchy series from the first book and I think this one, #6, is the best, so far. To get the best out of the series, I would advise reading them in order. One of the threads in this entry is a book of spells that belonged to a witch who was hanged. She is one powerful ghost witch and is focused on Maralee. Their history is one of the reasons I say read them books in order as it gives more power to this story line.
The series is character driven and the city of Salem is front and center. Maralee lives with her Aunt Ibby and their cat, a former familiar of a murdered local witch. Her boyfriend is a detective which comes in handy. Her best friend, River, is a witch and Maralee has visions, mostly very unwelcome ones. Those visions are the key to the series and they are getting stronger and more frequent. Add ghosts, crows, murders of witches, a beach front wedding.....Maralee has way too much to deal with but, if she can't figure out who done it and at the same time how to deal with Bridget Bishop, the hanged witch, well, she won't have to worry about the rest of the stuff in her life.

ARC - I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are hones
Witches are dying in Salem.
Lee and aunt Ibby are trying to investigate these deaths.
Will they be able to solve the mystery + stop the murder ?
I loved the storytelling + the characters
The storytelling + the character's build were awesome!

I really enjoyed this book the characters are lively and the mystery had great flow and the book ended way to fast. I would recommend this book to all cozy and mystery fans

The six book of the Witches City series is one of the best in the series. I have read them all and O'Ryan is one of my favorite cats. He is very active in this story. Lee Barrett scrying ability is back and her visions are plentiful. Crows, Cries and more crows are everywhere in Salem City. The stripped a quince and apple tree bare. No one has answer why the crows have arrived in numbers. Three cats set on the fence near Lee's home.The witches in Salem are dying, Is someone killing them?q Lee has accept a job as an intern investigate reporter for the local TV. A couple of students at the last class Lee taught are getting married and she promised the bride that she would be the maid of honor. Pete is exceptionally good at keeping police business from Lee and their romance continues. Will Lee find the answer to her visions before another death? The answer will shock you!
Recipes are included. I highly recommend this book and series.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Kensington, s for my copy to review. The opinions expressed are my own.

When several Salem witches die in a short span of time, you can’t help but wonder if it’s a confidence or if there’s a serial killer on the loose. Double this with a giant flock of crows and you have the basis for an Investigative Journalist, Lee, and her Police Detective boyfriend, Pete to investigate.

Lee is a professor teaching television related courses and is going back to work for the TV station that first brought her back home to Salem. We get to see characters from her TV world, her work as a professor, and of course her wonderful Aunt, Ibby.

With lots of great twists and turns, It Takes a Coven doesn’t disappoint. Though the sixth book in the series, you can jump right in with It Takes a Coven, however, you’ll likely enjoy it even more if you’ve read the other books.

One of the reasons I enjoy reading book series is that it allows me to develop a relationship of sort with the characters and be witness to how they mature and grow. And this Witchy City series is one of my favorites.

An A+ Read!

I found this book to be a little eerier than previous ones. The wedding planning did help offset a little bit of the creepy feeling. The mystery was well written and surprising. The ending was a little bit confusing to me. I really enjoyed the extra paranormal parts added in to the story.

I am a huge fan of books featuring witches, vampires, etc. and somehow I hadn't come across this series before. The series is called "Witch City Mysteries" and this one was about a scryer in Salem who is dating a cop, and the cop is investigating mysterious deaths of witches in the city.
This book was light and funny and kept you guessing. I think you will really enjoy it.

I received a free e-book from the publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have read all the Witch City mysteries so far, and they just keep getting better. On summer break, Lee is back working at witc-tv, and someone has been killing witches! In addition to this, she is also balancing being a maid of honor, and much stronger visions- in new places.
I like that Lee us taking a more active roll in this installment. She thrives when she can push buttons and investigate. I occasionally get upset when she listens to Pete (among others) telling her not to do something. She is an adult! She seems to be doing this less.
The mysterious deaths of the witches is an interesting idea, especially in Salem of all places! I also love how you can never really ve sure if O'Ryan is helping, or just a cat!
Great next installment to the series, and excited for the next one, which will be Christmas themed!

History, Mystery, and Murder, a Real Page Turner!

Someone is killing witches in Salem, Massachusetts and it’s 2018, not 1692. When three witches die within a short time of each other, Lee Barrett finds herself having visions that she needs to connect the dots on to figure out what the visions are telling her and who’s doing the killing. Toss in visits from Bridget Bishop, who’s looking the return of her spell book and you’ve got a great blend of history and mystery.

This is the sixth book in the Witch City Mystery series and the first one I have read. It is well written and a fine standalone that did not leave me hanging or without having read the first five books (though I’m going to remedy that soon!) This was a true page turner that I could not put down!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This is the sixth book in the Witch City Mysteries series, set in Salem. This is the first book in the series I have read, and I wish that I had started at the beginning. The characters in the book are quirky and interesting, and I have the feeling that I would know them better if I’d read the previous books. I love the paranormal cozy mystery story. Our heroine, Lee Barrett, is a community college professor who has the opportunity to become an intern with the local TV station WICH. Lee is going to be the maid of honor in a former student’s wedding when a murder of crows overruns the town. Two local witches are dead, and an attempt on a third witch in town has got Lee’s investigative spirit in high gear. I enjoyed this story and will be looking to read the rest in order.

I loved this book. I've read all the previous books in the series & this is a great addition. I love the progress of the characters themselves as well as their relationships. The ending was appropriately a little spooky and a great ending.

This is a fun cozy series with a terrific heroine in Lee. This time around, Perry has added a paranormal element to an already entertaining situation. Sadly, witches are being killed in Salem so of course Lee is going to investigate. You'll find her sidekick, Aunt Ibby, the perfect foil. There's light (and appropriate) humor, good dialogue, and a mystery that isn't too twisty. In fact, you'll probably figure out who the villain is before Lee does but that's ok. This is pretty character driven and Perry has the ability to write really likable and relatable people. If you haven't read the series- and I have not read all of them- you'll be fine with this as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a quick, light read.

I received a free copy of It Takes a Coven by Carol J. Perry in exchange for an honest review. This book continues the story of widow, shopping network presenter, weathergirl, television psychic, and now instructor Lee Barrett. Lee’s hometown has developed Hitchcockian creepiness as crows by the tens of thousands crowd the overhead spaces. When the local news network offers Lee an opportunity to work as an investigative reporter, Lee chooses to look into the cause of the phenomenon. Is it climate, is it competition for resources, or is it something more paranormal?

This book was engaging and highly entertaining. For fans of the series, this is definitely a must read!

It Takes a Coven was an interesting read. I've read the previous books in the series and had always wanted there to be more paranormal aspects to the mysteries. This book delivered in that aspect. I found myself not concentrating as much on the murder mystery aspect and focusing more on the paranormal mystery aspect of the book though. It was very interesting and greatly overshadowed who was killing the witches and why. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but the story did kind of feel a little too crowded at times. The conclusion wasn't at all predictable and took me completely by surprise. All in all I really liked this book and I'm really looking forward to what's up next for Lee and her friends.

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I realize I am in the minority, but I didn't care for this book. And I definitely think it me, not the book. I keep thinking I like the cozy mystery genre, but really I find most to be too cozy. I like a heroine with backbone and sass, and yes, snark. I like men who set them a flutter. I like a little mischief and mayhem. And most.cozies are just too sweet and even keeled for me, including this one. .

This series is one of my favourites but this latest offering is not my favourite in the series.
The characters and premise are usually first rate, but the build up did not match the outcome.
This latest offering had more focus on the paranormal aspect and kept me on the edge of my seat with the whodunit.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

This series just keeps getting better and more interesting with every installment. This latest addition to the series has a great flow to it, it doesn't jump all over the place trying to fit every character and scenario in. I love how the author shows the main characters really starting to jell and become more and more comfortable with each other and with the visions. The mystery was strong and I love how different this story is from anything I have read lately. Definitely a great read.

It Takes a Coven: A Witch City Mystery
By Carol J. Perry
Kensington
March 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

Living in Salem, Massachusetts, Lee Barrett has become accustomed to living in a community with a long history of witches and witchcraft. What she’s still getting used to is her growing ability to see visions in reflections, unsettling sights that are often vague but in hindsight always come true in the end. An instructor of TV production for the Tabitha Trumball Academy of the Arts, Lee has been asked to be the maid of honor for her student Shannon Dumas. Even the news that an African pied crow will be the designated ring bearer doesn’t seem too out of the norm, nor that it will be an all black-and-white wedding with a magician cake baker. What is alarming is the news that three witches have died in the past month, two of whom had yet to come out of the figurative broom closet and openly admit to their Wiccan practices. Lee’s best friend River North, who hosts a call-in tarot-reading show for WICH-TV, has her own conclusions about the deaths and believes that her bad thoughts led to fates. Lee’s not a practicing witch herself, but she can’t believe that her caring friend could ever have come closed to wishing someone dead. Lee’s boyfriend Detective Pete Mondello is in no hurry to have the accidents declared something more, as he may have come to accept her visions and ability as a scryer, but he also needs hard evidence. Lee’s involvement kicks into high gear when she has the opportunity to intern at the television station as an investigative reporter, finally moving her towards the career she intended and past her stints as a weather girl and shopping channel host.

Casting an eerie tone through this novel is the arrival of thousands of crows, who baffle scientists and provide Lee with the perfect puzzle to explore for a fifteen-minute news segment. The more she learns, the more Lee believes that their presence is connected to the deaths of the witches, especially when she has unwelcome visions of the first witch to be hanged in Salem. This sixth in the series ties back to earlier entries with a seemingly indestructible spellbook, one which is far too powerful to remain on this plane of existence safely. Details surrounding the planning of a wedding are always entertaining, and here they balance out the darker elements of Lee’s Wiccan visions. Further enlivening the novel are the glimpses into the workings of a television news production, not to mention Lee’s joy at achieving her goal. Having a legitimate excuse for snooping definitely gives her an out with Pete, and her investigations take her in a completely unexpected direction. A delightful array of characters that include a charming but untrustworthy art thief, Lee’s brilliant librarian aunt, and of course the familiar cat O’Ryan, ensure that this mystery delivers intrigue, humor, and perfect amount of scares.