Another amazing job by Heather Blake! This series, is by far, one of my top ten.. Heather magically weaves all of the things I enjoy reaching, into one book. How is that possible? Mystery, supernatural, family, cozy, and a wonderful ending to each tale.

In “To Catch a Witch”, all of the above are scattered throughout the story. Darcy finds herself in the midst of a murder, a sister who is under the weather and does not want to talk about the real reason, her dog is spending more and more time with dear Aunt Ve and it is breaking her heart. She is in awe of the fact she is able to spend time with her mom.....HER MOM! And the thought of a possible murderer running amok in the darling little Enchanted Village is all sending her to the edge. Then toss in the Black Magic that is being practiced by a certain someone.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend reading not only this story, but grab them all! This is the eight installment in the series and while they are fairly good stand alone reads, you are missing out if you don’t catch books 1-7!!

I always enjoy escaping into the worlds created by Heather Blake and The Enchanted Village is my favorite. This is the eighth in the series and it is going strong. While it can be read out of order and enjoyed, be prepared to get the rest of the series lined up to read in a binge.
It's winter and the village is wrapped up in a blizzard but that only makes the extreme runners that much happier to join the Wicked Mad Dash. Darcy has been hired by Abby to help make it a success. When the race ends it is discovered that Abby has gone missing. With a bit of magical help. her body is finally found and it looks like she fell off the bridge. Accident or homicide? Darcy not only is tied to the case as the one running it but she is also the magical investigator and her financee, Nick, is the chief of police - a great team.
Secrets abound in this mystery, not just the usual who dunnit but secrets that threaten the future of the Village and Darcy's family. Her sister has broken up with her lover, her mother is in a power struggle and so much more. So many layers in this story, the series can continue for many more books. But, no matter what, these mysteries are strong on family relationships. I think that is the main reason I love the series so much. Family by blood and family by choice and some are wonderful animals - dogs, birds, mice - one big wonderful family.

Darcy, Harper, Nick, and the rest of the gang are back with another murder to solve. As Darcy is investigating what happened to one of her friends during the Wicked Mad Dash Competiton, she starts to find out some people are not as they appear. Darcy starts to receive threats to warn her off of her investigation but this does not slow her down. Darcy moves forward with her investigation of the supernatural side and Nick investigates on the official police side, together they will solve this mystery with a little help from their friends and family.

I really loved reading this book. This was one of the first cozy series that really drew me into the cozy genre. I admit I am a little behind in my reading of this series but reading this book was like reading about beloved friends. The characters are so full of life both human and animal. I love Darcy and the other witches but some of my favorite characters are the animals or familiars. One of my favorites familiars is Archie, he has such as larger personality that he adds so much to the storylines. Mrs. Blake has a way with her imagery that helps the reader escape to the Enchanted Village with Darcy and her family and friends. For example, while they are looking for the missing woman the description of finding a certain item in the snow, I could really picture the scene as if I were there with Darcy, Vince, and Harper. Also the descriptions of how sick Harper looks you know that there is more to her illness that just being a little run down. This was a wonderful reading experience; the mystery has several twists and turns to keep the reader engaged until the end of the book. Although knowing the backstories of the characters might help your understanding the characters better, Mrs. Blake does provide you with enough information that you do not feel lost and you can definitely enjoy this book as a stand-alone mystery.

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy I received through NetGalley, all thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced. I would recommend this book to lovers of cozies and paranormal genres.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

We arrive in the Enchanted Village just in time for the annual Wicked Mad Dash and a few pranks from new crafter Vince Paxton. He is still finding his place in the village but Darcy Merriweather organizer of the event and wishcrafter wishes he would just cut it out. Of course, she can’t grant her own wishes but she still wants Vince to use his powers for good instead of the chaos he loves to create. It’d bad enough that a blizzard has created whiteout conditions and the person that hired Darci has gone missing.

A huge search finds the young woman dead, buried under a pile of snow. Since the death happened in the village the elder has asked Darcy to investigate and all she finds is that everyone connected to the woman is hiding something. Darcy is going to need more than wishes to solve the crime. In fact, she is going to need the help of all her friends and family to catch the witch and bring the killer to justice.

Every time I visit the Enchanted Village and these characters I am taken aback by the wonderful world Heather Blake has designed. From the village to the forest to the meadow I fully escape right into the realm this author has created. Her descriptions create wonderful imagery in full color and bring the world so alive. So easy to believe and picture each place we visit.

The characters are so full of life too. Whether it be the witches, their familiars or the visitors to the village they are so genuine. You never question the conversations with Archie, the macaw or with mice, Pepe and Mrs. P. You don’t question the physician’s healing powers or all the different magical abilities the people of the village have. This time the focus on Vincicrafters, witches with innate athleticism, fantastic runners. The Bryant family are Vincicrafters and own the local sporting goods store. The place where the victim worked.

There is also drama around Darcy’s sister Harper, who had broken up with her boyfriend, fell into a dark depression and has dedicated every waking moment to her business. On a related note, Dorothy Hansel Dewitt is brewing up plans to overthrow the elder. And Darcy’s her fiancé, Nick Sawyer, police chief for Enchanted Village and his daughter Mimi have moved into her house and have but his on the market.

The author has packed these pages with such a delightful story and a mystery to solve. It is so well written. Twists, turns, and tense moments all lead to a very surprising ending. It flows at a perfect pace. I love the way Nick and Darcy work together. Mutual respect and sharing. They truly are a perfect match.

The Wishcraft Mysteries are a unique series and each book builds from the last one. I am thrilled that it lives on with a new publisher. The author has included some backstory for new readers but you truly need to read the series from the start in order to enjoy the series to the fullest and really get to know the characters and their place in the village. There is a bit of a cliffhanger to this story too. I am honestly tapping my foot, very impatient for book #9. 🙂

To Catch a Witch: A Wishcraft Mystery
By Heather Blake
Crooked Lane
August 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

Only two years have passed since the Merriweather sisters moved to Salem, Massachusetts, but their worlds have completely been changed. Not only did they discover their heritage as witches able to cast spells, they also learned about an entire magical community within the Enchanted Village. More practically, Darcy Merriweather has incorporated her wishcrafting abilities into the prospering personal concierge service, As You Wish. Her latest client Abby Stillwell has hired Darcy to organize the annual Wicked Mad Dash, an adventure and obstacle race benefiting local charities. Unfortunately, Darcy’s other role as Craft Investigator soon comes into play when Abby goes missing just before the race, only to later be found dead under the Aural Gorge footbridge.

While her fiancé Nick Sawyer tackles the mundane side of the crime in his official role as Chief of Police, Darcy follows the clues that may indicate magical means and motivations. Darcy’s sister Harper would normally be eager to stick her nose into the investigation, but since her recent breakup she is wallowing and spiraling into such a dangerous state that Darcy is forced to call in professional – and magical – assistance. Darcy may be proud of her stubbornness and unwavering faith in others, but it’s going to test all of her strength of will as she helps a resistant Harper, finds herself inexplicably enmeshed in a wedding for her former nemesis, and attempts to guide a rogue sorcerer towards the light.

This continues to be one of my favorite paranormal mystery series, and I absolutely adore how it is embracing its strong magical mythology. Additional spellcasters have gradually been introduced, and here we meet energy-reading Vitacrafters and athletically talented Vincicrafters who compete, but cannot profit, from their talents. The rules of this world have been thoughtfully established from the beginning, but the loopholes are what may eventually doom their carefully maintained village. Throughout these eight novels Darcy’s world has expanded as she learns more about the Elder, her own role within the coven, and the upcoming battle that could forever change the Enchanted Village. While impending events build momentum with the threat of danger, the novel never loses the light-hearted charm of the many animal familiars populating the Village. Former practicing witches themselves, these witty creatures continue to assist Darcy and her family while keeping their secrets from the rest of the world. Perhaps the most outstanding trait of this novel has been the development of its characters, many of whom have realistically evolved as a result of having Darcy in their lives. The mystery may concludes with a celebration, but the future they have in store is sure to leave readers eagerly anticipating the fate of these beloved Crafters.

The plots and twists just keep getting better and better with this series! Multiple potential "suspects" that may have committed the murder to keep you guessing. As well as many interpersonal relationship advancements or breakups to keep your connection to the characters. Excellent character development allows for you to connect and feel like you are visiting old friends rather than just reading another book. If you have not read this series, you definitely should and this book in particular really is a turning point in several characters plot lines. I absolutely can not wait to see what happens in the next book!

The Enchanted village and its caracthers are a long time friends, and I loved the possibility to go back to it. This seems like a book to start the scenario to something new in the series. I would like to see more of the relationship of Darcy and Nick, and more of craft magic and what it can do. I don´t think Darcy use her powers once in this book, but I actually think that is better that using too much of magic, or give magic for every caracter out there just because. That said, the book was wonderful and I already am waiting foward for the next one.

Another fabulous installment to Heather Blake's wishcraft mystery series. This series has improved with each book and the last three have been 5 stars! I love how the character development and world building is the main event in the series now and the relationships between Darcy, Harper and their family and friends are layered and the reader has really gotten to know them all. The magical system of this world is also slowly and steadily being revealed adding more and more drama to the story. The actual murder mystery has become just the icing on the cake for me. I did guess the murderer on this one pretty early, but not the motivation behind it so it wasn't super obvious. The real stand out with this book was all the drama surrounding Harper and Vince and their futures. I am so excited for the next book to find out more about their choices and situations and what happens with Dorothy and the elder ceremony now that she's on the war path! You should not miss this series! The characters are layered, flawed, loveable and even when they're completely magical, they are so relatable.

This is a fun continuation of the series. The author has expanded the world for this by adding some new "craft" abilities. The mystery was great with some nice twists. The longer, series-spanning pieces - the relationships between the characters, development of Darcy's family, and the leadership issues for the "crafting" community - were my favorite parts of this. I thoroughly enjoy these characters! The author did a great job of balancing those long term pieces with the current mystery. Things with the community leadership issues are really heating up. I'm curious to see where things go in the next book.

We are at the eighth book in the Witchcraft series, and it is still going strong. In the latest installment, Darcy is settling in to her role as sole proprietor of As You Wish, and of course, as is the way with her life, she is soon embroiled in a murder case. As always is the case in books in this series, this book is whimsical, fun, and hard to put down. I love to read these books as Darcy is such a great caring character, trying to keep the residents of her town safe, and trying to keep her family happy. She doesn’t use much magic in this one, but I think that’s a side issue, not the reason for these series, just something to enhance them. The ending was very exciting, and yes, it ended on a tiny cliffhanger, making me want the next book now. If you love cozy paranormal mysteries, you really need to try this series. You don’t need to start with the first one as the author does a great job at keeping the reader up-to-date, but the books before this one were great as well. Highly recommend! I was provided the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed.

I have not read any of the preceding novels and thus was a little confused when I first started this. Then, however, I realized that it's a classic cozy, with a twist and a nicely done one as well. Darcy, our intrepid amateur, finds Abby, the victim. Of course, Darcy is a wish crafter witch (new to me, but hey, learn something new every day!). Turns out Abby wasn't the nice person Darcy and others thought she was and there's more to all of her frenemies than anyone thought as well. There's some interesting dynamics between Darcy and her own family. Darcy's love interest, Nick, is a police officer, which helps matters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This was a good read and I'll look for Blake again. I understand why she's got a lot of fans.

I was waiting for this book to come out. It is by far one of my favorite cozy series. Again we are back in the Enchanted Village. Darcy has been hired by Abby Stillwell to organize the Wicked Mad Dash. The morning of the race there is a terrible blizzard and Abby goes missing only to be found later under the snow.
This is such a delightful series that is filled with interesting characters, a magnificent setting, and a story line that is truly well written. With each new book I've gotten to know the characters, their personalities, and who they really are. I love the way Heather Blake writes. She draws you into the story with her descriptive writing style, appealing themes and memorable characters. I love the evolution we see in these characters book after book. Ms. Blake crafted a plot that foreshadows what may be coming for Darcy and her family. I WANT MORE

I read the first four books of this series and enjoyed them, but I must have missed a few. In any case it was easy to get caught up on life in the village. I like that there was progression with both the book plot and the series plot. As always the characters are engaging. My only complaint is that I saw what was to come from a mile away, and Darcy, as our investigator, seemed willfully blind at times. Despite that it was a fun read and I'm glad I reconnected with this series.

I have read all of Heather Blake’s and To Catch A Witch is just as good as the others. A lot of times, as more and more books are added to a series, the later books start to run out of steam and that was not the case with this book. Darcy Merriweather is back and again she is pulled into a murder case - investigating on behalf of the crafters and Elder. This book kept me guessing right until the end. Right when I would I think I knew who the murderer was, Heather would knock me off guard.

It has been a while between the last book and in this book Heath briefly reviews all the characters - what they do in Enchanted Village and their craft. I was thankful for this as I tend to forget who is who when there are big time gapes between books. I really enjoyed To Catch A Wish. Harper had a more prominent roll this book and there is a ton of Elder intrigue. The main storyline is the murder, of course, but there are a few minor ones in the background that I know will be built on throughout the rest of the series. Because of this and because I had to keep guessing about who the murderer was, I was entertained throughout the entire book.

I received this book as an ARC through Netgalley and I voluntarily leave this review.

Darcy is in charge of helping Abby Stillwell organise the Wicked Mad Dash. The weather is horrible and Darcy is hopping that everything will go well, but when Abby goes to stretch before the race and never comes back, things become more complicated. As she investigates, Darcy realizes that Abby and her group of runner were keeping a lot of secrets. I always love the Wishcraft mystery and this one didn't disappoint. Every character that we love were present and I now can't wait for the next book !

To Catch a Witch by Heather Blake is the 8th book in A Wishcrafter Mystery series, and another excellent book. I absolutely love this series! Darcy Merriweather is a witch, specifically a wishcrafter. Darcy is engaged to Nick, who is a policeman with a teenage daughter, who is also a witch. Darcy goes to visit her sister Harper, and finds her very sick. Harper sees the witch doctor and they get a surprise. Darcy is talked into helping with the Wicked Mad Dash, by her friend Abby. When Abby is found dead after the dash, Darcy is determined to solve the crime. I strongly suggest this book and the whole series. If you like paranormal cozy mysteries, you will not be disappointed.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really enjoy this series, and, of course, this book wasn’t an exception. It’s really fast paced, a page turner.. I love good paranormal cozy mysteries, and this is as well written as the others. I’m a big fan of darcy and I totally recommend it.

This mystery series is one of my favorites. I've missed reading about Darcy, Aunt Ve, and all the other characters. Thankfully, this new book did not disappoint this long-time fan of the series. As I read, it was like I was visiting old friends. And the mystery was totally unpredictable. I really hope this series continues with this new publisher for a long time. I'm already impatiently waiting for the next one in the series.

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

To Catch A Witch is the eighth book in the A Witchcraft Mystery series.

Darcy Merriweather and her concierge service have been hired by Abby Stillwell to organize the annual Wicked Mad Dash. A heavy snowfall has started in the early hours before the race. With a heavy snow falling the racer begin their run and in the end as the runners start crossing the finish line Abby is nowhere to be found. Darcy sets out to look for her and soon find her buried in snow and dead. The question that needs to be answered is, did she fall from the bridge or was she pushed. Darcy and Nick, her boyfriend and police chief set out to find the answer.

Also going on in the village, Darcy has been worried about her sister’s health lately. Harper has recently broken up with her boyfriend, Marcus, and Darcy has figured that this was the reason for her malady. She convinces Dr. Goodwin to examine Harper. He finds that she is definitely ill, in fact, she has a life-threatening illness. This is compounded when it is also learned that she is pregnant. Also, it is getting time for The Elder, the leader of the witches and Darcy and Harper’s mom, to renew her status and with Harper’s health in question, Darcy fears that her nemesis, Dorothy Hansel Dewitt will become the new Elder.

It’s always a delight to visit with Darcy, Nick, Mimi, and all the crafters in the quaint little village.

I will be watching for the next book in this bewitching series.

To Catch A Witch was a satisfying cozy mystery. The characters were dynamic, the setting was ideal, and the mystery was engaging and kept me guessing.
Darcy, the main character, was smart and had realistic relationships with her friends and family. I liked that she had a good working relationship with the police chief - good thing too, since they are engaged.
The supernatural/witchy elements were matter of fact and well integrated into the world of Enchanted Village.
I look forward to more Wishcraft Mysteries.