This is book number thirteen in this series but I haven't read any of the others. Honestly the title is what drew me in on NetGalley. It sounded so fun and I just wanted to read it. Lee Hollis is a brother/sister writing team and I will say I enjoyed their writing very much.

In this particular Hayley Powell Mystery we have a new couple moving into town. The husband a minister and his wife a food town owner. I loved the name of her truck; Wicked ‘Wiches. Doesn't it sound awesome? She is sadly found dead in her truck while catering the local Halloween Ball.
Talk about a mystery! Everyone is wearing costumes so figuring out who is who takes a little work.

I enjoyed Hayley as our intrepid sleuth and that her daughter Gemma works with her in this one. Trudy, the victim was easy to like as well. I enjoyed that she wasn't a hated character. I get more invested in figuring out what happened when I like the victim. If they were horrible sometimes I feel like they deserved and don't care if their murder is solved.

All in all this was an excellent read and I will certainly be going back and reading all of the other books int he series.

There’s a new food truck in town, much to the delight of our food columnist heroine, Hayley Powell, and the chagrin of Cloris Fennow, owner of the only other food truck in Bar Harbor, Maine. While the burgers Cloris serves out of Burger She Wrote are of varying quality, her attitude towards her customers leaves a lot to be desired. Unsurprisingly, Hayley isn’t the only one thrilled that Cloris is about to face some much-needed competition.

Enter Trudy Lancaster, the beautiful and bubbly young wife of the new Congregationalist minister, Ted. Her Wicked ‘Wiches food truck serves some truly outstanding and inventive sandwiches. When she’s hired to cater the Garbers’ annual Halloween Witches Ball, Cloris nearly blows a gasket, never mind that Burger She Wrote was never in the running for the gig anyway.

Cloris isn’t the only one whose emotions have been heightened by Trudy’s arrival in town, though. The retiring Reverend Staples seems to have lost his head completely over his successor’s wife, to the very public chagrin of his own wife, Edie. When Trudy is found gassed to death in her food truck on the night of the Witches Ball, there is unfortunately no shortage of suspects for what was clearly cold-blooded murder.

Hayley and her new husband Bruce had taken quite a shine to the Lancasters, so Hayley is determined to help her brother-in-law, town sheriff Sergio, crack the case. But when sightings of Trudy’s ghost start coming in from all over town, Hayley begins to wonder whether justice can be served before vengeance is meted out from beyond the grave.

This was another highly entertaining installment of the Hayley Powell Food And Cocktail mystery series: spooky number thirteen, in fact! In addition to the ghostly hijinks are a whole host of relationship troubles that provide further emotional depth for our cast of characters. Hayley’s twenty-something daughter Gemma is back in town with boyfriend Conner in tow, but the couple seem to have very different viewpoints on the state of their relationship. Tensions overall are played for good-spirited laughs though, with Edie’s hilarious meltdown during her husband’s last sermon being just one standout. I was actually very pleased at the general feel of feminine solidarity in the face of atrocious behavior on the part of their menfolk, which made for a nice contrast from some of the attitudes of this novel’s immediate predecessor in the series, Death Of A Blueberry Tart.

As with that book, however, there are a whole slew of themed food and cocktail recipes accompanying Hayley’s delightfully written column for the local newspaper. While Death Of A Wicked Witch is set around Halloween, all of its food recipes revolve around sandwiches, which make for perfect summer fare as well. Of the seven recipes included, I decided to try this sandwich for all seasons:

QUOTE
Randy's Comfort Grilled Cheese

4 slices crispy bacon
2 slices sourdough bread (or bread of your choice)
Fig jam
3 ounces sliced gruyere cheese (more if you prefer cheesy goodness)
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
3 tablespoons butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Add 1 tablespoon butter to pan and heat to medium low.

Butter one side of your sourdough bread, then spread fig jam on the other and place butter-side down in heated pan. Add the bacon and cheese. Feel free to add a bit more cheese if you desire, then sprinkle on the green onions. Butter one side of second slice of bread and place it on top of bread in pan butter-side up.

When bread in pan is toasted golden brown carefully flip your sandwich over and toast other side until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown on that side. Remove from heat, place on plate, slice in two, and enjoy!
END QUOTE

My main takeaway from trying out the resulting grilled cheese is to be very generous with your application of fig jam, else it will be overpowered by the flavors of every other component of this otherwise tasty dish. I found myself dabbing the sandwich with more jam as I took each bite, just to balance out all the delicious flavors. Personally, I love both a classic grilled cheese sandwich as well as one with <a href=”https://www.criminalelement.com/cooking-the-books-death-at-the-day-lily-cafe-by-wendy-sand-eckel/”>caramelized onions</a>, but adding bacon and fig jam is a delight at once comforting and decadent. This is definitely a recipe to keep handy for when you want to add just a little something extra to a comfort food staple.

Next week, we catch up with the latest in a series ahead of the upcoming release of its next installment, solving a murder here on the East Coast while baking a delicious cake. Do join me!

Description
Bar Harbor, Maine, is quieter in the off-season, but the population has just increased a bit with the arrival of Ted and Trudy Lancaster. Ted’s taking over for a retiring minister, and Trudy runs a food truck called Wicked ’Wiches. When she stops in at the Island Times office to place an ad, Hayley happily devours the sample sub Trudy offers—and the two become fast friends.

When Trudy tragically dies in her truck while catering a Halloween party, suspicion falls on a cranky, competitive caterer who’d made veiled threats to Trudy. But the case becomes more complicated when Hayley’s husband admits he’d seen someone dressed as a witch hurrying away from the food truck—not very helpful when countless women at the party wore the same costume. Now Hayley finds herself sandwiched between witches and witnesses as she considers a smorgasbord of suspects. If she finds the killer, she’ll be a local hero . . .

My Review
Death of a Wicked Witch by Lee Hollis is book 13 in the Hayley Powell Mystery Series. The setting is Bar Harbor in Maine which actually exists and one place I enjoy visiting. So, the story is even more enjoyable being able to imagine being right there in the story. The plot and story-line flow just right along with the well-crafted characters. I like the fact that the characters are quite quirky, makes for a fun read.

This ARC was provided in exchange for my honest opinion, and I can tell you that I highly recommend Death of a Wicked Witch. I give this a 5 star review.

I love this series, and this book was no exception! A great cozy mystery, entertaining & a fun read! I highly recommend this to all cozy mystery fans.

The latest in the Hayley Powell series, this book involves some new characters: a new minister for the church and his wife who runs a sandwich truck. One of them is found murdered, and Hayley begins to investigate. I was sad to see the victim be killed, as it was a promising character with lots of depth. The other drama involves Hayley's adult daughter who is visiting from New York with her boyfriend. Both story lines were well-crafted, with lots of possibilities, interspersed with excerpts of Hayley's column with recipes--this time cocktails and sandwiches. A good series!

I love this series and I loved this instalment. It's always great to travel to Bar Harbor and meet the cast of quirky characters.
The mystery was solid, full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing.
I can't wait to read the next instalment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I enjoyed this 13th installment in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series. It was a great addition to the story.

The town of Bar Harbor, Maine has 2 new residents, Ted and Trudy. Most of the town seems to be happy to welcome the new reverend and his wife. Both seem pretty popular from the moment they enter the town. But when Trudy is found dead in her food truck, can new friend Hayley Powell find out who wasn't happy to have the new arrivals in town.

This is a fun addition to this long-running cozy mystery series. I do think that it's getting a little tired. I don't feel as connected to the series and the characters as I did at the beginning of the series. I enjoyed this book and will continue the series as it continues. I did like seeing Gemma in this book and I like that we got all of the regulars in this book. I really liked the little preview we got for the new series coming from Lee Hollis in the fall.

*eARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

Delightful to be back in Bar Harbor with Haley and family. Some humor, several surprises, some sweet family moments and some excitement. The blurbs prior to the recipes are always entertaining, too.

Honestly, this series never fails me as a great escape and boy, these days we sure need that. If you haven't read any of the previous dozen Hayley Powell mysteries, this one can be read as a stand alone but if you enjoy it as much as I did, line up the rest and dive in. Hayley and her husband, Bruce live in Bar Harbor, Maine and work for the local paper. One day Trudy Lancaster, new to town, shows up to place an ad for her sandwich food truck - with the catchy name of Wicked 'Wiches. Her husband is here to be the new reverend. She and Hayley become fast friends but the friendship will be a short one. On the night of the big Halloween party that Trudy has been hired to cater, she is found dead in her truck by Hayley and her daughter, Gemma. Carbon monoxide turns out to be the cause of death but Hayley isn't convinced. She is determined to track down the killer.
From the setting of Bar Harbor to the very well developed mystery with the requisite red herrings and great characters, this one had me guessing wrong - just the way I like my mysteries. I settled down in a comfy chair with a mug of tea and enjoyed every page.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was an awesome book for the Halloween season! Not only does Hayley love Halloween, Bruce hates it and so does Liddy which made Hayley's columns that always appear between chapters even funnier! I really loved reading those this time, and normally they honestly don't do much for me, but these were different. I laughed out loud at the columns where she told about different Halloween pranks, then there was a bet with Bruce was pretty funny too. I like that she kept them recent.

The mystery itself was a good one! It's always sad when a nice person gets killed especially one with a yummy food truck. Hayley and Bruce made a great team checking out clues, and even Gemma got in on the act, since she was home from New York with her boyfriend Conner. Gemma had whole issue of her own to deal with, but the outcome was a good one as you'll see at the end of the book. I hadn't guessed the killer at all, and Bruce was impressed by his wife during the showdown. The running theme was Hayley trying to get Bruce to stop smoking after he'd quit for a long time before that. The way it was worked into the showdown was great!

I'm still not completely caught up with the series, but it's one that since I did start out reading the later books as ARCs, I don't seem to mind going back and reading about how Hayley and Bruce came to be and what the kids got into when they were younger. Liddy and Mona weren't in the main story much, but Mona got to star in one of the columns which to me was the funniest of any of the columns I've read. Super fun and I highly recommend this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Lee Hollis is one of my favorite cozy mystery writers and she didn’t disappoint with this new book. She has a flair for writing such unique circumstances surrounding a mysterious death. Though I knew early on in the story who the culprit was, the how and why were very interesting to read about. She always has great mini stories woven throughout her novels while also providing awesome recipes. Her books just keep getting better and better.

This is book 13 in the popular cozy series "Haley Powell " by cozy author Lee Hollis. i have read the entire series and always enjoy returning to a new release. This is a series I highly recommend.
Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. .My review opinion is my own . I loved this Halloween based mystery as the prefect introduction to the fall cozy season.

Haley is at work at her office when she meets a new couple who are running a food truck . She enjoys the sample they give her and find they are fast friends. When the women is murdered in her food truck Haley feels she wants to step up and sort through the many clues to find the suspect. The women's husband is suspect as well as a nefarious competitor. The red herrings and clues are stacking up and soon Haley is in over her head as she tracks down the killer.

I love this series for its charm , likable charcters and fun location. This was a enjoyable next in series.

Death of a Wicked Witch by Lee Hollis is book thirteen in the Haley Powell Mystery series. It can be read as a stand alone especially if you are looking for a Halloween cozy.
Bar Harbor, Maine is getting a new minister and a new food truck, When the owner stops in to place an ad for her food truck, Haley gets a sample and knows it will be a hit with delicious sandwiches. She has a feeling she and Trudy will become great friends. Unfortunately, that won't happen due to Trudy being murdered in her food track at a Halloween party she was hired to cater. When Trudy's "ghost" is seen around town, Haley jumps into investigating hoping she isn't next.
This well written Cozy has plenty of suspects that has you guessing to the end. The setting along with the season is perfect. The characters are likeable and provide just the right amount of humor. The family side story has a possible wedding and just adds to the story.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Kensington Books for an honest review.

Death of a Wicked Witch by Lee Hollis is the 13th book in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series, and another great addition to the series. Hayley and her new husband Bruce live in Bar Harbor, Maine, and both work for the Island Times Newspaper. This book takes place over Halloween, which is always fun. A new couple just moved to Bar Harbor, Ted and Trudy Lancaster, and the two couples are making fast friends. Trudy runs a food truck, Wicked Witch, serving sandwiches. Ted is the new minster. When Trudy dies in her food truck while catering a Halloween party, Hayley is determined to find out who killed her. This book is fast paced with a well thought out plot and great characters. Once I started this book, I had to keep reading, until I was done. I often find myself laughing out loud, when reading this series. I strongly recommend this book/series for all cozy mystery book lovers like myself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

“Death of a Wicked Witch” by Lee Hollis the 13th instalment in the Haley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series.
I love this series, I have only read the last 3 but have purchased the previous 10 and hope to catch up. The stories always catch my attention and this was no exception.

I didn’t suspect the murderer until Haley did. This was a great mystery filled with lots of twists and turns. I love how Haley, Liddy and Mona they are such good friends and it sounds like they have a hoot together pulling Halloween pranks.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends !

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another great fall cozy mystery from Lee Hollis. The idea that it's a cozy Halloween mystery sold me on this book. Any cozy in a small town in the fall will always be on my to read list.

Death of a Wicked Witch by Lee Hollis is the thirteenth book in Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series.

As all the books in this series it is engaging and easy to read. It can be read as a standalone but for those who prefer to follow the growth of the characters and changes in their lives it is best to start at the beginning. I have been reading these books out of order over the years and it has not diminished my enjoyment of them one bit.

In this installment, Hayley meets new minister's wife, Trudy, who is opening a sandwich truck. Her subs are to die for but unfortunately Trudy is found dead soon after taking over a lucrative job of catering Halloween party from the local caterer.
On the home front, not everything is rosy with Gemma and her boyfriend, and Bruce has returned to his old habit that has Hayley going crazy.
While she is juggling tumultuous situation at home Hayley is also trying to find out what happened to her friend and who is to blame? Husband, business rival or someone completely different?

I like how while this book centers around the holiday it has that slightly spooky feeling to it. I love Hayley stories about how her family and friends try to scare each other during Halloween.
Sandwiches mentioned in the book are so tasty and yummy and there is no way not to feel hungry while reading about these mouth watering delicacies. Luckily there are recipes so they can be recreated at home.
Mysteries are as always well thought out and delivered and reading about Hayley and her life is like getting together with an old friend.
This is the ultimate cozy mystery.

Which witch killed Trudy? Yikes! Trudy and her husband Ted are new to Bar Harbor. He's a minister and she has a food truck. Unfortunately she's seen as competition for others, especially when she caters the Halloween Ball. Hayley and her daughter Gemma are the ones who find her dead in her truck- murdered, possibly by a person in a witch costume. But, it's Halloween so that's not a helpful clue. Cozy readers know there was more to Trudy (and Ted) than met the eye. Hayley and Gemma do a nice job of sorting out the suspects - and dealing with both the red herrings and a twist. Good characters and a well done plot made this a nice read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. AND, there are recipes!

4.5 stars

This is the thirteenth book in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails mystery by Lee Hollis.

Maybe it is just me but I have to laugh at some of the series names on many of the cozy mysteries I read. I understand that it must be difficult to make your series stand out from the rest and claim your mark in your specific cozy genre: paranormal, foodie/culinary, bookish, etc. But the long series names just have me flummoxed. Why isn’t this just a “Hayley Powell mystery” seems more simple to me and the graphic artists designing the covers might be able to find a more creative way of using this tag line on their cover designs too.

But I digress. This book was pretty great. I thought the Halloween theme was a bit early in the season but I am already seeing Christmas books in my ARC list, so I shouldn’t be surprised about the early holiday theme coming up now.

I was excited by the prospect of Trudy Lancaster being a new resident of Bar Harbor but then she ended up dead lying on the floor of her food truck. I am always amazed at how flawless the Lee Hollis books are. This mystery whodunit was spot on the just when you think you have it figured out, you don’t.

The play between Hayley and her husband, Bruce,k really spoke to me how real couples act and how they have to deal with the small day to day problems in their lives while tackling the big problems at the same time. Kudos for that.

This is definitely a series you want to return to over and over. I never tire of it.

If you want to read a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Bar Harbor finally has a new food truck, Wicked ‘Wiches, featuring specialty subs. Trudy the wife of the new minister runs the truck. The Garbers book her for their annual witches Halloween bash. All women come dressed as witches for the party and the men dress as whatever they want. As the night progresses and the food truck doesn’t open, they break into the truck to find Trudy dead by propane gas. Who would kill the new girl in town? The owner of the previous sole food truck, the wife of the retiring minister, or someone else. Join Hayley as she tries to solve the mystery.

I am new to this series and enjoyed the book. Good story and characters. Lots of recipes.