Well written and entertaining cozy mystery. Great plot with quirky characters. I received an advance audio book and this is my unbiased review.

“What’s a kitchen witch to do when her almost-fiancé leaves her suddenly single and unemployed? For Mia Malone, the answer’s simple: move to her grandmother’s quirky Idaho hometown, open a new gourmet dinner delivery business, and take in her ex’s little sister, Christina, when she arrives looking for a place to stay. But her first catering job takes a distasteful turn when her client’s body is found, stabbed and stuffed under the head table. Mia’s shocked to learn that she’s a suspect—and even more so when she realizes she’s next on a killer’s list.”

I really liked this first book in a new cozy series! I am a big fan of Lynn Cahoon, she writes fun, engaging stories that keep you guessing! I was completely wrong about the murderer until the very end! And the setting in an old school with some hidden secrets is so unique!

The narrator is well suited to the story. I enjoyed her voice and story telling.

My only complaint is.... there needs to be more magic!!

I can’t wait for book 2!!

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The second half of this book was jam-packed! I feel like it really picked up the pace and got super interesting. I also enjoyed learning a bit more about the magical powers the characters possess.

What I Liked

- That the main character is a kitchen witch

- How the author depicted spell work in a modern, authentic way, like during the chapter on forgiveness

- The cover is very striking

What tripped me up

- So many character names… I admit I got a little lost! I think this might just be me though, so I’m going to start writing lists of characters to help me keep track.

- I sometimes got pulled out of the story when the audiobook narrator changed up her voice between characters.

- Did the main character keep on forgetting the reality of the situation?! Good gravy, I wanted her to be more attentive! This did advance the story though, even if I did want to shout “don’t do it! Don’t go there! Call the police! Don’t break up the party! You should be more neurotic right now!”

Overall

- A fun cozy mystery

- Medium-sized amount of characters to keep track of

- I could have used more writing on the magic the characters work with - it was so interesting and I definitely wanted more on that

- I LOVE the ending and how it sets the stage for future books. I’m used to cozy mysteries wrapping up nicely in a bow and this one did too, but I love how it teased future happenings and excitement in Magic Springs.

Thank you Netgalley, for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of "One Poison Pie."

Narrator 🌟🌟🌟
The narrator was good but after awhile her very sweet voice was starting to get a bit much so wasn't a book I could finish listening to in one hit

Story 🌟🌟🌟
The story over all was good. Really enjoyed the magical theme to the story. Would definitely read/listen to the next one in the series

First in a new series by Lynn Cahoon. I really enjoyed this start to the new series. I found Isaac creepier and more loathsome than in the prequel.
Adele, Grans friend and not a friend to anyone else, is killed. The initial suspect is Mia Malone.

I loved all the twists, turns and misdirections. There is a lot going on in this book.
I can’t wait for the next issue.

I enjoyed this so much I read it and then listened to it on audio. I thought the story couldn’t get any better but Angie Hickman does a wonderful job reading the book. It only enhanced the story.

I was given a copy of the book by Netgalley. I am not required to leave a positive review.

Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for a gifted copy of One Poison Pie by Lynn Cahoon. All opinions are my own.

One Poison Pie is the first book in the Kitchen Witch Mystery series. This is a fun and witchy new cozy mystery series. Mia Malone is a kitchen witch. It runs in her family. After breaking up with her boyfriend she moves back home to be near her grandmother. As she is setting up her new gourmet dinner delivery service her grandmother convinces her to cater a friend's birthday party. Sadly, the client's body is found under a table on the day of the party and Mia seems to be the number one suspect. How is she going to prove her innocence and move forward in this new place?

The story is told from Mia's point of view. The town has a history of witchcraft and families who have passed down the gene of witchcraft. There are a number of storylines which kept me on my toes and helped to build the groundwork for the characters and town in this series. I loved the relationship between Mia and her grandmother.

There is a recipe for Magic Spring's Easy Apple Pke at the end. I have a weakness for cozies with recipes. My physical copy is an ARC so I am not sure if the number of recipes is the same as the final edition of One Poison Pie.

Audiobook: I alternated between a physical copy and an audiobook for this one. The narrator, Angie Hickman, was pleasant. She has clear and concise speech which made it possible to listen to the audiobook at 1.5x to 2.0x speed, which is my preference for listening to audiobooks.

I enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more in this series.

Mystery & Thrillers
January 26, 2021

Mia has a messy relationship with her now ex-fiancé, who basically stole all of her recipes and took credit. Defeated, she trudges back to Magic Springs to vamp up her catering business. She’s not there long before trouble finds her. Her first client is found dead, and everyone is suspicious.

This book has a lot of everything. You have a vindictive ex-fiancé, you have a sad love story, you have an amazing granddaughter/grandmother bond, you’ve got ghost, you’ve got witches.. I mean what else could I ask for besides probably like delicious food. Oh wait. We have that too. I love that magic is out in the open here. “Girl, you got powers too?!” It was nice that it was normalized and not something spooky.

I loved the relationships in this book. Mia and Christina seemed an odd pair. (Christina is Mia’s ex fiancé’s sister.. got that? 😂) but they worked so well as friends. I loved it. Grans was the best. She was so wonderful and everyone needs a Grans in their life. It really made me fall in love with these characters.

There was some sexual discussions that did have me clutching my pearls a bit (for a cozy) but I felt it was still very clean. I know some are put off by that, but it was truly only a few pages.

I did a reading and audio switch of the two. The narration was almost rebotic. You know how you can get your kindle to have Alexa read your book but there’s ZERO inflection? That’s what it sounded like. I am one of those people that do listen to audiobooks like Twista is rapping, but even at regular 1x speed, I could not get into the audio.

I did not realize there is a novella before this book, and I will be picking it up ASAP. As the first in the series, One Poison Pie is a fun cozy that just hits the mark of being unique enough that it pulls away from the rest. The Kitchen Witch mysteries series is definitely one I will be on the look out for when the next installment hits.

Thank you Kensington for this wonderful ARC! One Poison Pie is out January 26th. #AndThatsTheWayTheCozyCrumbles

I did really enjoy this book but not really feeling any of the characters like I did with the short story. I will be continuing with this series because I do I love it. Lynn Cahoon is becoming one of my favorite cozy authors and I can't wait to read more from here. I loved loved the narrator. I will be buying a physical copy of the book as soon as it comes out.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery book set in a small town in Idaho. The MC (Mia Malone) is a kitchen witch, who is returning home after her relationship and business with her fiance falls apart. Then, there is a murder in the small town, and she and her familiar (Mr. Darcy, a cat), along with her family and friends, investigate to catch the killer. I liked the characters and the interplay between Mia and James.

I really enjoyed this first installment in the Kitchen Witch Mysteries (I previously read the novella and enjoyed that one as well). The relationships between the three main women in the story, Mia, Christina, and Mia's grandmother, were believable and heartwarming. The mystery itself had a few twists and turns that made it difficult to figure out who the killer was, which I love. Additionally, the witchcraft elements with the different characters was an interesting side story that will continue throughout the series. I will definitely continue with this series. The narrator was also very good.

I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


#OnePoisonPie #NetGalley

After her boyfriend deceives her, Mia Malone, a kitchen witch, pulls up stakes to move to her grandmother’s small Idaho town. She plans to open an eatery and best of all, she won’t have to keep her spell casting to herself. This is one small town where magic is nothing out of the ordinary. Mia’s new business, however, takes a turn for the dark side when her first catering client is found murdered under the table. Mia is not only a suspect, she’s also the next potential victim. A quirky and fun little cozy and Hickman’s narration is the perfect accompaniment

This is the 1st book in a new paranormal cozy mystery series by the talented Lynn Cahoon and it is quite enjoyable. It starts off a little slow introducing the characters but it picks up quickly. Mia is a kitchen witch who heals people and she just bought an old school that she is turning into a catering business and culinary school. Mia and her ex- boyfriend's sister, Christina, live on the 2nd floor. Mia's ex-boyfriend, Isaac, comes to town which causes problems. Mia's grandmother's friend is murdered. There is a big snowstorm. Luckily, Mia becomes friends with the local grocer, Trent and his brother, Levi. There is a lot going on that kept me intrigued. The characters are likable and interesting. Lynn Cahoon has a wonderful new series! The audiobook is well done and enjoyable. #NetGalley #OnePoisonPie

One Poison Pie (Kitchen Witch Mysteries #1) by Lynn Cahoon
Narrated by Angie Hickman
Publisher: Kensington Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: January 26, 2021

One Poison Pie is the first book in the Kitchen Witch Mysteries by Lynn Cahoon and is so good that I can't wait for the next book to be released!

This paranormal mystery was so good! I love all of the characters and the hint of chemistry and flirtation. I love the small town atmosphere and the not-so secret coven of witches!

Mia is a chef and a kitchen, trying to pick herself up from a bad breakup with her boyfriend and business partner. She recently moved to Magic Springs, Idaho and starts her own business. She is faced with so many obstacles along the way, but faces them bravely.

The mystery was great, with lots of twists and turns and great suspense, right up to the very end. I loved this book and highly recommend it to cozy mystery fans!

The narration by Angie Hickman was incredible! She did such a great job bringing the characters to life!

While I wait for the next book to be released, I'll be reading the prequel novella, Chili Cauldron Curse because I can't get enough of this story!

I'm so grateful to Lynn Cahoon, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.