“A Witches’ Brew Mystery” is a new series by Gretchen Rue (aka Sierra Dean). The first book,
Steeped to Death combines some of my favorite things, magical tea, books, a town busybody, and murder. Phoebe is a fun character that will delight readers with her newfound abilities, an inherited Victorian mansion, and an orange tabby named Bob. Who names a cat Bob? Combining all these wonderful things makes this story a pleasure to read.

Phoebe has just inherited her beloved aunt's bookstore and tea shop, her mansion, and her pet cat. Unfortunately, she isn’t in town for more than twenty-four hours when she is accosted by the town busybody bent on buying her newly inherited home at all costs. Soon after, a man is found murdered at the shop's back door. A few days later, she finds out that her great aunt might be the town witch, and her magical tea blends actually work. But before exploring this side of her unknown family, she is faced with the need to find a killer.
The suspects are varied enough so as not to be boring. The busybody, Dierdre, isn’t so much a gossip as a force to be reckoned with, one that is not used to anyone telling her no. Other suspects include Phoebe’s childhood friend, Rich, and another business owner. The evidence is hard for Phoebe to uncover, she wishes she could just brew up a magical tea that would make the culprit confess, but she learns quickly that such things are not to be trifled with. Before long, the killer sets their eye on Phoebe, and it takes every ounce of willpower and wit she has to stop herself from becoming the next victim.

Steeped to Death will keep readers entertained and content. The characters are provocative and intelligent, and the bookstore and magical tea shop setting are inspiring. There is plenty of action with a hint of danger, but not so much that this turns into a straight thriller. The mystery was done very well, keeping you from guessing who the killer is immediately. I like a good busybody who knows all the gossip, but Dierdre is one of that special kind that makes you want to smash her in the face. I enjoyed Phoebe's connection with Rich and others from the town and how much she loved her aunt.

I would like to see more magic in future books and more use of the magical tea blends Phoebe’s aunt created and what they can do. I hope that the romance angle doesn’t overwhelm the series immediately. I also hope that Dierdre, the busybody gets what she deserves sooner or later. I believe this book and series will be a hit with readers of all cozies, but it will be a definite must-read for those who have a fondness for witch or magic-based ones.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!
This was such a cute cozy mystery! I adored the setting and the characters (although I'm partial to bob). It kept my interest, and the mystery plot was quite good! The writing felt slightly repititive to me which is the reason I bumped it down a star. However, it was still a wonderful read, especially during the fall season!

Gretchen Rue is a new author for me, but the description for Steeped to Death sounded intriguing. I am so glad I requested it on Netgalley. I enjoyed the story, the characters and the mystery.
Phoebe is a good main character. She has had challenges in her life but she didn’t spend time wallowing. I like how she set about looking into her questions about her aunt, the bookstore and the events that occur as the story moves forward.
I love the sound of Raven’s Creek. It would be such a great place to visit. I wish there was an Earl’s Study near me.
Imogen and Amy are great supporting characters. I didn’t expect who the murderer turned out to be.
The pacing and tone of the story felt comforting to me. Sometimes you just want to read something that leaves you feeling good. Steeped to Death was that book for me right now.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this supernatural cozy involving a woman who inherits her aunt's home and tea shop and finds out there's a lot more to her aunt and to herself than she ever could have guessed.

From the very beginning this book just absolutely clicked with me from the beginning. I really enjoyed getting to know Phoebe and tagging along with her as she got to know her new town of Raven Creek meeting new people and reconnecting with some old friends. Since this is the first book in the series there's a decent amount of world building and sometimes the mystery got pushed to the side while Phoebe tries to figure out her new life. However, it all came together so organically that the pacing never seemed to drag and it fit in nicely with the unraveling of the mystery.

This was a fun series opener with a likable main character and a hefty dose of supernatural fun. The mystery is entertaining and the community of Raven Creek is a solid one with both likable and not so likable characters. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this series develops.

What a wonderful start to a new series! I don't give five stars to cozies frequently but this debut had everything a cozy needs - a great setting, fun characters, and no TSTL moments! I enjoyed getting to know Phoebe and through the town, her aunt, Eudora, as well as the other residents. The mystery was well paced and the writing flowed so well, I read this all the way through. Highly recommended for cozy fans who like a little witchcraft in their stories.

This was such a delightful, charming, and completely magical cozy mystery. A perfect debut to the series! This might be the first book in the series but I know for certain this is one of those cozy series that I am going to follow till the end.

Excellent storytelling. A Magical mystery to keep one guessing till the end. Likeable characters. Loads of fun. I absolutely loved every bit of Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue.

I've found a new favorite series that I can't wait to get deeper into! This is the first book and does a masterful job of introducing us to the main character, Phoebe, and her cast of new friends and shop mates! A great small-town setting that starts with a fabulous old Victorian home and her new bookstore/tea shop! Toss in a bit of magical and paranormal activity that is slowly evolving into the story and you have a murder mystery to really dig your teeth into! The author does such an excellent job of setting the scene so that you feel like you are there without weighing you down in minute details. I absolutely cannot wait to see how things play out in future books!

Phoebe didn't expect to inherit her aunt Eudora's house. tea shop and Bob the Cat but that's what's happened. Now sh'e's in Raven's Creek, Washington but not everyone is friendly, Especially when she finds a corpse on the back steps. Luckily, her old friend Rick, now a PI, is up for helping her find the villain. And then she finds something else- not only was Eudora a witch, but she is as well. This is a nicely done lightly paranormal cozy with good characters (and, I gotta admit a special fondness for Bob). The mystery itself isn't too twisty and there are good small town atmospherics. And it's not too woo woo. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A nice start to a new series.

An enjoyable first book in a new series about witches. Phoebe Winchester has just inherited a house, a bookshop/ tea store and a cat called Bob from her Aunt Eudora whom she discovers was a witch. More importantly she begins to discover witchy tendencies in herself.

Soon after she arrives to take possession of her inheritance Phoebe has to deal with a very unpleasant real estate agent, an unexpected tenant and a dead body. Her work is cut out trying to find out what is going on in the small town she wants to make her own.

I enjoyed the characters and the story very much. I was surprised Phoebe exhibited such strong magic so early in the piece but it does suggest there will be a lot of excitement in the next few books. The required romantic interest is also very much to the fore. I look forward to more books in the series.

Phoebe Winchester’s beloved aunt Eudora has a taste for adventure—and a knack for making magical tea. It’s even rumored that she just might be a witch. So when Eudora passes away and leaves everything to her niece—her Victorian mansion, her bookshop/tea store, The Earl’s Study, and one very chubby orange cat named Bob—Phoebe gets more than she bargained for. And she knows she’s in deep when a dead man is found on the shop’s back step, apparently killed while trying to break in.

This is a cute mystery with some really quirky characters. I love the story line and the book/tea shop is something I wish we had here. The way Phoebe handles what she is learning is epic. the twist takes to find the killer was truly unexpected. I had it peg for someone completely different I guess I just thought they were just disgruntled but it shocked me! I can not wait till the next one comes out.

An impressive debut for a new series from Gretchen Rue. See my complete review at www.reviewingtheevidence.com.

Sometimes a reader needs a break from the darker side of mayhem and murder and suspend disbelief for a few hours. The first in a new cozy series, Steeped to Death, fits the bill exactly. A picturesque small town, a gutsy heroine amid a life change, a companion cat, and a touch of magic are all present.

Phoebe Winchester is coming out of a divorce from her philandering husband when her beloved Aunt Eudora dies, leaving her a large Victorian house in the tourist-based village of Ravens Creek, WA. Along with the house comes Aunt Eudora's used bookshop/tea shop, the Earl's Study, and a companion ginger cat named Bob. Eudora was known for her sense of adventure and ability to blend unique teas with possibly magical qualities. In fact, many residents of Ravens Creek think she was a witch. Phoebe doesn't believe that for a moment since she spent many childhood summers with Eudora and saw no evidence of magic.

Everyone seems welcoming to Phoebe, except for Dierdre Miller, who accosts her at every turn. Dierdre wants to buy the house and business and doesn't accept "No" as an answer. Then there is Owen, owner of a shoe store nearby who doesn't miss an opportunity to insult her, and The Earl's Study. On the other hand, Phoebe meets a childhood friend, Rich Lofting (formerly Ricky), now a handsome P.I. living in an apartment over The Earl's Study. When Phoebe finds a dead body outside her store and she is being stalked, she doesn't know who to trust. Even stranger, it seems that Aunt Eudora might have been a witch after all, and Phoebe might have inherited her abilities and some of her own.

Steeped to Death is a promising beginning to a new series, one that is very enjoyable. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a digital copy. The opinions are my own.

RATING- 4 Stars

Oh I had such fun reading this book. I loved the witch aspect of the book and that it is #1 in a new series (as I usually miss out on the first books for some reason). With a great helping of wonderful characters and the mystery and intrigue you want fro a good cosy novel this worked a treat for me.

Phoebe and Bob the cat made me smile as I was reading, so quirky and wonderful. Mix all this with a dead body and a truth serum and you get a book to die for. The story is great, the ending worked a treat and I just thought this book was a great mixture of murder, magic and a book/tea shop. Loved it.

A great read and can't wait to see what comes next.

Phoebe has inherited a Victorian mansion and bookshop/tea store from her aunt, so she has returned to Raven Creek. Unfortunately, a man has just died at the back step trying to break in.. It looks like murder, and Phoebe decides to help solve the case. She also discovers a few things about herself along the way!

A chubby cat, a bookstore/tea shop, and magic makes for a great story. Phoebe is such a sweetheart. I loved this story, and I can't wait to see what else this series has to offer!

I have read this author’s other books before, so I was glad that she started a cozy paranormal mystery series. This is just about all I could hope for. It was such a delight getting to know Phoebe and the town’s residents, all in the middle of a murder mystery. The mystery wasn’t easy to figure out, and I was kept guessing the whole book but looking back, I think I should have known. Even if you don’t like paranormal, this is more than that, and you should give it a try. The end was a little bit of a surprise, and I can’t wait to see how that plays out in the next book. Great start! Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

This was an absolutely delightful first book in a new series. It was so easy and fun to read.

It grabbed me from the first page and I could not put it down. The characters are written so well and the story itself is well paced.

I look forward to the next book in the series.

First of all, I would say if you enjoy a very traditional cozy mystery with some supernatural elements, then you will probably love this book.

I love cozy mysteries, especially (light) paranormal ones… I was sooo excited for this book. Now that I have finished it, I have mixed feelings about it. It follows the “traditional cozy setup” to a T…..

Well then, you might ask: If you enjoy Cozies so much Danie, shouldn’t you have enjoyed this one?

And honestly, I did for the most part. The main character Phoebe is so likable. Raven Creek is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery; I would love to go there. I love the tea shop and that you learn about brewing and blending teas (who doesn’t love a good cup of tea?). I loved some of the supporting characters (Imogen, Amy, even Detective Martin)...

And Bob, I just love Bob.

Two things “ruined” (for lack of a better term) this book for me: The love interest & whodunnit.

Honestly, I liked this book (with the exception of the love interest) all the way up until the very end… then it just fell flat for me.

It was TOO cookie cutter cozy mystery… and while the killer made sense… it wasn’t who I wanted… the killer to be (not expected - I can handle being wrong… I mean wanted. There was a character I wanted gone from the story so I wanted that person to be the killer).

So, I am torn between a three and four star rating… I mean, there wasn’t really anything wrong with the way the story played out… I simply wasn’t happy with it.
I might give the second book a chance because I liked Phoebe and the setting so much… I have a hard time getting into cozies when I don’t enjoy the romance though and so far I don’t like anything about the male lead in this series.

I had a hard time with the first in Gretchen Rue's A Witches' Brew Mystery series. The 'witch' genre is not one I normally enjoy, and Phoebe Winchester swung back and forth between a character that seemed realistic and then one who embraced that her Aunt and she were witches. The setting was interesting, the mystery was okay, but the road to Phoebe's self discovery was incredibly awkward for me. I'll give another one in the series a chance, but this one was just alright.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

What a delight it was to read Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue!
This book, which I believe fits perfectly into the #PWF niche of cozy mysteries, is the perfect mix of mystery, book store- and tea shop-themed settings. and the inclusion of a pet in the multi-faceted list of characters, without hitting you over the head with excessive use of any of those things. The coming-into=her-magic plotline that underlies the story is fascinating and complicated by a murder with plenty of suspects who are revealed steadily and skillfully, creating a page-turner of a book.
Lovers of recipes will be pleased with the selection provided at the end of the book as well.
I am glad to have received an ARC of #SteepedtoDeath from #NetGalley, and look forward to more books in the series.

What a delight! Rue manages to weave just the right amount a witchy vibes into the story to create a charming debut for the Witches' Brew Mystery series. Rue also manages to not only blend together both literary & culinary themes flawlessly but also balancing clues & misdirects to create a head-scratcher of a mystery. Oh and did I mention there are some very yummy sounding recipes included. I very much enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see where the series goes from here,