Magic and murder, what more could you want?
I guess you could ask for a good plot, loveable characters and a damn good time reading. In which case, this book delivers all that and more.

This book was such a charming blend of cozy witchcraft, fey intrigue, and murder mystery, all wrapped in sharp writing and memorable characters. Avery Hemlock is the perfect reluctant investigator—awkward, clever, and just a little terrifying—with a tragic backstory that adds real emotional depth. Watching her try to make sense of the modern world while untangling a dangerous case was equal parts funny and heartwarming.
Saga was a standout as well. Her journey from heartbreak and burnout to rediscovering her power and purpose felt incredibly relatable. The bond between Saga and Avery built so naturally, and their unlikely friendship ended up being one of my favorite parts of the story. Their dynamic is filled with humor, trust, and just enough tension to keep things interesting.
The worldbuilding strikes a great balance—rich with detail but never overwhelming—and the plot moves at a satisfying pace with plenty of surprises. It’s cozy enough to curl up with but has enough bite to keep you turning the pages. I can’t wait to see where this magical partnership goes next.

Coziness, magic and murder... sign me up! This story was something I never knew I needed and I will be checking out anything else Kiri Callaghan comes out with. I loved how she blended mystery and fantasy but also added humor with the footnotes and quips throughout. A perfect autumn read that's not too dark and not too cozy, the perfect middle ground we've all been looking for.

I loved this book! It’s going to be the perfect fall read. It was so fun. I loved the blend of cozy mystery and fantasy. It was well-researched and I enjoyed the recipes, humor and footnotes throughout. Looking forward to more of Saga and Avery’s adventures!

Thank you to NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book! The characters, the plot, the hygge, and especially the comfort baking (recipes included)! It moved at exactly the right pace and I had no clue who the murderer was until it was revealed. The footnotes were a very fun addition too. I am hopeful we will maybe see more from our duo in the future?

Cuando un aumento en el crimen sobrenatural de Londres pone a la sociedad Fey en riesgo de descubrimiento, el Consejo de Invierno recurre a una solución poco probable: Avery Hemlock, la cambiante que sentenciaron a 500 años de pesadillas. Inherentemente carente de gracia social y carente de aproximadamente dos siglos de conocimiento mundial, Avery debe encontrar una manera de aclimatarse y resolver el caso o perder su libertad de libertad condicional.

Después de ser dejada en el altar y abandonar la escuela de medicina, Saga Trygg intenta reavivar su fe en la vida, la humanidad y la brujería. Pero cuando su nueva vecina, Avery, revela accidentalmente a los Fey que han estado viviendo entre la humanidad todo el tiempo, Saga se da cuenta de que la magia es mucho más que oraciones, intenciones y velas.

Cada uno se enfrenta a navegar por un mundo desconocido, los dos forman una asociación inesperada, pero poco después de la investigación de Avery, descubren que la amenaza podría estar más cerca de Saga de lo que cualquiera de ellos imaginó, y Avery hará cualquier cosa para proteger al primer amigo que ha tenido en más de doscientos años.



Tras NetGalley por el ARC.

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in October. Yeah this sapphic murder mystery was everything. Avery having missed a few hundred years of things became (unintentionally?) autistic coded which I loved. The humour and the little info dumps at the end of each chapter was everything. This is the 4th sapphic arc I read in a short time that ended in recipes and I hear for all those books reminding people sapphics like to eat ;).

Avery is released early from her sentence of five hundred years sleep because there's a mystery to be solved. Someone is stealing organs. Saga is working at a café after heartbreak and departing medical school. Avery is fey Saga is mundane. Avery on the hunt starts to lean into Saga's experience in this new world. I loved getting each woman's perspective on what's going on. I fell in love with Avery's bravery in the face of a whole new world and felt empathy for Saga as she faced so many emotional challenges. I don't know if this is going to be a series but it feels like it's shaping up to become one and I will absolutely be ready for the next book.

I am a huge fan of footnotes and end notes, I blame Terry Pratchett for this, I think. However, when I find a book that has these in it, I’m sold. Add to the fact that there is an appendix with recipes that were featured in the story - that’s a definite selling point! (My only gripe would be that footnotes are easier in an ebook, and I had to go back and forth to the end of the chapter - but also it’s easy with links, so I can’t complain too much). Also - the sass with some of those endnotes, perfection!

Avery Hemlock has been sentenced to a restless sleep for half a century for treason, however she is woken up early because the Winter Court needs her particular skills. However, the world in which Avery finds herself in now, is vastly different to the one she went to sleep in. She ends up finding a helping hand in Saga, who’s family own the cafe/building where Avery is lodging.

This book was just what I needed to read. It’s cosy, and enjoyable, and I just felt like I was right there with Avery the whole time

I appreciate the opportunity to read this but unfortunately I will not be finishing this. I do not think it was the story for me. Love the cover though!

4 stars ⭐️ The perfect fall fantasy read! I was glued to my couch reading this all weekend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own 🫶🏼

A good cosy blended mystery and fantasy story which has an atmospheric feel in the writing - leading me to think it would be the perfect book to read currently autumn, especially with the addition of the recipes to the novel keeping it homely but dark.

The myths and witchy elements seemed well-researched and intriguing to read. However for me the footnotes throughout pulled me out of the story as it doesn't feel very fantastical with the footnotes included.

Overall the plot was great and I loved the different character's journeys throughout.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars!

I loved this book so so much! Cozy fantasy mysteries are the book genre that I didn’t know I needed until this year but now absolutely love. The Hearth Witches Guide to magic and murder is a particularly good example of the genre and had me hooked from intriguing introduction to the nail biting conclusion.

This is a little darker than you might expect from a cozy mystery and there were times that I was genuinely worried for the characters but that is part of what made the book such a great read.

What I loved in particular:
- Mythology was integrated so well into the world., it was so clear that Kira Callaghan had done her research and I loved the witty jokes hidden within the informative footnotes.
- I liked the Holmes and Watson dynamic that Saga and Avery had.
- Avery’s reintroduction to society after 200 years in a sleep of nightmares was funny but not overdone.
- I really like the trend of adding recipes to cozy fantasy books, they make me wish I could bake.

From the ending I’m hoping that this will be the start of a series detailing Saga and Avery’s (and dare I hope Riddle’s) adventures. This book is one for everyone who loved the tainted cup.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I'd like to start off by saying that the cover of this book is stunning! I love the colors and overall design. This story started off so well, and I was so excited to see where it was going. Avery is a changeling who was imprisoned. They release her when she is needed to solve a murder, but she is missing so much knowledge about today's society. It was super fun reading about her trying to figure out how money works and other general knowledge things.

The story lost my attention a bit when Saga was introduced. While her back story was interesting, I just didn't really feel like she added a whole lot to the story. I would have liked for the story to go in a different direction, I think. That being said, the murders were done in a very interesting manner, and I did enjoy finding out who the culprit was. My biggest issue is just the in-between bits that didn't really add a whole lot to the story. Thank you to Netgalley, Poisioned Pen Press, and Kiri Callaghan for an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC. 

When I picked this up I didn't realize that this was the first book in a series. 

The writing style of this wasn't really my cup of tea, but I did enjoy the overall story. The amount of footnotes was pretty stange for a cozy fantasy/mystery story. 

I don't think this book was for me, but I do think that some people out there will really love it. I would recommend it if you're looking for a cozy fantasy/mystery series with a w/w relationship.