Review of A Spell For Trouble by Esme Addison

I received a digital advanced reader's copy of A Spell For Trouble from NetGalley. This review may contain minor spoilers. 

A Spell For Trouble is the first book in a new cozy in a series called an Enchanted Bay Mystery by Esme Addison. The book will be available on May 12 of this year. A Spell For Trouble follows Aleksandra Daniels. Known as Alex a young woman who has experienced a tragedy then the loss of her job. She visits her estranged relatives after they invite her to come stay with them. While visiting her family in Bellamy Bay Alex discovers that besides having to solve some family mysteries she must solve a murder. When Alex’s Aunt Lidia finds herself accused of murder Alex makes it her personal mission to solve it. To the dismay of the suspects and the detective charged with solving the crime. 

Overall, the premise in this book is interesting. All cozies have a theme and this one is magic. Addison however puts her own twist on the magical theme to set it apart. The book also focuses on Alex and her maternal side of the family the Sobieski’s. The Sobieski’s are of Polish descent and the there is a use of a few Polish words and several mentions of Polish cuisine. I felt this enriched the backstory of the family and added to the charm of the book. 

The plot moves fast to an extent. Which is my main gripe with this book. Alex arrives and there is not much time to establish and rebuild the familial ties before she discovers her family is magical. It would have been nice to have a few chapters where they develop a bond. After doubting the validity of magic briefly, she accepts it. Most people would either believe in magic right away, or think their family is crazy.

Sometimes the plot slows down because Alex focuses on yet another murder suspect. The flow sometimes felt forced because a certain character’s behavior was obvious. It felt like either they were a red herring or the killer. When a cozy makes it obvious who the killer is early on and then keeps trying to clear other suspects first that can be maddening. As the reader you just know right?

Those of us who read cozies regularly become amateur sleuths by proxy via our books. We become adept in the way a cozy works; we pick up on subtle clues and plot devices. You could tell who the killer was. So some content felt like filler. 

I also dislike the introduction of two love interests. I have been reading the Hannah Swensen Mysteries for years now. If you are familiar with Hannah Swensen, she had two boyfriends through most of the series. It grew old fast. Hannah Swensen is a perfect example why there should be one love interest at a time in cozies. These series can last well over twenty books and I can sense a love triangle being built up. I felt the two love interests were so different yet I felt like there wasn't much chemistry with either. Alex has enough on her plate and I am thinking the last thing she needs is two suitors competing for her affections. 

I liked the book despite my small criticisms. The premise was unique enough and the surprise twist at the ending was unexpected. These days with so many cozy series available to read it is hard to make a cozy series stand out. I felt Addison did that. I would read the second book in the series without hesitation. The two love interests though give me pause. Hopefully, there is a resolution to that aspect in the next book. 

I rated A Spell For Trouble 4 out of five stars on Goodreads. I felt there were a few unique aspects to the story that made it different from most of the cozies I have read lately. Trust me on this I have read several cozies lately and many of them were average. I feel this series has potential so read it when it comes out.