SWEET SOUTHERN MAGIC: SWEET TEA WITCH MYSTERIES 1-3

AMY BOYLES

This is an amazing series. Pepper Dunn has a cool family who is always there to help her when she’s in danger. I adore her and her cousins, Amelia and Cordelia. But the best character in the series is her grandma, Betty Craple. I have already written a book review on book one : Southern Magic at https://aparna12.in/2022/01/20/sweet-tea-witches-book-1-southern-magic.

But for your convenience, I am presenting the review for that book as well.

Book 1 ( Southern Magic)
Pepper Dunn’s life is in a mess in Nashville. The 25-year-old, Pepper, loses her job after Becky, her colleague, files a false complaint about her spitting on the food ( Pepper is a waitress). When she tries to return to her room, she notices a cat sitting in her car and tries to shoo it away.

She also notices a package containing a golden key with a Ruby fixed on the handle. She reads a note from her deceased Uncle Donovan entrusting her with a special gift. She is in for a rude shock after her roommate Sarah forcefully evicts her and gets her boyfriend to live with her. When she turns around towards her car, she is shocked to find a strange man whom she saw in her dreams. He asks her to go with him which she refuses. He launches attack on her with his magic but the cat which she saw earlier, comes to her rescue. She is stunned to find the cat speaking. The cat introduces herself as Matilda Moonpie and call her Mattie.

She tells her that she is a witch and has to go to Magnolia Cove, Alabama to claim her inheritance. The special gift happens to be a pet shop ( familiars for witches) called the Familiar Palace. She notices a strange man who introduces himself as Ebenezer, the owner of a pawn shop. Since Pepper is already confused about her identity, he tries to manipulate her into selling the shop. His attempt is thwarted by Pepper’s grandmother, Betty Craple.

Pepper meets her cousins, Carmen, Cordelia, and Amelia along with other family members whom she had never seen in a party organized for her homecoming. She also meets Axel Reign, a handsome private investigator. Pepper is desperate to give up her shop after the rumors of her uncle’s death as told by Ebenezer scares her . She makes her mind to give up the shop and go back to Nashville. Unfortunately, she sees his dead body with a knife below his ribcage. Officer Todd arrives at the crime scene to arrest her. She is rescued by her grandma and they go home. Pepper has to clear her name and find out who murdered Ebenezer.

She tries to run away from Magnolia Cove but Rufus the evil wizard springs a asty surprise on her again. Who is the evil man and what does he want from Pepper? Will she escape from his clutches and solve the murder before it’s too late? Read Pepper’s adventure with the mysterious handsome PI Axel Reign. Highly recommended for all paranormal cozy mystery lovers.

Book 2  Southern Spells

Pepper Dunn’s grandmother, Betty Craple, has received a special delivery of a hen that would lay silver eggs for their  upcoming Cotton and Cobwebs festivals where there would be games, food stall, and a magic maze etc. just as in a carnival.  She wants to beat her arch rival,Melbalean Mayes, at the magical animal contest.

She’s surprised to find her two troublesome aunts,  Mint and Licky, arriving at Betty’s house. She, her cousins, and her grandma are shocked to learn that Mint and Licky are going to be in charge of the Cotton and Cobwebs Festival. The hen is scared to see the talking cat Mattie in the room and manages to escape from the room. Betty and Pepper chase it only to find it with Melbalean Mayes. She tells Betty that she also has a hen that lays golden eggs. She meets Axel who tells her that Melbalean is Rufus ( her nemesis’) mother. 

Later, Betty hatches a plan to steal the golden eggs from Melbalean’s shop with Pepper’s help. There’s a distraction created so that Pepper steals the bag of eggs. There’s a brief blackout but when the lights come back, there’s a shock in store for them. Melbalean’s dead body is discovered and The new cop, Garrick seeks Pepper’s help to talk to the dead woman’s hen and ask her whether she saw someone attacking the lady. The hen blamed Betty, as she’s taken for questioning. Pepper faces a major problem in the form of Rufus, the evil villain who tried kidnapping her but Axel came to her rescue. He’s allowed to attend his mother’s funeral. Pepper’s life is in great danger but she also has to prove her grandma’s innocence. There are awesome revelations and plenty of twists in the tale. But the icing on the cake is Pepper receiving a package slip containing a dragon’s egg. Who sent it and why?  Do read this wonderful book.

Book 3  Southern Myths
The dragon egg hatches and out comes the baby dragon. Pepper has no idea as to what to do because she fears the creature may harm her and other animals. It’s at this moment that a weird man, called Mysterio, offers to buy her dragon and she willingly sells it to him, inspite of Axel asking her to reconsider her decision.
Her grandma, Betty, is upset with her for taking a hasty decision. She tries to explain her that her Uncle Donovan might have gifted the dragon as a protection from Rufus. Betty and the girls, Pepper, and her cousins, Amelia and Cordelia visit Mysterio’s show so that Pepper could get back her dragon from him. He is trying to connect the living people with their dead relatives by summoning their spirits through a seance. He fumbles with a couple of spirits until Pepper watches her dead mother smiling at her. Mysterio says she has a message for her that he would tell at the end of the show. Pepper tries to convince him to give her dragon back which he refuses. Betty conjures a spell on the baby dragon to make him a bit ferocious so that he would give her pet back. The next day, Pepper learns about him vacating the hotel and hurries away to meet him with Betty in tow. He hands her dragon back but his cape strangles him to death while Pepper and Betty try to save him in vain.

There’s another danger lying ahead. Axel warns Pepper to be careful because his evil brother, Adam, has escaped from prison. Looks like Pepper is in great trouble. Will she escape unharmed or be caught by her enemy? The series just keeps more and more interesting. A highly entertaining and an enjoyable read.

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