Review of Witchin’ Around the Clock by Amanda M. Lee

Witches are descending on Hemlock Cove and the town is gearing up for mayhem. Bay Winchester is ready to cover the event for her newspaper, and is excited to see faces she hasn’t interacted with in more than a decade.

Then the unthinkable happens.

The local blacksmith shop catches fire and Bay and her cousin Thistle risk death to try and rescue the owner. Unfortunately, they’re too late, and the man is unable to be resuscitated. Not only that, but it wasn’t the fire that killed him. No, he was murdered.

Bay can’t shake the feeling that something bad is about to happen. Harbingers of the feathered variety are filling the sky … and threatening attack. Dark magic is at work, and someone is plotting multiple deaths.

It’s up to Bay and her family to save the day, and they have to do it before cousin Clove gets married on the summer solstice. It’s a big day for the family, and a big moment for Bay. She’s the center of attention as the clock ticks down, the weight of the world on her shoulders.

The Winchesters won’t sit back and wait for a fight to come to them, they’ll go after the fight … and this is no exception. As death comes calling, they will answer.

Sit back and enjoy the ride. Love, marriage, death, and destruction are about to collide. You won’t want to miss a thing.

Available on Amazon and via Kindle Unlimited.

Time to head back to Hemlock Cove and we’re just in time for the Summer Solstice celebrations. 

The mystery to solve is who killed the town blacksmith, Adam. As Bay, her family and the police dig deeper into this murder they discover that Adam’s family life may not be as sweet and wholesome as once thought. Affairs and disgruntled children open up the possibility of more and more suspects. On top of that, there’s an element of magic at play as well. Is it real magic? Is it black magic? Or is it just a scam being run in the middle of a well-advertised witchy celebration? Lots of clues and red herrings are revealed and at a good pace to keep the reader’s attention and to keep us guessing. 

Character development in terms of Bay’s new powers is interesting. We see her new powers, how she learns to use them and how those around her are affected. This installment also shows how, as much as they fight, the cousins really look out for and stand by one another. It’s quite lovely to read strong female characters and see how they can disagree but still respect one another. Of course, in this setting, there’s always the chance of a major war breaking out too… ah well. 

Just a couple niggles: Given that this Summer Solstice event was alluded to in earlier books, I had expected a little more coverage of the main event or some more interaction with the visitors. That said, there is still a funny side story with visiting witch, Hazel, another nemesis for Aunt Tillie. 

I also expected a bit more on Clove’s wedding ceremony, again, as that event has been in the making since a few books earlier. That said, the sweet ending told from Landon’s perspective makes up for it. 

I give Witchin’ Around the Clock 4/5 espresso shots.