Review of Crossing Over Easy by Nova Nelson

To stay out of jail, this snarky psychic must uncover a werewolf’s killer. Does she stand a ghost of a chance?

Nora never believed in ghosts until one popped up asking for her help. And she never believed in witches … until she discovered she was one. 

Now trapped in the quaint supernatural town of Eastwind, she must learn the ins and outs of her powers before she gets herself killed.

When she stumbles on a murder in the greasy kitchen of an all-night diner, all wands point to Nora the newcomer as the prime suspect.

With the help of her bacon-obsessed canine familiar, a too-hot-to-be-true waiter, and the spirit of the deceased, Nora’s only chance at clearing her name is to serve up the real killer on a silver platter. Is justice on the menu or will the guilty party dine and dash?

Crossing Over Easy is the first book in the delightful Eastwind Witches series (best enjoyed in order). If you love snarky female sleuths, humorous hijinks, and delicious love interests, you will adore Nova Nelson’s magical cozy mysteries.

Available on Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you Erin for introducing me to this series. Erin (of the super wonderful Spells and Caramels series) and her author buddy Nova are planning an online trivia game for April, based on their books. I’ve read all the Spells and Caramels books but hadn’t tried Nova’s Eastwind Witches as yet. The first three were on special so I got them and started on the series. I went straight from this first one into the second! It’s was so fun.

The mystery to solve is who killed Bruce, owner of the restaurant Medium Rare. At first, it seems as if Bruce was a likable enough guy, so who would want him dead?! As the story progresses we realize that perhaps good old Bruce was a little too likable and the list of ladies (and ladies’ significant others) with whom he tangled isn’t exactly a short one. When Bruce summons Nora for help, she realizes that in her new world, she’s going to get a lot of practice investigating mysteries. Thankfully, she has the more experienced, ready to retire, Ruby to guide her along the way.

The mystery is laid out in a straightforward way. We meet suspects, who present their case and who lead us to other potential suspects. There are several clues to pick up along the way but not many distracting red herrings. I liked how all of the suspects came across as believable and the reader is left trying to figure out which ones are really sweet and which one is putting on a front. The culprit is revealed before the end but the final showdown involves getting said culprit to expose themselves.

The world building for this series is pretty great. I love the description of the town of Eastwind and the little bit of history we get. The townspeople are all sorts from werewolves to witches to fauns, angels and much more.

If anything, Nora seems a bit too ready to accept her new ‘reality’ even though it is so crazy and incompatible with her ‘in life’ personality and living conditions. But then again, she wasn’t happy in that life, so maybe that’s what makes her so willing to accept her incredible new world.

I think I’m going to enjoy reading Nora’s character development across the series as she comes into and explores her powers. Then there’s the possible relationship with the hot restauranteur, Tanner, too! I’m heading straight into book two!

I give Crossing Over Easy 4/5 espresso shots.