For example, four years ago Ophelia saw a vision of her best friend being killed. When he turned up missing, Ophelia took her suspicions to the police. When the friend’s body was found, Ophelia was the number one suspect. The friend’s murder seemed to be the subject for a prior book, but no, all this information is dumped in our lap as though we should know its significance.

This episode was so traumatic for Ophelia that she quit her job as a university librarian and moved back home to be near Abby. For years she’s been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has let no one close to her except Abby. Suddenly a hunky man appears with seemingly nothing but questions. His questions about Abby alarm Ophelia. No one really knows that Abby is a witch. With small town clannishness, Ophelia worries that Abby may experience hostility or be in danger if her secret is revealed.

Rick Davis claims to be a chemical salesman who is very interested in local thefts of anhydrous ammonia, a key ingredient in making methamphetamine. All in all, he seems to be less and less a salesman, but rather someone with sinister motives. Ophelia has no trouble spurning his advances, yet this only whets his interest. When Rick and Ophelia discover a dead body, the mystery begins to escalate.

Ophelia keeps disavowing her interest in her grandmother’s “magick” and her own interest in her ‘talent’ that it seems more rote than a credible denial. There is a wonderful secondary character, Darci, who is Ophelia’s assistant at the library. She is revealed as much more than a bubble-headed blonde. I hope that her character continues to appear and grow.

The emphasis seemed to be split between the mystery and the psychic gifts. Each needed more attention. The mystery never involved me. I chose this book because the lead character is a librarian, as I was until I retired. The author did do her research on what a librarian does and should do. Thumbs up for a realistic portrayal.

Will Ophelia finally accept her supernatural gifts, allowing Abby to help her to develop her skill? Probably? That’s for you to discover. Having met Ophelia and Abby, I’m content to let them enjoy their multiple books. I want to find books that concentrate on a real mystery or a real supernatural events. Not both combined in an implausible effort.

--Linda Mowery