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Zucchini Cake and Zombies

A Broomstick Bay Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Book 1

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Zucchini Cake and Zombies

By: RaShelle Workman
Narrated by: Jenelle Kidd
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Welcome to Broomstick Bay! Here the electricity is glitchy, the townsfolk are witchy, and Ruby has a catastrophic secret that is clawfully twitchy. Non-practicing witch Ruby Crosswell doesn't plan on staying in her hometown of Broomstick Bay for long. She's only back for her reunion and to see her high school crush.

The event starts with a dusting of romance. But too soon, the festivities curdle when Ruby's rival is found murdered. Predictably, Ruby is at the top of cranky detective Lance Wolfton's suspect list. It doesn't help that they dated a few times, and then she left without saying goodbye.

Forced to stick around, and with her old life glazed in scandal, Ruby agrees to help in her family's bakery. And that's when things get weird.

First, she's struck by a wayward spell and changed into a black and white tabby cat.

Second, as she's cutting through the graveyard on four legs, she witnesses the murder victim dig herself out of the ground. Zombie-nemesis then tries to use Ruby as a midnight snack.What the ever-loving fluff? It seems that some witch is out to destroy Broomstick Bay one zombified body at a time.

Between baking zucchini cake and trying to prove her innocence, Ruby is desperate to reverse the spell that changes her into a cat at the most inopportune times. But it'll take all nine of Ruby's lives to solve the case and rid Broomstick Bay of the zombie problem.

©2022 RaShelle Workman (P)2026 RaShelle Workman
Cosy Mystery Women Sleuths Magic Witchcraft Magic Users Cats
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I found the narration quite whinny, but the story was captivating enough that I enjoy it in spite of that.

Enjoyed it

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Imagine a drug addict whose first experience was so awful that people nearly died so they swore off it.
10 years later and their family is still pushing that same drug on them constantly. Even if it could get her arrested for a murder she didn't do. Add in several fat shaming references and I'm not sure this was the cosy mystery it was meant to be. I felt uncomfortable about how she was guilt trips, tricked and forced in to using her magic that she clearly did not want to do.
Shame, I'm sure it could have been a nice story if it didn't feel like the family were constantly pushing boundaries.

Pushy & unpleasant vibes

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I loved this book. There are a lot of cozy paranormal mysteries out there but this is of of the better ones. It is uniquely original and Ruby is a great main character but I think it is all the quirky side characters that made it for me, especially the house, who had me chuckling all the way through, Why is is uniquely original? Well it's not because the main character returns home after a bad break up, she needs to learn how to use magic, her ex boyfriend is in law enforcement or he needs to question her in a murder case but the fact that her magic turns her into a cat. The cat aspect is fun. The mystery was good, I had guessed who was responsible but I think that was more because I downloaded the next book before finishing this one and read the blurb, which gave me a big clue. Do I mind? Nope looking forward to jumping into the next book.

When Ruby's boyfriend cheats on her, she returns to home town and her parents house. Her hometown is no ordinary town and after nearly blowing up her high school when a spell went wrong in her final year, she is reluctant to return, especially with a school reunion about to take place. Not having practiced magic since that night what could go wrong? It seems a lot, as Ruby stumbles over the queen mean girls body, just moments after the two had an argument. With her ex boyfriend looking at her like a suspect Ruby has no choice but to look into the murder. Can she do it and still keep her promise to herself not to use magic? When zombies and another cold case surface it seems like she has no choice but to use magic and discover what her powers are.

This is the first time I have heard this narrator but as I have already downloaded the next book it won't be my last, which is good because she does a good job and I liked her voice.

A sweetly unique treat

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Story enjoyable but the narration was poor lots of odd pauses and didn't flow. Really detracted from the story.

Nice story applied by narration

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