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The Detective Wins The Witch
by
Kristen Painter
fantasy, magical realism, mystery in a Kindle edition that was published by Sugar Skull Books on August 20, 2018 and has 229 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon, Audibles.
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Blood Rights, Flesh and Blood, Bad Blood, Out for Blood, Last Blood, House of the Rising Sun, City of Eternal Night, Garden of Dreams and Desires, Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case, All Fired Up, "Prologue to The Vampire's Mail Order Bride", The Vampire's Mail Order Bride, The Werewolf Meets His Match, The Gargoyle Gets His Girl, The Professor Woos the Witch, The Vampire's Fake Fiancée, The Shifter Romances the Writer, "The Witch's Halloween Hero", The Dragon Finds Forever, The Vampire's Accidental Wife, The Reaper Rescues the Genie, The Vampire's Priceless Treasure, The Werewolf Dates the Deputy, "When Birdie Babysat Spider", Miss Frost Ices the Imp, Miss Frost Saves the Sandman, Miss Frost Cracks a Caper, Miss Frost Braves the Blizzard, "The Werewolf's Christmas Wish", The Vampire's Cursed Kiss, Her First Taste of Fire, The Trouble With Witches, Moody and the Beast, The Vampire's Sunny Sweetheart, Miss Frost Chills the Cheater, Lost in Las Vegas, Wrapped Up in Christmas, Mystified in Music City, Sucks To Be Me, A Sky Full of Stars, Suck It Up Buttercup, The Forgettable Miss French, Sucker Punch, The Suck Stops Here, Nixed in New Orleans, Miss Frost Says I Do and Spider Too, The Witch's Christmas Catastrophe
Tenth in the Nocturne Falls fantasy magical realism mystery series and revolving around a small town in Georgia, a safe haven for supernaturals. The couple focus is on Marigold Williams and Wyatt West.
My Take
I do adore Nocturne Falls — the series and the town. It’s a great idea to turn it into a tourist spot, allowing the supernaturals to be themselves.
Painter uses third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Marigold’s and Wyatt’s perspectives. It’s through their eyes that we see everything, hear everything, and know their emotions. I particularly liked Wyatt’s description of his suit for the wedding. Ooh là là!
Character arc-wise, Wyatt was in foster care and wants to belong while Marigold is so tired of being single. And while she’s attracted to Wyatt, he is a normie . . . and he isn’t’ drinking the water! Which threatens everyone.
I found the story too easy with Wyatt falling in love and wanting to give a long-distance relationship a try. Neither of them believes they’re good enough, but they do believe in doing what’s right.
Oh, oh, that auction chase? Oh, boy. The “prize” will lead to some hard decisions.
It’s a fun look behind the scenes as Marigold and her team set up the flowers for the wedding.
It’s a combination of action and character — both the individual characters and the groups of supernaturals and normals. The pace is a bit slow, oh, it’s fun, but it does go on and on. Even if it is an easy read.
Be sure to drink the water.
The Story
Poor Marigold is so tired of being single, especially with everyone around her either engaged or getting married! As for Wyatt, being invited to be Marigold’s plus one opens him up to family interaction, Williams style.
Private investigator Wyatt West isn’t finding his job so tedious anymore. There’s definitely something magical about her, but little does he know just how correct that first impression is.
It’s only one date but then their feelings deepen and both agree to try a relationship beyond their current temporary arrangement. Now Marigold must tell him about her witchy side., especially after Wyatt unwittingly frees some dangerous magic.
Marigold knows a life changing sacrifice is the only way to set things right. Will her magic save him? And will he be able to handle the truth that comes with it?
The Characters
Marigold Williams, a green witch, runs the florist shop in town, the Enchanted Garden. Frank the Tank is Marigold’s newly adopted shop cat. Saffron “Saffie” is her eleven-year-old daughter who intends to marry Charlie Merrow. She’s coming into her witch powers too early. Leah, a wood nymph, is Marigold’s only employee besides Joe, her delivery guy. Rollo is Leah’s failed drug-sniffing dog. George is the driver for the wholesale supply house.
Pandora Williams, the witchy real estate agent and Marigold’s sister, is engaged to Professor Cole Van Zant, a familiar, who works at Harmswood Academy, a supernaturals-only school (The Professor Woos the Witch, 4). Mrs Fipple, the magic lab monitor, and Miss Boschman work at the academy. His daughter, Kaley, is a witch who sees auras and attends the academy. Jack Van Zant is a familiar who’s dating Birdie; he’s also Cole’s dad. Charisma, another sister and witch, is a life coach. The sisters’ mother is Corette “Mimi” Williams who runs the bridal shop, Ever After, and is the coven secretary. Stanhill is Corette’s fiancé (“The Witch’s Halloween Hero“, 4.5). Uncle Roy is a fond memory.
Wyatt West used to be a detective. After the incident, he became a private investigator. Suzanne Anderson is his current client.
Nocturne Falls, Georgia, is . . .
. . . mostly owned by the Ellinghams, a vampire family. Elenora Ellingham is the matriarch who saved her three grandsons. Sebastian is the oldest vampire grandson who’s engaged to Tessa Blythe, a valkyrie and librarian (The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée, 5). Hugh is the second oldest and married to Delaney who runs the sweet shop, Delaney’s Delectables (The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride, 1). They have a son, George. Julian is the youngest (The Vampire’s Accidental Wife, 8). Alice Bishop is a powerful witch saved by Elenora whom Alice now serves as a secretary, the head of the coven, and is the one who made Nocturne Falls possible.
Birdie Caruthers is a character around whom quite a bit revolves. A werewolf, she’s also the police receptionist and the sheriff’s auntie. Sheriff Hank Merrow, a werewolf, is married to Ivy, another werewolf (The Werewolf Meets His Match, 2). They have two children, Charlie whom Hank adopted and their almost one-year-old daughter, Hannah Rose. Deputy Alex Cruz, a panther shifter, is engaged to Roxy St James, a human paranormal romance writer (The Shifter Romances the Writer, 6). Deputy Jenna Blythe is a valkyrie and Tessa’s sister.
Willa Iscove, a fae jeweler, owns Illusions and is engaged to Nick Hardwin, a gargoyle (The Gargoyle Gets His Girl, 3). Ramona, a brownie, is one of Willa’s employees. Jasper is Willa’s cat. The shops include The I Scream, Hats in the Belfry, and Mummy’s, which is a great diner. Bridget Merrow, Hank and Titus’ sister, is also a werewolf and owns Howler’s, the popular local dive bar. Jolie is one of the servers. Dexter Guildman, a.k.a. the Wrecking Machine, is a former football player (and tiger shifter) with the Atlanta Thrashers, who owns Guildman’s, a menswear store. Potentials were/are Phil Crenshaw who sells insurance and is . . . mediocre, Paolo Mardini, Dennis Prescott, James O’Neill, and Carlos DeMarco. Jayne Frost (Winter princess, Santa’s niece, and Jack Frost’s daughter) runs Santa’s Workshop. Juniper is one of Jayne’s employees. Guillermo’s is a great Italian restaurant. Ivan “Van” Tsvetkov is a dragon shifter, a former MMA fighter, and a good friend of Pandora’s (The Dragon Finds Forever, 7).
Newt Mathers is a minor wizard and frequent visitor to town. Faleena Smalls, a witch with little power, was banished from the American Council of Witches (ACW).
Millersville, Georgia, is . . .
. . . a neighboring town where Oswald’s Auction House is located. Glen Oswald is the manager.
The jaundiced eye is a piece of blood and ash magic.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a bright green background with a frame of flowers. Some of the green includes a few shelves with floral displays and accessories on them. The bottom fourth is a darker green with plenty more flowers. On top of this is a deep blue countertop behind which the blonde Marigold in a deeper green dress is putting together a flower basket. A black cat, Frank the Tank, stands to the right of Marigold on the countertop and stares out at us. On the left is the dark-haired Wyatt in a pale blue button-down shirt and blue jeans standing behind the the series jack-o-lantern perched atop the black post above the brown sign with the series info in a pale yellow. In front of the counter is a tall fern in a white pot. To the right of it is a basket of flowers sitting atop a darker brown box with light brown strapping, Next to it, on a similar box, is a wide shallow blue bowl with three blooms. Next to that is an elaborate book stand with an open book. And next to that is another strapped box with a black witch’s hat with a green ribbon and gold buckle. At the top is white text outlined in a thick black for the title. At the bottom is an info blurb with the author’s name in white with a thick black outline.
The title states the protagonists, The Detective Wins The Witch, but I’m clueless as to how he wins her.
