Guest Post: Five Ingredients for a Magic Cakes Cozy by Rosie Reed

In a flash, she had magic. Can she use it to solve a mysterious death in her family? — Murder At Magic Cakes Cafe (English Village Witch Cozy) by #RosieReed

Five Ingredients for a Magic Cakes Cozy

One murder. (Extra murders are optional, usually around the halfway mark.)

I love a good puzzle and writing my cozies keeps my brain thinking in logical ways. As an author, I have so much fun finding ways to misdirect the reader – ensuring each suspect has plausible means, motives, and opportunities. I love to find a good twist for the end of each book. as this is something I enjoy as a reader. Although my amateur sleuth Evelyn can be a bit clumsy, she always manages to expose the murderer, which redeems her cute bumbling ways.

A sprinkling of magic.

I’ve always loved books and films with a magical element, and I love finding new spells that will help Evelyn get out of the tense situations she finds herself in. I’ve been blessed with a good imagination, and I often let my mind wander to discover fun magical spells and creatures that might feature in the next book. So far I’ve written about witches, vampires, werewolves, griffons, pixies, and zombies. My favourite of Evelyn’s magic spells is the Enhancer spell, which enables her to enhance her hearing and eavesdrop – very useful for helping to solve murders!

I love coming up with the rhymes for the spells. The latest one was the Levitation spell, which goes: With happy thoughts and not much bother, I use this spell to make me hover. Evelyn’s response to being told that one was. “Honestly, who makes up these rhymes? I bet it’s some mediocre writer sitting behind a desk with nothing better to do!”

Rude…

Humour

One of the best/worst reviews I’ve ever read was for Joseph Heller’s Catch 22. The critic said, ‘Apparently the author intends to be funny…’ I’d never compare myself to such a great writer, of course, but I do know that I have a very British sense of humour, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea. I love adding light-hearted lines to my cozies, and I always enjoy watching and listening to comedy for inspiration. As long as it makes me laugh while I’m going back over the manuscript, then the joke stays!

English Village

I’m very sensitive to my surroundings, and I love to celebrate the beauty of nature in my books. I try to add enough description of village landmarks to build a picture of a quaint, charming, and rather innocent place – which is a perfect backdrop for something as serious as murder. I especially love to explore weird English customs, such as Morris Dancing and Cheese Rolling. Only the English could come up with such eccentric traditions!

I’ve lived in sleepy Bath and manic London, so like Evelyn, I know how it feels to move from the hurly-burly of our capital city to the quaint little village of Maiden-Upon-Avon. All my books are set at certain times of the magical year, so there are always themed events, such as the Midsummer festivities, the Halloween party, and the Christmas ball.

Good Characters and a Dash of Romance

It doesn’t matter how wonderful the special effects of the latest Hollywood blockbuster are, if I can’t connect with the characters, then I don’t enjoy the film so much. British films often tend to be more character-focused, because quite frankly we don’t have the budget to do much else! So that’s what I’ve grown up with. The character development in my cozies is what connects me to the books. I am a former romance writer, and I can’t help but tingle with excitement when I’m daydreaming about ways I can get Evelyn and Detective Inspector Taylor together – or keep them apart!

Bonus Ingredient – Tea and Cake

I’m very English. I talk incessantly about the weather, and I love to sit in the garden and drink tea. Sharing a slice of cake with a loved-one and having a good natter, is one of my favourite things to do. For me, happiness is a shady garden, a lovely friend, a great cuppa, and a slice of chocolate cheesecake! That’s truly magical.

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Note from the author: Writing this series kept me sane during the very strange year of 2020. I do hope you’ll enjoy escaping into the beautiful surroundings of Maiden-Upon-Avon and having some fun with Evelyn and all the other magical beings who live there! Each book is set in a different season of the magical year – beginning with spring in Book One. You can enjoy a gentle journey around the village, whilst Evelyn tries to solve the murder. So, treat yourself now by taking the phone off the hook of life, and soaking awhile in the bathtub of the English countryside!

If you sign up for my newsletter today, you can download bonus FREE novella Merrie May Mayhem straight away! Just type this code into your web address bar: bit.ly/Rosiereed

In a flash, she had magic. Can she use it to solve a mysterious death in her family?

Climbing a tree in a thunderstorm was always going to be a stupid idea, but when Evelyn Eldritch is struck by lightning, her magical powers are switched on. And she didn’t even know she was a witch!

When Evelyn learns that her biological mother has died under suspicious circumstances, she makes a journey to the quaint village of Maiden-Upon-Avon, where the residents consist of werewolves, witches, vampires and one annoyingly handsome-yet-gruff policeman. But who should she suspect? Who can she trust?

And if juggling her magical training, her mother’s café, and the town’s eccentric residents wasn’t enough, another body turning up at the local cricket match shows she’s definitely in well over her pointed hat…

Murder at Magic Cakes Café is the first book in the adorable English Village Witch Cozy series, set in the beautiful English countryside. If you love plucky heroines, small-town whodunits, and a touch of retro nostalgia, then you’ll love Rosie Reed’s fun and flirty tale.

Buy Murder at Magic Cakes Café today. It’s simply electrifying!

Purchase Links – Amazon US – Amazon UK

A Little About Me

I love writing, daydreaming, and creating stories. I often write for fun, even when I’m not planning on publishing. But it’s also wonderful to share my stories with you!

I’m a massive Agatha Christie and Terry Pratchett fan, so writing paranormal mystery comes instinctively! I love the understated gentle charm of cozies, and it’s always such a pleasure to spend time in the company of the wonderful sleuths and magical characters that my fellow authors create.

Writing the English Village Witch Cozy series helped to keep me sane during the very strange year of 2020. Evelyn and Alex have done a tremendous job of protecting my mental health, and it’s my pleasure to share this comfort with you.

I do hope you’ll enjoy escaping into the beautiful surroundings of Maiden-Upon-Avon, and having some fun with Evelyn and all the other magical beings who live there! So treat yourself now by taking the phone off the hook of life, and soaking in the bathtub of the English countryside for a while!