#3 Charms and Chocolate Chips
November, 2013
Between brewing magically spiced treats at Honeybee Bakery and volunteering with a local conservation group, Katie Lightfoot barely has time to see her firefighter boyfriend, Declan McCarthy, much less delve further into her destiny as a witch. But avoiding her fate won’t be as easy as whipping up a new recipe—especially when Katie finds herself once again mixed up in murder.
Autumn Bowles, a fellow volunteer for the conservation group, is found dead, and Katie’s mystical senses tell her that there’s more to the death than meets the eye. Her suspicions are confirmed when members of her coven are targeted next. Katie will have to embrace her powers quickly…or she may find herself chewed up and spit out by some serious black magic.
#2 Bewitched, Bothered and Biscotti
December 31, 2012.
As a new witch—not to mention owner of Savannah’s most enchanting bakery—Katie Lightfoot is still getting used to casting spells, brewing potions, and mastering her magical powers. But that doesn’t mean she can’t find time to enjoy a picnic with firefighter Declan McCarthy…until she stumbles upon a corpse.
The dead man’s tattoo reveals he was a member of a secret society—and it turns out he's missing an object that was very important to the group. When Katie learns the killer was after more than the man's life, she and her Aunt Lucy leave the baked goods on the rack to cool and set off in hot pursuit of a killer.
#1 Brownies and Broomsticks
Katie Lightfoot's tired of loafing around as the assistant manager of an Ohio bakery. So when her Aunt Lucy and Uncle Ben open a bakery in Savannah's quaint downtown district and ask Katie to join them, she enthusiastically agrees.
In the Honeybee Bakery - named after Lucy's orange tabby - Katie notices that her aunt is adding mysterious herbs to her recipes. Turns out these herbal enhancements aren't just tasty - Aunt Lucy is a witch and her recipes are actually spells!
But when a curmudgeonly customer is murdered outside the Honeybee Bakery, Uncle Ben becomes the prime suspect. With the help of handsome journalist Steve Dawes, charming firefighter Declan McCarthy, and the few spells, Katie and Aunt Lucy will stir up some toil and trouble to clear Ben's name and find the real killer...
"Savory and suspenseful, Brownies and Broomsticks introduces Katie Lightfoot, a sassy new heroine, to the world of cozy mysteries. Katie is a charming amateur sleuth, baking her way through murder and magic set against the enchanting backdrop of Savannah, Georgia. With an intriguing plot and an amusing cast of characters, Brownies and Broomsticks is an attention grabbing read that I couldn't put down." - Jenn McKinlay, National Bestselling Author of the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries
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"Let Cates cast her spell over you with this charming debut series entry that brings in the paranormal but never forgets the warmth that cozy readers often request. Solving crimes using witchcraft might not be to everyone's taste, but it's hard to argue with these recipes. Cates also writes as Cricket McRae. Share with readers who like Juliet Blackwell's "Witchcraft" series. -- Library Journal
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“Cates is a smooth, accomplished writer who combines a compelling plot with a cast of interesting characters that are diverse and engaging without falling into simplistic stereotypes…A charming addition to the food based-cozy mystery repertoire, while the story’s magical elements bring a fun, intriguing dimension to the genre.”—Kirkus Reviews
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“Cates delivers a tale of magic and mayhem…The mystery plot will have readers guessing ‘whodunit’ all the way to the very end…A great read.”—RT Book Reviews
