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I was given a signed, personalized copy of paranormal romance Some Practical Magic as a Christmas gift; I believe that my Auntie is acquainted with the author. The book is published by a small press in trade paperback format, which I appreciate, as I have tendonitis issues that make reading mass market paperbacks difficult.
Novelist Mick Sandor is horrified to learn that a serial killer is using his novels as a blueprint; he quickly agrees to work with the FBI to bring the killer to justice. Their idea is to organize a book tour using the locations in Mick's latest novel to lure the killer. Other authors, including advice columnist Cassie Hathorne, are included as window-dressing. Mick hardly expects to fall for Cassie during the tour; he's supposed to be helping catch a killer, fercryinoutloud!
This book takes the basic premise of a serial killer patterning his killings after the work of a horror novelist -- which I've seen done a few times elsewhere -- and injects witches into it (hence the "paranormal" in "paranormal romance"). As in Bewitched, these witches aren't human, but a different, long-lived species, most of whom don't look with favor upon homo sapiens. Unfortunately, the author takes the Bewitched route of making her witches faintly ridiculous with names like Medusa, Mortician Morula (called Mort), and Mandrake Tod. Cassie's shape-shifting (cat/woman) familiar is even named Endora, with the lame explanation that Cassie was a staff writer for the television series and lobbied for Samantha's mother to be named after her cat.
The novel takes the romance half of its plot from Bewitched as well, with witch Cassie Hathorne falling for mortal Mick. Fortunately for them, Cassie's mother is much more reasonable than was Bewitched's Endora. Also fortunately, unlike Darrin who insisted that Samantha conform to his world, modern-guy Mick has no such expectations.
Despite the hokiness of the plot, the writing is good -- nothing made me wince, which can't always be said of some of today's biggest authors. I do think some of the novel's resolutions were achieved a little too easily, but is that a fault of the author or the genre?
The ending sets up a sequel which appears to center around Endora (the cat, not the television character) and may not include Mick and Cassie at all.
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webofbooks
Novelist Mick Sandor is horrified to learn that a serial killer is using his novels as a blueprint; he quickly agrees to work with the FBI to bring the killer to justice. Their idea is to organize a book tour using the locations in Mick's latest novel to lure the killer. Other authors, including advice columnist Cassie Hathorne, are included as window-dressing. Mick hardly expects to fall for Cassie during the tour; he's supposed to be helping catch a killer, fercryinoutloud!
This book takes the basic premise of a serial killer patterning his killings after the work of a horror novelist -- which I've seen done a few times elsewhere -- and injects witches into it (hence the "paranormal" in "paranormal romance"). As in Bewitched, these witches aren't human, but a different, long-lived species, most of whom don't look with favor upon homo sapiens. Unfortunately, the author takes the Bewitched route of making her witches faintly ridiculous with names like Medusa, Mortician Morula (called Mort), and Mandrake Tod. Cassie's shape-shifting (cat/woman) familiar is even named Endora, with the lame explanation that Cassie was a staff writer for the television series and lobbied for Samantha's mother to be named after her cat.
The novel takes the romance half of its plot from Bewitched as well, with witch Cassie Hathorne falling for mortal Mick. Fortunately for them, Cassie's mother is much more reasonable than was Bewitched's Endora. Also fortunately, unlike Darrin who insisted that Samantha conform to his world, modern-guy Mick has no such expectations.
Despite the hokiness of the plot, the writing is good -- nothing made me wince, which can't always be said of some of today's biggest authors. I do think some of the novel's resolutions were achieved a little too easily, but is that a fault of the author or the genre?
The ending sets up a sequel which appears to center around Endora (the cat, not the television character) and may not include Mick and Cassie at all.
Cross-posted to
webofbooks
