Book Review: A Familiar Tail by Delia James

Unlucky-in-love artist Annabelle Britton decides that a visit to the seaside town of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is the perfect way to get over her problems. But when she stumbles upon a smoky gray cat named Alastair, and follows him into a charming cottage, Annabelle finds herself in a whole spellbook full of trouble.

Suddenly saddled with a witch's wand and a furry familiar, Annabelle soon meets a friendly group of women who use their spells, charms, and potions to keep the people of Portsmouth safe. But despite their gifts, the witches can’t prevent every wicked deed in town....

Soon, the mystery surrounding Alistair’s former owner, who died under unusual circumstances, grows when another local turns up dead. Armed with magic, friends, and the charmed cat who adopted her more than the other way around, Annabelle sets out to paw through the evidence and uncover a killer.[summary via Amazon]

I absolutely debut mysteries that are instant loves! Delia James' A Familiar Tail is the perfect example of this. Within the first few pages I instantly fell in love with this story and knew it was one series that I would be eagerly awaiting the second book! 

In this first book in the series, we meet Annabelle, the human and soon-to-be witch, and Alistair, cat and her soon-to-be familiar. From their first appearance together I was mesmerized by their interactions together, and this village, where magic is very much alive! As the story develops, the reader learns more about Annabelle's magical family and the other witches in town. I loved learning more about each character, and what they added to the investigation.

The sleepy seaside town of Portsmouth is anything but quiet and there is plenty of action to satisfy every mystery reader. The mystery itself was a tangled weave, that I didn't quite have solved before Annabelle. I suspect, however, Alistair, had it solved long before us!!!

If you're a fan of magical mysteries, such as those by Ellery Adams and Heather Blake, you need to be adding Delia James to your must-read list. With the killer combination of magic and cats, this series is sure going to be a favorite amongst many readers!

Buy A Familiar Tail by Delia James at Amazon.