Spotlight Scandal by Stella Bixby

Ellie is settling into her new town. Not everything is going smoothly but she is happy in Cliff Haven. She's even going to have the last line in the Christmas play! If she can manage to get it out, that is. And if the curse doesn't strike. There was a young lady who died (or was murdered, depending on who you talk to) during a play years ago. And there's one that dies in this one as well. 

With star frenemies in town, there is a lot going on. Not all of it made sense but it was an enjoyable book as Ellie tries to figure out who killed one Hollywood starlet and framed another. This is while dealing with discovering a magical cousin and trying to figure out how to use her magical powers.

Three stars

This book came out May 11, 2021

Follows Bowling Blunder

Followed by Tango Trouble

Ebook borrowed from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Bowling Blunder by Stella Bixby

Ellie didn't grow up with a lot of friends but she is slowly building a community in her new town. She's got her group of older ladies that run and take her yoga classes. She's also got Bex who she works with at the diner. Slowly but surely, she is making a place for herself. Yes, there are still people who accuse her of being a witch (her hair changes color/style with her emotions) but she knows that she wants to stay. It's just too bad that there's been another murder. This time at the local bowling alley. 

Ellie's ex-boyfriend's fiancee (yep), Samantha, is still in town and trying to argue that his property should go to her instead of the man's mother (he died in the previous book in this series.) Samantha is also a part of a bachelorette weekend that is somehow also in this same small town. It is one of the bridesmaids who gets murdered.

Is the mystery solution a little convoluted? Yes. Is the magic starting to get a little wild (we meet Xander, a warlock, in this book)? Yes. Am I going to keep reading this series? Heck yes. I want to see where it goes.

Three stars

This book came out March 16, 2021

Follows Downward Death

Followed by Spotlight Scandal

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Downward Death by Stella Bixby

I grabbed this book as a part of the Romance Bookworms highlighting various free books. I don't love the cover but it was actually a pretty fun book. 

Told in the first person, we learn about Elle Vanderwick. She doesn't know much about her family but she is ecstatic to learn about her grandmother. Too bad she died right before Elle gets into town. It seems that she might have been able to tell Elle a bit more about herself, including who her father was and why her hair changes with her emotions. She also might have been able to tell Elle more about the man who is dead in her cornfield.

This book follows some familiar beats but I enjoyed the way Bixby subverted the usual love triangle between Elle's ex and the handsome man who used to help her grandmother around the house.

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 19, 2021

Followed by Bowling Blunder

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own