Brownies and Broomsticks

A Magical Bakery Mystery, Book 1

By: Bailey Cates

Narrated by: Johanna Parker

Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

While working at the Honeybee Bakery - named after Lucy's cat - 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!

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 a few spells, Katie and Aunt Lucy stir up some toil and trouble to clear Ben's name and find the real killer....

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2012 Penguin Group USA (Inc.) (P)2013 Tantor

First person narrative problem

I enjoyed the book for most of the story. However a first person story presupposes two items: (1) the narrator can’t die so you know from the first sentence that no matter how deadly the situation is they will still be alive, and (2) the narrator can’t have amnesia— other wise they couldn’t tell the most dramatic part of the story. The author fails on this last point. The book needs at least a postscript explaining how or when the narrator got their memory back.

The reader of the Audible book did a very good job.

Funny story

overall performance and story was really good.
I enjoyed it, I just am not into some of the practices talked about in the book because of my "religious* views

Cute cozy fiction

A nice light listen that doesn’t require tons of attention- feel good fiction. A little like a hallmark channel movie in print. I really like Bailey Cates.

I was wrong!

I was very reluctant to use a credit on this. Oh, just another cute bakery and witches story. I throughly enjoyed the book. It's an easy listen, moves along very well. Do not buy it if you want sex, profanity, blood and gore. IT WAS FUN!

It was ok

This was an entertaining book with a good plot and well written characters. The book seemed to follow a formula. New woman in town, two men for a love interest, someone she cares about is in trouble, she vows to solve the crime. It all of the points, but I didn't get pulled into the book. On the surface it was okay, but it lacked depth. I might listen to the next one if it is offered on audible. Also, there are supposed to be recipes in the book. When I went to the tantor website I was not able to access the recipes.

Fun and addictive

What did you like best about Brownies and Broomsticks? What did you like least?

I am not into witchcraft but I do love cooking. This was a fun way to making baking seem more magical than it is. The characters are fun and easy to like and the author has good descriptions without being verbose. They aren't intellectual but if you want a little mystery, some magic, some romance it's a fantastic listen. I've listened to everything in the series thus far and can't wait for the authors new series to make it to audible.

Would you recommend Brownies and Broomsticks to your friends? Why or why not?

Absolutely! Easy and fun.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes.

Quick fun read!

I love Johanna Parker! She does a great job narrating! This book is not very long but it is fun and is a good introduction book! Great descriptions of Savannah and food!

Super Cute

This was a fun book. The performance was great, and she really seemed to get into the characters and enjoy narrating them. There were a few plot twists that surprised me, which was nice. I can't wait to read the next in the series.

Love this book! Such sweet narration and story!

Super fun book! A little break from the serious long novels and really enjoyed this book. The narrator is great and gave the book a wonderful tone.

Great.

I loved it. Great to listen to while working. Great store and voice actor. p