As Halloween approaches, horror as a genre increases in popularity to match the spooky season, but it’s not the only book genre that can help readers embrace the fall. For the horror-avoidant, cozy mysteries such as Bait and Witch by Angela M. Sanders can be the perfect genre to fall into.
Josie Way is on the run when she arrives at Wilfred, a small town in Oregon. She, along with another coworker, is a whistleblower who exposed the Senator’s Chief of Staff, Richard White, of his corrupt dealings with Bondwell, an aeronautics company. When her coworker disappears without a trace, she panics and leaves her job at the Library of Congress, fleeing across the country to take a job at the Wilfred local library.
However, she quickly realizes that her temporary home is in danger and discovers strange new abilities that connect her to the books in an inexplicable way. Just how much power this newfound magic of hers can do is never fully explored, but she can hear the books as if they’re talking to her, can recommend the perfect book for anyone, and random books begin appearing in front of her, no matter what she does to get rid of them. These abilities seemed to have come from nowhere, but there also appeared to be a connection between the magic and her star-shaped birthmark.
As she explores this magic and her family’s history which just might relate to it, she also struggles to find a solution to the problems faced by her temporary home. The library is facing trouble, with some people attempting to tear it down and rebuild a retreat center in its place. Additionally, a walk in the woods leads her to an even more frightening discovery: a murder of a strange woman has taken place. Immediately, Josie panics, a single question on her mind. Could this murder possibly be related to her and the people she’s convinced are after her?
This book might be a murder mystery, but it’s just as—if not more—focused on Josie’s magic and the drama of Wilfred and its library. Despite only being in the town for a few days, as Josie adjusts to life, she gets to know the townspeople and asks them questions that get her closer to solving the mystery. From their whereabouts on the day of the murder to general secrets, each character is expanded upon bit by bit until they’re fleshed out. Being the first book in a series of six, however, not everyone is as developed, leaving something to look forward to in the rest of the series. With a cat by her side, Josie is confident she can do it all: save Wilfred and uncover the secrets within the town and herself.
Bait and Witch can lose the murder mystery theme a little as even some characters claim they almost forgot a murder had occurred. But for readers looking to break away from the horror of the season and focus on something that features community and the discovery of true identity, this is a choice as light-hearted as a murder mystery can be, one that captures the essence of fall.
