THE SEVENTH WITCH by Shirley Damsgaard

Publisher: Avon
Date published: January 2010
ISBN: 978-006-149347-8
Paranormal, Cozy Mystery
Mass market paperback
Reviewed by Gina
Obtained by Library



Abby, Ophelia and Tink arrive in the mountains where their family has lived for generations to celebrate Great Aunt Mary’s 100th birthday. With their pets safety tucked away with friend Darci, the three generations of Jensen women are looking forward to a relaxing time with their great aunts, aunts and a myriad of cousins. Well sort of. Great Aunt Mary does kind of weird Ophelia out and Abby has a few secrets she hasn’t gotten around to revealing and while Darci is back home busy with work and school she’d rather be with her best friend and well, when you have a family of witches gathering something is bound to pop up, right? And if we’re talking about Ophelia, that is more likely than not going to be a dead body or two or so.

Worse than the dead body is the person everyone thinks may just have something to do with why poor Oscar has crossed to the great beyond. That would be one Sharon Doran a self-proclaimed witch who seems to be casting spells left and right that bring harm to any who cross her path.

Muddling things even further for Ophelia is the appearance of Ethan, aka Cobra, the DEA agent who has helped her out before. The question is, what is he doing so far from Somerset and to her chagrin, more important to Ophelia is his relationship with Sharon. Not that she has any designs on the gray eyed DEA agent. After all, she has a teenaged daughter and her family and her job. What use could Ethan possibly have in her life? Especially when dead bodies are beginning to pop up in the days before the birthday celebration.

I have enjoyed reading Shirley Damsgaard’s Ophelia and Abby mysteries beginning with book 1, Witch Way To Murder. Ms. Damsgaard has crafted Ophelia to grow into her abilities a bit more with each story. Somewhere between book 6, and book 7, THE SEVENTH WITCH Ms. Damsgaard made an amazing leap and wrote one of the most spellbinding books I’ve read in some time. The story was so absorbing I hated having to put the book down. I tried to figure out what made it leap ahead of the others which were good reads I recommend, but couldn’t’ quite put my finger on it. Maybe it was seeing where Abby hailed from or seeing Aunt Dot again, or meeting the cousins, or watching Ophelia go head to head with an evil witch or maybe it was the reappearance of Ethan in her life. Then again, maybe there was simply a magical combination of several aspects that made it an above average read.

I’ve appreciated Ophelia putting first career and then, after adopting Tink, to the forefront of her life. At the same time, I found myself alternatively rooting for Camacho and Ethan to win her heart. Ophelia herself seemed to waffle back and forth between attraction for the two men and business as usual. When Ethan alludes to wanting a bit more than just a passing friendship with Ophelia, Ms. Damsgaard does it so naturally that his simple declaration took my breath away. And when his own secrets begin to unfold you cannot help but smile.

Underlying it all is the wicked Sharon Doran. From the first moment you meet her you can’t wait till she gets her comeuppance. The thing is, you are never quite sure it’s going to happen because in her Ms. Damsgaard creates quite a nasty villain.

Of all the books in this series THE SEVENTH WITCH is hands down the best and I don’t know how Ms. Damsgaard can top it. I guess I’ll just have to wait to see what happens in book 8 which can’t come too soon for me. I’ll be prowling Avon’s and Ms. Damgsgaard's sites looking for the news of its arrival.


THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THIS BOOK. THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE UNBIASED REVIEW

WITCH WAY TO MURDER An Ophelia and Abby Mystery by Shirley Damsgaard

Publisher: Avon Mystery
Date published: August 2005
ISBN: 978-0-06-079348-7
Cozy Mystery with Paranormal overtones
Paperback
Reviewed by Gina



Like her mother, Ophelia Jensen would like to leave a part of her family heritage behind. Unlike her mother, however, Ophelia possesses the skills and powers of that Appalachian/witch heritage. Upset and angry over the one time she relied on those skills and how they failed her, Ophelia has done all she can to leave that part of her life behind. Moving back to Summerset with her dog Lady and cat Queenie, she has buried herself in the safe cocoon of a librarian. Living near her beloved grandmother, Abby and a smidge of vicarious living through her co-worker, the town gossip Darci, Ophelia has come a long way in the healing process following the death of her best friend, Brian. She still blames herself and that her powers couldn’t save him, but she’s gotten back the equilibrium of her life. Until chemical salesman Rick Davis walked into the library and begins to dog her every step. Peppering her with questions about her grandmother, Abby and poking into everyone else’s business Ophelia’s cool begins to crumble. The man asks questions non-stop and it seems every time she turns around, he’s underfoot. It doesn’t help when Abby decides she wants to meet the man Ophelia tries to keep away from her witchy grandmother.

Despite her best efforts to dampen her psychic skills, Ophelia begins to have more and more dreams. Faces and emotions flood into her life along with Rick Davis. At first the idea of trusting Rick is so appalling Ophelia cannot fathom what would possess her grandmother to suggest she do so. It isn’t until she is on the prowl for some answers and Rick is clobbered that she realizes maybe he is one of the good guys. And, it’s appearing the quiet little town of Sommerset has more going on under the surface that Ophelia could ever have anticipated.

WITCH WAY TO MURDER is the first of the Ophelia and Abby cozy mystery series by Shirley Damsgaard and it hooked me from page one. With a great blend of a mystery and the paranormal with some well placed humor and comedic moments courtesy of Darci and the hint of romance, this book keeps the reader turning the pages wondering what will happen next. Ophelia’s dilemma of tamping down her psychic abilities while at the same time recognizing her need and at times desire, to use them, is well done. The reader has a strong sense of just what that push-me-pull-me set of emotions feels like. Abby is the kind of grandmother we’d all like to have, except when she’s telling us what we don’t want to hear—in Ophelia’s case, to learn to use her abilities. The chemistry between Ophelia and Rick is great and I hope in future books we see more of their almost-there romantic fencing. They had just the right amount of spice to make the mystery even better. Actually, make that mysteries because Ms. Damsgaard offers a marvelous blend of several braided into a fabulous read.

While Lady, the dog was fun and added to the story, it was Queenie, the cat I really enjoyed. More likely than not it is because I’m a cat person and Ms. Damsgaard hit the nail on the head with Queenie’s behaviors.

There were times at the beginning of the story, especially around Brian’s death, I felt like I’d landed in the middle of the book. So much so I re-checked the others in the series to be sure I’d started with book 1.

There is some excellent humor around Darci’s role as the town gossip and when other sides of her personality are revealed it is well done. The mystery is nicely done because you want to point the finger at some characters and are sure others aren’t involved only to find out you are completely off the path.

As a bibliophile myself, I admit to a bit of envy that Ophelia works in a library and I look forward to more of this series.

WITCH HUNT by Shirley Damsgaard

An Ophelia and Abby Mystery
Publisher: Avon Mystery
Date Published: May 2007
ISBN: 978-0061147111
Cozy Mystery with Paranormal overtones
Paperback
Reviewed by Gina



Back home in Summerset, Iowa, Tink is settling into her life with Ophelia Jensen. She’s got a best friend, Nel, is getting ready for her 8th grade graduation dance and learning how to control her psychic abilities. As not just a medium, but a powerful one, her former guardians had really no idea how to guide her. Worse than that, at least one of them tried to use her talents for their own nefarious ends. With Abby’s steady hand and Ophelia’s encouragement, now safe in a happy and stable home, Tink is coming into her own.

Did I say stable? Well, sure. Of course. As stable as a witch and psychic’s home can be with various energies and with Tink’s arrival, ghosts can be. Abby is unflappable. Drawing on her wisdom from her Appalachian wise woman roots she continues to guide Ophelia and now Tink. And for a change, it isn’t Ophelia who finds a dead body. Well, not really. This time it’s Darci’s favorite cousin, Becca, who has come for Darci’s birthday that is in the center of the maelstrom of death and violence. After picking up a bad news biker at Darci’s birthday bash, Becca is found over the biker’s body, bloody knife in hand. Sheriff Bill warns Ophelia to stay out of it – and she really tries to, especially when Tink is the butt of the popular 3M’s taunting at school. Three 8th grade girls, all with names starting with an M which fits with just how mean they can be. Try as she might, Ophelia finds herself pulled into the murder investigation, drawn by Darci’s desire to help her cousin and a Ouiji board brought to a party by the M’s.

WITCH HUNT was, as have been all of Shirley Damsgaard’s Ophelia and Abby mysteries, a delight to read. With each book another layer of Ophelia’s skills is revealed. The addition of Tink could have sent the series down the path of a wanna be young adult or one of those books with precocious teens who are just too cute for words, at least to the author. Ms. Damsgaard does a fantastic job of giving her readers not only a teen coming into her own, but ads the layer of a psychic one at that. The melding of growing up and learning about her skills and all they bring with them—like attracting ghosts who won’t leave—is entertaining and heart warming. It also ads to the mystery of who-done-it.

T.P., the puppy foisted on Ophelia as well could have turned into an annoying creature. He did not. Ms. Damsgaard has “puppydom” down to a science and his antics were entertaining when they could have easily been contrived. And kudos to Queenie for tolerating the puppy!

I pretty much figured out who the cop and bad guy were early on. Ms. Damsgaard does have a formula to her writing and once you see the pattern it’s pretty easy to pick out. While this could detract from the story, in this author’s case, it does not because there are several intriguing threads to each one. Watching Ophelia, and now Tink, develop their abilities and their personalities grow and change in each book is enjoyable. They aren’t stagnant, two-dimensional characters. They present like real people who grow and develop and don’t always like the hand they’ve been dealt. Seeing the changes in Darci’s personality, especially in her relationship with Danny, adds to the enjoyment of the read.

What I particularly like about Ms. Damsgaard’s books is that they are perfect for a weekend read. Be it a day at the beach or snuggled up on a rainy day, they are just right. One of my favorite things to do is to start one on a Saturday morning and read it through the day—it’s not that hard to read one in a day because it’s an easy and entertaining read. With two more to go in the series, I can’t wait for 2010 when the next book will come out. But I’ve got two more to enjoy before dealing with the dearth of Damsgaard entertainment.

THE WITCHES GRAVE by Shirley Damsgaard

Publisher: Avon Mystery
Date published: December 2008
ISBN: 978-0-06-149434-0
Cozy Mystery with Paranormal overtones
Paperback
Reviewed by Gina





In this latest installment of Ophelia and Abby’s series, it is once again Ophelia who becomes the target in perhaps the most insidious murder mystery to date. The story opens with Ophelia recalling a series of dreams where she’s with a most amazing man. He takes her breath away but he’s no one she knows. It’s not Ned her reporter friend, Rick Delaney who readers met in book 1, WITCH WAY TO MURDER, cautious DCI investigator Camacho or the enigmatic DEA agent Ethan. No, this is someone new. Spiffed up for a library fund raiser, a matter she feels strongly about, Ophelia is quite surprised when the man from her dreams suddenly appears.
Without losing a beat he asks her to walk with him and Ophelia agrees. To her surprise he is an author, although not one she’s familiar with either under his pen or real names. What she does know is she is so very drawn to this man and in moments is kissing him. But not for long because moments later a shot rings out and a bullet pierces Stephen’s heart. A distraught Ophelia is brought home and rather than respite within her comfortable four walls, the dreams come fast and furious. Bit by bit she accepts Abby and Darci’s assessment—the dreams are of a past life. But which of the men in that life is Stephen? And what was he to her?
THE WITCHES GRAVE was the least interesting of this series for me. It felt rushed, disjointed and almost as if the author had run out of steam and needed to find some sort of direction to go. Tink was easily dealt with the focus being a murder attempt on Ophelia. Rather than have Tink and Abby become collateral damage, Tink is sent off to Aunt Mary’s in the Appalachians. Despite the fact Tink has long awaited this trip, she resists going. Instead of the long planned trip for Aunt Mary’s birthday, which could have been and might still be its own murder mystery, Tink now makes the trip.
As usual, when the murder, or in this case the attempt, happens, Ophelia decides to take some vacation time from the library to deal with her personal business. The series spans three to our years, with each book about six months apart in Ophelia’s life. I wish I had half as many vacation days as Ophelia does with her five to six years working in the library or could take them on the spur of the moment like she does.
The reincarnation theme was interesting and I liked how Ms. Damsgaard linked events and people to present day situations. I felt it could have been done a bit better—the dream sequences seemed muddled into the middle of the story and while past life flashbacks may occur in that fashion, in reading a book you need a bit more separation. One thing I did notice is that this book is about 30-40 pages shorter than the others coming in at 262 pages. While it may have told the story that needed to be told, it was lacking in several areas. I have to wonder if Ms. Damsgaard had written the 300 or so pages seen in the other books if this one would have been more satisfying.
That said I am looking forward to the next book in the series and am sorry I will have to wait almost a year to catch up with Ophelia and Abby.

THE WITCH IS DEAD by Shirley Damsgaard

Publisher: Avon Mystery
Date Published: August 2007
ISBN: 978-0-06-114723-4
Cozy Mystery with Paranormal overtones
Paperback
Reviewed by Gina




Life is good for Ophelia Jensen and her little family. Tink, her foster, soon to be adopted, daughter is enjoying life in Summerset, Iowa. Ophelia has pretty much accepted her psychic skills although at times she still feels some of the frustration that goes with having a piece but not knowing the whole story. Helping Tink to develop her own has definitely played a part in that acceptance. With Darci’s…help…Ophelia has become more outgoing and “discovered” makeup! She’s even gone on a few dates. What more can someone who enjoys a peaceful, routine, easy going life ask for? Not much. So when Darci springs her latest idea on Ophelia she wants none of it. Darci’s latest idea? Speed dating.
Try as she might to avoid it, Ophelia ends up corralled into the event and to her surprise meets a good looking and intelligent doctor. He begins his courtship at the same time Abby’s Aunt Dot arrives in town for a visit. A quirky 90-something who sees fairies, Aunt Dot has come to Iowa for a little adventure. Ophelia has had enough adventure to last a lifetime and right now wants to focus on getting everything set straight for Tink’s adoption. With Darci returning to school and a new part-time assistant named Gert in the library, really an adventure is simply not needed. Aunt Dot, however, gets her wish when the family goes camping and Tink’s puppy, T.P. returns with a skull.
With Tink’s adoption just around the corner, Ophelia really needs to have a calm, cool and collected life. The skull and Tink’s dreams aren’t happening at a convenient time. At least Aunt Dot’s pre-occupation with fairies can be explained. Right?
THE WITCH IS DEAD is book five of Shirley Damsgaard’s Ophelia and Abby Mysteries. Tink is a typical—realistic—teen with the ups, downs, angst and joys of being a teen. Add to that normal blend of growing up the fact that she is a medium you have an interesting character. Rather than turning Tink into a caricature, she is very true to life and likeable.
Aunt Dot is something else again. I think we all have an Aunt Dot in our family—you know, the relative who no matter what you say or do always brings the subject back to his or her favorite one. As a reader I felt the same growing annoyance with her constantly returning to her chats with fairies as Ophelia and Abby did. I totally related to Abby needing to get a break from Aunt Dot even though you could also see in the book she cared deeply for her aging relative. Ophelia says it best when she reflects on whether or not Aunt Dot relies on her fairies as a way of living with her particular psychic gift. I related to the characters’ experience with Aunt Dot on several levels, not the least of which was my father always talked about his glory days as a test pilot. We thought he made it up. We all did. When he died we found out he really was a test pilot.
THE WITCH IS DEAD is a murder mystery. A cozy, but a murder mystery and that means someone has to die. Ms. Damsgaard wrote this story prior to its release in 2007 and the story line of the mortician engaging in less than honorable activities had to have been difficult to write. I wondered how Ms. Damsgaard felt when this recent season on Ghost Whisperer there was, in addition to the walk in story line seen in Jennifer Cloud and Regan Taylor’s Her Eyes which was released in 2007, saw an almost exact story line show up on the television show. Ms. Damsgard’s take and outcome was far more satisfactory. She knows how to tell a good story.
I really like this series. It’s perfect for a weekend read. The characters are fun, very much like people you know. I definitely encourage readers to check her out.

THE TROUBLE WITH WITCHES by Shirely Damsgaard

Publisher: Avon Mystery
Date published: August 2006
ISBN: 978-0-06-079358-6
Cozy Mystery with Paranormal overtones
Paperback
Reviewed by Gina




Despite her inclination not to do so, Ophelia Jensen agreed to take a look at some photographs of a missing man Henry Comacho has brought to her. Try as she might, all she picks up are a few odd images of a field and some crows. What she doesn’t tell Comacho is about the bones beneath the crows. Her disappointment at not being able to help Henry is quickly set aside when Rick Delaney re-enters her life after months of silence.

Rick hasn’t shown up in her life just because he’s missed her though. He’s got a missing teen he wants Ophelia to use her psychic skills to find. This one Ophelia feels a connection to—a sensitive teen who doesn’t fit in. The more Ophelia hears about the missing Brandi, the more drawn to her she becomes. With Abby in tow, Ophelia heads off to the lake where Brandi was last seen. Despite her telling Darci she cannot join in this investigation, the indomitable blond follows Ophelia and Abby to Gunhammer Lake where her friendly style and outgoing personality lead the group from Summerset into situations they never dreamed of including the release of a demon. As each stone is unturned, a deeper mystery unfolds – is young Tink a truly spooky young lady or is someone manipulating her? Who is the man with the shocking orange hair who haunts the woods around the cabin the Summerset women are staying in? Is Ophelia ill or is there something in the air that is causing her to crumble? The longer they stay, the more desperate the killer becomes.


THE TROUBLE WITH WITCHES is the third book in the Ophelia and Abby Mystery series by Shirley Damsgaard. Taking the women out of their home base in Summerset is an interesting twist, enabling them to rely more on their psychic skills than picking up news from the neighbors. Henry Comacho was such a powerful force in CHARMED TO DEATH, his brief appearance left me missing him and wanting more of a story for him. Rick Delaney, who now has a fiancé by the way, is a fun character, but not necessarily the steamy sort of hero I see in Henry. There is just something compelling about Comacho that I hope we see more of in future books.

That said, how rude of Rick to go and get himself engaged! Although his reference to having you re-evaluate your life after almost being killed leads me to think maybe the unseen girlfriend may soon disappear. Will Ophelia one day be called upon to decide between the two? And I don’t mean in a romantic way, but that one will live and one will die?

I found it an interesting character study that Ophelia could pickup more than a few basic impressions on both Tink and Brandi, while the man Comacho searches for gave her only bones and crows. It is yet another layer of the growth and development Ms. Damsgaard gives to the younger heroine in her series. Her care for Abby and their friends is an integral part of the character that fleshes Ophelia out.

The lake, despite the deaths and tragedies that occur around it, seems like the kind of place I’d like to head off to enjoy. Peaceful, quiet, relaxing, a blissful environment away from daily cares and woes. The way Ms. Damsgaard entwines the mysteries of the murders and missing Brandi with the energy of the lake and environs is well done.

I had a bit of a struggle with the demon aspect of the story. Up until that thread was introduced I could believe each psychic event that occurred. Even Walks Quietly’s astral projecting is a credible aspect.

The Ophelia and Abby series is quickly becoming a favorite.

CHARMED TO DEATH *Ophelia and Abby Mystery, book 2* by Shirely Damsgaard

Publisher: Avon Mystery
Date Published: March 2006
ISBN: 978-0-06-079353-1
Cozy Mystery with Paranormal overtones
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Gina


On the heels of solving her first murder and beginning to come to terms with her heritage and psychic abilities, Ophelia Jensen finally begins to join the world of the truly living. Making friends, having fun, slowing but surely healing from the death of her best friend, Brian five years before. While she and Rick Davis (Delaney) communicate on and off, the reporter has returned to his life in the big city. All is well and life is smooth. Well almost.

Grandmother Abby is in the middle of trying to block a hogging operation from moving into Summerset. In fact, almost everyone in town is against the big business putting down roots near the town. In between demonstrating against the corporation, Abby maintains her business and lessons with Ophelia. When Ophelia and Darci leave town for a few days to attend a librarians conference, Abby encourages her granddaughter to look into Brian’s murder. Maybe now she will find the answers she seeks. On a break in the conference activities, Ophelia ventures to the police department, at first relieved that nemesis Henry Comacho has moved on, only to find out he’s still involved in finding Brian’s murderer.

Five years ago Comacho questioned Ophelia over and over about the murder, certain she was hiding something. Although what she was hiding wasn’t quite what he expected, he once again begins his pursuit into her secrets. When Ophelia ends up in the middle of another murder investigation he is more certain than ever she knows more than she is saying.

CHARMED TO DEATH is the second book in the Ophelia and Abby mystery series by Shirley Damsgaard. It is a delight to see changes and growth in characters from book to book. In CHARMED TO DEATH it is not only Ophelia whose character is a bit stronger and more self-confident. Abby as well has some changes including a romantic relationship that may or may not make up for what appears to be a decline in her psychic abilities. Lady and Queenie are back but not as present in this book as they were in WITCH WAY TO MURDER. As an animal person I enjoy books that show them in their natural element and behaving true to their species. Ms. Damsgaard has it down pat including how they act and react during a thunder storm. What makes the storm intriguing is what Ophelia sees in a flash of lightening. A great touch.

Comacho is compelling. As a character I felt quite drawn to him and wanted to see a bit of a romantic connection between him and Ophelia although what he offers her at the end of CHARMED TO DEATH has endless possibilities for future investigations that I cannot wait to dig in to.

It was pretty clear to me who the villain was from just about the moment he was introduced. I kept trying to pretend it wasn’t this character so that I could stay involved in the story and try to solve the crime with Ophelia, but it didn't work. The way his twisted reasoning unfolds is interesting and pretty true to form. It was done fairly well, there just wasn’t much suspense.

This is one of those series with unlimited potential and it appears Ms. Damsgaard is more than up to the challenge.