Death by a Thousand Sips by Gretchen Rue

Item: Death by a Thousand Sips
Rating: 5
Author: BaronessMom

Posted March 23, 2023 by BaronessMom in #BookishRecipe, Mystery, Review, Series / 0 Comments

Death by a Thousand Sips

by Gretchen Rue

Series: Witches' Brew Mystery #2
Series Rating:

Published by Crooked Lane on September 5, 2023
Setting: Washington
Genres: Cozy Culinary Paranormal Mystery
Pages: 336
Format: Kindle
Source: NetGalley
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Books-A-Million

Phoebe Winchester is back on the case in Raven Creek when a body is discovered at an estate sale in Gretchen Rue’s second book in the Witches’ Brew mystery series, perfect for fans of Laura Childs and Cleo Coyle.

Ever since she moved to Raven Creek, Washington, Phoebe Winchester knew she would have to grow accustomed to having a lot on her plate. She’s beginning to make the Victorian manor she inherited from her dear and adventurous Aunt Eudora feel more like home, successfully running the bookstore and tea shop, The Earl’s Study, and learning to harness her recently discovered magical powers. But when she discovers a dead body at an estate sale—even Phoebe wonders if this is simply too much.

Rumors of Phoebe’s involvement force her to take action; she needs to find the killer and clear her own name, once again. She enlists Rich Lofting, the handsome private detective and her childhood friend, in her investigation, all while she sorts out her unresolved feelings for him. Is there something more sinister lurking in the shadows of this small tight-knit town? And does Phoebe really want to find out?

With a dash of magic, a pinch of sleuthing skills, and a spoonful of friendly assistance, Phoebe needs to uncover the killer to keep Raven Creek safe once again. But if she doesn’t—will she find herself in even more hot water?

Death by a Thousand Sips by Gretchen Rue is a quirky mystery set in the Pacific Northwest.

Will Phoebe figure out who and why Madeline was killed before the culprit comes after her?

Phoebe Winchester

Our sleuth and the main character is Phoebe Winchester. She inherited her aunt Endora’s estate, which includes a lovely house, a local book store, a tea room, and some other real estate. However, she also inherited a somewhat bossy ginger tabby cat named Bob. Phoebe brings Bob to work with her each day.

I like Phoebe. She is growing as a person and a witch. With the help of her new friends, she is finding happiness. Honey helps her with her magic and garden, and Imogen helps her run the business. Rick and Leo help protect her and are there for occasional home projects. I enjoyed seeing the flirtation between her and Rick. Talk about needing to work on their communication. Another thing that I like is the way Phoebe tries to help others find happiness with cats, as she did with Bob.

The Mystery

Well, I saw the initial spotlight on the actual killer, but then the culprit disappeared, except for a few times. However, the who and why blew me away. I was so off on the whole motive and everything. It was fun to see the way that Phoebe followed clues and investigated. Sometimes motive can be as simple as greed.

I will say that the deceased, Mr. Weatherly, was a jerk. The way he disinherited his daughters and their children was wrong. Hopefully, his karma was received at some point, even if it was in the afterlife. His life could have been whole and filled with lots of family time.

Five Stars

I was thoroughly entertained and enjoyed being with Phoebe and her friends. My rating for Death by a Thousand Sips by Gretchen Rue is five stars. I recommend this book to all of you paranormal cozy readers.

Some recipes included: Easiest Sourdough Starter, Cheddar-Jalapeno Sourdough Bread, Homemade Ricotta Cheese, Amy’s Breakfast Hand Pies, and Peach’s Signature Butter Smash Burger.

The First Book

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Death by a Thousand Sips by Gretchen Rue.

Until the next time,

About Gretchen Rue

Gretchen Rue lives in the Canadian prairies, which affords her ample time to read during six months of winter. She plays cat mom to four mostly indifferent fur children, and plant mom to roughly 100 very demanding flora. When she isn’t sipping tea and working on her next novel, she enjoys swimming, hiking, and watching baseball.

**Gretchen Rue also writes as Sierra Dean**

Reading this book contributed to these challenges: