Not attracting attention in Willowbark is a little hard to do when your inherited apothecary shop is brimming with magic, your cat might be a dragon, and someone just turned up dead in the middle of the Halloween festival . . . inside one of the decorative cauldrons. Festive, right?
Add in local witches, vampires with attitude problems, and a coven watching my every move, and yeah—blending in isn’t exactly going well.
I’m Aurora Hart. Middle-aged apothecary. Occasional spellcaster. Reluctant untangler of magical messes. I came back to Willowbark thinking I’d heal some hearts, keep my head down, and maybe brew a few calming teas. Instead, I’m knee-deep in a murder, a centuries-old pact no one wants to talk about, and a broody stranger whose very presence seems to be ticking someone off in a very murdery way.
The town may look quaint, but don’t let the cinnamon-sugar smiles fool you—magic here is hidden for a reason. And someone’s willing to kill to bring it to light.
I’m a big fan of cozy witchy mysteries, so I went into this book expecting exactly that—but I got much more! This is the first book in the Witches Of Willowbark Cozy Mystery series, and the story follows FMC Aurora as she settles into Willowbark—a hidden supernatural town where witches, vampires, and humans live alongside one another. It reminded me a bit of Mystic Falls from The Vampire Diaries, but with witchy vibes. There’s a central whodunnit murder mystery after a man is found “seemingly killed” by a vampire and marked by a mysterious symbol. But the heart of the book is Aurora’s journey of self-discovery, overcoming her self-doubt, and yearning to find a place where she belongs, which I found very relatable.
Despite being just 184 pages, the story packs in a good amount of world-building, memorable characters, and twists and turns. And trope lovers will find a lot to love—fish out of water protagonist, amateur sleuthing, found family, magical apothecary, magical familiar, and even a Halloween festival, perfect for a spooky season read!
The entire book is told through Aurora’s first-person POV, and her authenticity made her so easy to get invested in from the very start. She comes from a long line of witches and has inherited her late grandmother’s apothecary. There are scenes throughout the story where she needs guidance, and remembering her grandmother’s words brings her comfort, which I found so heartwarming.
After arriving in Willowbark, she not only feels like a fish out of water, but also like a bit of a fraud as a witch because she can’t even get the simplest spells from her grandmother’s grimoire to work. She becomes very frustrated with herself, and I empathized with her and was rooting for her. The story quickly introduces several of the quirky townsfolk, including Maeve Muskberry, one of the only people who truly welcomes Aurora and shows her kindness, as well as more cliquey, judgmental witches who warn her to watch who she associates with.
One of the main threads of the story involves Aurora being summoned to join the town’s prestigious Nightshade Coven, where she’ll have to prove not only her magical abilities but also her willingness to follow the coven’s rigid rules. I loved how she questioned things, and there’s a conflict of interest once she begins her own amateur sleuthing into the murder she discovers. The authors do a wonderful job balancing the mystery with Aurora’s journey from self-doubt to growing confidence and self-acceptance.
I also loved so many of the secondary characters, who were just as charming as Aurora. My favorite was Floofs (aka Bertrand Firefeather The Almighty), a pompous shapeshifting cat-dragon who never stopped being entertaining. Maeve, her lively Italian Nonna witch, and their animated family also bring so much warmth and humor to every scene they appear in—and I imagine we’ll see much more of them throughout the series. Other intriguing characters like Verity Blackthorn, the Nightshade Coven messenger, the mysterious “vampire” Bethany Foxglove, and Hedwig Leclerc, who seemed almost too nice and showed up at opportune moments, all had me questioning their motives.
There’s also a subtle romantic subplot between Aurora and visiting historian Connor Griffin, who hasn’t got a clue that she’s a witch or what’s really happening in Willowbark. They have a palpable chemistry, and I imagine their relationship may evolve more in future books. With so much going on, there was never a dull moment, and I thought the authors did a great job weaving together so many different elements while still leaving room for future character growth, relationship development, and expanding the world-building.
The short chapters also help make this book an ideal binge read. There’s suspense throughout, but the final 25% really ramps up the tension as Aurora and Maeve find themselves in a race against time, forced to make increasingly risky decisions to uncover who’s really behind the murder—and other mysteries come into play at the same time. Although there are answers regarding the central murder mystery, there are even more unanswered questions surrounding the Nightshade Coven and the disturbing ritualistic killings. By the final chapter, Aurora’s character arc is pronounced, and there are some lovely found family moments that had me smiling, but it’s also clear this series is only just getting started when it comes to uncovering Willowbark’s secrets! Because of the memorable characters and all of the lingering mysteries, I’ll definitely be picking up the next book in the series!
If you enjoy cozy witchy stories, whodunnit murder mysteries, found family, and stories of self-discovery, I’d definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR!
Narrator Performance
Corpses And Cauldrons is narrated by seasoned narrator Meghan Kelly. In the opening chapters, Kelly gives protagonist Aurora Hart an uncertain, anxious, yet kind voice to capture how she‘s new to Willowbark and feeling out of place. Kelly’s delivery makes it clear how Aurora carefully chooses her words with some of the more gossipy, judgmental witches, trying to make a good impression.
A big highlight of Kelly’s performance is her delivery of the dialogue between Aurora and Maeve. She makes their exchanges feel warm, supportive, and believable, almost like a sisterhood, which made me immediately invested in their friendship. The dynamic between Aurora and Connor Griffin, the visiting historian, is equally compelling. From the moment he walks into the apothecary, Kelly really conveys the undeniable spark between them. Even though their relationship is mostly platonic for most of this story, Kelly emphasizes their chemistry and growing comfort with one another—and I’m intrigued to see how their relationship develops in the next book!
Where Kelly really shines is in the impressive range of distinct voices she gives to all the eccentric characters. My absolute favorite is Floofs (Bertrand Firefeather The Almighty), Aurora’s shapeshifter cat dragon, who’s given a hilariously animated posh British accent that suits his larger-than-life personality. Verity Blackthorn, the Nightshade Coven’s messenger, is given a sharp, judgmental tone that makes her feel authoritative and unlikable. Hedwig Leclerc, the witch who shows up at opportune moments, is portrayed with an overly welcoming, curious voice that had me questioning her motives, while Bethany Foxglove, who appears to be a snooping vampire, is portrayed with a sly, mysterious tone that immediately raises red flags.
Another highlight of the audiobook is the scenes between Aurora, Maeve, and Maeve’s Italian Nonna witch. The scenes where they have insightful discussions about the Nightshade Coven, Nonna’s missing grimoire, and what to do next are full of warmth, humor, and fun banter that had me smiling the entire time!
Kelly also does an excellent job pacing the story, using a faster rhythm and more tension during Aurora’s (and Maeve’s) amateur sleuthing scenes and slower pacing during Aurora’s reflective scenes. I especially loved the scenes when Aurora repeatedly attempts to make her grandmother’s reveal spell work, forcing herself to speak painful truths about who she is. Kelly really conveys Aurora’s frustration, confusion, and vulnerability authentically, and I found myself rooting for her even more with every failed attempt!
During the high-stakes climactic magical confrontation scenes, Kelly’s emotional range is on full display, and the action feels cinematic. The final chapter is perfectly executed with warmth and a sense of hope but also unease because of the lingering mysteries, a mystery perfectly reflecting the open-ended conclusion—and making it clear that another book is coming, which I was more than ready to jump into straight away!
If you enjoy cozy witchy mysteries, magical small towns, memorable characters, and an engaging narrator who brings an eccentric cast vividly to life, this is definitely one to add to your listening list!
Narrator Performance
Corpses And Cauldrons is narrated by seasoned narrator Meghan Kelly. In the opening chapters, Kelly gives protagonist Aurora Hart an uncertain, anxious, yet kind voice to capture how she‘s new to Willowbark and feeling out of place. Kelly’s delivery makes it clear how Aurora carefully chooses her words with some of the more gossipy, judgmental witches, trying to make a good impression.
A big highlight of Kelly’s performance is her delivery of the dialogue between Aurora and Maeve. She makes their exchanges feel warm, supportive, and believable, almost like a sisterhood, which made me immediately invested in their friendship. The dynamic between Aurora and Connor Griffin, the visiting historian, is equally compelling. From the moment he walks into the apothecary, Kelly really conveys the undeniable spark between them. Even though their relationship is mostly platonic for most of this story, Kelly emphasizes their chemistry and growing comfort with one another—and I’m intrigued to see how their relationship develops in the next book!
Where Kelly really shines is in the impressive range of distinct voices she gives to all the eccentric characters. My absolute favorite is Floofs (Bertrand Firefeather The Almighty), Aurora’s shapeshifter cat dragon, who’s given a hilariously animated posh British accent that suits his larger-than-life personality. Verity Blackthorn, the Nightshade Coven’s messenger, is given a sharp, judgmental tone that makes her feel authoritative and unlikable. Hedwig Leclerc, the witch who shows up at opportune moments, is portrayed with an overly welcoming, curious voice that had me questioning her motives, while Bethany Foxglove, who appears to be a snooping vampire, is portrayed with a sly, mysterious tone that immediately raises red flags.
Another highlight of the audiobook is the scenes between Aurora, Maeve, and Maeve’s Italian Nonna witch. The scenes where they have insightful discussions about the Nightshade Coven, Nonna’s missing grimoire, and what to do next are full of warmth, humor, and fun banter that had me smiling the entire time!
Kelly also does an excellent job pacing the story, using a faster rhythm and more tension during Aurora’s (and Maeve’s) amateur sleuthing scenes and slower pacing during Aurora’s reflective scenes. I especially loved the scenes when Aurora repeatedly attempts to make her grandmother’s reveal spell work, forcing herself to speak painful truths about who she is. Kelly really conveys Aurora’s frustration, confusion, and vulnerability authentically, and I found myself rooting for her even more with every failed attempt!
During the high-stakes climactic magical confrontation scenes, Kelly’s emotional range is on full display, and the action feels cinematic. The final chapter is perfectly executed with warmth and a sense of hope but also unease because of the lingering mysteries, a mystery perfectly reflecting the open-ended conclusion—and making it clear that another book is coming, which I was more than ready to jump into straight away!
If you enjoy cozy witchy mysteries, magical small towns, memorable characters, and an engaging narrator who brings an eccentric cast vividly to life, this is definitely one to add to your listening list!
Corpses And Cauldrons is narrated by seasoned narrator Meghan Kelly. In the opening chapters, Kelly gives protagonist Aurora Hart an uncertain, anxious, yet kind voice to capture how she‘s new to Willowbark and feeling out of place. Kelly’s delivery makes it clear how Aurora carefully chooses her words with some of the more gossipy, judgmental witches, trying to make a good impression.
A big highlight of Kelly’s performance is her delivery of the dialogue between Aurora and Maeve. She makes their exchanges feel warm, supportive, and believable, almost like a sisterhood, which made me immediately invested in their friendship. The dynamic between Aurora and Connor Griffin, the visiting historian, is equally compelling. From the moment he walks into the apothecary, Kelly really conveys the undeniable spark between them. Even though their relationship is mostly platonic for most of this story, Kelly emphasizes their chemistry and growing comfort with one another—and I’m intrigued to see how their relationship develops in the next book!
Where Kelly really shines is in the impressive range of distinct voices she gives to all the eccentric characters. My absolute favorite is Floofs (Bertrand Firefeather The Almighty), Aurora’s shapeshifter cat dragon, who’s given a hilariously animated posh British accent that suits his larger-than-life personality. Verity Blackthorn, the Nightshade Coven’s messenger, is given a sharp, judgmental tone that makes her feel authoritative and unlikable. Hedwig Leclerc, the witch who shows up at opportune moments, is portrayed with an overly welcoming, curious voice that had me questioning her motives, while Bethany Foxglove, who appears to be a snooping vampire, is portrayed with a sly, mysterious tone that immediately raises red flags.
Another highlight of the audiobook is the scenes between Aurora, Maeve, and Maeve’s Italian Nonna witch. The scenes where they have insightful discussions about the Nightshade Coven, Nonna’s missing grimoire, and what to do next are full of warmth, humor, and fun banter that had me smiling the entire time!
Kelly also does an excellent job pacing the story, using a faster rhythm and more tension during Aurora’s (and Maeve’s) amateur sleuthing scenes and slower pacing during Aurora’s reflective scenes. I especially loved the scenes when Aurora repeatedly attempts to make her grandmother’s reveal spell work, forcing herself to speak painful truths about who she is. Kelly really conveys Aurora’s frustration, confusion, and vulnerability authentically, and I found myself rooting for her even more with every failed attempt!
During the high-stakes climactic magical confrontation scenes, Kelly’s emotional range is on full display, and the action feels cinematic. The final chapter is perfectly executed with warmth and a sense of hope but also unease because of the lingering mysteries, a mystery perfectly reflecting the open-ended conclusion—and making it clear that another book is coming, which I was more than ready to jump into straight away!
If you enjoy cozy witchy mysteries, magical small towns, memorable characters, and an engaging narrator who brings an eccentric cast vividly to life, this is definitely one to add to your listening list!
