BEWITCHING BOOTS is Book 7 in Joyce and Jim
Lavene's Renaissance Faire cozy mystery series. Even
though this book is part of a series, I think BEWITCHING
BOOTS can still be enjoyed without having read previous
books. I love this series, and think all books in this
series are worth reading. When this series first started,
it did not have any magical elements. However, this book
has a mischievous ghost and a shoemaker with elf magic. I
think even readers who don't normally read mysteries with a
magical angle will still enjoy this book. The strength of
this series, and specifically BEWITCHING BOOTS, is the rich
assortment of characters and an entertaining story.
When Princess Isabelle is murdered, shoemaker Bill Warren
is suspect number one - primarily because he feels guilty
and voices that feeling to others. It's understandable that
Jessie wants to get involved in the investigation. She
brought Bill into the Renaissance Faire community, so she
feels responsible. As with the previous books, I find
Jessie to be a likable amateur sleuth. I like her
matchmaking attempts as much as her detective skills. Even
though the other residents of Renaissance Faire Village
feel like old friends, everybody feels like a possible
suspect. This is a mystery with classic cozy elements, but
there are quite a few moments of suspense and scary moments
for Jessie.
I like to see recurring characters from previous books like
Bart and Daisy, as well as new characters like Bill and
Katharina. I didn't care that much for Wanda, the ghost, or
Jessie's nemesis Tilly Morgenstern, but they didn't appear
that frequently so it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the
story. The subplot involving Jessie and her
husband Chase is interesting, without distracting from the
mystery. I like that Jessie now has a fixed position within
Renaissance Faire Village, rather than switching apprentice
positions from book to book. I think the series is evolving
in a way that fans like me can be happy about.
BEWITCHING BOOTS is cozy mystery perfection -- fun, likable
characters, a small quirky community, great story-telling,
and a dash of romance. After reading a book in this series,
I feel like running away to join the Renaissance Faire.
This series is a must-read for cozy mystery fans, and I
can't wait for the next installment in this always
entertaining Renaissance Faire series!
Jessie Morton is thrilled when she finds Bill Warren, an old
fashioned shoemaker, and he agrees to come back to
Renaissance Faire Village with her. She’s not so thrilled
when claims to have elf magic, and he falls for Princess
Isabelle. The dancing slippers Bill makes for Isabelle make
him a suspect when the princess takes a leap from the castle
terrace. Now, Jessie must find the lady or lord who helped
the princess with her last dance before she loses her star
attraction.
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