Dragons Are A Mage’s Best Friend by Nikki Haverstock
Casino Witch Mysteries #4

Being a Monza Mage is not for everyone but it is what Ella has chosen for herself. She is coming into her powers as she practices with mentors and uses her mage-skills in solving crimes...especially crimes that deal with finding out who has murdered recently deceased clients. Her sidekick, Vanessa, and she are an unbeatable team as they deal with spells against them, cast a few spells and do some sleuthing. In this book the owner of a business dealing with magic is killed and his wife wants to know who did it so Ella and Vanessa join the team looking for the culprit. While on the case she seeks the murderer, saves a dragon, finds out how the murder was accomplished, runs into a shopaholic, meets a woman in distress, saves a life and adds a familiar to her stable. She also runs into a past heartthrob and has to deal with the feelings that drums up.

This was a cozy mystery that grew on me as I read. At first I thought it a bit silly but as the story progressed I became involved and through a few twists and turns that had me guessing I began to wonder what the incentive for the murder was and then who was behind it. I am still wondering why spells were cast on some of the characters and though the one person who nearly died was saved did wonder why she had been spelled…while also wondering if perhaps Ella had been hexed or perhaps spelled, too.

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars ( )