Lucy’s first love potion goes horribly wrongRomances get tangledBut worse, someone dies!Romance is in the air on Harrington Street, Oxford. Detective Inspector Ian Chisholm is finally showing interest in Lucy, though the members of the vampire knitting club aren’t too thrilled to have the police hanging around so close to Cardinal Woolsey’s yarn shop. Up the street at Frogg Books, shop assistant … the street at Frogg Books, shop assistant Alice is in love with her bookish boss, Charlie, who doesn’t seem to notice.
Lucy’s trying to become more proficient as a witch and when her cousin Violet talks her into brewing up a love potion to bring Alice and Charlie together, it seems like a harmless way to improve her craft.
Until someone dies.
Is Lucy’s love potion more deadly than cupid’s arrow? Or is there a killer on the loose?
Purls and Potions is Book 5 in the best-selling Vampire Knitting Club series. There’s no sex, gore or cliff-hanger endings, just lots of humor and quirky characters—including Nyx, Lucy’s black cat and familiar. Each book can be enjoyed on its own.
Start reading your copy, today.
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This series has drawn me from the first book, but Purls and Potions tapped into my emotions more than any book in the series. I love seeing Lucy mature in her craft but I enjoy the tangle that her lack of knowledge and confidence can cause. The parallel between the novel and the play was delightful.
The moment this book showed up on my Kindle, I stopped reading the book I was half way through and started this one. I missed a deadline (not an important one, but a deadline nevertheless) because I couldn’t put it down. And then…
I read the final sentence, simultaneously burst into tears and screamed, and threw my Kindle across the room. I am incensed, incensed I tell you! It is the cruelest form of punishment that I have to endure countless days until the next book in this series is released.
Thank you, Nancy Warren. Thank you.
Lucy does it again. I never saw it coming and I mean more than just who did it. Must read to see what I mean no spoilers.
The entire series is enchanting, and I’m anxiously awaiting the release of the next one this year!
4.5
Book source ~ Kindle Lending Library
American Lucy Swift is really starting to settle into Oxford. Running her grandmother’s yarn shop, learning magic, and solving murders doesn’t leave a lot of time to make new friends, but she’s trying to make time to socialize. Being a witch and having vampires meet with their knitting club in her back room doesn’t really help in that department either, but she’s determined to make at least a few friends outside of the knitting circle and coven. When Alice, the assistant at Frogg Books needs some help with her unrequited love of her boss, Lucy’s cousin Violet talks Lucy into making the poor woman a love potion. Lucy’s past witchy experiences have usually gone awry, so she’s reluctant, but ultimately her desire to help Alice wins out. What happens next, well, it could only happen to Lucy.
I really like this series because it’s easy to read, kinda fun (minus the murders), has humor, and wonderful characters. It also has two potential love interests for Lucy, neither of which is ideal considering her current situation, but I can’t help but root for each one for different reasons. The wooing of Lucy is in the very beginning stages, so I have no idea yet who would be the better pick. I like them both though. In this book, Detective Inspector Ian Chisholm steps up his dating efforts, but then stumbles through no fault of his own. Damn that love potion! Rafe Crosyer, resident vampire leader, has his eye on Lucy, too. I’ll just have to wait and see how this plays out. My only complaint, and it’s small really, is there wasn’t as much interaction with the vampires in this installation. I really like them, so it dimmed my enjoyment just a bit.
If you’re looking for a light, easy, fun read that has magic, murder, and vampires then I suggest starting with book 1, The Vampire Knitting Club, in this series. This book can be read as a standalone, no problem, but I think starting at the beginning will make it that much more enjoyable. I’m totally getting the next book in the series. Join me in the fun.
Fifth in this entertaining cozy series with continued character development and plot twists that keep the story moving forward at a good pace.
“When you mix love and power together they can be a deadly combination.”
In the fifth story of the series, Lucy Swift, owner of Cardinal Woolsey’s, has been kind of talked into making a love potion to help a friend who is in love with her boss, the owner of the neighborhood bookstore. After pining for Charlie for three years, Alice gets talked into the potion by Lucy’s cousin Violet for whatever reason Violet has plotted (to probably show up Lucy). After collecting all the ingredients, Lucy and Violet head for Margaret Twig’s- a witch with her own agenda.
The resulting potion changes everything. The College has nabbed a well known former actress as director of this year’s play: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, as she moves on to run the area professional theater. The local student population and some local help begin to build community as one student is missing and another is found dead, and Lucy questions her culpability in the whole situation. Can she unravel the knots of this mystery?
I really love this series. Nancy Warren has built a marvelous cast of characters in the Vampire Knitting Club. I want to strangle some of the regulars and love the world she has built. Here’s to more knitting! Highly Recommended 5/5
[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]
Purls and Potions is part of the fabulous Vampire Knitting Club series and can also be read as a stand-alone book. When Lucy reluctantly agrees to make a love potion she had no idea what would happen next. This delightful paranormal cozy mystery set in Oxford is well written and has great characters both new and familiar. I love this series and highly recommend Purls and Potions. Witches, Vampires, murder .. just another day in Cardinal Woolsley’s.
Purls and Potions by Nancy Warren
The Vampires Knitting Club Series Book Five
Lucy Swift is the new owner of Cardinal Woolsey’s. A knitting shop she inherited after her grandmother died…only, Gran isn’t really dead…more like undead. Lucy also discovered she was a witch. So now, she owns a knitting shop but can’t knit worth a hoot and she’s a witch who can’t quite get magic right.
When she’s pushed into trying magic by creating a love potion…she gives in. Oh, what a mistake. Lucy finds herself in another big mess and in the middle of yet another murder. Ever since moving to Oxford, she’s kept the police busy and the vampires—who are quite happy to have something to do with their everlasting time.
The books in this series are cozy mysteries. Real page-turners that are full of humor. I finish one and can’t wait for the next.
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Best in the series so far!!
I did not see that ending coming and if you follow this series, this is a must, must must read!! Ok, I admit I read the last few paragraphs a few extra times, it was that good! Lucy tries her had at a love potion, unfortunately with the help of Margaret Twig, the woman we love to dislike. The potion gets out of hand when a few extra people get a dose. Add a Shakespeare play and a murder into the mix and Lucy doesn’t know which way is up! I can’t wait for the next book in the series! Have to see where the ending in this one goes next!
I received an ARC. This is my honest review.
Valentine Day season, Shakespeare – Midsummer Night’s Dream, love potion. Think you know the story? Guess again. Add a missing co-ed and a murder. Now you have figure out the story.
This is a really fun read. Easy to read and enjoyable.
For those of us who have read the series: It is about time Rafe!! Could Rafe have been affected by atmosphere of the love potion? But shame on the author for leaving us hanging to what happens next.
Glad to see Lucy starting to believe in herself and grow with her ability as a witch.
Was pretty sure i knew who did it but not why. Got fooled till near the end but got it just before the reveal. Nice job fooling me. My apologies to P for suspecting you.
This is my honest and freely given review. I did receive an ARC copy.
Lucy gets talked into making a love potion to bring her friend Alice (shop assistant) and Charlie (book store owner) together. With the help of cousin Violet and another more experienced witch, what could possibly go wrong?? When the potion is taken by more than just Alice and Charlie, the town ends up with a number of mismatched loves under the spell. They just need to get through the next 3 days until the potion wears off, but unfortunately, someone ends up dead.
The book is filled with madcap and witty adventures as Lucy and Violet try to find a way to reverse the potion and solve the murder. If you enjoy books that are well-written, humorous, have quirky characters, include paranormal beings, and are filled with mystery, then this series is perfect for you.
Purls and Potions is the fifth book in the Vampire Knitting Club series. Lucy is still trying to figure out how to work her magic, and as she crafts a love potion, it doesn’t quite go as she planned. Now she has to figure out exactly what happened. This story hooks you from the start, and you just can’t put it down. I loved it, and I definitely recommend it.
Oh my goodness, this is hilarious. Very attention grabbing and interesting story. Lucy has a very exciting life not to mention her love life/triangle. 🙂 I think the love potion is very….revealing and Lucy is well on her way to being fully-trained in more than one way. Fun to read, very upbeat and full of great, supportive characters. I am voluntarily reviewing a free copy.