The first in a new paranormal mystery series by USA Today bestselling author Gretchen Galway.Is her magic strong enough to stop a killer?
On her first assignment as a demon-hunting witch, Alma was unable to kill. Now broke and unemployed at twenty-six, she lives in Silverpool, a remote town in a redwood forest north of San Francisco, where she sells magic-infused jewelry and tries to live a … magic-infused jewelry and tries to live a drama-free life.
When fairies draw her to the dead body of her ex-boyfriend, she must defend herself and the hidden power in Silverpool from an influx of supernatural trouble. The only way to make peace—and stay alive—is to find the killer.
Drawing upon years of formal magical training she’d rather forget, and using other abilities she’d like to keep secret, Alma goes up against bloodthirsty fae, a dangerously charming demon, her infamous father, and other ambitious witches with agendas of their own.
This time, an inability to kill might be not just the end of her job, but of her life…
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Dead Witch on a Bridge has everything I love in a book – a quirky, interesting main character, a world I can’t stop thinking about long after I’ve finished the book, and the kind of deep immersion into the reading that makes you lose track of time. It’s hard to compare Dead Witch on a Bridge to any other paranormal mystery novel because it’s so unique – and so, so good.
A fascinating start to a series I look forward to devouring!
It’s a pretty sure sign of how much I loved a book when I get to the end of the book and have no idea how I’m going to explain what I just experienced. I’ve read the paranormal romances the author has published under an alter ego, so I knew I should be expecting something special with a paranormal mystery. Alma’s an amazing leading character. She’s fierce and independent, and just like the rest of us mere mortals she’s sometimes not sure if she can accomplish everything that’s been asked of her. I loved this blending of classic Celtic mythology with modern technology to create this conniving little mystery that had me second-guessing myself for most of the book. I can’t wait to see what Alma takes on next.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
Another series based on the presence of magic and other species. Some very different plot lines. I think this author is as good as Laurel K. Hamilton, especially as there aren’t 12 pages of raunchy sex every chapter like Hamilton.
Dead Witch on a Bridge is the first book I read by Gretchen Galway, so I didn’t know what to expect. The book is the beginning of a series called Sonoma Witches, and the action takes place in a world where magic exists, but humans are kept in the dark about it. I find it to some degree reminiscent of the Harry Potter world. Regular humans are referred to as nonmags. Unlike Harry Potter, the action takes place in the present day, and witches don’t necessarily need a wand to do magic, although in at least one instance there’s a reference to a witch getting her wand ready.
The story follows Alma Bellrose, a witch ‘honorably discharged’ with an incurable inability from the Protectorate (witches’ ruling authority) because she couldn’t kill a demon. No longer an agent of the Protectorate, Alma had to find other means to earn a living, so she now sells magic infused beads made of redwood.
Her world is turned upside down when she finds her ex-boyfriend, Tristan dead on a bridge at night. The plot thickens after the sudden visit of her infamous father, a notorious thief accused of stealing a powerful artifact and the Protectorate tries to pin the murder on Alma. Her only chance is to find Tristan’s killer and clear her name.
Read the full review here: https://www.summonfantasy.com/book-reviews/book-review-dead-witch-on-a-bridge-by-gretchen-galway
A heroine that believes herself weak and flawed, a forest filled with angry fairies and a powerful witch that knew how to live long but instead is dead in middle of the road. Wait a minute….we are not in Gretchen Galway’s San Francisco anymore!
WOW – not only is this book a tremendous start to a new series, but it is an excellent switch of genres for an author known for her quirky, delightful contemporary romances. Ms. Galway now takes the reader to a small town in Sonoma that is filled with supernatural beings, magic and a protagonist you will love. Alma Bellrose has a nefarious father and a now-soiled reputation; she couldn’t hack it as an agent with the super-selective Protectorate when she was unable to complete her first mission. Now the witch lives in a semi-hidden enclave filled with supernatural beings, fellow witches and “non-mags”, where she spends her days crafting focus bead strings and lying low. But when she discovers her ex-lover (the town’s Protector witch) dead, Alma is forced to get her groove on and seek answers. As she battles the Protectorate, the Fae and her father, Alma discovers along the way that she has far more strength and power that she knew.
Once again, Ms. Galway’s writing is captivating, filled with plenty of character development and suspense while setting the “scene” of the paranormal world she is creating. Of note is that it is told in the first person narrative of Alma; I am not the biggest fan of that POV, but I really embraced it in this book. A spell has truly been cast, as I cannot wait for the next book!
Enjoyed it!
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Part of a series: Sonoma Witches
Crime solved
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC.
Loved it!
Based on the cover, I was expecting something very fluffy and light. Turned out to be more serious and engaging than I expected.
Although it was an entertaining book, author kept referring to a past for the main character that I at least really had no idea what she was talking about.
I’m sorry but this book was so disorganized I had a hard time finishing it. It seemed more like the work of an inexperienced writer. I was completely lost through the first half of the book and by then I just didn’t care how it ended.