Magic and Macaroons
Read Magic and Macaroons Online
Authors: Bailey Cates
PRAISE FOR THE MAGICAL BAKERY MYSTERIES
Some Enchanted Éclair
“A tight mystery packed with charming characters and drool-worthy baked goods.”
—MyShelf.com
“Be warned—[this book] will work its spell on you, and you’ll find yourself looking forward to more enchantment.”
—Kings River Life Magazine
“[A] subtle blend of magic and mystery.”
—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
“A puzzling mystery with just the right amount of paranormal intrigue. . . . [This series] just keeps getting better and better! Highly recommended to fans of light paranormal and culinary cozy mysteries.”
—Book of Secrets
“An enchanting treat . . . well written, well put together, with characters that stay with you long after.”
—Lily Pond Reads
Charms and Chocolate Chips
“A culinary cozy with a magical twist. . . . Cates does a fantastic job of creating a magical atmosphere that is both believable and enchanting.”
—Debbie’s Book Bag
“Ms. Cates’s writing is maturing as the Magical Bakery mystery series progresses. While I enjoyed the first two books, this one really gripped me . . . hard to put down.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Full of delicious recipes and descriptions of food, warm relationships and exchanges between Katie and her family, and a very interesting progression in her life and loves . . . [a] charming and magical mystery.”
—Kings River Life Magazine
“Full of its own brand of allure and intrigue, with a side of various delicious treats: friendship, romance, magic, and mystery.”
—Once Upon a Romance
“Delightful . . . exciting mystery, enchanting setting, and bewitched baked goods. Looking forward to Katie’s next adventure.”
—Book of Secrets
Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti
“Cates is a smooth, accomplished writer who combines a compelling plot with a cast of interesting characters that are diverse and engaging without falling into simplistic stereotypes . . . a charming addition to the food-based cozy mystery repertoire, while the story’s magical elements bring a fun, intriguing dimension to the genre.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
“[A] promising series.”
—
Library Journal
“Cates delivers a tale of magic and mayhem. . . . The mystery plot will have readers guessing ‘whodunit’ all the way to the very end . . . a great read.”
—
RT Book Reviews
“With a top-notch whodunit, a dark magic investigator
working undercover, and a simmering romance in the early stages, fans will relish this tale.”
—Gumshoe
“Brimming with positive magic, delicious characters, and a tasty batch of clues, this book should satisfy the appetite of the most voracious mystery reader. If you enjoy books like Ellery Adams’s Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery series, and Heather Blake’s Wishcraft Mystery series, you are destined to enjoy the Magical Bakery Mystery series.”
—Myshelf.com
“Complex and intriguing. If you like a little magic, you will want to read this series.”
—Fresh Fiction
“I see so much more coming from Bailey Cates. She pens a bit of magic for the reader.”
—Once Upon a Romance
“
Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti
continues to showcase the charming characters, humor, and fun . . . displayed in the promising debut of this series . . . engaging, compelling, and quite tasty.”
—Kings River Life Magazine
Brownies and Broomsticks
“Katie is a charming amateur sleuth, baking her way through murder and magic set against the enchanting backdrop of Savannah, Georgia. With an intriguing plot and an amusing cast of characters,
Brownies and Broomsticks
is an attention-grabbing read that I couldn’t put down.”
—
New York Times
bestselling author Jenn McKinlay
“Let Cates cast her spell over you with this charming
debut series entry that brings in the paranormal but never forgets the warmth that cozy readers often request.”
—
Library Journal
“Ms. Cates has most assuredly found the right ingredients . . . a series that is a finely sifted blend of drama, suspense, romance, and otherworldly elements.”
—Once Upon a Romance
“A very comfortable world with interesting characters and a well-paced plot that will leave readers anxious to return to Savannah and the Honeybee Bakery.”
—The Mystery Reader
“Filled with red herrings and a delightful tour of the Downtown District, fans will enjoy this whodunit, which is a very special reading experience.”
—Genre Go Round Reviews
ALSO AVAILABLE BY BAILEY CATES
THE
MAGICAL
BAKERY
MYSTERIES
Brownies and Broomsticks
Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti
Charms and Chocolate Chips
Some Enchanted Éclair
OBSIDIAN
Published by the Penguin Group
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A Penguin Random House Company
First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC
Copyright © Penguin Random House, 2015
Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.
OBSIDIAN and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.
ISBN 978-0-698-14059-2
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book.
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Contents
Also available by BAILEY CATES
Acknowledgments
I’m incredibly lucky to have such an able and creative group of people who participated in various stages of this book. My team at Penguin/New American Library includes editor extraordinaire (and paragon of patience) Jessica Wade, Isabel Farhi, Ashley Polikoff, and Danielle Dill. Kim Lionetti continues to offer stellar advice and expertise. Other writers in my life who have helped shape this story and the words that tell it include Mark Figlozzi, Laura Pritchett, Laura Resau, and Bob Trott. My sincere gratitude for their feedback and counsel. Dana Masden first served me Brazilian cheese bread and inspired me to try my hand at it. Thanks also to any and all voodoo practitioners and experts who answered my questions, and one in particular who wishes to remain anonymous. I learned so much about this ancient and multifaceted religion and am richer for it.
And, as ever, thank you to Kevin, who buoys me, makes me laugh, and keeps me
grounded.
Chapter 1
“Abracadabra?” Mimsey snorted. “Lord love a duck. No one who can so much as cast a circle would use that word in an actual spell.” She tossed her head, causing her white pageboy haircut to whip against her round cheeks. The sky blue bow affixed to the left side of her hair didn’t budge.
Aunt Lucy nodded. “It does create a certain, er, doubt about the author’s experience.”
Jaida banged her mocha latte down on the coffee table. “You think? Not to mention her abilities in general. Who picked this one for us to talk about?”
Bianca’s eyes cut to Cookie, who sat to my left on the poufy brocade sofa in the Honeybee Bakery’s reading area. It had been best for everyone’s schedules to hold our monthly spellbook-club meeting in the bakery after hours. My Cairn terrier, Mungo, snoozed in his bed at the bottom of one of the many bookshelves that reached from floor to ceiling. Lucy’s orange-striped tabby cat, the very Honeybee that the bakery was named after, sat in the window, watching the sporadic traffic out on Broughton Street. The tip of her tail twitched every few seconds as she studiously ignored us. Heckle, Mimsey’s colorful parrot, perched on the back of her chair.
Cookie’s eyes flashed jade green. “I’d never select this ridiculous spellbook!” The vestiges of a Haitian accent lilted beneath her words.