Madelyn Alt, A Charmed Death

A Charmed Death

Madelyn Alt

Berkley, December 2006, $6.99, 304 pp.

ISBN 042521317X

The time Maggie O'Neill entered the store Enchantments and met the owner Felcity Dow, her world view changed drastically. Felicity is a psychic and a witch, and Maggie learns she is one too. That explains her hunches, feelings of empathy and the ability to see ghosts; her powers are growing stronger and more refined because Felicity is teaching her how to use them.

She now works in Enhancements, and one day she witnesses a fight between popular high school student Amanda Roberson and Tara Murphy, one of the most unliked teens at school. Amanda disappears that night; she is found in the river, with a subsequent autopsy proving she was murdered. Maggie starts nosing around and finds that the secret blog that talks about the sexual exploits of a teen and her lovers were written by Maggie. She discovers pictures that Amanda hid in a gift that she bought at Enhancements and her mother returns to Maggie. When Maggie sees the picture, she figures out who the killer is, but the murderer grabs her before she can go to the police and almost kills her. It will take the conscious use of her magic (which she never tried before) to get out of this situation alive.

A CHARMED DEATH is a magical spellbinding mystery that enchants readers with its adorable heroine who has trouble coming to terms with the fact that she is psychic and can perform magic. Her asides are a breath of fresh air that relieves the tension when it threatens to overwhelm the audience. There is also a message in this tale that parents should watch over their teens to make sure they stay out of trouble, and especially watch the warning signs.