Shirley Damsgaard, Witch Hunt

Witch Hunt

Shirley Damsgaard

Avon, June 207, $6.99, 304 pp.

ISBN 0061147117

It is a small, quiet town where murder rarely happens, but at least twice Ophelia Jensen has been in the middle of homicide investigations. This isn't as crazy as it sounds because she is a psychic and both times her power led her to the killer. She lives with her foster daughter Tink, a thirteen-year-old medium and she is very close to her grandmother Abby the witch. After years of denial, Ophelia admits she has powers and she lets her grandmother teach her folklore magick.

The serenity of the town is disturbed when El Serpiente, a bad motorcycle gang noted for extortion, running drugs, and murder, come to town. Her best friend Dori and Ophelia as well as Dori's cousin Beatrice go to the bar where the gang hangs out and Beatrice disappears with one of the gang leaders. When Dori and Ophelia go to Dori's place, they find Beatrice with a knife in her hands and blood on her. Adder is dead and the police arrest Beatrice but Ophelia is sure she is not guilty. She quietly investigates and gets help; if one can call it that, from Adder's spirit.

Each mystery that Shirley Damsgaard writes is better than the last. Her characters grow as they deal with what life hands them. Ophelia finally accepts she is a psychic who can do magic and her grandmother eases up on the pressure. Ophelia no longer denies that Abby was a practicing witch. Both grandmother and granddaughter have a beautiful relationship based on equality. The mystery in WITCH HUNT is well plotted and the villains hide in plain sight.

Harriet Klausner