The Dead Witch by R M Callahan

Written by a husband and wife team, this series of three books concerns the adventures of Pumpkin Spice – Spice to her friends – a Maine Coon cat who protects her town of Kingsport from evil that tries to destroy it.

This is the second book in the series, and it is very closely connected to the events of the first book, which I foolishly didn’t realize. I thought it would be about Spice on a new adventure rather than having to tie up loose ends from the first book.

The Dead Witch starts three months after the events of the first book. Spice is being pursued by the local king cat, Jack, for having lost something precious of his, as well as by the ghouls she bested in the past who are out for revenge.

However, the events of Spice’s previous adventure continue to threaten Kingsport, as something survived the fight on that fateful night. Now enemies must work together to stop a greater evil from being unleashed.

There was so much I loved about this book. I loved all the cat characters. They were totally believable as felines, without being in any way twee or sweet.

Certain elements of the cat life appealed to me in particular. They can journey through the dreamlands and meet up with each other as well as with friends from past lives, which I loved. They are also able to see magical things that are hidden from the sight of others, and that was a great touch.

The plot was strong and I couldn’t put it down by the end, but I was initially disappointed that it was so directly connected to the first book rather than a new adventure. The book is also left quite open ended, paving the way for the third installment.

I award The Dead Witch…

The Dead Witch is available for $4.23 ebook and $7.99 print book on Amazon.