Hypnosis Is for Hacks

(Hardback)

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The latest novel in Tamara Berry's charmingly quirky series weaves a hint of magic and romance into a smartly written, witty, and unpredictable cozy mystery, as an American faux-medium with latent supernatural gifts starts over in a quaint English village-and finds a new career, new love, and lots of intrigue. Eleanor Wilde has traded a career as a sham medium for a (relatively) respectable life in a small English town, providing the locals with herbal remedies and elixirs. But on a trip to the seaside town of Brighton, her past comes calling-and so does a killer... Though Eleanor is delighted that her brother, Liam, is visiting her in England, she must reluctantly agree that her quiet village lacks something when it comes to sightseeing-namely- sights. True, there's nearby Castle Hartford, belonging to the family of Ellie's boyfriend, Nicholas. But even Nicholas's mother is eager to ditch sleepy, sweltering Sussex for a vacation in Brighton, taking Ellie and a relieved Liam with her. Yet hopes of a breezy seaside holiday quickly turn stormy, in every sense... The ominous change in weather is accompanied by the reappearance of Ellie's former partner-in-crime, Armand Lamont. Back when Ellie earned a living as a phony medium, Armand's hypnosis skills helped the pair persuade many gullible marks to hand over their savings. Ellie assumes that Armand has resurfaced with blackmail in mind, but before she can figure out his angle, she and Liam witness a man being pushed from a boat by two shadowy figures who then vanish into midair. Phantoms Demons Though Ellie doesn't believe in either, the recovered body is real enough, as is a string of thefts plaguing their luxury hotel. Ellie has a theory, and it requires inviting Nicholas to join them under a fake identity. Their evolving relationship is as complex as this case, and Ellie's authentic supernatural abilities too are developing in surprising ways. But as for whether the outcome will be good or bad, not even her witchy powers can say...

Reviews

Praise for the Eleanor Wilde Mystery Series

A puzzling mystery laced with guile and humor.
Kirkus Reviews on Potions Are for Pushovers

Berry mixes a cunning whodunit with sly humor in what promises to be a winning paranormal cozy series.
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on Sances Are for Suckers

When a saucy pseudo-psychic is hired to rid an ancestral estate of its alleged resident ghost, things are bound to get interesting. Add to that a charming English village, an eccentric family, and a killer on the loose, and Sances Are for Suckers delivers a winning blend of mystery and the paranormal, with a little humor and romance thrown in for good measure. Dont miss out on this first in a promising series!
Juliet Blackwell,New York Timesbestselling author of the Witchcraft Mystery seriesonSeances are for Suckers

A mystery with a haunted castle Whats not to love Tamara Berry weaves a fun story with likable characters and a plot that kept me guessing until the end.
Rose Pressey, USA Today bestselling author of the Haunted Vintage Mystery series

One of the most delightful paranormal cozy mysteries Ive ever had the pleasure of readingTamara Berrywrites with a pitch-perfect authorial voice, depicting a modern American woman somewhat adrift in a traditional British town. With some really diverting curveballs thrown into the narrative, this felt like the quintessential paranormal cozy read.
Criminal Element on Potions are for Pushovers

Berry has fun with the contradictions at play in Ellies life: Shes afraud, taking advantage of her friends and neighbors, yet they love and accept her as one of their ownFor a witch with no real powers, Ellie still has some connection to the paranormal via her dead sister, with whom she communicates. Their exchanges can be humorousbut primarily serve as a more serious, grounding subplot to a story that otherwise bubbles along like a hot cauldron.
Bookpage on Potions are for Pushovers

Ellie and Nicholass blossoming relationship provides counterpoint to the spooky goings-on. Along with quirky characters and a twisty plot, Berry supplies a good foundation for more stories to follow.
Publishers Weekly on Potions are for Pushovers

Author Bio

Tamara Berry is the author of the acclaimed Eleanor Wilde Mystery Series as well as a number of contemporary romantic comedies under the pennames Tamara Morgan and Lucy Gilmore. She has a B.A. in English Literature from Eastern Washington University and lives with her family in Washington state. Please visit her online at TamaraBerry.com.