“Sam, I changed the intro just a bit and…”

“You’re supposed to be on set!” Sam’s eyes flew open in surprise, and he took a step back.

There was a human person attached to the mid-section of my husband.

This is the moment that Marzie Nowak’s life changed. Forced to return to her hometown on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, taking a job that is could be seen as more than a step down from her previous one, feeling the effects of peri-menopause, Marzie feels that things are not looking too good. Little does she know what her tiny hometown has in store for her.

With a reputation for be haunted, a town run by widows, Marzie must see for herself what is real and what is just legend. Thrown in the deep end, reporting on the murder of a local woman, meeting the mysterious and handsome French developer who is helping bring more tourism to Widow’s Bay, Marzie gets more than she bargained for. Luckily for her, her childhood friends are there to help.

Let me introduce you to a very talented American author – Rebecca Regnier.

Rebecca started her career as a journalist and television host. After 21 years, she decided a career change was in order and became a humour columnist and author. (To find out more about Rebecca: https://www.rebeccaregnier.com/)

Rebecca’s paranormal mystery series, Widow’s Bay, was launched in mid-2018. I was lucky enough to be included in the review group. I get to read her books before they are released – and for free – which is fantastic for someone like me who devours books!

The series has been described as “a witty mix of True Blood and Desperate Housewives.” (https://www.rebeccaregnier.com/) While I can see the comparison, I feel I must add that these books have a lot less nudity!

Book 1: Resting Witch Face

When I first decided to review this series, I will admit that it was mainly out of curiosity. I was curious how they would stack up against other books in the same genre. I also admit that I do not read a lot of paranormal mystery books. Mind you, considering the number of books I have read – it is still a lot when compared to the average reader.

I have included the blurb for this book from Rebecca’s website – it is written better than I could write.

“A mysterious murder. An enchanted hometown. Catching the killer will take a crack reporter… and a pinch of magic.

Between her cheating husband and her on-air meltdown, Marzie Nowak is going through a bit of a bad spell. With nowhere else to turn, the ex-big-city journalist crawls back to her superstitious hometown of Widow’s Bay just in time for their annual pagan festival. But after some on-the-ground reporting for a local news site, she realizes the legends surrounding the village may be more magic than myth….

Despite her best efforts to fact-check the strange phenomena, she can’t quite explain the packs of fur-covered tourists, the cryptic schemes of a sun-shy billionaire, or her chatty cat’s fashion advice. And she can’t help but join the ranks of true believers when an unsolved murder sparks her own mystical powers.

With a killer on the loose and magical mysteries around every corner, can Marzie crack the case before her next meltdown?

Resting Witch Face is the first book in a spellbinding paranormal cosy mystery series. If you like clever heroines, snarky humour, and supernatural small towns, then you’ll love Rebecca Regnier’s bewitching mystery.

Fall under the spell of this witty, whimsical mystery!”

If you enjoy paranormal mysteries and are looking for a light read, then I highly recommend this book. It is an amusing, quirky tale involving witches, vampires, werewolves, even trolls! There is no airy-fairy sparkling in the sun (don’t get me wrong, I love the Twilight series of books), just characters true to the old-school ideas we have about paranormal creatures, in a story set in the present day with elements we can all relate to.

☻☻☻☻☻ 5/5

Author: Rebecca Regnier Title of the work:  Resting Witch Face Book 1 – Widow’s Bay Series Publisher:  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 19, 2018) ISBN-10 Number:  1723189243 Paperback: $12.99AUD / 242 pages / Amazon eBook: $3.94AUD / 244 pages Amazon Kindle

Note from Jenni: I hope you found this review helpful in choosing the next book to read, or possibly even a Christmas present for yourself or someone you know. Next week I will share my reveiw of Book 2 in the Widow’s Bay Series – click HERE to read. Please follow my blog so you don’t miss out on any upcoming posts.

If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact me via my Contact Me page or leave a comment below. To find out more about my services, visit My Services page. You can also find me on Facebook by clicking the ‘F’ icon at the bottom of any page on my website.

Jenni Wade is a fiction copyeditor, line editor and proofreader who specialises in helping self-publishing and first-time authors. She can also help businesses with their documentation. She is an Associate Member of the Institute of Professional Editors Limited (IPEd) Australia.

(Image courtesy of Rebecca’s website.)