Book Review: Pawsitively Secretive (Witch of Edgehill) by Melissa Erin Jackson

Pawsitively Secretive is the third book in the Witch of Edgehill series by Melissa Erin Jackson. I highly suggest reading this mystery series in order, although the author does a good job of summarizing what has happened so far in the beginning of this book.

After two stressful months, Amber Blackwood is determined to have a few weeks of peace before the Here and Meow Festival descends on her small town of Edgehill, Oregon. That peace doesn’t last long; when she and the committee attend a meeting at the mayor’s house, Amber is pulled aside by the mayor’s daughter, Chloe, who Amber babysat for in high school. The mayor has forbidden Chloe from dating, but she recently met an older boy through a chat app and is desperate to meet him. Amber advises Chloe to tell her father about the boy. Hours later, Mayor Deidrick frantically puts in a call to Amber: Chloe, the always well-behaved teenager, seems to have snuck out her bedroom window—and now she’s not answering his calls. When Amber helps search the town for the girl, she happens upon Chloe’s abandoned car. Her driver’s side door is open, and while her purse is inside, her phone is gone. Working alongside Chief Brown, Amber uses her magic to figure out what might have happened to Chloe. The more they dig, the more they unearth secrets from the seemingly affable mayor’s past. The charismatic politician has both a hair-trigger temper and a suspicious death linked to his past. As if the mayor’s increasingly strange behavior isn’t bad enough, Amber and the chief also contend with an out-of-town private investigator, nosy reporter Connor Declan, and an even nosier population of Edgehill residents who start to question why Amber and the chief are spending so much time together. Undaunted by these obstacles, Amber races against the clock to help ensure Chloe doesn’t become another statistic—assuming the mayor doesn’t stop her first.

Pawsitively Secretive is a nicely done mystery. The blend of mystery and personal conflicts for Amber is very well done. I do think that those that have read the previous book will enjoy this book much more than newcomers because they will have a better understanding of the town dynamics, and especially the complications between Amber and a few members of the community. I greatly enjoyed how well woven the mystery of Chloe's disappearance and the secrets that became uncovered in the search for her. It was interesting to watch unfold and there was more than moment that had me trying to guess the details and falling short. I think the best part was how much the characters developed as part of the story, and how much more readers discovered about secondary characters as well as the major players. It was well done and I enjoyed the read. I am very interested to see where the series goes from here. 

Pawsitively Secretive is a good continuation of the series, and I am looking forward to continuing on.