A Tangle of Spells (A Pinch of Magic #3) by Michelle Harrison

What worked:

The plot focuses on Betty, the middle sister between little Charlie and older sister Fliss. Betty loves maps and her insatiable curiosity is perfect for solving mysteries. The sisters are close and kind, although Betty sometimes wishes boys would notice her the way Fliss’s beauty attracts their interests. Betty slowly figures out witches have placed spells on everyone in the village except for her and Charlie. She also realizes Fliss is the target of something terrible and it looks like history may be repeating itself. Betty must discover who is controlling the townspeople, why they’ve chosen Fliss, and most importantly, uncover some way to break the village’s curse.

Magic is part of the book but it’s carefully woven into the plot. The sisters have a set of magical nesting dolls but they’re very careful about when they’re used to make the girls invisible. Their new hometown of Pendlewick has a history of witches and the barren tree in the center of town is a reminder of a horrible past. The sisters’ Granny is deeply superstitious and immediately notices the salt and silver coins placed around their new home to keep something evil out, or something in. The magic becomes more prominent when Betty notices Fliss sleepwalking and their pet cat starts coughing up frogs. The second half of the book is all about the magic as the girls find out if their bit of invisibility is enough to stop the powerful spells cast by ageless witches.

Mystery drives the plot and it begins as soon as the sisters arrive to Pendlewick. They hear the story of a witch killed where the barren tree stands and are told never to speak of magic. Their rundown new home has a history and the girls slowly uncover its secrets. They discover a secret room hidden behind Betty’s closet but some items inside only lead to more questions. The room holds a picture of a young girl named Ivy who disappeared two years earlier after being accused of witchcraft. It becomes Betty’s mission to discover what happened to Ivy and uncover clues as to what’s happening in the town now. It’s not too hard to predict the identity of the witches but the author keeps their motives secret until the plot nears its climax.

What didn’t work as well:

There’s enough backstory to enjoy the book by itself but readers will realize a lot happened before it started. The opening chapter finds the family preparing to leave a penal island for the first time since an enchantment kept them from leaving. The origin of the nesting dolls is also unknown so readers will need to read the previous books if they’d like to have answers to unanswered questions.

The Final Verdict:

The author creates a wonderful mystery full of adventure and magic that culminates with an unexpected, thrilling ending. Lovers of the mystical arts and sisterhood will enjoy it as the three sisters will always have each other’s backs. I highly recommend you give this book a shot!