This is the first book in the Secret Society Mystery series. Of course I had to grab it up as I enjoy stories about witches and certainly need to get in on the first of a new series.

Description:
Thirty-year-old Black woman Sidney Taylor is a talented early American history professor, working in fast-paced Washington DC, with her eyes on promotion. She’s also currently persona non grata. Who knew that making an inconvenient historical discovery would see her stuck at her desk, shuffling paper?


So when she receives an anonymous and very cryptic invitation to visit historic small-town Robbinsville, North Carolina and hunt for a missing archaeological treasure – with a million-dollar pay out at stake – it’s one she can’t refuse. Besides, her beloved grandmother lives in Robbinsville, and it’s been too long since she’s paid her a visit.


Soon, Sidney's on an exciting treasure hunt, following two-hundred-year-old clues that lead her ever closer to the artefact she’s searching for. But what is the artefact? And why is Sidney starting to feel she’s at the heart of a terrifying conspiracy she doesn’t understand?


The answer blows Sidney’s world apart, plunging her into a dark, glittering world of secret societies, ancient bloodlines, witches and magic, linked to an ages-old conspiracy that could destroy the very principles upon which America was founded.

My Thoughts:
There's a lot going on in this story which involved politics, black history, secret societies, conspiracy theories, and even a little romance. I found it hard to keep up sometimes. I enjoyed the story and the magic and time travel elements. I d the historical aspects of the book and how it brought the story together. Sidney is a good character - very likable. I also d the treasure hunt and the revealing of the clues. This made it fun. Overall, a good story. I will ly read the next in the series and see where it leads.

Thanks to Severn House through Netgalley for an advance copy.
18 s Jeannine736 71

This was A LOT of story in a very small package! I think since this is going to be a series (at least it looks that way), it might have made sense to shave some of the plot down and save other pieces for later. I thought I was in for a mystery with some paranormal elements, but this went in so many directions and I think it mostly could be considered sci-fi.

A lot of the information we get is told to us by our main character and I think some more "showing" would have been helpful. When the layers kept being added to the story, it got more cumbersome and even confusing. Maybe even a little funny? Just when you thought you knew what was going on, there was a "wait, there's more" element thrown on top of the heap.

It pains me to rate this lower than usual, but I didn't find the writing strong, the characters compelling, or the story interesting.

Reviews are for readers. This was available on NetGalley for early reads in exchange for an honest review.2024-05-may13 s1 comment Krystle Rouse112 106


This novel was a very huge undertaking to say the least. This book had a whole LOT of narrative writing throughout the book. The author must have done an extensive amount of researching. It made me think of National Treasure/ Indiana Jones with witches. It was very fast paced and mystery around every corner that you had to figure out. Sometimes I think it was going too fast and I had to go back and reread it. This book goes into extensive detail about a lot of archeological finds. Overall, it was an adventurous book and I enjoyed the ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.9 s Lisa Gentry592 26

The gorgeous cover and clever title attracted me to this book immediately. It's a curious mixture of fantasy, history, and political conspiracy combined into a treasure hunt for an unknown artifact. Just when I'd think I understood a piece of the puzzle, the pieces would shuffle once more. I'm familiar with the ancient history connected to the story as well as the Scottish witch hunts conducted by James I but the virtual reality component lost me. I almost gave up but I'm glad I decided to keep going. All of the pieces really do come together and I enjoyed the empowering connections between the female characters. My personal inability to understand the virtual reality and quantum physics components didn't matter in the long run. The early American history thread of the story actually dovetailed with my own family history as it probably will with other readers with Scottish ancestry. Although the plot was neatly wrapped up in the end, I hope that there will be another book to pick up where this one ended.

My thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the digital ARC. All opinions and the review are entirely my own.fantasy historical-fiction netgalley ...more5 s Sue Em1,390 100

Masterful and imaginative blend of a witch's cauldron of genres. Take a witchy cozy mystery, add a heaping cup of history tempered with legends, stir well and add some sci-fi seasoning. Voila! You've got An Intrigue of Witches, a book with arguably the most gorgeous cover so far in 2024.

Suddenly furloughed from her position at the Smithsonian, Sidney Taylor returns home to her grandmother's house and college town. For many years, she worked as a history reenactor at a local museum. And now the museum director offers a huge sum of money to look for a missing artifact, enough to get her out of debt. But why does he insist this artifact has to be uncovered within the next two weeks? And what are the dire consequences hanging in the balance?

Addison bases enough of the story in actual history and legends to make you believe it all could be true. (Make sure to read the author's notes at the end explaining her sources.) And it's a fascinating and fun dive into the solving of all the clues in this letter, including cryptography and symbols. If you loved the Nic Cage movie, National Treasure, don't miss this book!kindle4 s Jenna (readinginjennaland)693 20 Read

Dnf @35%

There are just so many books that I can't in good faith keep reading books that I'm not liking or are confusing. I can't push through anymore. I saw the title Witches and assumed witches. Nope, just conspiracies and ai. No, thanks. I books to be an escape not anxiety filled.3 s Sarah258

Thank you to the publishers - Severn House– for giving me access to this book as an E-ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This started so good and interesting, but I got lost in all the things the author wanted to do. There were secret societies, witches, connections to ancient Egypt, Al and modern technology and ties to the American Civil War. I wish it had just stuck to the secret society part because that storyline was initially quite exciting.

I felt with all this the story got too messy and it was hard to follow all the different threads. I also wish we would have gotten to know our main character a bit more because the little I got from the text was interesting.
2024 netgalley3 s Ink633 15

An Intrigue of Witches by Esme Addison is a genre-blending masterpiece of Cozy Science Mystery and I am all over it. Now, I struggled with the first chapter, not in essence of the beautiful descriptions and scene setting, it just seemed a little detached, as if Sidney was talking about herself in the third person, more focussed on describing Sidneys looks and popularity than the removal from the office. However, this is just my personal taste and it was the only blip in the entire book for me

Esme Addison is a stunning author and she is breaking new ground in the cozy mystery genre. A lot of Cozy/ Science crossovers are usually gaslamp/ steampunk, but an Intrigue of witches is in a class of its own

Sidney has found an intriguing artefact, yet after declaring it to her museum, she is made to sign a on-disclosure agreement and thrown out with immediate effct on "paid annual leave". Suitably miffed, Sidney pootles off to stay with her (may I say absolutely blinding charcter) grandmother while she tries to figure out what on earth is going on

Through Sidneys investigation, the book shifts gear and I was absolutely gripped! The cozy mystery suddenly revs up and hares off into a thriller, full of conspiracy, secrets, history and secret soceities, all centred on this intriguing artefact

A fantastic read to get your teeth into! I was all prepared for a snug sit down and I was on the edge of my seat! I have not read any of Esme Addisons books previosly, but this series has got huge potential and I am here for it!

Thank you to Netgalley, Severn House and Esme Addison for this awesome ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own2 s Karen Stallman 723 70

“An Intrigue of Witches” by Esme Addison the first instalment in A Secret Society Mystery. What a great start to a new paranormal adventure mystery series. Introducing the Secret Society mystery series, and kick-ass red-headed heroine Sidney, a Black historian poised on the brink of discovering her true past . . . and her hidden witchy powers!

I loved Esme Addisons other series An Enchanted Bay Mystery series and am saddened it’s not continuing. Which in turn made me excited to read Intrigue of Witches , at first I was iffy until I hit the 25% mark in the book. It seemed to political, lots of black history, and conspiracy theories that float around today, but I really got into it in the end. I loved learning about early American history etc.
It felt Dan Browns Di Vinci code type of adventure thriller full of conspiracy, intrigue, history, lost treasure, magic and did I mention time travel. I tried to stay awake to finish but kept falling asleep then I would wake up read another few chapters fall asleep but at 4am I made a cup of tea and had to see how it ended.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters. I’m sure we will learn more about the characters in further books and I look forward to Sidney’s next adventure. I can see these books as a movie too!

I highly recommend this series to all my mystery loving friends. I am looking forward to book two.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Severn House and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.2 s1 comment Laura95 8

This book felt an adventure, just as I was hoping. While most of the book was interesting it did drag on a bit. Otherwise, it was a lot of fun to read and I would recommend giving it a try. Love to hear what history fans thought of it. Waited to read the , but headed there now. Thank you, Netgalley <32 s Linnea68 1 follower

Thank you Netgally and Severn House for giving me access to this eARC.

Sidney Taylor is a thirty year old American history professor who after getting benched at work receives an anonymous invitation to hunt for a missing archeological treasure. And a bounty of one million dollar. Sidney must now return to her hometown Robbinsville where she will find much more than she bargained for.

This book made me extremely confused. It’s marketed as “National Treasure meets A Discovery of Witches” which made me really interested, I LOVE A Discovery of Witches. There’s just one problem and that is that there’s no discovery of witches here…

Instead of the thrills of National Treasure and the dark academia vibes you get from A Discovery of Witches we get threats of AI? And a whole story that revolves around AI taking over the world? I truly didn’t see that coming when I requested this book and I did not it. I can understand the thought behind it but I feel it was rushed and felt very weird.

Sidney doesn’t feel a thirty year old woman, she feels so much younger. Especially when we can read her inner monologue and all that. She could pass as someone in their early twenties…
The writing of her felt really off for me regarding how she handled when bad things happened to her. She could be almost murdered and then continue on nothing happened. Myself would need a few months with a therapist but that might just be me..?

The love interest (?) was an insta love with barely any conversation between the pair. She lays eyes on him and instantly feels a “connection”. Girl please, he could be a serial killer for all you know.

Speaking of serial killers, (there’s none in the story… ish?) the person who sends Sidney threatening text messages felt really off. It was such a short storyline, the messages felt a teenage girl had written them (I thought of Pretty Little Liars and all of A’s messages) and I wasn’t scared for the main character at all? SPOILERS: Also the part where he enters their home and ties up the grandma? And then does nothing more? Hello???

The story fell really flat for me and it could have been a Wattpad story for all I know. Especially with all that end stuff. I- I don’t even have words. Sad to say this is a 1/5 rating for me and I won’t be continuing the series.

ALSO, what was that artifact that Sidney found but could not reveal at her old job? It was never mentioned and that’s the biggest mystery of this book.earc1 Rowan Meklemburg56 1 follower

I would to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

This was fine! I kind of struggled in the beginning. The main character felt quite flat to me. I couldn’t really connect with her, didn’t really feel in her head.
And while the plot was fun, and maybe slightly too fast moving, I think the writing really let it down.
It’s just so much of “I did this, and then I did this and I thought about this and then I did this-,” It was All Tell, no Show. And that made this really hard to read.
It’s a quick read though, and I think the plot was definitely intriguing! I definitely recommend making up your own mind about this one.
2.5??1 Janet Halsey40 2

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this book.

This is a book for fans of the National Treasure movies meets Dan Brown.

Sidney is an up and coming historian for the Smithsonian. She's a media sweetheart helping make history cool again to the masses when she's unexpected let go from the museum. Rather than dit and wallow in her pity, she returns home to Robbinsville, NC to stay with her grandma. From there she discovers a secret history of her town and embarks on a historical treasure hunt based around Black Colonial history.

I really enjoyed this book. I d the history element along with the treasure hunt. There were some twists I didnt see coming along with some science fiction elements. Overall a good time and entertaining.1 Penny2,506 71

I’ve read this author's work before, so I was pretty sure the writing in this series opener would be similar to that series. I was both right and wrong. This book was well-written just her other series, but this one contained so much more. The author combined political intrigue, magic, sci-fi, suspense, and a tiny bit of other genres to turn it all into a captivating read. Now, all of this was a little bit too much and could have been two books instead of one, but even though it was almost too much, it still was an engaging read. I’m interested in continuing the story, and I look forward to what’s next. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed. 2 s Laura51 2

3.5/5 stars.

This was such an interesting read. I’ve truly never read anything it. There’s magic, and science, and secret groups trying to control the government. There was a lot going on but it wasn’t so much that it was hard to follow and I felt it all wrapped up neatly in the end.
This book is a little hard to explain because of that, but I did enjoy reading it. I actually had no idea what would happen next.
netgalley1 Beth Ward30 4

2.5 ??

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This just didn’t hit the mark for me. It started off great but after a while it was information overload and I just lost track of what was going on and the significance of certain characters/ events. For me, it needed to scale back on backstories to make it more easy to follow, but that’s more of a preferential opinion.1 Andrea Chafin22

This book is a very interesting read. I love stories about witches, and this one spins a tale no other. The Characters are amazing and it pulls you in and holds you there. The story line is a never ending twist. It is a great read and I can't wait for another one!1 Julia Pika715

Stopped at 20% of the way through. I wish the book had a different title because I was expecting actual witches and magic stuff--this is more of a historical treasure hunt with tons of info dumping.1 Bright Book Reviews221 4


Fantasy and
History and
Mystery—oh my!

This is one complex story. For the most part, it works.

While I had difficulty believing how such a smart protagonist could make so many poor choices and mistakes, I enjoyed this novel, especially
the parts pertaining to mysteries.

I could see myself reading more of this series, should it become one.

To be published May 7, 2024
by Severn House Publishersarc family fantasy ...more1 Kari348 9

An Intrigue of Witches is a relatively fast paced read featuring secret societies with their own agendas. I really appreciated how quick of a read this was. It’s worth noting, though, that there’s a lot of information presented in the relatively short book. However, because it’s on the shorter side, there wasn’t a lot of delving in to the details of the information presented. For the majority of the story it stays relatively at the surface level. Given that it’s the first book in the series, I’m hoping that means we’ll get more of a deep dive in future book(s). Unfortunately, I struggled with connecting to many of the characters. I’m hoping that will also change with future books as we spend more time with them. I really loved the whole premise of the book between the secret societies and puzzles hidden throughout history. The plot also featured enough tension from the competing societies and enough twists to keep me thoroughly engaged. If you enjoy magic mixed with history or the movie National Treasure, this book may be perfect for you.
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eARC courtesy of Netgalley and Severn House1 Fatima Grace34 Shelved as 'dnf'

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

DNF @ 15%

This book was certainly... ambitious. And... interesting, I suppose.

As a lover of any book revolving around witches and secret societies, and as a history enthusiast, and lover of stories about treasure hunts and/or heists, I thought I would enjoy this book from the start. Sadly, that wasn't the case, and I have the writing to blame for this.

The writing and its structure came off immediately as a bit stuttered with an awkward flow to the sentences and pacing, and there were some passages that would erroneously switch from past-tense to present-tense before switching back to past-tense again. Events didn't feel organic, rather I felt there was a lack of connection between one moment to the next, feeling some scenes were just thrown in together.

But the biggest fault of the book is the constant telling instead of showing. We're told Sidney is struggling financially while living in D.C. We're told the invitation to find a mysterious artifact is cryptic. We're told the characters live in an age in which VR and AI could take over the world and is posing a serious potential issue. Yet, we don't actually see any of this. Instead, we see Sidney being furloughed from her job from the first sentence, thus skipping the necessary background that leads to her desperation to seek out the artifact that would bring her the money she supposedly needs, and fails to allow the reader to connect to her issues. As for the invitation, Sidney just comments on how strange the letter she received is, but the author doesn't even bother to write the actual contents of the letter to allow the reader to view just how cryptic and odd it actually is.

I also struggled to enjoy the urban fantasy aspect mixed with conflicts regarding modern technology. I'm usually the type to enjoy any form of fantasy regardless if it's high-fantasy or urban/contemporary fantasy, but there just wasn't enough magic or fantastical elements in this book for me to even consider this book to be of this genre despite the fact that this is meant to be a story about a society of witches. I feel the title and blurb are misleading in that aspect, and I occasionally forgot while reading this book that witches were supposed to be involved in this. I think the fear of technology the book presents would have made an interesting if not odd juxtaposition to the fantasy aspects if we were given more of said aspects throughout the story.

There were some enjoyable aspects to this book though, in spite of my criticisms. I did enjoy the main character's investigation and her dive into solving the mystery and the conspiracy regarding her town, and I might continue the book when my curiosity gets the better of me. I enjoy mysteries and solving puzzles whether in real life or in novels, so I feel my interest in those will eventually draw me back into this book at some point.arc1 Just Blue Through Books84 1 follower

Thank you to NetGalley and to Severn House for the ARC of An Intrigue of Witches by Esme Addison.

Addison has ideas and ambitions for her novel which I do applaud her for, but I don't know if this book is the best result of her abilities.

I'm sorry to say that this book just did not do it for me - I thought this would be more of a cozy mystery with a fun search for a magical object and a meet-cute in small town Virginia.- but there was an overarching issue of what story is being told. Is it about historian Sidney Taylor searching for a mysterious object for a million dollar payout? Is it about witches and magic and witch hunts and global conspiracies? is it about solar flares and the end of the planet? Is it about the harm of turning life into virtual reality or one run by billionaires who control the government? Is it about time travel and quantum physics? Is it about historical voyages and settlements of the early American settlers? Each storyline is briefly hugely important, but none seem to fit together reasonably, and none seem researched to the point of coherence. I don't know that I would want to share the quantum aspects with any actual physicists, and some of the larger conspiracies were overwhelming to the point of ridiculousness.

Sidney is an odd sort of character. She's a historian at the Smithsonian. Her mother is a famous news anchor. Her father is the Speaker of the House of Representatives. She's broke because they want her to make it on her own and having a doctorate while working at the Smithsonian and being featured on TV for her work is not cutting it. When she is put on furlough and goes home to visit her grandmother, she is also given a job by an old, absurdly wealthy museum owner who has a private jet and who will pay her a million dollars to find an artifact he has been looking for for decades. From there event after event after event happens to Sidney and at no point does she reflect on any of this or make sense of it or do anything sensible. Also, she doesn't watch the news because reasons (?) so she doesn't know that solar flares are basically decimating parts of the west coast, but don't worry, everything is brilliant as usual in America even though the president and a persuasive billionaire want to have everyone live their lives solely through virtual reality while the world ends (Ready Player One mashed up with the recliner people of Wall-E).

Some of the writing is also childish to the point of being cringey. A former friend was "sixty pounds overweight and wore both glasses and braces" which is a terribly dismissive way to write about your college roommate and best friend. Some of the characters start to refer to each other as "sisters" and "sis" as though the language of an 18-year-old sorority girl would still be cool in your thirties. There is another character who insists on calling women "bitches" and other derogatory names, but he uses "bitch" or "whore" so often it's just a caricature of an angry Chad incel. There is a lot of repetition to drive unnecessary points and plots home, a lot of telling vs showing, and a lot of flat characterizations made worse by their dialogue. Belinda (Belle) Witzenhausen211

(4.5 Rounded Up)

I received a complimentary ARC copy of An Intrigue of Witches, A Secret Society Mystery by Esme Addison from Net Galley and Severn House in order to read and give an honest review.

New to author, Esme Addison ‘s work and since she was recommended to me as a cozy author, I was pleasantly surprised by her newest book, An Intrigue of Witches which defies a single genre, a cleverly plotted mix of mystery, thriller, mythology, historical and science with a paranormal twist, fans of Discovery of Witches, DaVinci Code, Outlander and Indiana Jones might enjoy this.

When thirty-year-old black historian Sidney Taylor is let go from her position at the Smithsonian she is at a complete loss as to what to do struggling with her place and who she is seeks refuge in her hometown and with her beloved grandmother. Sidney is thrilled when she is offered a job in the small museum she had worked as a history reenactor while in college, this time around however she is offered a job that is just too hard to refuse. Her employer wants her to find a missing artifact for an incredibly hefty sum of money, the catch, she must do so in two weeks. Sidney accepts the challenge and what she finds takes her on an adventure with bizarre and intriguing clues involving cryptology, symbolism, puzzles, and hidden rooms all of which weave a fascinating story that spans Egypt, Scotland and witch trials that occurred in her town centuries before. The closer she gets she uncovers warring secret societies, fabricated history and corruption at the highest levels and the more attention she draws and the more she puts herself and those she cares for in jeopardy and the more she learns about herself and her destiny.

I really enjoyed this book, the author brilliantly mixes genres seamlessly, blending genres such as mystery, thriller, paranormal fantasy, science and history with much of the history based on actual events, people and legends all of which adds a bit of credibility to the story. I really recommend reading the author’s notes at the end as they really help unravel what is real and what is not. Although it took a bit to get into and it often felt too much was happening at once, it really was a brilliantly creative and unique book that takes the reader on an adventure no other! I highly recommend it.netgalley- boogleloo437 8

BIPOC Paranormal Cozy-ish Mystery featuring an early American history professor who travels to North Carolina to hunt for a missing archaeological treasure and uncovers her own hidden magical legacy.

4/5 stars: This is the first entry in Addison's Secret Society Mystery series, which is a Paranormal Cozy-ish Mystery that takes place is North Carolina and that follows an early American history professor, working at the Smithsonian in Washington DC who returns to North Carolina. While visiting her grandmother, she take on the hunt for an ancient archaeological treasure using two hundred year old clues, ciphers and puzzles. The answers she finds plunges her into a world of secret societies and ancient bloodlines that link to her own hidden magical legacy. With plenty of twists and turns, Addison has masterfully crafted a mystery that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I came for the codes and puzzles and was NOT disappointed! Addison utilizes different types of puzzles, codes, tricks and hidden elements to create intricate and fascinating to solve clues. I also really enjoyed the detail that was paid to historical elements. If you're a fan of National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code this will be right up your alley. Additionally, Addison's writing and character work is stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Sidney is gutsy, smart and so someone I would want in my corner. I also really loved her grandmother and Abner. The only drawback for me is the science fiction elements were a little to science-y for me. I got what Addison was doing with it and it works for the plot but it felt so “hard” science mixed with the interesting magic and witchcraft world building and the awesome treasure hunt/historical elements. Sensitive topics are discussed, so take care and check the CWs. Overall, a great start to a new series and I can't wait to see what comes next. I'll be keeping my decoder ring handy!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.mystery-cozyish mystery-fantasy netgalley Laura509 1 follower

American history professor Sidney Taylor is on furlough from her job in Washington DC when she gets asked to return to her hometown Robbinsville to search for a historical artefact. If visiting her grandma isn't enough of a reason to go, there's a million dollars on offer if she succeeds. It doesn't take long for Sidney to realise there is more to the story of the artefact than she first thought, and before she knows it she is in the middle of a huge consipracy revolving around ancient bloodlines and secret societies, with the fate of the world at stake.

It took me a while to decompress after reading this and to try and pull together my thoughts and feelings, and settle on a rating. In the end I went with 5 stars, purely and simply because I really enjoyed reading and found it hard to put down. Yes it's a bit of an odd mix of sci-fi, history and fantasy, but it works and the story is engrossing.

I must admit when the story started and the concept of virtual reality was broached I was worried, that wasn't something I was expecting to come across given the blurb. It poses a scary prospect when framed it is here though, and certainly added a different tone to the book. The history and magic side of things was much more along the lines of what I had expected, and I thought Addison did a good job of weaving the fantasy elements in to the story in what felt a natural way.

I really d Sidney, she was a great protagonist and easy to read about. I d that she wasn't cowed by fear and didn't let others dictate her actions. A lot of the supporting cast were able too, even some of the villains early on, which made it hard to pinpoint a suspect. I had suspicions on a lot of characters at stages throughout the book and really wasn't sure who Sidney should trust, which always adds to the tension.

Although there's aspects of this that reminded me of Dan Brown's books, it also felt something new and different, unusual. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for an arc in exchange for an honest review.netgalley Rachel Wilbanks32

Sidney Taylor, after being placed on furlough, goes back to her small hometown in North Carolina after receiving a letter asking her to find a secret artifact. She goes on a National Treasure-esque pursuit to search out the hidden artifact, falling into a secret society of witches and racing to stop a Virtual Reality takeover. This book was really fun and entertaining and I flew through it. The writing was captivating and kept me hooked. Sidney was charming and relatable and I enjoyed her inner thoughts and seeing her interact with the side characters around her. The secret society of witches was incredibly enchanting and I was truly immersed in the world. A few things I did not enjoy though were the pacing at the beginning, not learning enough background about the main character, and the way that the book tells the reader instead of showing them certain things that are happening. The very first chapter starts with the main character being placed on furlough and getting the letter that invites her back to her hometown. I would have d to see a little more background leading up to the furlough, in particular, her relationship with Dr. Philippi so that the main character’s motivations and relationship with with her boss made more sense. This also leads into not getting to know the main character enough at the beginning and the telling of things that have happened rather than showing them. I feel that if there had been maybe just one chapter preceding the first chapter to show the reader what Sidney’s life was before she was placed on furlough, it really would have helped to give a good representation of what being placed on the furlough meant for her. Overall though I really did enjoy this book and I would gladly read the next book once it comes out as I was truly delighted by the main character and loved the atmosphere of the secret society. 3.75 rounded up.

Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for providing access to this ARC. All opinions are my own.2 s Kristy105 3

Thank you NetGalley, Severn house Publishers and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book to be released in May 2024 in exchange for an honest review.

An Intrigue of Witches - A Secret Society Mystery # 1
by Esme Addison

What would you do if everything you knew about American history and their leaders was planned by a secret society formed centuries ago in Europe?

Fans of The DaVinci Code, and National Treasure meets Outlander, and A Discovery of Witches will love this new urban fantasy filled with magic, ancient bloodlines, cryptic messages, puzzles, hidden rooms and a treasure hunt that leads to the most coveted relic in the world.

Thirty year old Sidney Taylor embarks on an unexpected mysterious treasure hunt that has been hidden in her hometown for centuries. Guarded by a secret society to keep hidden from the evil that wishes to rule the world, she must locate the relic before they do which is not an easy task. Even for this well educated historian, she too must piece the puzzles together to find it.

The closer she gets to the truth, Sidney, her family, and the people sworn to protect the artifact and bloodline are in more danger. They are all closely watched, and there isn’t anything they won’t do to obtain what they seek, including murder.

“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead” - Benjamin Franklin

I’m a big fan of mysterious Indiana Jones/National Treasure type stories, and an even bigger fan of stories with witches and ancient magic. I found this book very interesting and loved the inclusion of history and weaving in the past to write an adventure with focus on well regarded black figures through time.

Her families ties to long awaited restoration of power back to a fated family who plans to only bring protection to the world was weaved well. It seems this character and her powerful friends and family have much more work to do. I look forward to reading about it. Shaina434 2

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Esme Addison for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for An Intrigue of Witches coming out May 7, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thirty-year-old Black woman Sidney Taylor is a talented early American history professor, working in fast-paced Washington DC, with her eyes on promotion. She's also currently persona non grata. Who knew that making an inconvenient historical discovery would see her stuck at her desk, shuffling paper???So when she receives an anonymous and very cryptic invitation to visit historic small-town Robbinsville, North Carolina and hunt for a missing archaeological treasure - with a million-dollar pay out at stake - it's one she can't refuse. Besides, her beloved grandmother lives in Robbinsville, and it's been too long since she's paid her a visit.??Soon, Sidney's on an exciting treasure hunt, following two-hundred-year-old clues that lead her ever closer to the artefact she's searching for. But what is the artefact? And why is Sidney starting to feel she's at the heart of a terrifying conspiracy she doesn't understand???The answer blows Sidney's world apart, plunging her into a dark, glittering world of secret societies, ancient bloodlines, witches and magic, linked to an ages-old conspiracy that could destroy the very principles upon which America was founded.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I love stories about witches so I was really excited to check it out. This felt a cozy mystery but elevated. I adore cozy mysteries and this offered so much more than that. I loved the historical aspect of the book. Some contemporary books don’t do the historical part justice, but I think this book was well researched and also fantastical. I loved that Sidney was a little down in the dumps, but she worked her way home and found something that worked for her. Sidney was super relatable. I loved all of it! The writing was fun and I definitely felt entertained. I’d definitely read more books in the series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantastical stories about witches! Sherri1,207 20

***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review

Sidney Taylor, a successful & talented thirty-year-old Black woman, has been working hard at her position as an early American history professor, vying for a promotion. When she makes a historical discovery and someone else takes the credit, she is promptly put on unpaid leave. As she is packing up her office, she receives an anonymous & very cryptic invitation to visit historic small-town Robbinsville, North Carolina to hunt for a missing archaeological treasure. In return they are offering to pay her one million dollars. To Sidney, this is a win-win situation, since her beloved grandmother lives in Robbinsville, and she has been aching to visit her. Not long after she arrives, Sidney receives her instructions, and she is off on a treasure hunt, following two-hundred-year-old clues, plunging her into a dark world of secret societies, ancient bloodlines, witches and magic, linked to an ages-old conspiracy that could destroy the very principles upon which America was founded.

This is the first book in a new series by this author. I have read this author's other books, and really enjoyed those, but this one was just ok. I found it a little hard to follow at times, and a little too science-fiction-y, and action/adventure-y for me. Don't get me wrong... it wasn't a bad book at all, just one that other people might enjoy more than I did. I did really Sidney and her grandmother though - they were both very down-to -earth, strong, able women. I know this is nitpicking, but the way they used lines from a nursery rhyme as a code to determine who was and wasn't part of their inner circle of witches drove me a little nuts. Overall if you are a fan of things The Davinci Code, Indiana Jones, & David Baldacci's "The Camel Club" series, and don't mind a few witches thrown in for good measure, then this is the book for you. S.J. HigbeeAuthor 15 books38

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