Mystic Deception

Sally J. Smith · Jean Steffens

Jun 2019 · Mystic Isle Mysteries Book 4 · Gemma Halliday Publishing

About this ebook

From USA Today bestselling authors Sally J. Smith & Jean Steffens comes murder, magic, and laughter on the bayou...

There’s magic in the air at The Mansion at Mystic Isle where Melanie Hamilton works—magic everywhere. The Federation of Magicians has contracted to hold their annual show at the resort on the bayou, and Melanie's excited to join in the fun—nothing like a little hocus pocus to liven things up, right? The winner’s own show and a huge cash prize guarantees stiff competition. And speaking of stiffs, when the contest frontrunner turns up dead, Mel, Jack Stockton, and the staff at the resort rally to chase down the culprit. Is one magician so desperate for fame and fortune they’d kill for it, or is there another reason to work some black magic? Mel conjures up several suspects, but the adept sleight of hand conceals the identity of the murderer. Will an abracadabra and the wave of a magic wand catch the killer, or will it be Mel who disappears?

Mystic Isle Mysteries:

Mystic Mayhem (book #1)

Mystic Mojo (shorts story in the Killer Beach Reads collection)

Mystic Mistletoe Murder (book #2)

Mystic Mischief (book #3)

Mystic Deception (book #4)

"Writing team Sally J. Smith and Jean Steffens, a top all-time favorite, have penned a well-written and exciting series with a Southern flair, combining cheeky characters, humorous foibles, and of course, a clever cozy murder mystery."

 —Kings River Life Magazine

Ratings and reviews

There's a magic show at The Mansion at Mystic Isle, with magicians competing to win cash and be made famous. But when one magician is found dead and another is implicated in the crime, Mel puts her amateur sleuthing skills to the test, to find out what really happened. This book was a fun one to read. There's a lot of characters, all a bit quirky, and the story really keeps you guessing as to who the culprit is.

I always enjoy my visits to Mystic Isle, and my journey through Mystic Deception, the fourth book in the Mystic Isle Mysteries series by Sally J. Smith and Jean Steffans was a fantastic experience. The wonderful characters, the fun flavor of the resort, and the intrigue that is sure to make an appearance combine to create a great read. What could possibly be a better place for the practitioners of the illusion of magic to gather than an island resort that caters to those who love that illusion? The Federation of Magicians must agree because they have chosen Mystic Isle as the place to hold their annual competition. The draw that the success of this endeavor would create is as important to the future of the resort as is winning is to the magicians involved. Alas, the recent curse that seems to have dropped over the resort continues as one of the competitors meets and untimely death in a most appropriate manner. A fascinating range of wonderful characters populate the resort and keep pulling me back into its magic. The mystery plot is complex enough that it took me some time to become suspicious of the person eventually revealed as the murderer. As a fan of the series, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of the fourth book in the series that I have enjoyed from the beginning.

Mystic Deception is another great mystery set at The Mansion at Mystic Isle. Mel and friends are on hand to help discover the killer. The entire cast of characters is an absolute delight. There are many suspects and several possible motives. I was very entertained as I rushed to finish the book!