Reviewed by: Sue Eaton
TITLE: Crystals and Corpses
SERIES: Magical Misfit Murders
AUTHORS: Jacki James & Lori Ames
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 251 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 14, 2026
BLURB:
Magic, murder, and a whole lot of coffee—welcome to Ravenstone!
Declan Hawthorne is just your average caffeine-addicted guy—until a visit to his grandfather reveals: magic is real, witches exist, and apparently, Declan’s one of them.
Now he’s getting to know Ravenstone, a supernatural small town where the coffee is strong, the monsters are quirky, and someone just murdered a vampire at the first annual Magic Festival.
His ally? Gideon Blackwood—a gorgeous wolf shifter who can’t shift but still manages to growl in all the right ways. He knows he can’t be Alpha, but that doesn’t stop him from protecting everyone else… including one reckless new witch who doesn’t know when to quit.
Between magical cookies and cakes, a bunch of meddling misfit monsters, and a lot of spilled coffee, Declan and Gideon have their hands full. But if they want to catch a killer—and maybe fall a little in love—they’ll have to trust their instincts and maybe their magic.
Because in Ravenstone, coffee solves most problems. The rest? Magic and a hot wolf usually do the trick.
REVIEW:
Crystals and Corpses is what happens when you take a slow‑burn romance, a murder mystery, and a town full of people who treat “eccentric” as a competitive sport and shake it all together like a glitter-filled snow globe.
At its heart, the story follows Declan Hawthorn, a newly arrived witch who didn’t know he was a witch until the town’s magic practically tackled him, and Gideon, a grumpy werewolf who can’t shift but still radiates “accidental alpha” energy. Their slow‑burn romance simmers beneath every clue, every argument, every moment they’re forced to work together because the universe clearly ships them harder than the Misfit Monster Support Group does.
Declan walks into town thinking he’s just going to handle some business, visit his grandfather keep his head down, and avoid anything resembling drama. The universe, naturally, laughs in his face. He’s practical, grounded, and allergic to nonsense, of course he ends up surrounded by witches, crystals, murder, and one very distracting Gideon. He’s got a huge heart. He cares deeply, even when he pretends, he doesn’t. He’s the kind of man who will sigh heavily, roll his eyes, and then do the right thing anyway. He was after a fresh start. Maybe a quiet job and a quieter life. Instead, he gets embroiled in a murder, meets a plethora of eccentric paranormals and finds out about a magical heritage he did not sign up for.
Gideon is the town’s unofficial alpha purely because everyone else insists on it. He’s the paranormal equivalent of a manager who keeps saying “I’m not in charge” while everyone hands him their problems anyway. He’s prickly, protective, and deeply annoyed by how much he notices Declan. He growls when he’s flustered, denies every feeling he has with the enthusiasm of a man fighting for his life, has a soft spot the size of a small planet that he hides under layers of sarcasm. He can’t shift, which makes him feel broken, even though everyone else still treats him like the pack’s gravitational centre.
The slow burn between them is chef’s kiss, Declan is all wide‑eyed “magic is real??” chaos. Gideon is all “don’t touch me” except he absolutely wants Declan to touch him. Every time they get close, someone interrupts with a clue, a crisis, or a crystal reading. What makes their slow burn so compelling is that they’re both learning who they are at the same time they’re learning about each other.
The murder of a vampire sets everything in motion, but the investigation is less CSI and more “please stop touching that, it might explode.” Declan’s magic misfires, Gideon’s instincts flare, and the town’s supernatural oddballs bless their meddling hearts, insert themselves into the case with the enthusiasm of people who have never once minded their own business.
The Misfit Monster Support Group, the most unhelpfully helpful collection of supernatural disasters ever assembled. Their entire purpose is to “support one another,” but what they do is derail Declan and Gideon’s investigation with the enthusiasm of toddlers let loose in a potion shop. They meddle in the investigation, show up at crime scenes, conduct their own interviews, which are mostly accusations, snacks, unsolicited life advice and offer theories which make no sense. Despite all their theatrics they do make a difference and help to solve the case.
Despite the corpses, curses, and questionable decision‑making, the book radiates warmth. It’s cozy, comforting, and full of heart, proof that even in a town overflowing with supernatural nonsense, love, friendship, and community can be the strongest magic of all.
RATING: 
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