Title: Sparks & Drops
Series: The Wheels of Mysteries 01
Author: Susan Laine
Genre: Contemporary, Humor, Mystery
Length: Novella (170pgs)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (20th November 2013)
Heat Level: Nil
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 2½ Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Magic is in the air when Gus Goodwin, a pagan shopkeeper and owner of the Four Corners’ occult shop, meets a Niall Valentine, a mysterious PI investigating the disappearance of a local witch named Joy. What starts out as harmless flirting and information gathering soon turns into a partnership, with both men determined to solve the case.
Then bodies begin to pile up. Someone is using fire and water to kill witches associated with Joy, and it is up to Niall and Gus to find out what’s going on. But when their friendship blossoms into something else, the unknown dangers looming ahead become even more frightening. If they can’t solve the murders soon, they’re going to get themselves killed.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4379
Review: Gus is the owner of Four Corners’ occult shop and is intrigued by a new browsing customer, sharing information about the Wicca practice, Gus soon learns that Niall is a private investigator looking into the disappearance of a local witch and Gus soon finds himself helping the PI with his investigation. Niall is good at what he does but first he needs to learn what he can about the circles that Joy (the missing witch) moved in, finding himself with an assistant Niall soon finds himself on the outskirts of a murder investigation as Joy’s friends are being picked off one by one. Niall & Gus soon find themselves heading for unknown danger and their friendship is quickly turning into something more, but they both have to survive and solve the case before they can see where their friendship is going.
Okay so I wasn’t too impressed with this story and I think that was all down to Gus, because I took a dislike to him early on. Niall is hired to find a missing woman and his trail leads him to Gus’ shop, Gus finds himself drawn to Niall and ends up offering to help him navigate the Wicca world. Together they investigate and find themselves in the middle of something that they never saw coming. Niall is very open-minded as he learns the different practices and at first welcomes Gus’ help but then as the case becomes serious he wants Gus to step back but Gus has his own idea’s. Gus is very accepting of everything except when he feels someone is disparaging his chosen religion. He is also headstrong, so when Niall tells him to step back, Gus does not intend to leave the case alone.
Niall was my favorite character because he truly was open-minded about what he learned and saw. He was also very patient and pretty easygoing. Gus said he was open-minded but the second someone (usually Niall) said something he didn’t agree with he would start preaching and lecturing, he also saw attacks on his religion where none were. The case is interesting but slightly bizarre, especially with the way that things progress, as in the culprit and the reason behind the murders. I could only surmise that the culprit was a complete psychopath!
Learning about the Wicca practice was interesting and I never knew there were so many different traditions but you can clearly see the research Susan Laine has put into this book. The secondary characters were well written and really added to the story. I did enjoy the story and liked how it progressed, I liked that Gus and Niall are at the very start of their relationship and we see them as they work around the case and their attraction, but as I said earlier the reason of the mystery was kind of senseless and I really disliked Gus.
I recommend this to those who love Wicca mystery stories, solving murders, tearing head first into danger, seeing the beginning of a new relationship and a happy ending.