A quaint village, a former mercenary with a bounty on her head, and a murdered mage? Sign me up! I love such tales, and the synopsis reminded me of one of my favorite books, "Legends & Lattes," so I couldn't resist the book. "Mages & Murder" by L. Evans is a sweet cozy fantasy I enjoyed reading.
The book follows Leonor, a former mercenary with a shadowy past, who has opened an inn in the quaint village of Bearstone. She lives there with her 15-year-old son and the help. A winter storm brings an influx of travelers, including a mage. When the mage is found murdered in her best room, her peaceful life is shattered. She has to find the murderer before the high guard arrives and her secret is revealed. As she keeps digging, she finds out she is not the only one with a hidden history and secrets.
I greatly enjoyed the book. The story is written in the first-person narrative from Leonor's perspective, allowing us to experience the events as they unfold through her eyes. The storyline is not so complex as to frustrate readers, but neither is it so simplistic as to bore them.
I loved the setting, the atmosphere, and the mystery. I didn't figure out at first who the murderer was, and I enjoyed following in Leonor's footsteps as she pieced together the clues. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending; I felt justice wasn't totally served. I also expected a bit more magic, as it is fantasy after all.
I had no trouble keeping up with the speakers or remembering their names. I found the book easy to follow. It could benefit from another round of editing, as there are a few spelling and grammar errors, and the writing was a bit choppy at times. That said, I loved the book and rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I would love to read more books in this setting. I recommend the book to lovers of the genre who enjoy stories of reinventing oneself to start over and books that focus on community.
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
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