Before receiving that first novel, I was not familiar with Madelyn Alt's work. Maybe you aren't either. But you should be!

So far, there are two novels in Alt's series: ?The Trouble with Magic? and ?A Charmed Death.? The third novel, ?Hex Marks the Spot,? is scheduled to hit bookstores the end of 2007. Alt has created an intriguing character in Maggie O'Neill, a single woman, unlucky in love, who resides in the small town of Stony Mill, Indiana. When the series begins, Maggie suddenly loses her job, only to find employment at Enchantments, an antique shop owned by Felicity Dow, an English expatriate and the town's resident Witch. Or so the rumor goes.

Alt has been writing for fourteen years, but the ?Bewitching Mystery? series is her first real success story. ?I've always had a good response to my writing,? says Alt, ?but a lot of success in this business is related to timing, luck, and coming up with something fresh that hits the right buttons with people. That's not always easy. Good writers are being rejected left and right, so I consider myself very fortunate indeed.?

I'm always delighted to discover Occult fiction set in the present time and written by a writer knowledgeable about modern-day Witchcraft, Wicca, and the paranormal. No vampires lurk after dark, and much of the spellcasting is realistic. Definitely a plus.

Because this is a mystery series, there are inevitable deaths, as Maggie discovers the whisperings about Felicity to be true. Much to her surprise Maggie also finds she possesses magickal talents of her own, which Felicity eagerly encourages.

Throughout this Occult fiction series Maggie grows in self-esteem and magickal experience as she reluctantly travels her new Pagan path. I applaud Alt for creating novels peopled with a contemporary cast of characters, both women and men, who portray Paganism in a positive light.

?I'm a lifelong aficionado of all things paranormal,? says Alt, ?but one of the things I purposely set out to do with this series was to show magick in a practical setting with real people, to place Paganism and Wicca in a more realistic light for the mainstream public. I wanted to demonstrate how light and dark exist in all faiths, and I wanted to urge people to think. I hope I am accomplishing that goal, a little bit at a time.?

These are wonderful novels for readers who enjoy engaging Occult fiction, colorful characters, and a touch of the paranormal. I particularly liked the magickal details in these books, from realistic spellcasting, to paranormal investigations in graveyards, to Goddess rituals in the back room of Enchantments. This series is truly a bewitching read!