THE CRONE OF MIDNIGHT EMBERS Myrtlewood Crones, Book 1

Book 1 in the Myrtlewood Crones series gets a near-perfect narration from Bethan Dixon Bate. Bizarre things keep happening to 60-ish Delia Spark. She’s attacked by a stranger, her daughter is being secretive, and things around her burst into flame spontaneously—for example, her ex-husband’s girlfriend’s underwear. To get away, Delia travels to remote Myrtlewood, where she meets a strange group of older women. Witches? A magical mafia? Bate gives each woman a unique personality, and her male characters sound uncomfortably menacing. With potions, spells, diabolical plotting by the men in The Order, talking cats, and rabid squirrels, Delia’s adventures are fast and outrageous, some psychedelic and some painfully real. Paranormal cozy? Sci-fi? Fantasy fun? Whatever you decide, Bate makes this delightful audiobook choice listening. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2024 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2024]