Sidney Taylor, a successful & talented thirty-year-old Black woman, has been working hard at her position as an early American history professor, vying for a promotion. When she makes a historical discovery and someone else takes the credit, she is promptly put on unpaid leave. As she is packing up her office, she receives an anonymous & very cryptic invitation to visit historic small-town Robbinsville, North Carolina to hunt for a missing archaeological treasure. In return they are offering to pay her one million dollars. To Sidney, this is a win-win situation, since her beloved grandmother lives in Robbinsville, and she has been aching to visit her. Not long after she arrives, Sidney receives her instructions, and she is off on a treasure hunt, following two-hundred-year-old clues, plunging her into a dark world of secret societies, ancient bloodlines, witches and magic, linked to an ages-old conspiracy that could destroy the very principles upon which America was founded.

This is the first book in a new series by this author. I have read this author's other books, and really enjoyed those, but this one was just ok. I found it a little hard to follow at times, and a little too science-fiction-y, and action/adventure-y for me. Don't get me wrong... it wasn't a bad book at all, just one that other people might enjoy more than I did. I did really like Sidney and her grandmother though - they were both very down-to -earth, strong, likeable women. I know this is nitpicking, but the way they used lines from a nursery rhyme as a code to determine who was and wasn't part of their inner circle of witches drove me a little nuts. Overall if you are a fan of things like The Davinci Code, Indiana Jones, & David Baldacci's "The Camel Club" series, and don't mind a few witches thrown in for good measure, then this is the book for you.

National treasure meets witches! This story has ALL the mystery, hidden secrets and ancient artifacts. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery and all the secrets hiding around each corner!

We get so much story here in such a short novel. I felt this could have been twice as long and still be excellent. There is clearly a lot of work gone into this, and layers of research and detail. It is very fast paced, and while that means you really want to keep reading to see what will happen next, you perhaps dont get as long to soend with the characers as you might like. They were very tell not show and so i didnt really make a connection with them.
That being said the story really made uo for that and it was giving indiana jones/national treasure vibes and really demonstrated some excellent archeological information alongside a super compelling plot. Such an adventure to read. I loved how the stroylines and plots come together towards the end towards a very compelling climax which was very satisfying to read.

Esme Addison's "An Intrigue of Witches" casts a spell on readers with its enchanting blend of mystery, magic, and small-town charm. Set in the picturesque coastal town of Bellamy Bay, this cozy mystery captivates with its engaging characters, intricate plot, and hints of the supernatural.

At the heart of the story is Alex, a herbalist who returns to her hometown after her grandmother's mysterious death. As Alex delves into her family's past, she discovers a centuries-old feud between two powerful witch families and uncovers dark secrets that threaten to tear the town apart. With the help of an eclectic cast of characters, including her feisty grandmother's ghost, Alex sets out to solve the mystery before it's too late.

One of the novel's greatest strengths is Addison's vivid and atmospheric world-building. Bellamy Bay comes to life on the page, with its charming shops, quirky residents, and hint of magic around every corner. Addison's descriptive prose immerses readers in the town's rich history and mystical allure, making it a place they won't want to leave.

The mystery itself is well-crafted and keeps readers guessing until the very end. Addison skillfully weaves together multiple plot threads, slowly revealing clues and red herrings along the way. The supernatural elements add an extra layer of intrigue, adding to the sense of wonder and enchantment.

The characters in "An Intrigue of Witches" are charming and relatable, each with their own quirks and secrets. Alex is a strong and resourceful protagonist, whose journey of self-discovery is both empowering and heartfelt. The supporting cast adds depth and color to the story, with memorable personalities that leave a lasting impression.

In addition to its engaging plot and lovable characters, "An Intrigue of Witches" also explores deeper themes of family, forgiveness, and the power of love. Through Alex's journey, Addison examines the bonds that tie us together and the strength we find in embracing our true selves.

Overall, "An Intrigue of Witches" is a delightful and magical read that will enchant readers of all ages. Esme Addison has crafted a cozy mystery that is both captivating and heartwarming, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.

A truly wonderful whirlwind of history, adventure and witches.

Historian Sidney Taylor loves her job, but with her bosses refusing to publish any of her new finds and keeping her to the desk instead she feels stuck and unsure of what to do next, until a mysterious letter lands on her door step. One cryptic invitation and an offer of a large sum of money later she finds herself heading back to her Grandmothers home town to unravel a mystery that could change the course of her life forever.

I truly loved this book from start to finish it had the perfect mix of Indiana jones meets tomb raider, the mystery had me guessing the whole way through and the cryptic adventures were unique and thrilling. The book is filled with history, science, religion and culture and has managed to link so many different time periods together without it being overwhelming or boring which added so much to the depth of the story.

I also cant praise the author enough for how well rounded, confident and strong she made the female characters in this book, there was a beautiful sense of sisterhood no matter what the age and a truly heart-warming found family aspect.
An intrigue of witches was so much fun to read and I cant wait to read the next books in the secret society mystery series when they come out

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Esme Addison for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for An Intrigue of Witches coming out May 7, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I love stories about witches so I was really excited to check it out. This felt like a cozy mystery but elevated. I adore cozy mysteries and this offered so much more than that. I loved the historical aspect of the book. Some contemporary books don’t do the historical part justice, but I think this book was well researched and also fantastical. I loved that Sidney was a little down in the dumps, but she worked her way home and found something that worked for her. Sidney was super relatable. I loved all of it! The writing was fun and I definitely felt entertained. I’d definitely read more books in the series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantastical stories about witches!

Oh what a ride! This was a fantastic story!
Sidney is dumped from her job only to be offered another while being asked to find a mysterious artifact. She has to solve puzzles & riddles along the way. But there's also people opposed to what she's doing.
Then there's the history aspect...delving into the history of witch hunting. There's even some science aspect with talk of quantum physics & virtual reality.
This was a very good read. I loved getting to know the characters. The background/history building was a little confusing & dry at points but felt unique.
I loved the mystery. Lots of little ones it seemed.
I took off a star for the history/science-y parts that felt a bit long & hard to follow.

3.5 (rounded up to 4) 🌟
0 🌟

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It seemed a bit choppy at times, but the story was quite good overall, and I liked the premise. The story dragged a bit at times but then would pick back up and keep the action flowing. I believe much of what we learned in this book sets up a grander conflict in upcoming books in the series. I would like to see more development of the side characters if they are part of her team and assist her in the future. I particularly would like her to be less wishy-washy about Gabe. One minute she really likes him, and the next, she's rather dismissive. She needs to at least let him know if he's to be her hero. As I said it was an enjoyable read, there were some rocky parts, but overall I enjoyed it and would read the next in the series.

Thank you, NetGalley and Severn House, for an advanced copy. These opinions are my own.

This book gave me a da Vinci Code feel with a magical twist. It was unlike any book I have read in the subject of witches. I loved the approach Esme Addison brought to her characters and her storyline. It was original and historical. I found myself wanting more!

Just finished reading an ARC of the book and gosh, it was a lot of information which I'm still analyzing.

It's really an intrigue of witches happening in the book, a modern world with a feel of escape rooms and some VR components, spun with a touch of magic and old world, brought together to create this book.

There's a lot of mystery happening, when you think you know everything, nope, there's a bit more to find out.

For me there were 2 major plot twists, one I kind of saw coming, but the other one was unexpected. 😶‍🌫️

The intrigue of the book kept me in a hook especially as I'm a big lover of escape rooms and puzzles. 🤭

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Severn House and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

#AnIntrigueofWitches #NetGalley

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley.

This book was such good fun. It’s completely over the top and but it’s just so entertaining.

This is one for fans of National Treasure, The Da Vinci Code and Relic Hunter. We have a completely awesome main character who is intelligent, talented and brilliant. She is forced to take a leave of absence from her university where’s she’s a historian and a media darling. Then she’s offered a mysterious job to find an artefact in her Grandmother’s home town where she used to work at a museum.

She then has to solve a series of clues from the early 19th century relating to witches and Scottish migrants to find the artefact and foil the plans of a VR company that’s trying to make all Americans spend all their time in VR. They’re even influencing the President!

So we’ve got witches, puzzle solving, political intrigue and even some secret societies! This is chaotic but it’s such a fun read! I found this really entertaining. I loved the main character and her grandmother, I thought they were both so strong, cool and amazing!

Mystery and history all mixed up to make something that was an absolute blast to read!

Dnf @35%

There are just so many books that I can't in good faith keep reading books that I'm not liking or are confusing. I can't push through anymore. I saw the title Witches and assumed witches. Nope, just conspiracies and ai. No, thanks. I like books to be an escape not anxiety filled.

When Sidney finds herself on gardening leave from her job at the museum, she returns to her grandmother's house where she is offered a job at the local museum - using her 'escape room' skills to find a lost artifact that can keep the world safe from a future threatened by technology. She quickly realises that she has been manipulated into returning but is intrigued by the artifact and sets off to find it. As her adventure begins she learns that all is not as it seems with regard to her past, her family and the people she grew up with. To say more would reveal the plot!
This book shared an interesting take on the world as we know it. I will certainly be reading the next book in the series.

I found this book to be really interesting, mixing old and new times while it presents the story from the perspective of a famous and very quick-witted historian.

I especially liked all the puzzles and the fact that they were so varied, which made the story quite unpredictable.

I feel like all the information regarding the secret societies should have been delivered in a different manner, because I felt like I was gonna miss on something with the info dumps.

I really liked how the whole VR idea was presented. It seemed such a good idea and thinking that is a evil plan is obviously something a crazy person would think, but the way the plan unravel shows how things actually are, and it was unexpected.

I just want to add one more thing; the family connections that we discovered at the end, were really sweet and I'm happy the author decided to add that part into the story

An Intrigue of Witches
Esme Addison
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars

This novel was a very huge undertaking to say the least. This book had a whole LOT of narrative writing throughout the book. The author must have done an extensive amount of researching. It made me think of National Treasure/ Indiana Jones with witches. It was very fast paced and mystery around every corner that you had to figure out. Sometimes I think it was going too fast and I had to go back and reread it. This book goes into extensive detail about a lot of archeological finds. Overall, it was an adventurous book and I enjoyed the ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

"An Intrigue of Witches ", by Esme Addison is a fun adventure with lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Full of clues, this quest is an absolutely entertaining must for lovers of history!

A good intriguing mystery with Sidney a Black Historian who is asked to find a artifact and discovers the history of the town.
Good mystery,suspense,twists,a few surprises.
Good characters and story.
Voluntarily Reviewed.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC of An Intrigue of Witches!

If I'm being brutally honest, for the first half of this book, I did find myself bored and a little bit confused. I feel like the historical crossovers got too much at times (VR, American Witches emigrating to Scotland, a royal bloodline descended from Ancient Egypt... all that in one book was very overwhelming). However after the halfway point, the action and plot crossed over and I was gripped for the second half, and reminded me very much of a Tomb Raider movie! If there are any further books by Addison, I would be very happy to read them, especially if they involve the same loveable main character of Sidney!

BIPOC Paranormal Cozy-ish Mystery featuring an early American history professor who travels to North Carolina to hunt for a missing archaeological treasure and uncovers her own hidden magical legacy.

4/5 stars: This is the first entry in Addison's Secret Society Mystery series, which is a Paranormal Cozy-ish Mystery that takes place is North Carolina and that follows an early American history professor, working at the Smithsonian in Washington DC who returns to North Carolina. While visiting her grandmother, she take on the hunt for an ancient archaeological treasure using two hundred year old clues, ciphers and puzzles. The answers she finds plunges her into a world of secret societies and ancient bloodlines that link to her own hidden magical legacy. With plenty of twists and turns, Addison has masterfully crafted a mystery that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I came for the codes and puzzles and was NOT disappointed! Addison utilizes different types of puzzles, codes, tricks and hidden elements to create intricate and fascinating to solve clues. I also really enjoyed the detail that was paid to historical elements. If you're a fan of National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code this will be right up your alley. Additionally, Addison's writing and character work is stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Sidney is gutsy, smart and so someone I would want in my corner. I also really loved her grandmother and Abner. The only drawback for me is the science fiction elements were a little to science-y for me. I got what Addison was doing with it and it works for the plot but it felt so “hard” science mixed with the interesting magic and witchcraft world building and the awesome treasure hunt/historical elements. Sensitive topics are discussed, so take care and check the CWs. Overall, a great start to a new series and I can't wait to see what comes next. I'll be keeping my decoder ring handy!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Didn’t quite hit the mark for me as a whole. Definitely National Treasure feel, but for me not the same humour filled spirit. Tension and intrigue is built up from the beginning. Plenty of puzzles that only Sydney could possible solve; this was one issue for me, yes she has a particular knowledge base but I’m sure others could have to. Then the story became a bit too dense as the author brought in a lot of background American history. However, then the story grabbed my attention as the action speeded up again towards the end. Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.