Book Review: A Brew for Chaos (Enchanted Bay Mysteries #3) by Esme Addison

Esme Addison’s A Brew for Chaos is a whimsical yet tightly plotted addition to the Enchanted Bay cozy mystery series, blending supernatural elements with classic whodunit intrigue. The novel follows herbal apothecary worker and secret mermaid descendant Alex Daniels as she investigates a cold-case serial killer mystery after a body is discovered on the beach. Addison’s strength lies in her ability to balance lighthearted charm with darker thematic undertones, creating a narrative that appeals to both genre enthusiasts and scholars of contemporary cozy mysteries.

Key Strengths and Contributions
-Genre Innovation: Addison deftly merges cozy mystery tropes (small-town dynamics, amateur sleuthing) with magical realism, offering a fresh take on the subgenre. The inclusion of mermaid lore and herbal magic elevates the plot beyond conventional mysteries.
-Character Depth: Protagonist Alex Daniels is a compelling lead, with her conflicted identity as a mermaid descendant and her emotional ties to her mother’s hidden past. Secondary characters, including the victim Jonah, are sketched with enough nuance to avoid cliché.
-Thematic Layering: Beneath the surface of a beach-town mystery, the novel explores themes of legacy, secrecy, and the moral weight of uncovering truths—particularly through Alex’s reckoning with her family’s supernatural heritage.

Critiques and Limitations
-Pacing Issues: The middle section sags under excessive exposition about magical lore, slowing the momentum of the central mystery.
-Villain Transparency: The killer’s identity leans on predictable tropes, diminishing the impact of the final reveal.
-Worldbuilding Gaps: While the magical elements are imaginative, their rules feel inconsistently applied, particularly in climactic scenes.

Thematic and Analytical Insights
Addison’s exploration of hidden histories—both familial and supernatural—resonates with broader literary discussions about identity and belonging. The novel’s emphasis on herbalism and natural magic could be read as a metaphor for reclaiming marginalized knowledge, though this thread is underexplored. The resolution’s reliance on intuition over logic may frustrate readers seeking traditional mystery rigor.

Overall Rating: 3.8/5

Section Scoring Breakdown
-Plot Structure: 4.0/5 — Clever twists but uneven pacing.
-Character Development: 4.2/5 — Alex’s arc shines; secondary roles need refinement.
-Worldbuilding: 3.5/5 — Creative but inconsistent magical systems.
-Thematic Depth: 4.0/5 — Subtle social commentary buried under genre conventions.
-Engagement: 4.1/5 — A page-turner with occasional lapses in tension.

Thank you to NetGalley and author Esme Addison for providing an advance copy of this enchanting mystery in exchange for an honest review.

Alex, our FMC, works in her Aunts apothecary as a herbalist in Bellamy Bay, NC. She is happily dating police detective Jack while helping her friend Pepper track down leads on a local murder mystery ‘The Fisherman’. On top of all that, Alex still manages to find time to practice her magical gifts her family has inherited as ancestors of mermaids.

Absolutely love the cozy, fall, coastal, mystery vibes spun together. I enjoyed all the characters and their quirks. The overall vibe of the book reminded of a hallmark mystery movie.

This is a perfect cozy read for fall, spring, or summer. I thoroughly enjoyed and can’t wait to read more!

This book was exactly what I needed after reading a lot of folk horror. A cozy small town mystery. An herbalist and a journalist? Stellar combo. The story of missing women in a fantasy perspective reminds me of The Last Unicorn, something I grew up loving. I’d recommend this to anyone.

#ABrewforChaos #NetGalley is a well written addition to this series by author Esme Addison.
Alex is our protagonist who is not only a practicing herbalist, she's also the ancestor of mermaids.
Alex lives with her aunt and cousin in Bellamy Bay, and works in the family apothecary.
When Pepper, an up and coming journalist asks Alex to help research a 20 year old story of missing women, she has no idea what she's in for.
This story was an amazing one, I immediately became involved in every aspect of the book, wondering what happened to the women and would any of them be found after all these years.
The ending blew me away, I was hoping the author would give us a clue, and Ms. Addison certainly did.
I'm looking forward to next book, I am excited to see what happens next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Perfect when your craving a good small town cozy mystery! Addison brings us a beautiful blend of crisp seasonal vibes with otherworldly intrigue and old secrets that won’t stay buried.

Our MC is a herbalist by day and mermaid-descended amateur sleuth by fate. Who is determined to live a low-key lie. But life has other plans. When her journalist friend stirs up an old cold case and a new body turns up, Alex is pulled right back into the currents of danger and magic.

There’s something nostalgic about this one for me. The kind of comfort you get from a well-loved cozy mystery but with just enough magical realism to make it feel fresh. The story feels soft around the edges, but still sharp where it counts. I loved the layering of small-town charm, ancestral magic, and eerie old crimes. It was like reading a warm, spiced tea with a bite of something curious.

A satisfying continuation of the series with a blend of folklore, mystery and magic that feels familiar and wonderfully strange.

The ENDING!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much to the Author & Net Galley for the ARC, I am leaving this review with my honest opinion.

This book was such a cosy read and quick to drink down. It felt familiar in a good way, as mysteries so often do, but the story was completely new. As a reader who enjoys fantasy and magical realism and wants to get more into mysteries, this book was the perfect bridge. Although there were some mystical elements that I wish were pulled back on a little. Some of the scenes with electricity felt a bit out of place, but I understand why they were included for the plot. For seasonal readers, would be an excellent autumn read with all the refrences the spices, smells, and Oktoberfest. But I read it in Spring and it felt just as appropriate with its ocean themes. This was my first read of this series and the book did a good job of quickly introducing the characters and context for a new-to-the-series reader, but not excessive that it would be disruptive to a continuing reader.