Magical Possibilities

The bletherings and creations of a fantasy author

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I’ve just finished Haunted, Hexed and Dead by Bella Colby. Here’s what I thought:

*****

Another wonderful instalment in the Witchy at Fifty series. This time, all the fun of the fair leads to a dead body in the haunted house. Josie does her usual friendly sleuthing, with plenty of magical baked goods and, of course, the assistance of Einstein the cat. There’s a lovely helping of romance, a houseful of entertaining guests, and lots of clues to follow. Brilliant. *****

And here’s the blurb: A travelling fair has rolled into town, and rookie witch, Josie Appleton, is looking forward to candy floss and carnival fun. A dead body in the haunted house wasn’t part of the show. But Josie’s curiosity spins faster than a Waltzer when the crime looks more hexed than human.

The local DI may roll his eyes, but Josie’s enchanted baking is about to uncover fairground secrets the fortune teller’s crystal ball never saw coming.

Can she spell out the killer before the rides move on, or will she end up as the fair’s final fright?

Haunted, Hexed and Dead is the rollercoaster fourth book in the Witchy at Fifty midlife paranormal cozy mystery series.

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I always like to pause a few months into the year and look back at what I’ve been reading.

You can find out what I’ve read so far in 2026, the patterns I’ve noticed, and what I’m planning to read next over on my blog:

What’s been your favourite read this year?

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I’ve just finished reading horror novel Closure May Never Come by P D Doling. Here’s what I thought:

If you like your horror served with a large helping of love and friendship, this could be the novel for you. Alongside the growing and torturous danger that Vikki finds herself in, we’re guided through the history of her relationship with Rob. We’re also introduced to Rob’s closest friends and how their lives work out as Rob and Vikki grow closer. It’s a precarious balancing act between normal, everyday life and doom-filled horror.

And here’s the blurb: When a romantic holiday ends in tragedy, Rob Wyatt is determined to help his wife, Vikki, recover from her accident.

As he fights to restore her to her former self, an ancient evil begins to manipulate their lives.

Rob's growing suspicion leads him to a chilling realisation: that the soul he's trying to save may no longer be human...

[fiphillipsauthor]

Fantasy worlds don’t stand still. They grow and evolve with each new instalment.

From the hidden magical community of Darkacre to the further afield journeys of Magic Bound and Haven’s Deceit, the world of the Haven Chronicles has steadily expanded, revealing new layers of magic, history, and danger.

With Book Four almost finished, I thought it was time to look back over how the world contained in the series has grown since we first met Steve.

Find out more here:

[fiphillipsauthor]

I’ve just finished reading Run to the Blue by P N Johnson. Now, I’m (impatiently) waiting for the next instalment in the series to come out later this year. Here’s what I thought:

*****

This crime thriller has journalist Tess Anderson in constant fight or flight mode. I mean, who wouldn’t be with a dangerous thug on your tail and possibly around the next corner?

Incredibly well written, exciting, and in the wonderful setting of the Greek Islands around Corfu, this was a novel I just couldn’t put down. With betrayal, romance, friendship, government intrigue, and a gutsy journalist thrown into the mix, this was always going to be a brilliant read.

I can’t wait for the next one in the series.

*****

What are you reading at the moment? Any good?

[fiphillipsauthor]

Here’s my 5 star book review of sci fi novel Echoes by Phil Oddy.

*****

Poor Estrel. He just wants an easy life but what starts out as a standard sales trip soon turns into a mystifying run for his life. What is he meant to be doing? Why is he meant to be doing it? And who exactly can he trust?

This is time loop sci fi used to its full, intriguing potential. A brilliant start to the Entanglement series.

*****

The blurb:

Who can you trust if you can't trust yourself? Estrel Beck doesn’t want to be a software salesman. Yet here he is, newly arrived in the city-state of Trinity, for a make-or-break meeting with the local Administration department. Under-prepared, under-motivated and over-sensitive, every little thing about this strange place seems to stress Estrel out. When he discovers a message scrawled on the back of a napkin, in his own handwriting, telling him he’s trapped in a time loop, he knows for sure that he’s in over his head. Then the Administration building explodes. As Estrel struggles to make sense of his situation and find an escape, he is drawn into Trinity’s bizarre underworld and the struggles for power against Trinity’s corrupt Mayor Chaguartay. Echoesis a story about being trapped by your past choices and what it takes to break free.

[fiphillipsauthor]

I’ve been thinking a lot about how the world of the Haven Chronicles has changed since I first wrote Haven Wakes.

When you begin a series, you only see part of the map. The rest reveals itself slowly. That might be through the politics and culture of the world you’re writing about, the magic systems, the back history of your protagonist and friends, or the consequences of your characters’ choices.

The world contained in book four seems so much more immense and rich now. The characters have grown and learned about themselves. We know more about the different types of magic.  The stakes are higher and that world seems to be less forgiving than at the beginning of this journey.

The way that fantasy lets a world grow alongside the people living in it is just one more reason to absolutely adore this genre.

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I’ve seen a lot of people sharing photos from 2016 online. I may be a little late to the trend but here’s mine.

This is the year I turned 50 and my husband took me to Venice to celebrate. At the time, I wasn’t a published author yet. I was still wrestling with the story that would eventually become Haven Wakes.

What I didn’t know then was that Venice would become the heart of one of my novels. Both the real city and a futuristic, floating version turn up in Haven’s Deceit, book three of the Haven Chronicles.

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My monthly newsletter is for people who love fantasy, bookish chat, and behind-the-scenes peeks at a series in progress.

If that sounds like your kind of thing, you can sign up here:

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Fantasy stories are often remembered for the worlds they take us to, but for me, the main thing that keeps us returning to a series, book after book, is the people we find there and how they respond to each other.

Read The Relationships at the Heart of the Haven Chronicles to find out more:

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Fantasy is such a big, dramatic genre, but so much of it starts here, quietly, with a mug of tea.

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I just finished reading Fatman Blues by Richard Wall. It’s a brilliant read, especially if the Blues is your taste in music and you love historical paranormal fiction. Here’s my 5* review.

***** As you'd expect from any Richard Wall story, this novel is steeped in the Blues. This is a deep dive into 1930s American culture with a paranormal slant. When Hobo John makes a deal with Fatman, he has no idea what he's getting himself into. This is a rich and immensely enjoyable read that doesn't shy away from heartbreak and darkness. And is all the better for it. 

*****

And here’s the blurb:

‘Hobo John’ is an English blues enthusiast on a pilgrimage to present-day Mississippi. One night in Clarksdale he meets the mysterious Fat Man, who offers him the chance to see the real blues of the 1930s. Unable to refuse this offer, Hobo John embarks on a journey through the afterlife in the company of Travellin' Man, an old blues guitarist who shows him the sights, sounds and everyday life in the Mississippi Delta. Along the way, the Englishman discovers the harsh realities behind his romantic notion of the music he loves and the true price of the deal that he has made.

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Here’s my 5* book review of The Stone of Destiny by Andrew Neil MacLeod.

*****

Having read the first book in the series, The Fall of the House of Thomas Weir, I was really looking forward to The Stone of Destiny. I’m pleased to say that I wasn’t disappointed. This is a wonderful follow-on from the dastardly happenings in Edinburgh.

There’s something for everyone in this novel: road trip adventures, friendly banter, paranormal beasties, folklore and ancient culture, scientific discoveries of the time, and an overarching quest to find the real Stone of Destiny.

Andrew Neil MacLeod hits just the right note in this historical adventure with plenty of things going bump in the night and believable dialogue too.

Will there be more from Johnson and Boswell? I do hope so.

The Blurb:

What if the Coronation Stone at Westminster—the stolen relic on which the High Kings of Scotland had been crowned for over seven hundred years—was a fake? What if the true Stone of Destiny was still out there somewhere, hidden away by a Holy Order to protect it from English invaders? When Doctor Johnson turns up at his friend James Boswell’s door after an absence of almost seven years, he makes Boswell an enticing proposition: to join him on a quest to recover the true Stone of Destiny. What follows is a breathtaking journey through the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland, from Edinburgh up to the furthest reaches of the northern isles. Plunged into a dizzying world of secret societies, occult mysteries and supernatural phenomena, the two friends leave no Neolithic stone unturned in their search to uncover the truth. Can Johnson and Boswell keep one step ahead of those who would try to stop them? And will they be willing to sacrifice all so that they can get all that they desire? Eighteenth century Scotland has never been so magical - and terrifying.

[fiphillipsauthor]

I’m writing an intense, dangerous chapter in book four of the Haven Chronicles right now. The darkling has choices to make and secrets to keep.

This chapter is set in one of the most magical locations I’ve created in my novels and I keep coming back to the thought of how lucky I am to write fantasy. It lets me ask big questions about power, belonging, and what happens when the rules change, while playing with magic and folklore too.

Plus the mystical beasties, of course. There’s always got to be some of those too.

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Just in case you’re thinking about buying the Haven Chronicles but can’t decide, I’ve put together a guide to the entire series (no spoilers though):

New to the Haven Chronicles? Start Here.

https://fiphillipswriter.com/2026/01/07/new-to-the-haven-chronicles-start-here/

[fiphillipsauthor]

Here’s my 5 star book review of witchy cosy mystery, Christmas, Killers and Clues by Bella Colby.

*****

I've been looking forward to reading the latest Witchy at Fifty instalment, and I definitely wasn't disappointed. Josie and Einstein are back with a full B&B of guests, a touch of romance, and a murder to solve.

This whole series is a wonderful marrying of magic with murder mystery, supported by a colourful cast of locals, guests, and suspects. And after reading Christmas, Clues and Killers, I feel strangely drawn to baking and gingerbread lattes. I'll leave the sleuthing to Josie though.

Brilliant novel. Can't wait for the next one.

*****

And here’s the blurb:

She’s making a list and checking it twice… because someone gift-wrapped a Christmas murder.

Josie Appleton is full of yuletide cheer. Her B&B is fully booked, her magic is behaving, and even her usually snarky familiar is purring with turkey-fuelled sass. With snow falling and magical cinnamon buns rising, this rookie witch is ready for the perfect celebration. But news that the local animal rescue shelter might close for lack of funds bursts her festive bubble, especially when its owner turns up dead.

Josie’s sleuthing instincts kick in faster than a broom racing home in a snowstorm when the local detective enlists her help. And with a crime colder than a snowman’s backside, and her handyman heart-meltingly handsome in his jingle-bell jumper, it’s a challenge staying focused… and alive.

Can Josie crack the case and give the shelter animals their midwinter miracle, or will a killer turn her into the ghost of witches past?

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I thought it was time to bring you another author interview. You can read my chat with witchy cosy mystery writer, Bella Colby over on my blog. Here’s the link: