Rating: 3⭐️
I enjoyed Witches With Benefits (A Nightshade Detective Agency Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Amanda M. Lee but it’s a novel that, once you finish it, you realize, it doesn’t really have a lot of substance to it.
It’s like a bag of diet popcorn. You eat it. You enjoy eating it. You finish the bag. Then you think about the flavor that’s missing, the butter and the salt. All the ingredients, the great “stuff” that’s the reason why you eat popcorn. And then you realize you probably won’t be eating that brand anymore.
This is exactly like that.
It’s moves swiftly along with an interesting plot, on the surface. But then again, there’s no depth to anything. To the characters, the world building, the arc, the battles and especially the magic.
The missing sister aspect of the story? The one that is supposed to be the most traumatic and polarizing? It’s also the most inconsistent. We know nothing about the sister. And to pull the reader into this family’s tragic story,we should be able to see how much that sister and the family dynamic were real and believable. But we get nothing. No understanding of anyone or any kind of relationship other than briefly superficial.
In the following years, the father , parents are understood to have let the sister disappearance go. But Freya is said to both have become a detective to continue looking for her and also considers her sister dead. It’s a 50/50 thing depending upon what page you are on.
The characters around her have no discernible layers. That includes an alligator shifter who works with her , and a rich girl best friend who’s extremely irritating. It’s she’s rich and he’s a good old boy gator shifter from a large New Orleans family. That’s pretty much it. And the main character isn’t better developed.
Freya Holmes, a witch/vampire woman who has a hugely powerful vampire father (but only because we are told he is, no actual actions or abilities we see) and a powerful witch mother who is largely unknown. She has unique powers ( we’re told) that she “activates” the way that the Power Rangers do. As in “I’m going to be actively using my more powerful vampire powers now”. SMH
Then whoosh or whatever that powers are, it just happens. We don’t know what happens. It’s not written because Freya “blanks “ conveniently out. And any battle scene is over , bad guys are vanquished, and everyone is gazing at Freya in awe. That’s the scene. Everyone gazes at Freya in awe. Gods included.
I kid you not. That’s how all the battles are fought. No real fights. No powers for anyone seen or written out. Not even a KaBam. So poorly done.
On top of no magical abilities designed or written, the local gods and powers are shortchanged as well. It’s all mouth work. I’m gonna tell you how bad I am. Not going to show you anything but I’m definitely going to tell you that I’m pretty darn scary. Boo.
They are there but what they do? Not a clue.
Yes, there is a beginning of a romance. But they don’t have an adult relationship and the dialogue reads like 3 year olds in a sandbox. You did it, no I didn’t, yes you did.
No it’s not intelligent or particularly snarky.
So I’m leaving this here. There’s another book that will be published soon. But I don’t think it’s something I’m interested in.
You be the judge if this is what you want to read.
Nightshade Detective Agency Cozy Mystery :
Witches With Benefits #1
Survival of the Witchiest #2 – Aug 4,2026
Buy link
Book 1 of 2: A Nightshade Detective Agency Cozy Mystery
Blurb
Freya Holmes is unique in an already eccentric city.
New Orleans may be a paranormal mecca but even in a world where every type of shifter and witch is commonplace, a vampire-witch hybrid is something to worship … and fear.
Freya has never been interested in her parents’ opulent world. She finds her power in magic, which is why she formed Nightshade Detective Agency in the first place. She’s interested in helping people … even when that help might come at the cost of her life.
Knox Cullen grew up on the poor side of New Orleans. His shifter genes allowed him to climb out of poverty and embrace a certain lifestyle as a paranormal bounty hunter. He can take a punch and throw one. He’s not ready for Freya, though.
When a local mobster ends up dead and the culprit appears to be a supernatural assassin, both Freya and Knox are on the case. Unfortunately, they have no intention of working together and two hard heads don’t make for a soft landing.
Freya has her hands full. In addition to Knox, who is hiding something big, there’s a paranormal investigation unit seeking a partnership that takes advantage of her hard work and their impressive reach. The Legacy Foundation has quite the reputation, as do the two people—Charlie and Jack—who approach her with an offer she might not be able to refuse. Can she trust them? Can she trust anybody?
The clock is ticking. Freya needs to save the French Quarter. Sadly, she might lose herself in the process.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 