A killer has come to Isle, and suddenly the grand reopening of Tilly Hudgins’ family hotel has gone from celebration to crime scene.

Tilly Hudgins has poured her heart and soul into restoring her family’s historic beachfront hotel. With her sassy familiar, Smudge, offering commentary at every turn, and her well-meaning but meddlesome Aunt Pearl “helping” in her own chaotic way, Tilly’s grand reopening weekend should be perfect.

That is, until a local real estate developer turns up face-down on the hotel’s lawn—very much dead and very much on Tilly’s property.

With the local paper pinning her as suspect number one, reservations canceling faster than she can say “I’m innocent,” and a magical community watching her every move, Tilly must unravel a web of island secrets before her dream business goes under and she trades her ocean view for prison bars.

Who knew reopening a hotel would be murder?

Titles in the Witches of Seaspray Isle (Seaspray Isle Witch Mysteries) include:  Rings & Rumours ~ Lipstick & Liches ~ Snacks & Specters

This is an adult 18+ paranormal cozy mystery that might contain possible violence and/or situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  Rings & Rumours
Series:  Seaspray Isle Witch Mysteries #1
Author:  Mara Webb
Published:  May 6, 2025
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Rings and Rumours begins the Seaspray Isle Witch Mysteries series with an intriguing mystery, fun and quirky characters, and a possible romance with the local sheriff… if she can get off his most wanted for murder suspect list!

What a fun beginning to a new series!  Tilly has inherited a beachfront hotel that needed some major renovations, but she’s ready for the grand reopening.  Until… Fiona, a shady real estate agent, offers a ridiculous amount of money for the hotel.  And soon after refusing, Fiona is discovered by Tilly’s familiar, Smudge, dead as the proverbial doornail on the hotel property.  Unfortunately, Tilly is at the top of the suspect list, especially after a longtime bully writes an article that inflames those rumors surrounding Tilly and Fiona’s argument.  Trusting only herself to get out of this situation, Tilly will dive into Fiona’s shady dealings and come up with some surprising results.

I love Mara Webb’s paranormal cozy mystery stories, and Rings and Rumours falls into that special spot that my reading heart holds for a mystery plus a paranormal romance guilty pleasure.  I adored Smudge; he’s everything a familiar should be (by any name). Tilly is an introvert, but not unable to step outside the box and set her mind on discovering mysteries that affect her and those she considers hers.  The surprising twists add to the mystery, and the quirkiness of some characters (looking at you, Aunt Pearl) simply adds to the enjoyment of this story.  If you love a well-written, engaging paranormal cozy mystery, then Rings and Rumours by Mara Webb is perfect for you.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)