The Well-Kept Secret (A Wishville Mystery) by Kari Lee Townsend
About The Well-Kept Secret:
The Well-Kept Secret (A Wishville Mystery)
Cozy Fantasy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting: Wishville, Vermont
Publisher: Oliver Heber Books
Publication date: October 28, 2025
ASIN: B0FL8TQXPB
A Spring Festival. A Magical Murder. A Secret Buried Beneath the Well.
Wishville, Vermont looks like a storybook postcard—complete with forest festivals, quirky locals, and a centuries-old wishing well that allegedly grants one wish each season. But for Lyra Wells, the magic isn’t just folklore—it’s her full-time job. As the half-human, half-Dweller Guardian of the Well, Lyra must keep the peace between the mortal world and the magical realm of Elarion. That means overseeing every seasonal WishFest, keeping tourists entertained, and pretending her glowing cat sidekick isn’t judging everyone.
But when an all-too-nosy antique dealer is found mysteriously dead by the well—and a rare memory crystal is discovered at the scene—the fragile treaty between worlds begins to unravel, and the ethereal Dweller chief enforcer isn't happy. As the townsfolk whisper about curses and coincidences, something ancient stirs beneath the surface—and it’s not ready to stay hidden.
My Review:
The Well-Kept Secret is the first book in a new series by Kari Lee Townsend. Lyra, our heroine, is half-human and half-Dweller. Her heritage has her walking between two different worlds. She resides primarily in her human father's house in Vermont. She has access to Elarion. While she can traverse between worlds, she doesn't truly belong in either one. As the Guardian of the Well, the portal between the mortal world and the magical world, Lyra is tasked with maintaining the truce between the worlds. If anything upsets the balance during one of the four WishFests that take place in Wishville, there will be dire consequences.
Consequences the new Chief of Police doesn't understand. He comes into Wishville with guns a blazin', seeking to upset the apple cart. Except, Holden doesn't know about dual-worlds, magical lands, or the treaty that, if unraveled, will create chaos beyond anyone's imagination. When a local business owner is found dead near the well, Lyra suspects a magical intervention and does her best to work with the new Chief, while trying to keep her secrets.
I am in love with this series already. The author created a spectacular world, vivid and descriptive without overdoing anything. Her characters are likable, conversational, and have the best personalities. I loved getting to know Lyra, Vex, Holden, Carldaris, the trio of friends, Tilly, Bell, and Dot, and everyone else we meet along the way.
The story is engaging. The mystery complex and full of twists and turns. I enjoyed how the story popped in and out of both worlds. This provides the reader the background and visuals to really understand who Lyra is, what she's responsible for, and how any changes, big or small, can impact the fragility of the thread between both worlds. I love how the mystery unfolded and the layers created to be unraveled by the characters.
I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.
I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not
affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have
expressed are my own.
My Rating:
About Kari Lee Townsend:
National Bestselling Author, Agatha, RT Reviewers Choice & Golden Duck Award Nominee. Kari lives in Central New York with her husband & 3 Samoyeds. She's a lover of wine & travel (especially cruising), obsessed with reality TV, loves to try new things, and thinks there's nothing better than getting lost in a good book with at least some element of mystery, romance & humor. She writes cozy mysteries & upper middle grade as Kari Lee Townsend, as well as suspense, romance, romantic comedy & women's fiction as Kari Lee Harmon. She's most known for her Sunny Meadows Mysteries, Kalli Ballas Mysteries, and a crossover series featuring Sunny, Kalli, their detectives, and their crazy families! The Tasty Trio and Greek Mamas are her favorite characters to write about. Granny Gert is based on her late grandmother and Great Grandma Tootsie is based on her husband's late grandmother who lived to be nearly 109 years old!
Author Links- Website
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Thank you for the great review! Good luck everyone ;)
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! :)
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