Hemlock and Hedge: The Witches of Wormwood, #1

By Ruby Loren and Silver Nord

*All profits from this book are donated to Honeycat Rescue & Sanctuary - a non-profit, no kill, cat rescue that helps as many cats and kittens find new homes as possible, or offers sanctuary.*

Only a witch would poison a cake.

And only another witch would blackmail the poisoner.

Hazel Salem is the family disappointment.

She isn't a witch.

She doesn't believe in magic.

And she definitely doesn't want a black cat for a pet.

But when she discovers an unsolved mystery amongst her inheritance, she is forced to accept that ignoring her heritage is no longer an option.

Hazel is determined to reveal a secret that's stayed hidden for years.

But the witches of Wormwood have other ideas…

If you love witty sleuths, smart mysteries, and snarky humour, you'll love this series. Pick up these page-turning witch mysteries today!

Gluten-free lemon cake recipe included!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ruby Loren
• Release date: Jan 17, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386994329

Book preview

Hemlock and Hedge

Hemlock and Hedge

The Witches of Wormwood Prequel

Ruby Loren

Contents

British Author

All profits from this book go to Honeycat Rescue

Books in the Series

Read this Book for Free!

1. X Marks the Spot

2. Good Omens

3. The Way the Cards Fell

4. Avenging Angel

5. Lovers and Lemon Cake

Lemon Cake Recipe

Books in the Series

A review is worth its weight in gold!

Also by Ruby Loren

British Author

Please note, this book is written in British English and contains British spellings.

All profits from this book go to Honeycat Rescue

All profits from this book are donated to Honeycat Rescue & Sanctuary - a non-profit, no kill, cat rescue that helps as many cats and kittens find new homes as possible, or offers sanctuary.

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Find them and donate online here:

http://honeycatrescue.org/

Books in the Series

Mandrake and a Murder

Vervain and a Victim

Feverfew and False Friends

Belladonna and a Body

Aconite and Accusations

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Prequel: Hemlock and Hedge

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1

X Marks the Spot

Black cats are common in Wormwood.

Everywhere else in the country, they’re one of the hardest colours of cat to home. People want gingers, tabbies, and tortoiseshells - the kind that look pretty when you post their photos online.

Not many people want a black cat.

As well as not being classically photogenic, there’s the superstition. Are they lucky, or unlucky? It may be the 21st Century, but things like that prey on people’s minds, even now.

In this town, superstition is part of their selling point.

I stepped over the sunbathing pack of black cats on my way in to the Post Office. My long brown waves had to be pushed back from my face, so I could make sure I was avoiding the many draped tails.

Mrs Meechum, the owner of the local branch, rustled around in the back before finding my delivery. There we go, Hazel! I don’t know how the postman missed you out. I suppose it’s just been a while since things like this were delivered to… She trailed off with an apologetic look.

My mother had passed away recently. I’d been left the house I’d grown up in and the shop that was attached to it in her will. There’d been a few conditions tacked on to this inheritance, but I’d been so guilt-ridden by not even knowing that my mum had been unwell, I’d signed on the dotted line without a second thought. It had felt like the least I could do after selfishly going out into the world to achieve my dreams, leaving my only family behind.

I’d been so busy wallowing that I hadn’t considered I might be signing my life away. It was only when I’d moved back to Wormwood and had faced the insurmountable task of reopening the shop and going over the old accounts that I realised I’d been hasty. One of my mother’s last requests had been that I keep the shop open. It had been in the Salem family for years, and as her only direct descendent, the Salem Apothecary was now my problem.

It wasn’t exactly profitable.

The accounts had revealed that, for the past five years, my mother had barely scraped by with enough to pay the bills and feed herself. Cue another stab of guilt. But it wasn’t as if I could have rushed back, like a knight on a white horse, and saved the day. I was every bit as broke as my mother had been. It was a common side-effect of deciding to pursue a career as a writer.

The other requests had been more unusual. The first had been to pursue my studies of witchcraft, and the second had been to join the Wormwood Coven. Seeing as I hadn’t been studying witchcraft at all… it had been a surprise.