The Alchemical Tales Series

In this magical mix-up of fairy tales and murder, Little Red Riding Hood solves the mystery at the heart of Beauty and the Beast . . .   What does it take to overcome a curse?   Traveling alchemist Red settles into life as a shopkeeper in rural Belville and expects to focus on her potions. But crime stops for no woman. Neither does Red's friend, police officer Thorn! When a beastly criminal escapes to a nearby abandoned castle and is found murdered, Thorn immediately suspects Luca, a meek-mannered bookseller–not to mention Red's best friend.    Red knows that there's more to the castle–and the murder–than meets the eye. But as she rushes to prove Luca's innocence, she's beset by a not-dead-yet ghost, a beautiful and ill-tempered suspect, and a horde of mysterious mist creatures that terrify the town. Oh, and then there's the series of lost books that hold the key to the castle's curse! If Red and her friends can't find the books and solve the mystery, Luca might not be the only one in trouble. But in idyllic Belville, appearances can be deceiving. Red will need all of her alchemical prowess and all the help she can get in order to uncover the truth behind this twisted tale.   This special second edition includes a new epilogue, recipes, and a sneak peek at book two of The Alchemical Tales.  

This special second edition includes a bonus epilogue, recipes, updated map and more!   In this magical twist on a familiar tale, alchemist Red sets out to answer the riddle behind a cursed mirror and deadly apples . . .   . . . Who decides who's fairest of all? And who would be willing to kill over it?   Life in Belville has just settled down, and Red's ready to wait out her first mountain winter–preferably while under a cozy blanket, sipping some homemade tea. But when a mysterious ore turns up in the snow, Red is called in to investigate. And when she finds a body before even setting foot in the mine, all bets are off. It turns out that the mining team responsible for discovering the new ore consists of a fairy named Snow and–you guessed it–seven dwarves. Life is no song for the teammates, however, especially when one dwarf after another becomes the victim of vicious attacks.   In an effort to keep her town safe as the mystery grows, Red accepts a job tracking down the source of the ore. But at the same time, rumors of dragons and constant snow storms are raising the stakes. And as she and her friends take Snow under their wing, Red begins to wonder if all isn't fair in Snow's icy world–or even in her own.

In this murderous twist on The Little Mermaid, alchemist Red discovers that true love can be more dangerous than it seems. It'll take the help of her friends to answer the question . . .   . . . when devotion has a deadly price, what does it take to keep your head above water?   Red and her magical talking dog, William, are looking forward to a vacation. They're spending the first days of summer in Seaside, a quaint beach town, to celebrate the wedding of a merfolk friend. But when the groom's father is murdered during a pre-wedding feast, all that love in the air turns sour.   Of course, when Red's friends ask her to help them investigate, she immediately agrees. But despite her best intentions, there's something about this mystery that has her feeling like she's in over her head. Was the murderer angry about the marriage between merfolk and human, or perhaps scared of an old prophecy coming to light? Was it a vengeful sea witch out for a blood price–or was it an eco-terrorist? When Officer Thorn shows up as a special police guild detective and Red finally learns to lean on her friends (including a few more surprise faces from Belville!), it's only a matter of time before the answer washes up.   This special anniversary printing includes an updated map, bonus content, epilogue, and more!  

In this mysterious twist on tales like The Three Little Pigs and The Boy Who Cried Wolf, alchemist Red runs headlong into a new problem . . .   . . . how do you sort out the innocent sheep from the wolf in sheep's clothing?   It's Halloween time in cozy, rural Belville, but the town is feeling far from festive. All Red wants to do is enjoy seasonal treats with her magical canine companion William–and maybe, just maybe, finally strike up the courage to face her feelings for a certain friend. Instead, a robber is playing deadly tricks in the nearby forest, and Red's neighbors are looking to her for help.   One of those neighbors, Ryuko, is known to have a shady past. So when he comes to Red saying that he recognizes the signs of a criminal gang, she listens to him. The incredible part, though, is that Ryuko thinks this gang might be trying to unleash a terrifying magical wolf upon the town! In two shakes of a little piggy's tail, panic descends on Belville. When roadside robbery and rumors of dark magic give way to actual murder, Red knows it's time to face the shadows. The only problem is, no one in town is exactly what they seem to be . . . between the former mayor peddling conspiracy theories, a secret club determined to explore dark magic, and a new friend who declares herself to be a "shadow witch," who is genuine and who is not? Red will have to learn to trust her instincts in order to save her friends from the menace lurking just out of sight.   This special anniversary printing includes an updated map, epilogue, and bonus recipes!

In this murderous twist on a familiar fairy tale, alchemist Red and her friends face their most glamorous question yet . . . what secrets lurk behind the mask we show to others?   A magical, floating carnival has arrived in Belville, and Red's all set to see the opening night performance with her boyfriend, Luca. But a chance meeting with a stranger leaves her with doubts–and then the local police officer, Thorn, receives an uncanny threat to the carnival crew. A search of the carnival ship reveals a body–murdered, yet seemingly untouched, lying in a locked room.    What seems like an impossible performance draws Officer Thorn, Red, and their friends into a whirlwind of costumes and drama. Carnival life is far from a fairy tale–amid the hard work and high hopes, dangerous secrets are hidden in plain sight. Someone is lying: could it be the mysterious animal trainer, perhaps, or the alluring sharpshooter? Or is it the prim and proper ship captain, or the grieving stepfamily? Tales of betrayal and transformation come to a head at the carnival's masked ball. There, Red will have to face her own fears in order to confront a murderer who's been hiding behind a mask all along.  

Join Red and her friends as they struggle to uncover a scam that runs from the Pied Piper of St Patrick's Day to the egg hunts of Easter!   A traveling salesman has arrived in idyllic Belville, and his gold-feathered goose is making an impression. While alchemist Red and her magical canine William have their doubts, most of the town is elated to hear that they, too, can have free gold! But is this promise too good to be true? Red will have to rely on her friends to get her through, as she faces her greatest alchemical challenge yet in order to solve the mystery of this new golden goose.   This short story is an installment in The Alchemical Tales series, and overlaps with the Pomegranate Cafe Romance novella Steady in Love. You can also read it on its own to celebrate spring with everyone in Belville!