Darkness Calls: A Gray Magick Novel

 Darkness Calls: A Gray Magick Novel, Kiki Howell, Independently Published, 2022

The four O'Quinn women run a popular inn and coffee shop in a farmhouse somewhere in rural Ohio. They are well-liked by the locals, even though they are all practicing witches. In the front room of the house, Alannah meets with anyone who needs a little magickal assistance.

Life is good, until, one night, a dead body is found in that room with strange ritualistic markings carved into his chest. What is worse is that their ancestors, who are always around, have somehow been neutralized. They have been replaced by other spirits, who like to break bottles of herbs on the floor, and toss books off the shelves.

Relatives of the dead man arrive, and things go from worse to much worse. Their name is Fitzpatrick. The two families have been connected by a rivalry/curse for the past several centuries. They are totally respectful, and sympathetic, to the O'Quinn's desire to get "their" ancestors back from wherever they are. An added complication is that Kane Fitzpatrick is incredibly handsome. Do they put things back the way they were? Do their ancestors have an opinion on Alannah and Kane?

Here is some excellent, almost poetic, writing. The characters are very well done, and there is just enough witchcraft, plus romance. This is very much worth reading.