Rating: 
Summary: Great Characters & Unique Pagan Community Insights
Review: Rosemary Edghill has written made great contributions to the Mystery genre with her 'Bell, Book and Murder' series. I highly recommend this series to all Pagan mystery novel readers...whatever variety of Paganism they might pracatice. One of the things I like so much about this series is that Edghill is respectful of ALL varieties of Paganism without being overly pedantic or PC about it. So, if you don't subscribe to the Wicca school of Neopaganism, don't worry, there's still something in these novels for you.That having been said, Edghill's main strengths as a writer are her ability to create very interesting, complex and likable characters that the reader can relate to and care about, as well as present unique perspectives and thoughts on the Pagan community and faiths in all of their diversity. Being a long-time fan of the mystery genre, I find the plot-lines of Edghill's novels to be a little weak and on the formulaic side. I knew from the first few pages of the books "who-dunnit" but kept reading the books anyway just to get to know the characters better and see how they would solve the problems presented to them. The 'Bell, Book and Murder' series makes a great soak-in-the-tub read! Enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Wiccas
Review: The Pagan world is a refreshing backdrop for a trio of well written mysteries. What is really amazing is how the author guides the reader into the story and the personality of Bast. I find that I feel her confusion, joy, sorrow and fear. In the first book Speak Daggers to Her the murder? stirs Bast's anger. In the second book The Book of Moons Bast is stalked by the killer. Her peril is so real that I found my heart racing. The last novel The Bowl of Night the author gives us a wonderful lesson that just as there are all kinds of Christians, there are all kind of Pagans but fanatics are just as dangerous no matter what their religion. The solution to the mystery broke my heart even though I solved the crime much sooner than Bast. This is an excellent collection. I hope she write more tales of Lady Bast.
Rating: 
Summary: A reader in North Caroliona
Review: This book is mostly a waste of money, unless you are looking for a run of the mill mystery. I hope these stories are not a accurate look at the Wiccan community. The main character Bast; seems to be more interested in drinking beer and wondering who her next partner is going to be than doing any kind of magic or prayer or even ritual. The only ritual in the book is so watered down so as to be all inclusive that you can't even tell that it is a Wiccan ritual. Save your mony and look else where if you are hopeing to be entertained with realistic Wiccan magick and/or religion
Rating:
Summary: Pagan 'cozy'
Review: This is a collection of the three "Bast" novels - nearly the total of the series to date (one short story is missing). Bast, AKA Karen Hightower is a thirtysomething wiccan living in NYC. As she is quick to point out there is nothing supernatural about her, she is simply a practicing member of the local pagan community. The mysteries are entertaining but not very complex, the true interest here is the story of Bast and her communitity. Bast and the other characters are all well drawn and shown - warts and all. The stories take place over the course of a few months June through October. "Speak Daggers to Her" begins with the death of a wannabe Wiccan and introduces most the rest of the characters that will appear in the other books. "Book of Moons" concerns the thefts of various Books of Shadows and escalates to murder and fraud. "The Bowl of Night" moves the action out of the city to a pagan festival and murder of a ranting local.
Rating:
Summary: Pagan 'cozy'
Review: This is a collection of the three "Bast" novels - nearly the total of the series to date (one short story is missing). Bast, AKA Karen Hightower is a thirtysomething wiccan living in NYC. As she is quick to point out there is nothing supernatural about her, she is simply a practicing member of the local pagan community. The mysteries are entertaining but not very complex, the true interest here is the story of Bast and her communitity. Bast and the other characters are all well drawn and shown - warts and all. The stories take place over the course of a few months June through October. "Speak Daggers to Her" begins with the death of a wannabe Wiccan and introduces most the rest of the characters that will appear in the other books. "Book of Moons" concerns the thefts of various Books of Shadows and escalates to murder and fraud. "The Bowl of Night" moves the action out of the city to a pagan festival and murder of a ranting local.
Rating:
Summary: Bell, Book and Wonderful!
Review: This three books in one left me panting for more. The twists the turns, the satirical look at the blessings and quirks of the pagan community were wonderful.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling mysteries with wonderful characters.
Review: This volume gives us three books in one, each featuring Bast, a modern Witch from New York. She's a wonderful character - intelligent, real, spiritual, down to earth - breaking many cliches, both of the genre and the real world. The books give an interesting insight into Wicca and the N.Y. Neo-Pagan community without ever being preachy; Bast's lifestyle and religion is integrated into the stories without ever being an excuse to slip around plot points. There's no supernatural solution, no cheats, but Bast's beliefs and Goddess are always there in the background, part of her life. The mysteries themselves are also well plotted, and the rest of the characters well drawn. The only reason I give this book 4 stars rather than 5 is that I guessed "whodunnit" (or why) rather too early... but perhaps those not involved in Wicca or the occult would have less of a clue!
Rating:
Summary: mysteries, and the Mysteries
Review: _Speak Daggers to Her_, _The Book of Moons_, and _The Bowl of Night_ are some of the best fiction about modern witches I've seen yet. And the main reason why is the heroine, Bast. In Bast, Rosemary Edghill creates a delightful heroine with a deep belief in the Goddess and magic--and also with a barbed tongue that deftly skewers the politics and foibles of the Pagan community. Even if there had been no plot in these three novels, I would have kept reading just to "listen" to Bast talk. And as an added bonus, there *is* a plot. _Speak Daggers to Her_: An old friend of Bast's dies of seemingly natural causes in her apartment. Bast discovers that her friend had gotten mixed up in a cult--could this be related? _The Book of Moons_: Probably my favorite of the three, because of the historical speculation. Several New York Wiccans find their Books of Shadows missing. Then, an obnoxious newbie shows up at a picnic brandishing a book he is certain is the BOS of Mary Queen of Scots. Then someone ends up dead. How are all these things connected? Read on... _The Bowl of Night_: Bast thought the most confusing part of the Samhain retreat would be sharing a cabin with handsome ceremonial magician Julian. But when a local fundamentalist preacher ends up dead on the campsite, things keep getting weirder... I'm not sure how well these books work *as mysteries*, since the solution is generally not hard to figure out. I guess I'm just used to the sort of mysteries with 85 red herrings, and no concrete clues until the last two pages, when suddenly the culprit kidnaps the sleuth and reveals the whole plot. Actually, I find that I like Edghill's more straightforward style better, since the mystery is gradually revealed in layers instead of completely hidden and then suddenly sprung on the reader. I just want to warn readers of the more usual sort of mysteries that these work a little differently. As for me, I like them. I only wish this were an ongoing series.
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