2.5, because I guessed the whodunnit way too early, but I'll round up because I like the cast of characters and the small town vibe.

Witches' Bane (China Bayles 2) by Susan Wittig Albert (1994)

Witches Bane by Susan Wittig Albert is a 1994 Berkley publication.

I try to attend my “Friends of the Library” annual sale each year to raise money for my local library. And each year I lag home sacks full of books not only for a good cause but to give them a good home.

So, when I signed up to review some new releases from this author, I seemed to remember bringing home a few older books I picked up at the library sale from this series, and sure enough I have a handful of these “China Bayles” books on my shelf. So, I thought it would be fun to go back and read some of the first installments before tackling the newer ones so I would have an idea of how the series has progressed over time.

Set in the East Texas Hill Country, China has settled into Pecan Springs after walking away from her high pressure career as an attorney and opened up an herbal shop and began living a slower paced lifestyle. But, as they say, murder happens everywhere, and so when China's friend Ruby comes under scrutiny by a local minister for her dabbling in tarot cards, and poisonous herbs, she is first person people suspect when a murder occurs. So, China and her boyfriend McQuaid begin looking at the case more closely.

Although written in the early nineties, the story holds up well with age, although there are references here and there to things we no longer say or do or think the same way about these days. Otherwise the mystery stands the test of time admirably. China is a savvy lady, ahead of her time, with a stubborn streak, a wounded soul afraid of taking changes with love or what will perhaps be a whole new family, after her estranged mother announces she is engaged to be married. But, China's family is fairly tame compared to some residents in Pecan Springs...

The Halloween setting sets the stage for a twisted murder mystery, with a lot of underlying messages that spotlight family dynamics and the pecking order of siblings and the long lasting impact our parents have on us, well into adulthood. These older books in the series are different, an if you go back and read some of them now you will see a very different tone than what the newer releases have. But, this simply implies that the series has not become stagnant, it has moved forward and it's characters with it. Over all this one was a satisfying read and a fun bit of nostalgia.
3.5 stars

If you're a friend or neighbor of China, be prepared to die — or to be driven to murder one of her other friends or neighbors.

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2017/comments_05/witches_bane.html

This mystery was well put-together and complex. I love Albert’s Cottage Tales and Darling Dahlias, but this series just doesn’t draw me in as much. I found it relatively tedious, and except for a few bits, not rich in characters or setting.

(2nd China Bayles)

I like this series although it's not one of my favorites. This entry was interesting because of it's specific brand of early Nineties feminism. (There's lots of talk about goddess religion, therapy groups, rediscovering of self etc. etc.) The mystery itself was pretty well done although I called the culprit the minute they came on the scene. I like that the main character's issues were treated seriously and not just resolved through the lovin' of a good man. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

This second book was not nearly as enjoyable as the first. The plot was mainly China investigating the murder. In the first book I enjoyed hearing about her town and the people in it more than the criminal investigation. I really missed that in this book. I also was expecting a lot of atmosphere around the autumn season, but we hardly got any of that. I still enjoy the complex characters, and will be trying the third book.

Re-read 10/14/14