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Amanda Cadabra and The Hidey-Hole Truth: A humorous British urban fantasy mystery (The Amanda Cadabra Cozy Paranormal Mysteries) Paperback – Large Print, June 18, 2021

by Holly Bell (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,055 ratings
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'Had me on the edge of my seat holding my breath as well as smiling and chuckling out loud.' Asthmatic furniture restorer and covert witch Amanda Cadabra is a survivor. After all, her family’s bus went over a Cornish cliff. Now the presentable but irritating Inspector Trelawney is dogging her footsteps as he investigates the unexplained deaths. But that’s the least of her problems. Amanda has just landed a furniture restoration job at the old English Manor of Sunken Madley with its murky past.

Armed only with a wand and Tempest, her grumpy reincarnated cat, she’s going in. A body, ghosts, hidden tunnels, chills and unexplained lights; can Amanda solve the mystery in time and save the village from the scandal of murder?

Please note that to help the reader to be immersed in Amanda's world, this British-set story uses British English spelling, grammar and usage, and includes accents, dialects and a magical language.

Includes Map of Sunken Madley, glossary, and Questions for Reading Clubs

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  1. Book 1 of 8
    The Amanda Cadabra British Urban Fantasy Mysteries
  2. Print length
    356 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    June 18, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    6.14 x 0.81 x 9.21 inches
  6. ISBN-13
    979-8515180782
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B097636BLZ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 18, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 356 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8515180782
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.14 x 0.81 x 9.21 inches
  • Book 1 of 8 ‏ : ‎ The Amanda Cadabra British Urban Fantasy Mysteries
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 1,055 ratings

About the author

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Holly Bell

Holly Bell

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Humorous and quintessentially English with excitement and magic.

Cat adorer and chocolate lover, British author Holly Bell’s life changed in a day. A best-selling author friend convinced Holly that she could write cozy mysteries, after many years' experience with non-fiction, photography and video making.

Holly devoured all of the Agatha Christie books long before she knew that Miss Marple was the godmother of the Cozy Mystery. Her love of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings meant that her first literary creation in this area would have to be a cosy paranormal.

Having derived immense delight from the adventure of writing Amanda Cadabra and The Hidey-Hole and its 7 sequels to date, Holly has more in the pipeline.

Her favourite feline is a black cat called Bobby. He is black. Like her favourite hat. Purely coincidental.

Holly loves to hear from readers. Find her on amandacadabra.com/contact, Facebook.com/hbamandacadabra. She always responds in person.

The Amanda Cadabra Cozy Paranormal Mysteries (in order):

Amanda Cadabra and The Hidey-Hole Truth

Amanda Cadabra and The Cellar of Secrets

Amanda Cadabra and The Flawless Plan

Amanda Cadabra and The Rise of Sunken Madley

Amanda Cadabra and The Hidden Depths

Amanda Cadabra and The Strange Case of Lucy Penlowr

Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree

Amanda Cadabra and The Nightstairs

And from Holly:

‘Thank you for stopping by my page! Please follow my profile for offers, new books and video. And thank you for your reviews. They are truly valued.’

Holly

Join the newsletter for updates http://amandacadabra.com/come-on-in/

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
1,055 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book entertaining with an engaging story arc and well-written characters. The plot features magic elements, and one customer particularly appreciates how it dives into the history of Cornwall. Customers describe the book as a light read.

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EnjoymentCharacter developmentPlotHistoryReadability
30 customers mention "Enjoyment"30 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining, describing it as a thoroughly enjoyable story arc that is delightful to read.

"This was a fun, light read, and I am looking forward to the next book...." Read more

"...Fun to read and full of interesting facts. Read to find out where England got its name. Not where you think......." Read more

"Fun read, ghosts, witches, secretes, small town grapevine, familiars, police, cold case, hidden rooms and passages...." Read more

"Enjoyable..." Read more

17 customers mention "Character development"17 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, finding them interesting and well-written.

"...Such fun introductions to each character but never going off script to who they become and how cherished Amanda is by all, yes, cherished is a good..." Read more

"...The characters were excellent, and I still am not sure who are going to end up being true friends, or who may want to harm Amanda...." Read more

"...It is, instead, a cleverly written, engaging tale with remarkably well written characters and a thoroughly enjoyable story arc...." Read more

"...With many quotable moments, a good cast of believable characters, and a great plot the book is one that most will enjoy...." Read more

15 customers mention "Plot"12 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, describing it as an engaging tale with magic elements, and one customer particularly appreciates the setting.

"A wonderfully fun mix of mystery, magic, and old manor house the story takes us through the training of a young witch in the past, through her..." Read more

"...The plot moved along, and the Amanda, the central character, and those around her were enjoyable too...." Read more

"...Looking forward to mysteries being solved, love being realized for many more lovely books." Read more

"...POV: Omnipresent, which presents some challenge to the story and is a primary disappointment for me, as a reader...." Read more

7 customers mention "History"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the background history in the book, with one customer noting how the town details feel authentic, while another mentions how it dives into the history of Cornwall.

"...I especially love the dives into the history of Cornwall and all things English...." Read more

"...What I enjoyed the most was the lore about the area. I want to visit there! More in this series will most definitely be on my reading list." Read more

"...A lot of the little details about the town rang true. Looking forward to reading the next book!" Read more

"of an unusual girl. A very small town with very few secrets, and most of those belong to her. Enjoy!!" Read more

6 customers mention "Readability"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, describing it as light reading at its best, with one customer noting its clean language throughout.

"This was a fun, light read, and I am looking forward to the next book...." Read more

"...BLUSH FACTOR: No worries here. Clean language throughout. No sex scenes. Excerpt ‘…‘..." Read more

"...The first thing I noticed was the quality of the book itself. No typos, no poor grammar, and clearly had been edited by a human being with more than..." Read more

"...for whom I have tremendous respect. It is, instead, a cleverly written, engaging tale with remarkably well written characters and a thoroughly..." Read more

Delightfully well-written start of a series.
5 out of 5 stars
Delightfully well-written start of a series.
The author draws you in to a charming English village with well-developed characters, a lovely story that leaves the reader wanting more. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • S.G.
    5.0 out of 5 stars So much more than a cozy mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    When I started with the first Amanda Cadabra book I believed it would be a sweet easy read for a weekend. Oh was I wrong. I got the Covid-19 (omicron version) and suddenly found myself with two weeks of reading ahead of myself. Thank you Holly Bell for giving me such a riveting series to keep my mind off the hacking, wheezing, coughing, sneezing, stuffy nose, keep you up all night sickness.
    Amanda is of an age where she's not. Not a child, not an adult, never a teenager with angst, but never truly naive enough to get one over on her. In Sunken Madley they bring new meaning to,"it takes a village". Such fun introductions to each character but never going off script to who they become and how cherished Amanda is by all, yes, cherished is a good word.
    I have read all the books in the series now and I am not between the ages of 8-18, I am a well seasoned grandmother who's children grew up with Harry Potter. What I'm saying is this is a great read for any age. I especially love the dives into the history of Cornwall and all things English. I kept my Google open so I could look up where on the coast we were reading about, what we were having for tea and what the heck does that mean?
    Not only were the stories very exciting but learning to take them slower so that they were savored rather than devoured because there are many many differences between Old English sayings and modern American slang, so I have to slow down and let my brain catch up. Only then to find out that the old sayings are things I grew up with from my very English ancestor pioneers that have come back around. One example of a saying I never understood till this last book was the phrase, "a bridge too far". Never did I understand the context in what that meant. It's gems like this all through the book that make me want to go back and read them again.
    Start with book one and read through too the end of of the series because each book gets better and more in depth and each story is so different yet intrinsically linked. Very well written,then make sure your write a raving review so Holly will write more in the series. There are still some many things we need to know
    4 people found this helpful
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  • C Wm (Andy) Anderson
    4.0 out of 5 stars Friendly, Chatty COLD CASE Tale from Britain...
    Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Every so often I will buy a book by a writer in the UK or in Australia just so I can recollect some of the terms used in those countries that have quite different meanings here in the land of the brave.

    I’m kidding folks. Just wanted to start this review off a little different than I normally do. Also, it is my way of giving notice that some terms used by the author, as well as the tone, will be different and might confuse American readers.

    Having so warned, in my clumsy way, I will proceed with my review.

    There are some aspects of this writing that I found interesting, and some that I felt could be improved. Simply put, the writing is what some instructors of the craft refer to as ‘passive.’ What I mean is, the author seems not to trust readers to understand what a given character is thinking, so she tells us. The excerpt below will highlight this.

    POV: Omnipresent, which presents some challenge to the story and is a primary disappointment for me, as a reader. Of course, part of my disappointment stems from my desire to NOT know every thought of every character. I’d rather know just the thoughts of the central person. Any thoughts that I might wish to know of others can be hinted at by the observations of that central character. Then, if his/her suspicion turns out to be in error, a twist is possible that shows how he/she (and us) have been fooled. With the omnipresence tactic, that is problematic.

    What I did enjoy, however, was the friendly tone. I couldn’t help but think that this writer will become a highly successful storyteller with the right editor. She displays an uncommon skill at sucking us into the story without second-guessing her plot and motivations of the characters.

    To say much more might disclose a spoiler, so I will pull back a little.

    BLUSH FACTOR: No worries here. Clean language throughout. No sex scenes.

    Excerpt

    ‘…‘Thank you,’ Trelawney accepted politely, sitting down on the sofa.

    Amanda gave him a glance of rueful sympathy due to a man under test by Granny. She sat down beside Trelawney, pulled the lid off the vintage tin, cut a slice and passed it to him on a delicate rose-patterned plate, with a white linen napkin underneath it. Senara eyed him keenly while he sampled the cream, jam and sponge confection.

    ‘This is excellent,’ he remarked with genuine appreciation, relieved that he would not have to dissemble.

    ‘Organic free-range eggs,’ she declared. ‘From Henpecke Farm. Local,’ Senara added, to put the outsider in his place.

    Trelawney was unabashed. He laid his cake fork on the plate, applying the napkin to his lips to ensure they were crumb-free before continuing. ‘I expect it’s especially important for your granddaughter to eat healthily.’ His glance returned to Amanda. ‘In view of your … condition.’ He added pointedly, ‘Especially considering the work that you do.’

    ‘It’s important for a girl to have meaningful work, Sergeant. I’m sure you agree,’ Senara stated, receiving her cup and saucer from Amanda. ‘Thank you, dear.’ She took a sip and redirected her piercing gaze at Trelawney. ‘I myself drove an ambulance during the War.’

    Yes, for three weeks before it ended, said Amanda wryly to herself, handing her grandfather his tea.

    ‘Just like Mrs Uberhausfest in Rattling Bridge Row,’ Senara announced. ‘We all did our bit. Of course, she did it for Other Side, but that’s all in the past and I’m the first to say that I’m glad we’ve buried the hatchet!’

    ‘I agree, Mrs Cadabra, that it’s important for everyone to have work that is meaningful.’ Trelawney was not to be diverted. ‘But it does seem an odd choice for someone whose condition is surely aggravated by a workshop where carpentry takes place.’

    Mr Cadabra supplied the response. ‘I trained little Amanda from when she first took an interest.’ He stirred his tea and continued mildly, ‘She used to toddle up the path and bang on the door, demanding for me to let her in. Not to be denied, were you, Amanda? I had to adapt a mask for you. All the same, Sergeant, I got used to keeping the workshop very clean just to be certain. And after all’s said and done, you can’t dampen enthusiasm, can you? So I started her off with bit of painting when she was just three years old, didn’t I, Ammy?’ he said to her, then looked back to the sergeant. ‘And it…’

    Bell, Holly. Amanda Cadabra and The Hidey-Hole Truth (The Amanda Cadabra Cozy Paranormal Mysteries Book 1) (Kindle Locations 373-394). Heypressto. Kindle Edition.

    BOTTOM LINE

    I tossed and turned while trying to rate this story. Tossed between three stars and four. Finally, though, the friendly tone won out.

    Four stars out of five.

    I am striving to produce reviews that help you find books that you want, or avoid books that you wish to avoid. With your help, my improvement will help you and me improve book reviews on Amazon. Together, you and I can build a great customer review process that helps everybody. Will you join me? It is people such as you who have helped me improve over the years. I'm still learning, and I have a great deal yet to learn. With your help, I'll improve every day.

    One request: Be respectful and courteous in your comments and emails to me. I will do likewise with you.

    Thank you so much for indicating if this review helped you, or for your comment.
    27 people found this helpful
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  • Sugarhorns
    5.0 out of 5 stars This book might make me a convert
    Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I usually avoid books involving the paranormal. They just don't interest me - I only read the first Harry Potter to find out what the big deal was. My sister was the one who talked me into reading this first in the Amanda Cadabra series.

    The first thing I noticed was the quality of the book itself. No typos, no poor grammar, and clearly had been edited by a human being with more than a passing familiarity with proper English. That is depressingly rare these days.

    The second thing I liked was the attitude of both Normals and Witches. One of the things that put me off HP was the sometime subtle, sometimes blatant condescension the Wizards showed for the Muggles. There was none of that in this book. Witches and Normals interacted like, well, people. Some were more interesting than others, just like in real life. They were distinct individuals.

    The storyline held my interest throughout, and I will continue to read the series to find out where it goes.

    One thing I would like to see added. I speak and read only English, but I have heard enough French, Spanish, Japanese and a few other languages to be able to get a sense of what is going on. Obviously, this can't happen with the Magic language. It would be great to have an audio version of at least one book, to be able to hear the words pronounced - if not a complete book, maybe something on a website? Maybe in one of the later books this will happen.

    Overall, certainly one of the most promising new authors I've found in quite a while!
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • jmj
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very different heroine.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book is about a very different heroine.I have really enjoyed reading this story and cannot wait for the next episode.Recommended
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  • Toots Sullivan
    5.0 out of 5 stars good fun
    Reviewed in Australia on January 27, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I found this to be a fun filled easy to read great story. It has a few excellent mysteries great characters full of intrigue. Written so that it’s compelling to find out more in the next book!
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  • Brian
    3.0 out of 5 stars Some good parts
    Reviewed in Australia on July 7, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The character of Amanda is well defined with her upbringing and her battle with asthma. The various mysteries that she is faced with are a bit of a hodgepodge of unlikely and poorly thought out events. I am tempted to give the next one a go but I hope it improves.
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars entertaining
    Reviewed in Canada on January 5, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I enjoyed the storyline and the interesting characters. Will read more in this series.
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  • Henmiera
    4.0 out of 5 stars Likeable
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 28, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I've given 4 stars because I'm not sure what age group this book is written for. In the beginning the language is simplistic, sentences short story line disjointed then suddenly it's like a different author wrote the rest of the book.
    However, the story is quintessentially English village life the heroine a disabled, book smart, career minded young witch. I do look forward to book 2 to see if my review of the series changes.
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