5.0 (1 rating)
Signed, Sealed and Deadly: Book 2 (Witchy at Fifty cozy mystery)
A ruckus of vengeful folk dancers and a dead competition judge. Can our fifty-something rookie witch step-hop through the chaos to uncover the killer?
After inheriting a house and unexpected magical power from the grandmother she never met, Josie Appleton has poured her heart into transforming it into a charming B&B. Helped by her distractingly handsome caretaker, she’s finally ready to welcome her first guests: competing troupes in Briarvale’s annual dance festival. And everything is going to plan - until the judge drops dead.
Josie never meant to meddle in murder, but she’s hexed into the mystery when her sharp-witted feline familiar noses out a clue. Armed with nothing more than enchanted pastries and a stubborn streak, Josie sets off to track down the villain.
Can Josie sidestep a detective who despises amateur sleuths and withstand the fiery wrath of midlife flushes to solve the case before the fiend claims another victim?
Signed, Sealed and Deadly is the laugh-out loud second book in the Witchy at Fifty paranormal cozy mystery series.
If you love middle-aged witches with an eye for trouble, a village where ancient dancing is a contact sport, and sassy magical cats who sniff out secrets before the local constable, Signed, Sealed and Deadly is your perfect potion.
Pick up a copy of this must-read mystery today.
After inheriting a house and unexpected magical power from the grandmother she never met, Josie Appleton has poured her heart into transforming it into a charming B&B. Helped by her distractingly handsome caretaker, she’s finally ready to welcome her first guests: competing troupes in Briarvale’s annual dance festival. And everything is going to plan - until the judge drops dead.
Josie never meant to meddle in murder, but she’s hexed into the mystery when her sharp-witted feline familiar noses out a clue. Armed with nothing more than enchanted pastries and a stubborn streak, Josie sets off to track down the villain.
Can Josie sidestep a detective who despises amateur sleuths and withstand the fiery wrath of midlife flushes to solve the case before the fiend claims another victim?
Signed, Sealed and Deadly is the laugh-out loud second book in the Witchy at Fifty paranormal cozy mystery series.
If you love middle-aged witches with an eye for trouble, a village where ancient dancing is a contact sport, and sassy magical cats who sniff out secrets before the local constable, Signed, Sealed and Deadly is your perfect potion.
Pick up a copy of this must-read mystery today.
Published: July 18, 2025
Pages: 215
ISBN: 9781913422332
Get This Book
Available in: Paperback
Reader Reviews
5.0
1 rating
Karen B.
Feb 25, 2026
Signed, Sealed and Deadly
~Bella Colby
Charismatic, twisty and utterly comfy – Signed, Sealed and Deadly by Bella Colby is one of those cozy mystery books you can curl up with and read in one sitting. The second book in the Witchy at Fifty series returns us to the enchanting town of Briarvale, where magic stirs beneath the surface and trouble has a knack for finding Josie Appleton.
A few months have passed since Josie inherited both her grandmother’s house in Briarvale - and her unexpected magical abilities. She’s poured her heart, and everything her grandmother left her, into turning the place into a Bed & Breakfast. Handyman Tom fixes the final door just in time to welcome her very first guests: two rival dance troupes - the Green Stags and the Crimson Belles - arriving for the town’s fiercely competitive Morris dance festival. Let’s just say “competitive” might be putting it mildly.
As the festival kicks off with the teams dancing, Tom and Josie are sitting on the lawn while Tom is educating Josie on the Morris dance style and festival history (and some of the town's residents). When all the teams are finished and the judges have submitted their votes, one judge suddenly collapses as the winner is being announced. Of course Josie and her ever nosy familiar, black cat Einstein, think there is foul play. After the first run in with DI Holloway, Josie knows she needs to steer clear of this one, but can she really? Despite her promise to stay out of it, Josie's curiosity might just lead her straight into another mystery.
Colby’s strong point lies in creating warm, relatable characters you’d want as neighbors. Josie is delightfully down-to-earth, and her dynamic with Tom, the ever-handy handyman, feels authentic and sweet. The real stars, though, might be Einstein and Charlie - their banter (yes, Josie can understand them!) adds humor and heart to every page.
Signed, Sealed and Deadly flows effortlessly with vivid settings, energetic dialogue and just the right amount of small-town charm and supernatural intrigue. Well balanced suspense with humor, delivering a mystery that's equal part cozy and captivating is a skill Colby has excelled in.
While Signed, Sealed and Deadly can be read as a standalone, don't deny yourself the full Briarvale experience – start with Milestones, Magic and Murder to get the full introduction to Josie's journey. Just don't dawdle too long, Einstein doesn't like to be kept waiting.
Thank you to Bella Colby for allowing me to Alpha/Beta/ARC Signed, Sealed and Deadly. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review.
***
~Bella Colby
Charismatic, twisty and utterly comfy – Signed, Sealed and Deadly by Bella Colby is one of those cozy mystery books you can curl up with and read in one sitting. The second book in the Witchy at Fifty series returns us to the enchanting town of Briarvale, where magic stirs beneath the surface and trouble has a knack for finding Josie Appleton.
A few months have passed since Josie inherited both her grandmother’s house in Briarvale - and her unexpected magical abilities. She’s poured her heart, and everything her grandmother left her, into turning the place into a Bed & Breakfast. Handyman Tom fixes the final door just in time to welcome her very first guests: two rival dance troupes - the Green Stags and the Crimson Belles - arriving for the town’s fiercely competitive Morris dance festival. Let’s just say “competitive” might be putting it mildly.
As the festival kicks off with the teams dancing, Tom and Josie are sitting on the lawn while Tom is educating Josie on the Morris dance style and festival history (and some of the town's residents). When all the teams are finished and the judges have submitted their votes, one judge suddenly collapses as the winner is being announced. Of course Josie and her ever nosy familiar, black cat Einstein, think there is foul play. After the first run in with DI Holloway, Josie knows she needs to steer clear of this one, but can she really? Despite her promise to stay out of it, Josie's curiosity might just lead her straight into another mystery.
Colby’s strong point lies in creating warm, relatable characters you’d want as neighbors. Josie is delightfully down-to-earth, and her dynamic with Tom, the ever-handy handyman, feels authentic and sweet. The real stars, though, might be Einstein and Charlie - their banter (yes, Josie can understand them!) adds humor and heart to every page.
Signed, Sealed and Deadly flows effortlessly with vivid settings, energetic dialogue and just the right amount of small-town charm and supernatural intrigue. Well balanced suspense with humor, delivering a mystery that's equal part cozy and captivating is a skill Colby has excelled in.
While Signed, Sealed and Deadly can be read as a standalone, don't deny yourself the full Briarvale experience – start with Milestones, Magic and Murder to get the full introduction to Josie's journey. Just don't dawdle too long, Einstein doesn't like to be kept waiting.
Thank you to Bella Colby for allowing me to Alpha/Beta/ARC Signed, Sealed and Deadly. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review.
***