🩸 Horror Fiction

Magic Is Murder

✍️ Shirley Anne Oneill
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$10.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A haunted author battles a vengeful ghost magician and a deadly witch's curse.

The plot follows Bianca Penhale through a descent into madness triggered by financial theft and supernatural retribution. After murdering her lover Maldini, she faces relentless torment from his spirit. The introduction of Hugh and a malevolent witch escalates the stakes, leading to a curse that threatens her soul. Oneill constructs a tale where personal secrets collide with magical consequences, forcing the protagonist to confront both her past actions and her lingering feelings for her first love.

Key Themes
ghostly retribution magical curses psychological unraveling
Literary Context

The story is set in a Cornish fishing village, grounding its supernatural elements in a specific regional atmosphere. It draws on traditions of ghost stories and witchcraft folklore, blending them with modern celebrity culture dynamics to create a unique contemporary gothic setting.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Daphne du Maurier · Elizabeth Gaskell
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 📅 2015 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781508419044

📝 Description: Magic Is Murder

Shirley Anne Oneill’s Magic Is Murder presents a narrative centered on Bianca Penhale, a celebrated writer hiding a concealed past in a Cornish fishing village. Her domestic tranquility fractures when Maldini the Magician, her current partner, uncovers this secret and absconds with her funds. In response, Bianca kills him with an axe, but his spirit remains to haunt her. The ghost magician employs various magical abilities to disrupt her daily existence, preventing her from eating, sleeping, or writing her latest novel. The situation worsens with the arrival of Hugh, Bianca’s ambitious cousin, whose requests for financial support draw the attention of a powerful witch. This sorceress places a death curse upon Bianca, condemning her to marry Maldini as a corpse bride in the afterlife. The story shifts from psychological thriller to supernatural horror as Bianca’s reality blurs with delusion. Her murderous impulses manifest as blood-soaked nightmares that spiral beyond control. Only her first love possesses the power to break this deadly enchantment, though accepting his help requires significant personal sacrifice and courage. This work appeals to readers who enjoy gothic fiction blended with contemporary mystery elements. It suits those interested in stories involving magical realism and complex character dynamics within isolated communities. The narrative does not cater to readers seeking pure historical horror or non-fiction accounts of real-life criminal cases, as it relies entirely on fictional supernatural events and invented characters.

💎 Our verdict on Magic Is Murder

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Shirley Anne Oneill crafts a tense narrative where personal secrets collide with magical consequences, forcing the protagonist to confront her past actions. The descent into madness is triggered by financial theft and supernatural retribution, creating a compelling psychological thriller that shifts into supernatural horror. Bianca’s torment from Maldini’s spirit and the deadly witch's curse escalates the stakes effectively. The isolation of the Cornish fishing village enhances the gothic atmosphere, making the supernatural elements feel more invasive. The story suits readers interested in magical realism and complex character dynamics within closed communities. While the narrative does not cater to those seeking simple resolutions, it offers a rich exploration of guilt and retribution. The blend of psychological thriller and horror creates a unique reading experience for fans of dark, atmospheric tales.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who enjoy gothic fiction blended with contemporary mystery will find this narrative compelling due to its intricate character dynamics within an isolated setting. It appeals to those interested in magical realism and the psychological unraveling of a protagonist facing supernatural consequences for past actions. The story offers a unique exploration of how personal secrets collide with magical forces, creating a tense atmosphere where reality blurs with delusion. Fans of complex emotional stakes, particularly involving lingering feelings for first love and the threat of eternal damnation, will appreciate the depth of Bianca's internal conflict. This book is ideal for those seeking a descent into madness driven by both financial theft and supernatural retribution, providing a chilling look at the price of hiding one's true self.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Shirley Anne Oneill crafts a tense narrative where personal secrets collide with magical consequences, forcing the protagonist to confront her past actions. The descent into madness is triggered by financial theft and supernatural retribution, creating a compelling psychological thriller that shifts into supernatural horror. Bianca’s torment from Maldini’s spirit and the deadly witch's curse escalates the stakes effectively. The isolation of the Cornish fishing village enhances the gothic atmosphere, making the supernatural elements feel more invasive. The story suits readers interested in magical realism and complex character dynamics within closed communities. While the narrative does not cater to those seeking simple resolutions, it offers a rich exploration of guilt and retribution. The blend of psychological thriller and horror creates a unique reading experience for fans of dark, atmospheric tales.

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