Juliet Blackwell Brews Something Special with Secondhand Spirits
If you've ever run your fingers across the fabric of a vintage dress and wondered about the woman who wore it before you, then Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell was practically written with you in mind. This delightful debut installment in the Witchcraft Mystery series introduces us to Lily Ivory, a powerful witch who has spent years wandering the world after being cast out by her own mother and hometown for her magical gifts. Now she's ready to stop running, and she's chosen one of the most enchanting backdrops imaginable: the bohemian, fog-draped streets of San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood.
Lily's plan is refreshingly humble for someone with her abilities. She opens a vintage clothing boutique called Aunt Cora's Closet and quietly hopes to blend in, keep her witchiness under wraps, and simply live. Juliet Blackwell gives us a protagonist who is powerful yet profoundly lonely — a combination that makes Lily immediately sympathetic and easy to root for. It's a setup that feels both cozy and emotionally resonant, and it gives the entire series a heartfelt foundation that goes well beyond the typical amateur sleuth premise.
Lily Ivory, Haunted Vintage Clothing, and a San Francisco Mystery Worth Unraveling
What makes Lily Ivory stand out in a crowded field of cozy mystery heroines is her extraordinary form of psychometry. When she handles the vintage garments and jewelry in her shop, she doesn't just see pretty old clothes — she feels the lingering emotions, traumas, and joys of every person who ever wore them. It's a magic system that is inventive, atmospheric, and perfectly suited to the vintage shop setting, and Blackwell uses it to weave the mystery and the world-building together seamlessly.
The plot kicks into gear when a neighbor is murdered and local children begin to disappear, pulling Lily reluctantly out of her quiet new life. The mystery draws heavily on the Hispanic folklore legend of La Llorona — the weeping woman — which lends the story a darker, more culturally grounded edge than you might expect from a cozy. Blackwell's background in anthropology and her academic study of Latin American folklore and cultural beliefs shine through here, making the supernatural elements feel earned and authentic rather than decorative.
Alongside Lily, we meet a charming ensemble: Bronwyn, a warm-hearted amateur herbalist who rents a corner of the shop and becomes Lily's first real friend; Maya, her resourceful young inventory sourcer and assistant; and Detective Carlos Romero, the SFPD inspector navigating the case with varying degrees of patience for Lily's unconventional methods. There's also a love triangle simmering in the background, involving the mysterious Aidan and the skeptical paranormal investigator Max Carmichael, which gives readers plenty to look forward to in future books.
First in the Witchcraft Mystery Series — Where to Start and What Comes Next
Secondhand Spirits is Book #1 in the Witchcraft Mystery series, making it the ideal and obvious entry point for new readers. Everything you need to know about Lily, her world, her shop, and her complicated relationship with magic is established here from the ground up. Blackwell takes care to build her universe thoughtfully — introducing the rules of Lily's magic, the texture of the Haight-Ashbury setting, and the supporting cast who will carry the series forward across eleven books and counting.
Because this is a true series opener, some readers may find that certain threads — particularly the mystery surrounding Lily's father and her deeper magical heritage — are teased without full resolution. That's a reasonable creative choice for a long-running series, but it's worth knowing going in that this first book plants seeds it doesn't entirely harvest. Think of it less as a cliffhanger and more as an invitation: Blackwell is clearly playing a long game, and readers who commit to the series will be rewarded for their patience.
If you finish Secondhand Spirits and immediately want more (and you likely will), the Witchcraft Mystery series has eleven installments to keep you company. The audiobook version, narrated by Xe Sands — who won an Earphones Award for her performance — is also frequently praised as the definitive way to experience the series, with reviewers particularly singling out her ability to bring the eclectic cast to life.
Witchy Atmosphere, Cozy Charm, and the Magic That Sets This Series Apart
What Juliet Blackwell does better than almost anyone in the witchy cozy subgenre is ground her magic in something real. Rather than generic spell-casting or wand-waving, the magic in Secondhand Spirits is rooted in herbalism, blood magic, cultural folklore, and the accumulated emotional history of objects — systems that feel as though they were drawn from genuine anthropological study, because in many ways they were. The result is a magical atmosphere that has genuine weight and texture, sitting somewhere between a cozy mystery and a more literary work of magical realism.
Then there's Oscar. Lily's familiar is not a cat, not a dog, but a shape-shifting creature who most often appears as an enthusiastic pot-bellied pig — and he is an absolute scene-stealer. Universally beloved by readers, Oscar brings a dose of pure delight to every scene he inhabits, providing comic relief without ever undermining the story's more serious moments. He's the kind of character who becomes a series mascot, and it's easy to see why fans return to these books again and again just to spend more time with him.
The San Francisco setting also deserves its own round of applause. Haight-Ashbury is an inspired choice — a neighborhood already steeped in countercultural history and a spirit of embracing the unconventional — and Blackwell renders it with genuine affection and specificity. The vintage shop itself, Aunt Cora's Closet, feels like a place you'd genuinely want to browse on a rainy afternoon, filled with the kind of atmospheric detail that makes cozy mystery settings so deeply comforting.
Who Should Read Secondhand Spirits — and What the Ratings Really Tell Us
With a Goodreads rating of 3.90 out of 5 based on over 13,000 ratings, Secondhand Spirits sits comfortably in solid, well-loved territory — and it has earned its place at #15 on Goodreads' Best Cozy Mystery Series list, a ranking determined by over 130 voters. That kind of sustained community enthusiasm, years after publication, speaks to a book that genuinely connects with its audience. It's not a perfect first installment — some readers feel the pacing slackens when Blackwell lingers too long on vintage clothing preservation details or herbalism lore — but for the right reader, those "flaws" are actually features.
This is a book tailor-made for readers who want their cozies to have a little more bite: a dash of genuine folklore darkness, a magic system with real cultural roots, and a heroine whose emotional journey is as compelling as the mystery itself. If you enjoy Bailey Cates' Magical Bakery Mystery series, Heather Blake's Wishcraft Mystery series, or Gigi Pandian's Accidental Alchemist books (which also features a wonderfully charming gargoyle sidekick), you will feel immediately at home here. Fans of Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman who are curious about the cozy mystery genre will also find Secondhand Spirits to be a wonderful bridge between the two worlds.
At its heart, Juliet Blackwell has written a story about a lonely outcast discovering that she has finally, tentatively, found her people — and there is something quietly moving about that underneath all the magic and murder. Whether you come for Oscar the pig, the La Llorona folklore, or simply the irresistible image of a witch running a vintage clothing shop in San Francisco, you're very likely to stay for all of it.
Quick Facts
- Series: Witchcraft Mystery (Book #1)
- Author: Juliet Blackwell
- Subgenre: Paranormal cozy mystery / Witchy cozy
- Setting: Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, San Francisco, California
- Main Character: Lily Ivory, a powerful witch and vintage clothing shop owner
- Goodreads Rating: 3.90/5 (13,268 ratings)
- Top 100 Rank: #15 on Goodreads' Best Cozy Mystery Series list
- Best For: Fans of witchy cozies, paranormal mysteries, folklore-infused stories, and unique magical systems
- Content Warnings: Mild violence (murder, child endangerment themes); darker folklore elements (La Llorona)
- Bonus Content: Rich in-text detail on vintage clothing preservation, fashion history, and herbalism/spell-casting lore; award-winning audiobook narration by Xe Sands
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Secondhand Spirits about?
Secondhand Spirits follows Lily Ivory, a witch who opens a vintage clothing boutique called Aunt Cora's Closet in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, hoping to finally live a quiet, normal life. When a neighbor is murdered and children begin to disappear, Lily is drawn into a mystery rooted in the Hispanic folklore legend of La Llorona. To solve the case, she must embrace the very magical abilities she has spent years trying to hide.
Is Secondhand Spirits the first book in the Witchcraft Mystery series?
Yes — Secondhand Spirits is Book #1 in the Witchcraft Mystery series and is the perfect place to start. It introduces Lily Ivory, her shop, her familiar Oscar, and the San Francisco world she inhabits, establishing everything a new reader needs before diving into the rest of the series.
How many books are in the Witchcraft Mystery series?
The Witchcraft Mystery series currently includes eleven books. Secondhand Spirits is the first, so there's plenty of Lily Ivory's world to explore once you're hooked.
Is Secondhand Spirits worth reading?
For fans of paranormal and witchy cozy mysteries, absolutely yes. With a Goodreads rating of 3.90/5 from over 13,000 readers and a spot at #15 on the Best Cozy Mystery Series list, it has a proven track record with the cozy community. While some readers find the pacing occasionally uneven in places, the atmospheric setting, genuinely creative magic system, and the irresistible Oscar the pig make it well worth your time.