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Nina Phillips’ debut short story Jessamay Hammel and the Black Dust is the first story in her debut series Jessamay Hammel and is also the world’s first taste of her wild imagination. She enjoys taking long walks through the woods with her trusty notebook at her side. When she isn’t putting her elaborate imagination into words, she enjoys going on adventures of her own whilst traveling in the real world. She uses her career as an author as an excuse to read far too many books.
Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
Jessamay Hammel and the Black Dust by Nina Phillips is the first story in a magical series. Jessamay is ready to take the world by storm as a detective and to prove just what she’s truly capable of. Her newest case calls for her expertise when a robbery leaves traces of fairy dust behind which has a strange black coloring. The case introduces her to Detective Jackson and the situation takes an ominous turn when a fairy goes missing with black residue found. This leads Jessamay into questioning a legend about if a fairy dies they can become black fairy dust, which pushes her to find the truth and leads her to an unexpected discovery.
The world Nina Phillips has created brings life to this lighthearted story with a charming and thrilling mystery at the helm. The world is full of fairies and magic, blending the charm and fantasy of it with mystery and murder and a delightful fairy in the role of detective. Jessamay is a sweet character, strong-willed and passionate about what she does while also having a unique and fun role of being a fairy that is also a homicide detective. This case pushes her to show her strengths and to believe in herself while driving her to prove herself as a detective. The world is full of magical creatures which include more than fairies with Phillips introducing beings such as dragons and selkies. The setting is magical and has otherworldly beings while also remaining grounded in a realistic setting of a mystery.
The mystery packs several twists and turns in the case while also engaging you with the characters and setting up various dynamics. Jessamay and Detective Jackson are the main dynamics within the story as the two have a few growing pains between them while they find their footing together to solve the case. The two have fun banter between them that adds to the lightness of the tone and the playfulness of the story. Jessamay Hammel and the Black Dust is a delightful story with humor, charm, and mystery that is perfect for those who love magic and cozy mysteries.
