Under the Spell (Cordelia Corbett Mysteries Book 9)

A Vacation Mystery Beneath the Arizona Sun

Private investigator Cordelia Corbett expected Arizona to offer a break from winter, work, and the demands of a growing investigative firm. But when she and her partners Shelby and Sally discover a badly injured woman on a mountain trail overlooking Phoenix, their vacation quickly turns into a case filled with secrets, suspicion, and unanswered questions.

The victim, Jamie Freelander, was preparing to become a nun. As Cordelia and her team look into the convent Jamie was about to join, they uncover strained relationships, hidden motives, and a circle of suspects that includes fellow sisters, a former fiancé, and others with reasons to keep the truth buried.

As the investigation deepens, romance and opportunity unfold alongside the danger. New relationships blossom, a major business expansion could reshape Corbett Investigations, and a courtroom revelation changes everything they thought they knew.

A blend of mystery, romance, and courtroom drama, Under the Spell is the ninth book in the Cordelia Corbett Mysteries series by J.T. Kunkel.

Discover the secrets behind Under the Spell today.

Excerpt from the book

January 2024

I was already tired of winter, and it was only January. It seemed like it happened every year. And it wasn’t like we got snow in New Jersey like we used to on Long Island when I was a kid. It was just rain and drizzle, and occasional freezing rain. And then it would get nice and sunny for a couple of days. And just when we’d get used to that, the clouds would close in for what seemed like months. Although it was probably only weeks. I longed for the heat and the beach and the boardwalk.

When I slogged down the stairs, I found my surrogate daughter, Shelby, at the kitchen table, with her black hair hanging over her pretty face. Sometimes I felt old enough to be her mom, even though I was only barely a decade her senior.

She nearly jumped. “You scared me, Cordelia! I didn’t see you come down, although I don’t know how anyone could miss that red mop.”

I chuckled at her reference to my ginger hair resulting from my Irish descent. “I wouldn’t call it a mop exactly.”

She grinned. “Have you looked at it yet today? It’s kind of a mop.”

I asked, “What are you working on? I thought you were on winter break.”

She nodded. “I am, but I’m trying to get a jump on things for next semester. This pre-law thing is harder than I expected. And all that time we spent in Europe last semester didn’t help, although it was a time I’ll never forget.”

I agreed. “I know. Wasn’t it beautiful? We need to go back one of these days.”

Sally came out of her room, which was just off the kitchen. She’d been my boss at Kohr’s Frozen Custard when I moved here to Point Pleasant Beach and went back to my old summer job. We got reacquainted quickly, as I’d worked for her the summer of my sixteenth year. “Hey, you know it’s Saturday, right? Unless you’re planning a vacation for us someplace warm, I’d like to stay under my electric blanket for a while.”

I brightened. “Hey, you know, that’s not a bad idea. We should go somewhere warm while Shelby is still on winter break, or we’ll have to wait until spring break to do something together.”

Sally reminded me, “Hey, do you think we should leave town while we are getting that office off the ground? We just hired those employees.”

I chuckled. “Well, that was the whole point of finally hiring an office manager. She should be able to handle things while we are away for a few days.”

Sally remarked, “We have those new contracts, though. We want to make sure we implement them properly, and Charlene is brand new. I hate to be a killjoy.”