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Holly Bell, cat adorer and chocolate lover, is the author of the British humourous cozy paranormal Amanda Cadabra mystery series.

"Wonderful read" "Kept me guessing until the end"
Four strangers, one missing dog and a body. But Sunken Madley is just a quaint, peaceful English village. What does the 1000-year-old ruined priory have to do with it? The answer, as it so often does, lies in the past.

Explore the books in this series

Delightful! Fun and funny! This is my first experience with Holly Bell, and as a dog person, I never thought I'd fall so deeply in love with a cat (Tempest). I honestly could NOT get enough of him!! The entire story is fun though, a wonderfully clean mystery packed with danger, intrigue, and (yes) murders. I was enchanted--a very fitting emotion for a quaint and often hilarious journey with a lovable witch and her even more lovable familiar.

International Review of Books Badge. Circular god with star at the top and organisation title underneath. For Amanda Cadabra And the Nightstairs by Holly Bell
The International Review of Books

Praise for Amanda Cadabra and The Nightstairs

Amazon Best Seller

A story about

A covert witch in a quaint old English village with too many secrets.
Amanda's first job in the local manor presents her with a body, ghosts and secrets tunnels. Can she and her grumpy familiar solve the mystery, save the village from the stain of murder, and still keep her singular gifts under wraps?

A Look Inside Amanda Cadabra and The Hidey-Hole Truth

  • The characters

  • The plot

  • inspiration

  • around the world

The Characters

  • Amanda is an orphan who fortunately lost her extremely unpleasant family when their bus mysteriously went over a Cornish cliff. Adopted by her grandparents her singular gifts have been kept a secret. But how do you deal with a body, ghosts and secret tunnels and hide the truth about yourself when an attractive but dogged detective has you under the microscope?
  • Tempest is Amanda's ever-grumpy feline familiar. He was reincarnate one midnight by her grandparents and there are only four people who know who and what he really is.
  • Thomas is a detective sergeant with the Devon and Cornwall police. He is assigned the cold case of the Cornish Bus Murders. Amanda and her family are his only witnesses and her grandparents his first suspects. Will they be his last or are they getting under his skin?
Amanda Cadabra from the cover of Amanda Cadabra and The Rise of Sunken Madley, Amanda in witch's hat and cream trenchcoat
Holly signature

Hello, I'm Holly Bell. It's great to see you!

I'm a cozy paranormal mystery author. Welcome to my  website, where I've made videos, puzzle, quizzes and maps for your entertainment.

But above all, my books are written with the aim of giving you a little escape into a world of mystery, humour, and just the right amount of gripping suspense. And to top it all, finishing on a high to help you feel that little better about life, people and the world as you turn the last page.

Which is really just the beginning of a new story.

Chapter 01

Sneak - Peek

Scroll through this sneak peek preview to see if Amanda Cadabra and the Hidey-hole Truth hooks you like it has so many other readers. At the end, you can unlock the entire first two chapter for FREE by signing up to the newsletter!

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Chapter 01

The Day of The Incident

'Fresh blood,' observed Mrs Cadabra.

Detective Sergeant Thomas Trelawney looked at her doubtfully. She registered that he was in his late thirties, tall, light-haired, grey-suited and attractive in a manner appropriate to a policeman.

‘Do come in.’

He stepped over the threshold and into the clean, bright hall. She closed the door behind him.

Trelawney’s boss, Chief Inspector Hogarth, was on the verge of retirement and had sent his junior to acquaint himself with a case that had remained open for 28 years.

Mrs Cadabra led the way into the living room, gestured to the sergeant to sit down, then decisively pulled a photo album from one of the stacked bookshelves flanking the brick fireplace. She laid it open on his knees and pointed to a portrait of a power-dressed couple holding a baby.

‘1987. Our darling Amanda, held by my obnoxious daughter,’ she uttered in clipped tones. ’That’s her husband. I need only say that they were well matched. And if that assessment gives me a motive for murder, Sergeant, then you’re welcome to investigate it,’ she declared challengingly.

Trelawney suppressed a grin. Hogarth had told him what to expect in the redoubtable old lady sitting beside him on the chintz sofa. He had not exaggerated. Senara Cadabra was every inch the imperious aristocrat to which Hogarth had compared her. She lifted a hand to tuck in a hairgrip, pinning her white victory roll even more tightly into place. One of her piercing violet eyes was slightly larger than the other. This, coupled with her upright posture and cut-glass English accent, created an unnerving effect.

Mrs Cadabra glanced down at the photograph. Mercifully, there was no sign of Amanda’s gifts at that time, she commented to herself. Not then.

‘Lamentably,’ she continued, ‘Amanda’s parents had no time for her — or interest in her — and she was mostly cared for by my husband and myself. However, if you were to assume that little Amanda was traumatised by the sudden change in her situation following the “incident”, you’d be wrong,’ she stated, keen to stay one step ahead of any conclusions that the sergeant might be drawing.

While the detective jotted in his ubiquitous police notebook, he took a surreptitious look at his surroundings ...

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On Location

Join Holly 

in locations that inspired those in the Amanda Cadabra books

Monken Hadley

Amanda's Village

The Queen's Head, Pinner

The Sinner's Rue

The Village

The Village Green

Flower Festival at Medieval Church

St Ursula-without-Barnet
An enchanting page-turner

TJ Brown

Had me on the edge of my seat and chuckling out loud.

FLora G

It always kept me guessing whodunit. I couldn't put it down.

A Solomon

Read on and discover the fun of Amanda Cadabra for yourself!'

P Tomey

Chapter 1

A Grand Opening

It was a blissfully sunny August Sunday, and, as the villagers expected, Amanda Cadabra and her irascible feline companion were making their way towards their favourite picnic spot. Jonathan, the dazzlingly handsome but incurably shy assistant librarian, had raised a hand in greeting as they'd passed..

Witch and familiar took the slope up towards their goal at a gently pace; Amanda becasue. 


Chapter 1

A Grand Opening

It was a blissfully sunny August Sunday, and, as the villagers expected, Amanda Cadabra and her irascible feline companion were making their way towards their favourite picnic spot. Jonathan, the dazzlingly handsome but incurably shy assistant librarian, had raised a hand in greeting as they'd passed.

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In my own words...

The day my author friend convinced me that I could write cozy paranormal mysteries was one of the best and most important of my life.
The way that the stories come to me, those creative moments, are exhilarating and utterly joyful. But nothing prepared me to the intensely moving experience of connecting with readers. Especially those who have become fans, then supporters and ultimately friends.
I would like to to thank everyone who visits here, who reads, likes, follows, comments, emails, or simply stops by. I hope you find something here that pleases, entertains and even enchants you. If you feel even a little cheered because of something you find here, I will have succeeded.

Best wishes,

Holly

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