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Hidden Agenda introduces the Skye Alexander series in which the heroine is a working astrologer in Salem, Massachusetts (Alexander is a working astrologer in Salem, Massachusetts), and the mysteries play out against the genuine local witch-tourism economy. The first book's case involves a murdered politician and a chart Skye reads that warned of exactly this outcome.
The astrology material is the unique selling point and is handled seriously. Alexander writes the chart-reading scenes with the precision of someone who does this work, and the supernatural elements never quite tip into being supernatural; the reader can take or leave the astrology as they prefer. The Salem geography is well-used.
The mystery itself is competent. The protagonist's personal life moves at the pace the genre requires. Three stars. A cozy with a genuine niche, recommended to readers who like their amateur detectives with unusual day jobs.
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