Elle Hartford – författare

Join Red and her friends as they struggle to uncover a scam that runs from the Pied Piper of St Patrick's Day to the egg hunts of Easter! A traveling salesman has arrived in idyllic Belville, and his gold-feathered goose is making an impression. While alchemist Red and her magical canine William have their doubts, most of the town is elated to hear that they, too, can have free gold! But is this promise too good to be true? Red will have to rely on her friends to get her through, as she faces her greatest alchemical challenge yet in order to solve the mystery of this new golden goose. This short story is an installment in The Alchemical Tales series, and overlaps with the Pomegranate Cafe Romance novella Steady in Love. You can also read it on its own to celebrate spring with everyone in Belville!

In this murderous twist on The Little Mermaid, alchemist Red discovers that true love can be more dangerous than it seems. It'll take the help of her friends to answer the question: when devotion has a deadly price, what does it take to keep your head above water? Red and her magical talking dog, William, are looking forward to a vacation. They're spending the first days of summer in Seaside, a quaint beach town, to celebrate the wedding of a merfolk friend. But when the groom's father is murdered during a pre-wedding feast, all that love in the air turns sour.Of course, when Red's friends ask her to help them investigate, she immediately agrees. But despite her best intentions, there's something about this mystery that has her feeling like she's in over her head. Was the murderer angry about the marriage between merfolk and human, or perhaps scared of an old prophecy coming to light? Was it a vengeful sea witch out for a blood price–or was it an eco-terrorist? When Officer Thorn shows up as a special police guild detective and Red finally learns to lean on her friends (including a few more surprise faces from Belville!), it's only a matter of time before the answer washes up.  This special anniversary printing includes an updated map, bonus content, epilogue, and more!

In this mysterious twist on tales like The Three Little Pigs and The Boy Who Cried Wolf, alchemist Red runs headlong into a new problem: how do you sort out the innocent sheep from the wolf in sheep's clothing? It's Halloween time in cozy, rural Belville, but the town is feeling far from festive. All Red wants to do is enjoy seasonal treats with her magical canine companion William–and maybe, just maybe, finally strike up the courage to face her feelings for a certain friend. Instead, a robber is playing deadly tricks in the nearby forest, and Red's neighbors are looking to her for help.One of those neighbors, Ryuko, is known to have a shady past. So when he comes to Red saying that he recognizes the signs of a criminal gang, she listens to him. The incredible part, though, is that Ryuko thinks this gang might be trying to unleash a terrifying magical wolf upon the town! In two shakes of a little piggy's tail, panic descends on Belville. When roadside robbery and rumors of dark magic give way to actual murder, Red knows it's time to face the shadows. The only problem is, no one in town is exactly what they seem to be . . . between the former mayor peddling conspiracy theories, a secret club determined to explore dark magic, and a new friend who declares herself to be a "e;shadow witch,"e; who is genuine and who is not? Red will have to learn to trust her instincts in order to save her friends from the menace lurking just out of sight. This special anniversary printing includes an updated map, epilogue, and bonus recipes!

Worthy in Love, first in the Pomegranate Café Romance series, finds Sakura desperate to make her new café a success. So desperate, in fact, that she'll recruit some unsuspecting help . . .  Mel is a big city girl who'd rather live the quiet life. She'd also rather not set up a St Valentine auction with a grouchy carpenter who seems to hate her guts. But she owes the witchy café owner a favor, and Mel's not one to back down from a challenge . . . even if, in order to succeed, she'll have to face her toughest test yet: believing in herself. Ryuko isn't looking forward to the holiday, and he isn't excited about being in the auction. And he's certainly not going to fall in love with the café's new event planner. She has "e;fancy"e; stamped all over her, and Ryuko knows his place. But if the café's meddlesome owner has any say in the matter, Ryuko's days of staying silent and going unnoticed are numbered . . . Valentine's Day has come to Belville, and with it, the grand opening of the Pomegranate Café. Can Ryuko and Mel–with a little extra help from Sakura–make it a truly magical holiday? Or will shadows of the past overtake them?

In this magical mix-up of fairy tales and murder, Little Red Riding Hood solves the mystery at the heart of Beauty and the Beast: what does it take to overcome a curse? Traveling alchemist Red settles into life as a shopkeeper in rural Belville and expects to focus on her potions. But crime stops for no woman. Neither does Red's friend, police officer Thorn! When a beastly criminal escapes to a nearby abandoned castle and is found murdered, Thorn immediately suspects Luca, a meek-mannered bookseller–not to mention Red's best friend. Red knows that there's more to the castle–and the murder–than meets the eye. But as she rushes to prove Luca's innocence, she's beset by a not-dead-yet ghost, a beautiful and ill-tempered suspect, and a horde of mysterious mist creatures that terrify the town. Oh, and then there's the series of lost books that hold the key to the castle's curse! If Red and her friends can't find the books and solve the mystery, Luca might not be the only one in trouble. But in idyllic Belville, appearances can be deceiving. Red will need all of her alchemical prowess and all the help she can get in order to uncover the truth behind this twisted tale. This special second edition includes a new epilogue, recipes, and a sneak peek at book two of The Alchemical Tales.

This special second edition includes a bonus epilogue, recipes, updated map and more! In this magical twist on a familiar tale, alchemist Red sets out to answer the riddle behind a cursed mirror and deadly apples . . . . . . Who decides who's fairest of all? And who would be willing to kill over it? Life in Belville has just settled down, and Red's ready to wait out her first mountain winter–preferably while under a cozy blanket, sipping some homemade tea. But when a mysterious ore turns up in the snow, Red is called in to investigate. And when she finds a body before even setting foot in the mine, all bets are off. It turns out that the mining team responsible for discovering the new ore consists of a fairy named Snow and–you guessed it–seven dwarves. Life is no song for the teammates, however, especially when one dwarf after another becomes the victim of vicious attacks. In an effort to keep her town safe as the mystery grows, Red accepts a job tracking down the source of the ore. But at the same time, rumors of dragons and constant snow storms are raising the stakes. And as she and her friends take Snow under their wing, Red begins to wonder if all isn't fair in Snow's icy world–or even in her own.

In this murderous twist on a familiar fairy tale, alchemist Red and her friends face their most glamorous question yet: what secrets lurk behind the mask we show to others? A magical, floating carnival has arrived in Belville, and Red's all set to see the opening night performance with her boyfriend, Luca. But a chance meeting with a stranger leaves her with doubts–and then the local police officer, Thorn, receives an uncanny threat to the carnival crew. A search of the carnival ship reveals a body–murdered, yet seemingly untouched, lying in a locked room. What seems like an impossible performance draws Officer Thorn, Red, and their friends into a whirlwind of costumes and drama. Carnival life is far from a fairy tale–amid the hard work and high hopes, dangerous secrets are hidden in plain sight. Someone is lying: could it be the mysterious animal trainer, perhaps, or the alluring sharpshooter? Or is it the prim and proper ship captain, or the grieving stepfamily? Tales of betrayal and transformation come to a head at the carnival's masked ball. There, Red will have to face her own fears in order to confront a murderer who's been hiding behind a mask all along.

Strong in Love, second in the Pomegranate Café Romance series, finds Sakura happily planning a midsummer bash when she gets an unusual request for a blind date . . . Daisy is your classic wallflower. She's also a literal dragon. Whether in human form or sporting scales and wings, one thing remains true: she's determined to protect others, even when it means she has to set aside her own desires (like a certain knight). But now Daisy's friends are telling her to go out on the town, where an old flame is bound to find her . . . Rhys would prefer to be addressed as Sir Rowan, thank you very much, as he never quite got over his knightly training. He's also not so certain that "e;going out on the town"e; is a good idea, even if it is midsummer and everyone's telling him to relax. The one thing Rhys knows for absolute certain is that he's head over heels for Daisy–and that when she sent him packing the first time, he left too many things unsaid . . . Midsummer heat has come to Belville, and the whole town is conspiring to help Daisy and Rowan rekindle their relationship. Can a knight and a dragon truly have a "e;happily ever after?"e; In order to find out, Daisy and Rowan will have to face the ultimate trial within their hearts.

In this magical mix-up of fairy tales and murder, Little Red Riding Hood solves the mystery at the heart of Pinocchio: what does it mean to be truly "e;alive?"e; Red is looking forward to accompanying her boyfriend to a conference in the big city, Brass. Too bad her best friend and magical companion, William, isn't on board! In fact, William's been acting strange, and it's only when he hears of a murder in Brass that he decides to tag along.Along with their friend Officer Thorn, Red and William have been asked to consult as impartial investigators in the death of a city gnome. The problem? It wasn't only a gnome who died: an enchanted broom was found destroyed as well. To make matters worse, the crime was reported by a young "e;puppet"e; who wasn't taken seriously at first. With each new twist and clue, Red finds herself more tangled up in strings of deceit, magic, and politics. The entire city of Brass is wondering if puppets and magical creatures can act freely–and in the midst of it all, William is preoccupied with a shadowy stranger . . .  With each new mystery, Red is willing to learn something new. But this time, what she learns just may be the most elusive quality of all: what it takes to be a real friend!

Steady in Love, third in the Pomegranate Café Romance series, finds Sakura and her friends setting up for a joyous sping fair–until the police get involved. Officer Thorn is a fixture in town, and everyone knows she calls shots as she sees them. Bold, brash, and maybe just a little cocky, she's the last person a criminal would want to cross. But lately, someone new in town has had Thorn feeling weak in the knees . . .  Magica left behind a life of acrobatics to live in Belville, and she's decided it's time to make a fresh start. The problem? Fresh starts mean new nerves, and Magica's not used to living on her own. Though her friends encourage her to take a step forward by signing up for the spring talent show, she soon regrets it when she receives a threatening message . . . Spring is the time for beginnings, and Saki is certain that her newest performer is on the brink of something great. That's if Officer Thorn can help hunt down a stalker in time. In order to save the show and let love bloom, Thorn and Magica must learn to trust themselves–and each other.