Nice witches finish last… A guilt-ridden former coven is forced to tap into the magic of their past . . . if they want to stop their lives from going up in flames again. On the outside, luxury real estate agent Sarah Nelson looks like every other mom in the suburb. But she has an edge that others don’t: She’s a witch. And no one knows . . . except her estranged ex-coven and college friends, Katrina and Alicia. One terrible night during their freshman year, the trio accidentally burned down their dorm, and soon after they scattered. Their secret had been safe, until Sarah learns they’ve been invited back to commemorate the anniversary of the fire. Suddenly, the magic doesn’t want to be controlled. Sarah’s orange tabby cat, Katy Purry, now argues with her. Her broom has become self-brooming, and her fridge somehow restocks thirty pounds of sliced turkey for school lunches. As it grows increasingly difficult to hide the magic and the past, Sarah, Katrina, and Alicia must harness their power together . . . before they find out if polite society still burns witches. One of Goodreads ’ Best New Horror Recommendations "Kilmer spins a highly enjoyable narrative that often hints at something darker. . . . Hex Education , witty and entertaining, will beguile fans of Charmed or Bewitched , but it also asks deeper questions about magic, friendship, responsibility, and truth-telling." — Shelf Awareness "A breath of fresh air . . . an absolute delight . . . If you’re looking for a witchy book that is solidly cemented in the real world, you need to read Hex Education . It’s fun and magical and will draw you in from page one." — Culturess "Sarah’s domestic use of magic in her day-to-day life is delightful [and] laugh-out-loud funny. . . A lighthearted witchy romp." — Kirkus Reviews "This amusing [tale] of magic gone awry is a solid choice for collections where stories of modern-day witches are popular." — Booklist "Kilmer enchants with this cozy fantasy novel that follows a disbanded coven who reunite to prevent magic from upending their lives. . . .The magical hijinks, pop culture references, and colorful cast (including a sassy talking cat) are sure to entertain. Fans of contemporary fantasy will find much to appreciate." — Publishers Weekly " Hex Education is a magically spiked pumpkin spice latte of a fall read. I drank it right up!” — KJ Dell’Antonia, New York Times bestselling author of The Chicken Sisters Maureen Kilmer graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and three children. She thankfully has not had to battle the forces of darkness (unless going to Costco on a Saturday counts). She is also the author of Suburban Hell, her horror debut. Chapter 1 Twenty Years Later A truly magical living space... My computer cursor blinked at me, taunting me with a blank page. Daring me to write the perfect description for my newest real estate listing. On the outside, the house was beautiful. It was a sage-green American Foursquare with a dormer window sprouting out of the center of the roof and a black front door encased by a large porch. I flipped through the information packet, glancing at each picture. I had chosen not to include any images of the inside in the listing. The property had sat empty for three years, the house beginning its slow decline without anyone who loved it, someone to take care of it. It would require a lot of renovations, if not a total gut rehab. There was nothing "magical" about the space, unless the Wicked Witch of the West herself had taken up residence there among the crumbling plaster and hidden critters in the corners. I flexed my fingers and began to type. Location, location, location... They were the magic words in real estate, much like recently rehabbed, move-in ready, and motivated sellers. And I knew all about magic words. I typed out the description, nodding in satisfaction. I spun around once in my chair before I hit the Send button to turn in the final MLS listing, ready to go live. I shut my laptop and peered out the large picture window in my home office that overlooked the front yard, with tall maple trees flanking the driveway and a hedge of pink roses that lined the sidewalk. I frowned as I saw movement near the garbage cans we'd placed on the street for pickup day. I leaned forward and squinted, and it was just as I'd suspected-two small gray bodies were scurrying around in between the cans. Damn raccoons. If I had a suburban nemesis, it was the neighborhood raccoons. They were of the craftiest kind, always getting into the garbage cans on the side of the house no matter what we placed on top. We sometimes woke to garbage scattered on the driveway after a particularly hearty meal. One evening, I nearly had a heart attack as I opened one of the cans outside to toss a bag inside and one peeked its head out and locked eyes with me. I screamed and ran, bag of garbage abandon