Author: Traci Wilton
Genre: Mystery/Paranormal
Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781496741370
Kensington Cozies
336 Pages
$6/99; $7.59 Amazon
August 29, 2023
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Saturday night at the movies has some added flair now that Darren and Elise Shultz are reopening one of Salem's classic theaters. Charlene is delighted to help the couple with their venture, and Darren has lined up a cult classic double-header featuring Lon Chaney in The Wolfman. But things get hairer than expected when Elise starts to choke on her popcorn mid-movie -- and once the lights go up, she's dead...
When tests reveal Elise's popcorn was poisoned, Detective Sam Holden eyes her husband as the guilty party. Charlene doesn't believe Darren would hurt his wfe -- even if his company's specialty seasoned salts were sprinkled on the fatal snack. But who else had a motive to do something so unsavory? With a little help from Jack, the handsome ghost who haunts her B&B, Charlene delves into the ill-fated couple's past. And the more she learns, the more Charlene wonders if this time, she’s bitten off more than she can chew...
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After her husband's untimely death, Charlene Morris moved to Salem, Massachusetts and opened a B&B. It's doing well, and between herself and her employees, she has a thriving business. She also has a resident ghost, Dr. Jack Stratford, who was murdered on the property and is a permanent guest. Only she and her cat, Silva, can see the handsome man. But Charlene doesn't mind. Jack is good company, and he's helped her solve a few murders in the past.
When there's a new theater opening in town, Charlene is one of the guests since she's friends with the owners, Darren and Elise Shults. Darren, owner of a specialty salt company, is finally realizing his dream of owning a classic movie theater. On this night, they're showing The Wolfman with Lon Chaney, Jr. as the haunted hero, a true classic. But halfway through the film, his wife Elise seems to be choking, and is sent to the hospital. But it's too late, and Elise is dead. With Detective Sam Holden looking at Darren as the prime suspect, Charlene has a hard time believing it. The problem is, Sam tells her to stay out of the investigation, while she knows that she can't. Now it's up to her, Jack, and Charlene's young employee Avery to find a killer...
This is the seventh book in the series and I have read them all. Probably because I love the fact of a resident ghost, and he and Charlene have what I would call chemistry, even if it's other-worldly. Jack is definitely taken with Charlene, and while Sam is human, the thing I like most about Jack is he doesn't try to change Charlene, whereas Sam is always nagging her to stop doing things. Jack accepts her for who she is, even if he doesn't like it. He seems more suited to her (and I wish there were some way Jack could come back to the earthly plane to be with her). Ah, well. Just my thoughts.
While Charlene is trying her best to covertly find out who is a killer, she looks into Darren and Elise's pasts to see if she can garner any clues. It is one word uttered by one of Darren's employees that sets her off on a new trail that might just lead her to the reasons behind the murder; but finding the person who killed Elise might just be a dead end.
What follows is an intense search for a killer that brings Charlene into trying not only to take care of her B&B guests, but help Darren prove his innocence. The clues are there if you look for them, but they aren't easy to find. I recognized some of what was going to occur, but not everything. The book fascinated me to the point that I read it in one sitting (not even stopping to eat); and the ending was such a surprise and yet at the same time rather sad and bittersweet. It was probably one of the best books (although I love them all) and I cannot wait to read the next in the series. This talented writer has me completely hooked. Highly recommended.
I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
[On a side note, I love the old Universal horror films and own every one of them, which I watch around Halloween. If you watch them in order, beginning with Dracula and Frankenstein, they tell a story that segues in each ascending film, including The Wolfman and culminating with House of Dracula. It's a binge watch that has a very good ending. Each film connects to the next. Food for thought and I hope that I have given at least a few people a new enjoyment of older films (and I also can quote the movie lines. Yes, I'm a book nerd and a classic film nerd).]
More on Traci Wilton's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/traci-wilton/
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