A Witch City Mystery Book 15
Author: Carol J. Perry
Genre: Mystery/Paranormal
Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
(Audio CD and Audiobook Available)
ISBN #: 9781496743688
Kensington Cozies
304 Pages
$8.99; $7.99 Amazon
October 28, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
There's no place like Salem, Massachusetts -- aka "the witch city" -- for Halloween. As residents embrace their historic heritage to celebrate the season, WICH-TV program director Lee Barrett is assigned the decadent task of highlighting the village's delectable sweet shops -- only to learn that some revelers prefer deadly tricks over delicious treats...
Casa del Chocolate is one of Salem's most charming boutique candy shops, making it a perfect profile story. Although preoccupied with her own personal sweet news -- Lee and her detective husband Pete Mondello are expecting a bundle of joy -- she cheerfully agrees to interview the chocolatier. Since becoming pregnant, the radiant and exhilarated mother-to-be has discovered that she is finally free of the unwanted haunting "visions" she has endured since childhood.
Shirley Parker inherited Casa de Chocolate, housed in her beautiful ancestral home on the waterfront, continuing her family's sweet tradition of conjuring magical treats for the folks of Salem. Mesmerized by the delightful chocolate scented aromas filling the air while touring the kitchen, Lee is shocked when she stumbles upon the murdered body of Barney Bingham, Shirley's estranged husband.
As the police focus their suspicions on Shirley, Lee learns that many people had reasons for wanting Barney dead. Now, with help from Pete, tarot reader River North, and clairvoyant gentleman cat O'Ryan, as well as some new feline friends, Lee must unmask the true killer -- and cope with the sudden return of her troubling "visions"...
✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽
Lee Barrett Mondello is the program director for WICH-TV in Salem, Massachusetts. Although she's had to cut back on her time and duties due to the fact that she and her husband are expecting their first child. When she's given an assignment to cover the candy shops in Salem, it's one she can sink her teeth into -- literally. So when she sees that a shop named Casa de Chocolate has opened up, she naturally wants to interview them.
Casa de Chocolate is housed in an historic mansion owned by Shirley Parker, who greets Lee, ready for the interview. When Lee is given an opportunity to see the shop's inner workings in the basement, she's more than ready. But what she's not ready for is the dead body she comes across. The dead body that happens to be the ex-husband of Shirley.
When Lee's husband Pete starts investigating, he discovers that Bingham had more than his share of enemies..but which one was willing to kill him? With no clues and a missing murder weapon, it may take longer to solve this case than it will for Lee to have her baby.
Pete wants Lee to stay out of this case, and she has every intention to do so, since she has a couple of baby showers to look forward to; and of course, all those sweet shops to visit and sample. But when it seems someone is stalking Lee, she begins to worry. So does Pete. Will she be able to stay of this case and stay safe? Or is someone going to make sure she's never involved in any murder mystery again...
This is the fifteenth book in the series, and I must say that I enjoyed it very much. I love the characters in this series, and the fact that Lee has a "partner in crime" in her husband, who understands about her visions and accepts them because he loves her.
There is a lot going on here, and the two plots are intertwined nicely. While Lee is mainly sidelined from investigating, she does her own, but makes sure she's not on her own entirely. With a little one on the way, she needs to be careful.
The descriptions of autumn in Salem are also nice, although a bit sparse, as the action is centered on the dead man, which is how it should be. I loved the fact that this book made me actually look for the killer along with Lee, and didn't make it too easy to do so.
When the ending comes, we figure it out almost at the same time as our protagonist, and that's the best way to do it. It's an intriguing climax, and I enjoyed it immensely. I love Ms. Perry's books and this one fits right in, being written well with a terrific plot. Highly recommended.
I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
More on Carol J. Perry's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/carol-j-perry/
No comments:
Post a Comment