Mrs. Morris and the Day of the Dead

A Salem B&B Mystery Book 10

Author:    Traci Wilton

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496748829

Kensington Cozies

368 Pages

$8.99; $7.99 Amazon

August 26, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Charlene and her spectral companion, Dr. Jack Strathmore, are moved by crystal healer Isabella Perez's story about her missing sister, Marisol, a talented psychic of uncommon natural gifts.  The spooky season is the ideal time to contact the departed for some answers, could someone from the other side reveal the truth about her disappearance... and the location of the priceless bejeweled statue she took with her?

Jack mistrusts Marisol's fiancé, Rico Flores, but any number of suspects had reason to wish Marisol ill, including an embittered stalker obsessed with the talented bruja, a jealous rival witch, and a shady businessman more given to more dirty tricks than treats.  Charlene's beau, Detective Sam Holden, is on the case, but unmasking the culprit may require an assist from beyond the grave.  Thank goodness it's Halloween, when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

After the death of her husband, Charlene Morris moved to Salem, Massachusetts and opened a B&B.  What she didn't know, however, was that the Victorian house she purchased came with its own permanent guest -- the ghost of the previous owner, Dr. Jack Strathmore.  Now Jack and Charlene have a close relationship with each other; after all, he gave up heaven to stay with her.  But in the ens,uing years, Charlene has fallen in love with an all-too-human man, Detective Sam Holden, who doesn't believe in ghosts.  Charlene has tried to tell him several times, but he refuses to believe.  Now Charlene's "adoptive" daughter Avery can see Jack, thanks to a recent bump on the head, but it's only the two of them and their cat, Silva.  

It's close to Halloween, and Charlene has a houseful of guests occupying every room.  Most of them are there to enjoy what Salem has to offer on this particular holiday (after all, where is a better place to be than Salem?); except two of them - Isabella Perez and her boyfriend, Rico Flores, are there to find out the truth about her elder sister Marisol's disappearance two years ago.  Isabella hopes that with the veil between the living and the dead being thinnest around Halloween, that she can contact Marisol for her own personal reasons.

It's not until a young woman is murdered during the graveyard tour, right in front of Charlene's guests, that Charlene thinks something very real and very sinister, is going on.  Now she knows that even though she has a lot to keep her occupied, she must try and tell Sam one more time about Jack, and hope that she can keep Jack from accidentally slipping away somewhere he isn't meant to be...

I have to say that I had a difficult time reading this because I knew it was the last in the series.  That and the fact that I was always team Jack.  Sam seemed hart to me, and Jack was much more easygoing.  I was always hoping that a second chance meant a second chance at life, but ah, well.  Needless to say, I was torn by the ending.  Don't get me wrong; it ended nicely.  I don't think I am giving anything away here since I have skimmed other reviews who have already stated it.

But the story was handled well, and it was as interesting as all the others.  There is plenty of action, and the characters are believable.  Some are likeable; some not so much.  But even the subplots concerning the guests are worth reading about.  

The mystery isn't easily solved.  There is a lot going on here, both with Charlene, her household, and people she knows.  You want the best for Isabella while hoping it all will work out for everyone else.  And the climax is all that we could wish for (well, some of us, anyway).  The ending is bittersweet, but the author does a remarkable job of bringing it all together for one final book.  Kudos to Ms. Wilton.  Highly recommended.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Morris-Dead-Salem- Mystery-ebook/dp/B0DRB1VNMJ/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7897104148

More on Traci Wilton's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/traci-wilton/

Sugar and Spite

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.

https://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Spite-Witch-City-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0DX4Z7C7G/ref=

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7659417502

More on Carol J. Perry's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/carol-j-perry/

Epilogue To A Christmas Murder

A Beyond The Page Bookstore Mystery Book 11

Author:    Lauren Elliott

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781496753342

Kensington Cozies

368 Pages

$8.99; $7.99 Amazon

September 30, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As bookstore owner Addie Greyborne shares the loving lesson of The Gift of the Magi, the spirit of the season falls prey to a thief and a killer...

There's no place like the seaside Massachusetts town of Greyborne Harbor for the holidays, and there's no better feeling for Addie than donating to the lighthouse museum's Twelve Days of Christmas charity fundraiser.  Of the dozen books she'll be offering as prizes from her Beyond the Page Books and Curios shop, the most special volume is a first edition of The Gift of the Magi imported from England -- signed by O. Henry!  Addie receives an unexpected Christmas bonus when the book is hand delivered by visiting Detective Inspector Noah Parker, whom she met in England, and has been daydreaming about ever since.

But on the night Addie delivers the book to the museum. someone posing as one of Santa's Little Helpers swipes it -- and the rest of the charity gifts.  As if the theft wasn't bad enough, a body is found on the rocks outside the lighthouse, believed to be murdered.  Now, it's up to Addie to connect the clues, find stolen goods, and catch a killer -- in order to usher in a Happy New Year...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

After being left at the proverbial altar, Addie Greyborne retreated to England for a year to recoup and decide what to do with her life.  She left her bookstore, Beyond the Page Books and Curios, in the capable hands of her manager, Paige.  But the year has ended, and Addie has returned home, eager to welcome the upcoming Christmas holiday and Paige's Christmas Day wedding.

Then she receives an unexpected and surprising visit from Detective Inspector Noah Parker, whom she butted heads with during her time in England.  She's not going to let him know how this has shaken her, since seeing him again has taken her breath away.  But he delivers a special book for her from the owner of the bookshop she worked for there -- a signed edition of The Gift of the Magi -- and she's going to donate it to the local museum for charity.

When she shows up at the museum she meets one of Santa's Elves who seems to be putting the donations into boxes, and tells her to just add her donations to everything else.  Barely questioning it, she does so, then discovers later that everything has been stolen, and the elf is nowhere to be found.

To make matters worse, a dead body is found the next day on the cliff by the lighthouse.  Who is the man?  Is he connected to the burglary?  But when it turns out to be someone who's connected to a friend, and local police chief Marc Chandler is removed from the case, she has no help.  At least until Noah Parker is temporarily assigned to the murder case.  But the DA and the mayor want it solved quickly.  With only one suspect in line for it, Addie has to work fast, and behind the scenes.  Will she be able to find a killer before her friend is jailed?  Or will everything go terribly wrong and she won't be able to help at all...

This is the eleventh book in the series, and I must say that it is my favorite to date.  I am glad that I decided to continue reading this series after one book disappointed me (not going to say any more about that!).  While I am glad to see Addie back home in Grayborne Harbor, I miss her friends she left behind in England.  But she didn't leave all of them -- Detective Inspector Noah Parker is on holiday, and he's helping with the murder case.  Her feelings for Noah are confusing, and she wants to see him and not see him, if that makes any sense.

With Marc off the case, everything needs to be hush-hush or both Noah and Marc will permanently lose their jobs, leaving Addie to do as much as she can by herself.  She's also trying to manage her store and keep Paige from going crazy with a mother who's turned into a Motherzilla.  Paige also needs her help if her wedding is to go off nicely; Addie's in a pickle and knows it.

Looking for clues, she's pretty much on her own and what she can glean from both Marc and Noah, which isn't much.  She's positive the suspect is innocent, and trusts her gut instinct, which is more than not right.  However, knowing it and proving it are two different things.

The book kept me interested throughout, and I loved the fact it takes place during the Christmas season.  (That's just because I love the holiday, myself).  Anyway, watching Addie take what she has and put it all together at the end is the best part of the book.  This woman is intelligent, unflappable, and able to take care of herself in a pinch.  She can also think on her feet. and that's the best kind of amateur sleuth.  It makes Ms. Elliott's books are wonderful; with a taut storyline and a climax that's worth waiting for.

I will not say any more about the book in order not to spoil it for anyone (I don't think I've given any spoilers so far!)  I will say I loved the intrigue, Addie's actions and her thinking, and the way the book ended.  I look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Epilogue-Christmas-Murder-Bookstore-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0DTJN96KY/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7585247015

More on Lauren Elliott's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/lauren-elliott/

The Herringbone Harbor Mystery

 Seaside Knitters Society Book 7

Author:    Sally Goldenbaum

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback (LP); Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781496747151

Kensington Cozies

352 Pages

$22.87; $17.50; $12.99 Amazon

November 26, 2024

⭐⭐⭐

It's beginning to feel a lot like tourist season in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, and beachside shopkeepers are getting ready for the annual wave of visitors.  But even before the season starts, the heat is on to find a killer...

The Yarn Studio's Seaside Knitters have their hands full designing new classes for vacationers, as well as testing each other's originality by creating a single blanket together.  Birdie's teenage granddaughter is also visiting for the season, and soon has plans with her friend Daisy to start a dog walking business.  Meanwhile, the Lazy Lobster and Soup Cafe's local fare is gaining newfound attention with the addition of a well-known Boston chef.  It's sure to be another beautiful, busy time in their tightknit town.

Until Birdie spots a huge blaze from her balcony one evening, frighteningly close to knitter Cass's lobster business.  But the morning brings news that it was a house in small Fisherman's Cove, and a familiar fisherman is found dead inside.  Not only did the young women walk his beloved sheepdog, Squid, they may have been the last people to see him alive.

When questions surface about the actual timing of the man's death, it turns out something is more than fishy.  As suspicion rocks usually placid Sea Harbor, knitters Izzy, Birdie, Cass, and Nell must pick apart tangled secrets and wrap up false accusations -- before the killer hooks another victim...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

The Seaside Knitters Society is a close-knit group of women who get together to create different projects once a week.  They are also friends -- and some relatives -- who live in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts; a fishing town that they love.  When an old friend from years ago returns, Nick Cabot, everyone is glad to see him.  Well, almost everyone.  The mayor isn't happy, because she thinks he plans to run against her.  And a local chef isn't happy because he's a bit jealous of his presence.  Other than that, Nick is a welcome addition once again, and he brightens the lives of everyone there.  

One early morning, there's a fire and everyone seems to know whose home it was.  No one is happy about it, and they wonder where's the body?  Eventually, it's discovered, and it saddens those people in the town who knew and loved the residents.  But why was the person murdered?  The women know it was murder, and they set out to find the killer before they can strike again...

Full disclosure on my part is that I have not read anything by Ms. Goldenbaum for many years.  Saying that, I have not read any of the others in this series, so perhaps I shouldn't have started with this one.  The reason I say that is there are far too many characters to keep track of, and their relations to each other.  Yes, there is a 'cheat sheet' in the front of the book; but if you are reading the digital version, as I am, you can't easily go back and check it out when you have questions.  So you have to write the characters down with all their relations to each other to refer to.  It's annoying, to say the least, but I am not dumping on the author; she writes well and the story line is very good.

What did bother me is the fact that someone was murdered who seemed by all appearances to be really nice and usually in mysteries, the slain person has some awful quality that we know will doom them.  To add that we are supposed to feel sorry for the person who killed them, but I did not.  Not a shred of sorrow on my part.  I have my reasons, but murder is what it is and the reason for the killing did not make any sense to me.  

Other than that, I will add again that the story is written well, the descriptions of the town itself are very good, and the quality of writing is high.  Perhaps I will go back and begin again with the first book in the series and have another look at the Seaside Knitters!  

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Herringbone-Mystery-Seaside-Knitters-Society-ebook/dp/B0CW1F1PV5/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7033407927

More on Sally Goldenbaum's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/sally-goldenbaum/

Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine (A Salem B&B Mystery #9)

Author:    Traci Wilton

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B0CZGPZQMJ

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$8.54 Amazon

December24, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cupid's taking aim at Charlene Morris's historic Salem B&B, which is brimming with models for a contentious photo shoot, but his arrow goes astray when someone is murdered on Valentine's Day...

A full house is nothing new to Charlene and her ghostly friend, Dr. Jack Strathmore, but this Valentine's Day, their Salem, Massachusetts inn isn't filled with romantic couples.  Instead, every room is booked by formerly famous photographer Dane Stallone, for a Cupid-themed calendar he hopes will jumpstart his sagging career.  Though Charlene's hands are full with a dozen gorgeous models, Dane is the only diva -- pitching fits, making unreasonable demands, and generally being a mood killer...until a real killer strikes and puts the whole shoot on ice.

With more suspects than a jumbo box of chocolates, Charlene, Jack, and Detective Sam Holden race to find the one person filled with murderous intent...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Charlene Morris moved from Chicago to Salem after her husband's sudden death, and bought the large mansion that is now her beloved B&B.  It also came with the ghost of the former owner, Dr. Jack Strathmore, whom Charlene has grown very fond of.  Only Charlene and her cat Silva can see and hear Jack, which makes her careful when others are around.

She's currently hosting twelve models from around the world and their photographer, Dane Stallone, for a photo shoot that must be done by March 1st, and it is nearly Valentine's Day.  However, Dane is acting like a real diva, with nearly unreasonable demands of both the models and Charlene and her staff.  While she doesn't like the man, she helps him anyway just to get it over with an him out of her house.

But then a murder occurs, and Charlene is stuck with everyone when the police -- namely newly promoted Detective Jimenez -- tells her no one can leave until she finds the killer.  Suddenly tempers flare and arguments break out, but Charlene is determined to make the best of it and hope the remaining guests will, also.

Then there's the problem of Sam, who can't get involved in the case but still wants to see Charlene, and her "daughter" Avery is due home from school for a few days.  With so much going on, will she be able to find time to gather clues to solve the case, or will this finally put an end to her sleuthing altogether?...

This is the ninth book in the series and I have read and loved them all.  This one was a bit more complicated, as you have a lot more suspects, and they're all gathered in one place.  Keeping the names straight was easy enough, but then you have to keep the countries straight as well.  Not as easy, but doable.

I loved how the mystery was laid out, and even the fact that each of the people at the B&B had secrets of their own that they wanted to keep hidden.  But it's not as simple as it seems when they must involve Brandy Flint, a powerful witch and owner of Flint winery, and Charlene's friend.  It all seems so complicated for Charlene, who asks Jack for help.

Through a twisty tale that interweaves mystery, loss, and intrigue, we are given new insights and danger abounds; and wait to see how it all turns out.  It is indeed a delicious mix of a tale, and while the ending is very good, I have to say that I am Team Jack (yes, I know he's a ghost, but such a delightful one); so Charlene has that to deal with as well (which is no spoiler as it's been in previous books).  

\

Another fine tale from Ms. Wilton, and the ending alone is worth reading the entire book (but don't peek!).  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Morris-Venomous-Valentine-Salem-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CZGPZQMJ/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6782000840

More on Traci Wilton's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/traci-wilton/

Mrs. Morris and The Mermaid (A Salem B&B Mystery Book 8)

Author:    Traci Wilton

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN:    9781496741394

Kensington Cozies

368 Pages

$8.99; $6.99 Amazon

February 20, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Charlene and her handsome spectral friend, Dr. Jack Strathmore, are thrilled that their Salem, Massachusetts B&B is overflowing with mermaids in advance of the town's newest attraction -- a mermaid parade!  Retired Hollywood actress Trinity Powers has even agreed to appear on the lead float to commemorate her breakout role as the eponymous mermaid in the blockbuster cult classic, Sirina.  The parade also feature's Trinity's rival, and up-and-coming ingenue, who stars in the film's recent (and somewhat controversial) reboot.  Though their rabid fan clubs seem ready to tear each other -- and the festivities -- apart, the vying actresses are keeping it cool, for now... 

But when Charlene discovers a mermaid murdered, she realizes a killer is out to steal the show.  With the help of Jack and Detective Sam Holden, Charlene plunges into the case, determined to stop a killer from striking again...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

After her husband was killed, Charlene Morris moved from Chicago to Salem, Massachusetts and opened a B&B, hoping to help her heal and discover a new life.  She's made friends here, and along the way discovered that both witches and ghosts are real.  Especially the ghost of Dr. Jack Strathmore, who haunts the home that used to be his, and has become Charlene's closest confidante.  If only he were human again...

She has a full house with people attending the first mermaid festival that the town's hosted, including the star of the original film Sirena, about a mermaid and her adventures, Trinity Powers.  But a surprise guest shows up with her entourage, Alannah, the woman who remade the sequel and believes she's better than the original actor.  Now, the town is filled with people who are Team Trinity or Team Alannah, and the results aren't pretty...

Even the B&B has their share of them, but at least they are behaving themselves.  Well, some of them, anyway...

When there's a murder and Charlene discovers the body, Detective Sam Holden tells her to stay away from it.  But if the killer turns out to be someone who's one of her guests, how is she supposed to do that?  As things progress, her friend Brandy also asks for her help in proving that one of her own friends isn't a murderer.  Now Charlene is right in the middle, but at least she has ghostly help from Jack.  However, things are heating up with Sam, and it's causing Charlene internal angst.  

With everything going on, can she locate a killer before the person strikes again?  And will she be able to keep her guests happy and herself away from the murderer?

This is the eighth book in the series and I have read them all.  I also have loved them all.  Charlene is progressing in her life in Salem, with staunch friends around her, and of course, Jack, who can be seen and heard only by Charlene and her cat, Silva.  

This book has quite a bit going on in it, and I won't say too much about that in order not to spoil it for others.  I will say that it is definitely worth reading, as Ms. Wilton has once again engaged us in a tasty tale that keeps us reading all the way through.  The plot and subplots are all interesting, with enough intrigue, secrets, and lies to wield the story well, and when the killer is discovered, it all comes together nicely and leaves us wanting more.  The ending gives us a hint of what is to come, and you will have to discover it yourself.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C6FV91ML?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_7&store

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5981804385

More on Traci Wilton's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/traci-wilton/

Mrs. Morris and The Wolfman (A Salem B&B Mystery Book 7)

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

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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).]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BNWG9V65?ref_

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5567134663

More on Traci Wilton's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/traci-wilton/

Steeped In Malice (Tea By The Sea Mysteries Book 4)

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496737724

Kensington Cozies

288 Pages

$27.00; $13.77 Amazon

July 25, 2023

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Afternoon tea isn't just about flavorful brews and delicious treats.  It's also about presentation -- fine China teacups (never mugs!) with carefully coordinated saucers and plates.  With her fragile stock running low, Lily has an excuse to indulge in one of her favorite hobbies: visiting an antiques fair for replacements.

Among other finds, Lily snaps up a charming Peter Rabbit-themed tea set in a wicker basket, perfect for children's events.  But a few days later, a woman named Kimberly marches into the tearoom, rudely demanding to buy it back -- then later returns and removes an envelope hidden in the basket's lining.

An acquaintance of Lily's named Rachel is on the trail of the tea set too.  Apparently, she and Kimberly are half-sisters, searching for their mother's final will.  To her annoyance, Lily is dunked into the middle of this mess -- especially when her ex-boyfriend turns out to be involved.  But it's more than a storm in a teacup when one of the sisters is found dead on the grounds of the B&B owned by Lily's grandmother, Rose.

Is this a simple case of greed boiling over, or are there other suspects in the blend?  It'll take some savvy sleuthing from Lily, Rose, and their allies to find the answers before a killer shatters more lives....

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lily Roberts is the proprietor of Tea by the Sea, a tearoom not too far from her grandmother Rose's beautiful B&B in Massachusetts.  After leaving her job as a pastry chef in Manhattan behind, she's finally achieved her dream and couldn't be happier.  What she needs now, however, is to peruse the aisles of an antiques fair in town, hoping to find new tea sets, because China is fragile and occasionally a piece or two gets broken.

When she, along with Rose and Lily's best friend Bernie arrive, they soon find what Lily is looking for: lovely things including a child's Peter Rabbit tea set nestled in a cute woven basket.  Although the price is a bit steep, Lily can't resist.  She's happy with her purchase and can't wait to use it.  However, the next day a young woman comes looking for her and demands she produce it.  Lily, irritated at the woman's rudeness, tells her it's being used right now and she'll have to come back after closing.  The woman argues for a while, then storms out.

When the woman, who states her name is Kimberly Smithfield, returns for the set, all she does is rip the lining and take an envelope, telling Lily she can keep the set and throws money at her.  Lily is surprised, but glad she gets to keep her prize.  Later, an acquaintance from her old New York days, Rachel Morrison, arrives, also looking for the set, is dismayed to find that Kimberly took the envelope.

But the real surprises come later:  Lily discovers that Kimberly -- and her new husband -- are staying at Rose's B&B.  Rachel and Kimberly are half-sisters.  And Kimberly's husband is none other than Lily's ex-boyfriend, Wesley, whom she broke up with and left behind along with her past.  But he doesn't seem to be done with Lily.  He wants her to come back to work for him, and seemingly won't take no for an answer.

When Lily hears a late night conversation and her little dog finds a body, the police are called.  Now Lily is reluctantly involved in another murder investigation, and it may take all her wits and the help of her friends and Rose to solve this one.  No one is saying anything, and Lily doesn't have a lot to go on.  Everyone is keeping secrets and lies...and one of them is a murderer...

This is the fourth book in the series and I have loved them all.  It just keeps getting better and better.  The author is not only a prolific writer, but a talented one who takes us places we dream about and would love to visit.  I can't imagine anything nicer than staying at a seaside B&B with a tearoom nearby.

I get a kick out of Bernie and her constantly changing book plots; it's amazing because she's so smart otherwise and knows her way around the inside of a computer (being married to an IT specialist myself, he knows the ins and outs and it leaves me in awe -- and I know computers pretty well myself).  Bernie has a knack for finding things out, and she's a great help to Lily.

Lily is a woman on a mission, and it's a good thing she has a good staff, because this investigation leaves her a bit stumped.  It doesn't help that her ex is a nasty piece of work, and his being in town is not something she's enjoying.  But at stake is an estate worth millions, and none of the parties are willing to give up until what was in the envelope is found, and it leaves Lily wondering about it.  

Watching her go through the motions of questioning people and trying to figure it all out is worth reading the book.  Lily and her friends conspire to find the truth of the matter, and when it all comes together at the end, there are unexpected resolutions and a killer who's been hiding just barely under the wire.  The ending is also worth reading the book for, and there are some recipes in the back that you might find interesting.  I am looking forward to reading the next in the series and highly recommend this book.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley, but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Steeped-Malice-Tea-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B0BKTY6CQ3/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5478960486

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

Murder Spills The Tea (Tea by the Sea Mysteries Book 3)

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496737694

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$23.99; $9.06 Amazon

July 26, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The country's hottest TV cooking show is coming to Cape Cod.  And against her better judgment, Lily Roberts is entering America Bakes! with her charming tearoom, Tea by the Sea!  Filming is already proving disruptive, closing the tearoom during Lily's busiest season.  But tensions really bubble over when infamous bad-boy chef and celebrity judge, Tommy Greene, loses his temper with Lily's staff, resulting in an on-camera blowout with Cheryl Wainwright.  Just as Lily thinks the competition can't get more bitter, Tommy is found dead in Tea by the Sea's kitchen...murdered with Lily's rolling pin.

Suspicion immediately falls on Cheryl, but the temperamental star has racked up plenty of culinary clashes in the past, both on- and off-screen.  And nearly anyone associated with Tommy or the show could be the killer: be it one of Lily's fierce competitors, a member of the beleaguered film crew, or even one of Tommy's fellow judges -- struggling cookbook maven, Claudia D'Angelo or beauty contest winner, Scarlet McIntosh.  Now, while she's baking up a storm for the show, Lily must also whip up an impromptu investigation...before the murderer rolls someone else away.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lily Roberts owns Tea by the Sea, a lovely tearoom centered right in Cape Cod.  Her grandmother Rose, transplanted from Yorkshire long ago, owns a lovely Victorian B&B nearby, and they live happily in the seaside town.  That is, until Rose and Lily's best friend Bernie enter her in a TV reality show, and she's been chosen as one of the contestants.  Now, the cast members are staying at the B&B and the crew is overrunning the tearoom and telling her what to  do.  Lily is not happy.

She's especially not happy when one of the judges, Tommy Greene, purposely trips her employee MaryBeth and MaryBeth's mother Cheryl has a few harsh words for him.  When Tommy is discovered dead the next morning in the tearoom, Cheryl is the main suspect.  But Lily is sure Cheryl's not a killer, but she's not sure about his castmates.  Even though the police tell her to leave it alone, she's not going to, and with the help of Bernie and Rose, she intends to find the killer before they get away with it...

This is the third book in the series and I have read them all.  I've become fond of the characters in this series, finding not a one of them evil or flighty.  (Except for Allegra, but she's new and no one could possibly like this woman).  The main characters are full of ideas about who might have killed Tommy, especially Bernie, who is able to get information due to her background as a forensic accountant.  

But the more information they have, the more they discover that Tommy was actually a nice guy who was devoted to his wife and family, making it harder to find out who might have had a grudge against the man.  Lily just watches the players in the TV cast, hoping that one of them will accidentally spill information.  And with them fighting amongst themselves, it's not long before she sees that there's more to them than what meets the eye.  Now all she has to do is find out who wielded the rolling pin...

I love this series, and while the killer didn't surprise me much (only because I read a lot of mysteries), at the very end we are given a glimpse of what the future might bring, and once again peace is brought to Cape Cod...for the time being.  I eagerly await the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Spills-Tea-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B09KP4WN5C/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4954868724

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

The Game Is A Footnote (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #8)

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781639101450

Crooked Lane Books

320 Pages

$26.99; $13.99 Amazon

January 10, 2023

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scarlet House, now a historical re-enactment museum, is the oldest building in West London, Massachusetts.  When things start moving around on their own, board members suggest that Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, might be able to get to the bottom of it.  Gemma doesn't believe in ghosts, but she agrees to 'eliminate the impossible.'  But when Gemma and Jayne stumble across a dead body on the property, they're forced to consider an all too physical threat.

Gemma and Jayne suspect foul play as they start to uncover more secrets about the museum.  With the museum being a revolving door for potential killers, they have plenty of options for who might be the actual culprit.

Despite Gemma's determination not to get further involved, it would appear that once again, and much to the displeasure of Detective Ryan Ashburton, the game is afoot.

Will Gemma and Jayne be able to solve the mystery behind the haunted museum, or will they be the next to haunt it?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, has special skills that allow her to discover things about others.  She has superb observation skills.  It's served her well in helping to solve more than one murder.  But now she's been asked to see if Scarlet House is haunted.  It seems things have been moving around at night when no one is there.  Not really wanting to, but since the asking came from her best friend Jayne's mother Leslie, she agrees to do so.  So she finds herself, along with Jayne and Jayne's fiancé Andy, spending the night in the old house.  The only other people there are out in the barn: a retired veterinarian who cares for the animals, and volunteer Craig Jones.  Gemma, who doesn't believe in ghosts, spends time walking through the house at various hours to see if there is any activity.  

But when there's noise in the kitchen, nothing seems to have been disturbed.  And when there's noise in the barn, it seems the animals have been spooked by something unknown.  Then a body is discovered on the premises and Gemma calls the police, with her boyfriend Detective Ryan Ashburton arriving to check it out.

Now, Gemma is once again in pursuit of a killer, with clues few and far between.  She'll need all her wits about her to solve this murder, even if the police don't want her involved.

Then there's a bit of a complication:  Gemma's sister Pippa shows up out of the blue, claiming she's taking a bit of a vacation while her employer is in Washington on business.  Gemma, ever alert as she is, knows something else is up with Pippa.  Pippa is Mycroft Holmes to Gemma's Sherlock, and together they might just be unstoppable...and now the game is afoot... 

This is the eighth book in the series, and I have read them all.  While in the first book I wasn't fond of Gemma, I have now grown to love her.  She's extremely intelligent, loyal to her friends and family, loves animals, her shop, and, of course, Ryan.  She's an extraordinary woman, and she doesn't actually accuse anyone without having facts to back it up.  She also has a sudden problem with one of her employees, and while she'd like to leave it alone, her curiosity gets the better of her and she needs the answers she's looking for.

But now Pippa has come on the scene, with the story that she's on vacation, but Gemma doesn't believe it one whit.  She knows there's something going on, and she's determined to figure it out.  What she finds out from Pippa isn't what she expects, and she's surprised at it.  Watching both Gemma and Pippa together is a lot of fun, and makes your brain work just a little bit harder to try and figure it out before they do.

It's a delightful romp of a book, bringing the staid British together with the emotional Americans, and watching the two combine and deliver conclusions at the end is quite worthwhile.  It leaves us wanting more and waiting impatiently for the next in the series.  I enjoyed this book so much that I have decided to revisit the great Holmes himself in A Study in Scarlet.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Footnote-Sherlock-Holmes-Bookshop-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09XM5M8SC/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4842911731

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

Mrs. Morris and the Pot of Gold (A Salem B&B Mystery Book 6)

Author:    Traci Wilton

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496733054

Kensington Publishing

304 Pages

$8.99; $6.99 Amazon

August 23, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Charlene has hired a van to ferry her B&B guests to an all-you-can-eat corned beef and cabbage dinner hosted by Salem's Irish community at the Ancient Order of Hibernians club -- but she should have booked a hearse.  It's never a good sign when the family black sheep drunkenly crashes a party by punching the guy dressed as a leprechaun.  But things go from troublesome to fatal when Charlene stumbles upon a second brawl in an upstairs room -- and thing fight Connor Gallagher loses, his anonymous assailant rushing past Charlene, hidden by a hoodie.

Now Detective Sam Holden has another homicide on his hands, with Charlene as the only eyewitness.  Even if she can't give the police sketch artist much to go on, Charlene is determined to ID the murderer, with the help of Dr. Jack Strathmore, the charming ghost who haunts her B&B.  The answer lies in the motive, and to uncover that sleuth and spook with need to shine a light on Connor's shady past -- before the killer pulls another Irish goodbye...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Charlene Morris left Chicago and her old life behind when her husband was unexpectedly killed, and moved to Salem, Massachusetts to open a B&B.  Little did she know that it was haunted by the previous owner, Dr. Jack Strathmore, who is tied to the property due to his murder.  But while Charlene and Jack have learned to live together as a team, she is the only one who can see and hear him -- besides her cat, Silva.  

Currently she has a house full of guests who are ready to get their St. Patrick's Day dinner at the local pub, courtesy of Charlene.  When they arrive, the pub is full, but they manage to have a good time.  That is, until Connor Gallagher shows up, drunk and ready to fight.  When the hostess, his cousin, manages to calm him down, everything goes back to normal.  But after Charlene returns to the hall to retrieve something a guest left behind, she's in the dark -- and has stumbled upon a fight that turns out to fatally wound Connor.  His family isn't talking, but Charlene knows when something is suspicious.  And his family certainly is.  With a mysterious guest that also isn't talking, Charlene calls on Jack for help in finding out what's going on.  And what's going on could get her killed...

This is the sixth book in the series and I have read them all.  Rather, I should say that I have devoured them all, for they are so delicious to read.  I absolutely love Jack and wish the heavens would give him a second chance on earth somehow so he could really be with Charlene (hey, it's fantasy, so why not?) but that's a book for another time.

In this one, Charlene has her hands full with a houseful of guests, and one mysterious man who seems to show up everywhere Charlene goes, and disappears just as quickly.  But spying on her guests is out of the question, so she tries to figure out other ways to get him to talk.  To top things off, her parents decide to visit on a whim, and her mother is acting strangely...very strangely, which has Charlene wondering what's going on.

When the problems escalate in the Gallagher and O'Brien families, Charlene is pulled into the middle.  Watching her question people -- not intrusively -- is the heart of the book, that and Charlene's own heart, which is big enough to allow others into it.  I love the interactions between Charlene and Jack, and the way they work together to solve the murders they encounter.  They're like Mr. and Mrs. North by Frances and Richard Lockridge.

When we get closer to the end we discover why everything has been happening the way it has, and of course, who the murderer is.  A complete surprise, and an outstanding find by Charlene.  When she asks for help in locating the killer, it comes from an unlikely -- but willing -- source, and the ending is done perfectly.  I can only hope that this series goes on a lot longer, as I love getting the glimpses into Charlene's life and the descriptions of Salem.  Never having been there, with each book it brings me closer to wanting to make a trip.  I look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Morris-Gold-Salem-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09MYMSPHC/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4711130997

More on Traci Wilton's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/traci-wilton/

Murder at the Lobstah Shack ( A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery #3)

Author:    Maddie Day

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496715104

Kensington Publishing

320 Pages

$8.59; $6.99 Amazon

November 30, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

From clam chowdahs to oysters on the half-shell, Tulia Peters' Lobstah Shack offers locals and tourists in Westham, Massachusetts, some of Cape Cod's most amazing cuisine.  But when the body of Annette DiCicero is discovered in the kitchen's walk-in freezer -- with a custom-made claw-handled lobster pick lodged in her neck -- spoiled appetites are the least of Tulia's worries.

After a heated public argument with Annette, Tulia is a person of interest in the police's homicide investigation.  To clear Tulia's name, Mac and the Coy Capers Book Group snoop into Annette's personal life.  Between her temperamental husband, his shady business partner, and two women tied to Annette's past life as "Miss New Bedford", there are now several suspects and multiple motives.  And they're getting crabby about Mac intruding in their affairs...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Mackenzie "Mac" Almeida owns a bike shop in Westham, Massachusetts, and spends her time between the shop, her pet bird, Belle, and her friends and their book club -- and, of course, her boyfriend Tim.  But one morning she receives a frantic call from one of her book club friends, Tulia, and when she goes to Tulia's restaurant, The Lobstah Shack, she finds a dead woman in the walk-in freezer.  The woman is Annette DiCicero, whose daughter Kendall is a friend of Mac's niece Cokey.

But since she was found with Tulia's lobster pick in her neck, and Tulia and the woman had a heated argument recently, she's well on her way to being at the top of the list.  Mac is determined to not keep her there, and along with her book club friends, they intend to quietly sleuth out a killer.  But Mac has never been known for her stealth, so the killer might also be keeping an eye on her...

This is the third book in the series and I have read them all.  This can also be read just fine as a stand-alone, but I think you would do better to read the entire series so that you can get more background on all the characters.  While I will say that this is a good book, I do think that the previous one is my favorite of the three.  This one has a lot of Mac's "thoughts" that I think would have been better spent on showing us what is exactly going on with the characters.  Also, the remark about the pandemic seemed a bit premature, and the story would have been better sticking to the mystery itself and not other things.

There are plenty of suspects around the area, including Annette's husband, whom no one seems to know much about.  But the man seems to truly care about his daughter and that doesn't let out others who might be guilty, including Doris, who owns a pet store and has been seen complaining regularly about Tulia's business.  So who could the guilty party be?

With the group gleaning clues and sharing with each other, it's up to Mac to share those details with the police, who urge her to stay out of it.  But one thing's for sure -- someone knows what she's up to and is determined to make sure she does stay out of it...permanently.

When the ending comes and the killer is revealed, I had pretty much figured out who it was.  But since I live on mysteries, that might be the reason why.  Still, it is pretty good and I would recommend this book to others.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Lobstah-Shack-Capers-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08Y6B8MDK/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4704192146

More on Maddie Day's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/maddie-day/

Mystics and Murder (Darla Damian Paranormal Mysteries Book 1)

Author:    Julia Koty

Genre:    Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781939309273

Busstop Press

176 Pages

$9.99; $2.99 Amazon

March 22, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What happens when you swear off your psychic skills but still need to solve a murder?

the cozy seaside town of Stoneport, Massachusetts is not only home to tourist restaurants and a lighthouse but to strange disappearances and a cat-sleuthing secret society.  It's also home to the world-renowned psychic,  Darla Damian, who has recently sworn off her abilities.  Of course, her first day back is more exciting than she had anticipated.

Back at the Aurora B, Fine Crystals and More, Darla's best friend books a new consulting case for her with the Stoneport police department.

"Open and shut," they say.

Except it isn't.

Her loving cats are barely any help, X and O have their own mystery to solve.

The mysterious case collides with her complicated past and Darla faces her biggest fear: that she not longer has what it takes to interpret her visions and unearth the truth.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Darla Damian, world-renowned psychic, is back at work after three weeks away.  Three weeks during which time she's pondering whether she can trust her visions anymore.  Three weeks after a traumatic event that's caused her to doubt everything now.  But in her first return to work, her best friend Candace, who is also her partner in the Aurora B, Fine Crystals and More, has booked a new case for her -- one that she hopes will get Darla back on track.

But Darla doesn't want to be 'back on track.'  She wants to lay low and do simple Tarot readings for others, not wanting to see or feel her visions.  Yet now she's presented with a missing persons case -- that just might be more than that.  When a murder occurs, Darla discovers that maybe the two might just be connected.  And even though she still wants to leave it alone, Candace won't let her.  Now Darla is involved in what she doesn't want, and with a new homicide detective who thinks she's a hack.  Can Darla find the killer?  And more important, can she find her skills again?

This is the first book in a new series, and as such, it shines.  If you've read any of the Mira Michaels books, you'll know that Darla is Mira's older sister.  (If you haven't, I suggest you run - not walk - to your nearest purchase place and buy a copy.  You'll be hooked).  Darla has always depended upon her psychic gifts to help others, but when something extremely traumatic occurs, and she blames herself for 'misreading' her vision, she feels that she can't trust herself anymore.  Now it's up to Candace to help her return to what she does best.  With prodding and trust, Candace tries to help Darla as she navigates her way into a new case, albeit reluctantly.

What follows is Darla, still unsure of herself, asking questions and watching people, rather than reading them, to find the truth.  Yet there is a vision or two to help her along, and she's going to have to trust herself in order to corner a killer.  Because we know she will, of course...

The ending is a very interesting one, and leaves us wondering what the next book will bring.  As for the new detective, I'm right there along with Darla, as I'm a believer myself, (and have the proof to back it up!). 

The characters are believable and fully fleshed out (the main ones, at least) and we understand Darla's feelings and her angst; we also understand Candace and why she is doing what she is.  The story line is riveting, and let us not forget Darla's Siamese cats, X and O, who are definitely worth reading about in their own right, trying to keep the peace between the House Cats and the Ferals -- and solving their own mystery along the way.

In the end, this is the beginning to a new series that should have everyone smiling in satisfaction and waiting for the next in the series (hurry, hurry!) as Darla takes her place on your bookshelf.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the author and BookFunnel, but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Mystics-Murder-Paranormal-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B09KW3R32F/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4615785923

More on Julia Koty's Books:   https://www.fantasticfiction.com/k/julia-koty/