Here is another fun paranormal cozy to get us in the mood for Halloween. This was on my TBR pile for a while and I finally got to it. I am so glad I did. It is the first in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery series. Check out my review and see if this is of interest to you.
Copyright: March 2016 (Midnight Ink) 290 pgs
Series: 1st in Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum mystery series
Sensuality: Mild
Mystery Sub-genre: Cozy, light paranormal for eerie effects
Main Character: Madelyn "Maddie" Kosloski, unemployed and helping her friend out
Setting: Modern day in small town San Benedetto in central California
Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review
Book cover blurb: "When Maddie Kosloski's career flatlines, she retreats to her wine country hometown for solace and cheap rent. Railroaded into managing the local paranormal museum, she's certain the rumors of its haunting are greatly exaggerated. But then a fresh corpse in the museum embroils Maddie in murders past and present, making her wonder if a ghost could really be on the loose.
With her high school bully as one of the detectives in charge of the investigation, Maddie doubts justice will be served. When one of her best friends is arrested, she knows it won't be. Maddie also grapples with ghost hunters, obsessed taxidermists, and the sexy motorcyclist next door as outside forces threaten. And as she juggles spectral shenanigans with the hunt for a killer, she discovers there truly is no place like home."
Maddie Kosloski got fired from her high profile overseas corporate job for refusing to pay an official a bribe and has to face her siblings overachieving success and pressuring mother. Adele Nakamoto is her close friend and daughter of a vineyard owner/mayor with money to burn. Harper Caldarelli is another close friend and a financial advisor. Detective Laurel Hammer is Maddie's nemesis from high school who picks right up were she left off making her life miserable. Blond hunk Mason Hjelm is a potential romantic interest who runs a motorcycle shop next door to the museum. Tall, dark, and handsome Detective Slate (Laurel's partner) is another potential romantic interest. The cat,GD for Ghost Detecting, is an interesting adjunct staff for the museum.
The museum, voted tackiest museum in town, is a run down attraction with a creepy doll room and resident ghosts. The town is quirky with its annual Christmas cow (made of straw) tradition that somehow gets set on fire every year. Between the town and the museum, it combines for a quirky, fun feel that adds a lot to the character and mood of the book.
The plot gets twisty and it's hard to tell who the killer is among the many potential bad guys. Although Maddie doesn't go out and hunt down clues, many of the clues find their way to her as she works at the museum and asks a few questions. There are many red herrings complicating the issue as well. The pacing is light and easy with well timed events which kept me engaged. The climax is nicely done with thrills and danger. The wrap-up is delightful with a mock re-trial of one of the museum's ghosts who had been hung for her husband's murder. I loved that touch.
If you are looking for a light entertaining read, you might enjoy this book. The paranormal isn't dark or scary, rather a few creepy moments and more atmospheric. The premise for this series is great and the author took the idea and truly made it into an enjoyable and fun story. I am already eyeing the second in the series.
Rating: Excellent - Loved it, it had a good grip on me! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list
