Carol J. Perry

This one is getting 4 stars in spite of a transparent (to me - I figured it out before page 140) murder plot and some small editing errors (if you're talking to someone on the phone, you can't actually see them rubbing their forehead) because the writing is just plain good.

Lee is a great MC: she's independent, hard working, modest and she doesn't think she's smarter than the police. She respects the police and hands them every scrap of information she has - no game playing, it's SO nice. I show more was also going to praise her lack of TSTL decisions, but if I'm being fair, she does pull one at the end; it's not a doozy, but it's almost all the more TSTL for its ordinariness.

No love triangles, a super smart cat that mostly acts like a cat and a mostly realistic path of acceptance for Lee's gift and its development make this a series one I'm going to hang onto, even if the murderer is too easy to spot. show less

Maureen Doherty loses her job as a clothing buyer in an upscale department store in Boston when the store closes. But then she receives an odd letter from a legal firm in Haven, Florida, stating that she's inherited an old inn and the remaining fortune of the late tenant. Packing up her things and her golden retriever, Finn, she heads for the sunny south to start a new life.

But when she arrives she finds the fortune isn't all that much; the inn is in need of a lot of work; several elderly show more people live on site in return for working there, and the manager seems to have nothing but disdain for her -- taking over the previous owner's office and giving Maureen room 27 -- which is reputed to be haunted by a nasty spirit.

After barely settling in she finds the body of a reputed ghost hunter on her front porch, and it seems he's been poisoned -- shortly after having a drink in the hotel's bar. Now the police are on her tail, wondering if Lorna or one of her employees could be the murderer. Could things get any worse?

Apparently so. She gets another big surprise when she finds that her own suite is haunted by a B startlet from Hollywood's Golden Era - Lorna DuBois. After proclaiming she doesn't believe in ghosts, she finds herself talking to Lorna and asking her advice. Between talking to a ghost and being a suspect on the police's radar for murder, Maureen's in a pickle, and if she can't find a murderer, her stay in Florida isn't going to be pleasant -- from the inside of a jail...

This is the first book in the series and I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely. I love books with ghosts (friendly) and I loved the plot in this one. It was a lot of fun to read, and the fact that Maureen goes through a lot of changes and seems to accept them shows me that she's able to give in situations and not afraid to take risks. She's a lovely person, and her dog is quite a character, too.

The elderly tenants are a hoot, but they in turn know what they're doing and who to talk to and whom not to. Gert is the funniest, but the others have their value also. I do like Ted quite a bit, he's open to new things and hopefully, will become Maureen's permanent partner-in-crime, if you know what I mean. Both romantically and in sleuthing.

I was able to follow the mystery easily and pretty much knew who the murderer was, and the reason behind it wasn't difficult to figure out; but I read a lot of mysteries so I'm always on the lookout for those things anyway.

When the ending comes it was done nicely and with everything falling into place right where it's supposed to. Again, I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next in the series soon. Highly recommended.

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

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 show more 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. show less

To extend the Halloween season just a bit in Salem, Lee Barrett's television production class decides to do a feature on Dia De Los Muertos. As they plan cemetery visits and interviews, Lee discovers one of her students has ulterior motives for taking her class. Dorothy wants to learn about investigative reporting so she can start looking for her sister's killer. Her sister Emily supposedly died of an overdose, but Dorothy knows it was murder. Lee and her boyfriend, Pete, discover links show more between Emily's death and another unsolved case. And Lee starts having visions about the murder. Can they discover who killed Emily and why?

Grave Errors is the fifth book in the Witch City Mystery series. I love how the characters are developing as the series progresses. I do wish that Lee would just embrace her gift of scrying instead of always freaking out about it. The story moves a little slower in this book than previous ones, but once it got rolling, I was hooked. There were plenty of twists and suspects to keep me guessing. This cozy definitely got me thinking about fall and Halloween. :) I'm ready for the season change!

I enjoy this series. Lee is a good main character and I like how she has developed since the first book. Her boyfriend, Pete, is a good match for her. They definitely investigate well together. Lee's aunt as usual is a top-notch researcher. Her students even pitch in and help out. All in all, I really enjoy this series. I keep coming back for more every time a new book comes out!

The cover art, as usual, is awesome!!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** show less